CHAPTER 35

Marcus's pov

I have had a busy day today, I went from one meeting to another. Only the thought of seeing my baby doll after work made it bearable. I was so excited to go home that I made sure to conduct all the meetings in a limited amount of time. But an hour before the knockoff time I received news that there was an issue with the Ndola project. The workers at the Leisure resort which we are supposed to be opening in three months have stopped working because they haven't been paid. I had to call for an emergency meeting to find out why they were not paid when the money had already been released. It took us two hours to solve the issue. It turns out the workers were slacking around, that's why their payments were delayed.

I told Juliana to go home without me today, I hope she is not sleeping yet. Alex told me that she had gone to her apartment earlier to get some of her stuff. He let me know that she left the apartment an hour ago, I am sure she is home by now. I can't wait to see her. I want to hold her close to me and smell her vanilla scent. I want to hear her laughter and see how her eyes glow when she laughs.

As I finally get in my car and drive home, I can't help but feel guilty for making Juliana wait for me. I have missed her so much during the day, and knowing that she is waiting for me at home makes me feel warm inside. I can't help but smile as I think about her, her beautiful smile, and her infectious laughter. I want her gorgeous body on mine.

The anticipation of seeing Juliana again after a long day at work is almost unbearable. I can't wait to wrap my arms around her and feel her soft skin against mine. The thought of her lips on mine sends shivers down my spine, and I can't help but imagine all the ways I want to pleasure her.

As I pull into the driveway, my heart races with excitement. I can't wait to see my babydoll. And as soon as I open the door, My heart flutters with excitement. But as soon as I walk through the front door I see my baby doll sitting on the couch, I can tell by how she is sitting that something is wrong. Something must have happened to make her look this sad.

"Hey baby doll," I greet as I sit next to her.

"Hey Marcus, how was your day?" she asks with a smile that can't reach her eyes.

"It was chaotic, I had a bit of a crisis at work. But it's all sorted now." I tell her.

I pull her into a tight hug, breathing in her sweet scent as she buries her face in my chest. "I missed you so much, baby doll," I whisper, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. She looks up at me with those big, brown eyes full of love and I know that all the stress and chaos of my day has been worth it just to come home to her.

"I missed you too, Marcus," she replies.

"You look sad, what happened?" I ask her.

"Do you remember that I came a bit late for our brunch date on Sunday?"

"Yes, I remember." I don't understand why she is bringing up our date.

"The reason why I came late was because I fought with Maggie. We both said hurtful things to each other. So when I went to my apartment earlier to get some of my stuff we talked. I thought that she had forgiven me but I don't think that's the case." I can see the pain in her eyes. She genuinely loves Maggie, but that woman does not deserve her love.

"Why do you think that she hasn't forgiven you?"

"After I left the apartment, my mom called me. Maggie told her that I had moved in with you. In my family cohabiting is forbidden and Maggie knows about it but she told Mum. I tried calling her to ask her about it but she didn't pick up my call."

I feel anger rising in me as I hear this. How can Maggie betray Juliana like that? I can see the hurt in Juliana's eyes and I pull her closer to me, wanting to shield her from any pain.

"I am so sorry, babydoll. I can't believe she would do something like that to you. You don't deserve to be treated that way," I say softly, feeling a rush of protectiveness towards her.

Juliana leans into me, seeking comfort in my embrace. "I just don't know what to do, Marcus. I love Maggie, but I can't handle this kind of betrayal. It hurts so much."

I stroke her hair gently, trying to soothe her. "You don't have to make any decisions right now. Just know that I am here for you, no matter what. We will figure this out together, okay?"

Juliana nods, tears glistening in her eyes. "Thank you, Marcus. I don't know what I would do without you."

I hold her close, kissing the top of her head. "You will never have to find out, babydoll. I will always be here for you."

She looks up at me with tear-filled eyes, "I don't know what to do, Marcus. I love my family, but I care about you too. I don't want to lose either of you."

I touch both her cheeks, looking into her eyes with all the love and reassurance I can muster, "You don't have to choose, baby doll. I will always be here for you, no matter what. Let's face this together, okay?"

She nods, a small smile finally reaching her eyes as she leans into my embrace. As I hold her close, I thank my lucky stars for bringing her into my life. She is one in a million.