The Unexpected

Slow romantic blues played in the car as she drove slowly along the road. She had picked up the car at the Mechanic's workshop and right now, she was heading home to see her father. 

The past few days have been terrific and it's time to start afresh. All she needed right now was to get the memories of Kelvin's betrayal off her head, she thought as she heaved a sigh.

Her thoughts flashed to the young man she had spent the past few days with and a wry smile appeared on her lips. She could still recall the disappointment on his face when she told him she was leaving.

Wasn't that all he ever wanted? She thought with a scoff.

 Would their paths cross ever again? She reasoned and let out a chuckle.

As she drove into the Mansion which was swimming in luxury, she took a deep breath and stepped out of the car slowly. Looking around the tall magnificent buildings, her brows gathered as she thought about the fact that her mother was in there, doing God knows what with her father.

The mansion brings to her nothing but pain, and right now, she regrets coming back to Nigeria in the first place.

Walking into the foyer, she was welcomed by the young maids lined up at both sides of the foyer.

"Welcome, ma'am," they greeted and she handed her bag over to one of the ladies.

"Where is my father?" She asked with her eyes looking around the living room.

"In his room, madam," one of the maids replied.

She heard footsteps down the stairs and her brows gathered deeply as she saw the Average- heightened fair skin woman walking down the stairs, dressed casually in black pants and black polyester blouse.

 "Daughter," she called anxiously as she hurried her steps down the stairs.

"Hold it!" She slammed, with her hand motioning her to stop.

The woman stopped for a moment, staring at her with an expressionless look.

"I'm here because of my father, not you," she said firmly as she walked past her.

Just then, his voice was heard from the stairs and she stopped and looked up to see him walking down the stairs, dressed in his richly designed black emirati thobe.

 He was making a phone call as he stepped down the stairs with the aid of his walking stick and she waited patiently for him with her arms akimbo.

"Daughter," he called as he walked towards her.

"Father," she called tenderly and gave him a hug.

"Where have you been? I've been worried about you," he said, walking to the couch while she followed behind him slowly.

He took his seat and she sat beside him. Her eyes turned to her mother who was still standing, staring at them and she rolled her eyes in disgust and looked away from her.

"You didn't call, you just disappeared into thin air and left your aged father to keep worrying about you," Mateo Steel lamented as he looked at his daughter who was sitting beside him.

"I'm sorry, father, I had to leave," she said with a sigh.

"I was worried about you, I dropped by at Adrian's home but you weren't there," her mom added, walking to meet her.

"Amelia, can you please stop interfering in our discussion?!" She slammed with her white round eyes burning with furry.

"How dare you, Nat?! I am still your mother!" She shot angrily.

"Really? You lost that privilege the day you killed my innocent brother, Alan!" She cried with her body trembling violently.

"Enough, Nat," Mateo said calmly as he grabbed hold of her hand.

"Mat, you need to tame your daughter," Amelia said seriously.

She opened her mouth to speak again but her father kept her shot. She began to fume as she swallowed her words back with her feet tapping the floor angrily.

"Tell me, where have you been? What happened to you?" Mateo asked with concern as he pushed back the strand of hair lying on her face.

"I caught my fiance cheating on me with my best friend, Kemi. I almost got involved in a ghastly accident that night because I was driving belligerently.

But thank goodness, I was rescued by a stranger and I had to stay away from home for the sake of my mental health. I don't wanna come back home to see the face of this woman who has been my nightmare for years!" She cried, turning to her mother who was still standing a few meters away from her.

"It's enough, I'm glad you are safe now. That young man needs to be put in his place," Mateo said seriously.

"Yes, how dare he hurt my daughter? He forgot your background as Mateo's daughter?!" Her mother snapped.

She gave her the side-eye and looked away from her.

"Talking as if you're any different from the cheaters," she remarked impolitely and hissed.

"Nat, I won't have you talk insolently to me!" Amelia flared.

"Really?" She asked, getting up on her feet.

"Tell me, oh mother of all cheaters, am I speaking insolently, or am spilling facts?" She asked as she walked slowly towards her.

"Nat, I am your mother," she said, trying to maintain her cool.

"You're not my mother. You're Amelia, the murderer of my brother. And I won't stop fighting you until you leave the Steel's family, never to be seen again," she said confidently into her face.

She walked back to her father and she could hear Amelia's footsteps as she stormed out angrily.

"Nat, you need to be calm," Mateo urged as she took her seat beside him.

"I can't be calm, father. You haven't told us what she's doing here in the mansion after all the pains she's caused us," she said angrily.

"Be calm, I've got everything under control. She will leave," he assured.

"When? Why not now?! What did she do to you? Look, this is not how I met you when I returned to the country. You were the lion I've always known. How did she become your weakness, father?" She asked with her voice dripping with emotions.

He kept silent without saying a word.

"Some things are better left unsaid; at least, for now," he said.

"Father, Adrian and I demand an explanation. We need to know why you let that woman back into your life! See, Adrian is angry with you at the moment. When last did he check up on you?" She asked with concern.

He heaved a sigh.

"You should pay him a visit. He and his wife have been worried about you," he said.

"I will drop by at their home. I know Alex would be terribly worried by now," she said, standing up on her feet.

"Be calm up there," he said after her as she walked up the stairs.

*

With one hand cupped around his chin, he became deep in thought as memories of his moment with her poured in like an avalanche. He hasn't been able to concentrate at work and he has tried so hard to get her off his head.

He had received a call from his mother asking about her and this had got him deeply worried. She had gone as far as demanding him to bring her to the village and he didn't know what to do about it.

He knew the perturbation won't stop unless she hears from Sola. But now, Sola is gone and he doesn't even know where to find her. 

His phone rang and he sighed and picked up the call.

"Jason," he called tiredly.

"Man in love," Jason hailed from the phone.

"What's that supposed to mean? Why would I fall in love with someone I don't even know?" He asked with a scoff and there was laughter from the other end.

"So, how are you gonna stop your mother from pestering you about Sola?" He asked.

"That's the big question right now. I'm damn tired," he lamented.

"You shouldn't have let her go so easily. At least having her contact would be enough," he said.

"She didn't even give me the chance to ask!" He said in frustration.

"Oh, you're angry? How would she give you a chance when you've been all over her neck?" He asked with a chuckle.

He rolled his eyes and sighed.

"I wasn't even gonna ask for it," he said proudly.

"It's better I don't cross paths with her again. She would literally suffocate me to death. I would look for other options to deal with my mother," he said.

"Hmm, it's on you now. How about Alex? Heard from her already?" He asked.

"No, I'll be visiting her this evening," he said.

"Okay, my regards to her and Adrian," he said.

"Ok, my regards to Madison too," he said and hung up.

Dropping the phone on the table, he felt a presence in his office and he looked up and saw Lucy walking towards the desk, dressed smartly in a white short fitted dress, displaying her curves.

"What are you doing here?" He asked grumpily, typing into his laptop.

"Amos, I'm sorry," she pleaded softly as she stood before the desk.

"You had a fiance, Lucy, and you were having a fling with me. That wasn't right," he shot, raising his eyes to look at her angrily.

"Hmm, says someone who was busy chasing after a Billionaire's wife," she said with sarcasm and his brows gathered deeply.

"Amos, you have to stop this pretense. I never knew my fiance was coming home that night; thank goodness, we weren't caught and that shouldn't stop us from doing what we've been enjoying all these while," she said, walking to his seat.

He kept silent with his eyes staring at her angrily.

"Amos, you're damn good in bed and I can't resist you," she said in pleasure as she sat on the desk before him.

"But I can resist you. I can resist you, daughter of Eve. Get out of my office," he ordered in a low tone.

She tried to touch his chin but he grabbed hold of her hand.

"Your father is behind you," he whispered and her mouth dropped open as she stood up, looking frightened.

She turned around but couldn't find anyone.

"You're sick!" She slammed, seeing the smirk on his face.

He laughed as he saw her storming out of the office.

"Daughter of Eve," he remarked as he continued with his laptop.

Driving into the mansion that evening, he looked around the serene environment and smiled. This was his first time around since Adrian and Alex moved into their new building. But it was nothing compared to the former, he thought.

Marriage, he lamented as he thought of the reason Adrian and Alex had moved out of their former home. They've been through a lot since the return of Adrian's first wife who had been a pain in the neck.

He wondered why Adrian had been so reluctant to divorce her and move on with Alex happily.

Thinking how their marriage had stood the test of time, gave him goosebumps. They were indeed a powerful couple, he thought as he parked his car carefully in front of the building.

Stepping out of the car, he adjusted the sleeves of his blue vintage top and looked around the building. He flinched on catching sight of a familiar car which was parked in the garage.

He tried to recall where he had seen the black BMW XM and he scoffed and shook his head for a moment.

 "Sola's car," he muttered inaudibly with his heart racing fast.

He turned and proceeded to the building immediately. Knocking on the door, he met Mary the maid smiling excitedly at him.

"Sir Amos," she called with a smile.

"Hi, May," he greeted back.

"Come in," she ushered.

He swallowed hard as he heard voices coming from the living room while Mary walked ahead of him probably to inform Alex of his presence.

His heartbeat increased and he felt perspiration over his brows, hoping not to be hit with the unexpected.

Stepping foot into the living room, he froze for a moment as his eyes ran to the couch where their eyes met.

PLEASE READ MY AUTHOR'S NOTE.