Part 5 (2/2)

With the help of the maid on duty, Almasi had a roaring fire lit in the lounge. The young woman looked at her like she was crazy, and she supposed it seemed so for having a fire built indoors on a hot August day. But now, she could sit down and write all she wanted, and when she finished a page, she could toss it into the fire.

She watched as the record of all of her thoughts crumbled and burned with the kindling, sending smoke up the flue. Her secret thoughts and feelings would stay private, she thought with satisfaction. And she kept writing, page after page, until her hand was so sore that she could no longer grip the pen she had been diligently writing with.

She sighed, wincing as she stretched out the muscles of her fingers, and watched the last of her words burn down in the papery embers of the fireplace. She was tired, but she felt satisfied. Her mind was clearer now, although her heart still ached over the decision she was going to have to make.

Her heart wasn't the only thing aching; her stomach was beginning to hurt again, and she felt another wave of nausea. Instructing the maid to put out the fire, Almasi ran up the stairs to go throw up in the bathroom for the second time that day. This was so unprecedented, and Almasi was confused.

Sure, she sometimes got a little dizzy when she took the city bus, but she had never felt this nauseous so often or for so long. What was wrong? Maybe she should see a doctor. No. She did not want Jacob to wonder what was going on. Worrying him like that would be unfair. Then who could she talk to?

Almasi remembered that Yifeng was coming for another dress fitting in the afternoon. They were planning her gown for the celebration after Jacob and Mr. Arko k.u.mi closed out their deal, and Yifeng said that she had a surprise treat for her. Almasi resolved to tell Yifeng then. Maybe she would be able to help her figure out what was going on with her body.

The meeting with Mr. Arko k.u.mi went splendidly for Jacob. They discussed a fair deal, and planned to close it on Sat.u.r.day before Mr. Arko k.u.mi and his brother left for Ghana. Even Jeremy seemed pleased. Afterward, he pulled Jacob aside to congratulate him.

”Jacob Adamson, you've really done it this time!” Jeremy grabbed his shoulder, smiling. A genuine smile from Jeremy was a rare occurrence, and seeing him grin so delightedly made Jacob smile, too. Jeremy leaned in and whispered. ”I didn't know at first if you could pull it off, but you and that Almasi woman have really followed through this time!”

That reminded Jacob. ”There's one thing I need to talk to you about, Jeremy,” said Jacob, and Jeremy seemed to immediately realize that Jacob was being serious. ”It's about Almasi.”

Jeremy's face fell. ”What's wrong?” he asked. ”Is your relations.h.i.+p strained? Do you want to see another woman? I know that monogamy is not your strongest suit. Do you need me to get her out sooner? I'm sorry, Jacob, but it's only a few more days that you have to live with her before we can annul this, and then you can go back to your playboy lifestyle.”

The fact that Jeremy immediately guessed that Jacob's fidelity was an issue kind of stung. It was hard for Jacob to imagine that he had been such a callous, careless man, sleeping around without thinking for all these years. He could barely remember who he had been before he had fallen in love with Almasi. But now was not the time to dispute this. He needed to stick to the point.

”No, Jer. ...Actually, it's the opposite problem.” Jacob tried to give Jeremy a meaningful look.

Jeremy raised an eyebrow. ”Do you... do you think she's cheating on you? If so, with whom? And why do you care? It's only a false arrangement, Jacob. You know that. Your contract is purely business, nothing more, and regardless of her faithfulness to you, you will let her go and give her the money she's earned when the job is over.”

Jeremy could be so dense sometimes. It was hard enough for Jacob to swallow his pride and admit that he had grown so fond of this woman; of his wife. Now, it was even worse that Jeremy was not picking up what he was putting down. Jacob took a deep breath. ”No, Jeremy ... I'm ... I'm in love with her.”

Jeremy's facial expression changed from confusion to amus.e.m.e.nt and then to a mild form of annoyance. ”That's all? That's your only problem? Jacob, you know that I can easily call off the annulment. When the contract runs its course, Almasi will have the right to get the annulment if she wants it, but she doesn't have to take it if you consent to staying married.” Then he saw the look on Jacob's face. ”Wait. Almasi knows about your feelings... doesn't she?”

Jacob blushed and shook his head bashfully.

”Jacob! Come on, what is this, the high school prom? If you love the woman, you have to tell her. You're already married to her, for crying out loud.” Jeremy shook his head in annoyance, as if to say typical.

”No, Jer. You don't understand. I'm not so sure if she...” he sighed again. ”I don't know what her feelings are towards me. And I don't want to make her feel as if she's pressured to stay with me. That woman has a career ahead of her, Jeremy. A great one. How could I live with myself if I knew that I'd held her back from a successful life by obligating her to stay married to me?”

Jeremy looked absolutely flabbergasted. ”You could just... ask her?” he suggested, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

”Are you not listening to me? I can't ask her. She would just feel like I was forcing her to stay in a marriage she barely had time to say no to. And what if she doesn't even have feelings for me? A charming smile and a pile of money can make anyone think they're in love, Jeremy, and I don't want that with Almasi. I want her to be in it for real. I want to know that she doesn't just see me as a means to an end, as a pile of cash, as a blank check with her name on it. I want her to love me for myself.”

He put his head in his hands and sighed, slouching in his chair. ”Of course, I want to give her everything I have. I want her to make her way through life as happy as possible, with no worries and no regrets. But I don't want her affection to be bought. I want the real thing.”

”Oh, the woes of being a billionaire,” said Jeremy, rolling his eyes. ”It must be so hard to be that rich and so handsome, too. What a struggle.” Jacob laughed a little. Jeremy always did know what to say, even if sometimes he came off as a bit of a jacka.s.s. And he was right, Jacob supposed. This was a pretty privileged situation he was in.

But it was becoming so complicated, and he wished that his life could be simple instead. He wished that he could just love the woman he loved, the woman he had married, without it being so complicated.

Jacob cleared his throat. ”Anyway,” he said, ”I should get going. I need to be back in time for dinner.”

”Dinner, eh? Is that what they're calling it these days?” teased Jeremy. Jacob gave him a serious look, and he sobered. ”Okay sorry, I'll stop making fun of you. Good luck with everything. I'll be coming by for the signing on Sat.u.r.day, but call me if you need any help with anything at all. I'm always here.”

Jacob smiled. ”I know.” He could always count on Jeremy to sneak in a supportive speech even when he was making fun of him.

”Bye now, lover boy,” said Jeremy. Okay, Jacob took that last thought back. He swatted at his head with his briefcase, and Jeremy barely dodged in time to avoid being smacked on the head. Laughing, Jacob walked out the office door and down to the elevator.

Meanwhile, back at the mansion, Almasi was getting ready for dinner in her dressing room. Yifeng had arrived, and they were picking out a dress for her to wear to celebrate the successful agreement-a.s.suming that the meeting had gone successfully and that Mr. Kofi k.u.mi had decided to spare her for another few days of heart-wrenching decision making.

”Try this one on, Almasi,” suggested Yifeng, pa.s.sing her a pale gold gown with s.h.i.+mmery sequins. ”It will match the champagne you drink at tonight's celebration. Mrs. Nettle picked the fabric, and I picked out the cut. Very slim, chic, and s.e.xy.” She winked. ”We had it made based on the measurements we took for the bridal gown back in July, so it will fit you perfectly.” She nodded to Almasi, urging her to step into it. ”Quick! I want to see!”

Almasi stepped behind her changing screen and slid into the dress. It was beautiful, but she couldn't reach the zipper in the back. ”Zip me up, please,” she said, moving out from behind the screen. Yifeng moved to go behind her and zip.

For some reason, the zipper wouldn't budge. ”Yifeng?” Almasi asked. ”What's going on?”

”I'm sorry,” said Yifeng. ”It's just a little stuck, I think. Here... ugh, no. Wait a minute. I'll try wiggling it.”

Almasi frowned. Had she gained weight? She was certainly eating better food here, but she had maintained her habit of responsible portioning, and her long walks in the back garden gave her plenty of exercise to work off any excess fat. If anything, she should be losing weight. But no, this dress was too small, and it had been designed exactly to fit her body! The chest felt tight, though, and it was squeezing uncomfortably at her already tender b.r.e.a.s.t.s...

Wait a minute.

No. It couldn't be. It wasn't... She wasn't...

Almasi screamed out loud, frightening Yifeng, who jumped back, startled.

”A-Almasi, what's wrong?” asked Yifeng. ”What... are you crying?”

Indeed, there were ample tears rolling down Almasi's face. Big, fat, heavy tears, tears, that threatened to stain the silk of the gown that was binding her chest too tight.

”Hang on, one moment, I'll get you a handkerchief,” said Yifeng, still a little bewildered, but determined to help out her mistress. ”Here,” she said, pa.s.sing her a monogrammed little white cloth. ”Now, sit down and tell me what's troubling you. Why did you cry out just now?” Yifeng looked so concerned that Almasi decided to tell her the truth. Well, what parts of the truth she could afford to tell.

So Almasi sat down on the bed, still sobbing, and took a breath. She dabbed at her face with the handkerchief, and brown foundation came off with some of the sparkles of her makeup. Great. This would stain later, she thought. ”Almasi... began Yifeng. ”Talk to me, please, Madame.”

She looked up at Almasi in earnest, her baleful eyes full of innocence.

”I... Yifeng, you know how I told you I have been nauseous lately?” Almasi began.

”Yes. I suggested that you might have the flu,” recalled Yifeng. ”It's been going around among the serving staff, you know, and even the master and mistress are not immune to everything.”

”Yes,” said Almasi, nodding quickly. ”I remember. Well... it's not the flu that I have.” She shook her head for emphasis.

Yifeng was confused and concerned, and it showed in her face. ”What is it, then?”

Almasi looked down, taking in a deep breath. ”I... I believe I'm pregnant.”

Yifeng gasped. ”Oh. Oh!” she said after a moment. ”Almasi, that's wonderful! The master will be so pleased!” Almasi's face crumpled. Yifeng raised an eyebrow. ”He will be pleased, right?”

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