Chapter 58: Chapter 58
Phoebe got home with the intention of locking herself up in her room and crying her eyes out. Life had not been fair to her at all. Just when she thought that her lot was about to change, Jason's ex wife resurfaced. It would not have been a problem if he had shown any animosity towards her or if her relationship with him had been a committed one. Then she would have exercised full tights over him and hastened their wedding and Rebecca would have found that she was late in trying to come back into his life except she wanted to be the other woman.
That seemed not to be enough, Richard had also resurfaced with his selfish demands and threats.
How was she going to overcome this?
She was so caught up in her thoughts that she did not see the person sitting on her doorstep.
She nearly bumped into him but missed her step as she caught sight if a shadow on the doorstep too late but he caught her and she ended up in his arms.
He kissed her thoroughly before setting her on her feet again.
'You'd better be careful where you step'. he said smiling.
Phoebe looked flushed. She had not known who was kissing her but she had responded all the same because she had not cared. She had just wanted to escape the feeling of desperation that was eating her up. Though she may have instinctively known that it was the stranger with whom she had had a marvellous one night stand.
'Who has done this to you? Why are you so distracted and anxious?'
She wanted to hide the whole issue from him but she didn't have anyone to confide in and did not want to disturb Carol with her problems. Carol must have her own issues to deal with.
She burst into tears.
The stranger took the keys from her and opened the door and ushered her gently in before going in after her.
In the distance, a pair of eyes watched them go in together.
He sat her down and got her a glass of water.
'You cannot tell me it's nothing. What is the problem be ause I do not need to be a fortune teller to know that something has got you so worked up that you seem confused.
Phoebe looked at him and saw that he was really handsome or maybe it was just that she was seeing beauty everywhere Richard was not present. He had really polluted the night for her.
'It is just me ex boyfriend's, she started trying for a neutral tone.
'Yes, what about him?'
'You know it is really none of your business. Why are you so concerned?'
'I know we are just strangers to each other. But that does not mean that I like people maltreating women'.
'Says the guy who picked up a woman and spent the night with her though he didn't know a thing about her'.
The man looked at Phoebe for a long time.
'I am Romeo. What is yours?'
'I preferred it when you were just a nameless stranger to me, you know!'
'What exactly do you want? You just a caused me of taking you the other night without even knowing anything about you and here I am trying to remedy the situation and you are still objecting'.
Phoebe burst into tears. She did not know if it was her hormones a ting up or if she was reacting to her lot in life. If only Jason or some of the other single wealthy male friends she had could act half as concerned as this stranger she did not want to have anything to do with anymore, then she would be very happy and consider herself lucky indeed.
'He wants me to get him $4m to keep his mouth shut concerning what he knows about me'. she blurted.
'And what is his thing he knows about you that is worth such an outrageous sum of money?'
'He saw me linked with Jason Campbell in the papers and assumed that we were having a thing and if I didn't want him coming between us and ruining my reputation before him, then I would have to give him that amount'.
'I know that it is none of my business but are you romantically involved with the man? Jason, I mean?'
'We are in an open relationship. Each of us is free to have other partners or see other people if we so desire. He has been weary of women since he broke off with his wife who eloped with his best friend. So he does not want any attachments'.
'But you would have wanted your relationship with him to be different, more involved!' he stated in a matter of fact manner.
Phoebe looked at him shocked. How had he been able to read her so effortlessly?
'I can see that you are surprised. Don't be. I have been with you for just a night but I could tell that you are not a bad sort at all. So, he does not want any attachments' but you want it but you would rather be with him till he realizes that he wants you for more than sexual gratification but for keeps?
There is a danger in it because he may still be secretly in love with his ex wife and if she comes back, then you will have wasted your time.
Secondly, he may already have someone else in mind. Though if that is the case, he would have stopped seeing you. Because a man who loves another would want to be with his love always and with no other especially if the love is strong and if it is novel.
But you have to be careful. If he does not love you till now, what is the probability he would love you later? And do you love him or the idea of being with him?'
'Not that it is any business of yours but I do not love him but I would like to be his wife'.
'And what plans are you making towards that?'
'I had thought of something but his ex wife suddenly resurfaced and the way he acted was as though he still had feelings for him. I had just come from a date with him the night I met you, where he met his ex wife again after their divorce and I was really sad and broken by what I felt was his residual feelings for her. He should despise her for what she had done. There should be no soft spot left in him for her'.
'Are you sure you have not fallen in love with this Jason guy? Because you sound very much like a woman in love'.
he said looking at her broodingly.
'I am not in love with him. I am just frustrated. All my plans seem not to be working and now, my villain ex boyfriend is blackmailing me!'
'That was why I needed to know if you are in love with Jason or not because if you are not, then what ever the fool wants to reveal should not affect you'.