“Hi”“Hi,” Reyona responded with a semblance of a smile and gestured at the space beside her on the bench.Maxwell sat, and they were both silent for a while.Reyona could feel his eyes on her, but she didn’t look away from the cascading fall of water in front of her.“How are you doing?” he asked eventually.“Like I am about to sign my life away,” she said automatically.Then, still without looking at him, she waved her hand airily and said “That was a silly joke. Toria must have influenced me,” she added with a dry chuckle.“You told her.”“I have to tell someone,” she said defensively. Then, before he could say anything, she continued, “You do not have to come, you know. I already told you that.” she said, still without turning to him.“I just wanted to see how you were doing,” he said, still turning to her.Reyona turned towards him, then she immediately wished she hadn’t because there was something in his look at that moment that was not doing anything good for her.It also didn’
“Toria!”“You didn’t think you were going to do this without me, did you?” Toria said as she hugged Reyona tightly."How was your flight? You should have called me, so I could pick you up" Reyona said impassionately.“It was fine. That is not important right now. You know you can still back out of this madness, don’t you?” Toria whispered to her.“Toria” Reyona said, filled with gratitude and love for her sister.She had no idea Toria would still be able to make it down there despite the short notice.She had told her that she need not come, but until that moment she did not realise how much it meant to her that she had a family there with her.Celia and Andrew were there with them as witnesses. After all, there might be some questioning on the part of the government.What would be the point of their deception if they couldn’t do it right?Yet Reyona was so glad that her sister could be there with her.She hugged her back as she suddenly felt overwhelmed with inexplicable emotions.“R
Maxwell was sure she was going to hate him more than she already did if she found out about this.If things were normal, this was a night he was supposed to be spending with his wife.Or otherwise, he should be at home doing what he wanted without worrying about getting mugged in a goddamn slum!Instead, he drove down an eerily silent street that was not made better by the fact that men in twos and threes hung around in doorways and around the corners.Of course, he was capable of defending himself if it came down to it, but he had rather not.In fact, he would rather be several miles away from such an environment if he had anything to say about it.But once again, duty had trapped him in its nasty grip.Maxwell was not feeling so charitable towards his dad at that moment.If he had not asked his man for directions earlier, he just might have thought he had taken the wrong turn after all.But then he could see the construction ongoing signs the man had mentioned down the lane.It didn
Though seeing Kit seated on the hood of his car with different poses while one of the men took his pictures was not what Maxwell was expecting to meet outside the stuffy, foul-smelling motel, it was far better than the alternative that could have happened.“Sorry I touched your car, dawg” Kit said unapologetically as he moved away from the car.Maxwell could see the man was deliberately taunting him because of his first statement the other time.He ignored the man and entered the car.Roy settled the man and gave him some more instructions.Then he quickly joined Maxwell in the car.“I am sorry that it took longer. I was just making sure we were on the same page. Kit has a mind to do what suits him best sometimes. Just making sure,” Roy said as he put on his seat belt.“It is fine. So, are we good?” Maxwell asked as he started the car."Yes, sir. He would make sure nobody bothers them there, and they would only take the new things we get in there after they have been taken away."Kit
The man looked from Reyona to Maxwell.“Pardon me, but I need to get this straight. You were not married earlier, but now you are.”“Yes, exactly that. We have established this already. Is there any reason why my wife and I need to answer such a question again, Mr. Han? You have a copy of our marriage certificate too.” “Yes, yes. I understand that, President Rohan. But then I will need you to bear with us because these questions need to be asked. It is only protocol, I am sure you understand.”“I do. I just hope you will make it as fast as possible. I understand that the kids are to go to the new home you found for them today?” Maxwell asked matter-of-factly. His no-nonsense tone negated what he was feeling anyway.God damn it, but he was nervous.How ridiculous was that?He was not nervous because of the procedure or questions. Oh, they had that down to pat.He was nervous because of the woman sitting unmoving next to him.Even a blind person could feel that she was no blushing bri
Reyona couldn’t believe her eyes.As tense as she had been at the beginning of all this, she had finally relaxed as the questions proceeded.She was even surprised at the ease with which she went through everything.One would even believe she had actually taken those vacations she mentioned with him, and truly met him at a business party.Lying had not seemed so bad after all, and he had made it more believable with those adoring looks of his.Though Reyona knew it was all fake just like this arrangement, she went along with it and fully got into character while reminding herself why she was doing this.She just wanted to help the innocent. Nothing more.She was practically patting herself on the back when she saw that even the not-so-convinced Miss Macaulay had looked enthralled by their spun tales towards the end of the questioning.She even smiled benevolently at the lady as she passed the documents to them.All that was left was to sign the forms, get the kids, so he could take th
Oh, she loved her sister.Reyona almost gaped in shock when she saw her car parked in Maxwell’s home.To make their story whole and believable, they had gone to the children's services department that morning in Maxwell’s car.The car that Reyona had left sitting pretty in her parking space that morning was currently in front of Maxwell’s parking lot like it had always belonged there.As Reyona helped Junior out of the car, she almost laughed out loud when Maxwell’s domestic staff came out of the magnificent door and lined up at the entrance.Six of them to each side of the door, they all bowed and chorused. “Welcome home, Mr and Mrs Rohan”Before Reyona could laugh at the ridiculous gesture that she was sure her sister was behind, the culprit herself was coming out of the house with a hooting sound and a confetti tube in her hand.“Welcome home, lovebirds!” Toria said as she pulled the string from the tube and a shower of confetti rained down.Junior clapped his hand excitedly while
She moved closer to Reyona, leaned her back against the headboard and started talking out loud as if in contemplation. “Hmm, I must be mistaken truly. I am sure I didn’t see that steamy look that passed between the two of you when he pulled you close. Oh my God, I am feeling feverish just from the thought of it” she said as she hastily dropped the crisps bag and blew herself with both hands while exhaling. “Phew” “Did you see how easily they were talking and laughing together all day?” she continued, now directing her question to an imaginary audience in the room. “One could almost swear that they have been married for years. And the looks? Damn, I almost shouted, “Please, get a room!” Reyona shook her head in exasperation as she tried not to think back to that afternoon to see if Toria was not exaggerating after all. But, of course, she was just being Toria. There was no way she had… “And that little conversation they had when we were leaving? I am sure it had something to do with