Chapter 8
In the hushed room, the mere whisper of “AIDS” sent a wave ed panic through the crowd. People stepped back,
there, oblivious.
Beyond the doct, Clara’s fingers free on her phone’s camera app. The news hit her like a ton of bricks. She knew! abroad for treatment, but she never imagined it was AIDS.
offer around Fraser, who lay
shusband was ill and had gone
Susan, Fraser’s spouse, and mother to their child, was likely already battling the virus. And with Clara’s constant presence around Susan, the possibility of her own exposure sent a shiver down her spine.
Fear and anger drained the color from her face. “We’ve been best friends for years–how could Susan keep something this life altering from me? Clara
wondered. She resolved to confront Susan about it.
Joanna tugged Kenneth out of the room, their pate quickening as they headed for the hospital. Just as they reached the elevator, they nearly coded with Shawn, who was on the lookout for Kenneth
“Kenneth, what brings you here?” Shawn asked. “If those girls didn’t float your boat, I’ve got a new crowd lined up for you.” His gaze ficked to Joanna wondering. “And who might you be?”
“He’s not up for company tonight, so you’ll have to step in for him,” Joanna interjected. In her mind, Kenneth was a pigolo, and Shawn, by association
must be one too.
le
Shawn’s brow furrowed in confusion. “What are you talking about?” He started to clarify, but Kenneth shot him a chilling look, a silent order to let it g
Shawn watched, bewildered, as Joanna guided the tall figure of Kenneth into the elevator. The doors slid shut, leaving Shawn alone with his thought He made his way back to the VIP room, where Samuel noticed his solitary return. “Where’s Mr. Wesley!” Samuel inquired.
“A woman took him away,” Shawn replied, still reeling from the unexpected turn of events. His expression shited to one of concern. “Oh no. Kenneth has amnesia; what if that woman is trying to take advantage of him for his money or something else?”
Samuel let out a soft chuckle, diffusing
ing Shawn’s anxious speculation. “Don’t fret. No one can outsmart Mr. Wesley.”
When Kenneth hadn’t been in a coma five years prior, anyone who crossed him faced dire consequences. Now, he seemed gentle and unassuming, but that was just a facade. A wolf in sheep’s clothing, his predatory nature remained, and amnesia couldn’t erase that,
In Room 301 of a hospital, Susan carefully placed her sleeping son, Jonah, on the bed and faced Norbert, who stood silently by
She whispered, “After marrying Fraser, I threatened to take my own life to avoid being intimate with him. He only agreed to abstain if I would have a child for him, which is why I underwent IVF and had Jonah.”
She paused, her eyes filled with fear. “Since then, he’s held it against me. Whenever he drinks, he turns violent.”
Susan’s voice trembled slightly, her gaze pleading. “Norbert, please don’t judge me. I’m healthy. I don’t have AIDS.”
As Norbert listened to Susan’s account of her troubled marriage, his heart ached. “Susan, don’t ever say such things. I would never judge you.” He extended his hand and took hers, his eyes brimming with empathy. “You must divorce him, Susan”
Susan’s eyes darted away, a wry smile tugging at her lips as she drew her hand back. “He won’t let me go, Norbert. I’m stuck in this mess, but I’m glad to see you and Joanna doing okay”
Norbert’s jaw tightened at the mention of Joanna. “She pushed you into that nightmare with Fraser. How could I be doing okay with her?” His voice was
as cold as ice
Norbert was aware that Joanna could still be with Benson, a man notorious for his lascivious behavior. But somehow, the mere thought of Joanna being subjected to Benson’s advances twisted Norbert’s gut into knots of rage.
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Chapter 8
Susan picked up on Norbert’s odd demeanor. Her intuition whispered to her that his feelings for Joanna were more than just negative
At that moment, Clara sent a video. Susan quickly opened it. Relief washed over her as she watched, exclaiming, “I was concerned when I heard Joanna was with a client, so I asked Clara to look in on her. I can’t believe this is happening.
Norbert felt a sudden constriction in his chest as he glanced down at the video. Joanna’s attire was disheveled, with a man’s coat draped over her, revealing hints of her alluring skin.
She was seen eagerly leading a stranger away, the intimate situation strongly suggesting an imminent trip to a hotel.
Norbert’s face drained of color. His words came out strained, as if he was struggling to speak through gritted teeth “Joanna, how could you!”
Clara sent a voice message that made Susan’s heart skip a
pa beat. “Susan, your husband was at the scene, and Joanna dropped that he has AIDS. You’ve got to tell me, is it true?”
Susan’s expression changed in an instant and recounted to Clara what she’d just told Norbert. She seethed with anger at Joanna; Clara was no secret keeper, and if this got out, Susan’s reputation would be shattered
“How could Joanna air this in public? What will people think of me now?” Susan’s voice wavered, her body trembling with ariety. “And Fraser… he’ll be livid. He might take it out on Jonah and me, maybe even kill us.”
She clutched Norbert’s arm, her eyes brimming with tears. “Norbert, I’m terrified. Please, take us away, save Jonah and me.
As Susan caught Norbert’s attention, he quickly pushed thoughts of Joanna aside. “Don’t fret. You’re in this mess because you tried to help me, and I won’t leave you high and dry. Susan, I’m getting you out of here, right now.”
Susan leaned into him, her head finding a resting place on his chest. Out of Norbert’s sight, a flicker of something dark crossed her eyes.
She reflected on their past–she and Norbert had only dated for three months. Their bond wasn’t profound. After their marriage, much of the trouble Norbert had inflicted on Joanna stemmed from a misunderstanding–that he believed Susan had been the one to help him avoid prison.
In the bustling emergency room of another hospital, Joanna and Kenneth hurriedly made their way to the front desk. She quickly explained the urgent situation to the doctor on duty
Relief washed over Joanna as she watched Kenneth receive the preventive shot that could halt the spread of infection. Her hair was a mess, her makeup smeared, and her dress was all askew, giving her a disheveled yet somehow still beautiful appearance.
Kenneth, on the other hand, was the picture of nonchalance. He seemed utterly unfazed, as if he wasn’t the one facing the risk of HIV
The on–duty nurse, clearly smitten by Kenneth’s charm, handed him a cup of water with a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, Everything’s going to be okay,”
she said.
“Thanks,” Kenneth replied and stepped outside, offering the water to Joanna who stood quietly by the door.
Joanna accepted the water, her mind elsewhere. She was about to drink when she felt Kenneth’s gaze on her. Following his line of sight, she gasped, walizing her dress had a tear that exposed her chest.
“Close your eyes,” she blurted out, hastily trying to cover herself and in the process, spilling water down her
front.
emoved closer. “is there
“A little late to play coy, don’t you think?” Kenneth teased, his voice a smooth whisper that sent a shiver down her spine as her part of you I haven’t seen already?”
At his words, a mix of embarrassment and fury washed over Joanna, memories of their wild night together flooding back.
“Hold still,” Kenneth instructed, his hands firmly on Joanna’s shoulders, steadying her. She quaked, her lear palpable, as he draped his coat around her. deftly buttoning it up before releasing hes
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Chapter 8
Joanna’s heart fluttered as she caught the crisp, cedar scent of Kenneth, tinged with a hint of tobacco a stark contrast to Norbert’s
હો પર સીરી
Before she could collect her thoughts, Kenneth’s question hit her like a ton of bricks. “Joanna, you seem to know a lot about
She knew that getting sesatchild by someone with AIDS required an immediate blocker injection, a fact most people weren’t aware of She brought it up immediately after explaining the situation to the doctor
Joanna’s body stiffened, her face losing color as memories fonded back. Her father’s voice thundered in her head.
“Joanna, keep your distance from your mom, She has AIDS.”
“How many men did your mom sleep with to get that filthy disease?”
“Joanna, don’t blame me for being ruthless. I can never forgive your mother, never.”
Shaking off the memories, Joanna replied, “I just read it somewhere online. She extended her hand towards him. “Hand me your phone. I’ll put my number in it. That way, if anything out of the ordinary comes up, you can reach me.”
Kenneth fished out his phone, but instead of giving it to her, he held it back, his eyes narrowing with a hint of suspicion. “Who’s Norbert?”
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