24

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He saw Carrle's car parked right in front of his building.

What the hell does she want! It's not time to visit Ivory yet but he was surprised and almost shocked to see Alex step out of the car and not only Alex...

Marie too,one of his maids too.

"What the hell!" He cursed.

He left Ivory to continue to converse with Irene over the phone while he left the room in a rush.

He got to the living room and Alex and Marie walked in at the same time.

"What was that?" Harold asked harshly and Alex was surprised.

Harold had never spoken to him in that manner.

"Wh..at Mr Harold?" Marie asked hoping the cat hadn't been let out of the bag.

They were just returning from Ethan's building after hatching a new plan.

Carrle had promised her a lot if she could hurt Irene and she's more than pleased to do the job.

First, from the look of things Harold is starting to like Irene and she hated that.

She had loved Harold right from time but he had been so blind to see that.

She wanted him for herself and she had tried severally to make him see that but no! He doesn't always look her way.

And now she finally get to deal with the lady who has been getting his attention lately!

"Why the hell did Carrle drop you!?" Harold seethe.

"What! He had seen that?" Alex panicked inwardly.

"H..how did you...see that Mr Harold?" Marie asked.

"I was standing by my window! Now, answer my question" Harold said.

"She gave me a lift" Alex said.

"Me too" Marie said.

"How? Like... what are you saying.? A lift? When did you both go out? How could you go out without informing me and even if you wanted to go out, why didn't you take one of the cars" Harold said.

"I.. I was bored, i only took a walk and i didn't even knew i had gone far until i heard the horn of a car. It was Carrle and she offered to drop me at home since she was going through the same route. I refused ofcourse but she insisted. On getting into the car, i saw Marie" Alex said, glad his lie had come out smoothly.

He hoped Harold believes him...

"Ohh...so Marie, what were you doing in Carrle's car?" Harold asked.

She cleared her throat and sighed.

What is she gonna tell him?

What would she say she was doing in Carrle's car?

She should have just declined the offer of Carrle dropping them at home but they were pinpointing ways to execute their plans.

She was glad Harold hadn't seen Ethan who had been in the car too.

"Marie!" Harold half yelled.

"She offered me a ride too Mr Harold" Marie said.

"When did you left the house? You left without informing me?"

"I..i quickly went to say hi to my mum...and Carrle offered to give me a lift" Marie lied.

"I'm not against you checking on your mother but you should inform me first and then why didn't you take one of the cars?" Harold asked.

"I.. didn't want to disturb you, all i planned was just to say hi and return. I'm sorry Mr Harold" Marie said, licking her lips in the process.

"I'm sorry Mr Harold" Alex said.

"It's fine" Harold said calmly.

"But you both should know Carrle isn't welcomed here. Y'all know how she almost destroyed me. I want everyone working for me to stay away from her . She's dangerous and evil!" Harold said.

"Okay Mr Harold" Marie and Alex chorused, including the bodyguards in the living room.

"How come Carrle gave the both of you a ride together, the same day! almost the same time!" Nola said, walking out of the kitchen.

She had heard everything and she knew something was off but she doubted it cause she trusted Alex, he wouldn't lie. But Marie....the lady is hellish! She's one of the maids Nola doesn't trust.

Nola knows almost all the maids have feelings for Harold but she knew Marie's to be extreme.

She had once approached her to help convince Harold to date her!

"Nola, they just explained to me" Harold said.

"I know! I heard it all" Nola said .

"Carrle giving us lift the same day...i guess it's coincidence" Marie said with a fake smile.

She hated Nola with passion!

Always behaving like the lady of the house.

Harold listens to everything she says! And she had once told Nola to help in making harold notice her feelings for him but the deranged woman had refused.

"Coincidence? So be it then" Nola shrugged.

"Dad I'm done speaking to Irene" Ivory grinned as she walked down the stairs with Harold's phone in hand.

"What's going on?" She frowned, seeing the gathering.

"Nothing, princess. We're just having a discussion" Harold said bending to his daughter's height.

"Ohh...is that why you left the room in a rush?" Ivory asked.

"Yes" Harold said.

"Aren't you done with the conversation already?" Ivory asked.

"We are" Harold said.

"Dismiss them" she whispered into her dad's ear and he laughed.

"You all can leave" Harold ordered and they all obeyed, excluding Nola though.

"His face sucks!" Ivory rolled her eyes.

"Who?" Harold and Nola asked at the same time.

"A..lex" Ivory said and Harold sighed.

"Alex is a good guy Ivory" Nola said.

"Whatever, have your phone dad" She said and Harold gently took his phone from her.

"Irene said her Mum made the sweater for me already" Ivory said excitedly.

"Really?" Harold asked.

"So fast" Nola said.

"Yeah yeah, i can't wait to put it on" Ivory grinned.

"I miss her already" She added.

"She'll be coming tomorrow morning" Nola said, she so much missed Irene in the kitchen.

Though, she had been alone in the kitchen for years without feeling lonely but just few days Irene left,she was starting to miss her presence.

"What's for lunch?" Harold asked.

"Fried noodles, steamed dumplings,Millet gruel and red bean cake" Nola said.

"Ohh okay" Harold said.

"Dad, please tell someone to bring some ice cream to my room, my favorite animation is starting soon" Ivory said.

"Okay" Harold said.

*

___🍂Next morning🍂___

*

"Good morning Mr..Harold" Irene smiled delightedly.

She was so happy to have resumed and she was more happy to see the face she missed most.

She was just walking into the living room and she had seen Harold ready to leave for work .

"Mr?" Harold raised a brow.

"Ohh..good morning H..arold" Irene said and the workers around glanced up in surprise.

"Good. How're you Irene?" Harold asked, trying not to show his excitement.

He's so glad to see her again and damn! She looks more beautiful.

She's putting on an aqua silk top and black tight fitting jeans, and her hair is packed in a ponytail with tendrils framing her smooth face.

No make up! Yet She looked stunning, that made his heart yearn for her more.

"How's Damien?" Harold asked and Irene was surprised he remembered her brother's name.

"He's fine" She said.

"Your mum too?" He asked.

"She's fine too and they both sent their greetings"

"Ohh..okay" Harold said.

"Ivory is in her room" He added.

"Okay, i will go see her now" Irene smiled.

"Bye" Harold said.

"Bye and have a nice day" Irene said.

Harold walked out of the door smiling with two bodyguards behind him.

He know he's gonna have a good day.

*

Irene exchanged greetings with Nola in the kitchen and they chatted for some minutes before she finally left for ivory's room.

She dropped her bag in her room and then walked in through the adjoining door.

"Ivory, I'm here!" She called happily.

Ivory,who just finished bathing ran into her arms in excitement.

___🍂

Irene sat with Nola in the kitchen, she had just returned from dropping Ivory in school and was having her breakfast, chatting with Nola at the same time.

"How's your brother and mum?" Nola asked.

"They are both fine, they sent their greetings to everyone" Irene said.

"I guess ivory got her sweater already" Nola said.

"Yes, i showed it to her already and she was so excited. She's gonna put it on when she's back from school " Irene smiled.

"She talked about the sweater nonstop" Nola said.

"Really?" Irene laughed.

"Yes"

"And do you know what made her love it more?" Irene asked.

"What?" Nola asked.

"The color. It's her favorite color" Irene said.

"Wow! She'd be completely in love with it" Nola chuckled.

"Yeah, she wo.." Irene was saying but got interrupted by a maid who walked in.

"Hi" Irene said.

The maid nodded in response and Irene wondered what's with the attitude.

This isn't the first time this particular maid would give her such attitude.

Well...who cares?

"What do you want?" Nola asked Marie.

"Am i not allowed to take a bottle of water?" Marie asked in a mean tone.

"I never said that, i only asked what you want" Nola said,in a more mean tone.

Irene wondered why they both sounded mean to each other.

Marie picked a bottle of water from the fridge and then walked out of the kitchen.

"What's with her?" Irene asked.

"I just don't trust her" Nola said.

"Really?" Irene asked and that made her think of Alex.

She wondered why Nola wasn't seeing Alex the way she was.

Maybe he isn't that bad but her mind keep suspecting him.

She's still deliberating on warning Harold about Ethan.

He really needs to be more careful.

___🍂

"I love it!!" Ivory giggled happily after putting on the beautiful sweater.

Mrs Neave had applied some pretty pearl buttons on it.

Irene smiled, the sweater fitted ivory perfectly and the purple color made her caramel skin stand out.

She had made her wear white mini skirt and purple footwear to match.

A white hairband was holding her hair loosely and irene really felt proud of herself to have made Ivory this beautiful.

She felt like a mother.

The little girl stood in front of her large mirror, checking out herself.

"I need to take some pictures. My iPod please" Ivory grinned.

*

They ended up taking so many beautiful pictures together and they were in smiles as they walked downstairs for lunch.

Ivory showed off her new sweater to everyone while Irene smiled..

To Irene's delight, Harold was early enough to join them for lunch.

He so much loved the sweater on Ivory and he thanked Irene severally.

Everyone admired the sweater and that made Ivory showed it off proudly.

She took more pictures with it.

🌆🌆🌷

Harold sat in the library after dinner, waiting for Irene.

He was so nervous, he didn't know how he's gonna tell her to accompany him to a dinner party which he was invited to by one of his business partners.

It's a day after tomorrow.

Normally, he would have taken no one with him but the dinner party is strictly for couples and he doesn't even have a wife.

Should he take one of the maids?

No. He wants Irene.

What if she had not started working with him, won't he have other choices?

*

Irene gently walked out of ivory's room after putting her to sleep and headed to the library.

She was in her nightwear, not the one Damien chose for her though, a more decent one.

She hoped to meet Harold in the library.

She really missed how they read together in front of the fireplace.

She was descending the stairs when she noticed how slippery the ground felt beneath her footwear.

The next step she took sent her feet off the ground and her body into the air.

She couldn't scream,and her mind shook at the dreaded thought that any part of her body can get broken.

She resigned to fate waiting for the pain she's gonna feel once her body hits the hard ground.

🍭🍭🍭🍭🍭

Thanks for reading 🙂

Okay, another spy in the picture.

Marie!!!!

There's more to her than y'all think...just wait for it😉

Please do not hesitate to comment and share 😉