Mark is still innocent... so far..

Angelsss, don't give in....don't give in to that temptation to abandon this story.[code]

***
***

‘Dear, please hold on, you’ll be alright, I promise’ Helen cried as the nurses rushed her husband into the theatre. They had an accident, a trailer had crashed into them, smashing the windscreen and injuring her husband who’d been in front seat, how Nelson got out alive.

‘Mum? How’s dad’? Mark rushed towards his mother.

‘Honey, he’s badly injured but he would be fine, I hope so’ she cried.

‘Where’s your sister? Why is she not here’? Helen wondered.

‘I couldn’t tell her, you know how close she is to dad, I didn’t want her to get worried about him’ Mark replied.
‘Good day Madam, please I need to see you in my office’ a doctor beckoned to her.

‘God see us through’ Mark sighed and took a seat. He clutched to the necklace he’d bought for Grace, that was the very first thing he’d bought for her since they started dating,yet she dumped it at the garden. It was really strange.

‘Hey boss, how are you holding up’? Nelson took a seat beside him.

‘I’m fine, what really happened out there’? Mark eyed the driver.

‘Well, I don’t know, but I wasn’t speeding, that’s for sure, the trailer driver just had too much to drink’ Nelson replied.

‘I just pray dad comes out alive and strong’ he inhaled deeply and fiddled with his phone.

‘Yea’ Nelson replied and felt for his phone, it beeped twice.

WHAT IF I TOLD YOU THE BULLET WAS MEANT FOR YOU? WHAT IF I TOLD YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO DIE? CALL ME.

‘What’s all these’? Nelson muttered to himself as he read the words of the text, what was the crazy blogger talking about.

‘Are you okay man’? Mark saw the worried look across his face.

‘I’m okay, thanks’ Nelson rose to his feet, someone was playing mind games with him and he needed to teach the stupid blogger a lesson.


Mark watched as he walked away, why was he not injured? And why was his mother equally not wounded? Something wasn’t right, he wasn’t stupid, Grace had told him a lot of things about his family before she died, one which led to the last fight they had, they were just too dirty and abominable, but he was starting to believe her. What if his mother was having an affair with the driver? And they were trying to get their dad out of the picture.


‘Mark…’ Helen called weakly as she returned from the doctor’s office.

‘Mum? What did the doctor say? Is dad going to be alright’? he rose to his feet.

‘He’ll be fine, he just needs some time’ Helen sighed with relief. The doctor assured her that he would be fine, but he would be unconscious for some days as the accident affected his nervous system.

‘I’m glad mum’ Mark squeezed her hands.

‘Me too’ Helen replied. She was really glad she hadn’t lost her husband, that wasn’t what she’d planned, the boys failed her and she was going to deal with them for hurting her husband, they had failed to adhere to her instructions.

Earlier that day, she’d contacted some assassins and sent them a picture of Nelson, the plan was for them to follow their car, then block them and get Nelson out of the car instead of crashing into the vehicle.

Nelson couldn’t live, he knew too much about her family and that was very dangerous for their reputation.
***

I was restless, I prayed to God to save the pastor, if the man died then my days in the mansion were numbered because Helen would send me out that very same day. It wasn’t easy being fatherless, it was a great burden to bear.

I had already prepared lunch and cleaned up everywhere, so I had nothing doing and was a bit bored.

I still wondered about Mark and Grace, those two must have really been close, but why did she suddenly pack up and leave, it wasn’t right and that ignited my curiosity.

Was Mark a bad lover? I shook my head, he seemed like a caring and romantic type of guy. A smile played on my lips as I realized the obvious reason of her mysterious departure: Helen must’ve been the reason.

She must have found out about their affair and must have become very mean to the poor girl, that was the most likely reason.

‘Or what if she was pregnant and he denied it’? I spoke aloud.

I rose to my feet and fetched her album once again, I needed to watch those pictures, maybe they could help me find my answers.

‘House of secrets’ I repeated the words of the note I’d found days back.

I dropped the note aside and kept watching the pictures, it’s either Grace was a very good writer or she was crazy, the mansion I lived in was owned by a man of God and there were no dirty and dark secrets.

‘Who do we have here’? I found another picture of her smiling with a handsome young man, they seemed well acquainted with each other. I couldn’t discard the picture that easily, I noticed something about it, she wore the necklace I found in the garden, and on the picture was written : ‘ROMEO’, had she been cheating on Mark? What if he found out and killed her? I went wild with ideas.


‘Open this goddamn door and bring me my food’ the banging on my door brought me to reality, Rose had woken up.

‘Okay, I’m coming’ I slid out of bed, Mark had not told her about their father’s accident, maybe that piece of news could humble her a bit, she was so arrogant, I wondered briefly how Grace coped.

‘Where’s my brother’? she asked dryly and settled on a chair.

‘He went out’ I replied and offered her a plate of jollof rice.

‘To’? she raised her brows.

‘I don’t know’ I answered.

‘How would you know? Dummy’ Rose fetched her buzzing phone.

‘Hello darling, it’s been such a long time, Romeo’ she paused and gulped some water.

‘Yes baby, how are you and the family’? he asked.

‘Fine, you forgot about me’ she sounded sad.

‘Well, I remember you now, you kept pushing me out of your life, saying your family wouldn’t approve of us, I still want you Rose’ he said.

‘Well, that was then, my family don’t hold the aces no more, we should see soon’ she replied cheerfully and brought the call to an end.

‘What are you looking at dummy’? she sneered at me and I scurried out of the kitchen. She’d call the man ‘Romeo’, that reminded me of the inscription on Grace’s photo with the handsome guy, could they be a connection?

‘I need more’ she called me back.

She thought about Romeo briefly, she had turned him and many guys down because of her father, but he no longer cared about her, he no longer loved her like his own, so she had to find new outlets to release her inbuilt desires.

She had met Romeo in Church, her father’s church to be précised, he introduced himself as a Blogger and writer, what drew her to him was his cuteness, Romeo was a very hot guy but he was very broke, but he had not worshipped there for a very long time.

***


Thankfully, the pastor had two drivers working for him, himself and some middle aged man, the other car had been badly damaged, so the church driver had brought a Sienna to transport them back to the house.

‘Good afternoon boss’ he hailed the man.

‘Nelson, I’m happy you’re all alive, God is in control’ the man said.

‘Yes he is’ Nelson replied and walked some meters away from the car, he needed to warn the blogger.

‘Hello? Am I speaking to the owner of Hot gossips blog’? he waited patiently for an answer.

‘Yes, my name is Kachi Romeo, can I help you’? the blogger asked.

‘Hey listen up, I don’t know what game you’re up to, but I don’t have any information to sell, just back off, even if there was something to tell, I don’t snitch’ Nelson scowled.

‘Slow down, Mr Nelson is it?’ the blogger asked.

‘How did you know my name you freak, are you stalking me now? I’m calling the police on you and your stupid blog’ Nelson threatened.

‘Well before you do, I’d like you to know the fact that I know something about you, a big dark secret and if I’ve got proof, if I leak it, you’ll lose your job even your life, so just listen to me first, I don’t want to coerce you into working with me, we could be partners, we could work this out real fine’ the blogger explained rather confidently.

‘Are you blackmailing me or what? What do you know about me and why do you want this family so bad’? Nelson asked, heat crept up his neck as he tried to recall all the bad things he’d ever done.

‘I know you’re sleeping with the pastor’s wife’ he replied coolly and Nelson froze where he stood.

‘Hello? Mr Nelson? I need you to trust me, I promise your secret is safe with me but to gain your trust, I must show you something first’ he continued.

‘What do you want to show me’? there was so much fear and panic in Nelson’s voice, what if the blogger had a video clip of him and Helen?

‘Someone made attempt on your life today but the wrong person was injured, I want to show you this person’ the blogger said.

‘You’re crazy, what are you talking about? I don’t even have enemies’ Nelson rubbed his chin.

‘Everyone has enemies, you slept with yours’ he replied and the line went dead.
***

‘Nelson’ a shrill voice cried out his name and jerked his from the sea of his disturbing thoughts.

‘Madam’? he swirled and faced Helen and Mark.

‘We have to go’ she ordered and slipped into the car with her son.

‘Okay then’ he replied and join the rest in the car. So many things ran through his mind, first, how did the Hot Gossips blogger get to know about his affair with Helen? The news crippled him, she was going to kill him if she ever found out about it, she would blame him for tarnishing her image.


‘So mum, now dad is down, who’s going to handle his appointments’? Mark asked.

‘Not to worry, that’s why I’m his personal assistant, and we’re holding a powerful tarry night this week, we have to keep members on their toes for God’ Helen sighed.

‘Nice one mum’ Mark replied and was surprised to hear his mother sound so spiritual.

‘Your father would be fine, everything would be fine and soon we’ll live our normal lives’ she rubbed his hands.

‘Yes mum’ Mark replied.

She had this feeling Nelson was up to something, Mark and her had stepped out of the hospital and met him on a call. She’d read his features as he spoke to whoever, something wasn’t right, that gave her courage to plan for his death another time, what if he told the world about their affair? That wasn’t what troubled her, it was her carelessness, letting him bury the decaying hand they’d found in Grace’s room that bothered her, what if he had plans of blackmailing her, how stupid she’d been.

‘Are you okay mum’? Mark noticed she was frowning.

‘Sure, I am’ she replied and took one last glance at Nelson.
***

Raychellasam:
Angelsss, don't give in....don't give in to that temptation to abandon this story.[code]

lols I won't

nice storyline following

Buttersss Buttersss, thank you jare for this sugarlistic update.

marve20:
nice storyline following

thanks marve20

bimberry1307:
Buttersss Buttersss, thank you jare for this sugarlistic update.

m glad you liked it dear!

I simply can't stop reading

Now this just got more interesting...

Missperfect28:
I simply can't stop reading

Keep following dear

Raychellasam:
Now this just got more interesting...

#smiles

Wow this is suspense filled! Really nice story

nikz:
Wow this is suspense filled! Really nice story

thanks honey!

He wondered who was trying to kill him, had Helen found out about his affair with Rose? But he quickly dismissed the thought, Helen had acted very fine, she was happy, even the way she spoke with her husband while he drove them showed nothing had changed about her, or had her husband been the one?

‘You’re late’ the blogger spoke without looking up as Nelson neared his table. Nelson had finally decided to meet with him, and he suggested a hidden venue for the meeting.

‘Tell me what I want to hear and be quick’ Nelson pulled a chair backwards and slid in.

‘Oh, don’t be too fast, we have a lot to talk about’ Kachi lit a cigarette.

‘What do you want from me? Why can’t you face your stupid blog and leave me the hell alone’ Nelson scowled.

‘Uhhmmm, remember I have your secret, so you should mind the way you talk to me’ Kachi pointed his index finger in warning.

‘Why are you doing this? No one would believe you, so whatever game you’re on is not going to work, just stop it right now’ Nelson advised.

‘You’re sleeping with your boss’ wife, it’s been going on for years, I know this for sure and I have proof, if you’re willing to work with me, I promise not to expose you, but if you fail, I shall leak all videos of your love making and don’t ask me how I got them’ Kachi smiled satisfactorily as he saw the fear on Nelson’s face.

‘How did you know this’? Nelson’s heart pounded against his chest.

‘That’s because I am a blogger, we love to buy and sell information’ Kachi replied.

‘So tell me about the person trying to kill me, maybe after that I’d consider working with you’ Nelson said.

‘You really think you have an option do you? Now look at these’ Kachi handed him an envelope.

‘What’s inside’? Nelson was afraid to open it.

‘Go on, open it’ Kachi said.

‘Shit! What’s all these? Why do you want to ruin my life’? Nelson shivered as he watched the pictures of Helen and himself kissing unclad.

‘Now sit still and listen to every word I say, I promise not to expose you if you obey my every word’ Kachi ordered.

‘Just tell me what you want’ it dawned on Nelson that he had no choice but to comply.

‘I need you to spy for me, I need information about the Ita family’ Kachi started.

Kachi Romeo had relocated to the city of Calabar many years back, he’d beed drawn to Pastor Ita’s ministry and even had a crush on his daughter but Rose rebuffed him strongly, he’d taken it in good faith knowing a girl from such a high class could never settle for him but he never knew the real reason behind her rejection.

‘There was a maid working for the Ita’s, I have not seen or heard from her for months now, she worked very closely with me and I paid her handsomely for it, but she just vanished, her phones are not reachable and I have a strong feeling something bad happened to her in that house’ Kachi added.
He’d picked interest in a certain young girl in church, she was meek and good humored, he later found out she was the Pastor’s maid, that got him more interested in the friendship, he still yearned for Rose’s attention and he begged her to put in a good word for him, that was when the curtains fell apart.

‘You can never have her, please forget about her and find someone else’ Grace’s mood had quickly changed at the mention of Rose.

‘Why? Does she have someone’? he asked.

‘No, not that, it’s just that, she’s…I’m sorry we should not talk about my employer’s daughter’ Grace evaded the subject.
Her behavior that day had triggered his curiosity, he pressured her till she began to open up about the Ita’s.
He couldn’t believe it, that a father would sleep with his own daughter, it disgusted him more than anything else, but they had no proof. Grace had planned to take pictures of the evil pastor and his daughter but she never showed up again.

‘Grace? So it was Grace that was your snitch? Oh my God, I’m doomed’ Nelson rose to his feet.
If Grace was truly Romeo’s snitch, it meant they had sex videos of himself and Helen, if they were to be released, the scandal would be enormous.

‘Yes, and I paid her more than her employers ever did, the Ita family are a bunch of fakers just like most families of our religious leaders, I intend to make a big story out of everything, you’ll be rich if you work with me, all I need is your co-operation’ Kachi said.

‘What do you want me to do’? Nelson exhaled, he was a trapped animal and he needed to find escape by all means possible.

‘Are you aware the Pastor Is having an affair’? Kachi raised his brows.

‘Not really except for the photoshopped pictures you sent to me last weekend of him and some girl kissing’ Nelson replied. What was he getting at?

‘What makes you think the picture was photoshopped? You see the problem with Nigerians is this, you’re all too gullible, you see these men of God as actual gods and in fallible, all perfect and invincible but you’re all wrong’ Kachi reached out for his phone.

‘Well, I don’t know if he’s faithful or not, what does that have to do with me’? Nelson frowned.

‘He’s having an affair with Rose’ Kachi paused and watched his face.

‘Rose? Who’s Rose’? Nelson wondered.

‘His daughter’ Kachi replied and Nelson burst out laughing.

‘It’s okay, I didn’t believe it too but it’s real, Grace never lied to me’ Kachi was slightly pissed by his laughter.

‘You’re a good comedian, why don’t you change jobs? Seriously, you mean the pastor is fucking his own daughter? And his sneaky wife don’t know about it? Come on man, stop being paranoid’ Nelson rose to his feet, obviously the blogger had nothing else important to say.

‘Sit down Nelson, we aren’t finished’ he drawled.

‘Sorry Kachi or Romeo or whatever you call yourself, I would not be part of this stupid game, as for the pictures, you’re free to release them, what do I care? But I think you are a coward, you would’ve released them if you really want to’ Nelson replied and swirled round, ready to walk away.

‘You never asked about your enemy’ Kachi’s eyes gleamed wickedly.

‘Who is my enemy’? Nelson quickly turned round.

‘The woman you’re sleeping with’
***



‘What are you doing here? don’t you know this is very risky’? Helen couldn’t fathom the foolishness of his action.

‘I’m so sorry Madam but I had to knowing the operation failed, I came here to explain everything and to warn you’ Oliver replied.

‘Warn me’? that got her. She had not used thugs before, but she had their contacts long before now, she knew Nelson would become a threat, that was why she needed to eliminate him.

‘Someone knows about our deal’ Oliver paused and scanned around, they’d decided to meet in her garden.

‘What are you talking about? I gave you and your boys directives via phone so how would anyone suspect that’? Helen wondered.

‘We don’t have any answers to that, but someone sent us a message and I think you should read it, it’s like a warning, I think you should give up on this guy for now, lay low’ Oliver advised and showed her the text.

‘I KNOW WHAT YOU DID, IT MAKES ME SICK, A PASTOR’S WIFE AND A BAND OF THUGS, I AM GOING TO TELL’

‘What’s this’ Helen backed away from the man, what was happening?

‘I think there’s a snitch living under your roof, monitoring your every movement, I have to go now, just be careful’ he replied.

‘My God, this isn’t happening’ she pressed her hands on her beating chest. She had never felt such fear not even while they were burying Grace. Someone had been tailing her and she had to know who.

‘Nelson!’ she considered but she shook her head, she had sent her daughter to go call him while she made the call to the thugs, so it couldn’t be Nelson.

‘Oh my God, that girl is leaving my house tonight’ Helen realized it could be the maid, but her heart insisted it was her lover boy.

‘Someone is coming’ Oliver whispered.

‘Yes, I need your help Oliver, this last time’ she replied before he ran deeper into the garden.
***

‘Darling…’ she heard his voice, the voice that once turned her on but was now a sound she dreaded.

‘Nelson, you scared me’ she gasped.

‘I’m sorry, I miss you so much and I just want to be here for you, I know what you’re passing through’ he warmed up to her.

‘Thanks Nelson,I have to sleep now’ Helen replied.

‘You know what? I know something that could make you relax real good, do you know what that is’? Nelson caressed her face. He had his plans, he had to know the truth, what if the blogger was lying?


‘Baby, we shouldn’t do this here, what if someone sees us’? Helen whimpered.

‘It’s late and I bet your kids are asleep, the gateman is asleep, so this garden is all ours’ Nelson slipped his hands under her clothes.
‘Nelson….’ She moaned and couldn’t resist his touch, this was definitely their last.

***
‘Oh my God…’ I whispered as I hid in the garden. Helen had walked out with her visitor two hours earlier and Mark and Rose had gone to bed, I was the last person awake so I was curious, why was she still outside?

I was only concerned about her wellbeing, that was why I left for the garden, only to find her in an amorous conversation with Nelson and I felt disgusted by the sight of it.

Did Mark know about this? I wondered, then it dawned on me, the words of the note were beginning to make sent.

‘A house of secrets’ I repeated the words and pressed my hand against my beating chest.

How could a pastor’s wife, a famous one for that matter sleep with her personal driver? I had a strong urge to puke as their groans became louder.

Grace must have known about it and I guessed that was her reason for eloping without notice, I realized.

What if she didn’t elope? What if they killed her to protect this secret? I thought to myself and got scared. I now understood why she was so afraid to see me when I showed up unannounced on her veranda, she must have feared it was Grace that had returned to spill her secret.

‘No’ I panicked, I was really being naïve, if this woman knew that her maid had an idea that she was having an affair, she would kill her to end it all.

‘Oh my God’ my breathing increased as I recalled the way she treated me on that day, like I was a ghost, that was why she poured sand on me.

I was in trouble and I needed a way out, I now wished I had listened to my mother, how could I bear the burden of this heavy secret? Who could I tell? Like Grace, I made up my mind to elope first thing in the morning.


I couldn’t take it anymore, so I sneaked and found a way out of the garden, I needed to pack my bags.
***

‘You were so good baby’Nelson smacked her ass and squeezed it, he was fully sated and now had enough strength to think, why would Helen want him dead?

‘Thanks’ she forced a smile and touched his face lightly.
‘So, we should do it in the garden next time, what do you think? It’s so awesome here’ Nelson suggested.

‘Nelson…’ she called him gently and rose to her feet fully dressed.

‘Yes baby’ he answered.

‘This is the last time, we should stop seeing each other for our own good’ Helen said flatly.

‘What? Why? I’m I not good enough? Don’t I satisfy you? Why would you want to break up with me’? his heart raced as he watched her face, she truly had changed, she looked fierce and indifferent, he prayed the blogger wasn’t right cause women like Helen could be very dangerous.

‘Just get that into your thick skull, this is over, if you want to keep your job, then behave’ Helen replied and was about walking away when he made a statement that made her froze.

‘I’m going to tell your husband, I’ll tell everyone about us’ Nelson started, he needed to see her reaction.

‘Really? What exactly would you tell him huh’? she scoffed and turned towards him.

‘I’ll also tell him about the human hand we found when we made love in Grace’s room, I’m sure the police would be very much pleased’ he sneered at her but his plans failed, Helen’s eyes were unreadable, she was still composed.


‘Good, you’re free to tell the world anything you like but that can only happen if you’re still alive’ Helen replied and laughed wickedly.


‘So you really want me dead’? Nelson scoffed.

‘You’re already dead’ she smiled and walked away.

Her confidence scared him, so Romeo was right? Helen had sent some men after him, he was filled with fear and decided to pack and run as fast as he could but he wasn’t quick enough.
He felt a cold object behind his back and he froze.

‘Hello Nelson’ Oliver pulled the trigger and he fell to the floor.

‘Good work Oliver, now find a place and fix his body, write a note in his name, so it looks like he ran away because he felt guilty about the accident’ Helen reappeared with a bottle of scotch.

‘Why don’t we leave the body here and you call the police and make up a story of robbers? You know how greedy the police are?’ Oliver suggested.

‘No, that’s risky and stressful, this is the best way out’ Helen replied and poured herself a drink.



***

Darn!! This woman is pure evil

indeed that house is full of secrets.nice. one dear

khalifahsparkles:
following

Ni ma ina binki da babban Bura na

9c 1 dear

Nice story

Following

Up in this bitch

Intriguing! The suspense is building up!
Good jib @Buttersss @angelsss

when will the next update be please?

Hi nairaland,I am also a writer. please permit me to put my potential on display..... thank you

Captivating story! 4lowing bumba2bumba.

binason:
Hi nairaland,I am also a writer. please permit me to put my potential on display..... thank you

just go to literature section, çreate ur thread, mention names of notable nairalanders and you're good to go

Mehn, this story through to me like a real life scenario. Helen is a monster, and ive got mixed feelings on Mark as well. That boy act likes he knows nothing but for me he knows more. Good stuff op

all dis secrets under one roof? Dis is rili interesting dear.kip it coming

oh boy! See suspence



keep the good work

This is the best story I've read on Nairaland so far. Thanks.

Captivating story