CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 9

"Dawson!" Allison called Brent when she saw him.

She almost gasped and cried at the sight of him who was lying weak on the hospital bed. His face was completely beaten. He had a black eye on both eyes, his nose was broken, his left cheek was bruised and he has a cut on his dear lips that were swelling. She sauntered toward the hospital bed. He wasn't in good condition, she knows it. Even though it was his face that was beaten only by Hades, she knows it hurts like being beaten by a gang.

"D-Drew..." called Brent even though it was difficult for him to open his lips. He had been lying limp and awake at the hospital bed since yesternight. He wasn't able to sleep because his face had been aching in every slight angle he moves.

She wrapped her arms around his waist, her face buried on his chest, "I'm sorry..." she apologized with her voice merely a whisper. A warm hand pat her back, "Don't worry hun, it wasn't your fault. It was your fiancé's fault."

She noticed how he stressed the word fiancé and saw his strong jaw clench as he stated the last sentence with his tone getting uptight. She felt him shaking as if he's stopping himself from doing something. Speaking of Hades, when he walked out on her, he suddenly showed up once again and said that he's coming with her. That made her think of him oddly, he was angry and jealous for a second and a minute passed, he was already calm!

When they were about to make their way inside the car, Hades' phone suddenly rang. When he answered the call, his replies to the caller was angry and frustrated, as if something bad happened. When he hung up, he told her that he isn't able to come with her because something ugly happened with one of his mall branches in Illinois, Chicago but he'll try to catch up. Trying to make up to her, he gave her a black card and said that she can buy anything and everything she wants. That disappointed her as she wanted Hades to come so he would apologize to Brent who deserves an apology, his face got extremely beaten for an irrational reason called jealousy.

"Ooh, I like your outfit, hun," complimented Brent, looking at her outfit when she pulled away. She was wearing tailored black, skinny jeans with matching winter coat and knee-high boots and she recalled how she got them.

After Hades left her in the room, she inside his walk-in closet to find some decent clothes to wear for outdoors but she wasn't able to find one. Giving up, she went out of the walk-in closet only to find him holding a woman's clothes for her. According to him, it belonged to his sister Hera who visits him frequently and sleeps at his house overnight. That made her think about the clothes that he had bought her the other day when she hid inside his bathroom. He told her that he bought the clothes from one of his nearby malls, he forgot that he had some of Hera's clothes in-store out of sheer panic.

"Thanks. It belongs to Hades' sister," she replied that made her friend's eyebrow shot heavenward for the first time, "You accepted something from that d— guy? I thought you hate him?"

That struck her like a knife. Of course, she hates Hades because of what he had done. They met on a miserable encounter and days later, he was ebbing her normal life out, he took advantage of her when she was drunk and forced her to be with him to ride with his lustful desires. On the other hand, she hates herself too, if she hadn't been irresponsible, her parents wouldn't force her to marry the brute.

If only she had quietly talked to Hades, if she didn't let her anger take her over, Brent wouldn't be lying weak in this hospital with a bruised face. As Brent's best friend, of course, she's angry at Hades but she can't help but feel angry at herself too. She feels responsible for her friend's current situation.

"But seriously, hun. I never thought you would accept something from that pig," said Brent. He sure is angry at Hades.

"Oh, so you want me to come here naked? I think you totally forgot that after I told him that I'm going with him, he dragged me off," she said with fluent sarcasm as she rolled her eyes that made Brent let out a chuckle, "Oh, Ally. You never fail to make my day."

"Bet," she replied.

A faint knock was suddenly heard. They both turned their heads to look at the door. The knock suddenly made Allison's blood alive. It must be Hades. He did catch up. Finally, he can now apologize to Brent.

She got on her feet and sauntered towards the door to open it but only to find a male nurse standing before her eyes. Disappointed, she gave the nurse a small smile before letting him enter. The nurse told them that he's just going to change Brent's IV.

As the nurse was doing his job, Allison noticed Brent was watching the nurse with an immensely intense, sticky gaze. Like he was stripping the poor nurse in his mind, eye raping him. That reminded her of Rebecca. She wasn't able to visit her for days, she wonders how that woman had been. She then decided that she's going to visit her later on. As soon as the nurse was finished, he hastily made his way out of the room, probably feeling awkward with Brent looking at him like he was going to eat him.

"You were looking at him like you were going to eat the poor guy alive," said Allison, looking at the closed door.

Brent just chuckled at her and shrugged her off. The two of them talked nonstop for hours, spending each minute with loud laughs and teasing smacks. How she wanted to escort him back to their penthouse when he gets discharged. She wants to take care and tease him about his reddish blue, swollen cuts, and bruises. But the problem is, they won't get home. It was only Brent who can come home to their penthouse. She has a new home, and that new home is with Hades. She wanted to turn the hours into days so she would spend more time with Brent but sadly, time flies to fast and she had to leave. After she bid goodbye to him and closed the door, Allison heaved a sigh before striding heavy steps towards the elevator.

Every move she makes renders her to feel something heavy as if she wants to avoid something. Her lips crept into a bitter smile. Of course, she's trying to avoid Hades. She doesn't want to go back and see him. She hates him with smoldering passion. What she did to him earlier, the way she spoke softly and held him with utmost care was just fake. Now that she knows she can tame him, she's taking advantage of it. The manners, etiquette to respect and care for people taught by her teachers are now gone and completely forgotten. Whenever it comes to Hades, the sophisticated woman turns into a sly, hate-filled vixen. After Hades used their drunk encounter as an advantage to claim her, her heart scorched with rage that burned her classy self into ashes and is swiftly blew by the wind. Sure, he can have her but he will never her heart. Nope. Not in a million years.

When the elevator stopped shaking, the door opened with a small sound, and with another heavy step, she made her way out of the elevator. Since she doesn't want to go home yet, she's planning to visit Rebecca. It had been days since Allison had seen her.

When she arrived at the lobby, she saw Hades' chauffeur, William, talking to one of the hospital's guards. As soon as the chauffeur bobbed his head and his eyes laid at her, she gave him a small smile and curt nod, a nonverbal way to telling him that they're going. He got her message and hastily bid goodbye to the guard.

"I'm sorry for making you wait, William. It must've been boring standing in the lobby waiting for me," she apologized. She still cares for people but not for Hades.

"Oh no, mistress. I don't mind, it is my job after all. But at least the Roger gave me a lovely company," answered the chauffeur politely as they reached the parking lot, referring to the guard he was talking to.

Roger, she thought, his name suited his hard face. He looked like he has a clandestine soft spot, on the other hand.

"But it isn't part of your job to be bored to death. However, I'm glad that you enjoyed your company with Roger," she told him with a smile.

"Of course, mistress," he answered, giving back a smile.

When they found the car, in one swift move, he opened the door for her. She thanked him with uttered gratitude before he closed the door and ran to the driver's seat.

"Where is our next destination, mistress?" William as he started the engine by turning on the ignition while looking at Allison via the rear-view mirror.

"Oasis Condominium, please?" she requested and he made a nod before stepping the gas.

"ALLISON!" said Rebecca gleefully as soon as she flung the door open.

Before Allison could part her lips to say hello, Rebecca's arm instantly wrapped around her waist, squishing her into a tight hug that made it hard for her to breathe. Nevertheless, she wrapped her arms around the pregnant woman, hugging her back.

"I missed you!" said Rebecca when she pulled away. She could see euphoria on her beautiful face. She got quite blooming today, she noticed. Rebecca's face is completely bright, giving compliments to her fair complexion, showing off her rosy cheeks, and emphasized her blood-red lips.

"Come in," ushered her friend and she obliged.

Such warm hospitality, she thought, feeling extremely welcome.

"Come, sit here. I was baking cookies when you came. They're already actually. Wait for me here as I pull them out from the oven," Rebecca said as if she was talking to a five-year-old child and vanished into thin air.

While waiting, Allison looked around the humble abode, observing every inch of the condo. The atmosphere was welcoming along with the cute, homey designs. Not to mention, the view of the city outside the glass walls is beautifully fresh and breathtaking. The whole condominium reminded her of Brent and her urge to come home to their penthouse.

"Hey, I brought the cookies!" said Rebecca gleefully, coming out from the kitchen while holding a tray with a plate of chocolate chip cookies and a glass of milk.

"Where is your cousin, by the way?" she asked.

"Oh, she's out for her lessons. You know, nursing students and their duties," answered Rebecca as she sauntered towards her

"Oh, I see. It must've been lonely being alone."

"Yeah," Rebecca pouted as she placed the tray on the coffee table before sitting down beside her.

"They look scrumptious," Allison commented. The saccharine smell of chocolate and sugar infiltrated her nose, almost rendering Allison to drool. She remembered Mrs. Brown's cookies when she was a child.

"Try 'em," Rebecca said, by the look of her face, she seems to be extremely excited.

Allison picked up a cookie from the plate and dipped it unto the milk. As soon as the cookies got into her tongue, a moan escaped from her lips as her eyes closed in oblivion. The cookies tasted perfect. The taste was deliciously inexplicable that it made her mind go completely blank.

"So? How are they?" Rebecca asked that pulled her away from outer space.

"Perfect.”

"Ooh! I'm glad you liked them!" Rebecca squealed then pinched her cheeks, a rather unexpected reaction as she usually blushes and bows her head down with a small “thank you.”

"Ouch," she flinched as her cheeks stretched. The pinch was painful yet tolerable so it's fine with her though she can't help but feel peculiar, Rebecca has never acted like this.

"Oh, Ally! You're so adorable!" Rebecca squealed once again as she hardened her pinch on Allison's cheek.

The tolerable pain was replaced by excruciating pain, "O-Ow! Becca, let go opf m-my sheeks!"

"Aww! You're even cuter when you speak! Speak more Ally! Speak more!" Rebecca chanted and she hardened her pinch.

"Ow! Becca!" Allison chided.

Allison knows Rebecca as a strong and independent woman. The latter isn't fond of being a clingy friend, she'd rather give you moral support when you're in trouble or help you beat your ex's ass. She loves being fierce and always keeps her face dolled up and wear sexy backless and halter neck dresses that are 5 inches above the knee. But Rebecca in front of her was different. Completely different. Instead of short shorts and sleeveless shirts, she's wearing a t-shirt and pajamas, her face is no longer dolled up but a natural, nevertheless, she looks more beautiful without makeup, she looks vulnerable and soft and not to mention though, she's extremely... clingy.

"You're so cute Ally! So so cute!" the pinch got even harder.

"Rebecca!" Allison fumed Rebecca's full name, pretending to be angry.

Rebecca's smile faded and it turned into a pout, "I'm sorry, I'm having this weird issue ever since I got pregnant. I find every person I pass by adorable. I crave food and mix them with whip cream to make them delicious and I find some of Isla's perfumes to smell like a turd or expired milk."

"I think it's normal because you're pregnant," Allison commented. She reads articles about what happens to women when they get pregnant.

Rebecca's pouted even more, "Are you still mad at me, Ally?"

She shook her head, "No, no. Not anymore."

Rebecca's pregnant and she needs to understand her sudden change now. She unconsciously wondered if Brent would tolerate Rebecca with this state. She then thought of telling Rebecca about what happened to Brent last night and she mentally shook her head, thinking that she shouldn't. It would cause havoc and it may result bad.

"Awee thanks, Ally!" Rebecca suddenly charged towards her with a huge hug.

"For what?" She asked, startled by Rebecca's sudden change of mood. It'll sure take a lot of patience to deal with this pregnant woman.

"For forgiving me," answered Rebecca with her voice as sweet as candy.

When they pulled away, she began complaining to Allison like a kid on tantrums, "You know Ally, it's so boring to be alone here. I've got no one to talk to, my phone's games are boring, and Isla forbid me to go shopping! She said it's bad for me to stress myself of walking but isn't it supposed to be good because it's an ex--"

"How about we go and buy you maternal dresses then?" suggested Allison.

Rebecca's lips twitched, her mood changed once again, "I would love to but I don't have any money, Ally. I only depend on Isla's money. But I'm planning to find a job so I won't be a burden."

"Don't worry," she said and fished out Hades' black card form her clutch. She gave her friend a sly smile and a wink, "It's on me."

Rebecca's eyes widened, "Ohmygod! A black card! Please don't tell me that you got that from a sugar daddy!"

She rolled her eyes, "Please, Becca, I'm no slut. I thought you wanted to go shopping?"

"Yes! Yes, I do!" Rebecca chanted excitedly before standing up, "Let me change first," she said before happily making her way to her room. So, she was still somehow the old Rebecca after all. Maybe she changed, a bit. But she's still the old Rebecca, Allison thought.

"That was fun!" uttered Rebecca as they are walking their way out of the department store.

"It sure was," replied Allison with a satisfied smile on her lips. Shopping for Rebecca's maternal wear made her way more excited that she wants to know the baby's gender already.

"What do you think my baby's gender would be, Ally?" asked Rebecca out of the blue.

"I've read in some books that people from the Philippines— Filipinos believe that if the mother grows blooming while she is undergoing pregnancy, therefore, her child is a girl but if a mother gets looking stressed while she is undergoing pregnancy, therefore the baby is a boy and you, have grown blooming, so I believe that your baby is a girl," answered Allison.

Rebecca's face heated up, "I hope that's true. I always wished of having a baby girl," she said as she placed a hand on her stomach, "I hope you'll be like your daddy so I would have a female version of him." Suddenly, Rebecca's stomach groaned, she and Allison exchanged glances out of surprise, "It looks like someone's hungry," said Rebecca and both of them shared a laugh.

"How are you, Allison?" asked Rebecca as soon as she swallowed her fried chicken with a huge gulp.

Allison looked at Rebecca while chewing her steak, it was clear that the latter is curious about the comings and goings in her life, they're friends after all and it's normal to be worried for each other. Besides, ever since Rebecca moved, she is considered to be a mere outsider of Allison's whereabouts since the latter doesn't have any close contact with her anymore.

"Fine, I guess..." No, I'm not, Allison wanted to answer as she took her glass of water for a sip.

"Are you sure?" Rebecca wiggled her eyebrows and her tone laced with doubt as to if she's forcing a six-year-old kid to confess that she stole a cookie from the cookie jar.

Allison almost rolled her eyes, "Of course, I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

Rebecca lounged her back on the backrest of the chair, "Well, my cousin, Isla, gave me today's newspaper..." she trailed off as if she's a raconteur, telling a mysterious tale that piqued Allison's interest, "...and I've read that..." she grabbed her glass of juice and took a sip.

"Read what?" asked Allison. Her curiosity is killing her!

"...You're engaged to Hades Ezekiel Friso de Vries," Rebecca finished. She pulled herself to sit straight and said to Allison with gritted teeth, "My God, Ally! I can't believe you didn't tell me that you're getting married!"

Allison's jaw dropped in uttered astonishment. It's all over the news that she's getting married?! No wonder she saw a smug on Hades' lips while he was reading the newspaper! It was obvious that he paid a journalist to write an article about their relationship status! What is with that damned man?!

"Allison!" Rebecca called her name, pulling her away from her reverie, she looked at Rebecca in an instant, "Your face is red, are you okay?" her friend asked worriedly.

The anger popped like a bubble, "No, I'm okay," she answered, her calm composure coming back. She's going to confront Hades later.

"Anyway, so? How was he? Was he good in bed? You didn't even tell me that you're pregnant!" Rebecca shrieked like a teenager, enough to gain the people's attention.

Allison's lips parted as she felt her blood draining from her face with her soul going six feet above the ground. Was Hades that that insane that he even added that too?! He's the worst!

"..." Allison could not muster any words out of sheer flabbergast.

Suddenly, Rebecca's smiling lips turned into a pout, "I'm throwing tantrums at you, Ally!" what's with the sudden change of mood?

Her lips twitched in wonder, "Why?" what's the deal with this pregnant woman? Is it like that when you're pregnant?

"You didn't tell me that you're getting married. It would've been nice if you told me," Rebecca answered.

Allison gave her an apologetic, "I'm sorry, I was quite busy," yes, she was. She was busy dealing with her life with Hades. Her life could've been peaceful if they haven't met. If only she didn't respond to his passionate kisses, her name wouldn't be in the newspaper, her parents wouldn't be disappointed at her. Allison unconsciously sighed, how she wished she could turn back time.

Rebecca lay her back on the backrest once again, "I know you've been busy preparing for the wedding. Oh, gee! I'm so excited!" she squealed once again.

She gave a sad smile before sighing and looking down. Rebecca seemed to notice her gloomy mood as if the latter's avoiding the topic. So, she reached her friend's hand, "Hey."

Allison raised her head, "Hmm?"

"What's wrong? Aren't you excited for the wedding?" Rebecca asked. For her, a wedding is an extremely special occasion that it makes her feel very excited that she could pee on her panties. She doesn't know why but she loves weddings. She loves them so much that she dreams to be a wedding planner.

She sighed once again the third time, "It's not really what you think it is, Rebecca."

Rebecca's eyebrows met in confusion, "What do you mean?"

For the fourth time, she sighed, her eyes looked dead and the familiar aura of gloominess appeared, she took a huge gulp before parting her lips, "Well... our wedding isn't exactly like a romantic wedding. Remember that night when we went to John's Crib?"

Rebecca nodded in response, wanting to hear more.

"When you pulled Brent to the dance floor, I was left alone, taking a few sips of sherry. When the music suddenly changed into a slow dance and everybody started slow dancing..." a tear fell from Allison's eye. A mark that she's hurt, that it pains her as she digs in the memories of her greatest fiasco, "I remembered Dane and I cried all my aches away with glasses of sherry, you know I don't have a high tolerance with alcohol. While I was drinking, he suddenly came, holding a glass of whiskey. We talked until it came about Dane. I opened up to him, Becca!" Allison seethed in anger, "I've never opened up to anyone, even to you guys but I opened up to him, a man I just barely met! But I know it wasn't me, it was the alcohol and my remorse drinking.

"Alcohol can do a lot of things to you and one of them is to make you feel hot. He kissed me, Becca! He freaking kissed me! And you know what the worst is? I kissed him back! The alcohol drove me crazy and oblivious that I woke up the day after naked under his sheets, insensible of everything that happened," Allison wiped a tear.

"That day after I visited you, my parents called, telling me to come home. I did, only to find them having tea with him. That was when I learned that he told them everything that happened between us, he even told them that I'm pregnant! He gave your pregnancy test that I threw on a trash bin as a proof. Dad said he followed me every day after we did that. He must've seen me throw it and thought it was mine. And now..." Allison said shakily, almost a cry, she felt like a bird imprisoned in a cage, "I'm getting married..."

She reached and held Rebecca's hand and said with her faint, broken, crying voice, "Becca, you know I still have my dreams to chase. I don't want to get married yet. I'm not ready yet..."

Rebecca stared at her dear friend, telling her painful tale, shedding every tear that she was holding back. Rebecca couldn't blame her.

Even the most responsible person can do reckless things when they're hurt. A half shot of vodka can knock Allison out, what more a whole glass of sherry can do? Her reckless deeds gave the poor lady painful repercussions. A man just made her a woman and not just that, he placed his ring on her finger.

"Ally..." Rebecca held her friend's hand, "You should've told them it was mine."

"I can't..." Allison answered, "You know I promised you that I won't tell anyone about the baby."

That touched Rebecca's heart. She feels so lucky of having Allison as a friend. The woman in front of her is one of a kind. Allison was something pricelessly rare. Even though she was already in a tight situation and had an option to betray her friend to have solved her dilemma but she didn't. She stood still and kept her promise.

"Ally," she held her friend's hand tighter, "I'm sorry."

Allison shook her head, "No, it's okay. It was my fault anyway. I let my emotions take me over that made me irresponsible. All I had to do is to face the consequences."

Rebecca sighed, feeling like a burden, "You can still tell them that you're not pregnant since it isn't too late," she said, looking into Allison's deep green orbs.

"But, Becca," Allison tried to protest. Surely her parents would ask to whom the pregnancy test belongs.

"No," Rebecca shook her head, "I know that there is no secret that will be kept forever. I know that one day, even if I give my all to hide my child, Brent will still know. It's unfair on his behalf and hiding my baby will just make the situations worse, especially now that you impinge on this crazy circumstance," Rebecca looked down on her stomach and touched it softly, grazing her fingers as she took a deep breath and said, " I think it's time, Allison. It's time. It's time for Brent to know about our baby."

"But Rebecca, he'll hate you," Allison muttered, worried about what Brent will do to her.

Rebecca just shrugged, "He already hates me and I can deal with it. It's fine if he will not take responsibility since it was my fault after all. As long as he knows that I have his child, then I'm okay."

Allison sniffed. Right before her eyes was the old Rebecca, the reckless femme fatale that she admired the most. How Allison wished she could be as strong as Rebecca. Her mouth stayed shut as she looked at her friend, reading Rebecca's thoughts through her hazel brown eyes but for an unknown reason, Allison couldn't read them, she always knows what people think or feel through their eyes.

Rebecca looked at her watch, "Oh, it's getting late. I think we better go now, Ally," she said that rendered Allison to look at the view outside. The orange sky was starting to turn from orange to hazy blue. She looked at her watch and realized already half past 6.

"Okay," said Allison to Rebecca before they stood up and made their way towards outside.

"I’ll see you next time, Ally," said Rebecca to Allison before she gave her a sloppy kiss on the cheek.

"I'll come to visit soon," replied Allison with a smile on her face. She had a fun time today.

Rebecca nodded with a smile, she reached for Allison's hand before saying, "Just remember that you can always tell them any time before it's too late," she closed the car's door, "Bye, Ally." she bid goodbye before turning her back and sauntered towards the condominium's entrance.

Allison stared at her friend's back, thinking about her last statement. Should she confess to her parents or not? She had been thinking about it during the whole ride and her spine shuddered in nervousness when Rebecca told her that she could always tell her parents since isn't still late.

She shook her head and shrugged off her thoughts. She shouldn't think about that for now, she should think of how she will deal with her hate with Hades who just made a wrong move, he just added coal to the fire.

"Let's go buy a newspaper before we go home, William," she said to William as soon as she entered the car.

"As you wish, Mistress," William replied before turning the ignition on.

"Love," Hades greeted as soon as Allison was finally out of the car, he wrapped an arm around her waist and kisses her temple. He almost moaned when he inhaled her sweet scent. God, he missed her so much.

His day isn't good without getting his eyes on her. He misses her every second that passed by, his hands were itching to touch her skin. He thinks he might go insane without Allison. What is this woman doing to him?

The woman did not reply and remained rigid. Hades looked at his beautiful bride's face and saw the coldness in her eyes. What happened? It seems that she didn't enjoy her day. Too bad, he extremely excited to show his surprise for her.

"Allison, is there something wrong?" he asked with full concern. He suddenly regretted leaving her with only William's company. Fuck that branch in Chicago!

She answered him with silence, she stayed her mouth shut. He looked at William who shuddered when he laid his eyes on the latter, "What happened, William?" he asked with gritted teeth.

"This happened," answered his bride's voice that made him look at her.

"What?" His asked with his voice held confusion.

"This," she repeated as she showed him today's newspaper. The page showed the article of the journalist, Arnold Astute with the headline Multibillionaire Business Tycoon, Hades de Vries is tying the knot with Taylor Enterprises' Heiress, Allison Taylor

"An article showing that you're getting married to me. Is there something wrong with that?" he asked.

He paid the journalist, Arnold Astute to write an article about him getting married to Allison. He wants the world to know that she's his and only his, especially that Dane Adams. He wants to show Dane that he owns her now.

"There is something wrong!" she exclaimed, her voice rising with her anger. She smacked his chest with the newspaper "I know you paid Arnold Astute to write an article about us but why? Why, Hades?! Why would you tell the whole world that we're getting married?! It's not even official yet!"

Hades caught her hand, placed it on his chest while holding it, and said with gritted teeth and voice menacing "It is official, Allison. It is."

"Even it is, it doesn't give you an excuse to tell about our engagement and we already had sex! Hades, that's already personal!" She tried to grab her hand to smack him again, her composure was already losing and she was already out of control.

"So the whole world will know that you're mine and only mine, Allison. That you are my territory and no one can ever steal you away from me," he answered with his jaw clenching, his grip on her hand getting tighter. Seeing how those men around drool over his lovely bride is making him angry, that was the only way he could think to keep them away from her.

"I'm not yours!" she said through gritted teeth and he felt her hand run across his cheek with a stingy sensation and a loud SLAP!

"Believe me, sweetie, you are," he said with his eyes glaring at her. He doesn't care she hates him or not as long as she's his, he's fine and sane.

"I hate you," she seethed before walking out.