The Shadow Man

DIVORCE: PART III

As she stood back up, she decided to approach the man much closer to get a closer look. She was giggling all of a sudden as she stared at the man whilst seated beside him.

"Do you know, your brother was my type back then or was it you? Well, the two of you look so alike, I'm not sure which one is which."

As she looked at the man, her tears started to fall once again. To be frank, she didn't have the gut to do what was asked of her. But she needed the money for her son.

"What should I do, I don't even know what to do."

Jacob who was wide awake but had his eyes still closed, only listened to the girl's voice. He soon realized who she was. 'So, it the coffee girl.'

"I'm not sure you can hear me, but, know that what I'm about to do is not something I wanted to do. I have no choice. My son, well he isn't my son really. When President Blake said I know what to do, I actually don't. I haven't even done it."

Jacob, who was carefully listening, was at the point of laughing. She found the girl ridiculous as she revealed everything to him. At the moment, if something were to happen between him and the girl, he thought he wouldn't mind it. However, he'll be guilty of the fact he took the girls first when she was supposed to spend it with the person she loves.

He felt that the woman was longer beside him when the bed suddenly moves slightly. As he took a pike at what was happening, he saw the woman had taken off her clothes. She removed the bun tying her hair together, revealing her long jet brown hair.

'Is she really planning to go through with this?' He wonders whilst still peeking at what the girl was planning to do next.

"Should I take this off too?" She asked out loud, wondering if it was necessary to take off her bra when the man was already dead asleep. Technically, only their lower parts needed to work. "He won't want too anyways, he's already asleep."

Jacob was laughing within, as he couldn't help but be amazed at how the woman was thinking. How he wished to say out loud, 'I won't mind touching them, but I'm sure you'd rather be with someone whom you love.'

As the woman walked around to turn off all the light, she only left the light by the bathroom to give her some light, making it easy for her to see if she was doing things right in that dim room.

Before she got on the bed, she opened a bottle of wine and drank half of it in one go. "This should do it."

As she got up on the bed and sat next to the man, her eyes started to water once again as her tears rolled all over her.

"I'm really sorry for what am about to do. Know that I'm not doing this willingly, but I promise you this, if a child is born from us, I promise, I won't do what they ask me to do. I promise, I'll go far away from you and I'll raise the child well." She said as she wiped the tears from her face as she slowly moved closer to the man and prepared to plant a kiss on his lips.

"Then, its best if you don't do this if you're not prepared at all." Jacob opened his eyes and said out loud, which caused the woman to be in shock, and quickly moved to the bottom part of the bed.

"Your, your awake?" She looked so surprised, shocked by what she was seeing, she smacked both of her to her cheeks as they redden and added, "I must be drunk."

Jacob, who had been keeping everything in burst out laughing so hard, he couldn't help it any longer as he laughed at the woman.

The woman was left dumbfounded by what was happening; she only stared at the man wondering what was so funny.

"You better wrap yourself up before you catch a cold." He said as he got the blanket and wrapped the woman up.

As she realizes she was half naked, she quickly tightly wrapped the blanket around her. Her face was as red as a tomato as she buried herself in her knees. "Ah, did he hear everything I said earlier."

"Are you asking?" Jacob replied as he whispered his words next to the girl's ears. Seeing how the girl reacted, he started to enjoy the girl's company as he continued to tease her. "If you want to know, I can answer you now."

"You didn't have too, you hear everything." She became all furious as she realizes the man was teasing her.

"Well, I'm sure it was my brother whom you like not me." He replied as he poked the girl in her forehead.

The woman fumed in angry; she wanted to just leave however, and she soon realized what was happening. "Wait, your wake that means…"

"Yeah, I heard everything. Don't worry, I won't blame you for what happened." He replied as he went to turn back the light in the room. "Anyways, are you alright?"

The woman who was frozen from hearing what the man said was all pale. She didn't know what was happening anymore as his mind went blank. She was scared and right now, no one is there for her. If something were to happen to her tonight, no one would care.

"I-"

Jacob knew exactly what the woman was worried about; he went closer to her and patted her in the head, "Don't worry, I won't do anything to you."

As soon as those words came out of the man's mouth, the woman burst into tears.

Jacob was shocked as he didn't expect the woman to suddenly cry so much. He didn't know what to do. He would normally find women crying bothersome, but for some reason he didn't find hers any trouble at all. Instead of walking out on the woman, he went to her side and comforted her. He moved her head, allowing it to leaned on him as she cried some more.

Moments later, the woman had finally stopped crying. Jacob was seated on the chair as he watched the woman in the bed, looking like a turtle whose head was the only thing popping out of its shell.

"Why are you laughing again?" The woman asked, a bit annoyed that the man continued to laugh at her.

"Nothing, it's just you look like a turtle." He replied as he tried to stop him from making fun of her.

She ignored him and turned herself away from him. She didn't want to face him as she knew he'd just continue teasing her.

"Anyways, what's your name?" Jacob asked but did not get any respond. The woman seems to be so upset with him that she dares not look at him anymore. "Hey, I'm asking you your name."

Still, the woman was like a statue unmoved, and was determined not to say a word anymore.

Since the woman was not answering him at all, he became annoyed as he got up from his seat and went to her. As he forcefully pulled the woman to face him. She was unprepared, and it caused her to let go of the blanket as she turned, too, to look up at the man.

Both of them stared at each other and for a moment, both of them were softly looking at each other's eyes.

"Leslie."

"Leslie." Jacob repeated what the woman said as he continues to stare at her. As his eyes caught sight of the woman's body. He's manly desire soon kicked in. He quickly took the blanket and covered her stepping away from her. "So, Leslie, tell me, how did you end up working for them."

Leslie snap back as she realizes what just happened. Seeing the blanket covering her, she felt a sudden warmth towards the man. "I work for the company for over five years now."

"What do you do?" He inquired as he went ahead and poured himself a glass of wine. As he was doing so, he turned to her. "Would you like some?"

"Ah, sure." She replied right away as she gladly accepted the glass of wine, he offered her. "I'm an actress."

"You're an actress, I see." Jacob didn't really discriminate once carrier. However, he doubted she was one seeing how she normally dressed. What kind of celebrity dress like her.

"You don't believe me, don't you?" She glared at the man as he was getting on her nerves already. To make fun of her and now to doubt what she was saying. "Why don't you believe me when I say I'm an actress?"

"Well, who would dress up like you?" He pointed out the first fact of his doubt. Technically, he has so many doubts in which lead to making him think she isn't one. But it wasn't like he didn't believe her; it was just that she didn't look like one.

"Well…" She could answer him, for she knew what he was pointing out. The fact she didn't have any money to dress herself well was the main point. However, her skills as an actress were amazing. A lot of people back then had praised her for being talented; however, with the lack of connection and power, how will she shine. That's how reality works, no matter how good you are if you lack the connection, you'll never shine.

"So, if you're an actress, how come I haven't seen you in any projects? I mean, if you work for North Star Entertainment, surely they have given you some work." Despite he does not get involved with the company at all, he was aware of how it functions. He would sometimes hear both father and son talk about the different projects the company had. Even though he thinks their decisions are mostly too risky, he didn't bother to tell them that it'd bring great damage to their company.

"Well, I haven't had any project." She continued to drink the wine, slowly looking all dejected as she thought back on how many years she had wasted.

"How come, didn't your manager assign you any work at all?" He inquired, suddenly becoming curious about the woman's life.

"Hmm, he does. But those works aren't really to my liking."

Leslie's manager forced her to do things which she detested, such as; selling herself to pig. That is how life is, if you are in the bottom and you want something having a sugar daddy or mommy is the key to one's success. A night or two with one, will surely bring you all the fame and fortune. However, Leslie was not like those people; she decided she'd rather suffer and sell herself off.

"You mean selling yourself?" Jacob said, hitting the mark as the woman's face reacted right away and turned pale. "But, aren't you doing that now."

In an instant, Leslie got up and went to face the man. She didn't even bother that she was half naked as she explained herself in front of him. "I am only doing this to save his life. I rather be begging on the street than sell myself to some pig. However, what can I do? I need the money to save him, if by selling myself means I'll be able to save him then I don't mind."

Seeing her tears fall all over her face again, Jacob felt annoyed at himself. He cursed himself for being too cold. "Fine, I'm sorry. Stop crying now."

However, Leslie's tears didn't stop. This time, she was really in pain. Thinking back to the young boy whose life was on the brink made her emotional.

Leslie was confounded when she felt the warm hands wrapped around her waist. She looked down, looking all surprised. As she was about to ask, the man suddenly pulled her towards him. She was now seated on the man's lap as he pulled her head towards his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean what I said. So, can you stop with the tears?"

Leslie became all mute and didn't know what to say; she had her hands all tucked in her chest as she let the man do what he was doing.

Jacob continues to pat the girl's back as if he was trying to comfort a child. He didn't know how to comfort a woman at all. He thought that maybe comforting a child was the same as comforting a woman.