Diamond In The Rough

CHAPTER SIX

MADISON'S POV

I yawned as I sat up from the bed,I raised my head up to the wall clock and its 6am. I gotta get Michelle ready for school. I got off the bed and walked sleepishly to the kitchen. I met shirtless Jamal preparing coffee.

"Good morning." I called his attention and he turned. He gave me a smile and I walked to him.

"Slept well?" He passed me the cup of coffee and I smiled appreciatively.

"Like a baby." I took a sip of the coffee and gave a satisfactory smile. My eyes involuntarily went downwards and they came in contact with a set of chocolate abs. Damn! What did France do to this dude?

"Done checking me out?"

I cleared my throat and looked away while sipping the coffee. "Who's checking you out?"

He chuckled and took a pot out of the cupboard. "You have somewhere to go today. Leave the cooking to me. I'll prepare Mitch for school so you go rest a little bit more."

"Awwwn thanks."

I hugged him and he patted my head. I sat on one of the stools when I let him go. His phone rang and I almost laughed at the caller ID. He glanced at his phone and hissed when he saw the name of the caller.

"Who stores a person's name as 'Don't answer?' I'm sure it's a she." I teased.

"Yup, she's a she. A very annoying one."

"If you didn't want to receive her calls, why give her your number in the first place?"

"Long story."

I hummed and got off the stool. "I'll be in the room."

"Okay."

I went back to my room and slumped on my bed. I've informed Madam Oliver of my absence today though didn't tell her the real reason I just told her I had things to do. I tried calling Jason yesterday to tell him about all that happened but he was unreachable. I'll try again today. I couldn't bring myself to sleep anymore so I decided to go check on Mitchell.

"I wanna sleep." He mumbled in his sleepy voice and I caressed his hair.

"You're going to school today you know?" He opened his eyes and smiled at me. "Good morning, mama."

"Good morning, sweetheart." I pecked him on the cheek and a giggle erupted from him. He sat up and stretched.

"Let's go take your bathe, shall we?"

I carried him to the bathroom after taking off his clothes. Mitchell was dozing off throughout his bathe. I dressed him up for school and we both went to the living room.

"Uncle Jammy!" Mitchell squealed as he ran to Jamal. Jamal picked him up and twirled him around. My heart was filled with happiness as I watched the both of them goof around.

"I made pasta. Wanna taste it?"

Mitchell nodded in excitement. Jamal dished out his food and placed it in front of him. Mitchell dug in in no time. I walked to the sink to wash the used plates. While washing a knife, I cut myself by mistake. I gave a little scream and Jamal came running.

"Are you okay?" He asked worriedly as he took my bleeding finger. What he did next shocked me. He took my bleeding finger into his mouth and sucked on it. I avoided contact with him, my face was evidently flushed.

"You should have been more careful."

He said as he placed my finger under running water.

"Do you have a first aid kit around?"

"Jamal, it's just a little cut. I'll just wrap a piece of plaster on it."

"But...

"It's fine. Really."

He let go of my finger reluctantly and pulled me away softly from the sink. "I'll wash them."

"I can...

"Madison, you're hurt."

I knew arguing further would be futile so I let him do what he wanted. Mitchell finished eating and Jamal offered to drive him to school. I definitely couldn't day no. I bid Mitchell goodbye and went back in to clean. About an hour later, Jamal came back home.

"You're leaving for work, right?" I asked and he nodded. I noticed the collar if his shirt wasn't done well so I walked up to him.

"Your.. your collar is...

I stood on my tippy toes and my hands went to the back of his neck. I helped him refold it and adjusted his tie too.

"There. Nicely done."

I raised my head and found him staring intensely at me. I stepped away from him and said, "You have to get going, CEO Jamal."

He laughed and picked up his suitcase. "You're going back to your place right?" I asked and he nodded

"Yeah. Or do you want me to stay here?"

"That wasn't what I meant."

He eyed me teasingly and I chuckled.

"Bye."

He hugged me and got into his car. "I'll call you, okay?"

"Mhm."

He drove off and I sighed. I guess I'll be waiting for Alexa's chauffeur. I went back to my room and reached for where I placed the envelope and I kept it under the bed. The bed is super thick and huge so no one would know there's something under it

Now that that's settled, I need to clean the house.

After an hour of intensive cleaning, the door bell finally rang and i went to open it. I opened the door, revealing a grey haired man probably in his fifties.

"Good morning, ma'am." Ma'am? Me ma'am? I'm just twenty three.

"Good morning, sir"

"You must be Miss Abigail. Madam Alexa told me to bring you"

"Yes um..let me just grab my bag and change." I said and he nodded

"You can come in." I said as I left the door for him to enter.

"I'll be right back."

I scurried to my room and roamed my eyes round my wardrobe. What to wear? I can't go meet a person as influential as Alexa looking like a old rag.

Okay, I think this will do. It's a black long sleeved turtle neck gown that stopped right above my knees clinging tight to my body not hiding a single curve.

I took a white sneakers and a white scarf. I combed my hair and packed it upwards. I applied a little lip gloss and took my handbag. Satisfied with my look, I went out of my room to the sitting room.

"Shall we?" I said and the man nodded

He led me to the car and helped me with the door.

"Thank you"

He got in and started the car as well hit the road. After one hour drive, we got to our destination. The automatic gate opened as we approached it and my breath got stuck in my throat as I got down from the car.

This place is paradise. The compound is so huge, cars packed at every corner, three water fountains and beautiful flowers adding to the beauty.

I raised my head up to the beautiful cream coloured mansion before me and a wow escaped from my mouth. This building is mesmerizing.

"This way miss." The chauffeur said, jolting me out of my period of admiration

I followed him into the house and OMG! Alexa is this rich? The inside looks much more beautiful than the outside. This place is so sparkly. I'm afraid my leg would break the floor because it's pure glass.

"I can see you're here." I heard Alexa's voice. I looked up and there she was, coming down the stairs with a glass of wine in her hands.

"Good morning, ma'am" I greeted

"Morning, my dear. Maximus you can leave now" She said and the chauffeur bowed and left.

"Come with me." She said as she led the way with me trailing behind her like a lost sheep.

We finally came to a stop in a beautiful garden.

"Have a seat." She said pointing to a chair in front of her

"Thank you." I said as I sat down. She sat down in front of me and she placed her wine on the table in between us.

Shortly, some people who I assume to be maids came in with bottle of wine and two glasses and also, a tray of doughnuts.

"You drink?" She asked and I shook my head.

"No, ma'am." I replied and she smiled.

"No problem. They are all nonalcoholic."

She poured me a glass and I politely took it taking a sip. Hmm strawberry.

"So...Abigail." she began and I took my glass from my lip.

"Where did you learn to cook like that?"

I cleared me throat before I answered

"Well, it's like a talent." I replied and she smiled.

"Why did you change your identity?" She asked and my heart skipped a beat. Does she know who I truly I'm?

"Um...I don't know what you're...

"I know you're Madison Campbell and not Abigail Maxwell." She cut in and I inhaled sharply. She knows my identity?well, there goes my luck.

"You do?"

"Yes I do and I also know what happened five years ago"

I bowed my head in shame without altering a word.

Unexpectedly, she held my hand and I raised my head up.

"Was that why you changed your identity?" She asked and I nodded

"What really happened?" She asked and I sighed as I remembered all that happened. The shame, the disappointment I brought upon my family

"Well, I guess I was blinded by love I couldn't see who he truly was." I said.

"Your boyfriend back then?" She asked and I nodded.

"Jackson and I started dating eight months before the incident. At that time, I saw him as my life. I so much loved him that I would do anything to make him happy including, giving him my virginity. I thought giving him would make him love me more but...I was wrong." I sniffed back the tears and wiped the one on my face away.

"I was really wrong. I didn't know he was a monster. I didn't know he only wanted to get under my skirt. I didn't know he only wanted to disgrace me. He took my virginity and fled. That's not even the worst. The worst part is that he leaked my nudes to the public. He made me look like a w***e, a slut. He made me look like a pornstar." The tears were already flowing freely as I talked. I remember the pain he made me go through. I remember how he made everyone turn their backs against me. I remembered how Clara mocked me. The main question here is why? Why would he do that? I've been a really good girlfriend to him. I loved him more than I loved myself. I adored him. I made sure he was happy so why would he repay me like that..I just don't get it.

"So sorry dear. It's okay, stop crying." She said as she rubbed my hands soothingly. I sniffed and wiped my tears.

"Then how did you get here? Did you run away from home?"

"No. Three weeks after the incident I found out I was pregnant. My stepmum told me to abort it but I said no. The baby isn't the cause of my misfortune so why would I? I had to do some jobs to take care of myself and the baby because the parents weren't fending me again. Months passed, I gave birth to my baby. I was so happy when I had him but the worst happened when my parents especially my dad insisted on me selling my child to an orphanage."

She gasped with her hands on her mouth

"Why would they insist that? An orphanage? That's inhuman. The child has a mother." She said with irritation

"That was exactly what I said but they paid deaf ears. I also stood my ground that I won't and I can never sell my child and my dad said the worst"

"What is that?"

"He said if I won't sell him then I should leave his house. Of course, my stepmum backed him up."

"Oh my God! That's so harsh"

"Yeah but I told them no problem. I'll leave thier house and I'll leave New York"

"So..that's how you moved to Texas?"

"Yeah. My brother tried to talk me out of it but I had already made my up mind"

"You have a brother?"

"Yeah. The best brother I could ever ask for. He was the one that stood by me when others reprimanded me. He was the one that made me have hope. When I even relocated to Texas he sends me money so I could take care of myself and Mitchell, my son"

"Hmm, so it's a boy." She said with a grin and I chuckled with a nod.

"So that's how I've been living ever since. With the help of God I got a job at Olivers and I'm able to pay my house rent, enroll Mitchell in school and also feed us"

"You're a really strong girl, Madison."

I smiled and said

"Thanks ma'am"

"You're really strong. I don't know how many girls that went through what you went through that are like you. Some would have became nonentities, some would have became prostitutes, some would even abort the baby but you stood your ground..that's really brave of you."

"Thank you ma'am"

"I have something for you." She said as she reached for an envelope at the side of the table. She reached inside the envelope and brought out a paper.

She stretched it to me and I collected it with a bow.

I stared at it and I saw ALEXA GRANDES CATERING SCHOOL written in bold at the top. My eyes roamed down the paper and I saw different things like...

NAME:

AGE:

NATIONALITY:

STATE OF ORIGIN:

This looks like a...a form?

"Um..ma'am?"

"That's a form to my school. If you wanna attend. It's a one year term."

"Oh my God...yes...yes!!. Thank you ma'am. Thank you so much, ma'am." I squealed, almost kneeling down as I thanked her.

"It's okay." She said as she pulled me up. Tears were already in my eyes. I can't believe this. I'm holding a form to my dream school.

"You're really emotional. Now you're crying?" I smiled as i cleaned my tears

"I'm just so happy"

"I know. So all you have to do is to fill it and don't worry about expenses, I'll provide everything you need. Books, any type of fee, allowance, anything. I'll take care of it." She said and I couldn't stop thanking her and my stars that directed this helper to me.

"Thank you, ma'am"

"I said it's okay. Now fill the form." She said, stretching a pen to me. I collected the pen and I started filling the necessary information. Done with the form filling, I gave her the form and she smiled.

"Come have lunch before you go." She said as she took my hand and walked back to the house.

"So you'll resume tomorrow or next week?"

"Um..I think I'll resume next week." I said and she nodded in understanding.

"My chauffeur will drive you home when you're done with you food." She said and I nodded as I took a spoon filled lasagna into my mouth.

***

"Bye, Mr.Maximus." i waved at the chauffeur as he drove away. I'm back home and Mrs.Russ has already picked Mitchell from school.

I knocked on her door and she opened

"Hey Madison, back from work?" She hasn't known about all that have been happening. I'll tell her soon.

"Yeah..where's Mitchell?"

"Mama" I heard him squeal from inside and I smiled.

"Speak of the devil."

"Mama." He squealed as he ran towards me.

"Hey bunny." I said as I carried him up

"You're back." He giggled as he wrapped his small hands round my neck.

"He was a little of a trouble today." Mrs Russ said and I laughed.

"Is that true Michelle?" I asked and he giggled, burying his face in my chest.

"Thanks, Mrs Russ." I said and she smiled

"Anytime"

I left Mrs Russ place and went to my apartment. I dropped Mitch on the sofa and I made for the kitchen to get a glass of water. I need to call Jason.

****

"What?!" I pulled my phone away from my ear when he screamed, "All these happened and you're just telling me now?"

"I tried calling you last night but you were unreachable."

"Gosh! I'm so mad at myself. So you're gonna go to that school now?"

"Yeah. I'm starting next week. It's a one year program."

"I'm so happy for you. "

"Thanks bro. So how is college?"

"Fun and annoying at the same time but I'm holding up."

"Okay. I'll call you later, okay?"

"Okay. Bye sis."

"Bye."

I placed my phone on the table and stared at the ceiling. This just keeps getting better and better.