Opula seeing that I wasn’t going to give way soon, turned her sorry face to Fanny Luis, “Father,” she called, looking pitiable, “Could you please tell your god-damn daughter-in-law to leave the way? I must do the search with the police!” she yelled and curved her lops in fury, “She is not going to like me if I should get physical with her.”Shaking his head in disapproval, Fanny replied, “You can’t get physical with her because she is in her chamber and not yours. Besides, this time around I can’t stop my god-damn daughter-in-law. It is her prerogative right to decide who goes in …”Kate interrupted harshly, “And the villa belongs to us! This is Fanny’s property. She is nothing but a contract wife to my brother and this shouldn’t give her the guts to override us. What arrant nonsense is this? Father, you have allowed this bitch to insult you!”Fanny refuted her, “Oh keep shut, you don’t know what I wrote in my will so you can’t say who owns the villa.” He turned his gaze to Opula, “By
Reality was about to dawn on me once I heard my name. I turned to go in and answer the police, but before that I banged the door to stop Opula and Kate from peeping into my chamber.When I got in, Eva and the police were staring at a sizable box which was locked; that was the reason they called me.Instantly, awareness struck in me and I realized it was in the box I kept the credit card a night ago. Nervousness hung in my eyes as I swallowed hard.“Could you please unlock the box so that we can search it?” the police officer said softly, pointing at the box.Eva’s gaze settled on me; she could perceive the reality that had just struck in me; it just hit my memory that in the box was the credit card . I had hidden the card in it for safe keeping so that enemies like Opula wouldn’t find it.“Oh my God,” I exclaimed in my mind, “Misfortune is about to happen to me now. It just dawned on me that the card was in the box and not under the bed. Oh, Lord! I need a turn around,” I said in my m
Fanny, Tony and I surrounded Eva who was lying in the sick bed, under a drip bag. She was very strong now, and I couldn’t wait to hear what the cause of what happened to her was.Her husband, Tony, stamped an engaging kiss on her brow, “Please honey, get well soon. I don’t want anything to befall you. You are all I have got.” He grabbed her palms and stamped a warm kiss on it.Eva rolled her frail eyes and sucked a deep breath. Her gaze came upon me and I guessed she wanted to utter a word but held it back.Soon the doctor came in and invited everyone except me, “Why don’t you stay back, Melissa and take care of her,” the doctor said, while Fanny and Tony joined her in his office.Shortly after they left, Eva sprang so energetically that it was obvious this was a trick. I raised my knitted brows at her, surprised to see her smiling and lively.“Hey, Melissa, I am fine, nothing happened to me,” she whispered, smiling with mountains of energy in her eyes and chin, “I had to do the needf
Frank and Kate were going through my contract marriage documents while they discussed the way forward for the Fanny Group.I guessed I was the only obstacle stopping the girls from inheriting their father’s wealth and I wondered what they could be up to now my husband was in a coma.All I wanted was the safety and survival of my husband; although I wanted to disappear from the villa for a while, on a second thought, Brian would be disappointed if he should wake from the coma, and I was nowhere to be found.I didn’t want Brian to lose trust in me; we had come a long way and nothing could separate us; not even death.But I knew Brian would wake from the coma!“This is exactly one month Brian has been in a coma,” Frank said, flipping through the document papers, “Fanny Luis is not getting any younger, is he going to wait for Brian to wake before he appoints an heir? It is obvious Brian is not going to wake from the coma.”Kate poured drink for two and handed him a glass.“I was at the ho
When I returned to my chamber I was as shattered as the glass that fell off the rooftop. Things could get messier for me in this villa and I wondered if I should stay back and wait for Brian or if I should run away.I grabbed Brian’s photo, turned on his music on the player and fresh memories of the first love of my life flashed before me. This was a man that once scared the living daylight out of me due to his violent mental derangement, but today I was carrying his baby.“Oh Lord could this be true love or am I overwhelmed by my infatuation? What fate awaits me on this path of love?” I wailed within myself as I gazed upon the photo of Brian.He left as soon as he came into my heart. I never knew it was going to get to this; perhaps I would have hidden my love and walked away without any strings attached.That very night I slept off with Brian’s photo on my chest and his favorite song sounding on the player***These days, the photo of Brian was the last thing I saw and the first thi
I had a desperate yet nervous breath when I got into the ward where Brian may have to stay till he woke from the coma. I couldn’t take a few more steps forward. How could I behold with my eyes a man I thought was healed of his insanity? How would I shut my eyes to sleep after seeing Brian lose his cuteness overnight just because he was at a spot as lifeless as the leaves.I sniffed heavily as I wiped the tears that surged down my eyes.I never wanted to be entangled in love, but this was fate happening to me; this was destiny and if you should ask me, I would embrace it with my full chest and endure till the end.It seemed as though my toes were stuck to the floor. Once I gazed upon Brian, my heart thudded with fear and I recalled Opula and Kate making plans to declare him dead.Warm tears burnt my cheeks as they trickled down. I surged close wishing I could wave some magic wand and Brian would wake from coma.But reality dawned on me; the man whom I thought I would spend the rest of
The day after, Opula and Kate drove down to the hospital with the coffin and the expectation of replacing Brian with a doll replica. Since they had everything in place there was no need to waste any more time. They couldn’t wait to do away with Brian and nullify my marriage with their brother.Once Brian wais buried, they will have no war to fight anymore.They were seated in the doctor’s office, waiting for the doctor to come in and tell them his arrangements for the secret burial.“It will be ideal to bury him at night,” Opula said, staring at Kate who gave a nod, “I have made arrangements with the men at Rio Hondo cemetery, and they said late hour will be the best time.”Kate supported it, “You have a point there, dear. We should do this without any form of suspicion. You know how reputable and famous our family is in Rio Hondo. If we are seen at the cemetery right now by anyone it would create suspicion and expose us.”“Yes, of course we could be exposed and you know the consequen
“You have been moody since we started dinner, and you have barely touched your food,” Fanny said, and gave an investigative look at me, who had been fondling with my meal for some time now.I forced a weird smile and grinned afterward. I had been thinking.Nothing else was on my mind than the evil plot of Opula and Kate which would have been executed if I hadn’t intervened. Right now I kept struggling within myself whether or not to tell Fanny about it.I wouldn’t want to start a fight I couldn’t finish. I only wished Opula and Kate would let peace reign. If only they would know that I had no interest in the Fanny’s empire but in feelings for Brian.“Is there anything you want to share with me?” Fanny asked me and when a thought hit his mind he said, “If it is about the Ferraris which Opula smashed, I have fixed them. Your husband’s Ferrari is ready for use.” I shook my head in disapproval, “Far from it father,” I interrupted him and hesitated to speak yet further, “I…I” I stuttered,
“Do you mean Opula Luis, the same Opula that I know is pregnant for my son all this while? Come on, Fanny Luis, I don’t like it when people pull my legs. I do understand the fact that I earnestly want Rod to choose a wife but you don’t have to joke with it.”Fanny sat up once he caught the interest in the eyes of James Benson, “I am not pulling your legs my dear friend. I have only been searching for the appropriate time to break such news to you. Don’t forget you wanted Melissa for your son, so I have been careful not to break the rules.”“What rules are you talking about?” James interrupted Fanny, “Your daughter has been pregnant for my son and you kept it away from me all this while. Oh my goose!” James stroked his hair in surprise, “To hell with Melissa . I only chose Melissa because my son loves her so much but with the current development I can tell you it is Opula that my son loves.”James chuckled, line of joy stood on his face, “Oh I see, James, why don’t you tell me? It see
James Benson and Fanny Luis were proudly seated by the pool side and smiling cheek to cheek as the servants poured a glassful of wine for their refreshment. They had busied themselves discussing about their corporate lives and reminiscing on their friendship. All the while they discussed fanny though it wise to revela Opula’s preganancy to him, hoping it wouldn’t be a surprise to him. Fanny knew he had no time to waste anymore and delay could be dangerous.As soon as the servant bowed and left, James Benson reminded him of the two billion dollar contract and how it would save Fanny Group form the impending bankruptcy.Although Fanny Luis was all smiles, he couldn’t tell the exact reason James Benson visited. He argued if it was for business. He knew Opula’s pregnancy must have sprouted trouble in his home; obviously Rod would have told him about it, including the ill treatment he got when they were poor.Right about now Fanny couldn’t wait to know the reason James visited, so he asked
All eyes fell on me once I cheered up and sniffed heavily. Already the police men had entered the hospital and advanced towards us with an investigative countenance and scowled faces which struck us with silence and suspicion.“Why is police in my hospital?” doctor bill queried anxiously and settled his suspicious gaze on me, “I can’t recall inviting the police to my hospital. Who could have invited the police?”There was a hush of silence when the police detective surged closer and queried everyone with his scarcely familiar look which had so much gloom.“Good evening, doctor,” the detective greeted warmly and shot his dark eyes at us, “We got an urgent phone call from this hospital. The voice couldn’t speak out but we traced the phone call to this hospital. The police detective said to Doctor Bill with so much expectation for an explanation, “Perhaps you may know who did.”“I did, detective,” my voice sounded with an iota of confidence and conviction, “I made the phone call to you b
Doctor Bill had stormed the Emergency unit and ordered mom and I to vacate the unit immediately. A handful of nurses paced up and down under the command of the doctor who was still battling to restore my husband who had been jerking under the oxygen machine.Outside the emergency unit, I wasn’t in my best of mood. My heart thudded with danger and I had no doubt something was wrong with Brian. The color had drained from my face and I wasn’t thinking about the baby in my womb than my husband.Mom rolled her eyes at me and about to step away when Doctor Bill stepped out with a fallen countenance ; I swallowed hard when I saw those red eyes of his and dark face ; he seemed as one that escaped hell.Mom had paused to know what news doctor had to share with me. I knew her wish for Brian was death and nothing would gladden her heart than to hear news about Brian’s demise.Upon setting my anxious eyes on the doctor, I melted as wax and could barely open my mouth to question the doctor, who w
The doctor spoke so loudly, obviously making a noise to attract attention and Opula gestured at him to bring down the tone of his voice.“You know someone could be listening to us,” Opula whispered, “Please, take things calmly. You must not make a noise about it. But I have told you the forty percent is not going to be possible. Why would you demand I pay you forty percent of a contract you know nothing about…”Doctor Bernard burst into a mocking laughter and grinned afterward, “Oh do you think I know nothing about it? Is that what you think? I am going to tell you what I know about it. The Bensons want Melissa as an arranged wife but your greed wouldn’t rest, you forced yourself on your ex-boyfriend, Rod thinking he will get you pregnant but unfortunately this pregnancy belongs to Ken,”Kate was still eavesdropping at the door at the time, Doctor Bernard made that statement. And she gagged her mouth in shock ; she couldn’t believe Opula had been lying about her pregnancy all this wh
At the time ambulance came to pick up Opula who was still coughing out blood, Salsa was peeping from the kitchen where she prepared lunch. She smiled evilly and gritted her teeth as she shook her head in vengeance. She hoped the abortion would happen this time around; she couldn’t wait to hear news of Opula losing the pregnancy; only then would her joy be full.From the kitchen, she peeped out to the ambulance personnel attending to Opula, and she could recall how she did it;Opula had requested for a fresh orange juice a while ago and Salsa prepared it for her with mixture of her poisonous herbs that would abort the pregnancy. Salsa was responsible for the bloody cough Opula was experiencing and if Opula should cough out blood for a longer time she could lose the pregnancy.“Until the teeth of my vengeance bite you, I shall know no rest. Opula, you are going to suffer in my hands until you lose that pregnancy. I will not remain alive and watch you get pregnant for a man I love so muc
When Kate barged in on Opula, she met her sobbing and weeping in her palms. She was red on the face and the color drained from her face; it was obvious Opula had been weeping all night.“Oh my goose!” Kate exclaimed and paced to the side of Opula and clutched her teary chin, “What happened to you again? Why are you all tears? The day is too early for this, Opula,” Kate petted her and caught sight of the picture on the bed and when she picked it up, it was rod’s picture, “Is it because of Rod Benson? What did he say to you again?”Opula swallowed hard, sobbed even greatly and managed to say, “He has refused to pick my phone calls ever since he rejected the pregnancy. The most annoying thing is that Rod wants me to abort the pregnancy. Can you imagine? Does he hate you that much?”“What!” Kate snapped and snorted, “Is he sick in the brain? How could he suggest such a thing? Oh my God!” Kate raised her gaze in frustration and asked yet further, “Did you show him the paternity test result
“MELISSA!” she called, her body shivering, the fierceness of her face threatening as she molded her fist, “What are you doing here? Are you supposed to be here at this time?” she asked, her hands trembling.I hummed and quoted, “Because the bird has learnt to fly without perching, the hunters have learnt to shoot without missing. I knew you were up to ruin. A leopard cannot lose its spot. So this is it mom. You demanded to know the ON and OFF knob so that you could sneak in and turn off the oxygen machine and suffocate Brian? Your evil has caught up with you.”Mom’s jaw sagged as she fumed, “You rotten maggot. I am only doing you a favor. I really want to have you back as my daughter but you must be set free from this evil marriage. He has to die.”I advanced forward and replied her, “You got to be bluffing, huh. My husband? Are you okay, mom? Are you saying it to my face that you want to kill Brian? This is unimaginable, mom!”“Listen up, Melissa. I have so much money now. I may not
Promptly I flinched from sleep; it was a dream.“Oh my God,” I whispered and wiped my face of the nervous sweat that trickled down. “Brian cannot die. What sort of dream is this? Something must be happening to my husband,” I said to myself, gasped, stroked my hair confusedly and picked up my phone to call the doctor…***Seated in front of the police detective were Fanny, Opula and Kate. While they spoke, the police scribbled down vital information on a paper, with keenness in his eyes.“The total sum of money is one million dollars,” Fanny said in a baritone voice, “I believe the money is somewhere in my villa, obviously in one or two chambers. I really want you and your boys to fish out and punish anyone found guilty of stealing the money.”The police detective winked after scribbling down some more information from Fanny, “Um, Mr. Fanny, this one million dollars in question was it stolen from your company, the Fanny Group or from the villa? Because you made mention of the money was