women are trouble

The place was filled up with men and women who dance away the night, the light in different colors as the DJ played their favourite tune.

Malachi sat on the high stood drinking from his glass of hard whiskey.

The bar man paid less attention to him since he was a regular customer.

"Hey pretty boy, wanna have me for the night" a female called walking up to him.

Without looking up Malachi replied.

"Nah I think I would pass," the lady rolled her eyes and walk away.

Malachi stare into the glass mixing the drink.

"A girl problem?" The bar man asked.

"Hmm" Malachi replied pouring himself another glass of drink.

"Must be deep you seem very lost, I thought you don't do commitment" The bar guy said.

"She has me wrapped have gone crazy for her without realizing it, I don't understand this feeling." Malachi toss the glass to a side and picked up the whiskey bottle, he drank directly from it.

"Seems you are in love man" the bartender said cleaning the glass a customer had just used.

Malachi glare at him but his eyes suddenly soften and he wince looking back down.

"Is love this infuriating, it makes me crave for more it driving me insane" Malachi told him.

"You should tell her how you feel" the bartender said.

"She has been behaving weird lately" Malachi said.

"Women are unpredictable they want more but refuse you when you reach out, no one understands them you just have to figure things out, that how I impress my girlfriend each time" the bartender said sighing.

"Ahhh ...." Malachi sigh.

★★★

Britney sat on the dining digging through her meal, a blank look on her face, she brought the spoon to her lips and swallowed.

Her mother look at her and drop her to spoon.

"Is there anything wrong there you seem lost in thought" Mrs Donaldson said.

Britney shift her gaze to her mom and shoo her head.

"Am fine, just not hungry, I think I would be in my room" Britney replied.

She stood up to walk away and her father called after her.

"Your food would be placed in the fridge once you are hungry warm it up and eat, I know you can't sleep on an empty stomach " Her Father said.

She gave him a small smile before leaving for her room.

Ivanie came down the car looking up at the Markin's industry, she was going to pay Vlad a surprise visit.

She smile happily as she made her way in, the receptionist welcomed her with a bow, and so as some fellow employees who pass by.

"Is Vlad in? Ivanie asked the woman behind the counter.

"Umm sir Vlad, please excuse me let me check with the manager" the receptionist replied.

She made a call and soon get back to Ivanie who stare at her eagerly.

"He's in a meeting with the board Members, he should be done in the next thirty minutes" the receptionist said.

Ivanie pouted disappointed.

"You can wait for him in his office" the receptionist said.

Ivanie smiled and walked away.

On getting to his office there was no one in, so she sat in there for a while.

Twenty minutes passed and Ivanie was starting to get tired of waiting, she walk out this office and went down the hall.

Vlad sat the head of the table with a serious look on his face, the board members were busy having a conversation amongst themselves and Vlad only listened in.

He heard a whistle and he raise his head to see Ivanie peeking in through the window folder.

A smile appear on Vlad face seeing her, the man who was talking suddenly stop, he swallowed wondering if he was doing something wrongly.

He barely saw Vlad smile at work, he always has a frown on.

Xenia who was sitting opposite him look up and noticed Vlad looking out the window, she trace his eyes sight to see Ivanie.

Xenia face contour in a frown she folded her palm and squeeze which resulted in her sharp fingernail digging into her palm and resulting to her bleeding.

She look at the glass cup on the table and a suddenly picked up a file recklessly and intentionally hitting the glass which fell of the table.

"Ahhh" Xenia yelp loudly bringing down her bleeding palm to distract Vlad.

Vlad look over at her noticing the ordeal going on.

Ivanie who stood outside frown slightly at the amount of blood oozing out of her palm.

"Miss Xenia are you alright"

"Quick bring the first aid"

The border members yell tending to Xenia.

Aww it hurt ahhh"

Vlad sigh.

"Why were you being reckless, you weren't as careless as this before" Vlad said getting up his seat, he adjusted his clothes and said.

"I will ask the staff to bring the first aid over you should take care of your wound so it wouldn't get infected, I will ask James to get the car ready and take you to the hospital for some X-ray so to be sure there isn't any shards in your palm."

Vlad said nonchalantly before walking out.

"He doesn't seem to care"

"How can he be nonchalant seeing this much blood is he even human"

"I can't believe he walked away like that, he didn't even ask If it hurts, very cold-hearted "

The board members murmured.

Xenia but down on her lower lips angrily, she got up her seat and walk away.

"Miss Xenia wait you should treat your wound, wait".

Vlad walk up to Ivanie outside, she look up at him and smiled.

"Silly" Vlad mutter.

"I was missing you, I couldn't resist the urge to come" Ivanie said.

Vlad pat her head and said.

"What mine is your you don't need permission coming here" Vlad told her.

Ivanie blushed and raise her head for a kiss, Vlad raised his brow in question.

"Forget it" she told him and turn.

Vlad took hold of her hand and pulled her back, Ivanie crash against his chest. He dip his head low and peck her lips.

The employee present gasped in shock looking away.

Vlad smiled against her lips and pulled her along, Ivanie was blushing mess as she went along with him.

Xenia who had witness this had fumed away angrily. She walk into her office and began destroying things in anger.

Her phone rang, seeing the caller she picked up.

"Why ain't you doing anything?" She question in rage

"You couldn't get to her, don't make silly excuses I have already given you half the pay, now finish my work or I make your life miserable, believe me you won't like the end result." Xenia yelled into the phone.

Vlad discussed some matters with James while Ivanie sat on the couch eating the snacks the staff brought in earlier.

She drank some lemon water.

She turn to look at Vlad to still see him busy even with James gone.

Vlad seem to have a lot of work, so she decided not to be a bother and sneak away.

"Where to?"

He asked seeing as she was sneaking away.

Funny how he see her even while he his stuck up with work.

"Umm washroom, I want to use the washroom " Ivanie told him.

Vlad narrowed his eyes and wave her off.

"You are not imprisoned in here ,no need to sneak out," Vlad told her.

Ivanie let out a grin and she replied.

"Don't mind me, I was just being creative, you should get back to work " Ivanie told him and turn to step away, not waiting for him to reply.

As soon as she exit the office, Vlad shook his head at her silly behavior.

★★★

The cloud began to form as the day darken.

Malachi look up at the clouds tiredly, although he was using his bike he wasn't in a rush to get home early.

The traffic light time green and he speed pass the car Infront of him.

His power bike zoom pass the streets to the next, the heavy downfall began, he sped up his back light turning red and the front light yellow.

As he sped along the street a little girl ran out of nowhere, Malachi eyes widen he maneuver left avoiding her in process he crash into the car coming opposite him.

His bike crash into the car, the impact was bad that it throw him off his bike and he rolled off his helmet scratching badly on the floor and his glove hand finding balance.

His bike had stopped rolling and was crashed laying sideway on the wet floor.

The car who had hit him had also came to an halt.

The mother of the child ran out the restaurant in shock and grab her child holding her close.

*Oh my God*

*That was a bad crash*

*Jesus is he dead*

Crowd began gathering around Malachi and the man in the car.

The driver driving the car came down looking okay, he stare worriedly at the young man on the wet floor.

Malachi raise his head wincing in pain, he sat up and pulled off his helmet, his helmet had taken a big blow with the ugly looking scratch at that base.

Thankful he had one on, if not he would have suffered from a brain damage by now.

*Thank God he's alive*

*He has nine life that was no ordinary accident*

The murmured.

"Am sorry am so sorry" the child mother apologize.

"You should take care of your kid properly, what if the young man hadn't made a turn, he would have hit her and be blamed for reckless driving" a woman in the crowd scolded.

"Are you okay, do you need to visit the hospital?" the man behind the wheel ask out of concern.

"No am fine" Malachi said limping up his feet.

He pulled up his bike with the help of the man.

He noticed some little damages and thought of taking it to the repair shop.

" Let me at least drop you off at home" the man offered.

Malachi thought for a while and nodded.

He wave the man bye at the estate gate and after he drove off, Malachi limp to Jace house.

He rang the bell and waited for the door to be opened.

The door strung open to reveal Jace in a pair of matching swear and pants.

"Hey man" Malachi hi Jace and made his way in like he owned the house.

"What happened to you, why do you look like you have just conquered the storm, it raining crazy outside why are you here late?" Jace questioned none stop

"One after the other please, my cheek hurts" Malachi replied.

"Sorry" Jace said walking away to get some ice.

"Malachi?" Jace mom called walking down the stairs l, she noticed the little patch of blood on Malachi's shirt and rush up to him Worriedly.

"Hello auntie" Malachi greeted and tried offering her a smile.

"Awwooo" he cried out in pain.

"Good Lord what happened to you" she asked examining his wound.

"Nothing much just a little accident nothing fatal" he replied.

"You call this a little accident, you need to be admitted I will call an ambulance" She said.

"Don't be dramatic mom he said he's fine, he would have gone to the hospital if he wanted to" Jace said coming out the kitchen with a pack of ice and a first aid box.

Jace mom took the first aid from him and Jace pass Malachi the ice in which he place on his cheek.

She applied some ointment on his wound after she was done cleaning it, she then place an aid band on his neck and some plaster on his back.

"Thank you auntie " Malachi said and she nodded walking away with the aid box.

"I would warm up a dinner for you, you should get some rest, and also am sure you didn't call home like always. I would inform your mom you are here" she told him.

"Please done mention anything to her, I don't like her worrying about me" Malachi said to her.

Jace mom sigh and finally walked away.

"We're you drinking till now, you are all messed up, you should freshen up and change into clean clothes" Jace told him.

Malachi stood up and follow behind Jace to his room.

"You are more pathetic than a heartbroken man" Jace said climbing the stairs.

"At least my situation has a diagnose" Malachi mutter.

"I don't know what happened between you and Britney....."

"Believe me you don't want to know" Malachi cut him short.

"Right, but anyway you two should sort things out, the both of you are way to awkward and it killing me with tension. It like am treading on thin ice around you both do you know how annoying that is" Jace said opening the bathroom door for Malachi who entered the bathroom and began pulling off his clothes.

Jace help him put a plastic tap around his plasters to avoid getting it wet.

"You worry too much about me I feel like you are my father, you should leave me alone now and let me take my bath peaceful, I think I deserve that." Malachi said.

"No problem I would just be in the room" Jace told him and shut the door.

★★★

The rain didn't stop most of the workers from going home, those who brought their cars drove home in an hurry while those who took the bus went to wait at the bus station leaving only few of them left at the office.

Ivanie came out the toilet and wash her hands inside the sink, her head was down and she hummed to her favorite music playing from the ear pod she had on.

Another person came out from the other toilet to wash their hands.

Ivanie look up at the mirror briefly to see the person fully clothed. She wore a mask covering her nose and a face cap on her head with a hoodie on.

Ivanie didn't think much about it she pulled out a paper towel from the machine to clean her hands.

She turn to leave but was suddenly held back and pulled with force.

Ivanie yelp, she turn to land a upper cut on the person grabbing her in which she did successfully.

She ran to the door to scream for help but before she could afford to make it, a white handkerchief had cover her nose, Ivanie struggle in his arms hitting him so he could let go but her attempt was futile.

She slowly gave in to unconsciousness her head spinning before she blank out.

The man breathe a sigh and pulled out a janitor cart from the corner, he took a apron from the cart and wore after taking off his hoodie and hat.

He wore a blue mask taking off the black one he had on earlier.

He place Ivanie underneath the cart and covered her with a long table cloth before pushing the cart out the washroom.