Hello, dear fellow writers. This is a story of love and betrayal. Comments are highly welcomed.
Happy reading.


Femi was a devoted family man until he meets a former colleague. Sade, a beautiful and vivacious woman, is going through some trauma in her marriage and she needs somebody to share the heart burden with. Meeting Femi by chance provides the opportunity she years for.
Femi falters and it takes a while for him to retrace his steps. Temptations are not always the best. They can make or mar one's life. This is exactly what Femi has to fight against.






Tomi Danesi







This story is all a fiction. All characters and events are imagined and do no refer to anybody, dead or alive.
The story is, however, meant to encourage, inspire and urge people to remain steadfast in the face of challenges.





© 2018






Dedication

This book is dedicated to the glory of almighty God. It is also dedicated to those who believe in faithfulness in relationship.










cover picture credit: eye-for-ebony-341041-unsplash


This book is available on


https://okadabooks.com/book/about/the_last_temptation/23329







The coolness of the morning could not be unnoticed. The cold, dry wind unleashed by the harmattan had come with a great deal of fierceness this time around. It was its season. People had expected it, but no one thought it would be as fierce as this. Lola switched off the air conditioner system in the expansive office. When she had first arrived that morning, she felt the need for her body to get some coolness after the bustle on the road while coming to her place of work. Thirty minutes after arriving there, she felt otherwise. She was sitting on her swivel chair with eyes glued to the computer screen as she typed a document her boss had given her.

Her mind was hovering between the work she was doing and the most prominent personal challenge she had At the age of thirty-three, her mother had been on her neck over her inability to bring home her 'future husband'. This was a big problem because many people from this part of the world placed so much value on ladies marrying on time. By the time a lady got to her thirties, the pressure would become intense. This was the category in which Lola found herself. Her mother saw no reason why she should not have settled down. The older woman had consistently argued that by now, Lola should be nursing her third child.

Lola had a good education, capping it with a degree in Mass Communication from a federal university. She was pretty by any standard. Her dressing was neither loud nor dull. She was modest in all that she did. With her job, it was apparent that she would not depend on a man for survival. That meant no man would see her as a liability. Yet, despite all the attributes, no 'serious' man had made any move to have a lasting relationship with her. Some men had come her way, but it was glaring they were just the 'play type' that had no immediate or remote plan for marriage. Lola was active in her faith - in principle and in practice.
The 'no sex until marriage' tenet drove those young men away. If she had been not so strict, she would enjoy the worldly thing to the
maximum, but thank God for her firm belief. She would rather wait until a serious guy came along. Even the guys in her church parish had been hesitant in making any amorous move. Well, all hope was not lost. She would have to intensify her prayers. This mountain of her life must come down.



Femi knotted his tie the way he liked it to be. He then put on the black coat. His wife, appreciating what she saw, smiled at him.

Following.

Go on.

By the time Lola got home, it was a few minutes to seven in the evening. Despite the expansion of road, the traffic had been hectic, especially between Ogolonto and Round about, Ikorodu. She heaved sigh of relief when she finally disembarked from the bus. Her mother had already started preparing the supper. She was turning the yam flour in the pot the moment Lola stepped into the house. She had already made the vegetables that would go with it. Lola was not surprised. Amala was one local delicacy that mama cherished. Dear mother. She insisted that Lola must take a rest while she would finish the cooking.

Her younger brother, Kunle would not be coming home tonight. He worked on Lagos Island and had often bemoaned the stress of traffic from his abode to his working place. To minimize the stress, he had secured a friend's place at Ikoyi where he would be staying Monday to Friday. Mama did not really like the idea, but she had been persuaded about its merits. She always acted as if her children must be protected and pampered. Lola was however grateful to her mother for her unconditional care. She hoped she too would become a caring mother like her mother.



The following morning, Femi took his time while taking his breakfast. His flight was mid-day. It was only few minutes after eight in the morning. If he should leave his house by ten, he would still have ample time to get to the local wing of the airport and board his flight. His wife was by his side at the table. The fried eggs, bread and tea was his favorite breakfast. Maggie had prepared everything before she took the children to their school, which was in the neighborhood. Since she was self-employed, she had no compulsion about early time for work resumption.

Just as Femi took the cup of tea to his mouth for another sip, his cell phone rang. He checked the caller. It was Sade. Smiling to himself, he picked the call.

'Hello, good morning. How's everything?'

'Good morning. I was on my way to the office, and I thought of saying hello.'

'That's thoughtful of you. How is the family?'

'We're all fine. How about you? How're your wife and children?'

'We're doing fine. We thank God.'

'So, when will you be in the office for me to come and say hello? Or should the greeting be in your house?'

'Er, I'll be travelling to Abuja this noon. Don't worry, when I come back in two or three days' time, I will surely be available. I'll call and let you
know.'

'Oh, I didn't know you'll be travelling. I wish you safe journey, then.'

'Thank you. I will surely let you know when I come back.'

'Alright, my regards to the family.'

'Okay, bye bye.'

Femi disconnected the line. He did not wait for his wife to ask who the caller was. 'It was the lady, my former colleague that I told you yesterday I met on my way home.'

'Oh, ' was all she could say. He changed the topic. When the breakfast was over, he decided to be on his way. His wife gave him a
farewell kiss.

'The almighty God will keep you safe. The flight will be smooth to and fro in Jesus name,' she offered. 'Your purpose of travelling will be achieved without hitches by the power of almighty God.' Femi responded gleefully. A very supportive wife she was.



Three days later, Femi was back in Lagos. The Abuja trip turned to be very successful. He had concluded everything he went for fruitfully. It was gladdening to be back to the warm embrace of his wife who enthused a lot about missing him. Femi chuckled. If he could be missed so much as a result of a few days' absence, how would he be missed if he should be gone for months?

Lola came in to tell him that the system engineer was around to work on the computer and laptops. The system was affected by virus, thus the exigency to call an expert.

'Tell him to start the work immediately. I'll soon be joining him.'

She closed the door, left his office and he continued with browsing on his i-pad. He had made it a routine to read news headlines every morning. Although much of the news were unpleasant - from kidnapping to suicide bombings - there was a need to be informed.

His phone rang. It was Sade, announcing that she was on her way to see him. Since the day he had met her, she had been calling him everyday. Even when he was in Abuja, she was the first to call to ask if he arrived safely. She had earlier called to inform that she would be coming by nine o'clock that morning. Since the address of the office was on the complimentary card he had given her, finding the place would not be a problem. Femi was still talking with the engineer when Sade came in.

Keep it up.

Carry on.