Jason's feelings for Nancy kept growing though he pretended that that was not the case.E tried to see other women but found that he did not have interest in them.

He travelled alot these days to stay far from Nancy and whenever he was away, he felt like rushing back home to stay in her company.But what was the use since she had started avoiding him like he had the plague. She no longer took her meals with him. She was still very efficient at the office and performed her duties. He had no complaints in that department but she no longer spared any time to stay with him during meals like they used to.

If he asked, she would say that she had had her meal and if he asked her to keep him company while he ate, she would yawn and say how tired she was and he could not do anything about that because of her condition. But he knew it was just a ploy to stay away from him. He felt bad that she no longer cared for his company while he was busy pinning for her and felt worse that she might not trust him anymore and why should she considering how shamelessly he had acted with her on two occasions.

In all these, he had forgotten that it had been quite a while since he last saw Phoebe.

It was her voice, he heard coming from the doorway that reminded him of her.

'Jason, how could you be this mean? You haven't seen me for quite a while and you have not bothered to find out the reason? Are you so unconcerned about me that you would not even bait an eyelid if I died?'

'You cannot die, Phoebe. You are a very strong girl. I realise that you might be busy with some things or people and considering that I do not have sole right over you as per our arrangement, I decided not to disturb you'.

'That might be so but it still hurt that you did not care enough to know what was happening to me', she whined.

Her winning was irritating Jason but he was too good natured to allow it show.

'I am sorry. How have you been? There really isn't any need asking that of you. You are looking so good and younger than when I last saw you. You must have gone on a vacation with someone and had a great time'. he said as he looked at her without interest.

It was true. Phoebe was really looking good. Glowing was the word and she acted like she knew that.

'I forgive you. But I need a favour of you', she said coyly after seating and nestling close to him.

'And what is that?' he asked trying his utmost not to shrug away from her. He could not believe that he was rejecting such a beautiful woman who was throwing herself at him this way.

'I would like you lend me a sum of $4m. I need it for a business I want to set up. As soon as I start making profits, I will definitely give the capital back to you'.

Jason was surprised that she had mentioned that and that sum as well. It was not that it was too much for him but she had not asked for money directly from him that way before.

'Are you in any kind of trouble?'

'No, Silly. I just want to venture into the fashion business and I need more than that as a matter of fact but I could get the others else where is f you would help me with the amount I just asked'.

Jason still hesitated.

'Well, if you think that I shall reimburse you, then there is no need thinking too much about it. Just forget it. I shall find another way of raising all the money I need', she said feigning disappointment.

'Oh no. I normally do not give out money that way without any legal party being involved. I mean afterall, I am a business man but I am happy that you are venturing into business. So I shall give you the money without any lawyer being involved'.

Phoebe was happy but no really very happy because she was getting the money not for herself but for someone who didn't deserve it.

Romeo had decided that she raised the money so that they could use it to trap Richard and bring about his downfall.

She planned to ask for money from her other lovers as well. Richard had actually given her an idea about how to get money from these men.

With Romeo's help, she was sure that she would soon get rid of Richard for good.

Not really kill him because she wouldn't want his blood on her hands but to deal severely with him so that he would never again molest another girl in his entire life.

'You will have to come tomorrow evening for the cheque. I really had a hard day at work today and I would love to be alone, if you do not mind'.Jason said standing and walking upstairs in a dismissal matter that broached no argument.

Phoebe was not angry. In fact she had wondered how she would get the money without having to spend the night with Jason and had been racking her mind for the suitable excuse to give him but there was no need for that as it turned out.

She walked out happily because she had achieved what she had gone to the Campbell's mansion to achieve. It might be a little victorybbit it was a victory all the same.

She was looking forward to another steamy night with Romeo.

She was surprised that she still had not told him her name. She would have to remedy that when he came in that night, she promised herself.

She waited and waited but Romeo did not come. She slept where she was waiting and the next day, she found out that he had not made an entrance at all all through the night.

'What could have happened? I hope he has not chosen this time to walk out on me! Not when we have not dealt with Richard yet'. She thought to herself.

She got ready for the day's activity with the hope that he would come in that night but surprisingly, when she came from collecting the cheque from Jason, he was still not in her house.

She lost hope of seeing him again and he had not really told her of what he planned or how he had planned to deal with Richard.

Now she would have to cook up a plan herself. The day she was to give Richard the money was fast approaching.

He had called two days after his ultimatum and she had asked for more time as Romeo had directed her and Richard had grudgingly extended it to a week. Just three days more.

And Romeo was no where to be seen.

She cursed her luck.

While Phoebe was busy cursing her luck and plotting against Richard, he appeared on her doorstep.

Phoebe heard a movement and was filled with joy. She did not want to analyze the reason for the overflowing joy that she felt at the thought of the person at the door which was most definitely Romeo. She only knew that she had missed him terribly.

The thought of him and the night ahead was already making her dripping wet as she rushed to the door.

She opened the door with a wide smile of welcome but the smile froze as she saw who the august visitor was.

'You!'

'Yes me!' he said smiling devilishly and pushing his way into the apartment.

Phoebe was too shocked to do anything but to make way for him inadvertently.

Then she walked in behind him like someone in a trance.

Richard grabbed her and pulled her roughly towards him. He crushed his lips to hers.Phoebe was still numb. She had assumed that it was Romeo but now it was as though she was riving her worst nightmare.

She felt she had to snap out of the shock numbing her bones.'She pushed with all her strength and Richard who had not been expecting the push nor the force with which it was executed, was thrown back and hit his head on a furniture.

He was furious. Who was this whore to push him off that way?

He stood up and tasting blood on his lips, he charged towards her and crushing his lips to hers once more kissed her savagely.

Phoebe tasted his blood and felt nauseated. He bit her tongue in the kiss and she tasted fresh blood and knew it was hers. She did not like the mingling of both their blood. It was almost as though it was a pact of some sort and she did not want to get into any pact with him.

She might be reluctant to kill him but she definitely wanted to maim him for what he was doing to her right now.

He tote her clothes.

'What now? Are you scared? You shouldn't be. You have always wanted to be screwed. You left from speaking to me the other day and a nonentity was waiting to guck your brains out but you had refused me. Behaving as though my touch disgusted you and acting all prim and proper but a homeless thug has been doing you.

I am doing you a favour. I have noticed that he has not been on for sometime now. You must be very horny waiting for him to come and bang you but no need for that for I am here now and you know that I am worth my mantle. I am a better man in all ramification that he ever will be. You really disgusts me with your choices.

I was impressed by Jason and some of the other ones but this riffraff? You disappoint me'.

'Romeo is a better man than the ten of you put together'. Phoebe snapped, enraged.

'So that's his name? Suits him admirably but that is the only admirable thing about him. And don't over exert yourself,you will need it when I thrust my sugar stick into you. I like my women being wild cats under me, crawling and scratching and being wild'.

Phoebe opened her eyes in shock. Was Richard planning on raping her? Had he really gone from worse to worst this way? Could he really stoop so low as to rape her?

'You wouldn't! she said, her eyes wide with shocked disbelief and fright.

'I already did! he said pushing her to the bed and fumbling with his zipper.

Phoebe shut her eyes. Fighting him off but not making any impact. She didn't know that Richard was as heavy and strong as this.

She had resigned herself to her fate when all of a sudden, she felt the weight lifted off her.

She thought he must have stood to remove his pants but when she heard a crush, she opened one eye, praying it was not a vessel he had broken to stab her with.

But she was surprised to find Romeo looking down on a fallen Richard.

Richard was lying sprawled on the floor. blood oozing from a cut on his fore head.

He had been taken unawares.

He raised himself with difficulty and seeing who it was, smiled.

'You? You have finally come back to continue screwing her where you left off. I thought I would assist you, you know?'

Romeo, hit him in his face with as much force as the fury that must have been coarsing through his veins.

'Is she really worth it? Are you planning on losing your life?' Richard asked, getting up and going after Romeo.

A fierce fight ensued.

Phoebe prayed that Richard would not kill Romeo but she needn't have bothered because it was the other way round.

Romeo gave Richard the beating of his life. He beat him to an inch of his life. And would have continued had Phoebe not begged him to let him go. Some neighbours had come and we're knocking, wanting to find out what the problem was.

Phoebe dispatched them yelling them it was nothing and that they should mind their own business.

'It is our own business we are minding. This is evening and we couldn't get a good night rest because of the rackus you are making here and you feel we have no right to know the reason for it?'

one of them asked.

'I am sorry. I am stressed as a matter of fact. But it is no problem just an imbecile who roke into my apartment and wanted to rape me but for the timely intervention of a friend of mine who came visiting at just the right time and stopped him'.

'Really? Hope he gave the fool the beating of his life or does he need a hand with it?'

'He did well by himself. I had to stop him from killing him'.

'Then the police has to know about it. He should be arrested!' they said in a matter of fact manner.

It had not occured to Phoebe. She had just been overwhelmed by all that had happened.

She quickly called the cops that came but before they came.

Romeo had used the opportunity to threaten Richard.

'In case you do not not or are not aware of it,she is my woman and if you want to touch her,you will have me to deal with first. This is just a warning. If you come within an inch of her next time,you will not live to tell the tale and damn the consequences.

I am also aware of your blackmail and ultimatum. You'd better forget about it because If you continue with that, you are a goner.

She will raise no such money for you or anyone and don't ever contact her again, else it will be the last contact you make with any one. Have I made myself clear?' Romeo said pulling his ears.

Richard looked at the young man and was scared for the first time in his life at the cold threat in his eyes. He didn't think that the money or even Phoebe was worth crossing this man. Where had she got this man for goodness sake.

He looked down in shame.

'That's better! I am glad we have an understanding.

The police came and some of the neighbours gave their statements as well as Phoebe and Romeo and he was arrested.

How he would get bailed out and what his next plan would be was what Phoebe didn't know but she knew that Richard would not take this humiliating defeat lying low. He was too much of a villain to take this in his stride. He would definitely plot his revenge.

When she shared her misgivings with Romeo, he assured her.

'Right now, he is scared out of his wits. Such bullies are actually cowards. He will not want to come near you at least for now until he has fully recovered from his injuries and if he has a death wish and tries anything funny again, I shall be waiting for him'.

'But where did you go to?'

'I went to make plans with some of my guys on how to permanently deal with him but he solved it for us by coming to you the way he did.

But the guys are there waiting for my call anytime. So do not be so bothered.

They left the living room to be clean up the next day.

He led her into the bedroom, 'Get some rest. It's been a long day and you need to sleep it off. You will be better in the morning.

Phoebe was grateful for his understanding. She didn't think that she was up to any intimacy after the scare she just got.

'Phoebe', she said.

'What?' he asked, not getting it but thinking that the ordeal she had just suffered must have affected her more than they all had realised.

'My name is Phoebe. Phoebe Walkman', she said drowsily.

He smiled. That was a step in the right direction. He just felt protective towards her and he had to admit that he liked her alot.

She lay and slept but her sleep was disturbed by nightmares of men in mask,coming to ravish her and she woke screaming but Romeo was there to give her solace and they eventually made love in the wee hours of the morning and it was just delicious.

She slept peacefully after that and when she eventually woke,everywhere was already tidied up and a mug of steaming coffee was awaiting her.

'Romeo will spoil me', she thought smiling happily as she drank her delicious coffee.

Two weeks later,Phoebe actually opened the boutique. She was able to get money off her other lovers and it was a big venture. She had made contacts all over Europe to get her the choicest materials and the latest fashions.

She did not want to star small. She knew that the success of her venture depended on how big the venture and diverse her goods were. Because of the calibre of clientele she was after. With her cusmetics business. It was an instant hit.

At least this was one good thing that had come from the encounter with Richard.

The memory of that day was like a nightmare she never wanted to remember. She still had apprehensions about Richard but after two long weeks and her busy schedule, she did not think much about him or the threat he posted too often.

She was busy making money and getting more clients and enjoying herself. She did not feel now the need to force Jason into marrying her but it had been her goal for so long that she decided she must still give it a try.

She had also noticed that Rebecca his ex wife was now working closely with him. She seemed to be working on a business deal with him. Their closeness did not disturb her like it used to.

Her opportunity came one day when Phoebe collapsed in her inner office after attending a client that was hard to please. It had been an exerting experience.

Her sales girl who had come to tell her about another client they were finding difficult to handle, saw her sprawled on the floor and called for help.

After checking on her, the doctor that had been summoned certified her pregnant.

Phoebe could not believe bot. How had it happened? And how was she to know who the father was?

But she did t need to think for too long when she was told how old the baby was.

' Congratulations. You are three weeks pregnant', the doctor had informed her when they were alone.

She knew that Romeo was responsible. She had become careless with her contraceptive since meeting with him and had not really been with her other lovers. She could not tell the reason for the life of her, except that she enjoyed his company quite a lot and his being poor did not faze her in any way.

'No one else must know this'. She whispered fiercely to the doctor.

'Of course. There is doctor - patient confidentiality. The news is yours to disperse as you do deem fit', the doctor smiled in understanding.

Phoebe smiled as well, in appreciation.

After the doctor left, Phoebe thought hard about what to do

She had previously planned to fake her pregnancy and tell Jason that he was responsible and convince him that when she found out, she decided to keep her distance but that she reconsidered that he had a right to know about his baby.

Of he ask her how she was sure it was his,she knew the answer to give him as well.

Now she didn't need to fake her pregnancy. It was real

The hitch was that it was not Jason's and she had to devise a means to make him accept it as his and do the right thing by her.

She felt her heart skip a beat be ause it would mean not seeing Romeo anymore and denying him his right to his child but Phoebe didn't think he would mind. She was actually sparing him the responsibility of being a dad because she was sure he was not ready yet to shoulder that particular responsibility.

She was enjoying her new business and if she could have spared herself this pregnancy then she would have but since it had already happened, she was going to use it to her advantage.

She was still contemplating this when Romeo stepped into the shop and her office and pulled her into his arms.

'What are you doing here?' she asked shocked that he may have overheard something. She didn't want him to know anything until she had finalized her plans and put it in motion.

'What's wrong?'

'You know that I have asked you not to come to this place. You can go anywhere you please and wait for me in the house of you please but you are not permitted to come here'.

'Is that so? And why is that? You enjoy my company both in and out of bed and yet you seem to be ashamed of me? You would rather not be seen with me? If you feel so strongly about it, why don't you call it quits with me? According to you, you really do not have a steady relationship and as far as I know,you really do not. Then what the heck?'

'That may be so, but you also know that I am planning on pinning Jason down and if he finds me with the likes of you, then my plans would be ruined. I thought that we spoke about this and had an understanding'.She said in her most reasonable tone.

Romeo was really hurt but was damned if he was going to let her know just how much her words had hurt him.

The past week, his feelings for her had increased. They had drawn closer to each other and he had started to habour the thought that maybe,just maybe she had forgotten all about Jason and would concentrate on having a serious relationship with him that could lead to anywhere. but he had been wrong to hope that she would forget about her obsession to become the lady of the manor and concentrate on love.

Yes,love. He didn't know if what he felt for her was love but he knew that he felt really strongly for her.

He had wanted to kiss her thoroughly because he had missed her terribly and it had been just a few hours since they had last been in bed together but her utterance had ruined his mood. His hands fell off her.

'You still have your cap set on Jason? Someone who does not feel anything for you? You would rather died trying to get him to make a commitment to you be it against his will or not, than find real love elsewhere? Is money really that important to you?'

he asked and could not mask the pain in his voice.

Phoebe heard it and was scared. She was not ready for another Richard because she felt that was what it would be. She was done with that episode in her life. Right now, she wanted to use the men for her ends and not allow herself to be used.

To discourage him and put herself right on track, she revealed what she had not wanted him to know at least not yet.

'It is not really the money. You see, I am carrying his child!' she blurted.

Romeo looked at her as though he had been struck by thunder. He could feel his hopes dashing.

'What did you say?' he whispered.

'I am pregnant with his child', she said softly.

Now that she had said it, she realised that there was no turning back.