28. My mission as at now is to get back the love of my life.

Andre's POV

I've lost myself bit by bit staying away from Ann like she asked me to these past months. I'm worse now more than how I was before she came into my life. I've lost weight since I'm slaving myself to nothing but work.

I don't even have appetite for food or the desire to work on my appearance. My hair has gotten longer and I now spot a beard. The revenge I took on the media company of making sure they lose their ratings, popularity, credibility in their line of business and finally collapse of their company wasn't able to remove this rage I have buried firmly in my heart.

The once good and nice boss is gone, I'm now a mean and grumpy boss. Shouting and venting my anger on our employees, it's a miracle most haven't resigned. I've heard their numerous complaints of me being difficult to work with and hard to please now.

I don't know what to do now, I feel like I'm a lost case. My only drug and solution is Ann but she has asked me to stay away from her. I respect her decision. I've caused her enough pain to leave her alone.

However, I have employed the services of one of the best detectives in New York who happens to be a long time friend of mine to keep tabs on Ann for me. I can't be around to protect her, ensuring her security gives me some peace of mind. I know nothing bad will befall get under Ramirez's eagle eyes.

His daily updates are so far good. She's gone back to being her old self, home to school and sometimes to the salon and restaurant or the movies. Nothing out of the ordinary and what I love most about it is, my Ann hasn't found a new love interest.

It's kinda promising and has given me hope if I am to try harder, I'll get back my Ann. I explained the whole issue to my parents and even Adaline confirmed it. She was supposed to be in Africa helping the less privileged in Central African Republic but happened to be in France the week I went there to oversee some projects.

This is what Ann and the rest of the world don't know. In these past months, I've tried my possible best to talk to Ann and explain it to her. It's yielded nothing, I've called her with different numbers and every time, she yells at me and blocks me.

Initially I got disappointed and angry but as time went on I decided to give her the space she craves and so far it's been good. I'm happy seeing her smile and being happy though it's hurt I'm not sharing in her happiness yeah.

I've not given up, no way. I'm only waiting for an opportune time to talk to her. I'll go to her school and wait till she's done with lectures for the day and force her to listen to me.

I'm done waiting for her in the dark, if persuasion fails, force is applied. If she listens to my explanations and still doesn't want anything to do with me, I'll be mad but I'll leave her alone. If you truly love someone you respect their decision no matter how hard and hurting it is.

The door to my office opened gently. Mother entered with smiles on her face. I quickly put back the little framed picture of Ann on my table and put on a smiley face. I've been giving them the impression that I'm alright and I'm happy as long as Ann is happy. "Hello Mother."

"Son, how you doing?" She asked sitting down in front of me.

"I'm fine but what are you doing here?" I'm wondering what urgent issue has brought her here. She hardly comes to this part of the conglomerate unless it's something of importance that needs serious discussion.

Mother put on a pained face, "can't a mother visit her son when she wants?"

"No mother I didn't mean for me to sound like that, you hardly come here unless its something important." I explained in the nicest way for my words not to hurt her.

"I came to take you out to lunch, mummy son time."

That last thing I want right now is to sit with my mum at lunch. Don't get me wrong but she's going to talk about Ann and it hurts. I can't and I don't want to hurt mother either. What do I do? "Okay but I'm busy right now."

"You and I know you aren't busy, I saw you staring at that picture of Ann over there when I came in. You just don't want to go because I'll definitely talk about Ann, I can see through you son." She told me shaking her head and smiling broadly at me.

"Alright mother you caught me, correct, can we go now?" I asked laughing, she definitely has seen through my lie. I am done with the office work for today, it's just, I want to be left alone with my thoughts.

"Yeah, lead the way." She got up from her seat and so did I. I took her hands in mine and led us out of my room to the private elevator.

"Are we taking my car or yours?" I asked mother who was smiling and waving hands and greeting as we passed by some of the workers on our way.

"Yours, I'll tell Frank to take my car home, your dad wants to talk to you afterwards."

"Okay." I unlocked my car and opened the door for my mother before going to my side and driving off. "Where are we going for lunch?"

"Home." She simply stated.

"Uhm alright." I hesitated a bit before saying. Why are we going to eat lunch at home, in the presence of that scum. There are a lot of restaurants here in Manhattan where mother and I can get the privacy we want for our conversations. Our family house now holds memories of Ann and I, it's painful going there. The memories come out alive anytime I visit my parents.

"Do you have a problem with it?"

"No I'm cool." I flashed her a smile to back my reply. I think there's more to this lunch than it meets the eye. Mother has something in store for me. Her curt answer tells me there's something she's hiding from me.

I like surprising people but I hate being surprised. It throws me off guard and I might disgrace myself, just saying.

I steal occasional glances at mother. She's busy sitting typing away on her phone. I am trying to strain my eyes to see who's texting, it's as if she's making sure of an arrangement she has with someone. If it's about the lunch, there's no need. It's not like I'll eat the food, I don't have appetite for anything. I only agreed to this lunch for the sake of her. I know how she's trying her to make me happy, the least I can do is to agree to whatever she wants.

I waved a hand at the security guard at his post, "I'll see you before I leave." There are vacancies for security guards at the new hotel in France and the one over here is from the best security guard agency in New York. I want him to head to France for the time being, we would employ others later.

Mother and I unbuckled our seats belts and got out of the car. I open the door for us and look around the house, nothing much has changed these three months I last visited.

We took the flight of stairs, meeting father at the family balcony. The very same I found Ann and Achille on the dinner night. He wasn't alone. He was with people I've not talked to since the media incident, Aunt Bertha, Carmen and Uncle Richard. El and Ann were no where I sight. I guess they're at school.

"Hello." I greeted them shortly and sat down. We might not be on good terms but that doesn't mean, I should be rude to them. They haven't wronged me, neither have I wronged them. It's some stupid lies that have strained our once cordial relationship.

"We finally meet." Uncle Richard said in a stern and bored voice like he doesn't want to be here. His wife nudges him in the ribs, whispering to him to behalf himself.

I fiddle with my fingers looking everywhere but them. Uncle Richard is a cool and jovial man but when he's pissed, not even hell can contain his fury.I'm having an uneasy feeling, this lunch is going to be something else.

Aunt Bertha cleared her throat. She decided to do the talking. I'm the happiest right now, I don't want to cross Uncle Richard. I'm not at fault yeah but his demeanor right now got me shuddering. "Andre first of all, I believe you know we love you as our son right?"

I nodded my head, I consider them my family too.

"We love you just like we love El and Ann and if your loved one does something bad, you don't punish him or take a decision without listening to his side, even in this world there are two sides to everything. We're here right now as a family to ask you to tell us what exactly happened and if we can do something to help both you and Ann. We see and know you both are hurting, we are hurting too you being happy makes us happy and you being sad makes us too. We want to sort this whole issue and put it behind us and move forward."

"We didn't come earlier because we didn't want Ann to feel like we're taking your side and betraying her as a family. She's hurting every single day, and you're hurting too,we can't sit an watch you both torture yourselves based on what the media said." Carmen added.

Mother looked at me and nodded my head to tell her the truth. I took a deep breath, "I appreciate you coming here but I think it's too late. Ann and I can never go back to being who we were, she has told me several times. I am pained right now, she didn't believe me but chose to believe what the media said—"

"My dear I hate to interrupt but, you also sent her an sms, breaking up with her. It's not just what the media said, you're at fault as well."

Sms? " I don't know about any sms, I lost my phone on the day I went to Eiffel Tower with Adaline. She was the lady in the photo the media circulated, I believe you all know how Adaline and I decided to leave the limelight after the incident of the drug case came out in which I was found innocent."

They nodded their heads. "She with my help set up an NGO in Africa which is aimed at helping poverty ridden and food deprived children and adults as a whole. Adaline happened to be in France the time I also was there and it's been a long time we met in person so she dragged me to go with her to the Tower and your around France."

"Was she also in your suite of the hotel?" Aunt Bertha creased her brows asking me.

"Yes, it was all coincidental."

"So she was the lady Ann was talking about."

"What do you mean?" Adaline never told me about knowing her.

"She told us she couldn't reach you on your number and decided to call the landline in your room but a lady picked up telling her you were taking your bath."

"She was in France before I went and had only four days left so we decided to make the most of it, we both didn't know when we were going to see each other again so she was mostly at mine."

"I see." Uncle Richard nodded, he looked relaxed and wasn't being scary and stern like before.

"So back to what I was saying, she disguised and covered herself when we went to the Tower. I had nothing to hide so I was my normal self, that's where the paparazzi recognized me and took those pictures, spreading those lies which has resulted in Ann and I splitting up."

Aunt Bertha and Carmen face palmed and nodded their heads, realization hitting them. They now know everything was a lie. Aunt Bertha stood up from her seat, coming to mine. She rested her hand on my shoulder. "Andre we're so sorry we didn't believe me. We saw what Ann went through, we couldn't just—"

I know interrupting an elderly person when they're taking is rude yet I had to cut her off. I would have done the same if Adaline was in Ann's situation, "no need to apologize, we're humans. We're bound to make decisions based on our emotions."

"We're sorry truly sorry Andre and poor Ann, she has been in the dark all this while. Believing in a lie and losing the love of her life." Carmen muttered to herself. She held my hand, resting it on her head, "Andre, my boy, promise me you won't give up on her. Promise me you'll explain things to her and make up it with her. You two are a match made in heaven to split up forever, please son, please." She got on her knees, pleading with me.

I helped her up from the floor to her seat, "no Carmen, no need to beg. I've tried my best in getting her to listen to me but they all failed. I haven't given up on her yet, I'm giving her space."

"No son, she doesn't need the space you're giving her, she needs you, she needs her life and that's you. We saw what she went through, she's not the Ann we used to know. Andre please go get you love. Go!" Carmen ordered me in a pleading yet stern voice.

"But—"

"We aren't listening to any buts, talk to us when get back Ann, now go." Mother dismissed me from the balcony.

I am confused I don't know if I should call her or not. An idea comes into my mind. I take my phone from my pocket and dial a number I've called too many times these months, "Ramirez, where is Ann now?"

I listen impatiently to what he is telling me on the other side. "Okay, thank you." I hang up, rushing down the stairs and out of the house.

I bumped into Achille at the door. "What's with the rush? Your ex finally gotta new boyfriend?"

I did hear him but chose to ignore him. Now isn't the time to exchange words with Achille.My mission as at now is to get back the love of my life.

🤞🏻fingers crossed🤸🏽‍♀️❤️, Can Drey get back the love of his life?