A LOVE DEVINE

Chapter 1 Morgan Wilson, a thin, tall and pretty colored woman sat quietly as she witnessed the injustice fate had imposed on her; she felt her lips tilt into a smile and decided it was an impossible task for her, so she just sat there not showing emotion. In the room with her was Susan Roberts ,her snobbish mother in law, Susan was the kind of woman who grew up with a silver spoon in her mouth and to her every poor person wanted her money. Morgan had not yet discovered what made Susan despise her, whether it was because she was colored or because she was poor. Eric Roberts, her golden son, a tall, dark and handsome man, sat next to her. Morgan could not remember hating anyone more than she hated him. He was a rigid, conceited and quiet man who thought he was too good for everyone. Morgan wondered just how long she could tolerate these vultures without reacting, she had managed for two years but she could not understand why all of the sudden she felt a strong need to speak out. She felt weak as they each made her future and toyed with her emotions as though she was insignificant. "So you got yourself my other son," Susan said glaring at Morgan with resentment. "Mother, you know how I get when my choices are questioned. You invited me for dinner and I brought my wife." Eric snapped. "You expect me to sit while she puts her claws into you! I will not." Eric stood up quickly and pulled Morgan's arm. Morgan followed him without a word. When they reached his car, Morgan pushed him away from her. Eric stood quiet for a moment, she was afraid of his reaction but the way he acted surprised her. He laughed, opened his car and entered. She stood still not knowing what to do. He opened his car window. "I really doubt mum would invite you to spend the night, stop being childish and get in the car." He said. She entered the car without saying a word. Eric drove off so fast that she thought he wanted to kill them both. "Slow down!" she shouted. Her pulse raced. She feared him but she was more afraid of dying. He continued driving fast as if he couldn't hear her. She was so scared that when he parked in front of their house she rushed out of the car with tears in her eyes. Eric followed her inside. "Did you enjoy your ride?"He laughed. Without thinking she turned and slapped him. Eric looked at her with surprise and then grabbed her and begun to shake her roughly. She didn't know what had gotten into her. "You stupid little brat!" he shouted and threw her on the sofa. Ever since Allen died her life had turned bitter and she found herself trapped next to his evil brother. It had been nearly a year since he died but it seemed like yesterday. She missed him terribly. "I hate you!" she cried, "I wish you died instead of Allen" "Don't pretend with me, the only reason you married my brother was because of his money." "I loved him, I loved him so much". She felt foolish for trying to convince him, because she didn't care what he thought of her. What could he think of her when he had paid her to marry him? "Watch yourself around me; I am not Allen who let you humiliate him by parading yourself with every man in New York and talking back to him." "It was not part of the deal to take me out to private dinners with your mother" "The deal was for you to be my wife in public..." "What is public about your mother's home?" "We have to convince her first before she goes around telling stories" "She is convinced now."Morgan stood up and tried to leave the room. "Don't forget that you have a fashion shoot tomorrow morning." She didn't respond she just walked out of the room. In her room she moved around in circles. She had changed so much ever since she met Allen, before she had been a simple girl who enjoyed easy things in life, she had wanted to be a school teacher and then marry a humble man. Now all of that seemed like someone else's life. She was a model, one of New York's best. She found bliss in the glamour and understood that it was wrong to be poor, wrong to go without the most basic commodities; she could not go back to that past of wanting and needing without fulfillment. She was only 17 years old when she met Allen, a 24 years old socialite. He said he thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. At first she didn't pay him any attention but she could not help loving him, he was kind hearted and bigger than life, he just brightened the place everywhere he went. He was the one that introduced her to the modeling world and got her a contract in the family business. She sat down as she remembered the first time she saw Eric, it was at a fashion shoot, everything had happened so fast and she was trying to keep up, it was her turn to stand in front of the camera and she was rushing when she bumped into a neatly dressed Eric. "Who the hell are you?"He snapped. She stood still glaring at him like a child, she had never seen such a gorgeous man, and his green eyes registered anger, his hair was shinny black and his suit obviously expensive. He looked like a man on a magazine cover. "Morgan..."She murmured. "What! Is this a joke?" "No, my name is Morgan." "I don't care what your name is, next time watch where you are going or kiss your job goodbye." Morgan had remained still for a moment longer and Eric had turned away and gone. It was then that she begun to despise him and even after she found out that he was Allen's brother it didn't change anything. She lay on the bed and started crying. If it wasn't for her mother in the hospital on life support she would have packed her bags and run away. The next day Morgan woke up, bathed and put on a simple t-shirt and jeans and headed to Roberts designs. “ You look tired.” Carlos said as Morgan walked away from the photo shoot. “I didn’t have enough rest.” She said. She liked him even if he could be difficult to work with. He was the most sort after camera men in New York and that made him conceited. “I don’t know what am going to do with these pictures, the circles around your eyes are too much.” He pressed his camera. “I know having a hot man like Eric can keep you up all night but you need to remember not all of us can suffer for it.” “ Am sorry.” Morgan pleaded. If he only knew the hell marrying Eric had put her in. “I can not stay mad at you.” Carlos embraced her. “Morgan, a word please.” She heard Eric’s dry voice. Carlos was the first to turn his way. “Hey boss.” He smiled. “Hello.” Eric begun to move and Morgan followed quietly. “ I need you to come with me , I have am meeting a businesswoman who is all about family. I need her to see me as a settled man to get her to sign a deal with the company.” Eric commanded. “ I am not in the mood for company.”Morgan mattered. The nerve of that man! He was paying her to stay married to him but he had no right to boss her around. “Get in the mood. I will be outside waiting for you, ten minutes is enough for you to change into something respectable.” He stared at her with disapproval. “ You do know these are the clothes you are selling, right?” She was wearing a short mini dress that was part of his collection. “I designed it but not for my wife to wear.” “Modeling the company’s clothes is part of my job.” He looked at her with irritation written on her face. “ You are so childish.” “You are impossible!” “Ten minutes.” He said and left. Morgan thought of running after him, she didn’t want him to have the last word. “ You look angry.” Carlos said holding her hand. “I need to go.” Morgan sat in the dressing room for a moment before deciding she was not going to change her clothes. The look on Eric’s face when she stood outside his expensive BMW car made Morgan laugh. she had expected to derive pleasure from his anger but not that much. “ I am glad you are happy with yourself. Get in.” He said. Morgan got in the car and sat next to him quietly. “You are not worth the trouble, I should have listened to my mother.” HE started the car. “You should have.” He could have chosen any woman to have a marriage of convenience with. She knew any woman would love to marry him,she still didn’t understand why he had decided to pay her to marry him. “You will look like a hooker in the elegant restaurant we are going. I tried to talk to you, don’t blame me when you get dirty states.” She hadn’t thought about anyone else, her need to make Eric was so strong that it often crowded her judgement. Eric had been right. As soon as they entered the restaurant, all eyes were on them. Eric looked at her with an expression which said “ I told you so.” Morgan took a deep breath and followed him quietly. The woman they were meeting was an elderly lady. She smiled at them both, if she noticed her short dress she didn’t say anything. Her name was Alice Benson, she owned businesses around the globe. For a wealthy woman, she dressed very ordinary Compared to Eric who was wearing a designer blue suit, that told everyone how rich he was. “So this is the woman who stole your heart, Eric.” She said smiling at Morgan warmly. “She did.”He smiled. “I never thought you would get out of your evil ways.” “Evil ways?” He laughed. “Breaking hearts. Anyway, how are you dear?” “Am fine, thanks. How are you?” “Am old, but I can’t complain too much.” “ You are not that old, Alice. You are still one of the most beautiful woman in New York.” Eric said lightly. Morgan liked seeing that playful side to Eric. She only knew the bossy annoying part of him. “Your wife is striking.” “Thank you.” A waiter stood at their table and took their orders. “So, Morgan tell me about yourself.” Morgan hesitated.What could she say about herself? “There isn’t much to tell… I have lived in New York all my life, from the not so good parts of town. My mother was a waitress and my father died when I was very young.” Morgan stopped when she observed Eric’s serious expression. “Did you always want to be a model?” Alice asked with interest . “I discovered early from people telling me I could make it that it was a job I could succeed at.” Morgan was relieved when the waiter came back with their drinks. All those questions reminded her of the choices she had made lately. She had tried so had to earn rest from people in her field of work and in one day she had given that away by marrying her boss. Now all people would see was a woman who was selling herself to get ahead. “You said your mom was a waitress. What does she do now?” She didn’t know why Alice was so interested in her story. “She has been ill, she can’t work.” “Am sorry. I just want to know who am getting in bed with.”She laughed. “ Your husband wants me to invest a lot of money.” “I assure you that it’s a deal you won’t regret.” Eric said. “Lets eat. I will have my grandson look at the financial aspect. Expect to hear from me tomorrow. “Alice said. The dinner went on without incident. Morgan was surprised to find herself enjoying Alice’s company. Eric was relaxed. And when they left the restaurant, non of them seemed to think about her outfit. “I will take you home.” Eric mattered when he started the car. He said ‘home’ , he always said the ‘house'. She felt a warm tingle in her heart. They were silent until they reached home. For the first time, Morgan could breath around him. She didn’t know what had happened but she felt relaxed around him now. She was headed for her room when she heard Eric’s voice. “Thanks for today.” She turned in surprise. “For what?” “ You didn’t have to share about yourself . You opening up will get us…the company the contract.” His eyes were tender. “ Am glad if I helped.” “You surprised me.” He murmured. “How?” “Just when I think I have you figured, You surprise me.” His expression changed to serious,his eyes looked at me with something in them that she could not understand. I felt my body shiver. “Is there anything else?” she asked trying hard not to show him how he was affecting her. “No.” she walked away fast.She sat on her bed in confusion. she hated Eric, she reminded herself. she didn’t know she was shaking.She felt stupid for feeling so happy just because he said a few kind words to her.