Chapter 25

"Hope you all liked the African salad?"Nicole asked with a smile, her eyes scanning every one seated at the dinning table.

Sofia was the first to reply. "Ofcourse I did. You know when you mentioned African salad, I had imagined I'll see cabbages and all but wow. This was amazing"

  Nicole laughed and her eyes darted to Aurora.
"Sofia is right. I loved it"

Raphael sighed and stood up with a chuckle. "Hunny I loved it to be honest. I have to start going now ok. See you soon baby"
He gave her a short kiss on the lips before dashing out of the living room.

  "Leila you should have tasted it you know? You definitely would have liked it"Sofia called out to Leila who sat on one of the sofa's.
She had come with Raphael.

Leila huffed within her and passed a farcade smile at Nicole. "I am sure it tasted exquisite but I'm not into African cuisine"

Nicole nodded and smiled at her. "I understand. I hope one day you will  be interested in tasting my homeland dishes"

Leila who was trying to mask her contempt for Nicole adopted a pleasant smile.

  Aurora stepped out to get the kitchen staffs to clear up the dinning table.
"Um Nicole when you will be leaving for the boutique, can you get me some African attire?" Sofia asked with pouted lips.

Nicole chortled. "Ofcourse darling"

Leila immedately turned to face Nicole. "You are going to the boutique?"

"Yes. Would you like to join me?"Nicole replied happily.

"If I did join you, I'll kill you" Leila thought.
"Not really. I was just wondering why you didn't just ask Raphael to drop you?"

"I don't want to bother him Leila. He seems really busy"

Leila let out a sly smile. "Well are you sure you know your way around Rome?"

"Ofcourse. Well not fully but I am getting the hang of it"
This was such a good opportunity for Leila.

She stood up and walked towards Nicole. "I suggest you use Raphael's beetle car so you won't attract too much attention to yourself when you step down. Raphael is a public figure in Italy you know"

  Nicole's eyes sparkled and she nodded her head at Leila. "Thank you Leila. Let me go prepare myself"

  Leila watched her go, that same sly grin on her face.
"No thank you Nicole. Bye. Bye for good"

* * * * * * *

  Nicole drove on the highway, music playing in the car. So far so good, she was getting the hang of some places in Italy.

  The sun shone happily as cars moved in equal speed, people bustling about like a tide.

Suddenly her phone rang. She glanced at the caller and saw it was Raphael. She immedately picked the call.

"Hello my dear husband"Nicole said, saturated with happiness.

She could hear Raphael's rich chuckle over the phone. "You seem to be in a happy mood"

"Well you all liked my dish so yeah. I'm very happy"Nicole grinned from ear to ear.

"Why did you call? You just left for work"Nicole asked as she drove.

"Yes but I was missing my lovely wife and I know she was missing me too. I'm having a meeting with some lawyers in my chamber and they just exited for a break. I feel so relieved"

Nicole giggled over the phone. "You are the boss aren't you? Deal with it"

"How about I deal with you?"Raphael   sensually asked with a brow slightly raised.

Nicole was at lost for words and she became doe-eyed. "Raphael stop it. You are a case study"she chided shyly.

"Oh Shit! I think I just passed my destination because of you Raph"she added with a sigh.
Nicole made an attempt to step on the brake pedal but she found out that it wasn't working. The car was still driving in the same speed.

  What?
What was wrong?

Raphael was about talking but Nicole interrupted him. "R-raph I think something is wrong"Nicole announced.

"What's that babe?"

She made another attempted to step on the brake pedal but it wasn't budging. It seemed like the car accelerated more.
"The-the brake..the brakes of the car. They aren't working"Nicole frantically said.

At this point she was already pale and doused with fear. Her mortified hands tried manoeuvring the steering of the car to slow it down but she couldn't. The car was speeding on high way.

"What!?"Raphael bellowed.

"R-raph I'm scared. I don't want to die. Somebody help me. The brakes of the car aren't working"Nicole crumbled into tears.

Raphael was totally bewildered. His heart sank and for the first time in his life, he was scared. He bolted up from his seat and his forehead began covered in perspiration.
"Calm down babe. Nothing will happen to you. Where are you?"

"I..I am..uhm..I am in Viale Regina Elina Raph. Raph I'm scared. The car. I don't want to die please"Nicole let out agonising cries,furiously trying to control the wheels of the car.

"Fuck! I am coming right there my love. Do not the cut the call please"Raphael pleaded as he dashed out of his office.

Before Raphael could say another word, he immedately heard the piercing, horrified scream of Nicole ring through the phone followed by a loud, resounding crash.

"NICOLE!"
The line went dead.