Mr Thompson sighed and bowed his head before he gazed up at Noah again

He had kept Cherie’s existence hidden from the public because it might cause damage to his reputation and affect the stock price.

“She’s my daughter but illegitimately “

He had no choice

It took Noah a while to process it

He fell back to the couch

He had just a week to get back at the vice president,just when he thought everything was going well,now he’s back to square one..

He realized he’d been blinded.

He blamed himself for not suspecting a thing when Emily tried to rush the marriage.

NOAH’S MANSION

Noah slammed the car door and took long strides into the house.

Just as he opened the door he spotted Cherie walking down the stairs groping her bag on her left shoulder.

He walked up to her grabbed her hand and pushed her to the wall hovering over her

Cherie gasped her round eyes filled with fear and her legs trembled

Noah’s gaze was enough to traumatize her for the rest of her life.

“Tell me….what games are you playing?”

He stared down at her while she avoided his gaze.

He lifted her chin and forced her to stare back at him

“Why did you deceive me…answer me!!”

He yelled at her

Tears rolled down Cherie’s cheek as she was unable to say anything.

What could she say,when she didn’t marry him on her own will.

Noah calmed down and released her

He realized he can’t take it up with her,Emily is the mastermind Cherie was just a chess piece.

He turned around

“Pack your things and leave”

He said bringing out his phone to make a call.

Cherie slided down and cupped her face into her knees.

She blamed herself for listening to her mother,without thinking about the consequences of their actions.

Now where is she supposed to go back to.

Noah walked upstairs with the phone placed on his ear.

Few minutes later he came downstairs and met Cherie still sitting in a corner of the sitting room.

He walked up to her

She got up when she noticed his presence.

His expression was a bit calm.

“ I’ll leave now”

Her tiny cracked voice filled with sadness as she made to leave but he held her back.

“You can’t leave yet”

He started as he released her hand.

“ we can’t divorce now” he swallowed. “It’ll be bad for my reputation”

Cherie looked at him surprised.

“But..”

He interrupted .

“6 months…we’ll divorce in 6 months”

Few minutes later they were both seated at the dining while Cherie was going through the contents of the contract.

She paused and looked at him.

“I should keep the contract a secret from my mother?”

She asked

“Yeah…that’s the least you can do for deceiving me “

He replied

Cherie signed the contract.

THE ASHWORTH MANSION

Greycianne barged into Emily’s room Fuming.

Emily who was trying out new jewelries was taken by surprise

“Did you never learn how to knock…why would you just bar…”

“You worthless piece of trash…if my dad hadn’t taken pity on you and your wimp of a daughter you’d be out there scraping food from trash…how dare you think you can take what belongs to me”

Greycianne was fuming.

Emily was shocked, they were supposed to stay in Japan for a week. Why are they back so soon?

This is a disaster.

She tried to calm herself down as she regained composure.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about…who took what belongs to you?”

Emily feigned ignorance looking away.

Thompson walked in.

“I want her out of this house dad…I don’t want to set my eyes on her anymore “

Greycianne whined to Thompson..

He signaled her to go outside which she reluctantly did

Thompson turned to Emily

“How could you do something so stupid…do you know what it’ll cost me?”

“This wouldn’t have happened If you’d agreed to make me your legal wife”

Emily was nonchalant.

NOAH’S MANSION

Cherie had just had a shower and trotted downstairs to have dinner when she stumbled upon Noah who leaned behind the couch, his phone glued to his right ear while he tugged at his tie.

She swallowed,events of the other day played in her head

While she stood at the foot of the stairs lost in her thought he raised his head and their eyes met.

She hurriedly snapped out and avoided his gaze..

The housekeeper,Lilian, walked out of the kitchen at that awkward moment.

“Would you like to have dinner now”

She asked cherie

Cherie nodded, stealing glances at Noah who was still on the call.

He dropped the call a few seconds after Lilian left.

He picked his portfolio and Made for the stairs..

Cherie held his hand as he got to the stairs.

“W-would you have dinner?”

Her heart pounded as the words escaped her lips.

“Stop Pretending already”

He said,yanked her hand off and continued upstairs.

Cherie let out a weary sigh.

She sat at the dinner picking her food

The Noah she met on their first day had really changed and it made her worry.

Just then her phone dinged.

She reluctantly swiped it and saw her mother’s text.

THE NEXT DAY

Cherie walked into the coffee shop,she spotted Emily sitting at a corner of the shop

She walked up to her and took a seat opposite her.

“Did something happen?”

Emily asked cautiously after they had placed their orders.

Cherie shook her head “Nothing happened “

Emily was impatient

“On your wedding night?…did he touch you?

Cherie shook her head

Emily let out a frustrated sigh.

“my world…what is wrong with you?”

Emily leaned in.

“Did your husband say anything yesterday..about the marriage or anything”

She swallowed.

Cherie shook her head again but Emily could tell she was hiding something.

“You don’t expect me to help you if you don’t tell me what’s going on… you sure don’t want to go back and be Cianne’s enemy…she’s really mad at you right now…so tell me what’s going on”

Cherie was hesitant

“Contract…we signed a contract.”

She spilled reluctantly.

“What?…what contract?”

“We’ll divorce in six months”

Cherie completed

Emily banged the table

“You motherfucking idiot…why would you sign that….now what?…after 6 month you’ll come back to where…do you think anyone would accept you,not even your father would accept you anymore”

Hearing that made Cherie a little scared.

Emily breathed out and sat down.

“Now listen…there’s just one thing you’ll do”

Emily started.

“To secure our future you have to bear his heir…Make him sleep with you before the six months is over…or you and I would end up on the streets…do you understand?”

Cherie was lost and unwilling

“Mom..I can’t…he hates me so much…I can’t”

She was teary.

“stop being such a sissy….you’re a grown woman..so act like one.”

AT THE MANHATTAN AIRPORT.

Kristine Blackwood rolled her luggage to the car waiting for her.

She took of her shades and took a deep breath.

“How I missed this.”

She cooed.

A man in his mid thirties dressed professionally approached her.

“The president would like you to have dinner with him at the the White House…shall we head over now “

He said, leaning a bit.

Kristine shook her head.

“Let’s pay Noah a visit first ”