CHAPTER 22
Damn those men! Frances muttered to herself as she tried to arrange the clothes in front of her. Her last boyfriend was a certified a-hole and Nick was never far from that, since he's the one responsible for making Shaira miserable. How could he do this to her? Shaira sacrificed a lot for both of them, have gone through everything just to fight for the kind of love that she had with him. He has no right to break her heart this way! Shaira deserved better than him.
"Excuse me, Miss. Do you think this color will suit me?" A woman asked her.
Frances put a smile on her face when she looked at the woman. The female customer is showing off a red sleeveless top with discreet laces on the neckline. "Certainly, ma'am. It will show off your wonderful tan. Have you just been on a vacation somewhere?" She walked the customer towards one of the other racks where she could suggest another top for her.
"Yes, I just had my honeymoon in Cayman Islands with my husband. I just got married." The woman smiled. "And thanks, I'll get this top. I fell in love with this as soon as I saw it."
"Thank you. Maybe you should also try this one," Frances showed her a beautiful white Bohemian sleeveless top, accentuated with some native beads and carefully-colored designs. "It's for casual day-to-day get-up you can wear right now. You can just pair it with any of your jeans and heels." She continues to blab on with her sales talk just as when her heart beats up when she saw a somehow familiar blonde head in sight. "How about it?"
"I'd like to take one as well. You're right, and it sure feels hot these days." The woman smiled. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Frances quickly ushered her to the cashier and immediately excused herself to go out of her boutique. "Nick!!!"
The one she called turned quickly around even though he's already meters away from the store. Anyone within earshot heard Frances' loud call. Nick raised an eyebrow, never recognizing who she is. "Get your fucking ass over here!" She yelled.
"Me? Who are you?" Nick never moved from where he is.
Frances raised an eyebrow. "Who am I?" She motioned her fingers for him to come near. Nick sighed and walked towards her. But when he gets near, he received a hard punch on the face, another slap on the cheeks and her hands were on his hair. "Who am I? How could you?"
"Hey, stop it! I don't even know you." Nick shielded himself from this tigress of a woman. He tried to move away but Frances wasn't done yet. "Stop. Who are you?"
"What's going on here?"
Both stopped and looked up when they heard the voice. Nick was surprised when he saw Shaira. "I'm just giving your husband the beating he deserved, and I'm not yet through." And with that, she continued slapping Nick on his back and pulling out his hair. Nick winced from the pain as the woman continued with her beating. People passing by are giving them curious glances.
"Stop it, France!" Shaira pulled Nick away from her and stood between Frances and Nick.
"That jerk even lied that he doesn't know me." Frances exclaimed. People were starting to crowd around them and Shaira decided to let the matter be taken inside the store. The two followed her inside until they got into the stockroom. "So, what have you got to say for yourself, huh, Nick?"
"I was looking for her." Nick glanced at Shaira, who immediately provided him a cold towel for his face. He took it with gratitude. "Who are you?"
"You should know me. What's happening to you, Nick? Did you lose your memory or something?" Frances sarcastically asked. When Nick didn't reply, her eyes widened. "What really happened to you?"
"I was hoping she can answer me." Nick replied. He turned to her. "Listen, I came here to ask you something."
"After seeing you with that woman, what is it that you wanted to ask of me?"
He looked down, unable to say or think of anything. He turned to her again. "I want to know the circumstances of our marriage."
"Huh?" Shaira looked at him in wonder. "What do you mean?" Her heartbeat began to race. Is he talking about the part where she blackmailed him to marry her?
Nick can only run his hand through his soft blond locks and sigh. "Forget it." He said but stopped when Frances blocked his exit. "What?"
"You don't know me and that means something serious, Nick. You just don't forget your wife's best friend. And you certainly don't have to walk away looking like you really don't know us especially your wife. What really happened to you? You just don't go here and look for her then leave just like that. Nick! You love her, very much and enough to take her away from her manipulative grandfather amidst the truth that you just married her because you wanted to stay with your job offer." Frances pushed him to turn back to Shaira.
"I came here to ask Shaira about the real deal with our marriage. I've been told about a lot of things but I wanted to hear your side. My brother told me a great deal about you and our marriage. You're the reason why I almost died in the first place. You didn't know the agony I'm having right now after I've gone back from Sydney." Nick said as his eyes met Shaira's.
"Wait, you have a brother?" Shaira asked him.
"Errol Henstridge, the major stockholder in your grandfather's company. He's my twin brother. News flash. I got the big deal with the majority of your grandfather's stocks. I will walk away with everything and you have no choice but to see me go. You and your grandfather will go down the drain the way Lucas did with Harold Henstridge."
"What are you saying? What are those things did your brother told you?" Frances exclaimed when she can see that Shaira could only stare back at her husband. "Shaira wasn't the reason for what happened to you in Sydney. It's either an accident or it was all planned." She said as she tried to put on the pieces of what happened together.
"Errol Henstridge is your brother?" Shaira quietly asked him.
"He's my twin."
Frances shakes her head. Things must be straightened before this day is over. Right after Nick said his piece, she started to have an idea on what happened to him and she will never let Nick get out from her sight unless things were clear between him and Shaira. She will make sure of that.
~~~
"You're here…" Mrs. Bette watched as Errol sets down his luggage on the side and looked around. "Nick was out a while ago. He didn't tell me where he'll go."
Errol frowned. "Where's Daphne?"
"She must be home. She and Nick were together this morning." Mrs. Bette replied. "Is there something wrong?"
Errol shakes his head. "Shaira is here in LA. Nick shouldn't go around without anyone with him." It was his only reply and went upstairs to his room.
Author's Chapter Notes:
FROM THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER: Kevin learned about his grandfather's conspiracy with Errol to rsave the company from bankruptcy. When he's on the way to his grandfather's office to confront him about it, he overheard Romina inside and demanding with their old man about her interest to control the business - as well as the truth about her birthright. He also had a hunch that Nick might still be alive based on the confidence and misichievousness he sensed from Romina's tone.
Meanwhile, Nick is looking for Shaira. As he stopped for a while, he checked on his wallet and found a hidden picture of him and Shaira and his motivation to find her grew more.
Meanwhile, Nick is looking for Shaira. As he stopped for a while, he checked on his wallet and found a hidden picture of him and Shaira and his motivation to find her grew more.
