Chapter 11: Chapter 11

Christina

Dressed in a sky blue colour gown which had a sheer detail of pearls in the bust area flowing down in long frills to my knee I walked down the grandeur staircase of our house.

Today we are leaving to the Martin house for a family dinner. Adrian is very excited for two reasons. Firstly to share with his family that we will be proud parents of a little one very soon and secondly I would be very soon able to hear and speak.

Though he wanted me to say the vows on our marriage he doesn't seem to mind now as he is more enthusiastic to welcome a new member into our family.

Extending his hand for me to hold after I reach the bottom of the stairs, Adrian kisses my lips and compliments me. "You look so beautiful in this blue gown.... like a walking porcelain doll." I smile and nod thanking him. Now I can read his lips like an open book and the same applies to him. Looking at the expression in my eyes, he finds out everything that goes in my head. I am very fortunate we are perfectly compatible couple even with no speech or hearing between us.

Adrian was dressed to kill in a crisp gray suit with a white shirt underneath and a black tie. His hair was perfectly gelled and combed in a trim military cut. He was flawless and extremely attractive with a charismatic smile playing on his arresting features. The light stubble on the chin accentuates his maleness that adds fuel to already existing fire in me. I constrict my legs to arrest the wetness pooling. His eyes gradually travel down to the length of my legs and meet back my eyes raising his brows.

Stumped, you just got caught Christina. You don't even know to get away from his looks. My mind jeers at me.

The door was opened by my 'would be' father-in-law Augustus Martin. Augustus looks down at me softly with love in his eyes and a gentle smile on his face. He brings his hand on my head and runs it down slowly to my back like blessing me. I was amazed by the warmth that reflected his eyes yet with no words spoken. All my fears about my in-laws were cleared then and there. I pull my fingers to my forehead and hold them down like a salute as a form of greeting to my father-in-law. He nods to me with a tender smile. Adrian gets forward and hugs his father.

Augustus pats the back of Adrian and welcomes us inside my home. Soon a middle aged lady gets forward walking to us. She was elegant and beautiful dressed in a long black gown. She cups my cheeks in her warm hands and kisses my forehead. Adrian walks to her with a bouquet of fresh water lilies, hugs and kisses her cheeks. "She is my mom." He introduces me to her with a lot of affection in his eyes. I salute her the same way I did to Augustus as a form of greeting Angelica.

Everybody was already seated in the living hall exchanging greetings and having the drinks. I was introduced to Abigail and her husband Devon. Of course I wasn't meeting Edith and her husband here for the first time. We hugged and I shook hands with Allesandro. There was a new member in the Martin's home. She is the little five months old Laura, the daughter of Edith and Allesandro.

Adrian was very excited to play with his niece though this wasn't the first time he meets her. We visited Edith in the hospital when she delivered the baby. Adrian immediately lifted the baby in his arms, and started playing with her. The little bundle of joy was no less thrilled seeing her uncle. She directed her little fist to her mouth and made baby sounds in glee. Adrian was talking animatedly to her, his eyes holding a lot of care and affection.

I was very happy to see Adrian so jubilant. He will make a good dad for our kids one day but I also know he is going to spoil them rotten.

The dinner was served with delicious dishes set on the table. My mouth watered ready to devour everything but alas, the stupid nausea also hit me simultaneously. After I come out of the washroom everybody was looking at me with a question mark on their faces.

I do not know what he said but Adrian was controlling the smile about to break out of his lips any moment. I reach my chair like nothing happened, sitting beside Adrian and raise my hand pulling out three fingers one after another from my fist.

Angelica's smile was luminous like the full moon in the night sky. She jumped out of her seat, ran to me and hugged me tight kissing my cheeks. Augustus gets out of his head chair and pats my shoulders, a genial smile on his rims. Every body followed their congratulations to us.

Amaira

It has been three months since the last time I met Mr Martin. I tried innumerable times through his secretary Jenny or Jennifer or whatever her name is but the bitch would not give me an appointment to meet him by any means. I tried sugar coated words, behaved too nicely with her controlling my dominance which is actually against my personality. Then I tried to coerce her, black mailed her but the idiot was a tough nut to crack. She wouldn't let me in.

I re-checked my company's record for the last two decades trying to find if there was any possible rivalry of us with the Martins. My entire search went to know result meeting the same dead end. I'm worried, disturbed and in a chaos. I do not know what to do.

Witmore industries continued to incur losses. Our shares had dropped to a record low, a price which I have not seen fall since my birth. If the same process continues even for another six more months, then I am afraid we have to shut down the company and go on the roads opting for a begging bowl.

The employees have already got the information from a secret wireless message, another malignity to which Mr Martin had exposed us. Some of them have taken long leaves stating bullshit reasons and others simply quit the job. It was in a way good for us because we do not know from where we could pay them the salaries. There was a time when employees competed to work for the Witmores, high pay extra facilities with many other benefits - every person's dream. But today?....

It is rightly said when a ship starts to sink it is firstly the rats that get running away from it.

I have already sold many of our assets to pay the staff and I do not know how many more I have to sell. My father became an alcoholic unable to stand the ruination.

Dad was born with a silver spoon and mom also hails from a rich family. He inherited Witmore industries from my grandfather. It is an enterprise which has a history of many past generations now reduced to doldrums.

All this appears like an irrevocable curse, like some magic power had reddened his eyes on us. I do not understand why Adrian James Martin is so revengeful against us? His eyes flare at me like a tornado, like I am some she devil.... I do not know why?

What is the loss Adrian James Martin suffered because of us? Why is he heavily bent on destroying us. I have several questions to ask him but he doesn't allow me talk or for that matter even allow me to enter his office. But I'm not the woman who would accept defeat. I want to have the answers for my questions and I will get them by any means.

With determination in my mind I step into Sunrise Industries office once again. No appointment is booked because if I call I know what answer I am going to get. I'm not taking a 'no' from him or his secretary this time. I'm destined to find my answers even if I have to fall at Adrian's feet to find a solution.

"Amaira what do you want now?" He asks me tiredly rubbing his eyes before I even get to his room. But what shocked me was the way my title rolled out of his rims. He spelt my name as though he had known me for decades, with an intimacy.....with a fondness..... Like someone calls his wife?

Does this man know me from before? But I don't recollect meeting him anywhere in my past. We do not have any common business either. Witmores were the leading manufacturers of consumables while the Sunrise Industries is into pubs and hotel industry. There is no question of me meeting him in a pub, party or any social gathering. I hardly socialize. Till recently I was busy in my doctoral programs and I hardly visited my company in New York. Dad took care of everything

All my questions and my thoughts come to a dead end when it comes to this man. He is like an unsolvable puzzle to my mind. Tired of everything and coming to no fruitful result, I tried my last resort - the access to newspapers. I wish I could get at least a clue as a reward for the efforts I took in the past many months.

After searching one thousand and ninety two dailies, I came across a morning news headline that was published more than six years ago.

Adrian James - the adopted son of Augustus Martin is now a legitimate heir and appointed as the new CEO of Sunrise Industries.

So he is not the biological son of Augustus Martin.

Who are his real parents and why was he adopted by Augustus Martin?