Page 39 of Conquered

"I have made some mistakes, bad decisions that have affected the course Hunter wants to follow. But I own up to those mistakes because it was done out of kindness and compassion. Miranda Okafor is not a criminal. She was a victim of circumstances in Nigeria. It was my fault that I took her in without knowing more about who she was. Yes, she was an illegal immigrant but she is also a person who works hard, who is honest, and who had my back when times were tough. She is my friend and one I dearly love and miss. Hunter Blackwell is innocent. He helped me when I needed it most. I am appealing to you all. Vote for him not because his life resembles some form of entertainment, fodder that makes mediocre lives easier to accept, because once he is seated in that office as your elected senator, I guarantee, your lives will become better. And that's a promise."

You could hear a pin drop in the silence that followed her impassioned speech.

Then suddenly…bedlam.

“Mrs. Blackwell how did you meet your husband…?”

“Have you heard from Miranda…?

“How did she end up working for you…?

“Is it true you were having immigration problems about your own stay here…?

Did you marry him for his money…?

Media bombarded with questions all around.

Noelle gamely answered, bringing all of them along with her journey. They felt compassion for Miranda, swooned over her initial meeting with Hunter, understood his remark about not knowing how to boil water, her suspicion he was a spy out to steal her recipes, the first dance, the first kiss, the wedding and the honeymoon in Paris. She spared no details. An open book had no secrets.

They lapped up her story like it was their own. Noelle knew that she had finally won over the press to her side. She hoped it was enough to turn the tide for Hunter.

“Mrs. Blackwell! Mrs. Blackwell!” A voice from the back screamed to be heard.

Noelle smiled, thinking it was another journalist with another juicy question for her to answer. She acknowledged the upraised hand at the back as the horde of reporters parted and made way for their colleague to come forward.

It wasn’t a reporter after all. It was a man wearing a hotel uniform. He eagerly grabbed a mic and asked.

“Noelle, do you know that your husband is on TV this very moment?”

“What?” Noelle was caught by surprise.

There was a mad scramble from those present in search for the TV remote. A flurry of hands passed along narrow object until it reached one nearest the flat screen. A click, then it came to life and revealed Hunter’s face. But it was the tail end of his statement everyone heard.

“…So it is with a heavy heart and after much soul-searching, I am declaring my withdrawal from this campaign. My wife has suffered tremendously over the negative publicity that has hounded us for the last few weeks. It has driven a wedge between us. I have come to a decision that she is the most important person in the world to me. Success is meaningless without her by my side. I love you, Noelle. Please come home.”

Noelle felt tears dwell up in her eyes and felt all her love for Hunter in that single moment. She knew that he was the one for her. “Where is he?’ she asked tremulously.

"I believe he's in the penthouse suite of this hotel. I encountered the camera crew that recorded…" The man in the hotel uniform replied.

Noelle didn’t wait to hear the rest of his account. She rushed out followed by a procession of reporters with cameras still rolling. There was a chaotic sprint for elevators to ferry them to the penthouse.

Noelle was stunned at the coincidence. This had to be fate playing a hand, sparing her from a curve ball and tossing a straight one in her direction. It could have ended as a cruel joke. But it wasn’t. Hunter just announced on national television that he loved her…HE LOVED HER.

Noelle found herself pulled by the arm. It turned out to be the man in uniform who admitted he was a bellhop who worked at The Westin.

“He’s in there,” the bellhop announced excitedly pointing to a closed door.

Noelle pushed the door open without bothering to knock. Hunter instantly looked at her and their eyes met for a second. The second that felt like an eternity and in that moment they had communicated all that was to be said soon after.

“Noelle?” Hunter exclaimed in surprise. “What are you doing…?”

Noelle rushed to him and said, “Oh you crazy, crazy man. Why did you do that?’

She fell into his arms and sobbed as the whole world witnessed the look of tenderness that shone brightly in her husband’s eyes.