Garrett relax back on the couch, he look up his ceiling like he was counting them.
"How was today?" Malta asked taking a seat next to him.
Garrett look away from the ceiling and face Malta replying with a grin.
"Quite bloody, the court doesn't seem to want to spare me this days"
"My father want me to bring you to his project launch next week do you mind being there?"Malta asked Garrett.
Garrett only smiled in-between his teeth not really replying.He got up his seat and made his way upstairs where's room's located.
~Unique mansion~
A loud honk was heard the next morning which jolted Unique awake from her warm bed, she rub her eye lid to get rid of the blurry image.
'Who is the nuisance up so early disturbing the neighborhood' Unique thought to herself as she got up her bed to look out the window.
Her skinny legs on the marble floor, she pull the curtain to the side and peer out the window to see her her Aunt car outside the house.
She sigh knowing what she was in for so early in the morning.
Unique was quick to freshen up and change, she walk down the stairs to see Sophie already attending to her aunt. Her aunt look up from the coffee mug she had place on her lips and smile.
"Oh there you are dear, I was just about to tell Sophie to get you. Come sit next to me".
Unique walk in fully into the living room, she saw a male who was seated on the other couch, he also had a coffee mug in front of him.
As Unique step closer to sit with her aunt, she could see Sophie frowning from the corner of her eyes.
After taking her seat, Mrs merrily Unique aunt dropped her cup on the coffee table in front of her and took Unique hand into her's.
"My dear niece, I Know you must be wondering who the gentleman is, Unique nodded, she had never seen the male before even in the business circle. But first let me introduce you both, Her aunt stretch her hand to the guy saying. Met Andrew he's the son of a famous business man in Texas am sure you have heard about Rodriguez".
Unique shook her head, she really hasn't heard about him, but she politely greeted the male anyway, it will be rude not to.
"Am Unique Salvador, am sure my aunt has told you about me"
The guy didn't bother smiling back at Unique he simply went straight to the point, after adjusting his neck tie.
"Of course she has and my family has approved of our marriage, my visit here today is to get to know my wife to be better" Andrew said to unique.
Unique stared surprised not at the fixed marriage but at the guy straight forwardness.
"Um sorry but whose marriage, surely you wouldn't be discussing Aliyah marriage with me right?"
The guy looked at Mrs Merrily who returned a nervous smile to him.
"Ahhh ...Unique dear you are quite forgetful, haven't I informed you of the marriage proposal, or has Your maid said nothing to you?" Mrs Merrily glared at Sophie who was busying herself mobbing an already cleaned floor.
"I thought that was another joke of yours aunty, you didn't call me directly to inform me of the said marriage" Unique said to her aunt.
Mrs Merrily avoided the man daggers which was directly to her back, she pulled Unique up making an excuse and Exit with her.
Mrs Merrily was quick to pull Unique to the side at the hallway, unique feign innocence while looking at her aunt.
"What are you doing?" Mrs Merrily asked Unique who replied with a confused face.
"What am I doing?"
"Don't Embarrass me like this Unique, it was hard getting Andrews here, he's a man of great morals and uprightness. His family brought a proposal to us which was something you wouldn't get everyday"
"I never asked to be married off and considering how I wasn't informed of a marriage I was supposed to be apart of" Unique said to her aunt.
"Am doing this for you dear, am considering your health no man wish to marry someone sickly and unable to satisfy him."
Mrs Merrily rant not stopping to see she just hurt Unique feeling. Unique had been battling with immunodeficiency disorder since when she was born and it hasn't been easy for her growing up.
Unique look away she knew what her aunt was trying to do, to make her feel guilty and make her accept her ridiculous offer.
"Am not getting married to someone I barely know, you are not changing my mind on this aunt" Unique said to her, Mrs Merrily fumed.
Unique careless about her aunt anger, marriage wasn't a childs joke it was a life time decision, she wasn't sacrificing her remaining happiness for a sily request.
"Alright I won't force you, but can you please just try knowing the guy, if you don't like him then I will cancel the marriage myself."
The aunt said, Unique stare at her for a moment, she knew her aunt wasn't one to give up easily but she could do this for her. Unique nodded in agreement.
A smile spread on Mrs Merrily lips, she hugged Unique in excitement saying.
"Shall we go back out we have a lot to discuss.
*****
Garrett came down his luxurious Benz and made his way into the restaurant where he was meeting with a court official for work.
The waitress led him to the back where a female was seated in a red knee length body hug gown. Her lips was adored with a glossy red lipstick, and in her hands she held up a wine glass filled with a red content which she sip from.
She smiled seeing Garrett take a seat in front of her, she dropped the glass back on the table as a grin played on her face.
"What ridiculous place have you brought me to this time Ambrosia " Garrett said to the lady he addressed as Ambrosia.
"Always get your nerves pulled each time hmmm...." Ambrosia replied, she sat up as their meal was served.
On the dining was a plate of steaks, Garrett stab the table knife into it and cut out a piece before using a fork to take it to his mouth.
"How's Hartlepool town, Haven't been there in a while?" Garrett asked, Ambrosia simply shrug cutting into her steak.
"Same as always, nothing much to see same old noble sons coming to see a fine lady in the fisher mansion " Ambrosia said.
Garrett chuckle adding.
"Am sure your mother has something in plan".
"Oh don't remind me of the man she brought in last week, he was a mama boy utterly useless, to find a capable man is stressful this days."
"If you are still going after court official?"
"Lord Nolan is a good catch but the man is just way too focus in keeping the community peaceful, how kind of him". Ambrosia said her sarcasm obviously.
She was a lady of high class and most of the noble ladies don't really liked her company as she has no filter, she was use to downgrading everyone and going straight to the point, Which made her a perfect fit as Garrett friend as both were almost birds of the Same feather.
The door to the restaurant opened and Unique walk in with Andrew behind her, she was talked into going out on a date with Andrews by her aunt.
"Follow me please" the waitress directed them.
They both settled down at the back where another couple was seated.
"What would you like to order?"
"The specialty please" Andrew said, he didn't bother asking Unique, the waitress made her way away.
"So How is everything, I heard your father is also involved in the business world, do you find it challenging".
"Not at all, it's not something a woman in my family talks about, rather you should start getting yourself accustomed to talking about taking care of your husband and his family"
Unique stare blankly at him not sure how to reply him, there was no way he was planning to teach her how to behave and what to say.
Unique said nothing else till the waitress brought their meal, the entire table was filled with food which was unhealthy for Unique health, she usually feed on vegetables and there was nothing veggies on the table.
Unique excused herself to the restroom, and from the corner Garrett watched the whole scene with a poker face while Ambrosia enjoyed her meal.
Unique stood before the mirror after rinsing her face, she was exhausted from the little journey she made from home to the restaurant, she didn't want to be a nuisance by not acknowledging Andrew, but the man seemed to be a nuisance on his own.
A lady walk into the washroom her hair down, she walk towards the sink where Unique stood and opened the faucet to rinse her hand. Unique could see from the corner of her eyes redness the water was becoming, every wash the lady make blood sink in to the sink.
Unique looked at the lady through the mirror not catching her face, the woman hair was all over.
"Are you.... okay, do you need help?"
Unique asked the woman who was vigorously Washing her hands Unique was sure she was going to start bleeding from the palm if she wasn't already.
The lady movement stop, slowly she look up the mirror at Unique. Unique held back a scream, the lady eyes was big and slanted like a cat, her teeth were sharp and jagged, her nose was almost not there, she looked so weird it scares Unique.
Unique made a movement to off her running faucet not wanting to show her running mind and almost shaky finger, the lady turn to look at Unique this time not through the mirror, but somehow she looked normal not like how she looked through the mirror.
She smiled at Unique and replied.
"Perfect, I spilled sauce on my cloth by mistake and got it all over me, had to wash it off as it was getting sticky and uncomfortable" she tried to explain, Unique only nodded not buying that.
Whatever she was washing looked like blood, and wherever she got it from Unique was not ready to know.
"Alright please take your time, lady needs to be modest, I will take my leave now", Unique said with a smile before taking her leave from the washroom, the lady stare after her until Unique was out the door.
After closing the door behind her Unique Sigh in relief,She was leaving the damn restaurant the next minute.
As she walk through the hallway leading back to the restaurant she bump into someone she didn't expect to meet.
She look up at the tall man whose air was partly brush back from his face, he look down at her with a raise brow seeing as she was sweating despite the AC on and despite her just rinsing her face. Her heart was beating ten times faster than normal.
"Won't your heart explode from too much pumping, I can feel your blood pursing through your veins very fast"
Garrett said holding her up, her legs had become jelly and too weak to stand on their own.
Unique move away and tried balancing her self in which Garrett allowed her to.
He watched with an amuse smile as she tried to look tough despite her delicate body that could break from a little shaking.
"Am fine" her voice came out straight and not shaky.
I thought you were desperately seeking for my attention, you have given up so soon?"
"No I haven't " Unique denied glaring up at him, she hated his ego.
"Oh I see, but it seems you have replaced me with some one else, but although I must say he doesn't reach half my normal standard, and I thought you had high taste in men am disappointed " Garrett said.
Unique stare at him confused for a while, before it clicked in that he was referring to Andrews.
"Of course not, it just a date my aunt forced on me, the man is so full of himself but I think you are worst than him, overly confident " Unique said and Garrett raised his brow at that before chuckling.
"Is that a compliment, sounds quite good, I like it when my quality are stated it reminds me of my worth not that I don't know that already",
'Such narcissist' Unique thought to herself.
"You should go to your date you don't want to keep him waiting or let him see you talking to another man, cause I would blow a fuse in his stead".
Garrett said, Although Unique didn't want to go back to the man she came with, but she couldn't be irresponsible, she needed to be a good host, she returned to her seat and talk to Andrew about leaving which he scowl at..
"Where were you?" Ambrosia asked after Garrett took his seat, he simply smiled and replied.
"Taking care of a scrawny cat"
"There's a cat in the restaurant?" Ambrosia made a irritated face, Garrett said nothing else to calm her discomfort.
~Back at the Salvador mansion~
Unique laid asleep on the bed covered in her duvet, her bedside lamp was left on by her nanny who had make sure to tuck her in before retiring back to bed.
The window to Unique room flew open and a strong wind blew in through the balcony.
The bedside lamp turn off and a shadow stood rigidly on the balcony,
It made it way in her room, jagged teeth opening, long nails spread out, her slanted eyes staring at the one asleep on the bed.
She got closer to the bed and lean down , her long nails shoot around Unique neck as she got ready to press down.