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The night had been empty and longer without a man to warm her bed, her father was badly wounded and was in the hospital, she had not set her eyes on her mother’s driver since the accident, and she felt really Hot.

‘Brand new day’ she crawled out of bed and stared outside the window, she had to see Nelson, she needed to feel him inside of her, she needed to quench her burning desires.

Rose showered and dressed up and left for the kitchen, she decided to have breakfast first, before sneaking into Nelson’s room, she’d thought she’d been the only one awake but was surprised to walk in on the maid, she was crying.

She’d grown up with maids and didn’t like the lot of them especially Grace who’d walked in on her and her dad, but the sight of this new maid crying had an effect on her and she was tempted to comfort her, but she couldn’t, she wouldn’t stoop that low.

‘What are you doing? I need my breakfast and be real quick about it’ Rose hissed loudly trying to mask her concern.

‘Oh, Goodmorning Ma,please what would you like to eat’? Ajunwa rose to her feet and wiped her face hurriedly.

‘Food’ Rose hissed loudly and left the kitchen, she decided to check Nelson first, she couldn’t stand a crying maid.

As she neared his room, she noticed something strange in the garden, a bottle of scotch and two glasses, someone had been drinking the night before. That was when she remembered her mother’s late night visitor, Mr Oliver, that was how she’d addressed him.

‘Wow, mum you’re so smart, your husband is almost dying and you couldn’t wait to bring your lover home’ Rose clicked her tongue as she caressed the bottle. She had always known her mother was sneaking around, but now, she’d found out who her lover was.

She scoffed and continued walking, she couldn’t wait for her dad to get well so they’d resume their affair, she had proof that her mother was equally cheating, so why should he stay faithful to her?

‘Nelson’? she knocked twice, but there was no response, she pushed the door with all her strength, but realized it was locked.

‘Motherfucker’ she cursed and picked up the note close to his door.

‘What’s really happening’? Rose wondered as she scanned it.

DEAR MADAM,
I AM REALLY SORRY FOR WHAT HAS HAPPENED, IT’S ALL MY FAULT, I COULDN’T FACE THE PASTOR, SEEING HIM ON THAT HOSPITAL BED BEAT MY CONSCIENCE AND I HAD TO RESIGN. PLEASE FORGIVE ME.

‘Are you kidding me?’ Rose scoffed, she felt stupid for even having sex with him earlier, he didn’t have the courtesy to let her in on his eloping plans.

‘Bastard’ she spat angrily.

‘Mum’! she rushed back to show her mother the letter.
***



It was like a dream to me, I still couldn’t believe Mark had raped me, I trusted him completely and he treated me like an object.


My hands shook as I washed the dishes, I couldn’t tell anyone what had happened to me, if only I’d listened to my mother, now I’d lost my virginity in the most appalling manner and I had so many fears, what if I got pregnant? what if I got raped?

So many things ran through my mind, I was so scared, I paused and inhaled deeply, everything in me screamed I should leave the house and return to my village, but the quest for revenge swallowed the inner voices.

I couldn’t let Mark go scot free, I had to hurt him as much as he hurt me, even his whole family, they had to pay for what Mark did.

What if he’d raped Grace too? Was that why she wanted to run? I had so many questions yet no answer.

I peeped out of the window into the garden as I heard Rose screaming for her mother, what had happened? Had she discovered her mother’s affair with Nelson?

I shook my head in disappointment, these men of God had a lot of skeletons in their cupboard.
I prayed to be strong, I couldn’t cry now, I couldn’t show Mark I was weak, I needed to fight for myself, I wouldn’t be used and discarded like an old doll, I had my plans.

‘Ajunwa’ the all too familiar alto called my name.

Normally, I would’ve been scared of her, scared of her presence, but I felt nothing as I swirled and faced the woman who was married to a pastor and was equally sleeping with her driver. Suddenly, all my fears disappeared and I felt more courageous than before.
‘Goodmorning Ma’ I replied coolly.

‘Morning, prepare some food, something spicy, you’ll tend to my husband today, I have a very busy schedule’ Helen gave out the orders and was about to leave when her daughter rushed into the kitchen.

Before that, she noticed something different about Ajunwa, the girl hardly ever looked her straight in the eye but she did right then and that made her uncomfortable, that wasn’t a good sign, she waved it aside and decided she’d deal with the rat later. She had more important things to deal with, she needed to meet with the church elders and she needed to pay Oliver off for his services.

She had slept like a baby throughout the night, she had never felt that much peace, knowing the only person capable of leaking her secret and tearing her family apart was dead, she couldn’t have wished for more.

‘What is it Honey’? Helen replied coolly.

‘Mum, I found this, it seems Nelson has gone’ Rose handed her the note.

My ears were erect as mother and daughter conversed, why would Nelson run? Afterall he had access to his boss’ body and she must have taken good care of him.

‘What? What’s the meaning of this? How could he just leave without telling me’? Helen complained.

‘Mum, I think we should call in the police to find him, he was responsible for dad’s accident and now he has gone, I think he took our kindness for granted, Mum please you need to arrest him’ Rose suggested. What hurt her most was sleeping with him, and he just bailed out on her like nothing happened.

‘No dear, we need to think this through, we don’t need the police, since he’s already gone, there’s no point’ Helen replied. How could Rose say something like that? Bringing in the police would destroy her plans.

‘Mum? Why are you defending him? he hurt father, your husband, he confessed in this note that the accident was his fault, then what are waiting for’? Rose asked, her mother was acting weird, she noticed Helen’s eyeballs were dicey, she was hiding something.

‘I am not defending Nelson, this isn’t the time to call in the police, let’s support your father, once he is on his feet, we call in the police and deal with him’ Helen replied.

This was getting interesting, first, Grace wrote a note and vanished and now Nelson? I scoffed as mother and daughter argued till Helen’s idea overshadowed Rose’s.

‘Good morning all, what’s the noise about’? Mark swaggered into the kitchen and my heart raced as I recalled what he did to me.
It took willpower to control my shaky hands and the urge to strike his face with a ceramic, I needed to hurt him so badly.

‘I was just telling mother about this and I feel we should bring in the police, what do you think’? Rose showed Mark the note.

‘Uhmmm, not a bad idea, Mum he just confessed, we should report him for running, what if dad never recovers’? Mark asked.

‘You know what Rose? I need to see you in my room’ Helen ordered and strode out of the kitchen with her daughter, leaving I and Mark.

‘Baby….’ He neared me and encircled his hands around me.

‘Get your dirty hands off of me’ I screamed as tears welled up in my eyes, but I controlled them, he couldn’t see me as weak.

‘Why the anger? We shared something special last night’ he tried to kiss me but I slapped him. how dare he?

‘You are a devil Mark, you forced your dirty self on me and now you’re telling me we shared something, are you okay? Did I offend you in anyway? Why did you rape me? Is that how you raped Grace? Tell me, was that why she left you for Romeo?’ a tear slipped from my eyes.

I noticed the surprise in his eyes as I mentioned Grace.

‘Romeo? How did you know about him? what do you know’? he dragged me closer to him, his eyes brimmed with tears.

‘Let go of me you psycho, I knew that’s what you did to her, but I am not Grace, get that into your thick skull, I would pay you back, go and write it down’ I pushed him backwards and ran out of the kitchen.

‘Wait Ajunwa! I am sorry, please don’t leave me’ he cried but I was gone.

His heart raced as he cried, what had he done? She was right, his problems started with Grace when she fell in love with another man, how could she have chosen another over him?
He had noticed a certain young man whom she hung out with after church service, she had told him his name was Romeo,he had fought hard to win her love before she escaped and brought pain to his world.
***

‘I saved you from the police, I buried your secret in my garden and you dare question my authority in this house, how dare you Rose’? Helen poured out her anger at her daughter’s irritable behavior. Who was she to give her orders?

‘Mum, why do you always have to bring that matter up? why can’t you ever let it go? Why do you make me feel like I can’t correct you when you’re wrong simply because you helped me that day. Remember I didn’t ask you to cover it up, I was scared and broken, cutting her into pieces and burying her in the garden was your idea, you had a choice to call the police but you dragged I and father into it’ Rose screamed angrily at her mother.

‘How dare you? You little ingrate, should I had reported to the police, you wouldn’t have had the guts to stand before me, because you would’ve been dead in jail, your father’s reputation would’ve been tarnished, I helped everyone, I cleansed us all and you’re so ungrateful’ Helen scowled.

‘Cleansed us? You’re the one who needs cleansing’ Rose scoffed and turned to walk away but Helen dragged her and offered her a slap which sent her reeling on the floor.


‘Excuse me? I’m the one who needs cleansing? When you murdered Grace in cold blood for a reason I’d never know’ Helen chuckled.

‘I know your secret mum, I saw it in the garden, you think you’re a saint? Wait till dad gets well and I tell him about you and your lover, I would tell him how you sneak him into the house and Bleep him, just wait on me’ Rose staggered.

‘How could you’? Helen smirked. How could her own daughter whom she saved speak to her that way?

‘So it’s the truth afterall’? Rose arched a brow.

‘I only slept with Nelson because your father lost interest in me and had no time for me, he buried himself in church work, why should you judge me, you’re no better’ Helen exhaled.

Things were falling out of place, if only she knew she would’ve reported Grace’s murder to the police, now the daughter she spared was now challenging her authority.
‘You slept with Nelson’? Rose was shocked, so her mother was having an affair with Nelson, no wonder she was reluctant to report him to the police, that did it for her, she would work straight into a police station and report Nelson’s elopement.

‘Just get out of my room, I buried your secret in the garden and I regret every bit of it’ Helen dismissed her.

‘Whatever’ Rose hissed and walked away.

‘God, I’m dead’ Helen sank into her bed, truly, there was no peace for the wicked, if only she knew, she wouldn’t have spared Rose, now everything would fall back on her.

She hadn’t closed her eyes for a five minutes just to take a short nap, when her phone beeped and she checked it, it was a message, one whose words left her terrified and she wished the earth could crack open and swallow her up.

‘I KNOW WHAT YOU DID, IT MAKES ME SICK, I AM GOING TO TELL. A SECRET IS BURIED IN THE GARDEN’.

‘Lord save me’ she cried and buried her face in the pillow, Oliver had shown her the text before, someone was after her, she could feel it strongly.
***

He had tried a number of businesses but none worked out well than that of blackmailing people and getting them to pay heavily for it. He had blackmailed lots of Nigerian politicians, most of them made the mistake of being mean to their domestic staff, and that was the easiest means to get to them.

‘Why didn’t you take pictures, how could you be so stupid? Now we have no evidence, she could easily deny it and claim nothing happened’ Kachi Romeo yelled angrily at one of his agents.

He not only owned a blog, he had numerous connections with different secret cults as well as assassin groups, so anytime a big fish ordered for the death of someone, he knew, except for very top officials. Helen was not close to the top, she played into his hands very easily.

‘Take a picture after shooting him? she was right there and if I tried that she would’ve killed me too and buried me in her sweet little garden’ Oliver scoffed.

Working with Kachi Romeo was good business, most times they both connived and blackmailed those that had hired him to kill.

‘Bury you? You were the one with the gun’ Kachi poured himself a drink.

‘So what? There are many ways to kill a man, trust me, Helen Ita is a very dangerous woman. Nelson was foolish to have sex with her even after you’d revealed to him the woman that had sent men after his life’ Oliver replied.

‘Well Delilah killed Samson, how much more a smaller fool like Nelson?’ Kachi scoffed.

‘You call him a fool, but what about you who is in love with Rose, a woman that bleeps her own dad, who does that’? Oliver grimaced.

‘In love? I used to love her once, but now, I see her as a means to a very rich end,this would be our biggest job, a family with secrets, each would pay to keep their abnormalities from the world’ Kachi laughed heartily.

‘What about Helen’s son? Mark, he seems to be clean, you have not said a thing about him’ Oliver asked.
He’d worked together on the Ita family case with Kachi for a long time.

‘Mark is no angel, in fact, he is the reason Grace really opened up to me, we’ll talk about some other time, now I need all the information to find Grace, I need to know she is okay, she helped me very much’ Kachi sighed, Grace had really suffered, she had gone through hell in that cursed house, he was glad she had opened up to him.

‘Nothing much, the pastor is still in the hospital bed, and I think Grace has returned, I saw her last night serving the Ita’s’ Oliver replied. He was sure of it, the girl that served dinner was Grace, he’d seen her many times when she met in secret with Romeo.

‘Are you sure about this? Then why didn’t she contact me? Why are her numbers not going through, this would be the greatest news ever’ Kachi dialed her numbers but they weren’t reachable.

‘I swear it, maybe I could go back to the house, and instruct her to meet you’ Olive suggested.

‘No, that would be dangerous, stay away from the Itas, now, we have to get evidence that the pastor is sleeping with his own daughter, we already have a voice note of Grace telling me how Mark raped her a lot of times, after which I convinced her to fix this a tiny video camera in the house to catch Helen and Nelson in action, which she did, now all what remains is our biggest fish, Pastor Ita and Rose’ Kachi clapped his hands excitedly.

‘You’re very smart, but I think we should take on just one person, too much of everything is bad’ Oliver advised, he wasn’t too comfortable with Romeo’s idea.

‘No, one person wouldn’t make me as rich as I want, so we take them all down’ Romeo replied not too pleased with Oliver countering him.

‘I still don’t support it, I say we take the pastor down, he was what to lose most, he has a ministry,we have to think very clearly’ Oliver insisted.

‘Since when did you start giving me advice on how to run my business’? Romeo snapped angrily at him.

‘Well, mind the way you speak to me, we’re still in this business’ Oliver warned.

‘Partners’? Romeo scoffed, he knew how just to deal with Oliver, with the snap of his fingers, the fool would obey him.

‘Of course, I do your dirty work’ Oliver replied.

‘Well that’s because you’re dirty, you’re a pig and I am the clean one, next time you challenge me, I shall leak your secrets and trust me, the Nigerian police would treat you just find and all the clients you blackmailed’ Romeo hissed loudly and walked out of the room.

Romeo’s words stilled Oliver and scared him too, he suddenly discovered he was a slave to Romeo like everyone else whom he blackmailed.

‘No way, I wouldn’t be your pawn’ Oliver rose to his feet, he needed to get out of Romeo’s clip, and he knew just how to get out.

skarlett:
Writers start and do not finish a story because they can, I'm in my house

your house won't save you from my cane, m so coming to beat you

*****


‘what do you have to say Femi? Is your girlfriend pregnant for you? What do you want…just bring me the damn divorce papers and let me sign and end my misery…’ she folded her arms waiting for him to speak up…

‘I don’t want the divorce no more Lola, I have been a fool, I don’t know why I became this egocentric person…I am sorry for all the things I did to you…please forgive me and take me back…I swear never to hurt you again…’ he went on his knees….

‘Bleep! What’s this Femi? Is this some joke to humiliate me further? What are you talking about’? she bit her lip and gazed out the window like the answers to this lay there…

‘I know I messed up big time, allowing my relatives talk you down, bringing women home…I was just being stupid…but I promise to do anything for you…please baby…’ he held unto her hand….

‘Femi, I am quite sure that woman you travelled with has jilted you…now get out of my room, I don’t have time for this…I’ll be heading out…I want to see those papers by evening else I would be the one filing for divorce and you know what that means…I could win everything’ she gestured with her hands…

‘no, Lola …you can’t do that to me…I regret my actions deeply but believe in me…I am changed…’ he wondered what had changed in her…

‘I don’t have time for this…just get out…’ she opened the door and beckoned on him to move out…

‘I love you Lola…please don’t lose faith in me…’ he walked out dejectedly…

‘no this cannot be happening…this isn’t real…’ she sobbed…what was going on here? why was Femi acting all nice?
And to think that she’d done the very same thing she was judging him for, made her feel sick…she wasn’t a saint too….she was sleeping with her friend’s husband….
***
‘so you’re saying he kissed you on the lips’? Zainab arched her brow as Amy narrated her story…

‘yes Zee, right here…’ she pressed her fingers to her lips, getting more confused by the hour…

‘so how did you feel when he kissed you…’? Zainab dropped the tray of biscuits and focused on her friend…

‘I don’t know Zee, I felt this connection…I actually liked it and I can’t get it out of my mind….’ Amy replied exasperatedly
What had she gotten herself into?

‘hey, it’s okay, don’t be too hard on yourself…remember what you and Sly are going through? Maybe this was an outlet for your anger…don’t you think’?Zee rubbed her shoulders affectionately…

‘I don’t know Zee, why should I enjoy another man’s kiss’? she closed her eyes briefly…

‘now that’s the problem, I think you should forgive Sly and mend things with him before a big crack opens in your marriage, something you’ll never be able to fix…’ Zee poured them some juice…

‘whoa wait, you think I could actually sleep with another man, is that what you’re saying’? Amaka’s eyes went wild…

‘don’t be offended but these things happen, you are still holding a grudge against your husband, that need to revenge is still buried inside you and if you don’t solve this problem, you’re going to listen to that need, you’ll satisfy it and you’ll be miserable…’Zee held out a glass to her…

‘I can never sleep with another man, I’m wired differently…it’s just that Ben is hot and he is a flirt, he was the one that kissed me and not the other way round…’ Amy tried to defend herself…

‘so what? What’s your point? I have a feeling you are attracted to this guy…but you know me, I don’t support what’s bad….call Sly right now and fix a date with him…go out and talk about your feelings, forgive him and move on…you’re even lucky this man confessed to cheating…you’re being immature to me…just accept this, deal with this and move on or you get a divorce…’ Zee blurted out in irritation…

They’d been talking about this issue for weeks now, why couldn’t Amy get over it?

‘whoa slow down, are you okay’? Zainab had never been this harsh with words…something wasn’t going on well with her…

‘I’m sorry I sounded that way…I’m just in a bad place’ she sighed and faced the wall. No, her friends couldn’t see her like this, she was the perfect one, with the perfect home and the perfect husband…

‘maybe you are right, maybe I am immature…it just hurts so much…’ Amy allowed Zee’s words to sink in…

‘okay…I’m glad you finally get the point…’Zee took a seat…

‘so what’s wrong with you, talk to me’ Amaka was curious…

‘I don’t know if this sounds weird, but deep down I feel I and Abdul have drifted apart…like we’ve lost each other…I don’t seem to understand him anymore and I feel he is cheating on me as crazy as that sounds….’ She rolled her eyes, maybe she was being paranoid but she just had this hunch…

‘wow, you’re right…it’s really crazy….Abdul is the perfect man…he would never cheat on you in a million years, if he wanted to, he would’ve gotten another wife already….wait, where is this coming from? Do you have evidence’? Amaka shook her head…

‘not really, it’s just…’ Zainab hesitated…

‘just what ?’ Amy widened her eyes, just as Zee was about to speak, the door flung wide open and a happy looking Lola walked in…

‘Lola!’ her two friends gasped….

‘my God, it’s been ages…I miss you so much…’ Amy rose and embraced her…

‘wow somebody looks happy…’ Zee hugged her and rubbed her hair…

‘thanks to You Zainab, I’m now back on my feet….i’m totally excited…’ Lola poured herself a drink…

‘wow, it’s nice to meet you guys again, I wasn’t expecting you…where’s Edima’? Lola had hoped only Zee would be around but she was surprised to see her other friend Amaka…

‘Oh Edima called hours ago…she’s fine…you should return her calls or text her back…’ Zainab advised Lola…

‘yes I would…so what were you two discussing about…’ Sitting there right in front of the woman’s husband she was bleeping made her feel weird….how could she do this to Zainab?

‘Zainab thinks Abdul is cheating…can you imagine that’? Amaka filled her in….

Lola didn’t speak, her face went white and her fingers trembled…had Zainab caught wind of her affair with Abdul…she would be dead…

‘are you okay Lola’? Zainab wondered why her friend looked so terrified…

‘oh, I’m fine…it’s just that I had a fever…’ Lola lied and averted her eyes from Zainab’s…she couldn’t do this, she couldn’t be this mean person to such a beautiful soul…

‘so you were saying something before Lola walked in….’ Amy carefully reminded her…

‘yes, there’s this young lady that came visiting, she said she worked with Abdul at the office and she was extremely pretty…..i just got scared…could he handle that? Working with such a pretty girl’? She hoped she wasn’t sounding crazy…

‘so you got intimidated by another woman’s beauty and you feel Abdul is sleeping with her…I guess you don’t have real problems Zee…’ Amaka smiled to herself…

‘no, I just know something isn’t right with him…’ Zainab insisted…

‘say something Lola…are you okay’? Amaka faced her…

‘you see, I think you got that idea that your husband is unfaithful simply because mine slept with his secretary…don’t you see the dots? Just forget it Zee, it’s all in your head, Abdul would never cheat on you…’ Amy was sure of this…

‘Sly cheated on you’? it was Lola’s turn to be shocked…

‘yes, and his cousin kissed me yesterday…’ Amaka cut in…

‘wow, have I been gone that long’? Lola smiled and reached out for some biscuits…she knew she had made a mistake by sleeping with Abdul…her friends meant the whole world to her and she’d betrayed one of them…

‘yes, and Edima likes this guy who doesn’t feel the same way…’ Zee added…

‘fill me in girls…I’ve been a lost sheep…’Lola chewed

‘before then, what has been up with you…you never really talked to me about Femi…why don’t you tell us about you…we’ve missed you Lola….’ Zainab felt her friend was avoiding the subject…

‘I can’t…it’s complicated…I feel stupid…’ yes, she was stupid for sleeping with Abdul…how on earth would she ever forgive herself…

He’d told her he loved her…but was it real? He’d cajoled her to pay Zainab a visit like nothing had happened….but who was he kidding? Sitting close to Zainab made her feel very guilty and she knew for sure that she would never return to this house…

‘go on dear…we can handle anything….’ Amaka saw the tears that had welled up in her eyes…

‘Femi came up with this crazy idea that he wanted a divorce, he travelled some days ago and returned today claiming he was sorry and he didn’t want no divorce again…I am confused, I don’t know what to do…’ she cried…

‘hey it’ s very simple…don’t cry, don’t let that bastard ruin you’ Amaka bit her lip as Zee’s eyes cautioned her…

‘well, tell him to prove it…if he really wants you to be together…he needs to work hard for it…okay’? Zainab ruffled her hair…

‘you think so’?More tears streamed down her face, tears of regret, tears of pain….how on earth did she get here….

‘I know so…’ Zee hugged her reassuringly …

***

‘what were you thinking coming over to my house like that’? Abdul thundered…what game was Farida trying to play with him?

‘sweetheart, you shouldn’t be this worked up about a little stunt I pulled, I only did that caused I waited all day and didn’t see you and what I had to tell you was quite important, please hear me out Abdul…’ she ‘d never seen him this angry…

‘and I had to lie to my wife that you’re my secretary….why did you do something like that Farida…you know what? I think our relationship is over…don’t call me, don’t come to my house ever again, I cannot have a LovePeddler like you break my marriage….’ He cursed…

‘LovePeddler? I’ll pretend I didn’t hear you Abdul…’ she felt stung by his cruelty…how could be so mean?

‘am serious Farida, don’t call me ever again…it’s over…’ he rose from the bed and was about storming out when her words stilled him…

‘no you cannot end this right now sweety, I am pregnant for you….’ Her lips quavered as she spoke the words waiting for his reaction….

‘what?’ he turned around and faced her…

‘yes, my love, I think it’s your baby…’ she rubbed her belly gently…

‘no you cannot be, we always use protection and even if it is, you aren’t a baby, you can take care of yourself…’he saw the determination that blazed in her brown eyes and he knew he’d gotten into trouble…

He knew girls like Farida, very manipulative and overly ambitious…

‘you want me to get rid of this baby? I cannot do such a thing…By Allah, I cannot spill blood…how could you even suggest something like that Abdul’? fear gripped her heart…

‘you heard me…what were you expecting? That I could marry a lowlife like you? I told you earlier, I cannot marry another wife…and you wer just for fun…why did you have to get pregnant…do you think you can ruin my happiness with Zainab’? anger coursed through him, he should’ve seen this coming…


‘I can’t believe this…but you said you loved me…what has changed Abdul’? she gingerly walked towards him…

He regarded her steadily, he didn’t push her away…

‘please don’t do this to me…I cannot have an abortion…I want this child to live…’ she begged him softly…

‘you’re really foolish to think I could ever be serious with a woman of your caliber…you’re a LovePeddler Farida…how many men have you slept with? Surely, I could never take you for a wife…so just go see a doctor and send me the bill….’ She walked gently away from her…

‘me? A LovePeddler?’ she bit her lips …how could he sound so different?

‘I have to go …call me when you see the doctor, he ignored her rants…

‘no, I wouldn’t get rid of this baby…why are you so eager to dump me’? she lifted her brows, she’d been around men enough to know when they got tired of a woman..…

His phone buzzed and he smiled ….

‘Lola….how sweet of you to call…I became worried you’d lost interest in me…’ he ignored Farida’s icy glare completely….

‘we really need to talk Abdul…let’s meet tonight…’ her voice was low and brooding….something was wrong he felt it…

‘okay? Let’s meet up at Blue Mountains Lounge….’ He suggested…

‘okay, time’? she asked…

‘eight would be fine by me…have a nice day love….’ He couldn’t wait to touch her again, Lola left him breathless the night before…

‘who was that Abdul’? Farida stood up to him….this man was a reckless womanizer…how could she have been this blind? He’d professed his love for her many times and here he was fawning over another woman minutes after ending things with her…

‘none of your business Farida, just get rid of that baby and stay away from my family or ….’ He frowned and watched her thoughtfully…

‘or else? You’re gonna kill me? Well bring it on…I’ll be right here waiting for you…but Abdul…you haven’t seen the last of me, I’ll make your life a living hell’ she hissed fiercely…

‘I don’t take the words of whores seriously….’ He smiled….

‘why do you keep calling me that? I never threw myself on you ….you pursued me…you made me fall in love with you with the hopes that you’ll marry me someday, everything I did, I did for you Abdul…and you’re judging me for it…you hurt me deeply with your words….’ He had truly hit a nerve…

‘well, I take it back…just stay away from me and my family…’ he walked out without looking back…

Her knees felt weak and she moved over to the bed, how could Abdul break her heart like this? How could she have been so stupid? So blinded by his charms….

Yes she had agreed to be his mistress, but she’d developed feelings for him along the line…now he would abandon her in her greatest time of need…

‘no, I’m not going to take this…I would ruin your life first….’ She pressed her phone carelessly…she had heard the name of the lounge he would meet his other girlfriend, that wasn’t his wife definitely…

‘hello Faruk, it’s me Fafa….i need you to track someone down for me and take pictures with whoever he is with…’

‘Farida? Ya kike?’ her cousin who majored in computer science at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University inquired…

‘I’m not fine Faruk, remember Abdul? The guy I told you about?....well, he just dumped me for another woman after I told him I’m pregnant …’ she sobbed…

‘yes I remember him, does he know your father is an Imam’? he had always preached to his cousin to shun her mundane ways but she called him old fashioned…now her life was a mess, if her father ever got to learn that she had been sleeping with a married man or being pregnant out of wedlock…she had a lot of explaining to do…

‘no, please help me Faruk, I need you to take pictures of him and this lady…maybe if I threaten to show them to his wife…he could marry me or work out something…you know very well that father would kill me if he ever found out about this…’ she prayed it worked out…

‘Farida…I warned you but you wouldn’t listen…I’m only helping you because I know what the Imam is capable of…I’ll try and take these pictures…you’re quite lucky am still in town, I wanted travelling to Bauchi today but for some reason, I changed my mind…’ he waited for her to speak up…

‘would you help me please or you can ask someone you know can handle this kind of thing to do it for you?

‘I will help you…what’s the address and time for this meeting’? he fetched his notepad…

He was an only child and had gotten very close to ‘Fafa’ as he usually called her, their bond was very strong and they were inseparable…he knew everything about Farida …and from the way she sounded, he knew he had no other option than to help her no matter how much the idea of stalking someone irked him, he just had to do it…

‘nagode, thanks very much…’ she ended the call…

Abdul would beg her soon enough, she hoped it worked out well….

I was panting by the time I reached my room, the memories of what I’d seen in the garden haunted me and I wished I never saw them.

‘Where are you coming from? I’ve been looking everywhere for you’?i gasped in fright as Mark neared me.

‘Whoa slow down tiger, I don’t bite, what’s with you, you look like you escaped a group of soldiers, what’s going on’? he asked.

My mouth felt glued, I couldn’t say a word to me, how could I tell him that I’d seen his mother having sex with Nelson? How would he take it? What if he hated me forever? I couldn’t risk it so I chose silence.

‘Are you okay Ajunwa’? he asked.

‘I am fine, I need to get some sleep’ I quickly yawned to prove it.

‘You’re a very bad liar, and you’re not leaving here till you tell me what the problem is’ he replied.

‘I am fine Mark, I really am’ I wished he could just leave me alone.


‘Your phone is ringing, you should pick that’ I pointed to his phone in a bid to distract him so I could run into my room.

‘Okay, it’s a message’he checked it out.

From the look on his face it wasn’t something nice, I decided to peep, that’s when I saw her picture, the one I’d seen earlier, the one she stood with her ‘romeo’ but that wasn’t what got to me, it was the words that accompanied the picture that disturbed me.

‘I KNOW WHAT YOU DID, I’M GOING TO TELL’ those were the words of the text.

‘She is really crazy, she runs off without telling me, leaves her necklace in the garden, the necklace I got at a very expensive price and now she’s trying to play mind games with me, I hate her so much right now’ he was furious.

If only he knew why Grace had eloped, he wouldn’t be that angry, I decided to tell him the truth, maybe he’d understand, maybe he’s stopped feeling so bad but he had to promise he wouldn’t tell no one.

‘Mark’? I called him gently.

‘Yes’? he answered.

‘There’s something I must tell you, please promise you wouldn’t act on your feelings, just keep it to yourself okay’? I pleaded with him.

‘Sure, go ahead, tell me anything’ he replied.

‘Your mum is having an affair with Nelson’ the words came out in a rush.

His eyes twinkled in surprise then they dimmed like he’d heard something of that nature before.

‘What is it’? I asked.

‘That was what led to my quarrel with Grace, she said something like that and I doubted her and she got angry, oh my God, she was right, how did you know this’? he asked.

‘i…I saw them making out in the garden’ I stuttered.

‘Oh God, how could mum do this? Knowing how important dad is in the society? I am disappointed in her’ Mark fumed and I tried to pacify him.

‘Please don’t do anything stupid, I think Grace must have stumbled on this secret and had decided to run because of that and because you didn’t believe her, and as she did, I’m equally leaving’ I informed him.

‘No you can’t leave, I now understand why she pushed me away and left me like that…’ Mark rubbed his face deep in thought.

‘Yes, I’m so scared’ I whispered.

‘Don’t be, I promise to take care of you’ Mark whispered to me, before I could know what was happening, he scooped me up into his arms and took me into my room.

‘Mark? What are you doing’? I was terrified.

‘Making sure you don’t run away the second time’ he locked the door and began to UnCloth.

‘What are you talking about’? my lips trembled.

‘It doesn’t matter, I know Grace is gone, but I’ve decided to love you like I did her’ he replied and forced me on the bed. I screamed, i fought him with all my strength but he overcame me and I felt powerless.

‘No Mark, please don’t’ I cried, but he was deaf to my pleas.

Shock and fear were the only feelings I experienced as Mark raped me, how could I have been so blind? How could I have trusted him?

I vowed that moment, to bring hell to the Itas family.

***
‘morning baby….’ He kissed her and prayed she didn’t push him away as Ben was around…he’d returned to the house very late…

‘morning honey…’ she forced a smile and kissed him back…

‘goodmorning everybody….’ Ben sat comfortably close to the dining table….he had deliberately stayed out that late to avoid her….why couldn’t he get his mind off of his cousin’s wife? She wasn’t the prettiest woman he’d met…but she had this effect on him and he felt like a young schoolboy having his first crush…

‘Benson my guy…where were you last night’? Sly winked and approached the table…while Amaka ignore them both and headed for the kitchen…

‘guy….a nigga got to take care of himself….’ Ben replied and looked at Amaka’s vanishing behind….the lady was hotness…

‘good for you…you should get a wife then…so you could return to Germany a new man…’ Sly suggested…

‘yes, I would get a wife as beautiful as yours….’ He smiled as Amaka returned with some steaming plates of Custard.

‘here you go…’ blood crept up her cheeks as she heard those words….was he admiring her?

‘hey look at your food and not my wife’ Sly teased and they both laughed…

‘so Amaka…where are you from…do you have female relatives that aren’t married’? Ben focused on her, she was very beautiful and his adulation couldn’t add more to it…she was perfection…

‘I’m from Imo…and no, my sisters are all married…’ she looked away as their eyes met, why was she acting this way?

‘oh….cousins’? he asked…

She shook her head in response, she didn’t know what it meant but anytime Ben was around her, she had goose bumps and her skin tingled…she was just unusually nervous…

Maybe it was the tension between her and Sylvester that caused it…maybe she was lying to herself…

‘so darling, where would you like to celebrate your birthday’? Sly cut in trying to make conversation with her…

‘I don’t know’ she replied flatly…

‘maybe we should go for a picnic…all of us…’ Ben suggested and watched her features transform into a smile…

‘wow, how did you know I love picnics’? she was stunned, was she that easy to read?

‘I guess my cousin has other skills we don’t know about, like witchcraft…’ Sly lowered his eyes at Ben…

‘okay then, I’ll treat you to something special on your day…Meanwhile I got you something….i know models love things like this…’ he handed her a little box that contained some designer lipsticks, Ben was serious about it…anything that could put a smile on her face would do him good…

‘wow, that’s amazing ….thank you’

‘I’m still here people’ Sly try to fit into the conversation…he felt a bit jealous that his wife would reject his gift and accept Ben’s

‘let’s go already, we’re late for work and I cannot steal your wife…give me credit bro’ Ben winked and rose to his feet…

‘you better not, let me go get the keys…’ Sly drank some water and rushed to his room…

‘are you okay with the food’? Amaka asked trying to distract his eyes from boring into hers…

‘no, I need more…’ he replied, without thinking, he bent and pressed his mouth on hers, he couldn’t resist that urge in him…he’d thought of doing this all day and night and had fantasized about her returning the kiss, he was about to find out…

It was dangerous he knew this, hell, he didn’t even know what he was doing…

She struggled at first, but the sweetness of his mouth betrayed her…and she gave into her inner desires as warmth filled her stomach and she began to ache in that sweet place, without warning her pulled away…

His sudden departure left her restless and confused, what had she done? Sly’s cousin had kissed her and she had encouraged it…suddenly anger filled her and she sought to unleash it on him….how dare he?

‘I’m sorry Amaka, it wouldn’t happen again….’ He quickly apologized as reason returned to him…

She didn’t speak, she realized she hadn’t been angry…she had enjoyed every bit of that kiss and she didn’t understand why…

She needed to talk to someone, she was going crazy….

‘I’m back…let’s get walking Boy’ Sly returned to the room and wondered why his wife had that look on her face, like she was confused about something…

‘okay, let’s run along…’ Ben fetched his brief case and walked out…

‘are you still mad at me? I love you Amy…you’re my world…please accept my diamonds’ he waited for his cousin to go out..

‘get out Sly, give them to your secretary’ she hissed and walked away…
***

‘you have a beautiful family bro…one day I’m gonna be like you…’ Ben remarked as Sly ignited the engine…

‘thank you…’ Sly replied coldly….he wished he’d never confessed to cheating, now Amaka would hate him forever…telling her the truth had been a total mistake…

‘are you okay Sly’? Ben shifted and faced him….

‘I don’t know, I don’t think I’ll ever be…’ he needed someone to confide in and as sure as hell he wasn’t going to the pastor for more crappy advice…that was how he got himself into the mess he was in presently….

‘whoa, slow down…what’s wrong buddy’? Ben wondered what could heat his cousin up …

‘it’s Amaka…’ he decided to pull over and confide in his cousin….

‘Amaka? What about Amaka?’ Ben was instantly interested…had she told her husband about the kiss? He panicked, that would do him no good…

‘I cheated on her with my secretary and she’s refused to forgive me…’ Sly blurted out in frustration…

‘geez man, why would you cheat on that’? Ben was stunned, Sly had always been the good guy, always loving and faithful to one woman…

‘I don’t know man, okay here’s what happened, I was working really late that day and I left my office to pick some things from the car, and then I returned and found Doyin on my table, naked…like she’d planned this all along…I fought it badly believe me….but I couldn’t resist…’ Sly was pained …

‘oh gosh, she did you dirty…how did Amaka find out’? Ben asked…

‘I told her days ago and since then she’s been acting different towards me…I expected it bro but I didn’t know she could hate me to the point of not speaking to me or rejecting my gifts…’

‘you’re really brave Sly to tell your wife the truth…most men don’t confess their crimes…that’s why I was surprised why you cheated in the first place…that secretary of yours needs to be fired…’ Ben advised and suddenly felt guilty of kissing Amaka…Sly was a good guy and good guys deserved the best,inwardly, he searched his conscience and decided to keep away from Amaka…he would never betray his cousin…

‘ I fired her but is that supposed to make me feel better’ she f***cken hates me…don’t you get it’? Sly sighed feeling much of a derelict husband….

‘hey, you just told her about this remember? Give her time, she’ll come around….she’s only this hurt because she cared about you…give her space…women are like babies…when she needs you, she’ll find you…okay?’ Ben had seen the regret that flashed in Sly’s eyes, he was truly sorry….

‘okay, I will think on that…so were you serious about staying at a hotel’? Sly changed the topic…

‘yep, I’m moving over there today…send Amy and Odinaka my love…’ Ben smiled and turned his eyes to the road, wondering how on earth he would get his cousin’s wife off his mind, but he was willing to try…

***

‘my beautiful lady…’ Abdul had returned home immediately after his meeting with Lola, she had been so good in bed…sweet and moist…and she devoured him like tigress, evidence that Femi had sexually starved his wife…

‘sweetheart….have you had breakfast’? Zainab asked as she returned from dropping Aisha off at school…

‘I don’t feel hungry Zee…’ he looked straight at her…

‘really? So what plans do you have for today’? she eyed him strangely, she had this feeling that her husband had changed …though he still wore his same clothes…though he was still Abdul…she felt it…they were losing the bond they shared…

‘I have a meeting with another client…so I may not return early, don’t wait up for me…’ Abdul sipped coolly from the mug, he’d planned to meet up later with Lola and nothing would stand in his way to this new found well of pleasure…

‘you’ve been quite busy of late….’ She noted…

‘a man has got to do what a man has got to do, if I don’t take care of you who will?’ he walked towards her and eneveloped her in a kiss…

‘you just sound like those doctors in dettol advert’ she chuckled softly

‘hey you, don’t do that…’ she whispered to him…as his hands went beneath her waist…

‘you look troubled, talk to me Zee, I can read you like a book, I can smell your fear from afar…I know you more than you know yourself …’ he kissed her hair…

‘I’m fine…’ she insisted and struggled out of his hands…

‘Zee? What’s wrong’? he pressed on…

‘you’ve been very busy of late Abdul and we hardly have time for each other…I don’t know…I’m just scared for our marriage…I don’t want it ending up like that of my friends….i want you and me to be perfect…’ she had this distant look of uncertainty in her eyes…

Truth be told, since she set her eyes on Abdul’s new secretary, she had been feeling uneasy about the younger woman…

‘hey baby, look at me….’ He whispered and took her hands in his, …

‘I love you complete, look into my eyes, there are no lies, I will never hurt you in that manner…I’ve told you I wouldn’t take a second wife…it’s just me and you forever….’ He pressed his lips to her slender fingers…

‘always and forever’ she adored his forehead with kisses…

She was sure her husband was honest with her, Abdul loved her more than she could ever hope for…there was no other man as perfect as her Abdul…

‘excuse me, I have to take this….’ She sighed as she saw the caller identity, Amaka….

‘alright, I’ll be in the bathroom in case you need me’ he winked and walked off…Lola had surprised him with her voracious appetite for sex, he couldn’t wait to meet up with her again, he loved women like her…they drove him wild…meanwhile something else weighed on his mind heavily…what game was Farida trying to play here?

‘Zainab can I come over to your place? I really need to talk to you…’ Amaka was in a rush …what transpired between her and Ben was supposed to make her feel guilty, but she felt nothing like that…all she could think about was the fact that Ben was a better kisser than sly…the best kiss she’d ever had came from Ben and she was going crazy about it…

‘sure..i’ll be home all day, has Lola called you yet’? Zainab inquired….

‘no, but we’ll figure out what to do with that lady when we see each other…

‘alright, be good hun’ Zee smiled as the call was brought to an end…

Everything seemed so perfect for her, her friends were struggling with adulterous men and widowhood and here she was in her little perfect world…God was too kind to bless her with such gifts as Abdul and their lovely children.

‘Marsha Allah…’ she whispered and pressed her hands to her chest…



***

‘I hate Mondays….’ She groaned and stretched her full length ….she’d expected him to call her but he hadn’t …she panicked as the thought of him losing interest in her filled her mind…what if she’d pushed him away by telling him she had been married?
‘I hope not…’ she sighed and checked the time….close to her lunch time…she quickly brought out the complementary card he’d given to her and stared hard at it…

‘should I call him? Or should I call him not’? she rehearsed in her mind over again…

What if she seemed too desperate by calling Omale, he was the guy, she wasn’t some egotistical feminist, she was a very traditional person and she expected the man to pursue her…

But she couldn’t help but think about him the whole day, all calls or text messages that she received had been taken in a rush as she hoped one of them happened to be his’.

Without hesitation, she dialed the number on the card and waited patiently for his response, the phone rang once…

Was he busy? What if he were to be in surgery?

She cut the call and almost slapped herself for being so stupid…what was she thinking calling a doctor like that?

She would definitely pass as desperate before him….

Her phone buzzed loudly as she dropped it on the table…the caller identity brought thrills running down her spine…he was calling her back!

‘hello…good afternoon, sorry I called you at this time…I was just…’ she paused as the female voice cut her short…who was that?

‘Omale isn’t around…he’s busy…whom should I say called’? June rolled her eyes angrily, she knew who was on the phone , the woman she despised already…who did she think she was?

‘is that June’? Edima was amazed, what would she be doing with Omale’s phone…

‘yes, and you are’? June asked…

‘Edima Bassey from church…don’t you remember the lady you met from church yesterday, I sat beside Omale…’? she tried being friendly…

‘I remember you quite well, why don’t you stay away from Omale’? June quickly glanced around his office, she’d come to deliver some files, coincidentally she’d found his phone ringing loudly while he’d gone to attend to an emergency…
This was all she’d needed, all she’d prayed for…she would put Edima in her place…

‘excuse me’? Edima wondered why June sounded so harsh, from the time she’d met the lady she’d struck her as someone who was unfriendly….

But she didn’t expect it ot reach this magnitude …

‘you heard me ma’m…don’t allow Omale to deceive you….he has a woman in his life and I’m trying to save you from heartbreak, so you better take my advice darling….why do you think he wasn’t in a hurry to call you back’?

Edima was silent as pain stung her throat but she swallowed it…

‘I thought so too…you should be thanking me…don’t call this line again…’ June ended the call and deleted Edima’s number from the mobile phone…

‘this can’t be happening…’ Edima’s voice shook…

What had she gotten herself into? She now understood why he hadn’t called her the night before…she felt foolish and highly embarrassed…

Without thinking she dialed Zee…

‘Zainab I’m in a mess…can we talk now’? she rushed forward and locked her office…

‘sure honey, what’s wrong’? she could feel the hurt in Edima’s voice…she was the most fragile of all of them…

‘remember that guy I told you I met at the seminar and I liked him? I met him in church yesterday and we exchanged numbers…’ she swallowed…

‘wow, that’s a good thing, isn’t it?’ Zee wondered where her friend’s story led

‘yes, so I decided to give him a call today…and a lady picked, he introduced me as his friend…she really embarrassed me and said very mean things to me…I feel so hurt Zee…and I really liked this guy, though I don’t know him much…but he really did seem nice…and was my first shot at dating after a long while…I don’t know what to do…’ tears had already found their way down her cheeks…

‘calm down Edima it’s not the end of the world…maybe this guy wasn’t meant for you…maybe God has other plans for you…just forget him…why would a woman even pick his call’ Zainab hissed angrily what annoyed her greatly were men who couldn’t keep their feet at a place…

‘I’ll try, I just felt humiliated…so what should I do next…I can’t seem to take my mind off of him….’ She blurted out in frustration….

‘just forget him Edima…I’ll call you later in the day…be patient with yourself, when it’s the right time, you’ll fall in love…’ Zee advised…

‘thank you Zainab, I don’t know how you do it, but you’re magic, I always feel better after talking with you…’ she smiled ruefully and ended the call…

She’d never received such embarrassment in her whole life....she would never call him again…angrily she picked up the complementary car and shredded it into pieces…

‘there we go…’ she quickly dropped them in her dustbin….

***

‘do you think we should continue with this? I feel…bad…you know Zainab is just a very good person and I don’t ever want to hurt her….’ She’d sat up after they’d had a shower together

‘I love you very much…am very attracted to you that’s what matters and I believe you feel the same way for me….so we just keep exploring and enjoying all this…Zee would never find out except you tell her…’ Abdul shifted closer to her…

‘do you really mean it when you say you love me’? Lola gazed upon him, she yearend for love, she yearned to be adored …to be treated as special…that’s all what she needed after Femi had issued her a divorce…

‘hey, I mean it….come here…’ she snuggled close to him and he hugged her tightly…

‘promise me you’ll handle this well, you need to get back to your friends or they’ll know something is up with you…you don’t want that do you’? he pressed his lips to her hair…

‘okay, I promise to stay calm…I like you Abdul…’ she kissed him back…

Lola smiled as the coolness of the water washed all her pain away, it was a brand new day and she felt like a new creature, a butterfly that had just popped out of its cocoon…she was free and she’ll soar the white skies, there was no stopping her…

She had to go see Zainab and talk to the other girls, she still contemplated whether she would tell them about the divorce….

Just as she stepped out of the bathroom, she found him sitting at the edge of her bed and she jerked back in shock…

‘Good day dear wife….surprised to see me’? Femi turned and faced her with a wide grin on his face…

‘what are you doing here? you’re supposed to be gone for a week plus…don’t tell me your mistress has dumped you already’? she sneered at him, how come she’d been so blind? All these years, she’d been married to a devil and she was just realizing it…

‘wow, someone is still angry with me….come on Lola….’ He could feel indignation in her voice…

This wasn’t the time, what was he doing right here?

‘where are the divorce papers?’ she waited for his response…

‘Lola….’ He rose quietly and walked towards her…he’d travelled to France on a business trip and somehow reflected on his life…
Lola was the most beautiful person anybody could ever meet, she was such a sweet and angelic woman and he had been willing to throw all that away…

He thought about the times they’d spent together, the moments they’d shared and he knew getting a divorce would be the greatest mistake of his life

He couldn’t do it…yes, they couldn’t have children, but the primary purpose of getting married apart from procreation was being happy…that was it, he wanted to be happy and the only person that knew him that much, knew when he was angry, sad or depressed was Lola…what had gotten into him?

She wasn’t speaking to him, she was passive to his charms…she was hard to read…he knew he’d hurt her and it would take a long time for her to heal which was worth waiting for…but he was absolutely never going back to his old life…

‘get your filthy hands off me…you fool…’ she pushed him away as the weight of her anger crashed on her whole being, she despised him…

‘baby please just hear me out…’ he wouldn’t let her go, he’d been a fool…hurting a good woman like that…

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.



***

nikz:
Wow this is suspense filled! Really nice story

thanks honey!

Raychellasam:
Now this just got more interesting...

#smiles

Missperfect28:
I simply can't stop reading

Keep following dear

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

m glad you liked it dear!

marve20:
nice storyline following

thanks marve20

Rukkydelta:
A beautiful write up with a beautiful end
Thumbs up Buttersss

thank you!

kevwe10:
what a nice ending! madam I give u three gbosa for the story,this is my first time of reading ur story I love it,keep it up,am waiting for another story coming from u,weldone

thanks baby
plz follow love lies and divorce

bimberry1307:
short, precise but awesome. gawd! this story is dope. but madam, you for tell us how berger take defeat henry, how zee baby take know say henry na rapist and all. BTW, you're a bae. you've never disappointed me in all of your stories. ama keep following.#kisses..

thanks love!

****


She had locked herself in her room the whole day…what was the point of being miserable when the cause of her misery was out there having fun?

‘I AM OUT, LOCK UP…WOULD BE COMING BACK IN A WEEK’S TIME, THEN WE’LL FINALIZE OUR DIVORCE PLANS…’ she cursed as she read the note he’d placed on the dining table…what happened to him knocking on her door and telling her about his pleasure trip with one of his many mistresses?

Love truly blinded people, else she would have noticed this part in Femi a long time ago and it wouldn’t have resulted in the mess she’d found herself…

As she made herself some coffee, she knew it was over between them forever….what Femi did to her was unforgivable…and she had forgotten him…

The only thought that prevented her from doing something stupid like drowning herself in the bath tub were thoughts of that night, no man had ever touched her, caressed her, kissed her adored her like the way Abdul had done…

Though it had been hours since she’d seen him, she kept thinking about him…it was so wrong and she knew this…but she couldn’t help it…

Abdul had become her drug, her saving grace from her hell of a marriage…he made her forget all the pain of the six years she’d spent believing it will work out with Femi…when she thought of Abdul, her mind was at peace…even when her conscience pleaded with her…she couldn’t resist him…she wanted him…Zainab had been too good to her…but she couldn’t help it…the heart wanted what it wanted…

‘Hello….’ Her voice was shaky at first…she was even surprised he’d picked her call…it wasn’t too late, the time was ten p.m and it had been a big risk…

But even if Zainab had seen her number on Abdul’s phone she wouldn’t have suspected anything which made her feel the more guilty…

‘Lola…how are you doing? Have you been crying again’? her voice was low and sad…

‘I am fine Abdul…can I see you tonight?...i…’ she stuttered not knowing how to say those words…

‘yes you can see me…are you okay? ‘ he sipped hurriedly from the mug…

‘I feel lonely…can you come over to the house? Femi travelled…you can tell Zee if you want…I just want to see you Abdul…’ she felt so helpless…

‘alright….i’ll be on my way…’ he ended the call and headed straight to the room to check on Zee…it wasn’t that necessary to tell her anything…he could cook up some lies and tell her later…

Zainab wasn’t to be taken for granted, she the sharpest of minds…

As he stepped into the room to fetch his keys, he was pleased to see that she was already snoring and Aisha snuggled against her…

Without wasting much time, he slid on a black colored Jalabir and picked some condoms into the pocket of his garment and rushed out…

The gateman, Shettima would cover for him, if Zainab woke up at any point in time…his heart beamed as he reached for his car…she’d finally accepted him….he couldn’t wait to meet her again….
***

‘Abdul’! she was excited as she opened the gate for him…shocked that he actually kept to his promise and visited her…

‘my angel….’ He hurried out of the car and encircled his arms round her…

‘welcome…did you tell Zee?’ she whispered and looked up to him…

He inhaled the pureness of the air and stared at the sky that was blackened with darkness with little drops of fading stars…

‘no, how could you even think that? She may begin to harbor suspicions and I don’t want her to know about us yet…’ he licked his lips as the cool air had dried them…

‘oh, I am sorry, I was thinking it was better you tell her…that something happened between I and Femi and you have to come pick me up alone…that would be less suspicious than you sneaking out of the house without letting her know about your whereabouts…’ she explained…

‘I didn’t think about that…let’s not argue about Zee…how have you been’? he finally asked as they stepped into the house…

‘just there…but I am over him now…’ she shrugged…

‘I don’t understand….’ She wore a lacy nightgown which was unapologetically transparent and showed off all her curves…the gleam of her nipples and her smooth skin…

‘Femi wants a divorce…when he gets back from his trip, we’ll make it official…’ she inhaled deeply…

‘you’ll be fine…you have me with you…always remember that…’ he walked close to her and rubbed her hair softly…

‘I miss you Abdul….i’m happy you came…I need you to take this pain away…’ she looked up at him and dragged his hands down to her chest…

‘I’ll do that gladly…’ he leaned and glided his tongue over her neck…while his hands gently went over her beautiful body…

‘that feels good…’ she moaned as his hands rubbed the tip of tits…

‘yes…I’ll make you feel good…’ he replied and slid down her nightgown expertly…the lacy material fell to the floor revealing her beauty under the fluorescent…

‘you are adorable my angel….’ He was fascinated by the perfection of her two mounds and the firmness of her body…

Without saying more, he gulped them into his hands and folded one tit and sucked it hungrily…

His other hand searched the path on her laps carefully, till it found the place where all pleasure was buried…

‘let’s go to my room Abdul…’ she was going crazy for him…

‘fine…’ he scooped her into his arms expertly and they both left to sin…

****

The night was chill and loneliness hung in the air, he raised the phone to see who would be calling at such an odd hour….

He’d learnt to be comfortable in silence and loneliness but since he set his eyes on her…he knew from that moment onward he’ll never be the same…

‘June….good evening are you okay’? his bestfriend was calling…

‘Hi Omale….it’s just that I’m stranded here and I can’t go back to the house…can I sleep over at your place’? she requested….

‘oh…okay, why not?’ he was confused, He was close to June no doubt but she’d never slept over at his place before, not that he had anything in mind…how would her fiancé take it?

‘alright, give me twenty minutes…what can I buy you’? she sounded charming now…

‘anything you want June…hurry home it’s late…’ Omale sighed and fell on the couch…

Meeting her was very surprising, he’d waited for her call all day but she hadn’t rang him…was he too pushy? He wondered…maybe she needed space…

Like him, she was going through a healing process, losing one’s spouse wasn’t that easy…all those sweet memories would always come knocking on mind’s door…

‘Edima Bassey…’ he mused and smile, he liked her name…she was truly beautiful and he couldn’t wait to know her more…

‘come in, I left the door open for you…’ he called …

‘how is you doing’? June winked and trotted towards him…

June was a beautiful woman, she was tall and slender with a cream complexion and pink lips which was her most arresting figure.

Omale was glad she had found a good man at last, though he was yet to meet her fiancé, but from the way she talked about him…he had to be a good person…

‘hey June….you look ravishing…’ he smiled as she handed him something in a black polythene bag…

‘Suya for you…’ she eyed the living room and sat next to him…

Omale Ibrahim was the man of her dreams, even while her friend had been alive, she had wanted him with all her heart…

Ene’s untimely demise had hurt her for a while because they’d been really close friends but she easily got over her because Omale had been all she desired and the perfect opportunity had just presented itself…..

She had been secretly in love with the man she called bestfriend for more than four years now, she’d done everything to please him…spending time with him and helping him forget his wife…but he never cared for her or felt the same way…

So she’d come up with a stupid lie about being engaged so not to look desperate…but now it could backfire on her….

She saw the way his face had lit up when he talked about the lady he met at the seminar, she hadn’t paid attention because he’d told her once he could never love another woman like he did Ene…but one look at his face at church betrayed all the words he’d spoken…

And it worried her…how on earth would she get over Omale? How would she accept the fact that he would never love her? But maybe he did, deep down in his hearts of hearts…maybe she should tell him her true feelings…

‘thank you…where are you coming from…did you go to see him’? Omale was curious…

‘hmmm not really’ did she just feel a hint of jealousy in his voice? Her heart danced to the tune of possibilities…


‘are you hiding something from me? You’re glowing you know’? he winked briefly and tore opened the paper that enclosed the steak meat.

‘are you jealous’? she rolled her eyes waiting for his reply…

‘nope….i’m happy you’re happy’ he lifted a piece of meat into his mouth…

‘oh…I’m happy for you to’ she dropped her shoulders feeling disappointed…

‘oh about Edima…she hasn’t called me…do you think I should call her…? What if she thinks I am a bug’? Omale stopped eating and faced June, she always knew the right thing to say…

‘uhmmm…do you want my opinion’? June licked her lips nervously …she knew what she was about doing was wrong but she couldn’t help it…why was he so blind to her love for him?

‘well yes go on…’ he waited patiently for her…

‘frankly, I don’t think she’s your type…she isn’t the woman for you…you don’t need someone like her, I know you’ll probably hate me but with time you’ll see your relationship with her wouldn’t work out…’ she was blunt about it…

‘why?’ he hadn’t expected this…

‘well you said yourself she’s a widow…what if she has kids for the other man? What if she doesn’t want to move on with her life? If you ask me, I’ll say too much drama’she shrugged and rose to poru herself some water…

Omale was silent for a while allowing June words to sink in, what if June was right? And he hadn’t had time to ask if she had any children….but even if she did…he would’ve met them on Sunday and her kids wouldn’t matter to him…

‘but I really like her June….’ He insisted…

‘okay, fine…do what your heart tells you…but whatever you do, don’t tell her you’re a widower, keep that part from her….and you should bring her over so I meet her too…we’re in this together…’ she returned with her glass of water…

‘you think so’? why would he keep such a huge part of his life from a woman he planned on being serious with?

‘yes, I hate to admit it…but the first time I saw her…I thought she was Ene…’ June paused and looked directly at her friend…

‘yea, one of the reasons I was attracted to her but definitely not why I want to be with her…Edima is a different person…and I find her interesting…I’ll pursue what I’m feeling’ he pointed to his chest…

‘alright, I guess I need to sleep…I’m on duty tomorrow Doctor…’ she yawned and rose to her feet, she worked at Omale’s hospital….

‘okay dear…you should get some sleep… have a nice night…’
He raised the glass to his lips…

‘alright’ she replied and fetched her bag…

He sighed and pondered on June’s words, but he wouldn’t act on them this time, he needed to find himself…but he would keep the part of being a widower out…that could freak her totally …June was very wise and the man that would marry her was a lucky man…

He would call Edima by morning if she still didn’t call …he was crazy about her…

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

lols I won't

***
***

‘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.
***

The yellow Sunday sun had receded to a dull orange colour and it became evening for many. Some decided to stay home with their family while some decided to hang out with their friends…Sundays were always special…

‘I hope she’s okay…’ Amaka checked her phone for the ninth time, still no message or call from Lola…she needed to get in touch with her friend…

The house was abnormally quiet, yes, things had changed now since the day he confessed having a torrid affair with his secretary…nothing was ever going to be the same…

Thankfully, his cousin Benson had gone out…his presence had made her feel self conscious in a weird way…she’d only felt that way in their early days of marriage…

Benson was trouble and she decided to keep her distance…he was an angel and sometimes during meals she found his eyes straying to her breasts…was she being paranoid? But she began to relish it…

She’d forced herself to come watch t.v because she was struggling to focus on other things save for Ben…she didn’t know what had gotten into her…but she assured herself it was nothing harmful…how could she think of another man who wasn’t her husband? And there she was punishing Sly for his sins….

Gladly, Benson would be vacating to the hotel he booked, that would save from tension and keep her relaxed for her next photoshoot for MODA MAGAZINE, a magazine for young wives and mothers…one of her hairdressers had given her the gig about the photo shoot and being well placed in the fashion industry, she meandered her way to being the only selected mother for the shoot…

Sundays had always been fun before Sly ruined everything with his cheating ways, usually they bathed the baby and put him to sleep, then they would spend the whole evening playing their favorite game, Scrabble and making love to each other…

She turned off the television angrily …why did he have to cheat? Those feelings of inadequacy filled her once again and she hated him the more…how could he hurt her this way?

‘Baby….’ Sly walked into the living room determined to win his wife back….

She spared him a glance and riveted her eyes back to the phone in her hands…
What did he want now?

‘Amy please talk to me…how long would you ignore me, I am still your husband…’ he pleaded and sat beside her on the cushion but she shifted away angrily…

‘can’t you stay on your own Sly? Why do you have to be in and about my business’? she hissed loudly…thank Goodness Odinaka was soundly asleep…

‘I can’t Amy, your silence is killing me…I love you baby…I miss you so much…’ he shifted close to her…

‘oh come off it…I know how you act when you’re Hot…if that’s what you want you should’ve just said it instead of lying to my face…’ she watched his face…

‘I am deeply sorry I hurt you Amy…I would never cheat on you again…have this…’ he handed her some papers he’d gotten from his doctor…

‘what’s this’? she was hesitant…

‘test papers…I don’t have any S.T.D….i am clean Amy…I made a mistake and I promise never to repeat it again…’ he knelt before her…

‘if you want to have sex with me, just grab your condom…remember our deal…’she threw the papers to his face and walked deeper to the room…

She stopped and stared at the mirror…was she ready to do this?

‘Amy….’ Sly walked towards her and tried pulling her into his arms but she resisted…

She fell into the bed and supported her waist with a pillow…

‘what are you doing’? he asked bewildered by her actions…

‘come and do it…hurry….she spread her legs apart and beckoned to him…

‘do what? What’s this Amy…’

‘what Doyin gave to you…just get done with it…’ she fixed her eyes to the wall…

‘Amaka….i don’t believe this…’ he climbed the bed and reached her…

‘don’t lay those hands on me…’ she jerked away…

‘I can never take you like this, you’re my wife…my heart…queen of my world…I can never disrespect your body…it’s okay if you don’t wanna make love with me…I’ll be fine…I’ll prove to you that I cannot make the same mistake twice…I love you Amy and I have a gift for you…’ he still remembered she had a photo shoot with some magazine, so he had decided to get her something special…

‘Amy’? he took her hands as tears streamed down her cheeks…

She brushed the tears away and quickly regained composure, no, he couldn’t see her like this, she was broken and vulnerable…

‘ I am so sorry…please forgive me…’ regret evident in his voice…

Without thinking, she pulled him closer and pressed her lips to his, he looked up at her dazed…was she sure of this?

She didn’t wait for his reply, she slid her wet tongue into his mouth and he fed hungrily on it…his hands pressed her soft body against his solid chest…

Her hands roamed all over him and she knew she couldn’t resist this passion…she unbuttoned his chest hurriedly and bit his ears lightly….

‘I love you Amy’ he breathed as he caressed her bare throat…. She was so beautiful to look at…her lips were swollen from kissing and her eyes lit with fire….

She didn’t say a word…she got out of her clothes eagerly and settled on the bed waiting for him to take her….

‘are you sure about this? We can wait till we settle our issues…’ he paused as he cowered over her…

‘go ahead…’ she was getting impatient….his hands caressed her breasts and glided down to her lower abdomen…she went wild in ecstasy as she writhed underneath him….then he kissed her very slowly and settled comfortable between her tender laps…

His thrusts were maddening and she groaned savoring each thrust….how could he share something like that with another woman? Their special moment…

Her head spun round as the moment where lovers melted into one drew near…….Sly smiled as he fell beside her…he hoped Amaka had forgiven him….

He’d never made love to her in that manner….all he gave her that evening was from his heart….his only desire was to please her…

‘I want only you…’ he kissed her cheeks and reached for the pocket of his trouser which was strewn across the floor haphazardly

‘what’s this…’? she eyed the little box he handed her…all her hatred and resentment had returned…Sly had cheated on her with another woman…he’d made another woman moan for him …

‘I bought you new earrings for your photo shoot…there’re diamonds…open it…’ he smiled while watching her….he wished they could be happy again…

‘I don’t remember asking you for earrings…you can go give them to your secretary …I know she needs it better than i…’ she bit her lip and raised the duvet to her chest…

‘how could you do something like this? Please don’t reject it…I bought is specially for you…’ his heart was breaking…he felt hurt by her rejection…

‘get out of my room Sly….i need to be alone…’ she ordered him out, hands akimbo…

She had to hurt him the way he’d hurt her…he had to feel the pain of being lied to…that was the beginning…

‘Amy…’ he reached out for her but she pushed him away….

Her rejection felt like a blade that had pierced his heart….how on earth would he survive without her love?


***
He had returned very late on Saturday night….but she didn’t want to bother him because he was also taking the kids back to school as the celebration was over…

‘is my Aisha asleep’? Abdul smiled as he walked out from the bathroom….his older kids had returned to the boarding house…only Aisha was left with them…

‘yes dear…’ Zainab replied …and searched her phone for messages from Lola but she hadn’t seen none…

‘you don’t look well my Zainabu….’he pecked her softly and settled beside her in the big bed….

‘I am fine…it’s just Lola…I think she’s hiding something from me…’ Zainab dropped her phone and faced the man she was in love with….

‘oh, what do you think she’s hiding’? Abdul sat up quickly hoping Lola hadn’t told Zainab about their liason the night before…

‘that’s what I am saying…I feel she’s avoiding me and the girls…I wonder what Femi had done to her to wreck that emotionally…that guy is a devil, I feel he doesn’t deserve a woman like Lola….don’t you think’? she peered at her husband….

‘of course, he doesn’t deserve her….but Lola is strong, she’ll pull through….now let’s talk about us…’ he felt greatly relieved ….

He wondered if she had made up her mind about him, they were both sexually attracted to each other and they had to explore that attraction…. He was willing to care for her…to love her like no man had ever done…but they had to play safe…

‘that reminds me, a young lady came looking for you…’ Zainab almost forgot about that disturbing visit…

‘a young lady’? he raised his brows….

‘yes, she said she was your secretary …Farida….that was what she called herself…’ Zainab gazed upon his face intently…but she found it hard to read Abdul…

‘Oh, my sweetheart, I forgot to tell you about Farida Ahmad…she’s my new secretary and the niece of Mallam Abdulmajid Ahmad….you remember the man? He was my business associate for almost seven years before his untimely demise’? he hoped his wife bought this story…anger bubbled inside of him…what was that fool thinking coming over to his house like that?

He had to put Farida in her place like the cheap LovePeddler that she was…. He couldn’t let such a wayward girl cause trouble in his marriage…

‘oh, I see…so how was your work with Alhaji Tako….?’ Zainab believed him totally but she wasn’t comfortable with her husband having such a beautiful secretary…

‘very fine my love, Allah granted me utmost favor…do you know he introduced me to some of his wealthy friends? And they said I should work for them’? he reached for her mane of silky dark hair…

‘Marsha Allah! Praise to him….i love you completely Abdul…’ she pecked his cheeks softly…

‘I am planning a vacation….just me and you and Aisha…we should get to relax and spend more time together…’ he tried to please her…

Zainab was no fool, she must have felt uncomfortable by Farida’s unannounced visit….

‘where would we go my love?’ she was thrilled by the idea….

‘Anywhere you want…I could buy the whole world for you…you are very special to me…and nothing can change that…’ he sealed his promise with a light peck on her forehead…

‘when I grow older….would you marry another wife?’ she sat up briefly and gazed at him like the answer was written on his face…

‘no…I’ve promised you that before now…I’ll not bring another woman into this house…it’s just me and you and our lovely children….why would you even think that’? he knew Farida’s presence had caused her to think along that line…

‘nothing…would you make love to me tonight’? she rested her head on his chest…

‘not tonight my dear…I am fatigued, my muscles ache all over…we can do it in the morning eh’? he winked at her

He wasn’t being honest, gradually he was losing interest in Zainab’s body besides she complained most of the times he had asked them to try something different in the bedroom… …he needed something adventurous…he needed to tread on new grounds…

‘alright, I am tired too…sleep well my husband….’ She squeezed his hands as he rose from the bed…

‘I would be in the living room working on some papers in case you need me….’ He yawned and rose to his feet happy for that sweet escape…

‘I won’t need you Abdul…just try and take some rest eh?’ she admired the strength he had…the love that drove him to work extra hard to provide for her and her children…

‘I will be back soon…’ he closed the door gently and walked into the parlor…

He made himself a warm cup of tea and gulped from the mug still trying to figure out how he’ll deal with his obstinate girlfriend…why was Farida this rebellious?

Some minutes later, his phone buzzed and his heart stilled as he saw the caller identity…
Instinctively, he glanced around hoping Zee was safely asleep before he answered the call from her friend…

Had she finally accepted his proposal? Had she finally agreed to go out with him?

***
‘so how is Germany….’? That was the first time he’d spoken to his cousin since he picked him from the airport….

Ben had been on call talking to some lady …yes, from the way he’d sounded, Sly knew his cousin was talking to a woman…

‘been fine bro….and how has married life been with you’? Ben paused and looked around the house as he dropped his luggage…

‘why should you ask me that’? Sly returned a bit fierce…he’d not gotten over the fact that Ben had missed his wedding…

‘man, I am sorry…okay, I promise to make it up to you…I was very busy at the time of the wedding…I am sorry I didn’t get to meet your wife…but I’ll still meet her right’? Ben was apologetic…

‘sure…let me fetch you a drink…’ Sly packed the luggages and headed to the cellar first…

‘so long a time…’ Ben whispered to himself and walked closer to where the pictures hung gracefully adding to the lovely theme of the parlor…

The painting of a nude woman holding a child to her breasts attracted him….he loved paintings a lot…it reminded him of Bruce Onabrakpeya’s work, ‘Negritude’….

Then his eyes strayed so her smiling face….her eyes were golden and they danced with laughter….they were clouded by a canopy of long, thick and dark lashes…he wondered if they were natural? She sat on a rocky terrain and threw one slender but shapely leg to the air…she was a sight to behold…her long neck was graceful…it reminded him of the Ostriches he’d seen on his way back to Nigeria…


Who was she? He brushed the picture slightly….she was perfect and highly photogenic as her caramel complexion twinkled …

‘that’s Amaka….’ Sly smiled proudly as he returned with a bottle of white wine…

‘Amaka’? Ben raised his brows…

‘my wife…mother of my son Odinaka….’ He supplied…

‘oh! She’s absolutely stunning….’ Ben was unsettled by the beauty of the woman in the photograph and he wondered if she were this beautiful in person…the picture woudn’t flee his memory but he made strong effort not to fix his eyes on it…he hated staring at people’s wife talk more of his cousin’s…

‘so tell me about your love life…when are you getting married Ben’? Sly poured the drinks…

‘I don’t have a girlfriend presently….but I do have a very interesting sex life…do you wanna hear it’? he winked at Sly who wrinkled his nose in disgust…

‘please don’t tell me you’re gay…’ Sly paused and stared at his cousin who was clearly amused at his line of thought…

‘don’t make me laugh man…do I look gay to you’? Sly chuckled softly…

‘I don’t know…you know white culture has a way of influencing Africans who reside there…so I’m keeping my fingers crossed…’ he swallowed his drink hurriedly…

‘I can never be gay…I don’t have a girlfriend Sly…I am too busy to keep one…who knows? I may find myself a wife before I return to Germany…’ he gulped his drink…

‘that my friend, would be your greatest accomplishment….’ Sly raised a glass in toast…

‘I have money….i am satisfied…that is my greatest accomplishment…’ Ben rebutted his cousin’s statement…

‘no, you need a woman by your side…a tall, beautiful, shapely…hardworking, intelligent, very good in bed….’ Sly paused as Amaka walked in with their child…

‘I guess you were describing your wife…’Ben’s eyes brightened as Amaka walked towards them and instantly, he knew he would never be the same…

She wore a mini skirt that showed off her sexy legs and the tank top she wore revealed her tommy slightly…how could a mother of one be this hot?
He quickly poured himself more drink to adjust to the situation as she drew closer to where he sat…

‘welcome….’Amaka forced a smile…she had to pretend before this stranger…definitely that was Sly’s cousin…Benson or whatever his name was…

She scanned him briefly and noticed the slight resemblance he shared with Sly….but he was lightskinned with a mass of black hair and low cut beards….

His eyes were soft and dreamy, Sylvester’s cousin looked very much a Casanova, the likes of Ramsey Noah and Majid Michel…

‘hey darling, come over here…’ Sly was a bit excited by her expression…had Amaka forgiven him? He would find out later…

‘this is Benson, my cousin I told you about….he would be staying with us for a while…’ Sly took her waist with his free hand…

‘hello Benson… I am Amaka, pleased to meet you…’ she offered a hand which he took too quickly…

Their hands bonded for some moments, her heart fluttered at the softness of his touch and she imagined being with a masseuse…she quickly withdrew her hand as a strange sensation crept up her neck…why was she acting like a school girl?

‘call me Ben….’ He focused on her eyes…she was more beautiful in person…Amaka was a goddess…

‘I have to go check the baby…’ she cleared her throat and excused herself…

‘no problem…’ Sly kissed his baby and dropped his glass….

‘I am sorry to say this, but I already made reservations at a hotel…’ Benson lied…he couldn’t stay in that house …

‘are you kidding me? Sometimes I wonder if I have offended you in any way…’ Sly picked the glass again…

‘no, don’t say that….remember I told you I have a very interesting sex life’? Benson swallowed nervously, he had to leave that place that minute…he couldn’t face her again…she was like an inferno…and infernos consumed their victim…

‘what is your sex life about really’? Sly lifted a brow in curiosity…

‘I do threesomes…’ that was another lie…

‘what? That’s crazy…’ Sly shrugged, he wasn’t surprised, his cousin had always had a rough edge since their youthful days…

‘not surprised? So you see my cousin, I really have to go…but I’ll come here frequently…I need to bond with little Odinaka you know’? he winked…

‘why don’t you stay the night and leave tomorrow? I don’t remember chasing you…’ Sly suggested…

‘my intention isn’t to make you feel bad…okay, I shall stay the weekend…is that okay’? he threw his hands to the air…

‘better cousin…now let me show you some pictures…’ Sly was quite excited his cousin had decided to spend the weekend…

‘no problem…go ahead…’ Ben swallowed the drink and prayed he would withstand watching her pictures …
****
Sundays were usually dull and depressing for her, Frederick had that accident that took his life on Sunday, she still remembered…she still dreaded that day that took the most precious gift she had away…

But this Sunday was totally different, she hadn’t been to church for a very long time…maybe it was time to seek God, maybe it was time to go back to her creator for help…

‘pray, if you’re meant for each other, your hearts would find each other….’ Amaka’s words echoed in her head….

She had seen him in her dream...he had appeared in her dream, did that have any meaning?

‘Omale…’ she whispered his name as she pulled her curtains apart….

The yellow rays of the morning sun pierced the glasses and fell on the empty bed…it warmed her skin and made her feel alive…

She moved over to where his portrait lay, the man that had loved her with everything in him…this time she didn’t sob, she didn’t feel sad…it was time to pay a visit to the real world….

‘I’ll always love you…but I have to do this…I know you’ll want the best for me…’ she kissed the dead man’s face and quickly dropped his picture in a drawer….

‘I guess I am ready now…’ she looked at her appearance and smiled satisfactorily…

She wore a bubble gown made of Ankara and a black turban…her make-up was very light…could God really answer her prayers about finding that man? She felt foolish at first, she knew nothing about this man except for his name…but her heart told her to find him…

Without looking back, she slid into her and ignited the engine…she had to pray, then she would wait patiently for God’s answer…


The cathedral was a glorious monument….she paused not knowing what to do next….she wasn’t sure about this…there was still time to turn back….

‘Lord help me….’ She finally made up her mind and walked into the massive building which swallowed her petite form immediately …


‘The lord is in his holy place, let the whole earth keep silent…’ the pastor was opening the service with a short prayer…
Thankfully, people’s eyes were closed so she had ample time to rush in without their glances at her…since the demise of her husband…she couldn’t remember the last time she came to church…

She had just come to pray to God and planned to sneak out before the close of service to avoid pitiful glances and questions from nosy church members…maybe they cared for her, maybe they weren’t nosy…but Edima hated being the object of attention….

‘this way madam…’ an usher led her to an empty seat and she smiled graciously at the young man…things had really changed in the church she observed…

‘Amen…’ she joined the others in chorus as the Pastor began making declarations…

‘thank you …’ a familiar voice spoke…and she knew someone had been offered a seat next to hers…

She couldn’t help it…she quickly forced her eyes open and found him staring at her in shock…what was going on here?

‘we meet again…’ Omale whispered trying not to distract others….

‘uhmmm…’ Edima tried to say something but her mouth felt dry…was he stalking her or something? This was too much of a coincidence….

‘darling have you seen my purse’? a young woman took a seat next to him and her heart sank…was he married? She wondered, but there was no ring…

‘no June…we’ll search for it later…’ he replied carelessly and turned to face the woman that haunted his dreams…

‘why don’t we seat over there…’ ? the young woman suggested and eyed Edima briefly…

‘no, we’ll seat here…but you can move there if you want…’ he suggested…

June was his late wife’s best friend…after Ene’s death they’d become quite close and with her help he was able to pull through the depression that tormented him after the burial of his lovely wife…

June had always been there for him, she understood him more than any other person could…sometimes she spent time at his place…though nothing ever transpired between them…he was careful about it…besides she was in a relationship of her own…

June was twenty nine years old and single, hopefully her boyfriend would propose to her soon… he hadn’t met the guy personally but June had always told him stories about her lover…

He loved June in a special way…she was motherly and very matured….he had told her about Edima Bassey, the lady that took his breath away, he couldn’t wait for service to be over for proper introductions to be made…he hoped she wouldn’t snub him this time…

‘stubborn guy…’ June mused uneasily…wondering who the other lady was as she kept exchanging glares with Omale…her stomach fluttered as she caught Omale staring at the other woman….


‘we meet yet again, my pretty….’Omale whispered close to her, he couldn’t believe his luck, all weekend he’d thought about the feisty Edima Bassey that had blown his mind away….and here she was sitting right beside him…

It made him believe all the more that they were meant for each other…

‘do you mind’? Edima averted her gaze from his beautiful eyes and faced the pastor…

‘I hope you know you and I are meant together….’ Omale pressed on….

‘Omale….are you okay’? June was concerned about her best friend…was he exchanging words with the other woman?

‘alright June, let’s concentrate…we have a lot to talk about after service…’ he smiled briefly and faced the pulpit…

She wasn’t herself as she kept stealing glances at him, was this real? Her heart raced beneath her chest, things were happening to fast…it felt like she was stuck in a dream and unable to return to reality…

But there he was, it was no dream, he was every bit adorable in his navy blue tuxedo….very pleasing to the eyes indeed…

She suddenly felt nervous as she scanned the woman that sat beside him…it didn’t look like they were lovers…but what if they were? What if he was already taken?

She suddenly felt stupid for acting all up previously…how could she blow this chance God had given her? This was a second chance, she would take it and explore it….
Seeing him right there and then, gave her the conviction that somehow they would end up together….


The Preacher spoke about ‘faith’, Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen…

He implored the congregation to hold fast their faith both in pleasing times and trying times…because without faith no man could please God…

‘Oh Happy Day….’ The choir chanted the hymn joyously with brought the service to an end….that wasn’t her plan…

She hadn’t planned to stay till closing of the church…she didn’t want the church members to come flooding around her…she hated pity…that could even get her emotional and she didn’t want to see him this way…

‘shake five members before you go, God bless you all…’ the preacher smiled and the grace was said…

‘are you going to refuse me now’? Omale smiled and offered his hand….

‘we have to hurry home dear, remember your elder sister’s child dedication…we have to be there on time else she would be vexed …’ June cut in feeling slightly irritated at his reluctance to go home…

The voice of the woman shook her from her reverie…she had been lost in his eyes…he was such a fine man that she forgot his hand was still hanging…

‘oh, my bad…’ she quickly took it in hers…

‘I am most shocked to see you here…I take it that you aren’t a first timer’? Omale grinned…

‘no, actually I worshipped here…before….’ She paused not knowing how to say the words that wouldn’t set her free..

‘before’? he rubbed her hand gently as the pain flashed in her eyes, this one was so fragile…he had to be careful with her…

‘Omale?’ June eyed the woman angrily…what was going on?

‘June…meet my friend…remember that awesome woman I told you about? The one that delivered that mind blowing lecture? Edima’ his eyes stayed on hers while he made introductions…

‘oh…hello…call me June…’ she forced a smile and eyed Edima suspiciously …

‘I am Edima….’ She wondered why there was so much disdain in the gaze of Omale’s friend…was she his girlfriend?

‘I thought she was married? Where is your husband? Meanwhile I love your gown…it suits you perfectly…’ June observed the gloom that spread on Omale’s face…had she said something bad?

‘uhmmm…not really…’ Edima forced the pain that clogged her throat…had he really believed she was married?

‘it’s okay, you don’t have to answer that…June here is my bestfriend and she could be very blunt at times…’ Omale looked from June to Edima…

‘Sister Edima…I can’t believe this…how have you been’? Mrs Shola walked briskly towards them…she was the pastors’s wife and head of the women fellowship..

‘Good day Madam….’ Edima rose to acknowledge her…

‘Mummy good afternoon…’ June flashed the woman her sweetest smile…

‘ah, my daughter June…Brother Omale…it seems you three know each other…’the woman was super excited that Edima had returned to church…

‘yes it seems so…’ Omale replied cheerfully…so Edima had worshipped here before? Well, he had recently started worshipping with the ‘Grace Arena’ church for a year now, it was June that cajoled him to leave his church for hers and he liked it there…

‘Edima I’ll see you later before you leave…have fun…’ she waved the trio goodbye…

‘wow…so you’ve worshipped here before? How come I know nothing about you’? June was curious…

‘i haven’t been to church for three years now…’ Edima replied wondering why June was so nosy…

‘you look beautiful …’ Omale complimented her…

‘you too…’ she smiled shyly…

‘I really have to go now as June had rightly said, my elder sister is having a party and we cannot be late…so here’s my card or better still let’s exchange contacts…I’ll call you…’ he handed her his complimentary card…

‘it’s okay…’ she dialed her number into his cell phone…

‘Hurry will you’? June stamped her feet like an over pampered child…

‘patience is a virtue…’Omale winked at her….

‘here it is….’ She handed him the phone….

‘Edima….what’s the meaning of your name?...i know you’re from Akwa-Ibom or Cross River…we share some boundaries…’ he aked…

‘Edima means… ‘my love or my beloved…’ whichever one…where are you from’? she returned his question…

‘Benue…I think I would store your name as ‘my love’ he stared intently into her eyes to see her reaction…

‘oh, that sounds nice…’ she fiddled with her scarf…

‘okay my love, let me go for that party…I would call you and text you everyday….is that okay’? he asked as he joined the impatient June…

‘yes of course…’ her insides tingled with excitement and hope…

‘bye dear….’ He waved at her and walked off with June who didn’t spare her a glance…

‘bye…’ she whispered softly and pressed her palm to her beating chest…why did he have to be so sweet? And what was June to him? She’d observed the way he related with her…they were platonic friends but she still wasn’t comfortable…

She glanced briefly at the card and smiled…this one was a Doctor eh? He was an Optic surgeon who owned a hospital…

She concluded right there, that Omale Ibrahim was one of the most humble men she’d come across…she couldn’t wait to see the girls and tell them about this…

Alennsar:
I just hope is not too late for her

abi

Jsaviour:
I love as it comes hot, we await more updates. More ink to write.

Amen! thank u

Chumzypinky:
See babe, lemme just warn u eh...if u kill me with suspensial heartattack eh, if you kill me with lack-of-updatesial heartattack eh, be lest assured that my hubby TheBlessedMan wouldnt spare you. I'm very sure of that fact.
You want to kill me with suspense shey? I will not talk 2 u again #boning-face

lols keep calm

*

‘who do I have here….’? Zainab hugged Amaka as she walked in carrying her baby in her arms…Edima had arrived earlier and had treated herself to a cup of cold Zobo drink…


‘welcome baby mama…you look hot in that dress…’ Edima complimented her friend…

‘hey don’t call me that, at least I am still married to his father….’ Amaka winked and hugged Edima lovingly…

‘where’s Lola…?’ she finally asked as she settled into a seat beside Edima…

‘still the same question I asked Zee’ Edima gulped more of the drink…

‘girls, a lot has been going on with Lola…sometimes I get confused…she has refused to let me in…but I know for sure, she is in a very bad place, we need to pray for her….’Zainab offered weakly…Lola had changed…usually when Femi hurt her, she would spill her guts to them all…but this time was different, like she was hiding something…

‘she hasn’t returned my calls either….maybe we should go over her place after this…’ Edima checked through her phone…

‘I think she deserves privacy…god knows what that fool of her husband has done this time…maybe we should send thugs after him…’ Amaka was quite pissed…

‘hey slow down…’ Zee rubbed her hand…

‘you know Zee, sometimes I envy you…your relationship with Abdul is quite amazing…you are both perfect for each other…I wish I could have that…’ she shook her head slightly…

‘honey but Sly is perfect for you…that guy is the best cook ever…’ Edima wondered why her friend sounded so hopeless…

‘I wish he was….’ Amaka exchanged glares with Zainab, Edima didn’t know of Sly’s latest escapade…

‘what? Why are you two looking at each other? Is my make-up funny’? Edima wondered…

‘no, sorry we couldn’t tell you then, but Sylvester cheated on Amaka with his secretary…’ Zainab explained quietly….

‘true that!’ Amaka pecked her baby softly as Edima’s eyes widened with surprise…

‘no, oh God Amy…I am so sorry…how could he do this to you’? she pulled her glass away and focused on her friend….

‘no don’t do that, don’t pity me…I am doing fine by myself…..i’ll pull through this but I’ll make his life a living hell…’ Amy pulled her guards up…

‘are you sure about that? ‘ Edima asked…

‘yes, guess what I told him? We would only have sex with condoms and we won’t speak to each other except it’s really necessary…’Amaka told her friends about her plan…

‘wow…that’s a bit….’ Zainab tried to find the right words for her friend’s ridiculous idea…

‘INTENSE….’ Edima supplied…what was Amaka thinking?

‘Wait, he was the one who cheated on me? Hello? Remember? I need your support on this…’ how could her friends betray her?

‘honey I am going to be honest with you…You’re lucky Sly even confessed to cheating, most men don’t do it…instead when they feel guilty, they buy you gifts or start acting nice…I think you deserve to be mad…to cry and feel hurt but you have to do everything in moderation…’ Zainab spoke coolly but lay emphasis on each word…

‘Zee is right Amaka, giving him the cold shoulder when he wants to make love to you or ignoring him wouldn’t help you, you’ll only hurt yourself…I think you should try and forgive Sly…that guy is a good one…I think his secretary seduced him…he is hardly the type to commit adultery…why don’t you speak to him? Or see a therapist? …if you ignore him for too long…he may find his way back into the arms of another woman…most men cheat Amy…this one confessed…so give him a chance…’ Edima advised…

‘I can’t believe you guys are my friend…what makes you think Sly isn’t lying? Was I at the office with him? What if his affair with Doyin has been going on for a long time and maybe she is trying to blackmail him and he came running to me…I don’t get why you should support me…’ she was frustrated…

‘Amy, you don’t get this do you? The day you signed up for marriage…the day you took those vows before the priest and the congregation, you had accepted anything Sly would bring to the table…you really need to forgive him…whatever you do remember your son…’ Zainab insisted…inwardly praising God for her husband who had no reason to cheat on her during their years of marriage….

‘you think it’s that easy’? she snorted at her tow friends …

‘eventually you have to forgive him…he is your husband…’Edima cut in…

‘be careful Amy…don’t let your revengeful heart destroy what you and Sly had together, it was really beautiful….maybe you should go on a vacation…that could help you know’? Zainab suggested…

‘You make all this sound easy…has Abdul cheated on you before? I don’t think either of you understands what I am going through…I wish Lola were here…she would be by my side…’ Amy was still bent on going ahead with her plans…

‘no, why would he cheat on me? I give him everything he wants…I am thinking of wearing those lingeries he bought me…’ Zainab winked…she was so proud of her man…

‘you sound really naughty…I know you’re just saying that…’Edima burst out laughing…

‘that is coming from a woman who wears hijab in front of her female friends…..’ Amy couldn’t hold back the laughter…

‘am I that outdated’? Zee smiled, happy that the mood had lightened…if only Lola were here…

‘not outdated…ancient is the word…’Edima almost choked on her drink…

‘so what did you have to tell us….’? Amaka quickly checked her phone which buzzed loudly…

‘uhmmm…I met this guy…’ she started a bit unsure…

‘i’mma drink to that!...’ Amaka yelled and gestured for a glass….

‘let’s hear her out honey…’ Zee relaxed on her chair….

‘okay, I had this lecture to deliver at a seminar…then this guy kept smiling at me during the lecture…he reminded me of Fred….then when I was about leaving…he came along and asked for my number…’ she fiddled with her fingers…

‘and’? they both chorused…

‘and….i think I did something very stupid…’ Edima had never felt this way about any man for a very long time…

‘please don’t tell me you yelled at him….is he cute?’ Amaka was every bit the curious cat…

‘I told him to back off that I am married….’ She stuttered…

‘oh my God….are you serious? You told this guy you were married?’ Zainab shook her head in unbelief….

‘what were you thinking Edima? From the way you sound…it’s like you like him already…’ Amaka was a bit disappointed…

‘yes, I made a grave mistake, now I’ll never see him again…’ she closed her eyes for a moment….

‘hey look at me…if you two are meant to be…he will find you…our hearts never lie…do you know anything about him? What does he do? Maybe we could find him on internet…’ Zainab asked…

‘no, but I think he told me his name is Omale…that’s all I remember…’ Edima was frightened by the possibility of never seeing him again…

‘uhmm…ladies, I think I have to go…Sly just texted me about the arrival of his cousin Ben…’ Amaka sighed…

‘so what do I do? Tell me?’ Edima tapped her fingers nervously on the table…

‘Pray, tomorrow is Sunday, Pray…I’ll include you in my prayers dear…’ Zainab smiled warmly at Edima…

‘you’re always so religious…well Edima…as I said earlier, if your hearts are for each other…you shall meet again…’ Amaka kissed her cheek and waved them goodbye…

‘alright…I guess I should go too…I’ll check on Lola later…’ Edima hugged Zee and hurried out…

‘Sweet friends …..’ Zainab smiled happily….it was one thing to have friends, it was another to sustain that friendship over the years…

‘Is that you Aisha? Umaima I thought I told you to watch after your sister….’ Zainab wondered which of her kids was knocking on the door which was obviously opened…

‘peace be unto this house…’ a female voice spoke…

‘Good afternoon…can I help you’? Zainab turned to see a very elegant young woman…

She was short and light skinned, she didn’t wear a hijab but tied a turban on her head and a scarf over her shoulders…

She wore dangling earrings that fell to her shoulders and her fingers and forearms were decorated with black henna…she was a very beautiful girl…

Her lips were painted red and very attractive to look out, her nose was erect and proud and her eyes possessed a confidence Zainab couldn’t understand…and she saw her younger self in this girl that stood before her…

‘I am looking for Mallam Amjad Abdul…’ she moistened her lips…while her eyes scanned the whole parlor expectantly…

‘Oh, my husband…who are you please’? Zainab was surprised at herself for sounding so possessive …

‘I am his secretary…a client came complaining about our service, so I thought I should let him know…my name is Farida…’ she explained…

‘oh, I see…he never told me he had a secretary…Abdul isn’t around…’ she felt uneasy looking at this girl…

‘okay Madam, have a nice day…may Allah’s countenance shine upon you and your household…’ Farida bowed and walked out briskly…

‘Amin….’Zainab replied and rushed to the window to stare after the girl…

For the first time since her marriage to Abdul, she became terrified ….

KimberlyWest:
This story is just so awesome.
Still following bumper to bumper. But wait o, Is Nelson the only handsome guy in that state? Mother and daughter....ewwwww.

thanks hunnie, keep following

*
‘Kiss you? I don’t understand’ Nelson was stunned by her words.

‘You heard me darling, just come on, I know you’ve been admiring me for a long time, just come and get it,are you shy’? Rose flashed him a seductive smile and began to pull at her buttons.

‘What are you doing’? he asked weakly, as her full breasts came into view, they were really supple and he knew he wasn’t going to resist.

‘Something you’d like very much, come closer’ she beckoned to him and he obeyed like a little child.

She kissed him deeply and led his hands to her bra, she loved the taste of his mouth, she hadn’t had any other man apart from her father, this was the first time she was kissing another man, and to be honest, it felt better.


‘Stop, are you sure about this’? Nelson released her from his grasp.

‘Yes, I like you already’ she stared into his brown eyes.

‘Alright’ Nelson nodded, praying Helen never got to know about his affair with Rose.

Minutes later, when they both lay on the bed, panting like antelopes that had gone racing, his phone rang and he picked it up.

It was Helen, his heart froze, why was she calling? He didn’t want Rose to suspect him and her mum, so he decided to ignore it.

‘Who’s that? You have a girlfriend’? Rose winked and turned to face him.

‘No’ Nelson smiled. She was really beautiful he noticed, she was a younger version of her mother.

‘Let me see your phone’ she dragged the phone from him before he could protest.

‘I can explain…’Nelson licked his lips .

‘Oh, mum? Actually she must be waiting for you in the garden’ Rose stood up and got into her dress.

‘Waiting for me’? Nelson raised his brows.

‘Sure, she needs you to take her somewhere, last I checked you’re still the driver’ she stormed out of his room.

Nelson stared after her pondering on her last words, he suddenly felt humiliated, they just had sex, yet she still saw him as her mother’s servant.


He paused and picked his phone, he’d received a message from the blogger who’d published the news concerning the alleged affair of Pastor Ita and his supposed girlfriend, how this blogger got his number, he didn’t know.

HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT MY PROPOSAL? WHAT’S YOUR FEEDBACK?
***
He was glued to his chair for some minutes, the strange call he’d received had unsettled him,he needed to do something about it.

‘I know what you’re doing, it makes me sick and I’m going to tell’ the words echoed in his brain.

‘I hope not’ the pastor sighed, he hoped no one was trying to blackmail him.

‘Goodmorning man of God’ Helen sauntered into the room, wondering why it had taken Nelson ages to get himself ready.

‘Morning Helen’ the preacher replied, he had to act normal, he couldn’t let his wife know about the caller, that line of thought scared him.

What if the caller knew about his secret affair with Rose? He couldn’t tell his wife, he couldn’t risk her finding out about his affair with his own biological daughter.

‘You don’t look well’ Helen observed him from her mirror. Her husband was usually very cheerful in the mornings, but from the grim expression on his face, everything wasn’t alright.

‘I am fine, I just had a revelation from the lord, it’s troubling me’ he lied.
‘What revelation? Please share it with me’ she was concerned about his wellbieng, though she had not given up on finding his secret lover, she was sure he had one.

‘Impending doom, I must go to church today and organize a fast within the week’ he rose to his feet.

‘That would be nice’ Helen replied and quickly fetched her buzzing phone.

‘What’s all these’? Helen smirked as she clicked on the image of her husband pecking a girl whose facial features were blurred.

‘What’s that’? Pastor It asked curiously.

‘Mark said I shouldn’t believe it, he said I could trust you’ Helen sighed. Someone that had access to her number must have sent her the photo of her husband’s alleged affair with an unknown woman.

‘This isn’t true,it’s photoshopped, a bit to tarnish my image, please don’t believe this’ the Pastor was afraid, someone must have seen them from the hotel. He had been in the car, kissing his own daughter, but he couldn’t tell Helen that, as he’d told her he’d been heading for a meeting.

‘Please be honest with me, I really want to trust you’ Helen stared deeply into his eyes. She’d already made her decision to dump Nelson and stick with her husband.

‘I am honest dear’ He replied and pecked her forehead.
***

The house was quiet, Rose was in her room, Helen and the Pastor had gone out and I was left alone in the kitchen. The house was a huge one, I noticed that while cleaning, but I enjoyed every bit of it, I had been in the village for years doing nothing, I loved working.

‘Don’t you ever rest’? Mark strolled into the kitchen, this was the second time I’d seen him since he had that argument with his mother.

‘I…I uhmmm, I just want to make sure everything is in place’ I replied.

‘No, you have to rest, you’ve been working all day, just take a break, let us go to the garden’ he walked towards me and took the kitchen gloves off my fingers.

‘Oh no Mark, this isn’t a good idea’ I objected.

‘I am not asking for your permission’ he smiled and forced me outside.
‘It’s really beautiful here, so many flowers, your mum plants well’ I smiled as we took a seat close to the yellow bells.

‘She didn’t plant them, Grace did’ he quickly corrected.

‘Oh, nice, tell me about this your Grace’ I was curious and confused, I wondered if it was right for me to show him the note I’d found in her room.

‘I’ll tell you everything once I’m done with this call’ Mark rose to his feet.

‘What? Mum where are you guys’? he asked.
From the look on his face, something bad must have happened, I prayed silently and hoped no one had died.

‘They just had an accident, dad is seriously injured’ Mark rushed into the house, leaving me in a garden of flowers.
I don’t know why, roses weren’t my favorite flowers, but I was drawn to the pink roses in Madam Helen’s garden, I walked towards them and decided to pluck one for myself.

‘Hello beauties’ I inhaled the deep rosy scent, as I opened my eyes, I found a pearly necklace on the floor close to me, no one was looking so I carried it,it was too beautiful to be left there.

‘Where did you get that’? Mark asked. I could feel anger in his voice and I froze, what if he thought me a thief? Did it belong to him?

‘I just found it here, beneath the roses’ I replied.

‘It belonged to Grace’ he replied.
***

Missperfect28:
but 'in love with her pastor'only part 1 is here.and i wuv that story

it's for sell, I sold it for a reason

Missperfect28:
Buttersss,pls can u finish dis story on nairaland and not okadabooks?please

Sure, I finish here first before taking it to okadabooks

Ayoomolabake:
I would not be surprised if there is something sinister about Mark

lols

Jsaviour:
Nice story, I am following bumper to bumper. Ride on abeg.

thanks, keep following

bimberry1307:
hmmmmmmmmm!! i'm enjoying this to the fullest

thanks dear

xaviercasmir:
Nice update. RIDE ON

Thanks dear