Chapter 68

***Kenya***.

After dropping our things at the enormous and lavishly furnished beach house, Levi took us to a nearby restaurant to have breakfast.

We had hurried out of the penthouse, earlier this morning, because Levi had some files to pick up at the office, before we boarded the plane. I had only kicked back in the car and watched him do his business, while I basked in his presence. Anything to stay close to him. Weird right. But I didn't care.

I hadn't heard from my mystery friend, K.C in a while, so I had texted him, before we climbed the plane.

Now as we sat in the elite, ocean view restaurant, *Flamingo*, my phone buzzed on the table with an incoming text from him. I picked the phone, my heart buzzing with adrenaline at the danger of texting another man in my husband's presence. It was daring and weird. And it got me extremely exhilarated. I wondered what Levi would think if he found out.

***K.C: Hey beautiful. How have you been? I have been extremely busy and haven't had any time for myself. I should have texted you, but I didn't want to be a bother.***

***Me: You are never a bother, K. C. Actually, you are a distraction.***

He was typing and I eagerly waited for his next words.

***K.C: I hope I'm much of a distraction to you?***

I stilled. Those words reminding me of my question to Levi, when he first came to my house, months ago.

'*You have been a great distraction,'* he had replied on that night.

I shuddered and raised my eyes to Levi. He had his hands on his tablet and was making a call. I didn't even care to know what he was speaking about. Something about ordering materials for road repair in Boston.

***Me: You're a great distraction at the moment***. ***Anything to keep me from crying my eyes to sleep out of boredom***.

"Are you ready to order?" I heard Levi say. I looked up from my phone, my smile dying at his expressionless face. I nodded, because that was easier than speaking to him these days. He cocked his head, I wondered why, before he signaled for a waiter.

"What would you like?" He asked.

I looked around, sizing the uniqueness of the place. Everyone dressed casually for the warm morning, underneath the canopies. The glass tables decorated with sea side themes; corals and sea shells.

I shrugged. "Surprise me, Levi."

My response earned me another tilt of his head.

"Two sea side specials, please." He informed the waiter. The man nodded and left.

"I wonder what got you smiling on your phone earlier. Was it one of your admirers?" He asked, slyly, sipping some water. I frowned.

"What I do with my phone is none of your business." I threw at him.

"It is, especially if it's one of those ballet dancers. What are their names again; Rory and Mike"

"They're just friends Levi. And besides, Mike is in a serious relationship with Andrea," I said. *Was he serious?* This guy who had ignored me for the past days.

"I knew that. But the Rory guy?" He intoned. I raised a brow at his insinuation.

"He's got balls. I like that about him." He remarked. "I've asked my recruitment team to offer him a position at STA Constructions. My new executive P.A."

I knew Rory was smart and bold, but I didn't trust Levi's reasons for this offer.

"Are you doing this because you need his services, or because you want to keep him under your control?" I spat. He smiled darkly, confirming my suspicions. I was told how Rory boldly addressed Levi, when he had been upset. When neither Andrea nor Mike had been able to approach him.

Rory was a people's person.

I was about to reply, when our food arrived.

Delicious foods filled my nostrils. Steak, dressed with salads and shrimps. I wasn't a fan of shrimps, but one taste of the food, I forgot our conversation.

"You like it?" Levi's voice broke through the moment. My mouth stuffed, I nodded.

*Silence*.

"No one knows you own such a property in Miami." I remarked, after a while, my eyes steady on Levi. He spared me a boyish grin. *Was he shy*? I never knew that.

"I'm a private person Kenya. Most of the time, I'm engrossed with work," he replied. I was aware of his commitment to work and I admired him for it. His works spoke volume, the media screamed his reputation.

"MIT must be proud of one of their top students in Civil and Environmental Engineering." I complimented. He raised his eyes at me, surprised. The question of how I knew that info, in his eyes.

I shrugged, slyly. "Nothing you wouldn't find on the internet."

He chuckled, amusedly, taking a bite out of his steak. "You've been checking me out, Baby?" He drawled. I flushed.

"No. I wanted to know more about you, since you wouldn't tell me anything." I accused. A knowing look crossed his face. Yeah I was aware, the forbidden topic.

"Don't worry. I am not broaching that subject." I fixed a weary gaze on my food again.

*Silence*.

"When I was able to, I got enrolled into MIT. My mother was very proud, the day I brought my enrollment details to her. Her eyes held joy for the first time in years." He started, dragging my attention. I stared at him quietly, not wanting to spoil the moment.

"Mum was sick at the time with lung cancer and was undergoing treatment. Smoking. But all the money I had couldn't buy my mother's health back, like I was able to pay for my tuition fees." His sadness was palpable. I yearned to comfort him.

"Perhaps that's the reason I never bothered celebrating my achievements. She died a year later." He placed a wan smile, but I could still feel the ache in his heart. His sorrow, explicit.