He brought her to famous restaurants like Ducasse’s whose three-star Michelin rating became Noelle’s secret envy. He wasn’t averse to bringing her to quaint out-of-the-way places, too, where Noelle learned about authentic Parisian cuisine.
They spent a whole afternoon at The Louvre admiring the works of the masters like the Mona Lisa and Venus De Milo. He took her dancing to the Moulin Rouge. Their last night in Paris was capped with a romantic dinner at the top of the Eiffel Tower that gave a fantastic view of the city.
Noelle couldn't have asked for more. It was with a heavy heart that she said goodbye to a memorable week as she stepped into the plush interior of his Gulfstream.
To her displeasure, he immediately fired up his Mac and went straight to work.
***
“You seem famished,” Miranda noted as Noelle spooned another mouthful of lasagna. Miranda was trying her hand at Italian cooking and was adamant that Noelle be the first to try her creation. If she approved, they would slowly add more to the café's menu. To Noelle's surprise, it was delicious.
“It’s really good,” Noelle mumbled between bites.
“So…spill the beans. How’s married life treating you?” Miranda asked, basking in Noelle’s approval of her new dish.
“Ohhh,” Noelle swooned, “It’s everything I expected, being married to someone like him. Hunter is…Hunter is…” She couldn’t find the right words to describe the way she felt.
“I get it.” Miranda beamed. “I’m so happy for you. You deserve a man like that even if you initially doubted the world he lives in.”
“I know. And I will always be grateful. He’s like my knight in shining armor, you know. Marrying him solved whatever problems I’ve had all these years.”
“Problems? What problems?” Miranda asked curiously.
“I never mentioned it before because I didn’t know what to do about it. But here, let me show you.”
Noelle rummaged in her purse and waved a small booklet.
“My passport,” she announced. “I am now a legal citizen of the United States.”
Miranda blanched.
“I know. Isn’t it crazy? I’ve been living in this country for so long and it took marrying him to finally make it all legit. You don’t know how much I’ve carried that burden all my life. I was always afraid of being deported back to Italy where I was born and lose everything I’ve worked for. Now I never have to worry about that ever again.”
Noelle never mentioned this to Miranda in the past and proceeded to tell her the whole story about how her mom died without filing all the necessary papers for her citizenship because she always intended to go back to Italy and find Noelle’s dad.
Miranda looked stricken. She couldn’t say a word. Noelle misunderstood her reaction.
“I know I should have told you earlier because you work for me. If I suddenly closed shop back then, I realize now you would be affected, too. Don’t worry. You’re safe now. Everything’s fine. Your job is safe with me.”
“I’ve got something in the oven,” Miranda announced abruptly and left her.
Noelle was surprised at Miranda’s reaction. It made her even guiltier about not telling Miranda everything right from the start. Miranda’s job meant the world to her and she realized that now.
She took another mouthful of lasagna and closed her eyes, savoring the delicious concoction. Her appetite seemed to have increased tremendously. She attributed it to stress. The campaign period would be in a month. She already dreaded being away from Hunter during the campaign period.
Two hours passed and she felt pangs of hunger once again. She just ate all of Miranda's lasagna. She had no right to be this ravenous. Her tummy felt strange, like she had acid reflux which made her think she needed food.
The feeling was a familiar one. It happened years back when she was pregnant with Nikko. The constant craving for food was excessive. Shit. The memory stopped her in her tracks. She couldn’t be. Could she? The last time she and Hunter had sex was back in Paris.
Noelle felt chills run up and down her body. It certainly wasn't a good time and they had never talked about having a baby.
Chapter Thirteen
Back at the mansion, Noelle found herself pacing the bedroom floor. It was one of many nights when she didn't know when Hunter would be coming home. She had to do it now before she lost her courage entirely.
Alone in the bathroom, she removed the wrapper of a pregnancy kit she bought at a drugstore near the café. She tried to quell the uneasiness she felt inside as she waited for the telltale sign. Her worst fear happened. The result indicated that she was indeed pregnant.
“Oh fuck,” she muttered.
Suddenly, guilt assailed her for feeling bad. True, it wasn’t part of the plan. But this was their baby. Hunter’s hectic preparations ran like a well-oiled machine that didn’t have room for unexpected surprises. His team of experts went through any and all possible setbacks with a fine-tooth comb. No one saw this coming.
“Maybe, I should keep this to myself for the meantime,” she debated.
The baby was still on her mind when she heard the sound of his car in the driveway. She glanced at the clock by the bedside table and noted the time. It was 3:45 A.M.
She rose from the bed. Maybe he was hungry. She could rustle up something for him to eat in the kitchen.
As she stepped out of the bedroom door, Hunter came into view. He looked whacked and out-of-sorts. Noelle’s heart melted. He really was putting his all into the coming race.
“Hi,” Noelle greeted him softly.
Hunter looked at her like she was a stranger. His eyes were troubled.
“What’s wrong?” Noelle asked worriedly.
“This…” he replied abruptly shoving a broadsheet into her hand.
It was one of those found in supermarket checkout lanes with sensational headlines written in capital letters and screaming red colors that caught the eye.
This article was written in guess-who style.
Who is the aspiring senatorial candidate recently married in lavish ceremonies attended by NYC’s who’s who? Based on surveys, he has the most chance of landing a seat in the U.S. Senate. Information we received from an anonymous tipper indicates that the beautiful young wife is not exactly on the up-and-up and was possibly an illegal alien before the marriage happened. While this is all moot and academic, him having married her, it begs the question: did our would-be senator break any laws? Did he pull a fast one on the legal system of the United States? What was the motive behind the sudden wedding? Is there more to the story?
Noelle felt the air sucked out of her body. It was clear who the article was referring to. Only her name and Hunter’s name were missing.
“Who could have done this?” She asked.
“I don’t know,” he replied frostily, “Maybe a rival… I don’t know. The timing is just so shitty.”
“Diggs? It had to be him. He came by at the café a second time. He called me names and I slapped him,” Noelle replied remembering the incident.
Hunter looked frozen.
"Maybe this is all there is?" She muttered weakly. "It's just a tabloid. People don't usually believe stories of this kind."
“Normally I wouldn’t care. But there’s no way of knowing if this would get picked up by the local paper. Shit like this is likely to derail all my plans.” He said coldly.
“What are we gonna do?” Fear was written all over her face.
He said nothing, gave a drawn out sigh and shook his head. Then he entered the bedroom and left her standing by the door.
Noelle felt confused…and so guilty. If the repercussions from the broadsheet affected her husband in any way, she was to blame. He had worked so hard for everything, just to fall apart this early in the race.
She followed him inside and noticed that he headed straight for the bed. His clothes lay in a pile near the foot of the bed. She gathered them and placed everything in the hamper before she approached the bed and
climbed in. His back was turned towards her side. Noelle knew he was still upset.
She reached out and caressed the muscle on his back. It was then she realized how tense and stiff he was. She inched closer and kissed the side of his face.
“Hunter, talk to me, please.” She begged.
She wrapped her arms around his chest and snuggled closer. She felt him stiffen and draw away from her.
“I’m tired. I have a long day tomorrow. Good night, Noelle.” He retorted coldly.
He could have slapped her and it still wouldn’t be as painful as the rebuff. For the first time in their marriage, Noelle felt like an interloper, an unwanted guest who should have just stayed out of his life.
***
After spending a sleepless night beside Hunter who managed to doze off despite the bad news, Noelle rose to find him gone. She knew that he was angry and upset. Reason said it wasn’t her fault. But she couldn’t help feeling that Hunter blamed her somehow.
She was wary about calling him and asking if there were any other development. She decided to call Lisa. She would know.
“Yes, it’s on page six of today’s paper, I’m afraid.”
Noelle’s heart sunk. “What do they intend to do?”
“Hunter’s advisers think it would be best to fund an anonymous survey. See what people think about this whole shitty situation.”
“Oh God, Lisa. This is all my fault.”
“Hush child. This is not your fault at all. It’s only on page six. It will probably have a small effect but not enough to derail him completely. Keep your fingers crossed, okay?”
The days that followed were like torture as she waited for word from Lisa. When it finally came, she was light-headed with relief. The good news was the survey Hunter’s group conducted only indicated a slight dip in his popularity rating. All wasn’t lost. But the rift between them felt wider somehow.
Two weeks before the start of campaign season, the bombshell dropped.
Chapter Fourteen
Noelle still hadn’t gotten used to the constant presence of reporters and photographers outside Eats Well café. Like hounds on the trail of blood, paparazzi made it their business to know her daily activity.
When anyone closely resembling the press came in on the pretext of ordering food, she made herself scarce and exited through the back door. She felt like a specimen under a microscope.
Since the initial frenzy of her wedding preparation, as well as Hunter’s ensuing campaign, Noelle hired additional crew to help Miranda on a daily basis. The girl insisted that she could manage, but Noelle felt guilty about leaving her alone. Noelle’s constant absences brought out Miranda’s creative spirit in the café operations, leading to a confidence to manage efficiently without her. Noelle owed her a lot. She would have closed shop a long time ago if it weren’t for her friend.
Miranda sensed there was something more to Noelle’s revulsion for the press. Miranda took it upon herself to relieve the added pressure of dealing with the paparazzi’s unceasing attention. Regular exchanges of heated words, expletives spewing, plus the threat of thwacking them with her cast-iron pan kept the nosy reporters at bay.
They moved to the other side of the road. The street became the invisible barrier that gave Noelle a false sense of security, but it was hardly enough for the privacy she wanted. Long-range camera zoom lenses recorded every move they made.
She cursed Diggs for all this unwarranted attention. It had his signature all over it. The bastard must have made a deal with an equally sleazy reporter and gotten money for it. The fact that the story was picked up by a legitimate local paper was unexpected.
“Must have been a slow day at the office,” she mumbled bitterly, not realizing that everything concerning Hunter Blackwell always fed the media’s interest.
The paparazzi’s presence wasn’t all she had to bear.
Her being pregnant was still a secret. She desperately wanted to share the news with her husband but didn’t know how. There was a wall between them that was difficult to explain. It resembled a silent accusation that she was to blame somehow as he doubled his efforts to regain lost ground. Even inside their bedroom, she felt the distance. Hunter was like a cliffhanger, always taking the farthest side of the bed away from her.
That hurt her intensely. But she put on a brave front, for his sake.
All of this will blow away soon. Optimism kept her going. Things will change once he got elected.
Noelle and Miranda stared warily when a nondescript white van made a sudden stop in front of the café. Two burly men in black jackets stepped out and headed straight for their entrance. The arrival caused a sudden stir in the horde across the street. Noelle soon realized why. The word POLICE was emblazoned on the backs of the jackets.
“Miranda Okafor!” One of the men inquired in a loud voice.
Noelle was on her feet and went to meet them. She happened to glance at Miranda. The girl had turned ashen.
“How can I help you, Officers?”
“We’re looking for Miranda Okafor. Please identify her for us.”
Noelle sensed they already knew who Miranda was. Both officers had their eyes locked on her. What alarmed her was the way the officers had their hands on the holster of their guns like they were expecting trouble.
“Miranda?” Noelle threw her a puzzled look. What could these men possibly want from Miranda?
The girl was rooted to the spot, her eyes like deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car.
“Miranda Okafor, you are charged with unlawful entry into the United States. Come with us, please.”
The request was immediately followed by handcuffs slapped on Miranda’s wrists.
“You will spend the night in a detention facility until an Immigration Judge hears your case. You will be notified about succeeding hearings or immediately sent back to Nigeria.”
Miranda started to cry, a cry that turned to a heartrending wail. Noelle was so confused that she hardly heard the words the officers said. It was as if it was happening in a movie, but in slow motion. Police ushering Miranda to the door, Miranda looking at her helplessly, her face begging for help - it all felt surreal.
“WAIT!”
Noelle scrambled after the officers, just as they reached the door. The burlier of the two tried to block her way. Noelle pushed him aside in a desperate attempt to grab on to Miranda. A scuffle ensued. The next thing she knew, both police officers had their guns pointed at her.
She embraced Miranda tightly, unwilling to let go. This was all a mistake. She needed to let the officers know. But they just seemed overly aggressive.
“Please,” Noelle begged, clinging to Miranda even tighter. “You must be mistaken. She works for me.” Noelle attempted to explain.
Miranda was bawling. The same burly guy, who tried to block her way, forcefully removed her, pulling her arms away from Miranda and holding her around the waist. Then he bodily dragged Noelle away.
“NO!” Noelle screamed as Miranda was loaded inside the van that immediately sped away.
She stayed rooted to the spot, crying helplessly, until the van disappeared from sight. It was only later in the evening that she realized that the whole incident was recorded and landed on the primetime news on national television.
Chapter Fifteen
“What were you thinking” Hunter questioned with eyes blazing. His voice resounded angrily against the walls of the mansion.
Noelle was spent from crying. She didn’t have the energy to think of a reply that could lessen his fury. He had been ranting for half an hour. There was no explanation that satisfied his wrath.
“People now think you coddle illegal aliens,” he sputtered, “Do you even know what that means?”
Noelle nodded in defeat. The insult was flagrant. He must really think she was that stupid not to understand anything that just happened.
Even her explanation that she met Miranda on the same morning he came barging into her door just wasn’t good enough
.
“She needed my help. I just couldn’t let her bleed to death outside my door,” Noelle replied indignantly.
He accused her and said that it was a wrong judgment taking someone in, even if she was sick and bleeding.
Noelle was shocked. But Hunter wasn’t even halfway finished with her.
“Do you have any idea how you must have looked getting into a brawl with the police?”
The Penthouse Secrets: A NYC Billionaire Romance Trilogy Boxed Set Page 9
