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Episode 37 - The Breaking Point.

I remained standing there like someone who just lost his entire life savings to sportybet.

I didn’t answer. I was done with people questioning the hell out of my life that day.
From Kalu at the filling station, to Aristotle and his mansion drama, to the kicks, the torture—now I’m back in this house again and it’s still questions flying up and down. I was tired.

Toyosi’s question kept hanging in the air, begging for a response I wasn't ready to give.

“Darous, where exactly are you going by this time?” she asked again, softer now, almost like she was begging my mouth to move.

I stayed silent.

Then Tiffany’s voice cut in sharply from behind her.

“Toyosi, just let him go… He can’t stay here anymore. His stay is—”

Toyosi spun around. “But Tiff, don’t take it too far now. Things don’t get solved this way.”

Tiffany folded her arms, her face was hard like she’d locked her emotions in a safe and swallowed the key.”

“No, you don’t understand. This guy is nothing but a pure a**hole and a lying piece of sh*t… he must leave this house now and I mean it. He must leave.”

Her words hit me clean in the chest, but I still didn’t talk. Talking at that moment would have only poured more petrol on a burning fire.

Toyosi sighed and stepped closer to her. Grabbed her shoulders and began speaking calmly.
“Every relationship has issues. You can't just throw what you shared away because of one small fight. I’ve grown fond of him, you know that. I like having a man around the house. It brought some...some kind of balance to this house…”

Tiffany scoffed lightly. “Balance? Toy, please don’t be sentimental right now.”

“I’m not being sentimental,” Toyosi said, shaking her head. “I’m being reasonable. You can’t just wake up and start chasing someone you brought into this house away like that na, haba — especially over a small misunderstanding like this. It’s not just right.”

I could see Tiffany’s jaw tightened the moment she said those words.
“And it’s like you’re forgetting that I brought him here. I’m the one that brought him. So I get to say when it’s enough.”

“But this is not enough,” Toyosi pushed back gently. “You’re acting out of anger. Sit down, breathe small. And talk things out. Thats how it's supposed to be done.”

Tiffany looked at her like she had just insulted her whole bloodline.
“Talk? With who? Someone who has been lying to my face?”

Toyosi’s voice went soft.
“Tiff, people lie. You’ve lied before too. And whatever his reason is for keeping things from you… maybe the time just isn’t right. Maybe he’s scared. Maybe he’s not ready. Just give it time. That’s how adults do it.”

Tiffany released a dry laugh.
“Wow. So now you’re a relationship counsellor? If you are such an expert , why are you still single? eh...?Because it feels like only yesterday when you threw C.K out of this same house… now you’re preaching against me doing the same?”

The words hit something inside Toyosi.
Something deep.
Her eyes changed instantly.

“Wow… wow… that’s low. Even for you,” Toyosi said quietly, her voice carrying that kind of pain people don’t usually say out loud. “I’ve been wondering how long you’ve been waiting to remind me of that unfortunate day.”

“I’m sorry…” Tiffany reached for her hand, but Toyosi moved back slightly. She tried again, same result.
Then, out of frustration, she turned sharply to me.

“Now see what you’ve caused? I hope you’re happy.”

Toyosi’s eyes narrowed. “T, don’t do that. You brought C.K up yourself—even though you know how much that guy destroyed me.”

“I know… I know. I shouldn’t have mentioned him.” Tiffany wiped her eyes. “I just want you to see why this guy”—she pointed at me—“needs to leave this house. We’ve both been hurt by men who lied to us. What Amos did to me is almost the same thing Clark did to you… and now this one is moving in that same direction.”

Her voice broke. “You, of all people, should understand why I can’t go through that kind of pain again. Not another heartbreak. Not again.”

“No, I understand,” Toyosi said, voice steady and firm. “I’m your friend. That’s exactly why I’m trying to stop you from doing something you’ll later regret because I know you too well.”

“Trust me, I can’t regret staying away from a liar…”

“You can’t be so sure,” Toyosi shot back. “This one is not your solo decision."

" What do you mean it's not my solo decision?"

" Yes...okay...What if he leaves now and something happens to him on the road? What if he gets kidnapped? You know how mad the security situation in this country has become. If anything happens to him, will you be able to forgive yourself? Eh?”

“I don’t care whatever happens to him again,” Tiffany fired back. “To me, he stopped existing the moment he chose lies over what we had.”

Toyosi scoffed softly. “Oh please. Just like you ‘didn’t care’ that night before we watched The Herd. You said the same thing over and over… yet you were already crying before the movie even reached half.”

Tiffany’s eyes flashed. That one entered her chest.

The tension in the room tightened instantly — like the air itself was holding its breath. I could feel both of them slipping into a place where one wrong word would scatter everything.

Before it got to that stage, I felt I needed to do something fast, so I finally stepped forward.

“Toyosi… it’s fine. Let me just give her space. She’ll calm—”

Tiffany spun at me immediately, like she had been waiting for my mouth to enter the matter.

“You must be very stupid,” she snapped. “You think space will fix dishonesty? You think we will ever get back together if you can’t even afford something as simple as saying the truth?”

The words slapped me clean across the heart. The insult burned, but the painful part wasn’t the name she called me — it was the fact that she truly believed I deserved it.

Right there, I quietly decided it was better to leave the house. I dropped my shoulders and turned around slowly.

But before I even took one step, Toyosi suddenly rushed to the door and blocked it. Her back pressed against the wood like someone guarding a bank vault.

“This is my house,” she said firmly, “and I get to decide who stays and who leaves.”

The moment Toyosi said those words, regret flashed in her eyes.
She knew she had crossed a line.
Her lips trembled slightly like she wanted to swallow the words back.

Tiffany’s face changed slowly—like she was absorbing a slap in slow motion.
Her voice came out in a low tone.

“Alright. If he can’t leave… then I will.”

“Tiff, wait—” Toyosi reached out.

But Tiffany was already gone, storming into her room.
We heard drawers banging, zippers dragging, hangers crashing.
Moments later she came back with a similar box to the one I was carrying, footsteps hitting the floor like a soldier marching towards the enemy camp.

When she reached the door, Toyosi was still standing there.

Tiffany shot her one dangerous look.
Toyosi got the signal and stepped aside slowly… then grabbed Tiffany's hand gently.

“Where are you going by this time…?”

“Anywhere but here.”
She yanked her hand free and stepped out.

“When will you come back?” Toyosi called out, voice raised as Tiffany began loading her things into the car.

“When that lying piece of sh1t is out of the house,” Tiffany replied from behind the steering wheel.

Then the compound gate shook a little from the speed she used to escape that house.

And I just stood there…
Watching everything fall apart in front of me.

You think she'll be alright?" I asked Toyosi as we both watched the car lights fade into the distance.

"She’s a big girl. She can handle herself. And it’s not even the first time she’ll storm out like that," she said, a calmness slowly returning to her face.
Then her eyes travelled from my head down to my hand gripping the box handle.

"Now please go and drop your bag back inside," Toyosi added, pushing me gently forward.

I hesitated. Then I realised it was better I just slept there that night.
It was already late. My body was weak. And with this estate’s nonsense rule of “no bikes allowed,” I couldn’t even try that trekking I did in the morning again.

I reached the door of the guest room and looked back at her.

“Thank you…” I said quietly.

“Don’t thank me,” she replied immediately. “I didn’t do it for you… I did it for me.”

The words needed about three full seconds to land.
When they finally did, my eyes opened wide.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Toyosi didn’t answer. She just dropped into the big cushion, picked the remote, and started pressing it like nothing happened.

“Go and take a shower first,” she said calmly. “Then come back. Let’s have proper talks.”

Her words bothered me more than I expected.
My mind went straight to the previous night—how she said she was scared about something, how she wanted to talk… then suddenly changed her mind.

I shook my head.

“Wo, I can’t kill myself jare. Omo kan o le wa pa mi,” I muttered to myself the way my mother would say it.

Then I entered the guest room. Once the door closed behind me, the weight of the whole day finally settled on my chest. Maybe this was my breaking point… or maybe it was just the beginning.



To be continued. Let's keep the energy up. Abeg o

Stay tuned

ghettochild:
He deserves every torture n I have said this before that Toyosi is a member of the circle

Next episode would shed more light on this your assumption. We'll know if you are right or only close to the truth or totally off track 😄😄😄😄

ghettochild:
Best storyteller on nairaland past and present.
Oya take ur award

humbled boss... 😄😄😄

EPISODE 36— Ashes Of The Ledger.


I sank slowly into the couch. Tiffany sat directly opposite me — legs crossed, arms folded, eyes fixed on me like an invigilator monitoring the only student most likely to cheat in the exam hall.

The ceramic centre table between us felt like a patient judge, the same calm you see in those court updates about Nnamdi Kanu everyone keeps analysing on social media.
And the untouched food on top looked like one silent culprit waiting for its own sentencing: “Eat me or dismiss me — just decide.”

Tiffany picked the remote and switched off the TV.

Toyosi took one look at our faces and instantly understood what was about to happen.

“Ehm… I’ll just be inside. But Tiff, please calm down, okay?” she murmured, gave Tiffany a soft kiss on the forehead, and started backing away carefully — like someone trying to avoid a crossfire.

She slipped into her room quietly, and the moment she left, the entire sitting room thickened with a breeze of silence.

The tension sitting with us was like a third person — breathing, watching, and waiting.

It felt exactly like that moment when the only teacher who could reduce your punishment stepping out…
and leaves you alone with the principal in his office.

But still, I’m going to stand by my decision. So whatever tactics she’s planning to use to make me talk will be as useless as someone posting their own phone number on their WhatsApp status for others to contact them.

Tiffany leaned back and let out that slow, dangerous breath women do — the one that says, ‘I’ve connected all the dots, now I’m just waiting for you to just try and lie."

“Darous,” she started softly while she stared directly into my eyes. “You know my life has not been smooth.”
I nodded, even though I already knew this story she was about to tell.
But she wasn’t telling it to just inform me. No.
She was telling it as a warning, so I braced myself for impact.

“My mother and my father separated after she had me, like I told you before. His life went downhill seven years ago. Those wicked people he worked for — they sent him to jail. Spoiled his name, ruined our family, and eventually killed him.”
She paused to gauge my reaction. I just sat there unmoving, because I knew I wasn’t going to say a damn thing to confirm her suspicions. If she liked, she could tell the story of her life like Taraji P. in Tyler Perry’s Straw— I would not be swayed into saying something that might later put her life in danger.

“The only thing he left me was one ledger he said I should guard with every fibre of my brain. And the location of that ledger…”
Her voice thinned a little.
“…is the only secret I’m going to keep for the rest of my life.”

Her voice cracked slightly, but she held it together.

“Okay, so you also have a secret?” I chipped in quietly, staring into her eyes. “You have yours, I have mine. Let’s call it a draw and share the points…and save ourselves all these talks jare....because I'm....”

“Darous, Darous… Darous…” she warned gently. “I beg you, do not make a joke out of this.”

“Okay o, mo ti gbo o..… continue then.”

She stared at the POP ceiling and sighed deeply before continuing.

“And my father’s brother… my uncle… he has been looking for every way to get that ledger from me for a long time.”

“Wait… why does he want the ledger? For what exactly?” I asked.

“I don’t know… but that’s not the point I’m trying to establish here. The point is… after he took everything and left me with nothing, he still wants to collect the only thing my father left behind and told me to keep safe. If not for Toyosi and God…”
She sighed.
“I don’t even know where I would be.”

I kept quiet. At that moment, I knew talking would only light the fire she was just trying to calm down.

“And after all that?” She shook her head slowly. “I met one guy. I loved him so much to the extent I even let him take my virginity.”

I flinched at the sound of that. My spirit flinched.
Why was that detail necessary?
But I kept a straight face, like it didn’t matter at that moment.

She continued.

“The same guy will collect money from me. Still lie to me. Will still cheat on me. And to cap it all, still used my money to marry another woman. Since then, I swore never to love again. Because it felt as if love was never for me. I swore that was the end for me and anything called relationship.”

Her eyes softened for the first time.

At that moment in my mind, I just smiled. So one man broke your heart and you shut down the entire company? Come on now. Some people’s hearts scatter every year like government budget, but once love calls, they’ll still show up with fresh ID card to give it another trial.

“Then you came.”

The way she said those words hit my chest gently, but the tone wasn’t romantic at all. It was more like: This is why I won’t tolerate rubbish from you this time.

“You made me feel loved again,” she continued quietly. “I decided to try again because of you. But lying to me… keeping secrets… those are the only things that can destroy all this.”

I swallowed, pretending not to feel the heat rising up my neck.

She leaned forward.

“And I’ve been noticing things.” She paused and sniffed.

"And what are these things you noticed?" I inqured with a questioning look.

“First of all,” she said calmly, “where did you get the money you used to rent a G‑Wagon?”

I sat up sharply. “Baby, I appreciate you pouring your heart out and all....but ..but.., what kind of insulting question is that? I’m 35, for God’s sake. I’m not a child Tiffany.”

She didn’t even blink.

“Don’t you try to gaslight me. Just answer the damn question Darous....”

“Tiffany, abeg. Don’t start—”

“No.” Her voice was hard. “Tell me the truth, or this will get really beyond our control....”

“Control? You dare talk about control?" I scoffed. " You've always be the one controlling our relationship from the onset. I do as you say and that's all that matters to you. You don't care if it sits well with me or not..." I lashed out pretending to be annoyed. Because I thought the only way to tilt this whole issue over is by trying to manipulate her into feeling guilty. But the next thing she said made me to start looking for another plan

" Say what ever..." She said with a straight face. " I'm still going to insist you answer the damn question. Where did you get the money you used to rent that...."

" Wait first." I quickly cut in, to try another tactics. "Is it because I looked poor when we met that you think I can’t afford small 400k to rent a G‑Wagon?”

“Mr man, you don’t look poor… I know you are poor.”

“Oh… and how do you know that? We’ve barely known each other for how many months now, and you already want to be the financial auditor of my life? Abeg… don’t look down on me. I may look poor outside, but I'm a rich guy inside... I just don't like the flamboyant lifestyle that's all...” I'd finished saying all that before I realised I wasn't even making any sense. I guess this is one of the side effects of being too smart.

“So you’re not going to tell me how you came by the money you used to rent that car?”

Why won't she just drop this? Ah...this girl is stubborn.
I sighed and bit my lip, contemplating what next to say so I wouldn’t add another nail to my own coffin.

"I told you about the woman I worked for… that rich client whose party we attended…"

"Mrs. Adeoye?" She asked with a questioning look.

"Yes… I told you about her… she gave me this big contract and paid heavily for that small job I did for her at her house..… so…"

"How heavy?"

"Two million naira heavy," I said without blinking, even though the total cost of the renovation, including materials, was only one million two hundred thousand naira. I had spent more than nine hundred thousand on the job ganself.

"And if I call Mrs. Adeoye right now…" she said, "she would confirm this?"

I scoffed with a dry smile.

" Call her?"

"Yes ..." She answered with a firm and determined tone that made me flinch a bit.

"And why would you do such a thing?Besides, in what capacity would you be calling her? A Concerned parent? or as my guardian?"

"A concerned girlfriend!" She roared at the top of her voice. "If she confirms that she truly gave you two million naira for that small job, and you show me the invoice of all the things you bought, and I truly see you even have up to five hundred thousand naira as profit, then I’d let it be. In fact, I'd apologise right now."

I thought briefly about her proposal. I think I can use this to my advantage, a perfect idea entering my brain in the process.

"Okay…" I finally said after giving it a considerable thought. "We’ll call her tomorrow. It’s late now." I dropped my hands by my sides in resignation sign.

She took a cursory glance at the wall clock and saw the time: some minutes to eight.

"It’s not even eight o’clock yet… we’ll call her now. If she can verify your claim, I’ll let it be…"

"You’re bluffing, right?"

"Look at my face and tell me if I’m bluffing," she said, pointing at her own face.

"Okay. Let me get my phone…" I said, making my way toward the guest room where my phone was. The plan was simple: quickly save one of my previously used numbers—long lost—as 'Mrs. Adeoye' and call it in front of her. I hope she will drop this issue once the call refuses to go through

"I’ll call her for you, and you’ll sha hear what you want to hear and let me have a little peace of mind. Madam concerned girlfriend. " I said as I headed toward the guest room.

"Don’t bother." Her voice stopped me mid-step. "I have her contact with me."

"What....! How? How did you—"

"Don’t worry about that…" she said, bringing out her phone and dropping it on the center table.

I opened my mouth wide as my whole plan flew out the window.

“Hey Siri… call Mrs Adeoye,” she said. And just like that, the iPhone lit up, the call icon blinking with Mrs Adeoye boldly sitting above it.

“You’re really going to bother this woman with our nonsense…” I said, trying one more time to stop her. Truth is, I wasn’t ready for this level of drama at all.
“Tiffany, that woman doesn’t play with call disturbances o. Don’t let us escalate this issue by dragging a third party into it…”

All my attempts to get her to not call Mrs Adeoye proved abortive. The dial tone kept ringing through the loudspeaker.

“Tiffany? It’s insulting enough that you don’t even trust me. What’s the meaning of all this? Not everything you don’t know is a secret or a lie… some things are just for your own safety.”

She still didn’t listen. The call kept ringing, and Mrs. Adeoye wasn’t picking.

“You see, maybe she’s asleep. She’s a very busy woman. She told me she sleeps from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m., so she’s probably in the dreamland right now…” I tried, hoping it would help in changing her mind.

“Then why didn’t she doze off on that chair the night we stayed at her house? We stayed up late remember…?” Tiffany fired back.

I swallowed hard. Her words hit me like a truck. “I… I…” I tried to answer, but she cut me off again.

“Hey Siri… call Mrs. Adeoye again.”

“Siri, please don't mind her…” I muttered, but even Siri seemed to be against me that night.

The dial tone kept bouncing around the room, and I prayed Mrs Adeoye wouldn’t pick. But, as the gods would spread my a*ss and ram their corks deep into it,… she picked at the last dial tone of the ring.

Then Tiffany spoke.

“Good evening, ma…” Her voice was calm, but it felt like she was enjoying every second of my panic.

“Hello… who is this?” Mrs. Adeoye’s soft voice came from the other end.

“It’s me… Tif—” Tiffany hadn’t even finished when I snatched the phone from the table.

“Good evening, ma. It’s Darous… the engineer,” I said, heart hammering hard against my ribcage.

“Oh… Darous? Whose number is this?”

“Err… it’s my girlfriend’s phone. I saw your message this afternoon, but I didn’t have data… so I’m using her phone to call you, ma, about the work you said you want to show me...” I said quickly, not daring to even look at Tiffany.

“Okay… even though I don’t buy the data excuse, call me tomorrow. We’ll talk. Good night.”

I hung up and turned to face Tiffany.

And she… just smiled. No shouting, no drama. Just that irritating, slow smile. Then she said:

“Darous… where did you get that money? I know this woman had nothing to do with it… you’re just trying to lie your way out. And trust me ..it's not going to wor.......” She was still saying when it suddenly felt like a lightbulb went off in her head, she leaned closer and whispered, “Wait…why am I even bothering myself.... it’s clear you’re not going to tell me the truth. But maybe I should just tell you what I already know… so you can see there’s no way you can play your way out of this.”

"And what do you think you know? hun?" I said with confidence, putting her phone gently on the table. "Aside the fact that I'm your boyfriend and I love you from..." I was still saying when she dropped the bomb.

“You’re working with one devilish organisation,” she said, eyes narrowing. “Probably the same kind that killed my father. Now the same people want to kill that detective’s wife and children because you won’t help him or speak the truth.”

The words hit me like a thunder. Then I tried to hide it by laughing it off loud.

“Tiffany...you are funny... who told you all these nonsense and jargons?"

" That Detective told me everything. including where you were today. all that happened in that house. And I know you are in a very big trouble..."

Baby… everything he told you is a lie. Trust me. You can even ask him if you want.”

She stood up instantly, I could see her anger rising again.

“I don’t need to ask anybody to know when you’re lying to me!”

The room felt like it moved at the sound of that.
Or maybe it was just my heart looking for the nearest exit out of my body.

“And it’s painful… and I hate...I hate...I really hate that you’re doing this to us.”
Her voice was shaking, but she held the tears back.

I felt very disturbed at that moment.
I sat down slowly and covered my face with my hands. My mind became a battle ground for all series of thoughts.

'Tell her the truth and be free'… one small voice said.

'The truth will get her killed'… another one replied and it continued like that.

For a while, the room was silent except for her quiet sobbing.
Then she spoke again.

“Darous.”

I looked up.

Her voice was breaking, but her eyes were still sharp.

“If you don’t tell me the truth right now… just consider this relationship over.”

My heart dropped straight to my stomach.

“You don’t mean that, baby…”

She didn’t even blink.
“You have no idea. We’re over. I’m breaking up with you — and that’s final. Unless you can at least show me some respect and stop lying straight to my face.”

That moment… ehn, it was one of the saddest moments of my life.
For a second, I almost told her the truth. Everything.

But the question is how would she handle it?

The truth would drag her into a darkness she wouldn't be able to handle.
Knowing it would destroy her life faster than any breakup ever could.

I took a breath to gather my thoughts.

“Tiffany… you know I—”

“If the next thing that comes out of your mouth is not the truth, you won’t like the outcome,” she cut in. “This is your final chance.”
Her eyes were red — not crying-red… angry-red.

I took another breath. A necessary one.
Trying to think of how to calm her down without accidentally pouring petrol on the raging inferno.

Then slowly, I began, watching her carefully as she also watched my lips begin to move.

“Babe… you know I’ll never do anything to hurt you. You know how much I care about you. You know I love you more than anything in the world—”

But instead of calming her, those small small sweet words I downloaded from my cunning play store only upgraded her anger to the latest iOS version.
Update complete. Phone restarted. New rage features activated.

“Get out,” she said instantly. “Go inside, pack your things, and leave this house right now.”

I froze.

“Baby please—”

“I said leeeeeeeaaaaaaveeeee. you this preening little sh1t of a human being!....”

I stood there like someone slapped by the breeze as she continued to pour out hurtful words at me.

“Please, Tiffany… don’t do this. I’m not hiding anything. I don’t want to leave. Let’s talk. I’m begging you, please. You know I love you. Please calm down.”

She still didn’t care. All those words felt like telling a terrorist to drop the gun and pick up the bible.

I tried to hold her by the arms… but the next thing she did almost rearranged my destiny.

She landed a slap on my face so heavy that my brain had to buffer before it could understand what just happened.

“If you don’t leave right now,” she said, breathing hard, “one of us will join our late fathers in heaven. So just pack your bags… and go!”

I stared deep into her eyes and saw not even a single crack in her rising anger.
She was gone. Whatever feelings she had for me are now gone.
Far gone.

So I turned slowly and walked into the guest room.

My hands felt heavy packing my few clothes and shoes into the small travelling box.
Every zip felt like a heartbreak.

I returned to the sitting room.

“Tiffany… I’m sorry,” I said quietly. “Whatever you believe… just know I never meant to hurt you.”

She just stared straight ahead at the door.

I realised there was nothing left to say aside the truth she wants to hear.

I dragged my box toward the door, each step feeling like it was pulling part of my chest with it.

My hand touched the doorknob.

And that was when I heard a voice behind me.

“Darous… where are you going?”

It was Toyosi.



To be continued.

hatchetman:
I for just wait small make updates plenty’.
Now this genius son of thunder wan use suspense kee me

even the suspense wan kee me too😂😂😂

dawno2008:
@tbm I just love the way you play with words🤗🤗🤗like your heart looking for new location in your chest😂😂HAHAHA,you really know how to touch my mumu button 🤣🤣even with the tensed atmosphere,your humor was so comfy 🤗🤗🤗
I know Tiffany is a smart girl, couple with what the detective would have told her, damn I don't envy Darous right now 🤔 but na street guy 🤠 he'll always find a way around it💯
Good job baba TBM,more grace and abundant inspiration 🙏😍

I remain but humble my loyal fan... 😂😂

EPISODE 35 — Suspicion In Soft Voice?

Tiffany’s eyes were burning through me, but I acted like i didn't care. At this stage of her anger, even saying something as little as “sorry” could lead to World War Three.
Her eyes followed me like CCTV, but I ignored her with my full chest. Talking to her in that mood is how people enter caskets they never planned for and as for me, I didn’t come to this house to die young.
Methuselah's record is the goal.

So I quietly moved toward the guest room…
But as my fingers touched the door handle, her voice cut through the air.

“Darous.”

That voice was cold and firm. The kind of tone that tells you the conversation you’ve been avoiding has finally found you.

My hand paused immediately.

“Yes, baby?” I replied, trying to sound normal… even though my heart was already looking for relocation plans out of my chest.

She stood there with her arms folded, eyes sharp and steady.

“What just happened?” she asked.

I blinked. “What do you mean?”

She didn’t smile — Tiffany never smiles when she’s angry. Her face just resets to that seriousness of someone that wants to play a last minute penalty that could determine the outcome of the entire football season .

“Why did Detective Kalu leave like that?"

" Like how?" I asked, still feigning my innocence.

" For someone that was calm before I left here a few minutes ago, and coming back to see him leave like that?. What did you say to him?”

“Me? Nothing,” I said, shaking my head like someone rehearsing his words carefully before saying them. “We were watching ball. He got an emergency call on his radio. That’s it. That's all I know...”

She stared at me like someone trying to decide if I was lying or just naturally dumb.

“That’s what you’re going with?” she asked quietly. “You must really think I’m stupid because I've been quiet all these while? Ignoring the signs....not asking the right questions...me playing the good girl that doesn't want to cause wahala for her boyfriend....thats why you think I'm a fool...right....?”

“No baby, you’re not stupid…you are not a fool.” I tried to calm her. “You’re many things, but stupid? fool? not among at all..." I paused then continued. The aim is to use sweet words to make her calm down so I can control the tempo of the impending discussion. " You’re beautiful, funny, brilliant and lov—”

“Will you shut up?” she cut in sharply. Her face tightened. “You think you can use sweet words to find your way around this? Mr. Man, look here — it won’t work.”

That was when I knew I was in trouble.
Once your babe switches from calling you Baby to Mr. Man, forget it — you’ve officially entered the danger zone.

“That man didn’t even have a phone on him. Or a radio.” Tiffany snapped again, her brows tightening like they were arguing with each other.

Toyosi, who had been watching us quietly, finally spoke. “And how do you know that?”

Tiffany turned to her immediately.
“Toy, I know what I’m saying. He brought me home from the station, remember? I saw everything he had on him. He even told me he lost his phone today.”

The veins in her neck were starting to show — that’s how you know the anger is no longer on demo mode.

Toyosi placed a calming hand on her arm. “Tiff, relax…”

“Darous,” Tiffany said, turning back to me, voice shaking but deadly steady. “Please answer my questions. What did you tell that man? I don’t want this to get to a place we’ll both regret.”

I folded my arms, staring at her.
Maybe… maybe telling her the truth was the best option. Maybe—

“Answer me,” she pressed into my thoughts, taking a step toward me. “You can’t play dumb out of this. I can bet my life on that.”

Before I could open my mouth, Toyosi cut in quickly.

“Tiff, calm down. You just came back home since yesterday and you never rest well. Don't kill yourself abeg..…”

No.” Tiffany snapped, not even glancing at Toyosi. “I know when this guy is lying. And I can bet my life he’s hiding something big right now.”

My throat tightened instantly. The whole room felt like someone increased the tension with a remote.

Toyosi pulled her into a soft hug, rubbing her shoulder gently, muttering "just calm ..just breathe..." And honestly… it worked a little. Tiffany took one small breath, just one… but her eyes were still spelling pure anger.

Then she turned to me.

“Baby,” she said with a small, suspicious smile, pointing at the couch, “come and sit down. We really need to talk about this.”

I scratched my head slowly, pretending not to notice the command welded inside her tone.
“I’m sorry,” she continued when she noticed my reluctance. Her voice was softer now. “I apologise for reacting harshly. But you know how much I love you… and I don’t want us to ruin what we have because of something as silly as keeping secrets. Please come and sit. Let’s talk it out.”

Her tone was warm and calm.

If this were during my younger ages, I would have followed her instantly like a lost puppy.
But now?
I know better. A lot better.

I learned the hard way from trusting my late father back then, when he would use those same voice to assure me all is well after I'd commited an offense only to unleash his full beating skills on me at midnight.

And you see that tone she just used—that’s the same trap tone.

She knows it.
I know it.
And every cell in my body knows it.

It’s the kind of voice someone uses to lead you into a bakery and then use heat to turn your flour to bread.

Not today.

I’d already told myself:

I’m not saying a single thing.
I’ll just find a way to cool her down.
Whatever she thinks she knows, she definitely doesn’t know everything.

She walked closer and wrapped her hand around mine like she wanted to pull me toward the couch. I gently slipped my hand out of hers. The way her face tightened… you could practically hear the anger charging up again.

“Baby, let me just take a quick shower,” I said quietly. “I’ll come back—”

“No.”
She cut me off instantly. Her voice sharp and deadly calm.
“When Kalu was here and I told you to go shower, you didn’t move an inch. So why is your body suddenly desperate for the bathroom now? Sit. Down. Let’s talk while I’m still being reasonable.”

I swallowed. Hard. The kind of swallow you feel in your spine.

Toyosi tried again. “Tiff, please, just—”

“Toy, please,” Tiffany snapped, eyes still glued to mine. “Let me handle this.”

Her gaze didn’t shift. Not even for a second.

I sighed, knowing I had reached that stage where escape was no longer an option.

Time to face her.
But whatever she asked…
I would deny it till my last breath.

And as I slowly walked toward the couch, I could swear the room felt hotter.

Not because the AC was on low but because Tiffany was about to start asking questions I planned to dodge like a criminal avoiding the law.

To be continued.

Your reactions are very important. It's very important. Don't just read and pass.

I just want to take a moment to say how deeply impressed I am by the love and reactions you all have been showing on these recent updates.
Honestly, even my Facebook page with over 800 followers doesn’t give me half the kind of engagement you people have been giving me here.

Your support has gingered me in a way I can’t fully explain. It’s pushed me to put in more effort, to write more consistently, and to keep finding ways to make each episode worth your time.

Today’s update may be shorter than the previous ones, but at least it’s something — and knowing you’re all waiting, reading, and enjoying it makes every line worth it.

Thank you, truly.
I appreciate every single one of you. 🙏

Theblessedman man❤️

Next update drops shortly. But already on my Facebook page...

dawno2008:
Wahala 🤕🤕🤕🤕in portable voice,this Tiffany gal too wise jawe😔she surely knows baba Darous don whine mr detective 🤭🤭🤭
Weldon sir @tbm👍

🙏🙏🙏🙏

A big question ❓ ❓

Meedon:
Can you fight the government? I mean the national security advisor

Episode 34 -Picking Sides. (part IV) The last part.

After a few seconds of silence, Kalu exhaled.

“Well… this morning, during the scuffle, I lost my phone inside that house. And that phone has…”
He paused, like he didn’t want to say too much.
“I’ll buy another one. It’s of no importance.”

I caught the lie immediately — the twitch in his mouth, the regret that had quietly replaced all the courage he brought into this conversation.

“Don’t play that card, Detective. I know that phone is important to you. You see those people? They have experts working for them. Sooner or later, they will find that phone and they’ll find a way to pull every necessary detail out of it. I’m a hundred percent sure of it.”

The regret I noticed earlier disappeared too — now replaced by something I could clearly call fear.

“There’s really nothing to do about it,” he said, sounding exhausted. “I can’t do anything. I can only hope they don’t find it. That’s the only thing I can do.”

I let the tension sit for a moment before I spoke.

“Detective… what if I can help you get it back before they do?”

“And how will you do that? It’s not like you can just stroll into their premises and ask for it.”

“Have a little faith in me. I’m a valuable asset to them. I think Aris—”
I caught myself before I said too much.
“It won’t be easy. It might even cost me more than I think. So I need to know what’s in it for me first before I even consider doing this for you.”

“What do you want?”

“Get the hell off my back!" I fired but I'm a low tone. " Leave me alone. I’m sure there are thousands of bandits out there who need your attention more than I do.”

I expected him to flare up, but he didn’t. He just gave a small, tired smile.

“If you help me get it back before they find it or unlock it… I’ll grant your wish. But only for three months. If you don’t take them down before the end of those three months, I’ll come back for your neck. But first, I must get my phone back.”

What! Three months? You must be joking sir — with all due respect. How do you expect me to take them down in just three months? Something a well-trained and well-experienced person like you couldn’t do for how many years? And you expect a bloody son of thunder like me to do it in just three months? You might as well kuku kill me right now…” I lamented.

He frowned. “Well, that’s the only way I’m letting you be. Three months or nothing. And you will still get me that phone… either by force or by will.”

“Ha…” I gasped and rubbed my face, looking for some clarity. “But you know it’s not going to be easy like that na… something you yourself couldn’t do since all these years.”

“You seem to be forgetting you have the advantage I never had from the onset,” He paused, then lowered his voice.
“You are in it. You are a member — an asset, like you claimed. If I had that kind of opportunity and access you have, I’d take them down within a week.”

Silence hung in the sitting room for a few moments before I found my voice again.

“Hmmm. So the phone is really that important to you? For you to even consider giving me three months to handle this.”

“The phone is not that important. But I’m not leaving anything to chance in a battle like this. Even the tiniest stone can trample an elephant if care isn’t taken. I’m just trying to take every necessary precaution.”

"Hmmm,” I muttered, still struggling to make full sense of his words. And you know what? He’s right. I have more information than he ever will. I know Chuka, I know Aristotle—his real name, his identity—and most importantly… I’m an asset.

“How do you know they haven’t found it already? If you could see it, then they must have seen it too,” he asked, cutting into my thoughts.

I shrugged.
“Call it instinct or whatever… but if they had seen that phone, trust me — you wouldn’t be sitting here watching ball. You’d be standing in front of a disciplinary committee by now.”

“You are right but look here,” he said calmly, “if you do this for me, not only will I stay away from you for the three months, I’ll personally tell your girlfriend that every single thing I told her was a lie.”

“ But on that last part, you have to sound convincing o,” I warned. “That girl doesn’t back down easily.”

“I know,” he sighed. “But I’ll find a way. I’ll clear your name before her. Just get me the phone and let me handle your girl.”

“Alright.” I smiled slightly.
He nodded.

“But swear it.”

“Swear? I’m a police man, I can’t lie…”

I burst into a silent laughter immediately.

“Detective please, abeg don’t wound me. Police and truth? In what universe? If lying was an Olympic event, your people would win gold, silver, bronze — and still host the next tournament every time.”

He stared at me, defeated… then finally sighed and said:

“I swear on my late brother’s grave.”

"Better. I can work with that. that's better." I said standing up.

“We have a deal…” he said as he brought out a pen and a small jotter from his breast pocket.
He scribbled down some numbers, tore out the page he’d written on, and handed it to me.

“Here's my office line...I’ll be expecting your call very soon…”

I took the paper and tucked it in my shorts pocket.

“Sure..okay...errrrm. Give me till tomorrow evening. I’ll get back to you.”

“Tomorrow evening?” He frowned. “No, that’s too far. They could have access to it by then. It’ll be too late.”

“Don’t worry,” I said. “I’ll get it before they do.”

He raised a brow. “How? Cos like I said earlier, It’s not like you can just call them and say you want to come over.”

“Errm… I have someone inside the house. She’ll handle it for me.”

“She? You mean Cynthia?”

I blinked. “How do you even know I’m talking about Cynthia?”

He opened his mouth to answer—
—but right then Tiffany and Toyosi walked back into the sitting room.

Tiffany was carrying a tray on both hands, and the aroma hit us before the tray even landed: steaming jollof rice with fried plantain arranged like she measured it with ruler, grilled chicken dripping with glaze, and a bowl of pepper soup on the side releasing one kind spiritual smell that could resurrect appetite from the dead.

Toyosi, on the other hand, was dressed in a soft, clean evening outfit — simple but fine in that effortless way rich girls do without trying. Her hair packed neatly, her perfume moving ahead of her like an announcement.

And just like that, the room shifted.

Kalu stood up and coughed. 'Errm, I think I have to go right now..."

They both looked at him, expectant. “Why are you leaving so soon?” Tiffany asked. “This food is for both you and Darous and also we have a lot to talk about.”

Kalu straightened, cool and composed, and said, “Just received a radio signal. Emergency. I'm sorry, I have to go.”

Tiffany’s eyes narrowed. “There’s no radio on you… not even a phone. So how exactly did you get an emergency?”

He didn’t answer. Didn’t even flinch. Just turned on his heel and walked out.

I followed him to the door and watched him go. His Camry started up, tires crunching on the gravel as he drove out of the premises.

I was relieved the moment he left the premises. I sighed and quickly sent a thank you to the god of thunder for giving me that brilliant idea.

I turned around, but the smile on my face didn’t even get the chance to escape before my eyes landed on Toyosi… and then Tiffany — or rather, the angriest version of her I had ever seen.

Her whole face was tight, like she was holding her breath just to stop herself from exploding.
Her eyes were sharp, hot, and unblinking — the kind of eyes that peel skin.
Even her posture screamed trouble: arms folded, jaw clenched, shoulders stiff, breathing like someone trying very hard not to commit a felony.

To be continued. Up next is Episode 35.

Please don't just read and pass. Drop reactions. Engagement is the key. 🙏

Oh...

drewbar:
My Guy, I moved to Facebook and became more active there ooh. I go dey try to comment on both platforms to ginger you more.

let me have your name on that Facebook bro... You can show it with a comment🙏

@drewbar, wetin dey sup. Noticed you've been unusually quiet this days bro

I appreciate boss man 🙏

yungbanks:
Thanks a lot mate I really appreciate your efforts in maybe this story entertaining and smooth . Drop more we gotcha

dawno2008:
@tbm abeg who law help 😂😂😂see naija crop of politicians,lots of them made their wealth from illegalities,then turn dirty money to clean through politics 😔so why Darous own go different 🤭he has some good in him😏and no obsess /vindictive cop go put san San for him garri💪 anyways not on god of thunder's ⚡watch🧐and I still no trust Toyosi 😳she could be a mole🤔 remember she called CK from her sleep😏well make I sit don with baba sango dey watch wetin dey sup🤠
More blessings to you @tbm thanks for making Nairaland worth it again for me♥️👍🤗

Ur comments na one of a kind jare... 😂😂😂. Next update will drop on my Facebook page by 12noon today. But expect it here later in the day. Peace and love people.

dawno2008:
Walahi I love how Darous is torturing this nasty obsessive dect👏 he's so bent on revenge that he doesn't care who he throws under the bus😕 he knows the circle are ruthless and deadly,and he's planning to use a new rookie to do his dirty job😰I love how Darous handled him🤗 it's getting dirtier 🤕

na you gangan dey spoil this Darous guy ajeh
.. 😂😂😂you don't want him to be on the side of the law?

Episode 34. - Picking Sides. Part III

I stood beside the TV, trying my best to maintain my steeze.

“So… what exactly are you doing here, Mr Kalu?” I asked quietly. “Just talk. We’re men, after all. Let’s settle this without dragging the girls into it.”

He didn’t look up immediately. His eyes stayed glued to the screen.
When he finally looked at me, his face was calm.

“We had an agreement this morning,” he said, glancing between me and the match. “I’ve done my part, I brought your girl home. Now you do your part by helping me take down those criminals.”

I hissed under my breath. “You’re putting the cart before the horse. Our agreement was that I’d get back to you by noon once I’ve decided.”

“And why didn’t you get back to me?” he asked.

I shook my head slowly. “You know I couldn’t call you. You know exactly why.”

“Then tell me,” he said. “What stopped you from calling me?”

I laughed — small, something that sounds like a bitter laugh.
“You think I didn’t know you followed me this morning? I don’t even know what to call that stunt you pulled in that house. Killing people like that?.”

“That’s a very good point,” he said, nodding with that stubborn confidence of someone who has already rehearsed their own justification in the mirror. “In fact, a very good one because now you see the length I’m willing to go to get these people out of my life for good.”

I stared at him.
“Wait… so that’s actually why you went around killing all those people?”

Kalu leaned back into the cushion and rubbed his beard slowly — that kind of slow, calculated rub someone does when they’re about to drop a statement you won’t like.

Then he gave me this small, dangerous smile.

“I didn’t plan for things to escalate,” he said. “I only followed you for your own safety.”

“For me? Oh please. Since when do you care about anything except your obsession with these people?”

He sighed. “It’s my duty as a police officer to ensure security of lives and properties—”

“And where is it written in the constitution that you can enter someone’s compound and start shooting like you’re...you are....?” My voice trailed off as I struggled to come up with the appropriate word.

“It was either their lives or mine,” he said quietly. “I chose mine. But if you had been cooperative from the start, maybe we could’ve avoided all that bloodshed.”

I sat on the nearest chair to him, leaned in closer, then said in a low tone.
“And you think those people won’t come for you?”

"I'm counting on it..." He replied in a standard manner.

" Hmmm. well, Mr Kalu, if you know what's best for you, you’ll leave this place right now, take your family and run away before they bring all sorts of chaos into your life...Those people don't know forgiveness.”

He studied me for a long moment. When he spoke, his voice was steady and firm.
“Darous… it’s obvious you don’t know the kind of people you’ve been playing with. Their power is not limited to borders, it knows no continental boundaries. Anywhere I run, they’ll still find me. Their claws will always reach me.”
He leaned back slightly. “So I’m not running. I’m taking them down. Right here and right now starting with your help.”

The way he said it—the fire in his eyes—I knew arguing was pointless. The guy had long passed the point of no return. He was deep into this obsessive Champions League of his own making. Expect him to bow out now? That’s like asking for a miracle.

I swallowed hard and contemplated on my next move.
“So how much have you told the girls?”

“Nothing they don’t already suspect,” he said bluntly. “Nothing more.”

"Hmmm...I don't trust you..."

Kalu looked at me again, his eyes steady.
“It’s time to pick a side, boy…” he said quietly. “Help me take them down and you’ll be on the good side of history.”

I didn’t blink. I moved closer to him on the couch — this was the moment to play my first card.

“Well,” I said slowly, “I’m not stopping you from going after whoever you want. Chase them from Lagos to Sokoto, I don’t care. But what I’m begging is… leave me out of it. Just remove your hands from my life. You’re putting me in danger, Kalu. Even the people I care about can get caught in the crossfire. Please… please… I’m begging you. Just let me be.”

He sat with the words for a moment… then his lips curved into a smug smile.

“You must think I’m some madman that can’t be reasoned with,” he said. “But listen… after what I did to them today? There’s no universe where they’ll let me be. I won’t lie — if it was only my life at stake, I wouldn’t stress. But just like you, I also have people I care deeply about.”

“And that’s why I’m telling you to let it go,” I said. “Live to fight another day. I can handle these people myself. Just give me time.”

He smiled like someone watching a child say he wants to build a spaceship.
“And how exactly do you plan to do that? Don’t deceive yourself, because you can’t deceive me. Once their money touches your hand, a young man like you? They will buy your whole soul. Sorry, but I can’t trust you with that.”

“I’m not asking you to trust me now,” I said quietly. “But with time, you’ll see I’m a man of my words. You’ll see how I’ll expose them.”

He burst into a dry, painful, disrespectful laughter.

“Trust you?” he said, pointing straight at my chest. He laughed again — louder. “What did you even do with the first money they gave you? You rented a G-Wagon for showoff.”

“It’s not as simple as that—”

“Oh, I know,” he cut in. “I can already imagine what you’ll become when they give you something bigger. These people know how to make someone a slave to money. And someone like you? Once the cash enters your bloodstream… game over.”

Silence swallowed the entire room.

I sighed — long and heavy — trying to gather the courage to drop what I was about to say.

“You see… before I left that place today, I saw something that… that could really change the… the…”
I let my voice hang on purpose, just to build suspense. It worked. His brows tightened immediately.

“Speak…” he blurted out once his patience subscription remained just 2 mb.

“Beside one of the columns, I saw a phone.”

His face brightened a little.

“I spotted it from afar as they were escorting me out. But I knew I’d seen that phone somewhere before. I recognized the pouch immediately.”

He went still — expression blank, unreadable.

"Do you have the phone?" He asked expectantly.

“No...but I think it’s your phone, Detective Kalu.”

I said it slowly and relaxed into the chair so I could study his reaction.



The concluding part drops later... Shower the post with your likes and reactions.

Episode 34 - Picking Sides Part II.


For a few seconds, I stood there like a confused mannequin.
I forced a small, tired smile at him — the kind you give when greeting a neighbour you don't like? Yes. That's exactly what I gave him before I walked into the guest room and shut the door behind me.


Tiffany is right about one thing, I truly needed water on my head. I need to shower.

I dropped my clothes inside the laundry basket and placed my phone on top the bedside drawer. The screen was blinking which means I have a message on my WhatsApp. I almost ignored it until I saw the name.

Chuka.

My stomach sank.

I picked the phone quickly and opened the WhatsApp message.

“You’ve broken too many rules. One more mistake, one wrong word to the wrong person, and you will regret it forever. We are watching you more closely than you think. This is your last warning.”

I read the message again.
And again.
And one more time, just to be sure I'm reading right.

My throat went dry.
A cold weight dropped inside my chest as I grabbed my clothes and started checking them like a madman who lost money inside the rain.
“Are these people watching me? Tracking me? Did they put something on my clothes? A mic? A body cam? A spiritual CCTV?”

I pulled at every seam, dug through every pocket, rubbed the material of my clothes between my fingers like I was testing it to detect a fake fabric.

Nothing.
No tracker.
No camera.
No suspicious device.
Just my clothes staring back at me like, “Alaye, no be us o.”

I sat on the edge of the bed, hands covering my face, breathing like every Nigerian that watched us crash out of the World Cup — that mixture of pain, disbelief, and “God, what exactly did we do wrong?”

And you see those Super Eagles? I swear we don’t need a coach again. What we need is a Doctore. Just like in Spartacus.

I’ll come back to that later sha — before I drag the whole NFF into this and forget the actual problem in front of me.

So where were we? Oh… yes.

Now tell me — how did they even know I was thinking of telling Tiffany everything?
How?
Who told them?
Who is leaking my thoughts to these people?
Somebody should help me understand this na.

I laid back on the bed and stared at the POP ceiling — and that was when I noticed four small dots on the rope light weren’t even working. Something I had never in my life bothered to look at before.
It’s funny how stress can sharpen your observational skills.

My thoughts got heavier with each breath.

If I tell Tiffany the truth right now, if I confirm whatever Kalu told her — the same Tiffany you and I both know — what do you think will happen? Just think about it first.

…Exactly.
We’re thinking the same thing abi?. Perfect.

There’s no guarantee she won’t take it personal. No guarantee she won’t react out of shock or anger or purely out of the love she have for me.

And the thing about Tiffany is simple:
she doesn’t keep quiet when something enters her heart.
Once her mind grabs a thought, her mouth picks microphone immediately.

Now imagine If she confronts the wrong person or take it straight to Piers Morgan? ...oh sorry, I mean to say the media.

The Circle will kill her that's for sure. I remember the video Chuka sent me of someone that did the same thing in the past, how the person ended up dead.

I closed my eyes for some moments, thinking of how best to handle this whole thing without getting anyone hurt or dead.

“Maybe there’s a way out…”
That voice belongs to the god of thunder himself. It came as a whisper.

"How?" I replied quickly

“Now that you know who Aristotle is… maybe you can use it as a bargaining chip to get your freedom.”

I opened my eyes slowly.

"But you need to be very careful on how you handle it..."

Then I smiled.
A slow, stubborn smile crawling across my face as the ideas on how to handle the situation started forming in my head.

All these while, I actually have something.
Something solid.

I knocked myself lightly on the head.
“Why didn’t I think of this since morning, for God’s sake?”

Now that I know the identity of Aristotle…
The almighty Aristotle…
The puppet master himself…

Dr, Ayodele Adeleke, popularly known as Double A.
The National Security Adviser.
The man everybody bows for.

I can actually use that to my advantage.
A secret like that? On a man like that?
Ahh… this kind of leverage doesn’t come twice in one lifetime
It’s like picking up the ‘S’ gun in Contra right before the final boss. Pure blessing.

"But first, you can't tell Tiffany anything yet..." The god of thunder whispered again. "You have to keep her in the dark for her own safety."

"But the way she acted earlier…
She already knew something.
She just needed confirmation from me...I can swear on it." I replied.

"Then don't give her that confirmation. No matter what it's going to cost you." He said again. " Better to keep her in the dark for the mean time than to let her know something that will keep her in the ground forever."

Hmmmmm. Come to think of it, this was honestly the best advice Shango has ever given me since he pushed me into this world.

I smiled as the idea properly settled in my head. Shango didn’t even stop there — he continued dropping steps, tactics and strategy, like one spiritual map guiding me on how to grab Aristotle by the balls without missing location.

With this new plan ehn, I can finally kill two stones with one bir—
Wait.
Kill one bird with two sto—

Ah...

Anyways, I’m too happy right now I don’t even know which proverb belongs where again. My joy is scattering my grammar right now.

But one thing is clear:
This plan is sweet.
And it might just save all our necks.

Now the first step is to go to Kalu and ask him exactly what he had told the girls already. I needed to know how much damage had already been done before the whole thing slipped out of my control entirely. And if he hadn't told them much, I'll use his phone as a bargaining chip to get him to keep quite. If he later decides to come for me, I'll use the second evidence which is the flash drive to keep him away.

Wow...I'm a genius...

I put on my shirt and shorts quickly and walked back to the sitting room.
Kalu was relaxed on the couch, watching the Nigeria vs Gabon match. The guy even laughed when Osimhen scored the fourth goal.

I stood there looking at him, wondering how somebody’s life can be falling apart while another human being is smiling because Osimhen finally got on the score sheet after missing more than two clear chances in the game.


Concluding part for this episode drops later...

EPISODE 34 — Picking Sides (Part I)

I walked in, still thinking of how to untangle myself from this problem that had already wrapped itself around my neck like a turban. The issue wasn’t that I didn’t have a plan — it was that the plan didn’t exactly have me back.

And the moment I saw their faces?

I knew the knot had tightened.

The silence in the sitting room had weight, even though the TV was still making noise like it was trying to cover for them.

And the calls I made earlier while I was on the bike?
They ignored them on purpose. What a very intentional silence.

Then the way all their heads turned when I stepped inside…
too slow, too coordinated.

Almost like they practiced it before I arrived.

That was when the god of thunder whispered to me:
"Don't say na me tell you o, because I don't want one detective sniffing around my compound, but you must know, Kalu has opened his mouth."

I sighed at that because it's the truth.

Tiffany is not the type to miss my call and not call back. If she sees a cockroach in the kitchen, she will call me five times back-to-back like I’m the manager for pest control. But today?. She missed my calls and didn’t call back.

She saw me when I opened the door and for her to keep silent like this?
That is not just a red flag — that is the whole flag parade.

At that point, I knew —
It’s time to come clean.
No more hiding behind curtains that were already torn from top to bottom. They need to hear my own version too.
They need to understand I didn’t have a choice.
The Circle held my balls in their wicked hand the day they kidnapped Jude and threatened his life. Everything I’ve done since then? Was pure survival. Nothing more. Nothing less. And as God will butter my bread , they haven’t asked me to kill anybody yet — just small, questionable missions that pay too well.

I pushed myself further into the living room and caught Tiffany’s eyes. She looked up and smiled — that gentle, soft smile she always gives me when she’s genuinely happy I’m around.
But her eyes…...you see those eyes....
There was something sitting inside them like a quiet tenant — sadness, anger, disappointment… maybe all of the above.

Toyosi stood up and pulled me into a hug. It was warm and firm. The type of hug that says, “I’m here, bro,” without saying a single word. But even her arms felt slightly heavier than usual, like she was hugging me and weighing me at the same time.

Then my eyes landed on the main source of my anxiety for the past few weeks — Detective Kalu.

How do I even begin to describe what I was feeling at that moment I spent staring at him?

Let’s start with the fact that I wasn’t expecting him or Tiffany to be here right now. How did she even get released? This man literally told me this morning that if I didn’t help him bring down The Circle, he would personally drop her inside the prison like a lost property. Yet here he was — sitting in the living room like a patient cobra, calm and dangerous, waiting for the next unfortunate creature to stroll too close.

My mind was already doing all sorts of thinking — when the god of thunder spoke again:

“Son… this is the time to man up. Summon some Yerima versus Wike balls.”

So I inhaled, lifted my chin, and held the man’s gaze from head to mid-waist like I was taking measurements for his coffin.

“So… what are you doing here, Detective?” I asked.

He didn’t answer immediately. He leaned back slowly into the chair like somebody that has already rehearsed the argument in his head and is just waiting for me to misbehave.

“First,” he said, dragging the word like chewing gum, “aren’t you supposed to thank me for releasing your girlfriend and bringing her home safely?”

I looked at him and scoffed.

“Oh sure,” I said. “Should I kneel down and start clapping? Or would you prefer I write a thank-you speech, laminate it, and hang it above your head like a trophy?”

His mouth twitched. He almost smiled.

“Well,” he said finally, “I’m not here to threaten you. Not this time. But you need to talk to your girlfriend.”

I frowned. “Talk to her? About what?”

Before he could answer, Tiffany spoke for the first time since I entered. Her lips curved into a tiny smirk — small and well controlled — but her eyes still held that softness I knew too well.

“Baby,” she said, “are you hungry?”

I blinked. “Uh… yes?”

“Good,” she said, standing up slowly. “Go take a shower and relax. I’ll prepare something for you.”

Before I could ask anything, she walked over to me, kissed me lightly on the lips, then touched my face gently.

“We’ll talk after you eat,” she whispered.

Then she left. Just like that.
Toyosi followed her straight into the kitchen like a bouncer.

And suddenly, it was just me and Kalu alone in the sitting room.

.


Part II will drop soon. But let's have your comments and likes and shares.... Let's go guys... 🙏

dawno2008:
@tbm good morning ooo🤗abeg na since yesterday night after the disastrous super chicken match I don dey refresh your library for Facebook 🥺but na episode 30 still dey your page😰abeg update quickly 🙏abi naija match son dey affect you ni?🤔

the plan is to bring the newly recovered page up to speed. Then continue from there. And from today, we move.... 🙏🙏Thanks for staying tuned boss

Episode 34 loading.. but dropping first on my Facebook page. @Darousmart Library...

ghettochild:
Son of thunder!!! Where at thou
Come update oooo

Rodger that sir

Ohibenemma:
London bridge is going down!
Going down! Going down!
London bridge is going down!
My dear brother!

Kill all of Dem nau... I see Kenny getting to connect somehow with the Circle at some point and trying to reach a deal with them to undo Darous.

😁😁😁😁😁 oya na. Next update shall tell my bro.... Let's keep our fingers crossed....

Ohibenemma:
London bridge is going down!
Going down! Going down!
London bridge is going down!
My dear brother!

Kill all of Dem nau... I see Kenny getting to connect somehow with the Circle at some point and trying to reach a deal with them to undo Darous.

this your imagination needs to be studied carefully 😁😉😁😉 can you imagine what 2029 holds in store for us? Abeg😁😁

Ohibenemma:
Going to jail could even help Kalu... as long as his family stays fine. Getting thrown out of the police could be the catalyst he'd need to hunt down the Circle no holds barred.

even I dey read the next update as I dey type am, and I dey laugh... No be better laugh ooo. Na pity laugh... 😂😂😂😂

dawno2008:
Abeg nau🤗🤗🤗even if Darous go jail,make him nor tey for there 😰e get reason why @tbm abeg😅

oya na...no lele boss

dawno2008:
But in all of the new "anti circle gang" 🤕I only hope Darous cash out big time ooo🥺cos that detective with vendetta can drag everyone to the pit without caring, Darous has suffered too much to loose out on someone else's wahala🧐

😂😂😂in all these wahala... You still dey wish for that goat to make it big time? 😂 Who knows what will be the end for both Kalu and Him? They may both end up in jail sef... If I vex .. 😂😂😂😂

yungbanks:
We love your stories man so sorry we don’t turn up with the expected comments and likes. You have to understand our predicaments too . Sometimes I’m always too tired to want to type so we read and continue with our daily lives . But I promise to always drop comments from today till the end of this wonderful masterpiece

I kuku understand... But aside commenting, there are other ways to show appreciation... Like button doesn't cost a thing to press... But some people enjoyed being a ghost like .... I don't even know what to say jare... Anyways, thanks for dropping by.


On to the next episode...

Ohibenemma:
Another one drops!
Wow, my crystal ball sharp o!

Now, Darous has some explaining to do, but not much. The cat is already outta the bag; he only has to smoothen things out with a little explanation... at least to show he's a victim of circumstance too.

Gradually, a new anti-Circle team will unravel; maybe this will be named THE CUBE. And the heat would be turned on the Circle.

With Aristotle's identity now known to Darous, his loved ones could also be used to blackmail him... tit for tat, abi?

Well, the signals are getting foggy... lemme rest. What if my predictions don't play out? Na why TheBlessedMAN is the one with the pen. De guy Sabi twist stories Sha...

Keep the PEN ROLLING!

don't worry bro... You are on track... Like on the right track... 😂😂😂 Let's see how the whole thing unfolds sha... We move

dawno2008:
It was worth the wait🤗 @tbm you're damn too good in twisting stories 👏 but Toyosi is not who they think she is🤔 anyways let see how far their team will go against the circle 🧐the story is getting more intriguing and more interesting 🍻👍

And as per your write up about how your story was plagiarized with little or no credit to you,just know that it's not your fault,you wrote out here on Nairaland land for fun,with no incentives and entertained your readers,I remember then views was in millions,but did Nairaland owner appreciate your efforts,No he didn't,even if many readers like myself was just coming to Nairaland to read your story and exit immediately.
I'll gladly follow you to any page or suitable site ,where you can monitize your intellectual property, it's the little support I can give,but pls don't stop writing cos of some unappreciative elements,some of us do appreciate and love you bro🤗♥️💯

well, what can I say my bro? It's as it is... We move🙏