7

"Andrew," his mum, Caro knocked on the door of his room. There was no response from the room and then she knocked again and this time as she turned the knob, the door opened.

She realized that the door was never locked. The room was empty and the bed, rough like someone just rushed out of it.

She turned to leave and then she was met with the house keeper on her way out.

"When did he leave?" She asked.

"Very early this morning," she answered.

"Okay."

She picked her phone from the side pocket of her dress.

She scrolled through her phone and then dialed Andrew's number.

He answered on the second ring.

"Hey mum."

"You left before I could even say "good morning"."

"I have work to catch up on. I would see you when I can."

"Andrew..."

"I will call you later mum, have to go now. Love you," Andrew said, ending the call with his mum before she could say anything else.

His mum didn't know why he never wanted to stay. She wondered why he always wanted to distance himself from the house and all. She missed him. She missed both of them and what made her even sad was the fact that there was nothing she could do about it.

Andrew walked into the coffee shop, just a few minutes from his office. He had asked Krystal if they could meet there.

He sat at one of the seats in a corner by the coffee shop. The waiter came towards where he was sitting.

"Hello, welcome to daily brunch, Is there anything I can get you?" She asked.

"Coffee please" Andrew replied and then in a few minutes, the coffee was brought to him.

He wondered what was keeping Krystal and why she wasn't there yet. He had tried her number twice but she had not picked.

After several minutes, Krystal finally showed up. She walked towards where he was sitting and sat on the chair opposite.

"You're late," Andrew said, as Krystal sat.

"It's just a few minutes," she replied.

"It's about half an hour."

"I am here now, ain't I?" Krystal said. She had intentionally spent extra time getting ready.

"It's cause of this attitude I didn't want to be involved with you in the first place."

Krystal smiled. "You know you ain't the nicest person either. So, why are you here then?" She asked.

Andrew stayed silent for a while before speaking.

"I want to accept the deal you offered before."

"So, why did you change your mind about the plan?"

"Does it matter? Isn't what matters the fact that I have agreed?"

"If we are going to do this, we have to be trusting of one another. No secrets," Krystal said.

"You haven't even told me the real reason you're doing this and why all of a sudden you don't want to marry your fiancé?"

"Apart from the fact that he is a jerk, I found out he has been stealing from my dad and his plan is to take over the company for himself through me, that's why he wants to marry me in the first place."

"How did you get to know all of that?"

"I don't think that matters."

"So what's your motive?"

"It turns out no one is going to take me serious at that company unless I get married."

"Okay then."

"Also, it would be great to see the look on Collins' face when things do not go the way he hoped it would."

Krystal smiled

"So, how do we go about this?" Andrew asked.

The first phase of my plan is going to be at the wedding which is this weekend, so, be prepared."

Andrew wasn't still sure if he was making a great decision by agreeing to Krystal's plot but he knew that he had no option, so, he just had to go with it.

"So, we will have to make certain grand rules if we are going to go with this."

"Rules like?" Andrew asked.

"Privacy, boundaries. This is just for convenience right? For the benefit of the both of us. So, that means we should also have an end date to this."

"Okay."

Andrew didn't want to ask too many questions. He wasn't even really interested in knowing what and what not but just wanted to get the role he has always wanted."

"Anything is fine by me," andrew said.

"So, how do we go about this?" Andrew asked.

"Weekend is the wedding, Collins would be expecting to go home with a bride but that won't be happening. The next phase of my plan would be revealed after," Krystal said, smiling to herself as the thought of what she wants to do clouds her memory.

"Alright. So long as I get what I want."

"See you in 2 days," Krystal said, standing from where she was sitting and picking up her bag.

"Alright, see you. I have a flight to catch now,"

"You're traveling?" Krystal asked.

"I will be back before the wedding. Trust me."

"I don't have much of a choice but please don't disappoint me."

She hoped he was going to make it back before the wedding because if he wasn't there, there was no way her plan was going to work.

Krystal knew she had a lot to plan, she drove back home when she left the restaurant and immediately she walked into the living room, she met her parents with Collins.

They were having a nice time chit chatting in the living room.

Krystal was confused as to why Collins was even there in the first place. He had not told her that he was going to be showing up there.

"Hey my love," Collins said placing a kiss on Krystal.

"You didn't tell me you were coming," Krystal said, confused.

"I just missed you," he said.

"Or can't I miss my fiancé again," he added and her parents chuckled.

Krystal forced a smile.

"He wanted to finalize some details also about the wedding."

"What details, i thought we were done with everything."

"Yeah, about that. Since we have nothing else to plan. We want to move the wedding to tomorrow."

"What!!! What are you even talking about!! Mum? Dad?"

"I think Collins is right, there is no need for delay."

"What about all the people we invited, we can't just change the date on them."

"We will send the invites today. They don't all have to make it. So long as I have you, I have everything I need," Collins said, caressing Krystal's face with his fingers.

"I don't know about this mum. It's just 2 days, I don't think that's late. We can wait," Krystal said.

"You have always wanted something intimate, just you and the family. Why are you bothered if everyone else shows up?" Her dad said.

Krystal wasn't worried about everyone else. She was worried about the fact that Andrew might not be able to make it back in time. She wasn't sure how long he was going for.

"Trust me, this is for the best," Collins said.

Krystal just nodded.

"I should go to my room now, I need to tell my friends of the change in plan," she said.

"Alright love. Can't wait to be your husband tomorrow," he said, kissing her on the forehead.

She scrolled through her phone as she walked up the stairs. She clicked on Andrew's number. Praying silently that he had not left yet.

"This is Andrew, I am currently unavailable. Please leave a message."

Krystal had began to sweat. She was becoming more anxious not knowing what was going to happen as several scenarios played in her head.

She called again and it was the same response.

"Please please call me back, it's urgent!!"