SHARON


    I rubbed my eyes as I let out a yawn.


    I squinted at the worksheet on the screen but the more I stared, the blurrier the words and figures became and the heavier my eyelids got.


    I was scared to go to bed because each time I closed my eyes to sleep, all I saw was Aiden and Anastasia, all lovey dovey.


    Every moment I spent idling away was filled with thoughts of Aiden and Anastasia together. I didn''t want to have those thoughts. I didn''t want to think that my husband was going to father another woman''s child.


    I hadn''t heard from Aiden since that witch returned to our lives. I had no idea if he returned home because the first thing I did the next morning after my drunken night was book a flight, pack my things and leave the country.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    I had left my business here and flown to Aiden without a second thought. The hands I''d left the business in did a fairly good job but I wasn''t satisfied.


    I didn''t want fairly good. I wanted the best. I would have done better if I was present.


    And so I got to work. Work, as always, came to my rescue. It drove all those thoughts and endless worries away. All I had to do was fill my head with enough figures and words.


    I also realized that I had tons of pending work.


    I was disappointed in myself. Marriage has made mezy. Apart from the pending work, I had also delegated lots of tasks to my subordinates.


    When I called my assistant and told her that I''d be taking over the tasks I delegated to her, her eyes widened and her lips trembled as she asked, "Did I do anything wrong?"


    I smile softly at her. "Come on. You''re the best assistant I''ve ever had. You didn''t do anything. I just want to be more involved. Since the break I took for my honeymoon, I haven''t really resumed. And even before then, I wasn''t very active." She smiled, "Alright."


    Then I sent for the HR manager and told him that he could send the interviewees my way.


    Now, I had a lot on my te and there was no time for slip ups or time to think about my husband with another woman all day.


    It was time to get those deals. Before Aiden, it was what gave me joy, what kept me busy, Aiden being in my life didn''t have to change anything.


    As I sorted things out, I also began the process of starting up a branch back at home.


    As much as I hated what was happening between Aiden and Anastasia, Aiden was still home. He was my home and he''d forever be. I wasn''t about to give up.


    I''d set up a branch there, be by his side as the savior sibling is made and his child gets well. And then things will be back to normal.


    I just needed to be patient and not overthink everything. The only way to not overthink and panic was to get busy. And that was something I was good at.


    I didn''t even go down for lunch or dinner. My assistant brought them in. I take a few bites or spoonfuls while working.


    Most of the time, I choose to stay back at the office and work overnight. Returning to an empty house has proved to foster my over-thinking skills, even if I took those work home.


    I didn''t want to stay with my parents because I couldn''t guarantee not breaking down before then. I didn''t want that to happen.


    The hurt was still fresh. I wasn''t ready to talk about it.


    And even at that, my mom got herself involved. Since I returned, mom has visited twice and she was already all over me.


    "My God, Sharon, you''re working so hard," she had mentioned.


    "Mom, I also didn''t know I''d have so much to do when I return," I told her as I kept my gaze glued to the CVs I was sifting through. "I was gone for just a while and everything''s gone wrong." "Nothing went wrong. Your father and I kept our eyes on the business. It was doing fine, you''re just a chronic perfectionist."


    Iughed, "Mom. I''m not a perfectionist. I just want everything to go well."


    "I don''t believe that," she muttered but I pretended not to hear her.


    On her second visit, which was starting to get suffocating, she covered my hand on the table with hers.


    "Is everything alright, Sharon?"


    I faltered but I kept my smile on. "Look how hard I''m working mum," I removed my hand from under hers and gestured around. "Nothing''s alright. There are a lot to fix."


    She red at me, "I''m being serious here, girl."


    I smiled softly at her. "I''m fine, mom. I mean it."


    ""How about we have lunch?"


    I sighed. "Mom, work-"


    "No excuse, Sharon. We will have


    lunch. I''ll text you and your assistant the date and address so you won''t pretend you didn''t receive it." Then she grabbed her bag and left.


    I sighed and closed myptop. She''d sent in the restaurant she''d chosen. And the day was tomorrow.


    It would be a good idea to go home, get a good sleep and prepare for the interrogation session she disguised as a lunch date.


    The next day, I was so vibrant and bright that even my mom wouldn''t be able to tell that it was all a facade.


    At exactly lunch time, I received an email from my assistant, reminding me of my appointment with my mother, followed by a text, then a few minutester, there was a knock on my door. She sent the email and text twenty minutes ago


    I didn''t me her though. Mom could be scary when she threatens you.


    I ushered my assistant in. She smiled brightly, "Ma''am, you appointment with-"


    "Yes!" I breathed as I dragged my gaze from the documents on the table and stood up. "I''m leaving now."


    "Thank you," she breathed, relieved.


    She waited till I left and even saw me off halfway.


    Mom smiled as I settled in the seat across from her. "I was ready toe drag you out of that work chair you''ve ustomed your butt to."


    Iughed and she did too.


    She chatted freely for a while and I was d that I agreed toe for the lunch date with her.


    We both ced our orders and we actually had lunch before she got to business.


    But she surprised me when she just asked if everything was okay and stopped there.


    I knew she could sense that something was wrong. Her motherly instincts were always right. Sometimes, I''d open up to her, other times, I''d lie that I was fine. This time was ''other times''.


    I had to keep my lips sealed and act like all was well else she wouldn''t hesitate to remind me of the many times before my marriage to Aiden that she asked me to let go of him and annul our contract.