PIECES

Part 8

Anna's POV

I stared at the man infront of me, curious...

He approached me with turtle but precised steps. What was he up to?

"What's wrong?" I managed to ask, barely holding my breath.

He didn't answer and just kept approaching me, expressionless...

What did this man want?

I froze on the spot, watching him approach me, eagerly waiting for his next action...

"That colleague of yours..." He said, his gaze turning cold, sending chills down my spine...

He ended his sentence midway, making me stare at him, curious...

"What about him?" I asked, meeting the dangerous look on his face...

"Stay away from him!" He ordered...

Ha! Did he even know what he was saying? Was he really expecting her to stay away from my fiancee?

I had decided to have the wedding postponed because I very well knew Kevin wasn't going to agree to me helping my ex. Besides, he was already making arrangements for us to have our honeymoon out of the country. So if I did marry Kevin, helping Abel was as good as day dreaming...

"Why would I stay away from him? He's my colleague" I said, turning my head away, indicating to him that I wasn't interested in the conversation...

"Is he really your colleague?" Abel asked, his tone filled with suspicion.

I didn't want him to suspect a thing so I eagerly nodded...

"Yes"

Abel fixed his gaze at me, his eyes turning blood shot...

Was he really angry?

Noticing the headache coming up, I decided to bring up an excuse, just so I could exit the room...

"Well, we have guest waiting outside. Shall we?" I said, glancing at him...

He remained silent as if trying to analyze something before saying...

"Well, I want you to stay away from that man. He's not who you think he is..." Abel said, his tone sharp...

I was taken aback for a moment before regaining my composure...

Was he jealous or just annoying?

"That won't happen" I stated defiantly...

He stared at me, a mix of shock and frustration...

"What did you say?" He raised a brow...

"Don't tell me you're being jealous. Don't you trust me? Do you think I'll runaway with him? You've known me long enough to tell what I'm capable and not capable of doing isn't it?" I questioned, my brows furrowed...

I wasn't saying all of these because I was acting up, but because that's exactly how I felt at that point...

Even if we were still together, was this how he was going to tell me who to and who not to hang out with simply because of his insecurities?

"I wish it was just jealousy. That man isn't who you think he is. He'll definitely try bringing a rift between us. Kevin isn't as simple as he appears to be. I know him too well. Just do as I say" came Abel's voice...

I stared at Abel for a while, with all sorts of thoughts crossing through my mind...

Kevin wasn't really my colleague. Just like Abel, he was in the business world and doing well for himself. I crossed paths with Kevin about two weeks after Abel and I ended our relationship...

I only got to introduce Kevin to Abel a month after his wedding, as we happened to bumb into each other at a restaurant...

Back then, they just shook hands, smiling at each other like some good friends, though something felt off, but it couldn't be anything serious...

Hearing Abel claim that he knew Kevin too well, left me puzzled...

Now that I was thinking about it, Kelly had made mention of the fact that Abel was pretending, but I didn't take her words seriously. Was Abel really putting up an act?

"You know what? I'm not going downstairs anymore. You can chose to go back, or better still, stay here, but you need to stay away from that man." Abel said, more like a command, casting me a cold glance before swiftly moving into the bathroom...

I was left completely speechless.

How could Abel say he wasn't going to go downstairs? Rose had organized this little party to welcome him and he just acted like it was nothing? Really?...

After a while, I released a breath I didn't know I was holding back, and made my way out of the bedroom...

I went down the stairs and caught all sort of weird and curious gazes fixed on me...

My mind was echoing with Abel's words.

I turned to look at Kevin who held a glass of wine, elegantly sipping it, offering me a warm smile...

I tried forcing a smile, but the smile appeared to be a frown...

I was still lost in thoughts when Rose's voice snapped me back to reality...

"Ann, where's Abel?" She asked in a low and calm voice, filled with emotions. She really wanted to see her husband. Even if she couldn't be with him, at least seeing him smile was enough for her...

Rose was here, patiently waiting to catch a site of her husband, while Abel wasn't even interested at glancing at her...

Did he even have any feelings for her? She was carrying his child for God's sake. Even if he couldn't remember, didn't he at least feel any thing for her? This was a woman he had been intimate with, why did it seem like he felt no attachments at all...

The more I thought about it, the angrier I became. Oblivious to me, my brows furrowed, my expression darkening...

Everyone was taken aback by my sudden change in demeanor...

"Anna!" Seeing this, Kevin called, his voice low yet scolding...

Realizing I had overreacted, I quickly said...

"Well, he just had a headache and can't make it. He's currently asleep. He said we should carry-on without him, and has promised to make it up to us all...

With that brief explanation, Rose couldn't help but let out a mocking laugh, staring at her tommy...

It was like she was saying to the little one inside her...

"Daddy loves you okay? Just exercise some patience. He'll definitely come around..."

Laura seemed to have understood her pain, and reached out, patting her back slightly, offering a warm smile...

After about an hour, everyone had gone home, leaving just Kelly Rose, Laura, Kevin and I...

"Rose, I'll be leaving now. You can go check on him. You should be around him more often. Kevin and I will go ahead" I said to Rose, who simply nodded, offering a warm smile. I nodded at Laura, who had a mocking smile playing at the corners of her lips...

Well, it was expected. After my breakup with Abel, she had turned cold towards me, but I could understand her grievances...

I picked up my purse, turning my attention to Kevin and was about saying something when Abel suddenly appeared in the living room...

"Abel..." Rose called out, clearly excited.

Her face was beaming with joy...

Well, she was pregnant and seeing her display like that wasn't surprising...

"Why are you so happy seeing me? And why haven't you left yet?" Abel asked, his voice void of emotions...

I felt a pang of pity for Rose. Couldn't this man be a little more softer?

His question made her bow her head, obviously trying to hide the disappointment in her eyes...

"Anna, Kelly let's go. I'll drop you both off..." Kevin said, making me freeze in place...

Abel's words echoed in my mind, while I tried hard to avoid staring at him, but my curiosity got the best of me...

Abel's eyes were bloodshot. It was obvious he was boiling with anger...

What was I supposed to do now?

I was still contemplating on what to do, when I felt someone's tight grip on my hand...

Sure enough, it was Abel.

He pulled me behind him, like he was trying to protect me from an evil monster. His action took everyone by surprise, including me...

"She's my woman and you have no right, absolutely no right to drive her. I don't like you, and I don't want you being around her. She's solely mine. I can do anything to keep her, that includes snatching life out of this soaked body of yours. I won't repeat myself again" Abel said, not holding back his grudges...

*****

Kevin's POV

"Hahaha..."

"...."

Jay laughed heartily, leaving me fuming...

I barely glanced at him when he spoke up...

"You're madly in love with Anna, aren't you?" Jay asked, his expression turning serious...

"Initially, you never liked her. You had a plan and now..." He added shaking his head slightly...

Yes, Jay was right. I never liked Anna. How and when I fell for her, I can't say for sure...

"Abel is claiming my fiancee. He's playing with fire" I said, fuming from within...

Earlier, when Abel made his claims on Anna, I boldly told him he was just ranting, that Anna could never be his...

After saying that, I watched his brows furrow significantly, so I began adding more salt to his wounds, despite knowing the others were going to be mad at me, my only aim that time was to make Abel feel just a little of the pain I felt within me...

I told him he couldn't remember certain things, so how sure was he that Anna was still in love with him?

Before I could finish my question, I felt a hard punch on my face, causing a warm liquid to spill out...

I felt a bit satisfied. This man was probably losing to me for the second time...

The women in the room, were taken aback by Abel's sudden reaction and had to reach out to separate us, with Anna urging me to leave...

I left, but only after letting out a mocking smile which made his gaze darker...

That was more like it.

Once I got away from his place, I came straight here to this hotel to meet Jay, my old time best friend. He knew everything about me. We never kept secrets from each other...

"It looks like fate is playing a cruel joke on you. Do you think Abel will let go so easily?" Jay asked...

"It's obvious he won't" I replied bluntly...

"Are you sure he hasn't realized everything and is deliberately putting up this act? What if he saw the test results and is aware of the fact that it was manipulated?"

Jay asked making me get into deep thoughts...

If Abel really wanted to investigate this, then it'll just be a piece of cake for him...

"I don't think so. He still has a pregnant wife" I stated. Abel wasn't some irresponsible somebody...

Jay looked at me, smiling slyly before saying...

"Love isn't as simple as it seems. It can make the most sane person go insane..." With that said, Jay sipped the wine in his glass casually...

His words seemed simple, but I got the meaning of what he was trying to say...