1 Part One

This day is the darkest day of my life, a day I wish I never woke up, never left my bed, and never agreed to go out with him, this was the ugly thought running through Evelyn mind as she lay with her clothes in tatters on the floor of the penthouse where her date took her.

she moaned in agony as she laid down on the floor, her knees drawn up to her chest, she held the torn pieces of her clothes together trying to provide a little privacy to her naked body, while blood dripped down her thighs.

she wept bitterly, shoulders shaking hard from her sobbing as she wished the sun never broke the sky to start this day, or that she was a magician that she could set back the hand of the clock.

How did she get here? was a question that ran through her mind, one she knew the answer very well, as she recalled the day she met the devil incarnate that brought this darkness into her life.

A few weeks ago. (a recount of how Evelyn and Daryl met)

Evelyn fresh out of college as a journalism major was able to score an internship with one of the major publishing companies in the city, Catlinks News, and this is the first day of her internship.

This morning was not going as she planned, she had forgotten to set the alarm and had woken up late, finally getting ready in a pressed white button-up shirt tucked in a black pencil skirt with a black low heel to set of her corporate wear, she was ready to go but she had to go and spill coffee on her shirt which sent her on her heels running upstairs as her clock screams at her she going to be late on her first.

Solving that problem she was now ready to leave free of any further mishap so she screams to her mother who was upstairs in her room getting ready for her own work that she is leaving.

Her mother sent down her reply but that only crashed at the just closed-door as Evelyn had already made her way out the door.

Excited to finally be out the door, Evelyn opened the door of her used-up car that her parents got her in high school and threw her handbag inside then making her way to the other side she entered the driver's side.

She gave herself few seconds to get the butterflies flapping in her lower abdomen, a testimony that she was feeling a little anxious about this internship, as she worried if she will be able to impress them.

Settled a bit she put the key in the ignition and started it, it purred before shutting down.

Not today baby she begged her car, as her anxiety came flooding up back. Her car has been acting up for a while now and she needs to change it but cash is a little tight now and so she has to keep managing it for the moment.

She sent a prayer to high heavens before starting the car again. Please don't let me down pleaded to the car, and to her disappointment, it purred then died again.

"Fuck!" Evelyn screamed hitting the steering wheel before laying her forehead on it, am so screwed she thought.

It is already too late to get a bus and if she doesn't get this car started she might as well start trekking to work because that's the only way she will be getting to work and she can't ask her mum because she too is also late for work and wouldn't be able to drop her off.

One last time she told herself with a burst of hope before starting it again, please please please she begged and whooped in joy when the engine purred to life.

"Yes!!!, I love you," she screamed in excitement, kissing the car before revising out of our driveway.

When she got to work she was thirty minutes late so she ran towards the office complex, her mind racing from nerves and mild agitation praying that she wouldn't be in trouble for being late.

So focused was Evelyn on making it through the door that she didn't see the person heading towards her from the opposite direction till she collided with a hard wall stopping her fast momentum, sending her almost crashing to the floor, only to be saved by a strong arm quickly going around her waist and keeping her rooted on the floor.

"Easy pretty lady, where is the fire?" joked a deep baritone voice, as the voice moved from her waist to her arms, watching her to see if she is okay to stand on her own before releasing her.

"Am so sorry" Evelyn apologized, face flushed and eyes unable to look at her savior's face as she was filled with embarrassment from the incidence. a

ahe spied the persons items that she just sent to the floor when she collided with him and bent down and picked up the things, and now having no other option but to look up and hand over the things she just picked, she did and froze.

Evelyn have met her share of handsome men in her twenty two years of age, but not as gorgeous as the one standing in front of her with a white sparkling smile that was doing things in her bodies that she has never felt with anyone ever in her life not that she has that many experience.

"Is everything alright?" He asked looking concerned when he saw the young lady standing there with a morose look on her face, that he needed to wave his hand in front of her face to get her attention.

"Yes, it is" Evelyn stammered in a shaky voice, her face red again for her obvious reaction to this man.

The man chuckled slightly inside not new to women reacting this way in his presence. He knows he is hot he thought with a little bit of ego.

Remembering the things she was clutching tightly in her hands, Evelyn finally extended to the owner who took them with his charming smile still in place.

A thought flashed through Evelyn mind sending her through a wave of panic as she exclaimed "Oh shit!" remembering the reason she was rushing in the first place, now she was absolutely later than late.

"Please excuse me, I have to go", she said to her gorgeous savior moving around him to hurry inside as the complex was just a few meters behind them.

"Hey! wait," the man said stopping the gorgeous lady, he decided he needed to get to know her more as he was intrigued by her with all the innocence glowing in those pretty brown eyes begging for me to corrupt them a little.

Evelyn didn't want to waste any more time but she couldn't just ignore the man so she waited for him to speak.

"Here is my card, I love to see you again," Daryl said offering his card to the young with his smile that usually win the ladies over.

Evelyn nodded, trying not to be affected by his knee-weakening smile, and collected the card from his hand. she ignored the electric feeling she got when her fingers brushed his and dashed inside the complex, with his chuckle following her.

Inside the establishment, Evelyn signed in and went towards the lift. she stood impatiently, waiting for it to come down, she was tempted to use the stairs when it seems there was traffic holding up the lift, but Evelyn has always shied away from anything resembling exercise.

Finally, the lift arrived, and she hurriedly entered with the others also waiting for it.

When it got to the second floor, Evelyn stepped out making her way towards a small open room walled off by white wooden boards, where she saw the other interns about three of them with a woman who looks like she was giving them an orientation.

she crept towards them, moving quietly so she wouldn't be noticed, but the woman glared in her direction as soon as she joined them making her face flush red. She looks towards her feet unable to stand her glare.

Luckily the woman didn't call her out.

Since Evelyn was late to the party, she felt a little lost as to what the woman was saying but she tried to pick up as much as she can from the part she joined from.

The woman finished her talk and called for questions, and Evelyn had a lot she wanted to ask but she knew being late had denied her that right so she kept mum, and so did the rest of the interns.

"You can go," the woman said dismissing us when no one raised a hand to ask a question.

We all stood up heading for the door with Evelyn excited to have gotten away unscathed from being late, but she must have rejoiced too soon because she spoke up as she moved towards the door.

"Not you," she said pointing at her.

Evelyn stopped in my tracks and turned back to the woman with trepidation.

"Sit down" she commanded.

she did.

"What's your name?"

"Evelyn Wright", she answered politely.

"Do you want this internship?"

Evelyn nodded her head vigorously because she needed this internship as it will go a long boosting her chances at getting a better paying job out there.

"Are you sure?" She asked sternly, looking very serious.

"Yes ma," Evelyn answered in a serious tone with a nod for added effect.

"Am not sure I believe you, but take this as a warning the next time you are late again you will be out the door, do you understand me?" she asked.

"Yes ma," Evelyn answered, promising herself that this will be the last time she will be late because she didn't want to lose this internship for any reason.

"Good, you can leave," she said dismissing her.

For the rest of the day, Evelyn shadowed the woman she was assigned to, but unfortunately, she didn't get to do anything meaningful she thought because she was busy being her fetch the girl. Fetch me a coffee fetch me documents downstairs fetch this fetch me that, the number of times I had to go downstairs, running around the whole complex getting things for the woman almost had dead on my feet, and by the time the day was over I was bone tired and on the verge of collapse.

Evelyn left the office around six pm with the rest of the staff. When she got home the delicious smell of dinner cooking welcomed her home.

"Oh my God is so hungry," she moaned kissing her mum on the cheek.

Did you skip your lunch, the woman at the stove asked with a scolding look

"I wasn't able to get lunch today, because the journalist that I was assigned to decided to use me as an errand girl," Evyn complained to her with a displeased frown on her face, as she took a seat on the kitchen stool.

"Sorry, my darling, why don't you go and freshen up by the time you come down dinner will be ready".

"OK, mum," Evelyn said running upstairs to her room.

A few minutes later she came down to see dinner served and her mum waiting for her.

"Sorry I kept you waiting MA", Evelyn apologized taking a seat.

"Is okay," Melinda said waving off her daughter's apology.

"Let say the grace," she said taking Evelyn's hands in hers as they both closed their eyes.

"Amen", they chorused together when she finished before digging into their dinner.

It was a simple dinner but Evelyn cherished it with all her heart, because her mum made it, and it was really good Evelyn thought with a moan as she took a bite before trying to swallow the plate.

"Slow down baby," Melinda said to her daughter with a fond smile, while watching her with a proud look on her face. "I am so proud of you baby, so will your Papa if he was here"

"Thanks, ma, Evelyn said with a wide grin on her face as she continued to wolf down her food forgetting what her mum just said a few seconds ago

Evelyn saw her mum's happy expression dim as the look was replaced by that of sadness. She knew why her mum's eyes clouded, she was thinking of her late father. He died when Evelyn was fifteen years.

It was a hit and run and the driver was never caught.

Mum has been mourning him ever since and has refused to date anyone else. Out of curiosity, I asked her why? Her response was, why date when you have already had the best.

I guess dad was her one and only, I hope someday I get to meet someone I can love deeply like my mum did my dad, Evelyn thought about watching her mum.

"So how was work?" she asked mum, trying to distract her.

"It was a little bit stressful but nothing I couldn't handle. Had some difficult customers, you know the type that comes in without money in their pocket but still what to get the expensive goods" Melinda said with some exasperation making Evelyn chuckle at her tone and funny expressions.

Mum works at a department store as one of their sellers, the little she makes is what she uses in providing for us and the money dad left when he died went to my schooling that's why I need this internship, it will go long way in helping me secure a great job when am done and I need this to take care of ma, for once.

"Thanks, ma," Evelyn said taking both their plates to the kitchen where she cleaned them up.

"Do you want to watch the TV? Or are you so tired?" Melinda asked her daughter when she came out of the kitchen.

Evelyn was tired out but she could still spare some time to keep her mum company.

"Yes," she said walking towards the sofa where she flung herself down with her legs over the arms.

Melinda raised Evelyn's head and sat down placing it down back on her lap.

"So what are we watching?" Evelyn asked picking up the remote.

"Anything" I just want to spend time with you, was Melinda response as she began to stroke her daughter's curls.

Evelyn turned it on and the Kardashians were on, she quickly changed the channel, not a fan of the show at all. she went to the fashion channel, she saw that it was were showing a runway in Milan so she left it there.

The fashion channel is one of her favorite channels because she wants to be a fashion journalist, the others being sports, Nickelodeon. Yeah am a child at heart, sue me.

she also loves the food channel, this one is my mum's favorite, where she learns different kinds of dishes, that am so willing to taste out for her.

Ma is a very good cook so am not scared to be her lab rat.

Evelyn laid down back on ma's lap and watched the beautiful models as they did their walk with their background music blasting loud out of the speaker.

Ma started stroking her hair again with her fingers which relaxed me making me release a contented sigh.

I love it when she does this, but it has this side effect of making me fall asleep, as I now found my eyes drooping and the next minute they were closed.

"Baby you need to go to bed," Melinda said shaking Evelyn awake.

"What?" she asked looking around, a little disoriented.

"You fell asleep," Melinda said, giving her child a fond look at the childish look of confusion on her face.

"Oh", Evelyn said with a yawn, stretching her hands out wide as her mouth opened as wide as it can go, making her mum smile at her before helping her off the couch.

"Why don't you go to your room and sleep," Melinda said to her daughter, directing her towards the step instead of the kitchen direction she faced. Melinda smiled as her daughter began to sleepwalk upstairs.

"What about you? " Evelyn asked halfway to the stairs realizing her mum wasn't following her.

"I will be up in a while" Melinda answered waving her to go ahead.

"Good night mum", Evelyn whispered, continuing her journey.

Inside her room, she flung herself on the bed, her eyes already closing before she hit the bed.

Her thought momentarily flashed to the man she met this morning but she pushed it aside choosing to go to sleep.