40 A Big Face-off


    Marissa returned to Amzone city with an entourage of Richard, Maggie, Uncle Moses, Abigail, and Susan. They didn’t bother calling as they nned to storm both Arie and Leon’s home for a big face-off.


    Marissa had been so excited when they all had agreed to dissolve the rtionship between Leon and Arie. She was also curious about some possible leverages they both had on each other, – that made them consider a speedy marriage as the only way out.


    Maggie had intentions of confronting her daughter: who had been lying to her. She nned on breaking up her rtionship with Leon. To do this, she had insisted that, Abigail, Uncle Moses, and Susan should tag along. She went as far as informing Arie’s younger sister Olivia to meet them up at Amzone City.


    Uncle Moses wanted to reprimand his niece and console his sister, – Maggie. He knew of her weak heart condition and didn’t want her to take a drastic decision that was deleterious to her health.


    Richard wanted to know why Arie had chosen Leon over him. He also wanted to know why she had hidden this crucial information from him, the previous day she visited. He was also willing to take her back with all his heart, no matter how far she had gone with Leon.


    Abigail had been secretly trying to call Arie. She wanted her to be ready and prepared for a potent defense against the conflict ahead. But for some unknown reason, Arie’s number was not reachable.


    Susan was enraged by the fact that Arie now had the hearts of the two men she desired mostly in her life. It hurt her so much that neither Leon nor Richard even gave a slight affection towards her. Arie had always been the beautiful and humble one; who caught all the men’s attention without trying so hard.


    Inwardly, she had been jealous of Arie for a very long time. She was among the few persons who secretly celebrated Arie’s break-up with Richard, back then in high school. After the breakup, she tried severally to contact and console Richard. But he never seemed to give a damn about her. Richard was hopelessly in love with her best friend.


    Now Susan saw this as a rare opportunity to make her move again on Richard. Didn’t they say ‘opportunityes but once?’ But in her case, the opportunity is knocking twice at her door.


    .....


    She smiled deceitfully, as she imagined the horror that would be nted on Arie’s face. This time, she wasn’t going to show Arie any mercy. After all, the humble and sweet Arie did lie to both Abigail and her.


    Earlier, Richard had been in a daze when Susan had blurted out that Arie was about to get married to Leon. He was so shocked that he unconsciously let go of the distraught Maggie, to take a seat as a result of a dizzy spell.


    He red from Susan to Marissa and then to Maggie with so much pain in his heart.


    “B...but s...she was so h... happy with m...me, when s...she c...came around?” He stuttered in bewilderment. “H...how could she do this to m...me. l...l...love her s...so much.” Richard swallowed hard and felt as though his heart was about to rupture again like before.


    It took Susan, Marissa, and even the aggrieved Maggie to console Richard and discuss a way forward.


    After finalizing their next move, Maggie made a few calls and invited other members. With the help of Marissa and Richard, they chartered a flight back to Amzone City.


    Outside the airport in Amzone city, Marissa chartered two VIP taxis that took them down to Leon’s vi.


    John was rounding up for the day and about to leave when he saw two cars approaching the driveway of the vi. He watched as the vehicles were granted ess after a brief interaction at the security checkpoint. He waited patiently at the entrance to the vi, for the passengers in the vehicles to alight.


    John was stunned when he saw Marissa and some strange faces.


    “Surprised to see me so soon!” Marissa smiled at his agitated expression when she came closer to him.


    “Ma...Madam! Sorry, Mrs. Treshvire! Your son is not around,” John spoke with horror written all over his face. He had not been prepared to face Marissa or the ring faces of the strangers she had brought to the vi.


    “Get my daughter out of that house!” Maggie barked her order. While Uncle Moses ced a hand on Maggie’s shoulder to calm her down.


    John was at a loss of words and unsure of what the strange woman was talking about. “Y... your d... daughter! Which daughter?!”


    “She’s referring to her daughter, Arie Porter,” Susan impatiently interjected. She was blown away by the beauty and magnificence of the vi. This made her desire Leon even more. How does Arie ever get this lucky with men? Susan probed within.


    “Y...you are Miss. Arie’s mother!” John’s eyes widened. “Leon’s mum and Arie’s mum working together was surely a bad omen,” John mused incoherently.


    “Oh for heaven’s sake!...” Maggie yelled unable to take the suspense anymore.


    “Will you stop wasting our time and answer our question?!” Marissa snapped furiously.


    “They’re married! They left the country! They are on a week’s honeymoon vacation.” John blurted out everything within the speed of light.


    A piercing sound could be heard from far as Maggie copsed in Richard’s arm and started convulsing.


    “Hurry! Let’s take her to the hospital, she’s having a seizure,” Uncle Moses yelled to a dumbfounded Richard.


    Marissa rushed over to John and started choking and beating him like he was to me.


    “You’re lying!”


    “You’re lying!!”


    “You’re are a bloody liar!...”


    “I’ll kill you!” Marissapletely lost her sanity.


    It took Susan and Abigail to pull Marissa away from disfiguring a helpless John. While Richard and Uncle Moses rushed Maggie to a nearby hospital.


    When Marissa was a bit calmer, she requested John to show her proof of the marriage. John went into his car and got some pictures taken at the court registry. He handed her the picture and quickly left her presence for fear of another assault on him.


    Susan and Abigail were speechless due to Marissa’s temper outburst. When they looked at the pictures in Marissa’s hands, they gawked at each other in surprise.


    “So it was true after all,” Susan mused under her breath. She sneered at the happy faces of Leon and E in their elegant and gorgeous white attire.


    Abigail was too scared to say anything at the moment. She admired the couples in the picture but was worried about the obstacles ahead of them. How would E react, if she found out that her mother is suffering from a possible cardiac arrest due to her injudicious decision, she pondered?


    “John, isn’t this Tom?” Marissa pointed at the picture. Her voice sounded like her usual self – calm, soft, and lovely.


    If Susan hadn’t witnessed her temporary ebullition of raw anger, she would have sworn that this was a different person.


    “Yes Mrs. Treshvire, that is Tom,” John answered politely.


    “What about the Lady by Arie’s side?”


    “That is Miss Arie’s friend?”


    “Are the house staff on duty?” Marissa further questioned.


    “No, they are all on a short break, pending Mr. Leon’s arrival.”


    “And when is that?”


    “That will be Sunday, of this week ma’am.”


    Marissa dismissed John with the wave of a hand. She turned to Abigail and Susan, speaking in her usual enchanting voice. “Girls I’ll be lodging in a hotel. Care to join me or would you prefer to go take care of your friend’s mother.”


    “Thank you Mrs. Treshvire for the generous offer,” Abigail was the first to speak up. “I would prefer to check on Maggie if you would promise to take good care of yourself.”


    “Oh, nonsense! I’m not a baby! I’ll be fine dear,” Marissa touched Abigail tenderly on her shoulder. Abigail reminded her of her daughters, especially Ivory.


    Susan weighed her pros and cons. She knew this would be the best time to warm up to Richard. So, she also declined the offer politely.


    ...


    After dinner, Leon and Arie walked hand in hand by the beach. The waves of the ocean crashed by the shore and the cold water tickled their toes.


    Thankfully the night was calm and the cool ocean breeze caressed E’s cheeks and neck. It gave her the effect of a cool breeze on a hot summer day.


    She felt peaceful and tranquil within as she watched the wave rising and sshing with such magical mystery. The irresistible scent of the fresh ocean breeze had a mixture of a ssh of orange bergamot and woody base notes for true marine freshness.


    E bent down gently, scooped a little of the ocean water into her hand, and sshed it on Leon. Leon responded, by sshing more water on her and this resulted in a water sshing contest. They ran around and yed for a while like children that have been starved of fun.


    Before long the salty ocean water permeated their clothes and skin.


    “Leon, I’m cold, let’s go back inside,” E spoke softly as she held on to Leon’s wet body.


    Leon lifted her in his arms gently and responded with a kiss. He carried her into the bathroom, of the ss house. Without taking off their clothes, Leon turned on the shower.


    As the warm water ran down their body, they locked themselves in a passionate kiss.


    When they stopped to catch their breath, Leon allowed his hands to travel around E’s body exploring and tasting with his lips. He kissed and bit her earlobes tenderly. He trailed his kisses down the side of her neck.


    The warm shower water mixed with his warm lips on E’s neck made her shudder.


    He gradually removed her wet in cotton top, followed by her floral patterned long chiffon skirt. He kissed her again on the lips and trailed his kisses from her lips to her cupped breast.


    “Don’t stop,” E moaned in pleasure.