Finding Love – Episode 10

CHAPTER 10✏

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Leona held onto the phone in her palm, giving her father a cold glare.. His eyes sparkled in anger and her mother held at an arm, restraining him from coming close to her and her eyes pleading with Leona to stop angering him.. Leona still felt the stinging pain on her cheek but her heart hurt more and instead of releasing them in words to her father, she walked away from them.. Her father’s grunt-like breath accompanying her.. She banged the door really hard behind her, she thought the knob was going to fall off it’s hinges and she slide through it downward, dragging her knees together and crying on them.. It felt really good to finally say all the words to her Dad and to tell him of her plans to quit doing the bad things he wanted her to. She had expected the slap, maybe more cos she knew her dad as a violent man once he get angry but this was the first time he was laying his hands on her.. Leona quickly stood up and ran to the bathroom, she bent over the sink and threw up almost all of what she had eaten few minutes back.. She felt sick.. Everything made her sick. Leona washed her mouth, leaving her phone on a dry place, she checked her face in the mirror.. Her cheek, she noticed was red and the pain from it pinched her gradually. Leona sighed out. Her phone started ringing, she gave it a glance and picked it up, about to swipe to the receiver but a second thought hit her and she discarded the first..

What if he sense that she’s crying? She didn’t want him asking questions and she didn’t want to lie either.. Leona walked back to her room, her phone had stopped ringing by then and seconds after, it started again.. With still the same caller. Damien.

Leona sighed and threw it on her bed, leaving it to ring..she heard the creak of her door knob as it got twisted from the other end..

“Leona? Please open up honey” her mother called, knocking. “Please leave mom, I want to be alone” she called coldly. “Honey–

“Please mom, just leave me alone” she said “for now” she added.

“Alright. Call me if you need anything at all, I’ll be right here” she said and Leona breathed out, she walked to her window and stared down at it.. The road was slightly busy and Leona felt like jumping down and running away from all this saga, clearing her mind off it.. She looked up at the sky, the stars brightened the dark clouds and the moon was gradually coming in.. She sniffed and pulled her arm closer, easing off the cold.. The wind suddenly blew, scattering her hair all over her face, roughly rubbing her skin , taking her mind fully to it. Leona frantically gathered her hair up, a wave of déjà vu rushed through her as she recollect how she had clung onto Damien’s unknowingly, trying to ease her fear, she could feel the fabric on her face and his manly scent.. His warm fingers calming her back and his encouraging words lingered in her ear.. Leona really needed it now, regardless of who it was, she just needed someone to assure her that she did the right thing, someone to remind her that it wasn’t too late, to bury her face in his shirt and whisper soothing words to her.. A small smile rested at the corner of her lips at the thought and Leona sighed it off.. She pulled away from the window, her leg hurting from all the standing.. She must’ve stood there for an hour or more.

She closed the window and walked to her bed, she picked her phone up and laid on her bed, pulling the pillow behind her head, staring at it , she realized she had thirteen unanswered call from Damien plus a text.. She moved up a bit and opened her phone, clicking on the message.

**Um hi. It’s Damien. Sorry if I might’ve annoyed you with my numerous calls, it’s something granny scolds me a lot for, she calls it annoying but truth is, I do it to get what I want. Anyway, I just got back from the registration centre and I thought I should let you know, the crowd was mighty and got a late answer. It might sound kind of strange but I’m worried about you, I’ve called thirteen times. Are you okay?.. Will you please call me when you get this cos I feel like I won’t sleep if you don’t, I have an early start tomorrow cos the scholarship exam starts by seven and you don’t want me dosing of during it.. So will you return my calls or do I have to get my shinning armour and come save you? **

Leona finished reading, she let out a small sigh.. She clicked on the reply box..

**Hi Damien. It’s good to know that the registration went well and yes, I’m fine.. Just stressed from work and too tired to talk so don’t worry, you won’t be needing any armour neither will you be hearing my voice, two bad huh? I’m really sleepy now. Good luck in your exam and goodnight**

She texted back and laid herself down, ready to sleep when another text came in..

Reluctantly, she picked her phone up and clicked on it.

**Ha! You got me there, you’re pretty smarter than I thought. Well since I won’t get any, I’ll just hold onto your autograph and sleep, good thing I have it.. Thought we might talk more, I’m disappointed but I won’t interfere in your beauty sleep. Thanks for the luck, I could use tons of it and maybe a kiss? Lol, just kidding. Goodnight**

Leona smiled after reading the text, she wanted to talk more too.. It was one of the things she needed as a good distraction but maybe a good sleep isn’t bad too and besides Damien needs all the rest he could her for the big day tomorrow.. She wouldn’t want him dosing off on his paper.. Leona turned off her phone, pushed it aside and relaxed on her bed, resting her head on the pillow.. She reached for the switch with an outstretched arm and turned off the light. .

The next morning, Leona got up to a slight headache and a grumbling stomach, she stood up and swallowed some pain killers, dragging herself to the bathroom; she brushed and had her bath. Clad in her dressing robe, she opened her room door and sighted her mom, few steps away from it, about to knock.

“Morning honey, I brought you breakfast,” she said and Leona’s gaze moved to her hand, seeing them holding the tray at both end.

Not saying anything, Leona led her in and sat on the sofa while her mom used the bed.. She opened the food, bacon, eggs and fries. She started eating.. Her mom opened her mouth to start a conversation but stopped after seeing how hungry Leona was.. Talk is probably one of the last things on her mind.. “Do you want me to get more?” She asked.

“Yes please” she replied between meals and her mom smiled before standing up.

Leona arrived at the office, not caring if she was early or not, her secretary rushed to her, briefing her about the day as she walked to her office.. She opened the door and walked in, her secretary trailing behind her, she paused for a moment when she saw her dad bent over her table, checking out the paperwork on it..

“What’re you doing?” She asked and his head tilted up to face her, he stood upright.

“I came for the accounts you were working on” he said.

Leona gave him a suspicious look, walked over to the cabinet and pulled out a file before stretching out to him. He took it from her, their gaze met.

“Kira, excuse us for a sec” he talked to her secretary and she walked out. After the little bang, his gaze came back to her.

“Leona” he called and she looked away “I’m really sorry about yesterday.. I didn’t

mean to hit you, I just–” he sighed “I was too angry I didn’t even know what I was

doing, it was completely unintentional. I’m sorry honey. Please forgive me” he said

and Leona nodded after a brief moment.

“It’s okay” she said curtly.

“But you do understand why I’m doing all this right?” He asked and she sighed. “I do but I know it’s not for me”

“Honey,” he took her palm in his, making her face him and for the first time in a long time, Leona saw glints of fear in his eyes, he was trying to camouflage them but they were clear.. “I got a message from the board, I have less than six days left.. I don’t want to go to jail–

“Dad–” she tried to pull her palm off but he held it more tightly, inching her close. “I won’t force you to do this Leona, I just want you to think about it again, more carefully and deeply this time. Greg’s a nice guy and this contract holds so much on us. Think about JT, about me, about our lives, Leona” “Dad please–”

“If you don’t do this, we’ll bear the consequences all our lives, now tell me which man in his right senses will like to marry a Lady whose father had been arrested for bankruptcy and unfulfilled promises, even though it’s my mistake we’ll all have our shares of the shame.. Think about your future, honey. Rethink your decision again, I know you don’t want this for us.. Please Leona” he begged and Leona stared deeply at him.. Tears welled up in his eyes, at the verge of falling and Leona felt it stab her chest.. He’s right.. This might affect her future too, even though it’s all his fault, they’ll all bear the consequences. She felt her eyes watering up too.. She looked away from her dad, not wanting him to see how his words affected her.

“I’ll be waiting for you” he slowly slipped her palm off his, wiped his tears and walked out.

Leona grabbed her desk end for support as she took in quick breaths.. She had made her decision but now she didn’t know why she feels like she should have a rethink.. What if her dad’s really sober this time? What if he’s ready to change..

Leona moistened her lips; or what if this is one of his acts to make her agree to what he wants??

This is both tough and confusing.

Leona started the day work, there was really nothing much to do.. The company was running out of both funds, capital and contract offers.. All the treatise she had composed on behalf of JT still laid on her mail, no one ready to accept or commend it.. JT’s gradually falling. She hate to think that wedding Greg was the only option to righting all the wrongs but she wasn’t ready to do it.. Her forever life was involved.. Maybe she should rethink this as her dad has offered but Leona doubt that it’ll change anything. She grabbed her coffee cup and chug down the liquid.. Her mind’s preoccupied, she wasn’t up for this at all..

She needed to get this off.. Maybe she could just go home and stuff her face in movies and popcorns or she could help her mom take up deliveries.

Engrossed in her thoughts, it took a while to notice her cellphone ringing. With a small sigh, she picked it up and glanced at the time it was just hitting 12:00pm. She checked the caller and swiped to the receiver. “Leona,” she heard Damien’s shallow voice “Hi”

“Hi. What’s up? Are you back from the examination?” She asked and heard a small sigh at the other end..

“Yes,” he answered softly “Are you busy? Can we meet later today?” (More Stories @ Topster Stories) https://www.generalloaded com

“Is something wrong Damien? You sound dull” she said. “The result came out already” he said “I..didn’t get in” Leona could feel how bad he was hurting from his voice.

“They needed the best of the best, I probably wasn’t up for it as I had thought.. A

mark dropped me”

“Oh my.. I’m so sorry”

“Yeah, it’s fine. I kinda need a friend, you’re the only person I can think of” “Yeah. Sure. I’ll meet you at Bobby’s. Don’t feel too bad okay, you once told me that life’s everything, there’s still hope” she said and heard him chuckle.. “Thanks. I’ll be waiting for you” he said and seconds later the line got disconnected. She stood up and grabbed her bag before walking out. .