"Jane?" Mikel called out quietly, wondering if the call had disconnected.
"I-- I need you here..." Jane's voice trembled on the other end. At her request, the line went silent from Mikel's end.
"Mikel, please don't hang up." Jane said urgently.
"I'm not hanging up." Mikel said, his voice was calm, but his face was etched with concern.
"Take a deep breath. I will be there soon." He finally said what she wanted to hear.
"Are you sure you can come? Won't your wife… stop you?" Jane asked, hesitantly. Mikel heaved a sigh before speaking up.
"Don't worry about Alexis. I will handle it. Just stay where you are. I'm on my way." Mikel reassured her.
"Okay… please hurry." Jane's voice cracked, and the call ended.
"I need to maintain composure... She can't suspect anything." Mikel thought as he closed his eyes for a moment, then straightened his tie before exiting the study.
Back at the living room, Alexis had moved to the dining room, believing her husband would be hungry.
She was seated at the table, while Ava, the chef set the table, the aroma of freshly cooked dinner filling the air.
"There you are! I thought I would have to drag you out of that study." Alexis said to Mikel, lightly, as he walked out of the study
"I'm sorry, love. I was caught up." Mikel said, managing a small smile.
"Well, dinner is ready. Come, let's eat." She gestured to the beautifully set table.
He approached her, and could no longer keep up the small smile.
"Alexis… there is something I need to tell you." He announced with urgency.
"What is it?" Alexis asked, her eyebrow furrowing.
"There has been… an incident at one of the companies." He paused, choosing his words carefully.
"A fire broke out at one of the warehouses." He said.
"A fire? Oh my God! Is everyone okay?" Alexis gasped.
"Thankfully, no one was hurt. But I need to go there. Now." Mikel said quickly.
Alexis jumped to her feet.
"I'm coming with you." She said firmly.
"No." Mikel said almost too sharply.
"There is no need for that. It is under control. I just need to assess the damage." He said gentler this time, after catching himself.
"But, Mikel, a fire… Are you sure it's safe for you to go alone?" Alexis asked with concern.
He reached out, placing his hands on her shoulders.
"I will be fine. Trust me." He told her.
"Are you sure?" Her eyes searched his, worryingly.
"I am. Stay here. I will be back soon." He assured her and kissed her forehead gently.
"Alright… But please be careful." Alexis whispered reluctantly.
"I will as always. Don't wait up for me." He told her.
With that, Mikel left in a hurry. Alexis stood by the door, watching until the elevator doors closed behind him.
A sense of unease she couldn't shake off was eating her up.
"Madam, shall I serve dinner now?" Ava asked, as she approached her cautiously.
"Not yet." Alexis shook her head, and picked up her phone.
Ava hesitated for a moment before speaking up.
"Madam, he just left. He wouldn't have reached the warehouse yet." The chef said gently.
Alexis sighed heavily.
"Am I that obvious?" She asked and placed back her phone on the table.
"A little. But Mr. Mikel always handles things well. Everything will be fine." Ava said, smiling gently.
"I hope so. I just… I hope it is nothing too serious." Alexis murmured.
"Why don't you eat something while you wait?" Ava suggested.
Alexis shook her head again.
"I can't. I'm too anxious."
Ava nodded in understanding and quietly retreated, leaving Alexis alone with her thoughts.
She glanced at her phone, tempted to call Mikel, but stopped herself.
"He said he would handle it…" She reminded herself. Yet, the unease lingered.
~~~~~~~~~~
At Jane's Apartment;
The door opened before Mikel could knock as if she had estimated the time he would arrive at the door.
Jane stood there, her eyes swollen and red from crying.
"Mikel…" Her voice broke as she stepped aside to let him in.
"Jane, what is going on? You sounded terrified." He inquired with urgency.
Jane wrapped her arms around herself, as if that would stop her body from trembling.
"I… I know we agreed not to call each other like this..." Jane began, her lips quivering. As she did, memory of that fateful day they met came crashing on Mikel.
*FLASHBACK*
Mikel had gone to a bar to relax after work and was sipping wine.
"Is this seat taken?" A confident, sultry voice cut through the noise, appearing before him.
He glanced up to see her—Jane. She was bold, striking, with eyes that held a spark of mischief.
"No, it's not." Mikel replied, taking another sip.
She took the seat beside him.
"You look like someone who needs a distraction." She pointed out confidently.
"I'm married." Mikel said, casually, but he didn't take his eyes off her.
"I'm not looking for a husband." Jane smirked.
He studied her for a moment.
"I'm not available for anything serious." He replied.
"I'm not asking for anything serious. Just something... Fun." She muttered, leaning in closer and Mikel could smell her intoxicating perfume intoxicating.
Mikel's resolve wavered, curiosity and temptation intertwining.
"No strings?" Mikel asked carefully, his resolve was wavering as temptation was slowly creeping in.
"Absolutely." Jane confirmed, lifting her glass to his in a silent toast.
That night, a deal was made—temporary, without complications. Or so they thought.
*END OF FLASHBACK*
Mikel snapped back to the present, his jaw tightening.
"Yes, we agreed. So why now? What happened?" He asked impatiently.
"Well, things didn't go as planned. But believe me, I didn't plan for this too. It is not my fault, Mikel." She maintained firmly as if it was just now she was sure of what she was saying.
"What do you mean? Can you just stop being cryptic and cut straight to the chase?" Mikel asked, his frown deepening.
"I'm pregnant!" Jane blurted out.
Mikel froze.
"Pregnant?" He repeated in disbelief.
"Yes... And it's yours." Jane nodded firmly.
Mikel staggered back slightly, his mind racing. The carefully constructed facade of his life was beginning to crack.