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1.31% Mr. President: You Are The Daddy Of My Triplets / Chapter 6: 6- Not Adding Up!

Chapter 6: 6- Not Adding Up!

Sophia let out a long sigh of relief when he left. And then her heart almost stopped when she remembered what he had said. 

He was planning to come the next day too.

"If he comes to know that Marissa was the one who often visited me and Valerie never came to my office, I'll be in trouble. He might go after my friend and grill her about the babies' father."

She didn't want to destroy Marissa's secret.

Rafael's mother and Valerie would be after the kids and Rafael would never trust or believe Marissa against Valerie or his mom.

She needed to come up with a proper plan.

 ***

"Where were you?" for some reason, he felt irritated when heard Valerie's voice upon entering the bedroom, "Doctor asked you to at least spend six months indoors, Rafael. I don't know why you are not following his instructions."

By the end of it, her voice had turned teary, and Rafael felt guilt making its way into his heart, "I'm sorry, love. It's just… I am getting tired of staying back home. I am not even allowed to read my office files, how am I going to spend six damn months."

Valerie quickly leaned her face against his chest, "Well. I have a few ideas in mind if you agree." She started playing with his collar button. There was a sly smile playing on her lips when she offered them to him by raising her face temptingly.

Rafael thanked in his heart for the shift of her focus and started sucking her lips. The same ones that tasted… that tasted like …

He pulled back with a frown. Valerie who was about to let out a loud moan at the kiss looked into his eyes with a dreamy look on her face, "Are you alright, love?"

He nodded and pinched her chin, bumping his nose with her, "Do you know what your lips taste like?"

He was expecting her to answer him as she always used to do.

"Strawberry!" 

But she didn't. Instead, she tightened the grip of her arms around his neck and kissed his chin,

"Umm hmm. I don't know. Tell me." She urged a little seductively.

"Why? Don't you know how they taste?" he started tickling her belly playfully enjoying her giggles.

And then something crossed his mind and he looked at her laughing face, "Oranges. It's always been oranges. That sweetness mixed with tanginess."

He waited for her to argue that it was always strawberries and never oranges. She kept teasing his lips with hers without any comment.

There was something extremely wrong. But what was it? Valerie was always there with him. Two years ago, when he met the accident, she used to stay at the hospital twenty-four-seven.

She had kissed him hard when their parents suggested the wedding in the hospital room. Her hand remained intertwined through his fingers during the wedding ceremony.

After the wedding when he feared that she was chained to home due to his lack of social life, she never complained and accepted the change.

Then why little Greene was telling him, it was not Valerie but her?

He came out of his thoughts when Valerie kept teasing him with her lips. That night he made love to Valerie, and she responded to him with the same passion. 

By the end of it when she went to sleep, he kept thinking hard in the dark.

"No. As a husband, he was supposed to trust his wife. He couldn't let a third person say any rubbish against Valerie. Tomorrow when he would go back to Dr. Sophia James, a higher official from the court and a senior lawyer would accompany him.

Once when Valerie's tongue slipped, she told him that Dr. Sophia was not only her gynecologist but also a very good friend of hers.

He picked up his phone and sent a message to his friend Joseph, "Can you meet me tomorrow in my office?"

Joseph's reply came instantly, "Rafael, my friend. How are you? Are you even allowed to use your phone? Your wife and mom didn't let me meet you for two years. They are too protective of you."

Joseph and Rafael only interacted with each other on the phone. The only explanation offered by Nina was, "Once you're healthy, you are free to go wherever you want."

Rafael closed his eyes with a smile. His mother would never break his trust. For some reason, she never liked Marissa and he never doubted her instincts.

Was Marissa always this selfish and this greedy?

Well. There were some unanswered questions that he needed to know from Sophia James.

***

"Where are you going?" Valerie asked him in a sleepy voice when she didn't find him on the bed beside her. He was wearing a tie, standing before the mirror.

He felt strange seeing himself wearing a suit after two years.

"Rafael, you shouldn't …" her husband didn't let her speak, 

"Don't worry about me, Valerie. My assistants will be there to do the job. I promise I'll be careful."

He planted a quick kiss on her lips and left the room.

On his way outside, he asked the servants not to disturb Valerie in her sleep. Like last evening, the driver took him to Sophia's clinic.

His lawyer friend and a higher official man were already waiting for him in the parking lot. He greeted them and walked inside.

The same receptionist greeted them and then her face got pale when she remembered that he was the same man who barged in Sophia's clinic without an appointment. 

He seemed like an influential man.

"Inform Ms. Sophia James that we are here," Rafael told the assistant impatiently. He knew once he would look at the CCTV footage he could get peaceful sleep at night.

"I trust my wife and this little investigation is for the peace of my heart." He tried explaining himself.

"Sir. Dr Sophia hasn't arrived yet."

His forehead wrinkled into several lines.

"Haven't arrived yet? Is she usually this late or …" he trailed off when the assistant started shaking her head. 

"No, sir. She is usually on time but today she asked me to cancel all her appointments as she is sick. Can I arrange your meeting with another gynecologist who is an expert in…" Rafael had already turned on his heels.

The higher official showed his badge to the assistant, "Sophia James address. Quick!" the assistant hurriedly grabbed a paper and pen and jotted down the address.

"Are we going to her place?" Rafael asked the man impatiently once they were outside. 

"No. I'm sending my men there. Just wait for five minutes." He spoke to someone on the phone and Rafael started pacing around impatiently.

After a few minutes, the man's phone started ringing, "Yes! … Speak … what?" 

Rafael's eyes traveled to the man's shocked face.

"What happened?" he inquired.

"Dr. Sophia. Last night she gave urgent notice to her landlord on call that she is moving out of town. She collected her important stuff with her rider's help and left."

"What are you saying!" Rafael snarled walking up to him, "There must be a way to find out where she has gone."

The man swallowed hard and shook his head, "My men tried to find out. She didn't leave any trail behind.

We can't find her destination unless we get help from someone who knows the system. Maybe someone from the security in charge or airport staff."

Rafael clutched his hands tightly into fists.

No. He wasn't giving up that easily. He vowed to find out Marissa and Sophia… and the father of Marissa's kids. 

Something was not adding up here.


Chapter 7: 7- Time To Shine

For the first time, Rafael didn't like it when he saw Valerie's name flashing on his phone screen, "Hey!"

"Rafael. Just wanted to keep a check on you. You know how much I care about you, sweetheart."

He hummed into the phone as if he was too busy with his work.

"In the past two years, I kept tabs on you and didn't stop asking about your well-being. Whether we were together or not." She made her voice a little husky and Rafael found it odd when he felt like she was faking it.

What is happening to me? Is this how husband and wife should behave when a third person tries to cause a drift in their relationship?

"But why would you do that, Valerie, when I was always with you?" he asked her, keeping his tone casual.

She hesitated for a bit, "Of course, Raf. Tha … that's what… I mean… yes… ha-ha. How… how can I forget that… I was with you all the time."

He plastered the smile for her sake and invented a lie, "Yeah. All the time. Except when I went for those two days to a Therapy program right after two months of our wedding. Remember?" 

She giggled again, "Yeah, yeah. How I missed you for those two days."

"OK, love. My executives are here, and I need to carry on this meeting. Don't worry. I'll not stress my eyes." 

"I love you, Rafael. Just remember … that … I don't want you to lose your eyes ever again." She said softly and Rafael felt hurt…betrayed.

"I love you too. Don't worry, Valerie. Just remember… Hakuna Matata."

"What!" she laughed on the other side, "what does it mean?"

"Nothing, Valerie. Nothing. It's just a cute dialogue of a movie." He disconnected the phone and tossed it on the desk before meeting the gaze of his best friend Joseph.

***

Rafael signed some papers and moved the file to his assistant, "Take it, Liam. And ask the builders to follow the contract deadlines so that we can start hiring the new staff for our new offices in Kanderton."

Liam nodded and picked up the file. Just recently he had found that Kanderton was a developing city and had a very good scope for their business.

"I feel like you are part of some movie," Joseph said munching some crisps when Liam left, "maybe a suspense thriller."

They were seated in Rafael's office of Sinclair Industries after such a long time.

"You are saying that Marissa made a claim that she was the one who spent these past two years with you. On the other hand, your mom didn't get you to meet anyone. Why do you think she did that?"

"Maybe because my psychiatrist suggested it. According to him I might have felt left out." Rafael shrugged and took a sip of his coffee.

"And why would a psychiatrist suggest something so outrageous, Rafael? Instead of helping you mingle among other people, he is suggesting you give up your social life. Strange."

Rafael stood up and loosened the tie around his neck. 

"I need to find out about Dr. Sophia and Marissa. Something is telling me, they both are together. Sophia knows something about this whole drama that's the reason she flew away."

"By the way," Joseph also got to his feet, "why are you so adamant in finding these women? Let them live their life and you stay happy with yours."

Rafael was looking out the glass door observing the city lights. He didn't give any reaction to Joseph's questions.

He didn't move when he felt his friend's hand on his shoulder, "Don't keep it inside you. Tell me. Why are you looking for them?" And for the first time, Rafael felt this sudden urge to cry.

"B…Because if… if Marissa is telling the truth, then… then … I think… those kids… those twins are mine."

Joseph went still for a moment, "Goodness!" he whispered, and Rafael nodded with a sarcastic smirk.

"Did you talk to your mom or Valerie about it?" Rafael shook his head at his friend's query, 

"No, I didn't. Asking these questions might mean alerting them. Valerie is not the same anymore."

"Why? Weren't you dating her before the accident? How can you say that?"

Because whenever I suck those kissable lips, they no more give me the taste of strawberries. I crave that taste.

He didn't say it out loud but something in his expression made Joseph feel sorry for him.

"She doesn't remember Hakuna Matata… a phrase from Lion King. I just lied to her that I went to a therapy program right after two months of our marriage. She went along with it but… I never went to any therapy program… in fact… in fact, I always stayed home after getting blind."

He explained to his friend and for a few minutes, heavy silence hung in the room.

"Joseph. Help me." This time there was pleading in his voice, "Help me in finding out Marissa and her kids. I might be wrong, but I need to confirm before taking the next step."

He wasn't able to get Marissa's teary voice out of his mind before she left. She knew about Hakuna Matata, and she already predicted that he would regret it once she was gone.

Rafael closed his eyes.

I need to find you, strawberry. I need to find you, my sugar. Where have you gone?

***

"I'm so happy that you made it here in time," Marissa held Sophia's hand while sitting beside her on the couch.

"Me too. The first time he entered in my office, I knew he was having doubts." Sophia again touched the iced water glass to her lips.

She didn't take the risk of going home and left for Kanderton straight from her office. Thankfully her trusted cleaning lady got the documents delivered to her office. It was not wise to stay there anymore.

Rafael's men might be keeping an eye on her every move.

"How is your pregnancy?" Sophia gave a little pat to her friend's belly, "How are the babies?"

"They are good. It's just the morning sickness that's bothering me. Otherwise, it's quite smooth." Marissa started fidgeting her fingers in nervousness.

"What's the matter? You seem upset." Marissa nodded her head trying to control her quivering lips, "I was trying for college admissions. Before getting married to Rafael I was planning to start my MBA."

"Then? I think one is supposed to take the entrance test." Marissa nodded and gave her a shaky grin,

"I know. I'm getting to that part. I gave the test and today I got to know…"

"For God's sake, Marissa. Speak up! My heart is sinking."

"I got to know that…" she exhaled a long breath, "that I have failed the test." Marissa couldn't take it anymore and started crying.

"Hey! Girl!" Sophia at once moved closer to her friend and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Sophia. I was such an intelligent girl before I got married to him. I left everything for his happiness. And now I have nothing in my hands."

"Who said you are no longer an intelligent girl?" Both the girls jumped up when Grandpa Flint's voice got to their ears.

"Don't ever talk like that. You are NOT empty-handed. Ok?" Grandpa Flint said sternly, "You have kids, silly girl. Once they are here, see how your world will change for good."

"But Grandpa. My initial plan was to do an MBA to land in a big multinational. How will I raise my kids without a good job? I wanted to give the best life to my kids." She said brokenly.

They were Rafael's kids and deserved a lavish lifestyle as Sinclair's heirs.

"Marissa. Look up!" Grandpa Flint placed his coffee cup aside and took the chair to sit opposite her, "Listen, girl. Who the hell told you that you can only give a good lifestyle to your kids by achieving an MBA degree?"

"Then what else should I do?" Marissa accepted the napkin from Sophia and wiped her nose, "The only thing I might be doing is waitressing. That's what I can do best, I guess."

"Can you put some positive thoughts in that head of yours, girl?" Grandpa Flint snubbed her like a gentle father who couldn't let his daughter think of herself as someone small.

Marissa kept crying and could feel Sophia rubbing her hand on her back to console her.

"Marissa. Listen to me," Flint held the hands of the crying girl, "Maybe that's what fate wants you to do. Why work under someone when you can start your own business."

"Business?" Marissa quit crying and eyed the old man as if he had lost his mind, "What business? I don't even have any money for investment."

"The business idea I have in mind might not need a huge investment." Marissa didn't say anything and kept looking at Flint's wrinkled face.

"All these days, I have been eating the food you are cooking for me in this kitchen," Flint pointed towards the stove where the chicken broth was simmering on a very low flame, "Start a food business."

"What!"

"What!" this time Sophia also screamed along with Marissa.

"Food business?"

"Yeah. Food business. You have got taste in your hands, silly. Has anyone ever told you, your hands have got this magic?"

Marissa had quit crying.

"I have seen you preparing food with so much love... and so much passion. For you, it's like therapy. Make that therapy your career."

Sophia started nodding her head, "Grandpa Flint is right. Start a food business, Marissa. Who knows, in the future, you might be doing successful catering in all the top organizations. Maybe… someday, when that university invites you to cater to their guests you can just show them your middle finger."

For the first time, Marissa found her first smile, "Oh God, Sophia! Flint! You two are something," she said with a giggle.

Sophia threw her hand around her neck and squeezed her to her side, "Let's conquer the world, Marissa Aaron. Along with my nieces, let's show the world who we are. It's time to shine!"


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