27

Krystal went up to the room to get ready to go to work.  She was excited to start work after the investment they had gotten. She was excited to get to work.

Her dad hadn't failed to tell her how proud he was of her. She loved his validation regardless of how she gets it.

She was also kind of grateful for the work Collins put into the project and she knew he had helped with securing the funding.

She decided that she was going to thank him when she got to the office.

She left home some minutes after Andrew had left and the driver took her to work.

When she got in, her assistant immediately came up to her.

"Stacy, hello," Krystal said, walking into her office.

"Good morning," Stacy said.

"Any meetings for today?" Krystal asked, sitting behind her desk.

"Just one in the afternoon with the investors." She said.

"Made a mistake, you have another one with the production team. They are going to start work on the product and need your go ahead," she said.

"Thank you Stacy."

"Is Collins around ?" She asked.

"Yes, Stacy answered."

"Thank you."

Stacy walked out of Krystal's office and has she cleared a bit of paperwork on her desk. She decided to go to collin's office.

She knocked on his office and pushed the door open into the office.

"Collins," she was about to speak when her eyes suddenly went up and it was Collins and bella together in a compromising position.

She was sitting on his laps and it looked like they were about to kiss. She  had stood up slowly when Krystal entered the office.

Bella was Collins assistant for about a few months now and she was the same girl she had caught him cheating on her before.

They had attended a company's party together.

"I want to go outside for a breath of air," Collins said and was about leaving.

"I am giving the speech any minute from now. Don't you want to wait to hear it?" Krystal said, turning to Collins before her left.

"I don't think I will miss anything," he said and then walked away.

Krystal had nothing else to say. She was used to that kind of treatment but it still hurts when it happened.

Krystal held the tears in her eyes. She wasn't about to spoil her makeup with the tears.

It was a big night for her and he knew it but he cared less and wouldn't even bulge.

At that time, they had only been married for a year and things were already not looking as sweet as Krystal would have thought.

In the next few minutes, Krystal was called up to the stage to give her speech. She walked up to the stage and through every wording of her speech, she searched the crowd, hoping to see Collins walk back in.

He didn't show up till she was done and had left the stage. She wondered where he was and had walked outside to check up on him.

She stepped out and had not seen him at first then she turned to the side of the garden and had sighted him kissing Bella.

"Collins," she called from afar and immediately came towards her.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked.

"You didn't come inside, my speech is over," she had said.

"What we're you doing over there with her?" She had asked naively.

She wasn't sure what she saw" she had thought to herself but the truth was that she wasn't trying to believe what she saw and would rather another truth.

"She had something blow in her eye and I was only helping her out," he had said.

Krystal said nothing. She didn't know why she had stayed mute in that time of her life. She had literarily caught him red handed and was choosing to stay oblivious instead.

Krystal was scared. Scared that if she spoke he was going to leave. That he was going to admit to heaven done it and she would have no choice.

She didn't want to be alone. She didn't know how she was going to live being alone so she chose oblivion. She knew that was better for everyone.

Collins knew that and he used it to his advantage.

"I will just come back another time," Krystal said and she was about to go out the door when Andrew immediately stood from where he was sitting.

Bella walked out of the office immediately.

"I hope I am not disturbing you though?" Krystal asked.

"You could never disturb me even if you tried," he said and smiled.

Krystal forced a smile. She could see through him and all his facade.

"I won't take your time. I just wanted to thank you very helping with the investors. I don't think we would have been able to do it without you," she said.

"You're very welcome. You know there is absolutely nothing that I wouldn't do for you," he said and she smiled.

"Thank you again," she said and was about leaving when he moved closer to her.

"What about my offer for drinks or dinner. You could thank me properly that way. We could start in a bar or restaurant and then end in my place," he said using his fingers to draw an imaginary line on her arm.

"No, thank you, I have a lot of work today," she said.

"What about tomorrow? It doesn't have to be today."

"I don't know Collins. I have been quiet busy."

"Well, I am just a phone call away. Let me know if you change your mind," he said.

"I will," she said.

She knew that wasn't an offer she was ever going to take him up on. She  left the office and closed the door behind her.

Krystal had a lot of work to do and had stayed extra late in the office. She checked the time on her phone and realized it was almost 8pm.

She packed up her things and put them away in her bag. She stood from where she was sitting and headed out.

She went towards her car in the parking lot. She realized most people had left already and there were only a few cars left.

She was searching for the car keys in her bags when she felt something next to her.

"Don't scream,"the deep voice said and she turned to the person next to her and there was a gun to her face.

Her bags fell from her hands and she immediately started to tremble. She had never experienced any of that before and had only ever heard it on the news or something.

"What do you want?" Her voice shook and she didn't know when she didn't know what to do.

"I will give you everything you want. Is it money?" She asked. Her voice still trembling.

"Hey you," Krystal heard another voice close to then. She couldn't look anywhere both down. She heard a gun shot and she immediately went down and closed her eyes and ears.

There was some kicking and fighting and shots but she didn't look up not once. There was finally a bit of silence and she felt a hand pick her up from the ground.

She wondered what was happening and when she heard her name being called. She realized it was someone familiar and that was when she opened her eyes.

It was Collins. She pulled him in for a tight hug. Her eyes bawling with tears. The tears came running down as she held onto him tightly for minutes.

She didn't want to let him go. After a few seconds she calmed down and she let go of him from the hug.

Collins saw that she was still in shock and didn't say anything. Krystal couldn't say a word.

"Let me take you home," Collins suggested and helped her towards his car.

She picked her bag and got inside.

Krystal still was in shock and couldn't get over what had just happened.

After several minutes, Collins arrived at Krystal's house.

Andrew had been wondering why Krystal wasn't home yet and had even tried calling several times.

After they got to Krystal's home. Collins helped her down and they both walked towards the door.

Andrew noticed someone was with Krystal and had immediately stopped what he was doing and rushed towards the door.

"What's going on?" Andrew asked, confused on what Collins was doing in his house.

Krystal still stood unable to say a word.

Collins explained all that happened while Krystal walked into the house.

"Thank you very much man," Andrew said and bro hugged Collins.

"It's nothing really," he said.

Andrew immediately went over to where Krystal was staying and pulled her in for a hug.

"Are you okay?" He said wondering how she must have been feeling.

"He came out of nowhere. I was very scared," Krystal said as her words broke.

Tears trickled down her cheeks.

"You're trembling," Andrew said.

"I am here now, you will be fine. I am sorry I wasn't there when it happened," he said.

She wanted to remain in his embrace. She felt safe. Like everything in the world was suddenly good again. She had never felt so safe in an embrace before.

Collins went back to his car and before he started to drive, he brought out his phone.

"I will send your balance to you now and never let me see you around again."