Bounded By A Deal

Chapter 20

Adaugo's POV

I bounced on my bed and sat upright, bending over to my ankles in order to unbuckle my heels. I had had a blast today. That was the most fun I've had since I got married.

It was my birthday today, and I don't think Jide knew, he didn't really know much about me in the first place. And I didn't care. I don't want him to know much about me either.

My work colleagues as well as a few friends threw me a party. It wasn't a surprise party though, it was planned. They always throw me a party every year to celebrate my birthday. That was why I left the house dressed in a casual outfit, packing my birthday attire in my bag.

My attention was drawn to my door as I heard countless knocks from it.

"May I come in, Mrs. Adaugo?" I heard the sweet, innocent voice of Isabelle.

"Umm... just wait a moment. I want to change to change into casuals," I said, but then the thought of removing the bogus gown I was wearing came across my mind. I didn't want to remove it just then. It would just be a stress.

"You know what?" I said to her. "Just come in. I'll change later."

The door slowly opened, revealing Isabelle dressed in a black shirt and black trousers.

"What's with the black-on-black today? Did someone die?"

She laughed a bit, "No, I couldn't just find anything better to wear."

"Oh! I see." I admired her posture as she stood in front of the door, her hands were clasped together resting on her stomach and her head was slightly bowed.

What a respectful young lass!

"You don't need to stand there like that. Come and sit here." I gestured to the space beside me on my queen-sized bed.

She obliged. "Thank you!"

I went on admiring her polite nature, innocent look and beautiful physical features. She was quite slender, just like I was when I was her age. Her face was very pretty too, she had a fairly light brown skin highlighting her face and the remaining parts of her body.

"You remind me of myself," I told her.

She looked at me, obviously shocked at my statement. "I remind you of yourself? How?"

"You know, a slim, tall, fair-skinned girl, caring about books and godly things, upholding only the things that are right, not socializing with every crowd but having a few straight-headed friends." I turned to her, "I was once that girl and I'm guessing you are that girl too."

She sighed. "I was that girl, I'm still her, but..."

"You had to change yourself for one reason or the other." I completed.

She nodded and sighed again. I watched as she observed my room. My room didn't have much, just queen-sized bed at the center resting on a wall, my wardrobe at one wall beside my bed, my vanity on the wall opposite my wardrobe and picture frames containing pictures of me and my friends and an old wedding photo of me and Jide.

"Do you think that I'm creepy?"

Isabelle seemed shocked by my sudden question. "Not exactly." There was a tint of uncertainty in her tone.

"It's just weird that you are not close to your family," she went on. "But you seem to care about me so much."

I pondered on what she said and I sighed. " I care about you so much because you remind me of myself, so detailed, prim, proper and polite."

"Oh!" was all she said. "Why aren't you close to your children? Why are you and Mr. Jide... not the closest? Why do you act cold when you are actually a sweet person? I know there's a reason for all of this, for the way you act, for your behavior. There must be a reason for it."