Forbidden Desires

"You don't have to pretend anymore, Devon... I already know what happened."

Those words sent an icy chill down Devon's spine, as if he had been poured cold water.

He had stood there, speechlessly. He reckoned. Not knowing whether to speak up and ask her to keep it a secret, or whether to remain silent, not saying anything at all.

At that time, he had been so engrossed in her beauty— possibly mystified by it, that he had stood there, staring at her like a naive fool who had just felt icy water on his face. Indeed, he was taken aback.

And as beads of sweats started to form on his forehead, the only response his brain could really come up with was... "Sorry, what?"

That was when she repeated it again.

"Yeah, you don't have to pretend anymore... after all, I already know what happened."

Devon couldn't help but reflect on that particular incident as he drove the black Mercedes-AMG he had also received as a birthday gift, through the night. And even now, he could still feel the efffects of those heart wrenching statements.

What did she mean by she knew what happened? Could it be that she knew about what had transpired between him and her brother. Devon had been lost in his own thoughts back then. She had left him in the state of speechlessness, with no way to defend himself.

It was events like this that made him develop hate for secrecy. He so much hated the ordeal.

Right there, at the ceremony. He felt like trapped rat when Anabelle mentioned that she knew about what happened out of the blue. It wasn't until he had questioned her— after almost giving himself out, that he had found out what truth she knew.

"I know you're well against the idea of getting married to me." She had said. "I also know you're being forced against your will."

She felt she had to say this at the time, seeing the way he was looking at her.

She felt this way because she had been home that night, with her family for an impromptu dinner arranged by both their parents and he was no where to be found.

She left smiling after saying all this to him of course, leaving him to drift away in his own thoughts. After the engagement ceremony she had left with her family, kissing him on both cheeks before she did.

It was during this period that he remembered the box he had received from Damian.

Filled with curiosity, Devon took off to his room, with the small box on one hand, leaving behind the glass of wine behind. On getting to the room, he took out another glass from the tray pan resting comfortably, on a table beside the large sofa there, and poured himself a reasonable portion of whiskey.

For a minute or two, he stood there contemplating whether to open the box or not, but after giving much thought to it he proceeded to open it up.

As he unwrapped the box, the familiar scent of Damian's cologne wafted up, transporting him back to memories he'd rather forget. And when he was done unwrapping it, he found a piece of paper in the box.

The paper inside was crisp, the address scribbled in hasty handwriting. Curious, he proceeded to open it.

Written on the piece of paper was an address— an address with a short note written below it:

Meet me at the above address, by 10pm or else...? I'll be waiting.

That was when he had hopped into his car, and drove out of the mansion.

"Meet me at the above address, by 10pm or else...?"

The words sent a shiver down his spine, a mix of anticipation and dread swirling in his stomach like a tempest. The weight of the message settling heavy in his chest, as he drove through the night, the dashboard

The clock on the dashboard glared at him, it's lights casting an eerie glow on his face as it's digital display taunted him with the relentless march of time.

9:47 pm.

Thirteen minutes left. He thought. His mind racing, he floored it, the engine's roar a stark contrast to the silence that had preceded it, devouring the distance.

The address on the piece of paper seemed to burn a hole in his pocket, it's cryptic message fueling his curiosity and anxiety. What did he mean by 'or else'?

Was this a threat or a warning? He pondered.

Surely, the answers to this questions awaited him at his destination.