Bound To You

Chapter 1

Silence….

It was summer and the lawn was lush with verdure. All was green like an alien planet. But I had to admire it inwardly though as I walked into Derick’s apartment.

The atmosphere was a little bit tense. The kind of vibes that would make you uncomfortable and constantly churn through your belly as if a knife was constantly driven through it.

I tried as much as possible to walk around quietly in case he was having his afternoon nap so as not to interrupt his sleep.

He very hated his sleep being interrupted and he would make the most of his anger by endless nagging.

‘Hey. Who are you' My heart seemingly ceased when a feminine voice called from behind. I could see a lady and why was she on my shirt? My heart seemed to fail at that point. His threat was real.

She was the type of lady you would find in the crème De la crème magazine.

The type that would hit on your self-esteem whenever she was around.

Though I was distraught by her presence, I couldn’t help but admire how beautiful she was even though trouble was brewing.

“I'm his fiancé… who are you?” I swallowed hard my shock and asked her, eyeing her angrily. But she looked rather intrigued by my question.

Her eyes further lit up while she smirked. Her cold stare had gone and a sort of smile hovered, a smile more dangerous and sinister than the stare.

“ Baby mama,” she said with a naughty smirk on her face. Chills ran down my spine. I was mortified beyond words.

“ You’re his baby mama and not his fiancé” she said again, turned back to the counter indifferently and continued with what she was doing.

She dried her hands, looked up from her phone and walked slowly and menacingly towards me again with a smirk etched on the corner of her rosy lips.

“ You know, he told me so much about you…I’m Marisa” she stretched out her perfectly manicured hands towards me and was expecting me to give her a handshake.

“ You still haven't told me who you are, “ I said, trying to stand my grounds with a stern face, after all she was the intruder in my man’s house.

“ Phew…he didn’t add being dumb to the list of things he described you as” she smirked.

A sudden spasm of shock sent shivers bursting through my spine. Who the hell was this lady? “ Excuse me? What did you just say?” What lies must Derick have fed her with? I felt like a complete idiot.

“ Excuse me! You see a lady in a guy's kitchen, wearing his shirt in his kitchen and you're still asking me who I am? Are you that dumb? “ she had turned back to the counter again.

“ It's okay love, I’ll handle this thing” Derick intoned from the doorway, he grabbed the lady’s waist and kissed her passionately. He actually laughed even though it was a strained mess of a sound while he patted her ass.

At that, I felt open in the light of sudden revelation. I felt a stab in my heart. But I kept my cool, I promised not to let any of them see how much hurt I was right then. To my observation, he looked a bit relieved with a dose of pride.

“ you have to leave Lizzy, you’re causing a scene here.”

“ Derick, I’m causing a scene? “ I asked, why was he treating me this way? Was this some sort of joke?

“ yes you are” he said as he let go of Marisa and walked towards the door. He opened it and turned to face me. “ Lizzy please leave my house”

“ Derick? “

“ Leave now” he screamed, walking towards me angrily.

This made me gasp in shock, but he ignored me as his eyes remained on the woman .

I expected him to answer, but instead, they laughed -long and hard until tears were forming in their eyes.

" Crazy sure loves company." She beamed and twirled her hair in her hand.

When I slowly nodded, she giggled and lifted her arms up like a conductor ready to lead an orchestra.

"What a better way to prove your worth than by letting the world think you’re a little whore. After all, if you're nothing to fit in, you might as well enjoy standing out. "She smiled a hard, soulless and cold smile.

Her words shocked me, and yet they felt like the best words of advice I'd ever heard. I gathered the courage to speak before she could retract her ass from his groin.

I picked up my bag, trying not to let my tears spill, I needed to be strong. Thankfully enough, I was.

“Fine. I’ll leave” I managed to mumble between a growing whirlwind of emotions while gazing intently into his blue cold eyes. “ no need to shout please. I’ll leave.”

Marissa smiled triumphantly while she watched me being ordered out like a child.

Frozen, I walked out of his house and headed towards the elevator. I pressed the call button and waited for it to come up.

All this felt like a dream to me. It shattered my soul into a million unrecognizable pieces.

The elevator door opened and I immediately regretted why I didn’t take the stairs.

I just needed a few minutes for myself to think things through and if possible, think straight again. I walked into the elevator after so much hesitation, from shock and confusion.

A young man in a rather expensive-looking suit was standing by the side so I just moved to the other end trying as much as possible to remain calm and strong.

My mind drifted back to Derick. I remembered his reassuring statements years ago as he gazed intently into my eyes, intermittently snatching a couple of kisses.

We were young in love then because it was all that mattered. He promised to make things right between us, he said he would be there for my child and I, he gave me hope.

…

My name is Lizzy, I’m a 23 year old mother to a very beautiful child named Stormi. Yes, we named her after the famous celebrity’s child. She and Derick are my world or rather, due to the state of things, were my world. Well….. I love my man and we were about to start a family together you know. Our beautiful daughter Stormi made us grow a little bit apart but we quickly realized how stupid we were and made our love wax stronger.

Derick and I have been going on and off but a month ago, he came up to me and said that we had to make things work out for Stormi’s sake.

I was most delighted, I was happy that he finally saw the need to start the family we always wanted to have since we were kids.

We at least jumped back together and swam back from the wreck we made.

Derick and I grew up in the same neighborhood, we fell in love during my last year in college. He was my first love, my first everything, the man of my dreams but what came over him ever since he got a job at the biggest tech company as their accountant is what, even at this point, I can’t explain.

My first shock came when he began telling me that I did not belong to his class any more, he started seeing me as a despised thing.

But that didn’t change the fact that I was ecstatic beyond words when he came back again and explained we should start all over again with our 2 year old child.

But he never changed, the cheating and prevaricating man in him never altered. Where did I ever go wrong? Was I not good enough for him? Was I not beautiful enough?

“ Hey, come here” I heard a voice say to me as I turned over and saw the young man in the elevator.

“What?” I asked confused

“ err.., the power is out and you had tears in your eyes so I thought I could just let you cry if that would make you feel better’ he said.

He looked genuine. His hands were still stretched out. It doesn’t hurt right? Without even wanting to think. I walked over to him and wrapped my hands around his waist, inhaling the source of the cologne which wafted around the whole enclosure.

He pulled me closer to him and stroked my hair and with one hand he wrapped his free hands on my back. I felt safe. Why couldn't I feel this way with Derrick, where did I ever go wrong.

A lump settled on my throat and my breathing became haggard and kept coming in fast, convulsive gasps. I was trying so hard not to cry out and the damn elevator chose now to go off trapping me in here with a complete stranger.

He stroked my head gently in a rhythmical way so that he touched more chord with me“ you can let it out“ he said showing that he knew I really wanted to cry “ just cry it out love, it will help”

Tears rushed out like a fountain, I couldn't hold it any longer.. “ but where did I ever go wrong’

“ You'll be fine,” he replied, still running his soothing fingers across my hair.

“ I've tried my best to make things work between us but it's never been enough for him” I said, burying my head into the stranger's chest. “ can’t he just love me? Am I not beautiful enough”

My scattering continued until he lifted my face off his chest so that he could screw his eyes in discerning my visage once more in the darkness “ Who are you?. And what is wrong?’ he looked bemused by my rhetorical outbursts.

Why was I saying this? How did I even get here?

“ But even if he doesn’t want me anymore can’t he just accept his own child?”

The stranger used his thumb to wipe the tears that started rolling out of my eyes again. “ You are a beautiful, strong woman, I know we haven't met for long but seeing you break down this much because of a man doesn't want to be in your life hurts me so much. I don’t know what might have caused this issue between you and the father of your child but sometimes not everyone is meant to be in your life, they are just there to either break you or make you stronger, make or even mar you. If he doesn’t want to be in your life any longer then kick that into the long grass. Remember that you still have a kid who’s looking up to you” He let me go and pulled out his jacket spreading it on the floor

“ Let's sit,” he offered, holding my hands and helping me get to the floor of the elevator.

“ what’s your child’s name “

“ Stormi” He raised his eyebrow up in confusion

“ Stormi as in Stormi Kylie Jenner” he asked

“ yes” I said, wiping my nose with the last tissue from my purse .

“ That's a beautiful name,” he said. “ So what made “Him” leave you “

I contemplated telling this man I just met my life's issue but what was there to lose after all. We may never see each other again after today. “ Well, he claims he isn’t the father of my child,” I said and immediately his face darkened. Oh shit!

“ Why would he say that? “ He was fuming.

I adjusted my legs and folded them so I could get more comfortable “ he keeps saying the same thing, I'm just confused” I sobbed.

“ Have you got something to do? How are you going to take care of her? “ he asked, not taking away his gaze from me.

Sometimes it was just soothing to let it all out to anyone who cared to listen.

“ Stormi will be 2 by next week . I have my small business that I use in taking care of my bills. Just downtown before the canella.“ I answered “ I went to his house in hopes that we will talk about how Stormi’s birthday will be '' my voice had gone hoarse now.

“ So what really happened that you came down trying so hard not to cry? “ He asked, then pulling out his handkerchief from his pocket, he wiped my face with it. It was a gentle gesture and I liked it.

“ Saw a lady in his apartment in the shirt I bought for him just last week. She’s kinda model or something like that ” I answered trying hard not to start crying again before I scare the young man away

“ Then let him go '' he said angrily. “ If a man doesn’t want to be kept then he can’t be kept. If his primary attention is to lay all the women in bed and leave the woman who stood by him from his little beginnings then I’m sorry to say this but he is a coward. You’re beautiful and from your ordeals, you’re as well a devoted and dedicated woman”

I looked at the man before me and knew that for once someone has told the truth to me. He made me see my self in a way that I have never seen. I observed his features, sharp jaw bone and blue eyes and blonde curly hair. HE looked like someone in his Late 20s or maybe 30yrs old. Even in his shirt, he looked ripped, probably he has been working out every day of his life. He was definitely handsome… and fit. His suit looked expensive and for once I wondered who this man was and where he worked. From his attire looked like someone that was earning very well.

“ Can I ask you for something ‘ he said looking at me intensely. I wondered what this man would want from me.

“ go ahead “ I said , nodding weakly in his direction and mentally crossing my fingers that it should be something I can do.

“ I want to celebrate Stormi's birthday for her”

“ what?! you don’t even know me “ My head jerked from the wall as though I had been stung.

“ I don’t need to know you before I do something for you as long as you’re genuine enough. And she’s still a kid, she needs to have memories that she would look back and smile at. I did not have that opportunity, and I regret it till this day. getting the birthday party she deserves” he said, pleading for me to accept with his eyes, he then held my tiny hands in his massive palms “ please just let me do this for your child. Just this once“

He looked genuine but one wouldn’t go about trusting people simply because of corporal features or endearing sentiments, not even at this point that the was hazed with Derrick’s heartbreaking change

“ What's your name?” I heard myself ask.

“ Mark? ” he asked, looking down at me. His face was smooth with no spec of imperfection bumped into it.

“ I’m Elizabeth” I flushed tomato red from the intense stare Mark was giving me.

He pulled out an iPhone from his breast pocket. It was probably of the latest brand.

“ Let me have your number please“ he said, stretching it towards me. Everything was waxing like a dream, but I was damn tired to show the gratitude I owed to the unfolding prospect . I heard my phone ringing and I pulled it out from my hand bag.

“ that’s my number save it please”

I typed in his name and saved the number immediately. The lights in the elevator came up and it started rumbling, probably trying to kick start again. Mark jumped up immediately and stretched out his hands for me, I held it tight and pulled myself up coming face to face with his intense blue eyes.

Damn, they were captivating.

The elevator came to a stop and opened on the ground floor. He still held my hands and I tried wiggling out of his grip but he held my hands tighter.

He kept looking at me “ we are leaving this elevator now but I don’t want us to be strangers after this , try and pick up when I call you.”

“I will” I said, brushing out the last, minuscule balls of tears. We both walked out of the elevator and parted ways.

I wasn’t sure of what will happen after this strange meeting but I will not hold back. I’m taking everything that will be a product of it. I’m done being that girl.

Calm POV

I felt the kind of calmness that shouldn't be felt for a lady that just caught her boyfriend cheating on her with another lady.

I sat down in my office going through the designs I drew for the valentine collection -a fashion brand needed.

I was expecting myself to be crying my eyes out with a big box of tissues and curled up on my couch watching crime documentaries but I wasn’t feeling any sort of emotions at the moment. I wondered if it was a good thing that I was not grieving over Derick. Was I just being matured or did it have the words the stranger said to me or is it because of the stranger himself.

It wasn’t womanly of me to feel so comfortable with a stranger I just met? But I have always been cautious of everything I do , maybe this should be that one time I was gonna be reckless, perhaps because life chose to be reckless to me.

I swiped down on my iPad, trying as much as possible to concentrate but it wasn’t working, not wh