Chapter 21

Daniel awoke. The vision awaiting him, left him short of words. Whitney stood in front of the room mirror, her back turned to face Daniel, her eyes gazing deeply at the mirror, as she admired herself. Her instinct told her that Daniel had woken up."Whitney," Daniel called out to her, slowly and lovingly.

"Good morning," Whitney said, turning to face Daniel.

"Good morning to you too, my darling wife," he said, pretending to admire her beauty.

She looked like a heavenly apparition.. a radiant silhouette, with the moon behind her.

Daniel felt widely drawn to her... More than to any woman in his life.

Quietly he sat up and removed the blanket covering his body. There must be an explanation for him, he thought. He climbed out of the bed and walked to Whitney, who was beaming with smile.

Whitney looked more than excited to see him.

"Finally you woke up," she said in a coy whisper. "Finally."

Philip shaked his head. "Is there any occasion of the day that I may not know about?"

Whitney ran a through her luxuriant hair, the neck of her robe falling open slightly.

"And now I suppose you have forgotten the occasion of the day."

Her words took Daniel off guard. I am sorry?

We are human beings Daniel, no one is perfect. We tend to make mistakes, she smiled.

And we also tend to forget things easily."

"Can you please stop with the suspense and tell me what the occasion of the day is, Daniel said, he was feeling bored about the suspense already.

Today is 18th of December Daniel."

"And so?" 

"What has it got to do with the occa... Oh my God," he said, hitting his head," my dad's birthday is today. What is the time is thirty minutes after eight Whitney said thirty mins after eight he mainly started I overslept you should have woken me up with me I've got to be at the company before him we have planned a birthday surprise for him and I'm supposed to be there do not worry I drop this coffee for the next one hour he wouldn't be waking up so if she get ready quickly and drive to the company witnessed it looking certain. 

"Drugged? I hope it will not affect him negatively," Daniel said, looking shaking. 

"Of course it will not affect him, he id my Father-in-Law. Why would I give him some something harmful?" Whitney asked her voice suddenly excited. She looked at him, standing akimbo. His jaw sent intently. "Come on Dan, you have to get ready," she insisted. 

Daniel nodded, "yeah Whitney dear Thank you, if not for you I would have been doomed." 

He really meant what you said and his face showed her graceful was for the first time in his life he felt smiling with me was not a waste and she really could be useful he admired her for that and he wished she could be his for the rest of his life but in a moment the rich and thought we are all gone.

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

He rushed into the bathroom, showered, brushed and put on his shower robe. Then he came out of the bathroom. Whitney was still in front of the mirror.

"Whitney dear, you are coming with me," Daniel said to her. "So you better get ready," he added politely.

A smile popped up on her face, "but Dan this is a business party organized for him. I should not be part of it, it does not seem right."

Dan had began to feel an iota of pain for his wife. How was she going to feel, when she found out that he was only using her as a pawn all these while? How was she going to feel, when she looses all of the thibgs, she had thought to be hers? He was really playing with her emotions, now he really understood what his friend, Clinton had been saying to him and it all mare sense now. Not that he had began to love her but he had began to fancy her and her company. Indeed she was a good companion but she did not deserve him, such a cruel and vicious man like him. He had given Clinton his word and he was not bent on going back in it, not especially when he believed that his friend Clint, like Whitney.

Daniel cleared his throat. He was not going to let his feelings get the better of him. He needed his head to control him and not his heart. 

"Whitney my dear, you are my wife and we are one. Anything that concerns you, should concern me," he recited one of the words, he had heard a man say, from one of the Opera movies.

Whitney pouted, "doesn't it mean that I am being more of an intruder, instead of a wife?"

Daniel walked to her and held her shoulder. This was an opportunity he did not want to miss. This was the best time to introduce Whitney to his father and it seemed very appropriate.

.

"My dad has not seen, it seems like you do not even want him to see you my beautiful wife."

"No," Whitney said, hatching a frown.

"I am very much desperate to meet the man who rules from a golden seat,  Dan."

Daniel laughed out loud, "that recitement was tremendous and I have to admit, that you writing a poem would not be a bad idea at all."

Whitney blushed shyly, "you better dress up Dan, the drug will not be effective for long."

Daniel finally listened to her and went straight to his ward robe, "it is gonna take so long, to pick out a cloth to wear."

"Do not bother yourself, I have already picked out an outfit for you to wear and I am so certain that it is going to fit you so well," Whitney said broadly and smiling.

"How certain are you that it is going to fit me?"

"As long as I am your wife, I definitely know what is best for you. So just try it on and tell me, how great of a work I did," Whitney as d.

"As long," Daniel thought.

"A short," was the nice phrase to use. In just a week, he was going to get rid of her and in three months time, he would have her out of his life for good.

"Where is the cloth?" Daniel asked.

Whitney walked to the drawer besides the bed and pulled it out. She lifted up a nearly ironed suit for Daniel. She walked to him. "Here," she said, stretching out her hand.

Daniel thanked her, then he walked into the closet to change. It did not take up to five minutes for him to get dressed. By the time he was out, Whitney was already dressed.

The gown flowed down to her toe, nearly sweeping the floor.

It was a sleeveless, weightless gown, which dazzled in the brightness of the day.

Daniel admired her beauty, like always. "Ohh my, I have never seen anyone as beautiful as you are," the words fell out of his lips.

"You look so beautiful and elegant," he added.

She also praised his looks. They continued to throw sweet words at each other.

Daniel smiled, "as long as you are beside me, I will continue to shower you with sweet words."

"Stop with your flattery Dan, we are getting late for your dad's party. We have not even had breakfast yet," she reminded him.

"Forgive my manners princess," he said.

They both laughed, walking towards the door.

Dan opened the door, Whitney stepped out and Daniel followed behind her at once.

When they both reached the dining, they were amazed that everything was set but none of the maids were there.

"Where are all the maids and servants?"

"I sent them home," Whitney replied.

"But why?"

"I felt like giving them time to spend with their families," she answered.

"Then who prepared breakfast?" Daniel asked.

"I did," she replied.

 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 

(The Smith's company awaiting Mr Smith)

The reception hall in the Smith's company, had been decorated with flowers, balloons, bottles of different types of drinks__ rum, pure heavens, schnapps, mint julep and Brandy.

It had been ornated, ready to receive the celebrant of the day. As for Mr. Smith, he was at home, being tarted up by a hired cosmetologist, not minding his age or gender. All he knew was that this was his fiftieth birthday and he was bent on looking so young and fresh. In order not to give the masses an impression that he aged as he added in age. Proper arrangements concerning the birthday party, were made. Refreshments like drinks and snacks, were in abundance.

Daniel knew the money he had wasn't his own, and not by his strength, they were all by his father, so he resolved not to do anything by halves.

He tried and made sure that nothing put a kibosh on his dad's birthday party.

He was ready to ride high, come hell or high water.

At the reception hall, everyone was seated and waiting for the great business man, whose company had never known ruin.

A lot of business tycoons had arrived. Daniel's wife, Whitney, was performing her duties by welcoming each of the guests, indeed she was doing a very good job.

The waiters and waitresses were moving around in order to get their jobs done. They served refreshments. 

Daniel was not too familiar with business deals done with the Smith's company partners.

All undeserved thanks to his uncle, who was partially talking about business deals to the different partners of the Smith company.

Daniel looked around, he was certain that other than his than, someone else was missing. He was proved correct, when he darted his eyes around the hall but didn't see his rejected cousin, Eric.

He did not have an iota of morale to ask his uncle for Eric. He could always find him on his own. Definitely, Eric could have been somewhere, mustering some mischief.

As scheduled and planned, Eric was supposed to be in the Smith's company before the breaking of dawn.

He must be scheming as usual, Daniel thought within himself. He walked towards Whitney, who had just finished talking to the host for the party.

"Whitney!" He called out, cryptically.

She turned, with eagerness jumping in.

"What is it Dan?", She asked obliviously.

"You have not seen him yet, right?" He asked her.

"Seen who?" She asked. There was an incomprehensive look on her face.

"My cousin," Daniel said reluctantly. "He is supposed to be here, but he isn't." He added.

Whitney opened her mouth and said, "he called me on the phone...."

Daniel could not understand why her reply fed him with jealousy, he became so annoyed that he did not care to hear the remains of what she wanted to say.

He wondered in his mind whom Eric was to call his wife.

Indeed, there was this spirit of ownership, growing within his mind and heart. Well he believed that Whitney was just a pawn, so why did it feel as if Whitney was his?

"Are you listening to me, Dan?" Whitney asked when she noticed he had been silent and staring so blankly at an empty spot.

 She had been talking to him for quite some time now and it was she repeatedly asked him why he was looking for his cousin, that it dawned on her that even though her husband was physically with her, his mind had travelled far away. Daniel was physically present but his mind was totally absent.

"I am sorry, I was just thinking about something," he said to her.

"What were you thinking about?" She asked, looking a bit worried for her husband.

"It is nothing to worry about," he answered.

"Tell me what you were thinking of Dan," she insisted.

This was something Daniel really hated most about her. She was just too unnecessary inquisitive. Well, he was glad, at least he had something to hold on to. She was going to disappear from his life very soon and this hope made him flash his teeth at her.

"Dan I am asking you a question and you are smiling," she said to him, folding her hands to her chest and looking very annoyed.

"Calm down wifey, just smile for me. I promise I will tell you what I was thinking about," he teased her.

Whitney still had a frown on her face. The expression on her face, demanded for an answer from her husband.

"You had better put a smile on your face or you might just scare away the guest with your rumpled forehead," he mocked her, nearly laughing out loud at his own joke.

His joke made Whitney, more angry. 

"You know what, once I meet your father, who happens to be my father - in - law, I will tell him all that you have done to me," she threatened.

Well, she did not even have the slightest idea of just how scared her threat made Daniel.

Daniel did not say anything to her, instead he just stared at her with horror in his eyes.

"Hey Daniel I was just joking, why do you look so scared," she said to him, immediately she noticed the happy expression on her husband's face change into a bitter one.

"I was just thinking about Eric, I was only wondering what reason made him not to show up for this celebration. I am sorry if you felt bad about it. I will be very grateful if you repeated all that you were saying to me earlier, while I was lost in my thoughts," he gently said to her. His words were only an act. 

Probably, he was scared about what she said earlier. He could not let all of his labor go in vain. He could not let her jeopardize all of his plans. So he was rather going to act good to her and submissive to her requests.

Whitney was a bit surprised at Daniels change of behavior but she did not think much on it. She already knew her impossible her husband could be. A minute he was happy and the next minute he was angry, vice versa.

"I was just saying that Eric had called me on the phone earlier on and he said he would not be able to make it..."

"Was that all you said?" Daniel asked, feeling a bit angry.

"No, that is not all. Allow me to finsh, there is no need for rush."

"Alright, continue," he said to her, remembering her threat.