Caught In between

Chapter 8: New beginning

"Marlise?" Elad said from the other end of the line.
"Sir, Mr, Doctor Elad," she said in confusion.
"Sir? Doctor? Was my PA too formal with you, I've told Jacques to be friendly to people who call through this number," Elad said.
"No, its just that I didn't know who you were before calling," she said.
"Who am I? An alien or someone with two heads?" He laughed.
Marlise remained silent.
"Jaques told me you sounded troubled, are you okay?" His tone suddenly went soft.
"I'm fine," She said.
"Hmm, I don't think so. This is a personal help line and people are usually drawn to call when they need help." Elad said.
"I wasn't thinking straight when I dialed. My story is too long. I'm sure you have a busy life, wife and kids to worry about." She said dismissively.
Elad laughed.
"Let's meet up. Send me your location and I'll have someone pick you up," He said.

Forty five minutes later, Marlise was once more sitting across Elad at a fancy restaurant. She admired the way he looked dapper in a dark blue fitting suit. They were the only ones in the restaurant except for two men who sat a few tables from them.

"You say you need my help, Do you know what I really do?" Elad asked.
"No," The question surprised her because his card told her everything she thought she needed to know.
"I'm a drug dealer." Elad said with a straight face.
She gasped and one hand flew to her mouth.
Silence sat between them.
"Everything you see on the card is a front and I can offer you a job to be a distributor. It has great pay and great benefits." He continued as if he didn't notice the fright on her face.
Suddenly, he lowered his head and then his shoulders began to shake.
Marlise was confused about his behaviour. He seemed to be laughing.
When he raised his head, there were tears in his eyes and he was struggling to contain the giggles that escaped his mouth.
"You do drugs?" She asked when she regained her voice.
"No ma'am. I am the managing director of Watte Pharma and we've been operating for 7 years ago. I promise you we don't push drugs," Elad clarified, still laughing.
He turned and shouted to the two men sitting on the tables away from them.

"Jaques, Rolex, I told her the joke," he said between giggles.
"About us pushing drugs sir?" Jaques asked.
Elad nodded.
They all burst into laughter.
"Sir, I think you should stop that joke. Someone would call the police on us one day," Rolex said.
Marlise realised he was pulling her legs.

"So tell me about your skills, " Elad asked.
"Communication, human resource management." She anxiously listed every skill she thought would be relevant.
"We have an opening for a project manager but..." Elad said.
"I would learn whatever I need." She said eagerly but...
"But what?" Elad frowned.
She lowered her eyes.
"I have to tell you something that may affect this offer." She lowered her eyes.
"Go ahead." Elad said.

♡♡♡♡♡
Three months later

"Do you want anything to drink?" Levi asked Cherish. It was a Friday evening and he had invited her over to his apartment to have a serious talk.

Cherish shook her head and rubbed her knees nervousnesly.

He poured himself a glass of wine and sat down opposite her.

It had been 3 months since Marlise disappeared and Levi had become a beast towards everyone. Barking and yelling at anyone who crossed his path that was why Cherish was so nervous around him.

His anger was first vented on Marlise's mother as soon as he realised she wasn't coming back.

"Marlise is gone. Are you happy now?" He'd shouted at Mado.
"What do you mean?" Mado asked angry and confused.
"You have killed your grandchildren and chased your daughter away!" He shouted.
"Grandchildren?" She asked.
"Yes! Marlise was having twins but you killed them!" he cried
Mado fell to the floor weeping as he told her to get her stuff out of his guesthouse. She had since returned to Bamenda.

"I want us to call off our engagement," Levi announced.
Cherish cried in shock, her eyes widened and got moist immediately.
"Levi, why? I love you!" She said in a shaky voice.
"You don't love me. You love the benefits of being my mother's pet," he said.
"Levi, I love you," she repeated.
"You have a strange way of showing it." He said.
"You're mean to me, your sister and even my son. I don't want my son to experiencing such hate," Levi said.
"I will change "she continued to plead.
"I'm not sure I can love you," Levi said defeatedly.
"I know you love my sister but you will love me oneday. I will love for both of us. Please tell me you will try to love me," Cherish pleaded, taking Levi's hand in hers.
"Levi please," Cherish begged with tears running down her eyes. Levi looked at her and made a promise he wasn't sure he could keep.
"I will try,"

To be continued...
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What is Marlise about to tell Elad?
Hmm...Cherish wants to love for two, has that ever worked?