Chapter 114: Chapter 114

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Nancy nearly fainted but Jason who had been staring at her, wondering why she was so pale and staring at Rodney the way she was as though she had seen a ghost, caught her and carried her to a sofa.

All attention shifted from Rodney to Nancy.

'What was Rodney doing here?' Nancy thought in panic.

Rodney saw the way Jason placed his hands possessively on her and the look in his eyes as he gazed at her. He knew that Jason's feelings for Nancy was not just lust. He was totally Nancy's. He looked at Nancy to see if he could get an inkling of her real feelings towards Jason because she had loved Rodney so completely that he felt hers might not be as deep as Jason's but he couldn't be too sure.

'Nancy, what happened?' Jason asked and Phoebe felt that this drama queen had started again. Was she not the one enjoying the meal with everyone else? How come she fainted all of a sudden? She is not the only one who is pregnant for goodness sakes!

'Nothing, I just felt dizzy but I'll be okay', she smiled at Jason and apologetically at everyone.

'I'm sorry if I ruined your mood'.

'Not at all', Chris said, smiling. He really liked this girl called Nancy. There was an innocence about her that was rare. Rodney cleared his throat and all eyes turned back at him.

'Nancy, you better take better care of yourself?'

Jason looked at him shocked.

'You know Nancy?'

'She is a very good friend of mine, right Nancy?' Rodney asked. He wanted to put Jason in his place.

That man was so full of himself. He had wanted to wait till after the new year but he grew impatient to get her with all he found out about his wife.

Rodney could not forget how Jason cheated him put of a business deal. Truth be told, he had not been sincere with the dealer but if Jason had not interfered, that deal would have been brought to his company and he would have got millions of dollars for himself but Jason Goody-two- shoes had presented his own quotation and when asked how he proposed to do it with so little and at the shortest possible time, his explanation had won the day and he had delivered and that company had since made Campbell Enterprises their supplier.

His father in law had not allowed him live down his failure in a quiring the deal, telling him every opportunity he got that he was a no- getter, a useless person.

Rodney felt that they thought that without their money, he would have continued to be a no body but that was okay. By the time he was through with them, especially, their sister and daughter, his wife,they will be the ones begging him.

'Rodney, it's been so long, what brought you here? I didn't know that you know my brother in law, Jason'. Chris said.

'He and I have a business history and might even gorge an emotional or marital one soon', he said looking straight at Nancy who was staring at him with as much disgust and hatred as she could muster.

'Please bring something for Mr. Richmond to eat, Mrs. Potts', Jason called.

'There will be no need for that. I already had something to eat. I am not one to go crazy over food on a Christmas day. It is just a day like the others afterall'.

' I was wondering that you couldn't come to discuss a business gone bad or propose a new business deal to me on such a day as this. What brings you here then, Mr. Richmond?' Jason asked. He had not been able to tolerate Rodney, he always comes across to him as an insincere man. He could trust him only as far as he could through him. And he had made reference to knowing Nancy, it irked him at how familiar he seemed to claim he was with her. He was going to ask her later how that was.

Jason looked at Nancy and saw the animosity in her eyes as she looked at Rodney and was shocked. What could cause such an animosity? Nancy was normally not so vindictive.

He looked at Rodney and saw him smiling at Nancy in a challenging manner.

'How are your wife and children?' Chris opened his mouth to ask but was surprised when Nancy asked that.

'They are good. In fact, I didn't know that my wife knew you so well. She asked about you the other day and said it was a pity you had to leave'.

Nancy could not believe what she was hearing. The same wife for whose sake he had asked her for an abortion, had known about her? There was no limit to the lengths this man could go to ruin her life.

'Very grateful for her thoughtfulness, but I am better off leaving than staying there. I have never made a better decision, all my life'. she said.

'We shall see about that's,Rodney said in a challenging manner but his smile was aimed at pacifying and charming her.

'All the adults there felt that those two were speaking in codes that they alone understood. Jason was getting restless by the second. What was Rodney doing in his house and speaking to the woman he loves as though, he had rights over her.

Phoebe felt that there was more to this friendship this stranger Rodney had with Nancy than they were willing to admit and was determined to get to the root of it. Who knew if it was her ticket to tearing her and Jason apart for good.

'Chris, these must be your lovely children?'

'Yes, this is Vera and here is Vaughn. Children wish Mr. Richmond a merry Christmas.

'Merry Christmas, Mr. Richmond', they both chorused disinterestedly. They were already bored with all these adult talk and wanted to go play with their toys in their playroom upstairs.

'And you charming wife?'

'Mr. Richmond, it is a pleasure meeting someone who is known to both my brother and husband. Hope you enjoy your visit here', Sally said.

'Come, children, let's go to the playroom'. Nancy said wishing to use the opportunity to escape.

'But Nancy, I'd like to speak to you and Jason alone. That's the reason, I came'.

Both Jason and Nancy were shocked.

'Speak to the both of us?' she asked.

'Yes, please. I beg to borrow these two for a few minutes. They will be back and you can continue your Christmas tradition.

Sally who had merely been observing and not spoken much since this Rodney man came, asked her children to come upstairs with her.