He reached for Almasi"s hand and squeezed it in his own. She looked up at him and smiled wanly. This was going to be okay. They just had to get through this, and then everything would be fine. It would all be fine.
The store manager greeted the group at the door with a wide smile. She was a short woman, probably only about five feet and two inches tall, and her platinum blonde hair was cut in a short bob.
"Welcome!" said the store manager. "My name is Alison Thompson. I will guide you all through the shop today. Here at Adamson Jewelry Inc., we pride ourselves on our customer service. Feel free to ask any questions you"d like, and to look around. There"s no need to be shy! My staff members and I are all here to serve you. We hope your visit is everything you hope for and more!" With that, Alison Thompson opened the doors wide and guided the group of them in.
The store was beautiful. Almasi had reviewed the layout plan beforehand, but it was completely different in person. She gazed around in awe at all of the beautiful jewelry. There were necklaces, and rings, and brooches, and bracelets, and tiaras, and... Almasi got lost in the glimmering of all of the different colorful gems.
There must have been hundreds of different colors! Sure, her jewelry box at the mansion was lavish enough, and it had certainly surprised and amazed her when she had first moved in all those weeks ago, but this... this was spectacular. This was something different.
And Jacob, her own husband, was the owner of all of this? And more across the country? The very thought of these lavish riches made her shiver with pleasure. She had never really thought about it before, about how since this was all her husband"s then by extension, it belonged to her as well. Well, it could belong to her. If she had been contracted to stay-which, she reminded herself, she was had not been.
Jeremy was still planning to go through with the annulment, and Jacob had said nothing to her about the possibility of it being canceled. She shook her head. This was no time for this kind of adolescent angst. She was more mature than that. The business deal was what she needed to focus on now. She had to stop thinking about this.
Jacob led Mr. Arko k.u.mi around and showed him the various aspects of the store. "There is a shortage of diamonds," he explained, "So our supply is running low. However, there is a huge demand on the market for diamonds." He turned to Mr. Arko k.u.mi. "The prices have skyrocketed, and with your partnership, we could make an absolute fortune."
He looked at him meaningfully, and Mr. Arko k.u.mi nodded. He was smiling a little bit, and it was the first time that Almasi had ever seen him do so in the entire time he had visited. Maybe this was going to work out after all.
"This appears to be very satisfactory," said Mr. Arko k.u.mi after a long pause. He looked at his brother, who nodded in agreement. "I think we may have a deal, Mr. Adamson. Let us schedule a meeting for... shall we say, tomorrow at four o"clock?"
Jacob beamed. "Four o"clock sounds perfect. Would you like us to hold the meeting in my study?"
"I would prefer to see the office where you normally do your business," said Mr. Arko k.u.mi. You have corporate buildings downtown in the city, yes?"
Jacob nodded.
"Then I propose that we have our meeting there," said Mr. Arko k.u.mi.
"Absolutely," said Jacob. "Whatever you wish. Your preferences come first." He was laying it on thick, but he really, really needed to seal this deal.
If Mr. Arko k.u.mi had noticed the way Jacob was sucking up to him, he either didn"t care or was enjoying the attention. His facial expression was neutral and betrayed no emotion. Not even a glint of feeling showed in his dark brown eyes.
Almasi sighed in relief, just quietly enough to be inaudible. After this meeting tomorrow, the agreement they outlined would be reviewed by Jeremy and a set of lawyers, and then the deal would be settled. Jacob was clearly elated. Almasi"s mood soured, though, when she looked across the room and saw Mr. Kofi k.u.mi. He winked at her, and she looked away quickly. d.a.m.n. What was she going to do now?
Clearly, Mr. Kofi k.u.mi had not said anything about the contrived marriage yet, since his strict brother was still treating Jacob and his company favorably. But there was still time, and one word whispered word from Mr. Kofi k.u.mi could make the entire meeting go wrong. Or worse, the meeting could go splendidly, but at the last minute he could betray her secret and have her live in even more scorn with her husband.
The ride back to the mansion was less nauseating for Almasi, but she was still gripped with anxiety. Jacob was so happy he looked like he would burst, and he chatted with her about all sorts of things. How did she like the jewelry store? She replied honestly that she had thought it was spectacular.
Mr. Kofi k.u.mi had interjected to say that, it was clear that the wife had good taste in business alliances as well as her husband. Almasi had tried to not to scowl at him. Jacob laughed, and said that the compliment was well-deserved.
His wife was a true marvel. Beautiful, clever, intelligent... Almasi had waved it all off. Her face was getting warm, and she didn"t like the knowing smile that Mr. Kofi k.u.mi had on his face while Jacob babbled on about Almasi"s virtues. She didn"t like the way Mr. Kofi k.u.mi nodded along, smirking, and she wished that Jacob could see what was happening.
She wanted to scream it at him. But she held her tongue and thanked him graciously for his compliments, and he blindly waxed lyrical about her and the jewelry stores and this contract for the rest of the hour long limo ride back to the mansion.
That night, after dinner, Jacob came to Almasi in their room.
"How are you doing, my dear?" he asked. "You were awfully quiet on the ride home."
"I had nothing to say," she said softly. She smiled a little at the way he had called the mansion "home." It really was beginning to feel like home to her. Her previous life was fading quickly away, and she had no desire to return to it. That reminded her of the annulment.
"Jacob..." she began. She paused, thinking. Was she completely crazy to ask this question? She decided to do it anyway. "Jacob, what am I going to do after this deal is over?"
"We will get the annulment, as I promised you we could," he said evenly. It was all making sense now. Clearly the discomfort she had been showing was because of his open affection for her. "And then you will get your payment, as Jeremy and I promised you, and you will be free to go about your life again."
She looked sad, so he took her hand and continued. "Look, darling. I know that this is a stressful time, and that it has been a long, hard month for you. But it is almost over, and then I promise you will be free to leave."
She looked up at him. "What if..." She paused, and drew up all of her courage to continue. She sighed. "What if I don"t want to leave?"
Jacob didn"t know what to make of this. Were Almasi"s feelings similar to his own? He hoped... but the last thing he wanted was for her to feel obligated. She had a whole life ahead of her. There was graduate school, and then a Master"s Degree, and a long career in commerce, a whole vibrant future... he couldn"t cut it off like this.
As much as he loved her, he wanted her staying to be her own decision to make, not one that she was going to simply give in to under pressure from him. He couldn"t do that to her. But if she had the feelings... no. He would not push her.
So Jacob kissed his wife on the top of the head and said, "How about we talk about it in the morning?" Almasi nodded, and wrapped her arms around him. They stood there for a few long moments, just hugging. Feeling each other"s embrace. Caressing one another, and showing without words the mutual love that neither knew was borne to them by the other.
Eventually, they broke apart, and Jacob"s lips were on Almasi"s, and her hands were in his hair, and soon enough they were out of their clothes and making sweet love on the bed. It felt like it lasted forever. Almasi and Jacob both privately wished that it could. Eventually, though, Almasi"s soft cries of pleasure died down, and Jacob shuddered to his own o.r.g.a.s.m, and the two of them, husband and wife, kissed good night and went to sleep.
It would be a busy day tomorrow, after all. They both needed their proper rest to face the frightening day ahead.
Chapter5.
Almasi woke up the morning of the meeting feeling nauseous again. Why does this keep happening? she thought to herself in frustration. After rushing to the bathroom, she brushed her teeth and then came back to bed. She sat on the edge, watching Jacob sleep peacefully for a while. He looked so serene like that, almost more boyish in a way.
His lips were turned slightly upward, and his hair was a mess as it always was after a night"s sleep. She stroked his face gently, patting his hair down and fixing it. There. He was perfect now, absolutely perfect. He looked like an angel. In a way, Almasi reflected, Jacob"s presence in her life had felt like a gift from G.o.d.
It was agony to think of how she would have to either leave him, or tell him the truth of her mistake and make him forsake the diamond deal that meant so much to him. The deal that had brought the two of them together in the first place. She looked at Jacob"s face again and sighed. Her lover... her husband. He was the most beautiful thing that had ever come into her life. Surely their love was worth more than diamonds... right?
Almasi thought for a moment, and then looked back down and noticed that Jacob was stirring. She touched her lips to his forehead. "Good morning," she said softly as he opened up his eyes and blinked blearily. "Good morning, Jacob."
Jacob smiled. Almasi looked just like an angel sitting at the side of their bed with her black curls glowing like a halo from the bright beams of sunlight behind her that were coming through the window. In her night dress, she looked like a soft, lovely queen. Jacob"s heart welled with affection. If he could wake up to this sight, the sight of her, his beautiful wife, every morning... then he would die a happy man.
"Good morning, Almasi," said Jacob sleepily. He yawned. "What time is it?"
"It"s a little after eight o"clock," said Almasi gently. "Your schedule is cleared for the day. You just need to be ready to meet Jeremy at one o"clock in preparation for the meeting."
Jacob laughed. "You really are becoming a second a.s.sistant to me," he observed. "To h.e.l.l with Jeremy. I should just keep you instead."
That would be ideal, thought Almasi, but she decided not to say anything. Instead, she leaned in and pressed her lips to his in a chaste kiss.
Jacob leaned back and let Almasi kiss him sweetly. Her breath tasted like mint. Had she already been up? He quickly forgot that thought, as they were kissing harder and harder now. He did not have to be at the office for another five hours, so he didn"t need to get up at least for another three or four. He could enjoy this pa.s.sionate moment with his wife for now. So he reached his arms around her and drew her in closer, and she laid herself out on top of him.
His hands found their way beneath the skirt of her night dress, and soon she was moaning softly and grinding her hips against him. They made love quietly and tenderly, enjoying the treat of morning s.e.x on a day when there was no need to hurry. They both felt a little sad, knowing that soon all of this would be over, and not knowing that the other also wanted to stay together forever too.
Still, they enjoyed the pleasure they could get while they had it, and it was only three and a half hours later that they finally rolled out of bed and began their preparations for the day. The servants, always present and discreet, made no comments. It was one of the perks of paying your staff well.
Almasi decided not to accompany Jacob to the office for his meeting. As much as she wanted to support him, the very thought of another car ride made her stomach turn. Thankfully, Mr. Kofi k.u.mi was going along with his brother, so she would not be bothered by him for now. She took the opportunity to relax for a day, and to think.
Sitting in the lounge, Almasi wanted desperately to write more about her feelings and experiences. However, she had learned her lesson with Mr. Kofi k.u.mi and the diary, and she wouldn"t risk having her thoughts read so invasively again. She looked around. What could she do? Then, she noticed the hearth beneath the mantle. A fireplace... hmmm...
With the help of the maid on duty, Almasi had a roaring fire lit in the lounge. The young woman looked at her like she was crazy, and she supposed it seemed so for having a fire built indoors on a hot August day. But now, she could sit down and write all she wanted, and when she finished a page, she could toss it into the fire.
She watched as the record of all of her thoughts crumbled and burned with the kindling, sending smoke up the flue. Her secret thoughts and feelings would stay private, she thought with satisfaction. And she kept writing, page after page, until her hand was so sore that she could no longer grip the pen she had been diligently writing with.
She sighed, wincing as she stretched out the muscles of her fingers, and watched the last of her words burn down in the papery embers of the fireplace. She was tired, but she felt satisfied. Her mind was clearer now, although her heart still ached over the decision she was going to have to make.
Her heart wasn"t the only thing aching; her stomach was beginning to hurt again, and she felt another wave of nausea. Instructing the maid to put out the fire, Almasi ran up the stairs to go throw up in the bathroom for the second time that day. This was so unprecedented, and Almasi was confused.
Sure, she sometimes got a little dizzy when she took the city bus, but she had never felt this nauseous so often or for so long. What was wrong? Maybe she should see a doctor. No. She did not want Jacob to wonder what was going on. Worrying him like that would be unfair. Then who could she talk to?
Almasi remembered that Yifeng was coming for another dress fitting in the afternoon. They were planning her gown for the celebration after Jacob and Mr. Arko k.u.mi closed out their deal, and Yifeng said that she had a surprise treat for her. Almasi resolved to tell Yifeng then. Maybe she would be able to help her figure out what was going on with her body.
The meeting with Mr. Arko k.u.mi went splendidly for Jacob. They discussed a fair deal, and planned to close it on Sat.u.r.day before Mr. Arko k.u.mi and his brother left for Ghana. Even Jeremy seemed pleased. Afterward, he pulled Jacob aside to congratulate him.
"Jacob Adamson, you"ve really done it this time!" Jeremy grabbed his shoulder, smiling. A genuine smile from Jeremy was a rare occurrence, and seeing him grin so delightedly made Jacob smile, too. Jeremy leaned in and whispered. "I didn"t know at first if you could pull it off, but you and that Almasi woman have really followed through this time!"
That reminded Jacob. "There"s one thing I need to talk to you about, Jeremy," said Jacob, and Jeremy seemed to immediately realize that Jacob was being serious. "It"s about Almasi."
Jeremy"s face fell. "What"s wrong?" he asked. "Is your relationship strained? Do you want to see another woman? I know that monogamy is not your strongest suit. Do you need me to get her out sooner? I"m sorry, Jacob, but it"s only a few more days that you have to live with her before we can annul this, and then you can go back to your playboy lifestyle."
The fact that Jeremy immediately guessed that Jacob"s fidelity was an issue kind of stung. It was hard for Jacob to imagine that he had been such a callous, careless man, sleeping around without thinking for all these years. He could barely remember who he had been before he had fallen in love with Almasi. But now was not the time to dispute this. He needed to stick to the point.
"No, Jer. ...Actually, it"s the opposite problem." Jacob tried to give Jeremy a meaningful look.
Jeremy raised an eyebrow. "Do you... do you think she"s cheating on you? If so, with whom? And why do you care? It"s only a false arrangement, Jacob. You know that. Your contract is purely business, nothing more, and regardless of her faithfulness to you, you will let her go and give her the money she"s earned when the job is over."
Jeremy could be so dense sometimes. It was hard enough for Jacob to swallow his pride and admit that he had grown so fond of this woman; of his wife. Now, it was even worse that Jeremy was not picking up what he was putting down. Jacob took a deep breath. "No, Jeremy ... I"m ... I"m in love with her."
Jeremy"s facial expression changed from confusion to amus.e.m.e.nt and then to a mild form of annoyance. "That"s all? That"s your only problem? Jacob, you know that I can easily call off the annulment. When the contract runs its course, Almasi will have the right to get the annulment if she wants it, but she doesn"t have to take it if you consent to staying married." Then he saw the look on Jacob"s face. "Wait. Almasi knows about your feelings... doesn"t she?"
Jacob blushed and shook his head bashfully.
"Jacob! Come on, what is this, the high school prom? If you love the woman, you have to tell her. You"re already married to her, for crying out loud." Jeremy shook his head in annoyance, as if to say typical.
"No, Jer. You don"t understand. I"m not so sure if she..." he sighed again. "I don"t know what her feelings are towards me. And I don"t want to make her feel as if she"s pressured to stay with me. That woman has a career ahead of her, Jeremy. A great one. How could I live with myself if I knew that I"d held her back from a successful life by obligating her to stay married to me?"
Jeremy looked absolutely flabbergasted. "You could just... ask her?" he suggested, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Are you not listening to me? I can"t ask her. She would just feel like I was forcing her to stay in a marriage she barely had time to say no to. And what if she doesn"t even have feelings for me? A charming smile and a pile of money can make anyone think they"re in love, Jeremy, and I don"t want that with Almasi. I want her to be in it for real. I want to know that she doesn"t just see me as a means to an end, as a pile of cash, as a blank check with her name on it. I want her to love me for myself."
He put his head in his hands and sighed, slouching in his chair. "Of course, I want to give her everything I have. I want her to make her way through life as happy as possible, with no worries and no regrets. But I don"t want her affection to be bought. I want the real thing."
"Oh, the woes of being a billionaire," said Jeremy, rolling his eyes. "It must be so hard to be that rich and so handsome, too. What a struggle." Jacob laughed a little. Jeremy always did know what to say, even if sometimes he came off as a bit of a jacka.s.s. And he was right, Jacob supposed. This was a pretty privileged situation he was in.
But it was becoming so complicated, and he wished that his life could be simple instead. He wished that he could just love the woman he loved, the woman he had married, without it being so complicated.
Jacob cleared his throat. "Anyway," he said, "I should get going. I need to be back in time for dinner."
"Dinner, eh? Is that what they"re calling it these days?" teased Jeremy. Jacob gave him a serious look, and he sobered. "Okay sorry, I"ll stop making fun of you. Good luck with everything. I"ll be coming by for the signing on Sat.u.r.day, but call me if you need any help with anything at all. I"m always here."
Jacob smiled. "I know." He could always count on Jeremy to sneak in a supportive speech even when he was making fun of him.
"Bye now, lover boy," said Jeremy. Okay, Jacob took that last thought back. He swatted at his head with his briefcase, and Jeremy barely dodged in time to avoid being smacked on the head. Laughing, Jacob walked out the office door and down to the elevator.
Meanwhile, back at the mansion, Almasi was getting ready for dinner in her dressing room. Yifeng had arrived, and they were picking out a dress for her to wear to celebrate the successful agreement-a.s.suming that the meeting had gone successfully and that Mr. Kofi k.u.mi had decided to spare her for another few days of heart-wrenching decision making.
"Try this one on, Almasi," suggested Yifeng, pa.s.sing her a pale gold gown with shimmery sequins. "It will match the champagne you drink at tonight"s celebration. Mrs. Nettle picked the fabric, and I picked out the cut. Very slim, chic, and s.e.xy." She winked. "We had it made based on the measurements we took for the bridal gown back in July, so it will fit you perfectly." She nodded to Almasi, urging her to step into it. "Quick! I want to see!"
Almasi stepped behind her changing screen and slid into the dress. It was beautiful, but she couldn"t reach the zipper in the back. "Zip me up, please," she said, moving out from behind the screen. Yifeng moved to go behind her and zip.
For some reason, the zipper wouldn"t budge. "Yifeng?" Almasi asked. "What"s going on?"
"I"m sorry," said Yifeng. "It"s just a little stuck, I think. Here... ugh, no. Wait a minute. I"ll try wiggling it."
Almasi frowned. Had she gained weight? She was certainly eating better food here, but she had maintained her habit of responsible portioning, and her long walks in the back garden gave her plenty of exercise to work off any excess fat. If anything, she should be losing weight. But no, this dress was too small, and it had been designed exactly to fit her body! The chest felt tight, though, and it was squeezing uncomfortably at her already tender b.r.e.a.s.t.s...
Wait a minute.
No. It couldn"t be. It wasn"t... She wasn"t...
Almasi screamed out loud, frightening Yifeng, who jumped back, startled.
"A-Almasi, what"s wrong?" asked Yifeng. "What... are you crying?"
Indeed, there were ample tears rolling down Almasi"s face. Big, fat, heavy tears, tears, that threatened to stain the silk of the gown that was binding her chest too tight.
"Hang on, one moment, I"ll get you a handkerchief," said Yifeng, still a little bewildered, but determined to help out her mistress. "Here," she said, pa.s.sing her a monogrammed little white cloth. "Now, sit down and tell me what"s troubling you. Why did you cry out just now?" Yifeng looked so concerned that Almasi decided to tell her the truth. Well, what parts of the truth she could afford to tell.
So Almasi sat down on the bed, still sobbing, and took a breath. She dabbed at her face with the handkerchief, and brown foundation came off with some of the sparkles of her makeup. Great. This would stain later, she thought. "Almasi... began Yifeng. "Talk to me, please, Madame."
She looked up at Almasi in earnest, her baleful eyes full of innocence.
"I... Yifeng, you know how I told you I have been nauseous lately?" Almasi began.
"Yes. I suggested that you might have the flu," recalled Yifeng. "It"s been going around among the serving staff, you know, and even the master and mistress are not immune to everything."
"Yes," said Almasi, nodding quickly. "I remember. Well... it"s not the flu that I have." She shook her head for emphasis.
Yifeng was confused and concerned, and it showed in her face. "What is it, then?"
Almasi looked down, taking in a deep breath. "I... I believe I"m pregnant."
Yifeng gasped. "Oh. Oh!" she said after a moment. "Almasi, that"s wonderful! The master will be so pleased!" Almasi"s face crumpled. Yifeng raised an eyebrow. "He will be pleased, right?"