Chapter 12
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The afternoon sun was out as Raina McCoy and Madison Armstrong chatted while they sipped on some hot chocolate, both perched on the plush seats situated in the mansion's sunroom. The two had come to find comfort in talking to each other, both on their road to a strong friendship.
" I was adopted actually ", Madison started as she twirled the little marshmallows floating on the surface of the chocolate flavoured liquid. Raina's ears perked up in curiosity, her eyes leaving the contents of her cup to focus on Madison Armstrong's sapphire ones.
" I was adopted by the Armstrongs who were close friends of the Addingtons. At that time, I was just three and they already had a son. But the woman could not have more children and she wanted another child, a daughter precisely. They went looking for one in an orphanage and somehow I caught their attention. The little girl in her own bubble.."
" Own bubble? " Raina spluttered in surprise and Madison threw her head back as she laughed heartily, wiping the tears that formed at the corners of her eyes.
" Sounds lease, I know but I was actually a quiet and reserved child back then, gave the other orphans the invitation to bully me. I learned how to stand up for myself only because the Armstrong's son had taught me to " She twirled her half drunk liquid, her skinny finger curled around the curve of the mug, " He was not always nice, you know. In fact, Freddie Armstrong was a devil in disguise when I first came over "
" He hated me. Always felt like I came to steal all the attention from him. Well, in a way, I did. His parents were all over me " Madison flipped her hair off her shoulders playfully and Raina giggled, taking a sip of the cooling drink.
" Whatever I needed, they would get it for me in a heartbeat and that fueled his hatred for me. We grew up fighting like cat and mouse. I made his life miserable and he did same to me. When he turned sixteen, I was thirteen at the time and our parents finally got him the car he had been asking for after he passed his CBT tests and did all the necessaries. All this on the condition that he would drive me to school everyday "
" I am guessing he did otherwise? " Raina smiled as she watched Madison's eyes get clouded like she was in a reminiscence before the woman let out a scoff.
" Of course he did otherwise. That arse would pick me off and kick me out the car once we had driven some blocks away from home. He threatened to tell our parents about my crush on his best friend, Jackson if I spoke a word about his actions so I kept my mouth shut " Madison took a sip of her drink, a small smile stretching at the corners of her lips at the memory.
" One day, I was walking to school and got run over by a car. I can't really remember what happened next but when I woke up, I found myself laying on a hospital bed with Freddie standing by the window with a look of guilt on his face. He had always cared for me, was just too prideful to express it " Madison placed her cup down on the side table and lifted the sundress she wore above her left knee, tapping on the thick visible scar with her manicured finger.
" Weak knee "
Raina's eyes were glued to her scar. A lump formed in her throat at the slight similarity between both their stories. Clearing her throat, she begrudgingly tore her eyes away once Madison placed the silk fabric back in its place.
" Where is your brother now? "
" France. He is a successful videographer over there "
The duo sat in a thought filled silence, the drinks they sipped on turning tasteless at the intensity of both their thinking before Madison Armstrong snapped out of it and broke the silence, " What about you, Raina? Do you have any siblings? "
Raina McCoy did not need to think of an answer, immediately shaking her head, " No, I never had any ". She was a single child. Back in the days, her mind would drift of to the thought. How would life had been like if she had a sibling?
" Have you ever wished to have one? " Madison asked once again, her eyes narrowing slightly as she noticed Raina's mood turned thoughtful and sour at the topic.
" When I was really little. Growing up, I then realized that I never wanted to have one or they might have not made it as far I did " Raina answered absent-mindedly, a frown forming on Madison Armstrong's face at her words.
" What is that supposed to mea– "
The woman's words were halted at the sound of Ethan Addington wailing as he rushed into the sunroom towards Raina McCoy, his fluffy slippers smacking against the wooden flooring as tears streamed down his face. Raina's jaw dropped slightly at the sight of the boy. What had happened to him?
Placing her cup down, she immediately caught him as he threw himself onto her, his little body racking with sobs as his eyes repeatedly flashed towards the entrance and back to her. Raina turned towards the door in curiosity, catching the sight of Emma Addington's pink dress as she hid behind the walls and watched them.
" Ethan, tell me, what happened? Why are you crying? " Raina asked softly, wiping the tears on his cheeks as her hand rubbed on his back to calm him down.
" Emma, Emma. She s-smacked me " Ethan wailed louder as he pointed at his sister who narrowed her gray eyes at him, still hiding behind the wall. Raina turned and gave Emma Addington a reprimanding glare and the little girl hid away her face in return.
" Tell me what happened, Ethan? Why did Emma smack you? "
" B-because of her dollie " The boy sniffed as he showed Raina the detached head of one of Emma Addington's Barbie dolls. Letting out a sigh, Raina turned back towards the door and retained the glare on her face.
" Come here, Emma " She ordered sternly and slowly, the little girl came out of her hiding position. Her feet slowly taking her towards them as she stared at the ground in guilt.
" Now tell me what happened, Emma? Why did you smack your little brother? " Raina questioned and Emma Addington's little head immediately snapped up, her eyes shooting daggers at the little boy who let out a whimper and hid his face in Raina's neck in return.
Even Raina slightly shuddered at the intensity of the little girl's glare but she retained her confidence, " I asked you a question, Emma. Why did you smack Ethan? "
" He kept pulling on Crystal till her head came off and I kept telling him to wait and I will play with him " Emma Addington huffed angrily, lifting the headless doll so Raina could see.
Letting out another sigh, Raina took the doll from Emma and the head from Ethan before attaching it once again and handing it to her before pulling her closer by her arm, " You do not hit your brother, Emma. He only wanted to play with you and you know Ethan loves you very much. What if his head fell off when you smacked him? Would I have been able to fix it like I fixed Crystal's? "
A horrified look crossed Emma Addington's features at the question and she immediately shook her head. A smile formed on Raina's face then she turned to place Ethan Addington down on his feet.
" Okay then apologize to each other and give yourselves a huge bear hug " Raina urged and the children did as she said before scurrying off, breaking into a fit of giggles on their way out.
Raina shook her head with a small smile. If only the world could forgive and reconcile as quick as children did. Turning back to Madison, Raina stared at the woman in confusion. She had a mischievous smile plastered on her face with her legs crossed, bringing the rim of her mug to her lips to take a sip.
Raina took a sip of her chocolate drink which had now turned cold before placing it down, whereas Madison was busy nibbling on the finger sandwich Raina had made for her. After swallowing the chunk down, Madison Armstrong narrowed her eyes as she flashed Raina a smile.
" You are so perfect for this job. If I had a kid, I would probably just dump them with my mother " She joked, " Ah! I honestly cannot wait to see cute little Rona's running around the mansion " Madison gushed and Raina frowned in confusion.
" Rona? "
" It is a ship name for you both. Roux and Raina " Madison grinned, taking note of the sour look that crossed Raina's face before she covered it up with an awkward smile.
" Speaking of Roux, where is that stuck-up man now? " Madison Armstrong asked, looking around the room like she would find Roux Addington sitting on one of the couches.
" His company purchased a land recently for a new vegan restaurant he is planning on building. He left earlier to see how things were going with the construction " Raina answered and Madison let out a hum, taking hold of the last piece of her sandwich.
" You know, your sandwich reminds me of Penelope Addington's sandwiches. Rouxs' grandmother, she made the best sandwiches and apple pies on earth. But, I am sure you could bake it better " Madison winked playfully at Raina who rolled her eyes in return.
Madison Armstrong was just trying to be sneaky and urge Raina to bake her more pastries. As Raina opened her mouth to reply, her words got stuck in her throat as a sharp ringing filled the room from her pocket. She had an incoming phone call from the new phone Roux Addington had just gotten her.
Retrieving the device, Raina McCoy stared at the unknown number. Roux Addington's number was already saved on her phone as well as some of his family members so the person phoning her had to be someone she did not know.
Nevertheless, she answered the call and placed the phone against her ear, " Hello? "
" Is this Raina Addington? " An unfamiliar male voice asked. Taking in a deep breath, Raina replied, " Yes it is, is there a problem? "
" Yes there is Ma'am " The man replied and Raina's palms suddenly got sweaty. She could hear the faint sound of sirens from his line, adding to her racing heart. It seemed the man had phoned her in a period of life as death.
" What is wrong? Is everything alright, sir? "
" No Ma'am. Mister Addington was involved in an accident at the construction site. He has just been rushed to the hospital " The man said before ending the call in a haste.
And the only thing Raina McCoy could hear next was the sound of her ferocious heartbeat filling her ears.
•
Every step Raina McCoy took caused her heartbeat to accelerate as she followed behind the doctor, trying to keep up with the woman's long strides as she led her into her office. As offered by the young female doctor, Raina took a sit and avoided the woman's eyes as her thick lens seemed to intimidate her.
" We had an x-ray done on Mister Addington and luckily, his skull is in perfect condition. Although, he suffered a minor concussion from the hit, he will be fine in a matter of weeks as long as he follows his prescription strictly. I trust you are able to help him abide by that " The woman stated certainly, adjusting the glasses that were placed on the bridge of her nose.
" I will make sure he takes his prescription, Ma'am. And that too on time "
" Good " The woman linked her fingers almost immediately, her bright amber colored eyes scanning Raina before she pushed a prescription bag over to her. " These are Mister Addington's medications and the prescriptions have already been written down on them "
Rolling her bottom lip into her mouth nervously, Raina curled her fingers around the bag and placed it on her lap. After the call, she had managed to calm down with Madison Armstrong's help before the woman offered to watch the children while she left to see Roux Addington.
Roux had been in the construction site when a rock had dropped from one of the bulldozers which had been bulldozing and lifting a stack of rocks. Apparently, Roux Addington had been standing too close while speaking to the construction manager. An ambulance was immediately called before he had been rushed to the hospital and the overseer had phoned Raina to inform her about the unfortunate turn of events.
" Can I go see him now? " Raina asked the doctor in uncertainty. She had been worried ever since that phone call and seeing how he was doing would definitely ease her worry and calm her still racing heart.
" Of course you can. We agreed to discharge him today. The rock only hit the front of his skull so he is on the safe side. Like I said, just make sure he takes his medication on time " The doctor faked a smile and with a thankful nod, Raina got up from the office chair.
" He is in a private room. Room 15 "
Raina wiped her palms on the material of her sundress as she got closer to Rouxs' hospital room, clutching the bag she held even tighter. She had wanted to see Roux Addington ever since and now she was about seeing him, she suddenly felt nauseous and lightheaded.
Her feet automatically stopped before his door and her sweaty palm curled around the cold door knob. Taking in a deep breath, she twisted and pushed, quietly stepping into the room. Her breathing halted as she watched Roux Addington put on his sweatshirt with the help of the nurse who purposely and discreetly ran her fingers over his toned torso.
Clearing her throat, Raina gained the attention of both Roux and the nurse and the young woman's face immediately paled before she nodded at Raina and instantly scurried out of the room. Raina's eyes followed the woman until she shut the door before turning back to face Roux Addington.
Roux had a bandage wrapped around his head whilst she watched him wet his lips with his tongue, still staring at her. Forcing her legs to move, Raina walked towards the bed where he sat before stopping before him. Clearing her throat and trying to push down the lump that had formed, she asked, " How are you feeling now, Mister Addington? "
Roux's gray eyes slowly tore away from her hazel ones, his gaze trailing downwards and stopping on the drug bag she held in her hands. A sour look crossed his features before he let out a huff and looked away, " A bit better ", he grumbled out.
" Thank goodness! I was really worried " Raina spoke in relief, her eyes glued to the slight blood stain on the side of his head, seeping through his gauze. Absent-mindedly, her hand reached out to it, the pads of her fingers brushing against the rough material.
Before she could touch it any further, Roux gripped her hand and her eyes snapped away from it and she stared at him in confusion and embarrassment. Letting go of her hand, he got up from the bed, " Let's go "
•
Raina and Roux had returned from the hospital a few hours ago. They had dinner some minutes ago and Roux Addington was absent for it. Being the nice person she was, she had prepared some soup for him and taken it to his office. With only a grunt, he dismissed her as his eyes skimmed through some files.
It had been over ten minutes of Raina McCoy pacing outside the hallway of Roux Addington's office. He had not still come out and the doctor said he needed some rest and his medications. Raina was worried he was overworking himself. Her mind screamed at her to walk into the office and make sure he took his medications but she was scared.
Roux Addington scared her for some reason and she had to walk on eggshells around him.
Finally taking a deep breath, Raina forced her feet to move towards the door. It was already late and she had to put Emma and Ethan Addington to sleep as promised and she had already wasted over ten minutes being indecisive. Turning the knob open, Raina McCoy walked into Rouxs' office, clutching the medical bag she held nervously.
Seeing Roux Addington typing on his laptop made her let out a surprised gasp. His eyes looked tired and even the blood that stained his gauze had spread but the stubborn man still overworked himself. Rushing over to him, Raina stopped before his table, eyes wide.
" Mister Addington, you have been working for hours. You need to take your medication and get some rest "
" I am fine, Raina " Roux stated immediately, his eyes not leaving the bright screen of his laptop. Raina's eyes trailed towards his desk and she let out a sigh at the sight of her soup which had been left untouched.
" You did not touch your soup, Mister Addington "
" You did not need to make anything, Raina. I hired Caldwell for a reason. Now leave so I can work " Rouxs' jaw ticked in annoyance, adding to the pounding of his head.
Getting fed up with Rouxs' stubbornness, Raina immediately slammed his laptop shut, shocking herself a bit at her courage. Nevertheless, she would not back down. Thea Addington had made her promise to look after her children and husband.
Raina gulped inaudibly when Roux instantly shot up from his seat, the chair almost toppling over due to the force. In the speed of light, he had already rounded his office desk and stood before her. Raina tried to take a step back, shuddering at the murderous look in his eyes.
Before she could move away, Roux had already gripped onto her arm harshly. His slightly long nails digging into her soft skin and she let out a pained whimper as he tugged her harshly towards himself. His jaw clenched in anger and annoyance.
" Are you trying to act like a wife, Raina? " Roux questioned in a low voice. Albeit, the look in his eye showed a storm. A wild raging storm.
" Please let me g-go, Mister Addington. You are hurting me "
Raina's pleas fell on deaf ears as Roux gripped her the more, taking a step forward till he had her pressed against the wall of his office, " Are you trying to take Thea's place? Are you trying to be my wife? "
Raina opened her mouth to plead with him to let her go, tears pooling in her eyes but he spoke once again, " Do not forget our marriage is just a contract, Raina. There is no way someone like you could be my wife. You are filthy, Raina McCoy. Stop acting all nice in my presence. What do you really want? There is no way someone could just agree to raise children they have never seen before and marry someone they have never met "
Raina's knees wobbled in fear as a sob escaped her lips. His actions terrified her. His look terrified her. He terrified her, " Please sir, you are hurting me. Please let me go.."
Raina let out a wince as Roux seemed to grip her even tighter. He wanted her to snap. In just a matter of time, her soft skin would break and blood would trickle down her arm. Roux lifted his other arm, digging it into her hair and tugging on it. Forcing her to stare into his eyes.
" Admit it, Raina McCoy. No one can possibly be this nice for nothing in return. Admit you are here for something else. Admit you are here for my money. You are a filthy gold digger. Fake "
Raina's eyes widened at his words, the pain she had been feeling instantly going numb and before she could process what she was about to do, her hand wand flying towards his face till a sharp smacking sound bounced through the walls. She had slapped him.
Rouxs' had whipped to the side due to the impact, his fist curling into a ball as he dropped them to his sides. Raina did not wait for him to speak as she instantly gripped his collar and pulled him down her height. Now both their eyes held the storm, waiting to be released.
" How dare you call me a gold digger? How dare you insult me and treat me like trash just because of your doubts? I have never asked of anything from you before! I never came here for your disgusting money. I came here because I knew what it feels like to live without a mother and I did not want your children to go through the same thing as I did. Even if it meant marrying a man I had never met through paper " She seethed.
" Don't you d– "
" Oh, keep shut Mister Addington. I did not know Thea Addington personally. I had never met her nor heard of either of you before till I came here! You could have been a serial killer, a murderer. You could have been anything but I still accepted. I still accepted to raise your children. I gave up everything, not because of what I wanted but because of what I could give! " She screamed at his face before pushing him away and wiping off the snot from her nose with the sleeves of her sweater.
Her fingers ran through her hair, massaging her sore scalp in the process as the medical bag she held in her hand shook, " I have never wished evil of anyone before. I gave whatever I could because I knew everyone had their own shoes which they walked in, but if you think life is so easy then why don't you try living the life I did? Either ways, I would have still tried to help you because I know you would have never made it out "
By the time Raina was done, her head ached and tears continued streaming down her face. Roux Addington still stood rooted to his spot, his eyes glaring at the wall before him and his fists clenched till the point welts formed on his palms from how hard his nails digged into them.
Taking in deep breaths, Raina tossed the medical bag on Roux Addington's office desk before turning on her heels and exiting the office. There was no way she was tucking Emma Addington in like this. She needed rest after her lashout.
By the time she was out, Roux Addington turned his desk over in anger, the contents of his desk toppling to the ground with loud noises as his chest heaved in anger.
Unconsciously, his fingers reached out to massage his cheek. He had never been slapped before.
" Shit "