Dangerous Love Affairs – Episode 24
DANGEROUS LOVE AFFAIR
C͙h͙l͙o͙e͙ H͙a͙s͙t͙i͙n͙gs͙
͙
Author Viola’s Novels
hє’ѕ α gαч
e̲̅p̲̅i̲̅s̲̅o̲̅d̲̅e̲̅24
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Two hours later, the car pulled to a halt in front of a beautiful mansion. I looked at
the driver in utter confusion.
“where are we?” I asked him
“this is the address Henry sent to me ma’am” he said
I stared at the mansion in disbelief.
Did Daxton really do this?
I got down from the car and carried my bag despite the driver’s insistence he carried it.
Dad was sitting on the front porch when I got to the building.
“Oh Chloe?!” he squealed and despite his joy to see me, he couldn’t get up to hug me like he always did.
“Dad” I dropped my bag and hugged him tight “I’ve really missed you dad”
“Morris?!” dad called on mom
“Chloe is back”
The front door opened almost immediately and mom stepped out. She was dressed in a very expensive long flowing gown with her hair adorned with jewelries like a Chinese queen.
“Oh baby!” she squealed and hugged me but I wasn’t excited to see her at all
“mom” I rolled me eyes and wrapped just one hand around her
“look at you.. You’re so grown now” she pulled from the hug and appraised me from head to toe
“mom I’ve only been gone for few weeks” I sighed
“I know.. But you’re so beautiful now”
I glanced at dad and he gave me a small smile.
“where’s your husband?” mom asked looking around “don’t tell me you came back alone”
“mom I don’t even have a boyfriend”
“but you have a ring” she grabbed my hand and giggled at the ring
“I just got it on my way back”
Mom nudged me “come on Chloe. we saw the news”
“mom it’s not what you think. I’m not getting married”
“don’t be stupid.. Can’t you see all he has done for us? Look bow beautiful your mom has become now” she turned around so I can get a better view. True, she was extremely beautiful but my dad— she wasn’t even taking care of him.
“He even got us cars” mom pointed to the open garage I hadn’t noticed
“cars?” there were 3 cars parked there “how could you even accept all these without hearing from me?”
“Don’t be stupid.. You hid your relationship with such a rich man from us, you wanted to enjoy everything alone”
“mom?!”
“I’ve forgiven my selfish daughter already so I’ll call the maid to take your things inside” mom said with a wave of the hand
“you got a maid?” I wasn’t even surprised. Mom has always been one hell of a lazy woman
“I had to.. Now that I’m always busy and your father won’t stop pretending that he can’t walk”
“Mom dad can’t walk”
“whatever?!” she rolled her eyes and called out “Leslie?! Leslie?!”
A young girl ran out wearing a maid’s uniform and a small cap. “madam?!”
“my daughter is back” mom said and she looked at me
“good morning ma’am” Leslie greeted
“Chloe.. Just call me Chloe” she even looked older than me
“Nonsense” mom snarled “call her ma’am I wouldn’t want to hear you call my daughter by her name.. Chloe has always been as stupid as ever father” she seethed and stormed inside
I exploded and clenched my fist to suppress my anger. Dad grabbed my clenched fist.
“it’s okay Chloe” he said
“look dad— she isn’t even taking care of you” I was already in tears
Dad chuckled “I’m fine.. Leslie has always been nice like a daughter”
The young girl’s cheeks went warm..
“Thank you Leslie” I said “but don’t ever call me ma’am”
“but—
“that’s an order”
She took in a deep breath and made to carry my bag.
“I’ll take care of that” I prompted and she left the bag “you can go inside”
She nodded and walked inside.
“how was your trip?” dad asked me
“I’m fine except for the jetlag”
Dad chuckled “It was your first time on the plane”
“dad you’re looking ill” I observed “are you sick?”
“I’m fine”
“mom is going to be the death of you.. Maybe you should come with me to Salado” I don’t even own a house
“What happened Chloe?! few weeks ago you left here as a poor drenched girl with a small box.. How did you manage to meet that man that gave us so much money and got us a house? Don’t tell me you’re….”
“dad I’m not prostituting” I cut in
“then what happened”
“the company I work for decided to award my family”
“you’ve been there for just few weeks and they already awarded for family”
“Dad?!” I called softly “you don’t think I’m sleeping with men for money”
“I don’t know what to think.. It’s barely three months. The company didn’t just decide to award you, you’re even engaged to the president of the company”
I heaved a sigh “What I’m gonna tell you now has to be a secret between the two of us”
Dad nodded “go on”
“Daxton and I ain’t really engaged”
“but the news is everywhere.. We watched the video on TV and you said yes”
“that’s it dad.. That’s what people don’t understand” I swallowed hard “but you can’t tell anyone what I’m about to tell you”
“alright”
I brought my voice low to a whisper “Daxton is a gay and the public managed to find out. I work for him as his secretary and when the rumour came out, we had to protect his reputation and that of the family so I had to pretend to be his girlfriend to convince the public that he isn’t really a gay”
“so how did you manage to get engaged?”
“I don’t even understand dad” I sighed “I was supposed to say no but I said yes”
“Why? Do you like him?”
“I don’t.. And he doesn’t like me either..
Let’s just say, we couldn’t disappoint his mom and our plan turned against us. We had planned on breaking up right there but ended up getting engaged”
“what are you going to do now? Everyone believes you’re really his fiancée”
“I don’t know what to do now..
We can’t tell everyone the truth cause that would mean telling them his secret too”
“and I wouldn’t want you continuing with this.. I wouldn’t want my baby getting hurt” Dad placed his hand on my shoulder “what if you fall in love with him and he doesn’t want you? You can’t spend time with him either. I hope you don’t live together”
“we don’t” I couldn’t tell him the truth “and we can’t fall in love either.. Daxton just isn’t ready for women and me….” I trailed off. I couldn’t tell him I was in love with Daxton’s twin brother, Dexter.
“you’ve always been straight and you’re a woman.. There’s every tendency that you’ll fall in love with him”
“Dad I won’t” not when my heart still beats for Dexter
“But you have to be careful. I’ll advice you end everything and get yourself a new job”
“getting a job isn’t easy, I was just lucky to get this one.. I’m a High school graduate remember?”
“I know” dad sighed
“it’s not your fault dad.. I’m working on furthering my education and paying for your surgery”
“Don’t worry about me”
“you have to walk dad.. That’s my number one goal, mom should be the one who’s crippled”
Dad laughed and ruffled my hair “don’t let her hear that”
“What’s she going to do?”
Dad and I sat outside talking, until it was late in the afternoon and he wanted to take a nap. I pushed him on his wheelchair into his room and help him lie on the bed.
I chose on of the rooms and settled on the bed. I just needed a little sleep and I would be fine.
I’ve got three days to rest
Three days I wouldn’t be worrying about work
Three days without seeing Daxton and three days I wouldn’t have to worry about Dexter and what to do about Daxton. Soon I was drifting of to sleep and I could hear mom’s voice echoing in my head. She was probably yelling at the maids. .
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I woke up in the evening and arranged my clothes in the wardrobe. I showered and put on something else then went downstairs to find something to eat. I was really hungry.
“Your mom cooked for you” Leslie informed when I was searching the pots
“she cooked for me?”
Leslie nodded “she wanted to make a special dish for you”
I arched a brow suspiciously “or she told you to tell me she did the cooking”
Leslie said nothing
“Right?”
She nodded
I just laughed. I knew mom would never cook for me. I sat on the dining table and let Leslie serve me.
“Is my dad sick?” I asked Leslie. She was standing beside me while I ate
“I think he is”
I paused and looked at her “come sit”
“it’s against the rules”
I rolled my eyes “come sit already”
She looked around and reluctantly pulled out a chair and sat down.
“Tell me what’s wrong with my dad”
“I don’t really know ma’am—
“Chloe” I corrected
“I’m sorry” she gazed at her feet “he has been eating little lately and he’s always coughing and vomiting. Once, he fell off the stairs cause your mom wouldn’t help him down while he was coughing. I’ve asked him several times but he insists that he’s fine”
I was no longer eating as I paid attention to what she was saying.
“have you talked to my mom about it?”
“yes and she says he’s fine because he insists he’s fine”
“did you try calling a doctor?”
“I did but he refused to see a doctor”
“why would he want to kill himself?” I was now yelling
“once he was eating, he coughed up a bloody sputum but quickly cleaned it off with a napkin and said it was just his wine but I was sure it was blood”
“I’m calling a doctor”
“He needs you around Chloe.. Your mom doesn’t give him attention and I’m just a maid with limits”
“I can’t stay for long, I’ve only got three days but I can take him with me except I don’t own a house”
“you leaving with your fiance?”
I hesitantly said “yes but don’t tell my dad”
“maybe you should call a doctor first and know what’s wrong with him then pay for his treatment”
“I need to get that surgery done so he can walk again”
“do you know what you need now?” Leslie smiled at me
“what?”
“you need to eat so you don’t look pale and sick”
I smiled back “thank you”
“you’re welcome” she shoved the chair back and got up “I’ve got works to do”
I nodded and she walked out then I continued with my food. When I finished, I went up to my dad’s room and he was already awake.
“Dad?!” I moved to his bed and sat beside him “how’re you feeling?”
He smiled “daddy is fine”
“you look sick dad, I’m really worried”
“you don’t have—” he chocked and started coughing
“dad?!” I held him but his coughing increased “dad?!”
I helped him lie on the bed then rushed out to get water. I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and rushed back upstairs. He was still coughing profusely.
“here” I filled a glass of water and gave it to him. He gulped it down but the coughing didn’t stop.
“Dad?!” I ran out and shouted “Leslie?!
Leslie ran up immediately
“can you drive?” I asked her
“no but your mom employed a driver” Leslie replied
“call him quickly” I instructed and returned to my dad’s room. He was no longer coughing “dad?!”
He smiled faintly “I’m fine”
“no you’re not and I’m taking you to the hospital”
“Chloe I’m fine.. It’s normal to cough, I’m old”
“and sick” I added “dad I’m taking you to the hospital and there’s no argument about it”
The door pushed open and Leslie walked in “the driver is here” she said
“come help me sit him on his wheelchair” I told Leslie
“Chloe I’m fine.. You can just get me drugs from the pharmacist”
We ignored his protests and sat him on the wheelchair then pushed him outside.
The driver carried him into the car and we drove off to the hospital.
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AT THE HOSPITAL
“… Your dad has been taking too much acetaminophen” the doctor had said “This drug is regularly used for pain relief and is considered to be the most dangerous on the list due its potential to cause liver damage and toxicity. Some of the common symptoms of an overdose, are loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, or pain in the upper right side of the abdomen, which your father has been experiencing. But the coughing and bloody sputum is a rare symptom and we’ll look into it”
“can it be treated?” I asked the doctor
“Most of the time, acetaminophen overdose can be treated. Someone who has overdosed may be admitted to the hospital or treated in the emergency department. We’ve done some blood tests that can help detect the level of acetaminophen in the blood. But other blood tests may be done to check his liver”
“and the treatment?”
“Treatment may include medications that help remove the acetaminophen from the body or lessen its harmful effects. Stomach pumping may also be necessary”
I was really confused “how did he manage to get this?”
“Acetaminophen is common in about 600 over the counter drugs but taking overdose can be very dangerous just like the case of your father”
“He hasn’t been taking any drugs I know of”
“maybe someone has been giving him drugs.. Someone he lives with” the doctor went on “The drug is a pain relief drug and majority of the time, acetaminophen is taken safely and according to the directions”
I was getting frustrated “then how did he manage to take overdose?”
“Some common reasons that people may accidentally take more than the recommended daily dose of acetaminophen include..
taking the next dose too soon, using multiple medicines that contain acetaminophen at the same time, taking too much at one time and your dad has been taking it for too long which is a risk to his liver”
“what do I do now?” I was almost in tears “I don’t want him to die”
“there’s a chance of saving him and at the same time, there’s a risk that he’s going
to lose his life”
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TBC
