Shadows of Desire A Night With Him

"Alex what are you doing here?" Irene heard Harold said and her excitement died down immediately.

She turned to see Alex standing by the door.

"I was just checking round the house, to make sure everyone's safe" Alex said, faking a smile.

"You don't have to smile if you don't want to. why are you faking it?" Irene wondered in disapproval.

Can't Harold just see this man is fake!

"Ohh" Harold smiled. "You impress me alot Alex and i have something big for you. Just wait for it"

"Thanks so much Mr Harold but it's my duty to ensure everyone's safe, i don't need to be rewarded for it" Alex said calmly,winning Harold's heart the more.

"You're a good person Alex and im really lucky to have you around" Harold said and Irene growled inwardly.

"Thank you Mr Harold" Alex said.

"Wait for what I'm gonna give you. It'll be soon" Harold said.

"Okay Mr Harold. Thanks" Alex smiled before walking away.

Irene sighed, disturbed by what Harold has for Alex.

It's definitely a huge thing and she's so bothered someone like Alex is gonna get it.

He doesn't deserve it, she just hope Harold realises soon.

"Alex is such a great guy" Harold said.

"Uh? Ofcourse" Irene said.

"Thanks so much Mr Harold, I'm..im I'm speechless" Irene said still staring at the novels.

"They are way too much. You must have spent a lot" Irene said, almost forgetting he's a billionaire.

"It's nothing." Harold shrugged.

"I'm surprised you could do this" Irene said.

"Why not? I don't want you bored" Harold said.

"H..how did you know my favorite author was Lynne Graham?" Irene asked, knowing she has never discussed that with him.

"Well..i have my way of knowing things" Harold said.

"Really?"

"Yeah, you shouldn't be bothered by that. Check out your novels,I'll be by the fireplace" Harold said.

"Ohh.. okay. Thanks so much" Irene grinned.

___🍂

"I'll be going home tomorrow morning!" Irene thought excitedly.

She really missed Damien and her mum.

She was done with her morning routine,she stood in front of the mirror and pull a hairband on her hair.

Now she should go get Ivory ready for school.

**

"Bye Nola" Ivory waved.

"Bye Ivory, have a nice day" Nola responded from the kitchen.

"You too" Ivory said.

"Will be right back Nola" Irene said.

"Okay Irene" Nola said.

They walked out of the door and saw Alex and Tom standing by the car.

"Good morning" Tom said.

"Good morning Tom" Ivory and Irene chorused.

"Alex, you only say good morning to me when my dad is around" Ivory complained and Alex's eyes widened.

"Oh..no, i was about saying good morning" He quickly defended.

"That's a lie! you didn't say good morning yesterday too" Ivory said.

Wow!

Irene smiled, loving Ivory more for being observant.

"Hey! Little mug! You shouldn't go about expecting greetings from older ones just because you think your father can buy the world!" Alex said inwardly, wishing he can spit it out.

He so much wish he can deal with the spoilt brat.

"No one said good morning yesterday" Alex said grimly and Irene immediately noticed that look in his eyes.

This guy is so deceptive!

"You just joined us and you should greet us first and introduce yourself but you did none of that" Ivory said.

"Well...yesterday is gone isn't it?" Alex said smiling,when all he wished was to snap the little girl's neck.

"You'll be the one to always open the car door, Tom will do the job of taking me to class" Ivory said.

"Huh?" Alex asked in hidden contempt.

"Tom does all that when you weren't even here, he should take a rest too" Ivory said.

"Ofcourse" Alex said tightly.

She really deserved all Betty did to her!

He wish he can do more.

"If you're not comfortable with it , you should lay your complaints to my dad" Ivory said.

"Of course your dumb father will always support you!" Alex thought.

"No need for that...I'm comfortable with it" Alex said and glanced at Irene.

She had a mockery look on.

Damn!

Not only her, but Tom too!

"Fuck y'all" He thought in rage.

"Ivory, you're running late" Irene said.

"Alex, the door" Ivory reminded and he opened the car door.

They sat in the backseat while Alex took the front.

"Good morning" Eric greeted as he started the car.

"Good morning Eric" Ivory and Irene chorused.

___🍂

"You look so excited cause you're going home tomorrow" Nola said.

"Yes, i really miss my brother and my mum" Irene smiled, eating at the breakfast bar in the kitchen.

Nola sat beside her sipping a pineapple juice. She had her breakfast already.

"Anyone who sees how excited you are now would think you're not happy here and that's why you're so excited to go home" Nola said.

"Nah! I'm more than happy here everyone's treating me right but you know, I've never being separated from my family, this'll be the first time and I'm missing them badly already, I can't wait to see them" Irene said emptying the whole tea in her mouth.

"I once felt that way too, when Ally was first taken to Spain. I do miss her badly and sometimes i cry secretly" Nola said.

"Really?" Irene asked.

"Yes, when you're always with someone or something and it's suddenly taken away from you, you'll feel the absence" Nola said.

"Exactly!" Irene said.

"Make sure you prepare ivory for the weekend before you leave tomorrow morning. Do everything you should tonight and you can return by Sunday evening or Monday morning. I know you'll want to return by Monday morning though, you've obviously missed your family" Nola said and Irene chuckled.

"So, on Monday morning,you know you have to be very early" Nola said.

"Of course i do. Thanks Nola"

"For what?" Nola asked.

"For being so nice to me...fo..for everything" Irene said.

"Com'on Irene, you've been nice to me too" Nola said.

"Well i should be thankful. Not everyone can be this hospitable. You treated me like a family right from when i resumed" Irene said.

"And what brought about all this talk?" Nola furrowed her brow playfully and Irene laughed.

"Tell me something more interesting girl!" Nola said.

"Okay!" Irene sighed.

"Mr harold bought lots of novels for me!" Irene said.

"Wow! Really?"

"Yes, that was yesternight and i was so happy. The novels were my favorite genre and the author was also my favorite" Irene said excitedly.

She couldn't wait to be done with breakfast and go resume those novels.

She read three of them yesternight before she went to bed.

She couldn't wait to read more today.

"You were surprised right?" Nola smiled.

"Yeah, it was close to shock cause i couldn't even believe it at first" Irene said.

"You shouldn't be, Harold is so generous, everyone knows that" Nola said.

"Yeah he is"

"You must have told him your favorite genre and author" Nola said.

"I did told him my favorite genre but i don't know how he found out my favorite author" Irene said.

"Really?"

"Yeah cause asides from my family and...my diary, no one else knows my favorite author"

"You might have mentioned it without even knowing" Nola said.

"You think so?" Irene asked.

"Yes" Nola said and Irene shrugged.

She stood up and placed the dishes in the dishwasher.

"Novels...i don't just find them interesting" Nola said.

"But you definitely find cooking interesting" irene said.

"Of course" Nola smiled.

"That's it!, everyone sure has different interests. How i wish you find reading interesting though,we would have read in the library together whenever we're not cooking" Irene said.

"Ofcourse i can still be in the library with you" Nola said.

"Really?"

"Yes, drumming and singing for you while you read" Nola teased and Irene bursted out laughing.

*

❎Ethan Weston residence❎

*

"Ethan! You can't hurt my daughter! You can choose to hurt anyone but not my daughter!" Carrle sparked up.

"You were here when Alex called me your little brat is making life difficult for him!" Ethan said.

"And so? You wanna hurt her because of that? " Carrle asked.

"But you know if she continues to make Alex uncomfortable,then he'll want to quit! And he's the only spy we have in that house!" Ethan half yelled.

"Well...he's not the only spy we have in that house" Carrle said dropping her cigarette.

"Huh?" Ethan asked.

"Yes, i have a spy too. She has been working for Harold even before i got married to him" Carrle said.

"How come you never told me!" Ethan asked.

"Cause i wasn't making use of her until recently" Carrle adjusted her hair clip.

"Ohh, great! She goes by the name?" Ethan asked.

"You'll know when she gets here" Carrle smiled.

"Wow! So we now have two spies. We should introduce them to each other" Alex smiled.

"Of course, she's on her way here now. Place a call across Alex to be here too" Carrle said.

"I'll do that now" Ethan said.

"So, our next plan?" Carrle asked.

"I still can't believe Harold rejected you that day. No man in his right senses would do that" Ethan said and Carrle burned with rage.

She's still so pissed she got embarrassed and rejected! She never expected that to happen.

"He's gonna pay for what he did" Carrle said puffing out smoke from her cigarette.

"Of course he will"

"So, next plan?" Carrle asked.

"It will be better to discuss it when our spies are here"

"Yeah but remember. Do not touch my daughter" Carrle warned.

"Okayyyy" Ethan drawled.

___🍂

"Irene come to the library after dinner, i have some things to tell you" Harold said.

"Okay Mr Harold" Irene said, her whole mind growing curious.

They were having their dinner.

"So you're leaving tomorrow" Ivory sulk.

"Ivory! How many times are you gonna ask that. Don't you want her to be with her family " Harold said.

"Ivory, com'on it's not like I'll be gone forever" Irene smiled.

"And i promise to bring your sweater along on Monday morning" she added and ivory's face lit up.

"Yaaaaay" She giggled and Irene smiled.

She already prepared Ivory for the weekend, her homework has been done, her school bag arranged properly, her outfits hanged...

"Thanks Irene and you should help me thank your mum too and say hi to your brother for me" Ivory said.

"Okay" Irene said.

"More meatballs" Ivory grinned and Irene laughed when she saw the surprise look on Harold's face.

___🍂

"The FBI agents got back to me today " Harold said and Irene looked on curiously.

They were seated opposite each other in the library and for once the fireplace wasn't lit.

"The bullet was examined but it doesn't even have a source, that means the gun used was not licensed" Harold said.

"Wow! That's another crime" Irene said.

"Of course" Harold said. "And the CCTV footage in that street was hacked into, everything that happened by that time was cleared."

"What!" Irene exclaimed.

"Yes but trust our FBI agents, they restored the footage and got the shooter's face even if it isn't so clear" Harold said .

"Thanks goodness" Irene sighed in relief.

Harold brought out his phone and clicked on the picture the agents sent to him.

"Here's the man" He showed Irene.

"What!" Irene exclaimed in shock.