Allison pov
I was alone in the expensive furniture sleek luxurious living room in Mr. Dre’s mansion sipping gingerly on soda as I glanced round the room and felt so constricted and so much like a prisoner trapped in royal comfort. The phone call they received from the hospital this morning had put the both of them in a state of sheer terror and a minute away from Ariel seemed like an eternity. My thinking process was disrupted by a sudden ringing of the bell telling me that they have arrived at the door.
Said the housekeeper a few moments later in a very low voice, “Mrs. Dre, there is a woman here to see Mr. Dre, and she said it was very urgent.”
I frowned. Of all people, who could be coming to visit at this time of the night? I did not have the chance to reply, when a women entered the room, her mere presence had the effect of clouding the atmosphere. She was beautiful with black thick hair and black eyes and her aged was thirty one according to her. The material of her dress was red and tight fitting which provided her with the elegance of a well cultured lady but at the same time made her appear rather erotic.
“Dre!” she said it louder and my skin prickled at the sound of her raised voice reverberating in the hall. “Where are you?”
Mr. Dre stepped out to the grand staircase and the look on his face led downstairs, telling that he didn’t like what he saw. “Monica,” he said, although the words came out with some hatred in his throat. As much as the fellow grew alarmed, he asked her: “What are you doing here?”
She smiled and as much as the smile reached her lips, it did not reach her eyes. “I came to see you, dear sir/ma’am, I’ve been having some thoughts about the two of us, about the past and… and I don’t think it was right on my part to leave you. ”
My guts twisted listening to her, a terrible feeling began to blossom in my chest. She crossed over towards him and I observed that in the power of her self assurance, she rendered me insignificant and ill at ease.
“That’s it, Monica?” said Mr. Dre said as he came down the stairs very carefully. “You made your decision long time ago”.
She looked away for a moment but she came back quickly, forcing a smile on her face. “Dre, we really had something which could be described as love, and I believe it is about time that we got back together.”She looked at me and the contempt this lady had for me was clearly painted all over her face. “You mean to her?” she snorted with the kind of disdain that was spat. “You cannot be serious, Dre, This woman you are talking about, she is nothing compared to what we had.”
I blushed at her comment and bowed my head down; my hands forming fists on the armrest of the chair. I didn’t belong here. I never did. Nevertheless, I had my decision made, and I had no choice but to accept the consequences I have to face now.
“I think that’s enough Monica,” Mr. Dre’s voice was harsh, he had walked closer to her. “Alison is my wife and she will expect you to treat her with the respect that she deserves. ”
Monica laughed, tightly; head-shaking. “Love? The love a woman who married you just for the sake of the money you have, Dre? Yes, she is here for the money, and you very well know it. ”
My eyes welled up tears; I dared not shed them before her thus, I wiped them. Wasn’t she right, for example? This was a marriage I had never wanted for the money or for Ariel but then again it was my decision. But that did not change the fact that I found it horrible to listen someone say it out loud.
“You, Monica, I said, get out,” demanded Mr. Dre, though his angry voice was almost a whisper. “You are in no position to come here and start disrespecting my wife. ”
She tried to control her rage but somehow her eyes were burning with anger and she moved towards me and whispered. “I am leaving for now.” She whispered menacingly before forcing a terrible smile on her face. “But don’t for a moment think that this is the end for me, darling I will be back, I will come and take Dre away from you, it is not right for you to be a part of his life, his world is far above yours.”
She stood and stretched, employing a final glance in Mr. Dre’s direction before twirling around and responding with a set of heels to his invitation and departing the house with the sound of her footsteps filling the emptiness.
I released a worried sigh and I could feel my body shaking at an attempt to prevent my tears from coming out. I could sense that Mr. Dre was looking at me and regardless I still did not turn to look at him. I was too embarrassed, way too much for words.
“Alison,” he whispered and impulsively I shook my head at him.
“Why did you fight for me?” I asked him as quietly as I could perhaps afraid of the answer I am going to hear. They say again: “You don’t owe me anything. ”
He let out a breath and sat beside me. “I did marry you for the contract, but I am not going to allow any one to cross you in front of me. You are my wife, Alison. Although our marriage is a paper one. ”
He tried to assure me, and what came out of his mouth only made the hole in my chest feel all the more profound. I simply nodded my head and at the back of my throat a bitter lump rose.
“Thank you.” I managed to say with some emotion in my throat strained voice.
At this, there was a silence, as if the pressure of all this was heavy upon us. And that form of silence filled me with news faces of hope that indicated to me that probably things will change as per our aspirations. But for now that hope was hidden by layers of doubt and fear and I doubted it would ever be seen again.