Take Me As I Am

CHAPTER 1: YOU BROKE MY PHONE

“How is the marriage thing taking you? Any progress?” Ivy asked patting her stomach slowly as her eyes were glued on Chloe’s face ready to read any expression.

“Mmh!” Chloe made a mad gesture before smiling. “Is it not the same thing? Am just happy you’re carrying little miss President!”

“What does that mean?” Ivy narrowed her eyes. “You know how sister in law values you?”

Chloe chuckled and didn’t say anything, just kept sipping her drink slowly. “You know what? Am thinking of getting a divorce.”

“God forbid!” Ivy glared at her for a long time. “How could you say such a thing? You’ve only been married for six months. Besides, Dad's birthday is soon arriving. Why don’t you guys be serious?”

“Why don’t you talk to him instead?” Chloe pouted.

Ivy shuddered looking at the straight back of Karl Rowan from the translucent glass wall. He was definitely unapproachable and she too wondered how Chloe managed to stay with him peacefully for the last six months. But is it not that everyone minds their own business?

Karson, the people’s president is cold, but Karl is a stone statue on his own.

“We need to go now!” the president flashed a smile to his sister in law before holding his wife's hand. “Sister in law, I hope you and brother stays well and...”

“Will you just help me up?” Ivy glared at the president.

Chloe almost laughed at this lovely couple. Karson always forgot about his wife's existence probably because he dealt with the issues of the people too much. Like sticking a hot nail in her butt, the president went ahead and kissed his wife lightly on the cheek.

Chloe looked at Karl and their eyes met. It was a staring competition until the president cleared his throat.

“umm... you should visit more often!” Chloe smiled while thinking, not with this kind of drama.’

Ivy flashed a captivating smile before tagging closely at Karl. Karl didn’t say anything, like sending his brother off will deprive him of his breath. He simply stood there and didn’t say anything until the couple left. Chloe turned to him and her face had changed from the sweet girl next door to a gloomy one. She glared at Karl who had settled on the couch for a while.

Then she grabbed her phone and dialled a number. The call went through.

“Leo... Media work is really not giving you space to invite me out for meals recently!” Chloe laughed over the phone and didn’t care about Karl who was practically glaring at her.

“Am sorry Chloe... I’ll be inviting you out soon. You know how tedious media work could be!” the journalist complained.

“My bad Leo!” Chloe chuckled before pausing. “I have some news I want you to cover, about some big personality. Am sure this would fetch you enough money to share with me. I know you guys love coloured envelopes!” Chloe said as a matter of fact.

“Of course. Anything for you. Journalism isn’t an easy profession!” Leo laughed from the other side.

“There is a divorce involving a big personality...” before Chloe could finish, the phone was slapped off by Karl.

“Who are you talking to?” Karl asked in that cold voice of his.

“My friend, a journalist. I want him to come and cover the story of our divorce which is about to happen!” Chloe replied back before she realised her phone had cracked and couldn’t be used anymore.

“You!” her tiny fists now landed on the majestic man standing before her. “Its been six months and you haven’t even bought me anything! What do you think you just did? Broke my phone? Karl! I’ll kill you today!” Chloe kept hitting.

To Karl, this was like someone caressing him. In fact, it was the first time Chloe had been that close and even touched him. He really didn’t know how he should handle and lady throwing a tantrum.

Karl took out a card and stuffed it in her palm before taking a step back. Chloe hadn’t processed what was happening and him stepping back created a distance between them. Chloe was still swinging her fist and that caught her off guard. The momentum and her little strength she had exerted on that one swing caused her to loose her stand and she fell at his feet.

She didn’t have face to stand up and thus pretended not to have the energy to wake up.

She felt a warm touch and was pulled up in one swift move. But the slow motion in movies where they had to look at each other, smile and kiss didn’t happen. Instead, the moment she was on her feet, she was on her own!

“Am serious about this!” Chloe became serious after what she was looking forward to didn’t happen.

“What?” Karl looked at him from a different angle which showed she was annoying him.

“What about we just divorce? Am seriously not going to put on a show for anyone. You know what, just tell your father directly that this marriage isn’t working. We did look like some sweet couples when we go over, but look at us now!” Chloe looked at Karl who didn’t say anything. “Or else I’ll start going out with anyone who shows a the abilities of being my husband so I could start preparing for a my new marriage!”

Karl's face darkened as he glared at Chloe, digesting the words that came out of her mouth. So all this while she had this idea of walking out of this marriage and entering a new marriage? Although Chloe wasn’t the party animal, she did have male friends. Was she eyeing someone already?

Thinking of this, the air seemed to freeze and the pressure around Karl was on another level.

“And you broke my phone! What I want right now, is a new phone. How am I supposed to meet my husband if I don’t have a phone!” Chloe added insult to injury.

Karl reached out with hiding hand and before Chloe realised what was happening, she was standing before him, his scent sweeping on her entire face. She really felt on the clouds just being able to provocative this stone man, and now standing next to him was giving her this warm feeling in her stomach.

“Say that in my face!” alarm said slowly but his voice send shivers down her spine. “You know you broke my phone, of course I need a new one!” She replied timidly like a puppy trying to earn favours.

CHAPTER 2: CAN YOU SIT LIKE A LADY

“Just that?”

“mmh!” Chloe nodded quickly like her whole life depended on it.

“Didn’t you say you wanted a divorce?” Karl asked again.

“How can I? You know who's keeping me here!” Chloe replied looking up at him.

His dad of course! The fact that Chloe was still staying with him was because of his dad. Today, the reality wasn’t that good on him. So she isn’t staying here because of me!

Karl looked gloomy as he stepped aside and started walking away.

“Am serious about the phone! You haven’t bought me anything since I came so spending a few thousands on a phone your broke won’t drain your bank!” Chloe said loud enough for him to hear.

And then she went ahead to mutter to herself, “After all I didn’t ask him to do that... Ooh, that is like compensation so I won’t count it as my husband buying me a new phone!”

After Karl left, Chloe was on her own, no phone, no one to chat with. But was few hours