Do you have an appointment?

Author’s pov

"Take care of your grandma! Take care of grandma!" These words reverberated in Amber's mind as she hurriedly got into her car and left her grandmother's compound. Just before her mother passed away, she tightly held Amber's hands and repeated those words until she grew weak and died. And Amber took those words to heart.

"How could I tell her that I leased the pharmaceutical company because of my husband?" she pondered as she gripped the steering wheel and drove as fast as she could. Amber was certain that her husband would transfer the money to her. Midway to Dave's office, with the image of her grandmother enduring pain vividly etched in her mind, she picked up her phone and called her.

"Grandma, if there's any way for you to get to the hospital, please do so. I'll come straight to the hospital. Your pain needs attention," she pleaded. Caring for her grandmother had become a way for Amber to show affection for both her late parents, providing her with a psychological relief akin to caring for her own parents.

Amber arrived at her husband's office by 11 a.m. and hastily got out of the car. She was in such a rush that she didn't even bother closing the driver's door as she hurried into the sleek building.

"Good morning, ma," Dave's secretary greeted her, noticing Amber about to pass by and head towards Dave's office. Wanting to avoid any delays, Amber quickly responded,

"I came to see my husband," pointing towards his office.

"Ma, Mr. Dave has already gone home. He only attended to a few files and said he's going home," the secretary informed her.

"Home?" Amber exclaimed. Her exclamation stemmed from the realization that she had wasted time going to the office. If she had known, she would have gone straight home and likely arrived by now. As she turned her car towards home, she dialed her husband's number on her phone. Just as the phone was about to ring out, she ended the call, thinking to herself,

"Am I not going home? Why am I calling Dave?" She shook off the confusion and drove back home.

Upon reaching home, Amber stepped out of her car and headed towards the front door. To her surprise, the usually locked front door was left unlocked. Assuming that Dave must have briefly stopped by to retrieve something before leaving, she didn't think much of it. As she entered the living room, she was surprised by what she saw. Her husband's clothes from that morning were strewn across a chair and some on the floor. Following the trail of clothes, her eyes landed on a woman's dress, followed by a bra and panties. The dress looked familiar, but the shock of the situation prevented her from fully processing it. Driven by a mix of shock and curiosity, she proceeded to see what was happening inside.

It was as if they couldn't wait to reach the bedroom. They hurriedly undressed, leaving their clothes and undergarments strewn along the way, ultimately leading to their matrimonial bed upstairs. Not only was the door unlocked, but it was slightly open.

"What are you waiting for?" she heard Gwen's voice. "It's been nearly a month, and Amber is still in this house with you."

"I know what I'm doing. There's no time for that now. I want more of you," Dave responded.

"No," she protested in a strained voice. "I want you to take action. Can you imagine how it feels for me, seeing both of you in this house?"

"I have never touched her. Since the day I slept with you, everything changed. She lies on the bed like a lifeless log. She doesn't give me the passion you do. I don't experience the same desire with her. You pleasure me like no one else, licking my cock like a lollipop. The way you satisfy me leaves me wanting more."

"When is she going to leave this house? If you don't give me an answer, I won't open my legs for you anymore. If you truly value me over her, then do what needs to be done."

"She won't step foot in this house again," Dave assured, but this was the last straw for Amber. She couldn't bear it any longer and forcefully pushed the door open.

"Dave! In our marital bed? How could you do this to me?" Her voice trembled, tears welling up in her eyes. Her black bag slipped from her right hand as both of them stood there, completely naked.

"What are you doing here? You said you are going to your grandma’s place."

"Is that why you're sleeping with my best friend?"

"How dare you accuse me of sleeping with your best friend when you've slept with another man. Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?" Dave sneered at Amber.

"Dave! Is this what you're saying? After everything I've done?" Tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Since you slept with that man, I no longer have any feelings for you. You should have realized it by now. I haven't touched you. It's not my fault anymore. I don't feel any connection between us."

"I never slept with the man you sent me to meet. I told him I was a virgin," she interrupted, causing Dave to glance at Gwen's face, and they both burst into laughter.

"Are you trying to fool me? You came home that day looking upset. But since I tasted Gwen, my life has changed," he mocked, exchanging a knowing look with Gwen as they covered themselves with a blanket.

"How could you, Gwen? My best friend, the one I confide in, how could you do this to me?" Amber rushed towards Gwen, slapping her in the face with anger. Dave quickly intervened, pushing Amber away.

"You have no place here anymore. I'm divorcing you."

"Divorcing me because of her?" Amber sobbed uncontrollably in front of them.

"Dave, why are you allowing her to ruin our fun? If you can't handle a weak woman like her, how can you handle me in bed?" Gwen said with nagging.

"Amber, as you can see, we were in the midst of something pleasurable. Can you please leave?" Dave said, both of them showing no remorse for their actions.

"You don't deserve what's good, Dave, and you will regret this."

"How?" He rose from the bed and wore his boxers and approached Amber slowly. "How? I've returned to my old life. How do you expect me to go back to that one-bedroom apartment? Just so you know, you have no place in this house." He used his pace to gradually push Amber out of the room until they both stood at the doorpost.

"I'm not ashamed of being with your friend. It's the best decision I've ever made."

"Then give me my inheritance!" Amber increased her voice.

"Inheritance? Did I just hear her say inheritance!" He glanced at Gwen, and they burst into laughter once more before turning back to face Amber.

"What inheritance? The one you squandered with your own hands? Am I the one responsible for it?"

"She did it herself," Gwen chimed in, sitting on the bed.

"Can't you hear her? You did it yourself." Dave deliberately brought his face closer to Amber's.

"If you want some money to get yourself an apartment, you'll have to kneel before Gwen and apologize for slapping her. I know you don't have any money left in your account. If you know what's good for you, you better kneel before her, and if she's feeling generous, she might tell me what I should give you."

As Dave's face was still annoyingly close to Amber's, fueled by anger, she slapped him. Caught off guard, Dave held his face in anger and looked at her.

"I've been lenient with you," he violently pushed Amber out of the room, causing Amber to hit her head against the door frame. She cried out in pain.

"Dave, be careful, don't hurt yourself," Gwen sarcastically remarked. In no time, Amber's head started bleeding from the violent push Dave gave her. He didn't care about her bleeding and continued pushing her down the stairs until he finally pushed her out of the house, wearing only his boxers. Amber sat on the ground, weeping, at the doorstep. She couldn't believe what she was witnessing. A few minutes later, Dave threw Amber’s luggages out of the house.

"Dave!" Gwen shouted from upstairs, her voice raised. "What are you still doing out there with that loser? I'm already aroused for you. Please come. She's so foolish."

Dave returned to Gwen, and as they were about to engage in intimacy, Amber's phone in her bag started ringing.

"Why is her bag still in this room?" Gwen angrily asked. Dave stood up, took the bag, but instead of coming downstairs to give it to Amber, he went to the window facing outside and threw it down to her. Amber, with her face covered and on her knees, wept as she caught the bag.

"Where do I go from here? I've foolishly let go of my inheritance," she thought.

"Love has deceived me. If I hadn't been in love with Dave, I wouldn't have done what I did... I'll never love again."

Then her phone in her bag rang again, but she lacked the energy to stand up. It felt as if she had been beaten with rods. When the phone rang for the third time, she managed to stand up, grabbed her bag, and it was her grandmother calling. She couldn't bring herself to answer the call, and then a text message came through.

"I'm already at the hospital, and I've told them what you said. Have they approved the loan?"

The phone slipped from Amber's hands immediately. She felt empty, and her heart pounded. How could she obtain that kind of money? She had given Dave all the money in her bank accounts to pay off his debt. Then her phone started ringing again, and it was her grandma. She didn't know what to say and kept ignoring the call.

After about thirty minutes, she loaded her luggage into her car and drove away without a specific destination. She had no home, no job, and no inheritance to rely on. In that moment, she spiraled into a state of mental instability, aimlessly driving around the city until she noticed a red light on the dashboard, indicating low fuel. To make matters worse, there was no money in her bag, forcing her to stop the car and rest her head on the steering wheel. What was she going to do now?

After spending two hours unknowingly sitting in her car, Amber lifted her head and saw a jewelry store. It immediately reminded her that her late mother had left her some precious pearls.

"Could these save my grandma?" she wondered. Amber stepped out of the car, retrieved the pearls from her luggage—a medium silver box—and entered the store to meet the owner.

"Please, I want to sell these pearls to pay for my grandma's medical bills," she pleaded.

The man, in his fifties, took the box and poured the pearls onto a large tray. The beauty of the pearls caught not only his attention but also that of one of his salesgirls.

"How much are you selling them for, young lady?" he asked. Upon seeing Amber's eyes and the desperation within them, he shrugged and added, "Five thousand dollars should be enough."

That amount tore at Amber's heart. She knew she could sell them for at least a hundred thousand dollars.

"That amount is too little," she said, deeply disappointed. As she prepared to walk away, the man said, "Let me offer you twenty thousand dollars."

"No," Amber replied, gradually putting the pearls back into the box. The man persisted, saying, "Thirty?"

Just as she was about to leave, he added, while looking at Amber, "For your sake, let me give you forty."

Amber left without uttering a word, but the man raised his voice as she approached the exit door. "Nobody will pay more than forty," his words echoed in her mind. Forty thousand dollars fell far short of the amount she had promised her grandmother, and revealing what she had done could even be devastating to her.

Frustrated and confused, Amber sat in her car, unsure of her next move, when she spotted the jewelry store salesgirl. Her initial thought was that the man had changed his mind and increased the offer.

"Take this address. There's a man named Morgan who will buy pearls for any amount you tell him. Please, take good care of your grandma. How I wish I had one," the salesgirl said with great emotion.

"Thank you," Amber replied, her eyes welling up with tears.

"You better get going," the salesgirl urged.

Amber started her car and drove away. Several minutes later, she arrived at a grand mansion. Looking up at the massive building, she quickly combed her hair and washed her face, wanting to appear presentable. She placed the pearls in her black bag and headed towards the gate.

"Whom are you looking for?" one of the security men asked.

"Mr. Morgan."

"Do you have an appointment?"

For a few seconds, Amber couldn't find her voice. She knew that what she said now would determine whether she would be allowed in or kicked out.

"I've come to give him these pearls," she finally managed to say, showing him the pearls. Immediately, the security guard let her in. As soon as Mr. Morgan set his eyes on the beautiful Amber, he exclaimed,

"You are most welcome. I've been expecting you."

Amber felt surprised and before she could say anything, he interrupted her and handed her a glass of wine. He disappeared inside and returned with a cheque and an agreement form.

"Here is a ten million dollar cheque. If you can make my son Adrian fall in love with you, this money is yours," he said, extending the cheque towards her.

Will Amber choose to fall in love again and save her grandmother's life?