CEO’s REDEMPTION

I’m humming a hymn as I finish preparing dinner for me and Jerol after that lengthy talk in the pool. We stayed in the pool for the better part of the evening chatting about everything and honestly, it was a fantastic moment. He has loosened up a lot. If this continues, he will be back to normal in no time. That would be nice.

“Ma’am!”

I turn to Terry, stopping the hymn. “Yes, Terry.”

“I just want to congratulate you, ma’am. You’ve done a commendable job in changing sir Jerol. We were all so scared that he might not recover.” She states, helping me pack the dinner in the tray.

The grilled chicken smells so sweet.

“Thank you, Terry.” I mumble.

“Sir Jerol is really lucky to have you, you know.” She adds.

Huh? Why would a multi-billionaire like Jerol be fortuitous to have a poor soul like me?

“Why do you say that?” I query.

“Nobody would have lasted even a minute by his side given his condition and temper, ma’am. You must love him a lot, don’t you?”

Huh! Love?

Ahem! Ahem!

“This is marriage, Terry. You don’t leave when things go south and return when everything goes back to normal.” I state.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

“But still, ma’am, you wouldn’t have borne all these without love. Your love is exceptional.”

Huh! This girl is bent on talking about this love.

“Thank you, Terry. Of course, I love my husband. And I know he would do the same if I was in his place.”

I swallow a bitter lump at that.

“Wow! You and sir Jerol will make me fall in love, ma’am. I hope I can have a heart like yours – a heart to love unconditionally.”

If only she knew…

“Alright, Terry. Some advice though. When you find true love, give it your all.”

As if I know what true love is. Pss!

“Copy that, ma’am.”

“Alright. Now help me set the table, please. I’ll go get my husband.” I say.

“I’m happy for you, ma’am. Alright. I’ll go set the table.”

I amble upstairs to my room only to find Jerol perched on the table beside the window. I left him to take a shower, which he seems to have done, but why is he like this? I stroll to him, standing before him. He looks down.

Okay. Something is wrong here.

“Hey! What’s up?” I query.

He perks his head up, taking in an adequate amount of oxygen. This is deep. What just transpired in that short period I was in the kitchen?

“Jerol? What’s wrong?”

“We have a huge problem in the company.” He explains.

“What is it about?”

I may not know anything about managing businesses, but I know it will help even by listening to him. Even if I can’t offer any help or opinion. I will be okay with just him letting the baggage off his shoulder.

“The sales have gone so down. Two stations have already closed down, and investors are pulling out.”

Shit! I hoped things with his company won’t get this far.

“I’m sorry about that. But I know you can still do something. You still have time, Jerol.”

“Why do you trust me so much?”

Shoot! Why do I?

“Because you don’t look like a person who let’s go easily. You are not a loser, Jerol.”

He nods his head slightly, and turns his head to peek at the darkness outside through the window.

“So, what are you going to do?” I ask, and he drags his gaze back to me.

“Resume my responsibilities. Accept my mistakes. And try to fix what I can. That’s what you have been advised to do me all along, right? Even when I lay helplessly like a useless cabbage on that bed, you never stopped talking to me.”

“Yes, but, I didn’t know if my voice could penetrate your ears. I thought I was inaudible to you all along.”

“How could I not have heard your sweet voice.” Huh? Sweet voice? My heart skips several beats as I gawk into his eyes to understand whether he really meant that. He grins faintly, wiggling his head once. “I did hear you, always, but I… I had lost all hope.”

Did he really found my voice to be sweet? He still does?

Hold your irrational thoughts, Tessa Angeline! The guy had almost lost his mind. He still isn’t well, remember?

My sixth sense knocks, snarling me from the world of illusions and dragging me back to the world of reality. This man isn’t well! That’s one thing I should register in my mind.

Ahem!

“That aside. So, what’s your plan now? Where do you begin?” I break the boredom.

“I need to call for an urgent board meeting asap to address the issue.”

“Good. You should do it now.” I mumble exuberantly, but him, he doesn’t look enthusiastic at all. And the way he is stroking his neck with his bandaged hands, he might inflict some marks on his neck too. Gosh! I grab his hands, pulling them down and clasping them into mine. “I didn’t know the great Jerol O’Brian would be afraid of facing people.” I mumble.

“It’s not that, Tessa! I’m afraid of losing my cool in front of them.”

“You can control yourself. Whenever you feel like snapping or yelling, take in a deep breath, and give yourself a few seconds to relax. You can do this, Jerol.”

He buries his eyes into mine. Given his worrisome gapes, I bet I just sang a lullaby. I don’t think I spoke any sense at all.

“Yes, yes. I will, if you’ll be there with me. Come with me to the meeting, Tessa. Please?”

Help me smirk at that!

I now am sure he is not in his right mind. He doesn’t know what he is saying. Imagine I, a high school dropout, attending a board meeting of the most eminent company in the country, The Royal Fuel and Gas company. What the heck will I do there? Dust their tables? Polish their shoes? Clean the floor? Or guard the door? Forget guarding because I’m sure they have a G4S security. Cut me the crap, Jerol!

“Are you backing out on your promise to me?” He implores.

Well, no, but I didn’t think of a situation like this when I made that promise of being by his side anytime he needs me.

“No, Jerol, but I think I should revise that phrase.”

“Why, Tessa?”

“I can’t come with you to places like those?”

“Why can’t you? I need you there, Tessa! You can pinch or slap me whenever you sense me losing my temper. I need you by my side, Tessa.”

“But Jerol, it’s a board meeting. I don’t fit in that circle. I am not even supposed to be there in the first place. I’m a nobody. Or have you forgotten the shame I put you through during the introduction ceremony?”

“Don’t ever again call yourself a nobody, Tessa! The wife of Jerol O’Brian McCall, can never be a nobody. I need you there with me, and I will not let anyone point their fingers at you. That much I can promise, Tessa.”

Ohh, when he pleads like this… And when he looks at me like this… Can I refuse him?

“But, Jerol…”

“Please, Tessa! I know I am in no position to ask anything from you because you’ve gone out of your way to help me, but just this, please. I’m not confident that I can trust myself if I am provoked. So, please?”

“Okay. I’ll come with you. But… Mmh!”

Shit! I mean…

“Mmh!”

Double shit!

Damn these kisses! Damn how sweet they always taste! And damn this sweet feeling of trembling and melting his arms! Lastly, where did I learn to savor feelings and moments like this? Where and when on earth did I learn to moan like a horny bitch? Goodness!

He finally pulls away before I crumble in his arms, but he decides to kidnap my red face and cage it between his arms, his deep gaze stimulating the redness.

And why do I feel like this? Where is all this fire radiating in me coming from? Why do I radiate like this in front of him, huh?

“Thank you.” He whimpers, nuzzling my cheeks with his thumbs, a gesture that is almost making my eyes close to the sweet soothing sensation.

I suddenly lose the ability to speak. Someone should remind me how to respond to a simple thank you.

He kisses my forehead, and drops his hands on my shoulders. My tongue is still somewhere stuck in my lungs.

“Go serve dinner. I’ll be down in a few.” He says.

I clear my throat. Here you are my tongue. I thought you disappeared from my mouth all this while.

“Don’t take long.”

Huh! See me blushing like a sweet thirteen as I plead. Thanks to my blushing, I got him to smile.

“I won’t. I’m dying to taste you.”

A moment of stunning screaming silence for the love anthem! Did I hear that right or is my brain messing with me? He’s dying to taste…

“Kidding. I meant, your food. I’m excited to taste your cooking.”

The smirk on his face definitely betrays him. He did that on purpose. He is probably taking pleasure in messing with my mind and watching my face turn red.

I smack him gently on the shoulder.

“Stop teasing me like that, will you?”

“Sorry, I can’t promise I will stop. I am enjoying it. You look like a sweet ten when you are teased like that. Plus I have all the right to pull your legs all I want as your husband, Mrs McCall.”

I see. He is extricating pretty well if he can remember the rights of a husband to his wife.

“Whatever, Mr McCall. Just don’t take too long so the food won’t get cold. And, don’t also be too excited about the meal. I’m not a good cook.”

“As long as you prepared it, it definitely will be sweet. Just like you.”

He must have been a sweet flirt before he lost his sanity. I better get going before I start blushing again and turn to a sweet five this time around. Meh!

I turn on my feet, and only turn at the door to catch a quick glimpse of him.

He looks happy. He is happy. I’m sure it is just a matter of a short time before he returns to his usual self. Too bad, I won’t be here to celebrate his recovery and achievements for long. The clock is ticking too fast. Way too fast!

A wink from him sends me downstairs to wait for him.

I didn’t mean for this to happen. I didn’t want this – to get attached to him so much. Why is he beginning to get into me this deep? Why is he beginning to feel like a part of me? This will fade away, right? We will still part ways in peace without anyone getting hurt, right?