MARRIED

Chapter Twenty-Three

SIX YEARS LATER

"Hey babe, guess what I got for you."

"Pharrell I....."

"I know, I know you will love it. It's very pretty."

"Pharrell!"

"I bought one for you and our baby. Just come and look at it."

"Pharrell! Will you listen?! There is no baby. I lost it." His wife cried out, succumbing to the ground. She was weak and helpless, with no strength to hold onto. Pharrell stood frozen. He was lost of words and didn't know what to think or how to react.

"W-what do you mean there is no baby?" His voice was but a whisper.

"We lost it. It is dead!"

"D-ont give me that. You must be joking. Tell me it's a prank. Tell me it is." He yelled, moving further away from Carmine.

"I wish, I wish it was." From her reaction, he knew that she was serious. His wife is not one who cries nor shows emotions, so being this broken meant she was damn serious.

"This is all your fault. You are so stubborn. I told you not to be chewing gum and eating more meat but you didn't listen. Now see what that has caused!"

Her head snapped up to look at her husband. She couldn't believe he was ridiculously pushing the blames on her.

"I want you to go back to the hospital and get back the baby at any cost or I will get a divorce." He said and stormed out of their house leaving a broken Carmine on the floor.

In moments like this he just wished  he had chosen Liana and taken responsibility for the baby. But like the saying goes ' had I known is always at last and the language of fools'. He and Carmine had been trying to conceive for four years. He is not interested in babies and that would have been the last thing on his mind if not that he needed one. His company is on the verge of bankruptcy and the only one that can help is his father-in-law, Mr. Gonzalez but he has his own conditions. And that was for them to have a child. Carla Gonzalez, Carmine's adopted sister died a year ago in a plane crush making Carmine the only heiress to his wealth.

Since he never had the opportunity to have his own kids, he made his mind that he will will his assets to someone who has a child. That way they will train and educate their kids so they can keep his companies running.

So when his daughter asked for his help, he made his condition known to her. It's either they have a kid or he will give all his assets to charity. Interestingly, she has lost the will that she managed to obtain from the lawyer.

Pharrell's POV

"What happened? What got you so angry?" Heath asked, Martina placing a shot of martini on the table before me.

"Carmine lost the baby."

I expected him to be shocked but nothing shows he was. What have I become? I have lost my baby and I am on the verge of losing everything I have worked hard for. My marriage is also on shaky grounds. I took the shot in one gulp and requested for more. Heath was silent and was not saying anything. He just stared at me.

"What? why are you looking at me like that?"

"Do you remember that girl Liana?" Heath asked suddenly.

"No, don't remind me of that. That baby was not mine and I don't regret not accepting it."

He didn't say anything else. He rather used his ringing phone as an excuse to leave me. I didn't mind, I wanted to be alone with my full bottle of martini.

"Don't drink too much, there is no one to take you home." He said before walking off.

My own phone started ringing. I Ignored it when I realized it was Carmine. She might probably be calling to beg me to forgive her for losing our ticket to financial freedom: the baby.

The call went off. I sighed with relief but it started ringing almost immediately.

I didn't know what happened but for the first time, I took Heath's advice and left the club. I realized alcohol isn't what I needed. I needed fresh air to clear my head. I have become too much of an alcoholic that alcohol doesn't work on me anymore.

I breathed in the cool evening breeze and it immediately made me relaxed. My head was already light-weighted because of the few shots of martini but I was not drunk.I walked to my car and just when I was about to open it, something caught my eyes.

I saw her. I saw her walking from a distance. "No, this can't be Pharrell she is dead." She halted and turned to look at me, locking gazes with me.

Am I going nuts? She is dead, I killed her.

I shut my eyes tightly and opened it yet she stood a few distance before me and smiled. Her angelic face was frightening and her smile reminded me of the sweet girl she was.

"That's it Pharrell, this is the last time you are ever going to touch the bottle," I spoke to myself, not giving fear a chance to take a grip of me. I closed my eyes again, this time when I opened it she was gone, confirming that it's just my imagination.

But why now, why has she chosen this time to haunt me. Yeah, I have been seeing her in my dreams over the years but those dreams ceased about two years ago. So why is every memory coming back now?

I got into my car and drove away in the direction of my house. When I got home, Carmine was lying asleep on the floor in the living room. I carried her bridal style and took her to our room. I know this is hard on her too and I shouldn't have reacted the way I did. It's just that the news took me by surprise. I had all my hopes in this baby.

"Pharrell, I am sorry." She moved in my arms and she spoke with her eyes still closed

"Shhh babe, it's okay. I am sorry too."

I secured her on the bed and went to the bathroom to wash down. The image of Liana's innocent face kept coming to mind. It was like her picture have been pasted on my mind.

"Hey man forget about the dead and fix your problems." My mind advised. I cleaned myself and reached out for my phone and called my general manager.

"Send out a notice. I want to meet all the board of directors tomorrow and then the shareholders." I commanded and ended the call. I didn't get much sleep. The thoughts of Liana and what to say to make the shareholders trust in me again kept worrying me.

TIME SKIP

Third person's POV

"I called you gents here because I need your supports. As you all know, there has been a decline in our profits and as a result, we might have to file for bankruptcy."

"And whose fault is that? we need our monies." Some of his associates cried out, anger evident in their voices

"I know gents. We will all get our monies but wouldn't have the profits. So I have made some plans to bring Smith's and Co. Mines up on its feet again. But to do that, I will need your support. I need you to keep your shares here. I have heard that some of you are planning to sell your shares."

"I have made my mind to sell mine." Mr. Alphonse voiced out.

"Me too and I am glad to say I have found a buyer." Mr. Greene followed.

The room erupted with protests. Some supporting Pharrell and others against him. Those who were against him were those who have pent up their anger for so long. They were the ones who disapproved of how he was running the company.

"Listen, listen guys!" He called out over the noise.

"The plans I have for this company and the others are the best and I believe it will help in reviving them."

"We do not believe these companies can be made better again looking at how far it has fallen. I don't know about the rest of you but I won't give my support." A major share holder said.

"Don't say that Johnson. Everything is possible. Yes, these companies are far gone, but we can make them great again with the right plans and working attitude" Mr. Philips defended.

"I will disagree with you Philips, the people have lost trust in us. Some are saying our gold is counterfeit. Now no one shops at our shopping mall anymore. They have spread rumors that we only sell expired products. How are we going to change the people's minds?" Elvis Payne argued

The hall became noisy again. This was what Pharrell dreaded. He knew some were disappointed but not to this level that they have lost trust in him.

"Okay okay, since some of us disagree and some agrees we are going to vote on this. The majority will take the final decisions."

It seemed like this was the best option and by the look on their faces, you could tell they all agreed. So a day was set for the voting.

"Erm, there is something I will like to say."  Mr. Robert Newman, the major shareholder stood to his feet.

"I will not be here for the voting, but the new owner of my shares would."

"What?! You have already sold your shares?"

 "Yes, I have Mr. Smith. Do you have any problem with that? As I said, I don't see any future in Smith's and Co. And sorry to say I am not the only one who had sold mine. Ask Khalil Mohammed. He is here defending your initiatives but he has long sold his. How about you Mr. Philips. I heard you are talking to a buyer? You know what, I am done here."  He stood up and exited without anyone saying a word.

"Let him go, we can do this on our own. We don't need him." Pharrell seethed. He was angry that things are going to be difficult and impossible for him.

After Mr. Newman left, things became awkward so they set a time for the voting and dispersed.

Heath was in his office, going through some paper works. He brought his phone closer to his ears after dialing a strange number.

"They have lost the baby." He informed

"Good, very good!" The person at the receiving end of the call said.