A Deal With The Billionaire

EPISODE HUNDRED AND TEN

THEME: Christopher’s Regret

CONNECTICUT, UNITED STATE OF AMERICA

CHRISTOPHER CRAWFORD APARTMENT

Christopher tossed and turned on the bed as he checked the time again. He had slept in all through Friday and Saturday after Jessica left. Seeing Raven had been gone for too long, he knew it was time he let the rest of the family know what was going on. The day had refused to break since he went to sleep.

Instead of waiting till dinner, he decided they should all have a Sunday breakfast. He had texted his parents and siblings not excluding Eva that he and Raven had some important news to share. And they couldn’t wait till dinner when all of the Crawford were expected to meet.

All his life Christopher had never felt so lost. Within few days his whole life tumbled down the hill and gave his heart bruises. He missed Raven so much that it hurts. Checking the time it was six in the morning.

Deciding not to go back to sleep, he pulled the covers off him and let his legs touch the ground. He felt weak. The excess alcohol his body had consumed was telling on him. Rubbing his hand on his face something scratched his forehead.

Christopher checked his hand and he took note of his wedding band. It didn’t even occur to him that he still had it on. He played with it rolling it around his finger. For five months and days he had kept it on without feeling inconvenient with it.

“I miss you so much baby.” He sniffed. “Where are you, Raven? Please come back to me. I am sorry.” He whispered as the tears flowed freely.

It didn’t occur to him how much he missed her. The past few days had been too much for him to handle. Drying his face, he stood up to shower. After dressing up, he went downstairs to make himself coffee. Relaxing into the couch, he sipped on it with his mind blank.

Matilda opened the door from outside as she walked in to resume the day’s work. She got startled seeing him sitting all alone in the early hours of the morning.

“Good morning sir. Is everything okay?” Matilda queried, observing him intensely.

He looked stressed, his eyes had bags underneath them. Since the encounter he had with Jessica on Friday; Christopher had been recluse and kept to himself. She had to take his meals up to his room to get him to eat. The problems he was facing were beginning to weigh on him so bad.

Christopher let out a small chuckle as he sighed. “Nothing is okay Tilda.”

Sitting her butt gently on the edge of the couch, Matilda folded her palms on her knees. She intends to hear him talk and avail herself for listening. “Care to share?”

Leaning his head backwards, he shut his eyes. “I feel like a fool Tilda. A number of times a fool; I got a chance to love and live truly but I blew it all because I was too stupid and blinded to see the obvious. But where did I go wrong? All I did was love Jessica. Honestly when she left I thought love was over for me but then Raven swept me off my feet and made me feel whole again. Now, it’s all gone.” Christopher sniffed.

Sighing, Matilda shifted a bit in her seat. “I just really hope that when life gives you a second chance to be happy and experience true love that you don’t blow your chances. Just-”

“I promise to never blow it away. I just want Raven back into my life.”

“I believe it will fall into place eventually. You will find her.”

Christopher nodded his head. “I hope so. Thank you Matilda. Thank you so much.”

Matilda stood up and she bowed her head slightly. “You are welcome sir. What would you like to have for breakfast?”

“I don’t have much appetite. I would be heading out soon. So you don’t have to worry.” Christopher let out a sigh.Nôvel(D)rama.Org's content.

“Alright sir.”

Lifting himself off the couch, Christopher walked towards the kitchen sink. He dropped his coffee cup in it and he rinsed it. He dried his hands in a napkin. “I am leaving Tilda. Have a nice day.”

Matilda looked up from the kitchen island she was cleaning. “Have a great day sir.” She replied.

Christopher checked his wrist watch, it was past eight. He calculated the time he would get to his parents home. He would arrive just in time when every other member of the family have arrived. Trying to take his time and have a clear head, he drove round the neighborhood for some minutes before driving through the road that led to his family home.

*****************************

CRAWFORD MANSION

Parking his car in the driveway, he could feel his palms sweaty. Should he wait till they had all had breakfast in their belly to hold strong or before they ate something? He would have to go for the latter, since they would all ask after Raven from him.

Bracing himself up, Christopher walked into the house with his nerves in utmost wreck. When he entered the foyer, he could hear their voices from the dining room as they chatted away, they must have been waiting for him and Raven to show up.

The first person he laid his eyes on was Ashley. He felt his anger rise but he controlled himself by tightening his fist.

“Hello there son!” James voice rumbled through the whole room and it caused everyone to divert their attention to him.

“Hi Dad.” Christopher responded with his voice sounding nervous.

“Where is Raven?” Ava was the first to ask as she was just coming into the room. “I didn’t see her behind you.”

Christopher cleared his throat staring at the inquisitive eyes looking up at him. “She is coming.” He blurted out.

They weren’t settled by his response and can only hear him properly from where they are all seated. He thought to himself on the options he had laid out before now.

“Why do I have a feeling you both are about to announce the arrival of your first child?” Hope teased, giggling along with Eva.

“It must be the reason they had taken Rowan along with them.” Eva added.

“I wouldn’t be surprised though. These two are something; you really don’t want to hear what they do behind the doors.” Ava chipped in, giggling with the women.

Ashley sneered as she pretended to be engrossed with her phone.

“Come sit Christopher. Ignore this women!” James laughed, gesturing for Christopher to join the table with his hand.

Christopher felt like he was in a frenzy as they kept talking and making side talks of Raven being pregnant and intending to share the good news with the whole family. The delight in their faces made his heart drop by a inch each seconds that passed. His world spin around him and he felt the urge to collapse somewhere and slip into darkness for as long as all of the drama would pass.

“Chris, Chris!” Someone brought him out of his daydreaming.

Blinking his eyes slowly, he felt his mouth open silently saying words that he couldn’t hear. “Raven and Rowan are missing!”