chapter 21

Flashback continues.That day Aliza did not pick up any of the calls of Charles after getting to her quarter. Charles went very busy. Meetings lined up one after another that he couldn't go and see his fiancee. He was very anxious on what happened to Aliza. She wouldn't pick up his calls or even answer his messages.At night eleven there was a knock at the door of her quarter. Aliza knew who the person was and though she had no intention to see she had no chance to avoid him. She signed the contract and cannot quit the company failing which she had to render a massive amount as penalty to the firm. Within a fortnight there is huge wall built between them accompanied by immense damage in their relationship. How could she go cheated so ruinous in her life? Marrying a mafia leader....what would be the fate of her and her unborn children? How long would she survive with a constant churning in her heart of their children's lives always in danger? How could she live happily with a husband who is murderer, a killer, a wanted nation criminal who could easily do away the lives of someone's husband, someone's father or a brother? With millions of thoughts making chaos in her mind Aliza slowly walks to the door to open it.  Charles stopped at the entrance and without saying a word  immediately lifted his hand to the forehead of Aliza.  He checked her temperature putting his fingers between her eyebrows while holding her protective in his other arm that went around her waist. After he confirms about Aliza with no fever he exhaled a huge sigh looking down at her and immediately smooched her lips.His tongue marched inside her mouth like it was his claim. It went around every nook and corner of her soft palate. The kiss was soft and moist, hot and breathy not trying to win a battle but seeking union, closeness in sharing one breathe and a timeless passionate moment. Charles's touches were possessive, electric and delicious roaming Aliza's entire body in peaks and valleys while he kisses her slow and passionate. "Do not try to ever avoid my calls or messages." He spoke breathy and pushed the hairs out of her face tugging them behind her ear. "I was so worried about you." He spoke soft pecking her forehead and hugs her tightly to his body.Aliza could feel his manhood poking inside her. She felt instantly hot and bothered but controlled her senses. Looking ahead to nothing in particular something strikes inside Charles's head. Moving just a little away he cups Aliza's cheeks in his warm hands and asks her in suspicion. "Did Fredrick or Stella call you and speak some nonsense?" Aliza immediately nodded negative and he continued to contemplate further peering ahead. He brought his eyes back to Aliza in question. "Did someone in the office speak to you wrongly?" Aliza shook and replied to Charles. "I'm fine. It is just that I'm feeling off today."This time his features relaxed to a tranquilized chuckle. "I can make out with your mood swings. Its premenstrual syndrome. Isn't it?" He runs his hands through the length of her hair. "Edith often used to have this problem. She used to suddenly go off on some days and mama used to calm all of us that it was nothing but a ladies problem. After a few cycles all of us understood the real reason and we used to pacify her with chocolates and her favorite butter scotch pastries." Charles chortles in recollection shaking his head. "Poor Sandro, now might be dealing a tough job in handling her every month."Playing with her tendrils he arrests his gaze to her eyes. "You can share with me anything Liza, do not hesitate. I am here to solve all your problems. Should I massage your feet? Is it paining you very much?" Charles asks her worried pointing to her legs. "Enough of torture you bore in your past life, now only happy days are ahead. I will see to it that those rims are always spread in a beautiful smile." He points to her with his eyes and caresses her cheek. "Call me if you need anything or if you are feeling low. I do not mind even if I have to wake up at the middle of the night. I am habituated in dealing such kind of things with my sister." He winks and goes promptly serious. "The only thing I require in this world is happiness in your eyes." He kisses her cheek and walks to the door but abruptly turns back. He stares at her for two more seconds in longing and then closes the door behind him.Oh God why is this so torturous? Why can't I avoid him? Why does it pain me when he is sad? Aliza couldn't restrict her emotions.The next day morning during the lunch Aliza met Larry along with Charla. He told Aliza about his upcoming projects and his intention to help the disabled, orphaned girls in the form of donations with the profits earned. A spark of happiness ignited the insides of Aliza with the words of Larry. There are many girls like her who suffer in this world because of lack of economic resources. She wanted to do something to such people taking the help of Larry. Both of them exchanged numbers and promised to keep in touch with each other as the next day Larry was leaving to his city.With the course of time Larry and Aliza's relationship grew and a simple acquaintance turned to a very strong friendship. On the other side the distance between Charles and Aliza grew. Charles was in agony unable to find out the problem of his fiancee. Aliza avoided him to the fullest and only talked when it was work related. Charles though was breaking more and more with each passing day, he wanted to give Aliza the time to recover herself. He was not one among those males who would impose their likes and restrictions on their woman.As the days passed Aliza started to feel sick. She suffered frequent nausea and vomitings in the mornings and sometimes the sickness prevailed till afternoon. But she did not wish to share any of her problems with Charles. He asked her many times to stay with him and the house now belongs to both of them but the wall between them had already grown too long about which Charles had no idea. He wanted to give the best in the world to Aliza. Little did he realize she was too far gone. Aliza shared her health issue with Charla and she suggested to accompany her to the doctor the next day morning. The same day evening Aliza got a call from Larry. Unlike the previous times, he sounded agitated. He requested Aliza to steal from Charles the quotation of dock supplies and lend it to him to save his company. In return of her favour Larry promised Aliza to donate a part of the profit from the deal to sick and the disabled children's orphanages.Aliza felt a fellow feeling for the displaced children. Last week she visited the nearby orphanage after the Sunday mass in the church. Aliza concluded the money earned by Charles was nothing but blood money. He killed people and did many such activities through which he earned the money. The company he was running was just a charade to cover his black market business and there was nothing wrong to thieve from him for the sake of completing a good deed. On the other side Charles knew there was something wrong happening in Aliza's life but he did not want to spy on her. There were frequent phone calls to her number in the evening after work though she did not speak or visit someone new inside or outside the office except Charla and her son.Charles was waiting for Aliza to open up to him but now he understands there was no hope. He wanted to take his step forward in knowing the adversity about his fiancee. Mornings he was too busy and had no time to allot to his personal matters. So the next Sunday he decides to invite Charla to his home for lunch and find out what's dark going on with Aliza but unfortunately he was too late for the reformative step.Aliza purloins from his office, gets caught and arrested. Though so much wrong happened in his life, there was some corner of his heart which said that Aliza was innocent and she was tricked. As a business man Charles had the abilities to understand a person in his/her first glimpse itself. So far his scrutiny has never deceived him. Charles strongly believed that Aliza is manipulated into something very dangerous and forced to do the crime.Therefore though he was angry and sent her to prison, he got her bailed by his lawyer the next day and asked  his bodyguards to closely follow her. But before he could take an action about the matter, the accident happened and the situation slipped out of his arms.*****Aliza immediately went to the hospital after her release from lock up and she received the most uninvited news from the doctor. She was pregnant. Planning for a baby in the present circumstances was out of question but she couldn't abort the child. 1. Her pregnancy was now advanced almost in the end of her first trimester. She should have been  more cautious and got her checked initially but now it is too late. 2. She couldn't bring her heart to abort the child. Children are a gift from God and whatever risks take upon her she was going to face them and give birth to her child.Aliza checked her bank account, her ATM and her wallet transactions but no amount was transferred from Larry as yet. She was in requirement of money now that she lost her job. For helping him she had to step out of Richmond Industries and added to that she was pregnant too. She waited desperately for Larry to transfer her the money. She even called him but his phone was non-reachable.The security of Charles followed her inside the hospital too but somehow she managed to mislead them, underwent the doctor consultation and escaped.After risking so much with her life Aliza thought her good days are around the corner but little did she know her downfall had just started and it would be worse than ever.Â