Tope smiled at the female figure walking up to her table and sat up straight in pride as she watched the lady glare at her while sitting opposite her.
"Hi. Care for a drink?" Tope said with a provoking smirk.
"Shut up. Why did you call me here? You know how I detest seeing you."
Tope scoffed. "Oh, please. You and I both know that I detest seeing you too, so the feelings are mutual, baby girl."
"What do you want? I already told you that, I don't want to see you again."
"Oh, but it will be very hard to get rid of me so easily, don't you think?" She said, smiled and ran her fingers in invisible circles at the rim of her wine glass.
She looked up at the lady and laughed. "Oh, chill. I'm not going to kill you, am I?"
The lady chuckled, looked down at the table, shook her head and loomed back up at Tope.
"Honey, you should be the scared one here. You're playing with fire. If you don't kno
I am so sorry for your loss, Janelle. I wish I could be there with you right now." Tara said from the other line of the phone.Janelle sighed and rubbed her palm on her forehead, trying to subdue the pounding head ache. Sleeping had been far from her for two days now. Ever since she had to see her father's body parts in a plastic bag, the memory had not left her. It stuck with her like a second skin. She nodded, closed her eyes and tried to lean against the door frame of her room. Feeling dizzy was a consequence of poor sleep."I know. Don't feel too bad about it. You're working and I can't let you put a pause to your work on my account. Have fun in Italy.""It's not fun if you're feeling this down. Gosh, I'm so sorry.""Tara, it is fine. Really.". There was a long sigh from the other line. "Yeah, what's going on now? What are the police saying a
"Are you fucking shitting with me right now?!" Candace exclaimed, earning stares from nearby customers who then shook they heads, passed curious glances and went back to what they were doing. Janelle shrugged and stirred her drink, looking rather bored with the drink and equally disgusted by it. Candace reached out to hold her hands. "Oh my God. Who would do something like that? Does he have any enemies?"Janelle sighed. "I don't know, Candy. I don't think he does. He was a very wonderful man. And maybe he has competitors. You know how these business world is?""Sure. Babe, I'm sorry. I'll do anything to help. What about the picture? Have you taken them to the police?"Janelle nodded. "Yes, I have. I–" Her cellphone rang and she looked down at it with surprise written on her face. "Hello, James.""How are you?"
When she opened her eyes, it was a different place from where she thought she would be by now; Heaven. But the soft bed and the thing pierced in through her veins weren't the things people see in Heaven, is it? At least she was thought that in heaven, there is no pain. She felt the pain in her head. She sat up, slowly and looked around her. Hospital. From the look of it, she was in the hospital. There was a man’s head resting on the edge of the bed and she didn't have to see the face to be sure of whom it was. But as her free hand brushed against it, the person shook and came alert.Denzel.She smiled up at him weakly. "Hey.""Hey. How are you feeling? The doctor said there were no internal injuries.""Oh." Thanks God. I looked around the room as if searching
She was completely lost in her own world, tracing invisible lines on the tattoo at the left side of his chest while they lay on the floor in silence. What just happened was something none of them had dreamed would happen. And not now. At least she's sure he was thinking the same thing because even after that passionate lovemaking in his living room, no one was saying anything. How had a simple discussion about designs led from funny to jealous then passionate all of a sudden? Janelle should have been sleeping with James. But she had never slept with James since she got engaged to him and one part of her only wanted to paint this picture with the sexually frustrated brush. Denzel chuckled and she lifted her gaze at him. He smiled down at her. "I should be hanged." He said to her. She smiled, then laughed and that was enough to rais
"What?" She asked, looking shocked. And at the same time, feeling curious to know whom it was."Who is it? Who did it? Catherine sighed. "Let's go inside, Sunshine." She said, leading the way to Janelle's bedroom. Janelle followed slowly behind her mother, thinking if this was something she probably didn't want to hear."Mum? Is it something I shouldn't hear about? If it is–""Calm down, Janelle. The whole evidences led to Tope. The model you have been having issues with.""What?"Caroline nodded. "I knew she could be the one. I suspected it. I just–""You just what? Is this what you've been keeping away from me? Why do I have the feeling that you know more than you're telling me?""What are you talking about?""The night daddy was murdered. What happened? If Tope should be the culprit then, I'm confused. What connection does she have with daddy? What do you know about i
Breakfast was quiet and boring as usual. The only time this morning ritual gets way livelier was when she was eating with her friends. And that only happened on rare occasions is she happened to visit them while they were eating and not the other way round. Catherine wasn't the kind who entertained friends during breakfast. Especially Janelle's friend, Tara. The woman thinks Tara is bad influence but Janelle thinks otherwise. Just because someone is free spirited, doesn't make them a bad influence. Catherine looked up from her tea and smiled at Janelle."I found Nana in your bed this morning. I didn't want to wake you up since you were actually sound asleep. I guess yesterday's events wore you out?" She asked.Janelle shrugged. "I guess.""So, why was she in your bed instead of hers?"Janelle looked at her mother. "Mum, it is not a strange
"How are you feeling?" James scoffed, sucked his front teeth while looking away like he was trying to keep his temper in check. Denzel leaned forward, his hands on the table, clasped together. "Mum and dad arrived earlier. They're on their way to see you. Dad is trying to–""Just save me the whole headlines, will you?" James cut in. "I'm sure that when dad gets here, I'll hear it from him." James said with a raised eyebrow."James, listen–""No, you listen, Denzel. I'm not done with you yet. When I get out of here, you better find a perfect spot that will suit your body. Because you'll be dead for boning my fiancée."Denzel sighed. "I know. But for the main time, let's focus on getting you out first."James chuckled. "Yes, please do. So I can facilitate the punishment you deserve." 
"She is with me." Denzel said over the phone. Then nodded. "Yeah, she was asleep when I left her room." He paused and glanced towards the stairs leading to the room Janelle slept, digging his hands into his pocket."I will let her know you called. Maybe she's still asleep. No problem, ma. Okay, bye." He hung up, sighed and went straight to the bar for a drink. It was almost dinner and he had ordered the maids to make for two but Janelle wasn't out yet. He contemplated going up to check on her, since she fell asleep very upset. But as soon as he heard the sound of her footsteps down the tiled stairs, he decided against it, sitting back on the stool. But it was one of the maids.°°° Janelle sighed and shook her head. "You don't understand. Wh
Candace turned to the bars from where she sat, looking out the small cut out window at the top of the small jail room. The window one could never see through no matter how tall you are. As if she would want to escape anytime soon. But the thought that Janelle was still alive and her mother was well again, gave her the urge to throw up. It wasn't like she wanted to receive visitors at all. But somehow, everyone seemed to be visiting her today of all days, as if each person wanted to be sure she was already behind bars or escaped. "What are you doing here? To be sure your daughter was living the life you always wanted?" She said to her mother, few hours ago when she came to visit. "You show up after so many years and it has to be at my lowly prison. How convenient, mother." She said, laying emphasis on the word 'mother'.Ireti shook her head
"Candace, what are you doing?" James asked. And for the first time, she saw fear in his eyes. The truth was obvious and it irritated the hell out of her."Oh, shut up, James." Candace said. "Don't act like you care about what I do with my life. Didn't you tell me yourself that you don't care?""Candace, we can talk about this like civilized people. Just let her go.""Civilized? What's the first thing you know about being civil? Nothing! You, James. You caused all of this. It could have been easy. All you had to do was love me, but you went ahead and put a ring on her finger!" The Detective gave his colleagues a sign to lay low. Candace turned from them to Tara, standing beside Seyi, using him for a shield. "You. I knew I should have slit your throat an hour ago. I knew there was something odd about you going upstairs to ease yourself.""But yo
Denzel sighed when he turned and half expected it to be someone his heart had been thinking of in a few days now. It happening to be James."Bonaparte, please." He said to the bartender who gave his most polite smile and turned to the lined up drinks on the shelf. James glanced at his cousin who silently ignored him and sipped his share of wine as though he were alone. None of them had spoken to each other since their awful fight and not like Denzel wanted it to be that way, but when James was acting like the big baby, the only solution was to let him be. "This is getting way too old, don't you think?" Denzel asked. James glanced at him, after receiving the glass of wine from the bartender with a nod. "Well, that depends."Denzel turned to him. "On what?" James shrugged."Listen, bruv this whole thing is too. . . We are w
“What do you mean she's missing?" Candace said over the phone. "I'm sure I spoke with her yesterday over the phone."Tara sighed. "Candy, I'm as confused as you are. I wish I had spoken to her too. What could have happened to her?""Wait. . .Nana said she left the house in a haste, right?" Candace asked. "Have they checked with James or Denzel? That's the only place she would be when something happened to her.""Denzel hadn't seen her either. He is as shocked as we both are."Candace raised an eyebrow, smirked and turned to look at the bleeding Janelle in front of her. The lady looked weak and could probably pass out any minute, but she won't allow it. "Wow. That's very odd." She said. Janelle slowly raised her head to look at Candace. The phone call was on speaker so Janelle could here how much everyone was searching for her. "Tara!" Janell
"Welcome back." The voice said to her as soon as she opened her eyes, looking around to take in her environment. The blurry face, smiling down at her, became clearer. "Must have been hard coming out of La la Land, huh? Let's play." She said. Janelle shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut. This must have been a big dream she would probably come out from.As if reading her thought, Candace chuckled. "Oh no, sugar. You aren’t dreaming.""It was all you? Everything that happened was all you?" Janelle's voice finally came back."Ah, thank God. You still have that smartness in you. At least Harvard wasn't a waste." Janelle looked up at her.Candace scoffed. "You can imagine. You even had to attend Harvard and I had to attend a boarding school in Nigeria. Who does that? If he didn't want me to be noticed, he should have taken me abroad, but a far different school from yours. No
JUST LAST NIGHT. . . Janelle rushed out of the house, ignoring the voice of her Catherine, calling her back into the house. This couldn't be happening, she thought struggling with her car keys as she stepped into the car, pulling out from behind and at the same time, honking impatiently at the security man who poked his head out the window post in fright as if to be really sure of what was happening. The gate opened as soon as he got the message. Catherine rushed to the side of Janelle's car, knocking desperately at the window and pleading with her to stop and come out. She couldn't really make out what her mother was saying and she didn't care to wait for it. As soon as she pulled into traffic, thinking back at what her mother had just told her. Janelle shook her head trying to shake off the words, but they seemed t
Denzel looked around the room as if to be sure there wasn't any intruder that shouldn't be in there and that earned a smile from Janelle who walked in before him. She turned around and laughed at him. He still had that serious and worried expression on his face. It was nice enough that her mother's let him come upstairs with her. James still insisted on driving her home, because obviously, he didn't want Denzel to do him the favors. But Janelle's mother had reminded him that he had an appointment with the court today and wouldn't want to be found as a suspect he isn't. But it wasn't hard to dismiss the story stare he passed his cousin. Janelle couldn't believe that she was the center of this feud. She hadn't signed up for this. She had never wanted to be the one to break such brotherly love. She knew how hard it had been for Denzel and James to finally
Denzel rushed to the pool as soon as one of the maids screamed and rushed into the house with eyes as wide as saucers. He panicked as soon as her body floated on the surface of the pool. The thought of the fact that she could be dead gave him shivers. Bad shivers, such that he dived in for her. At the sight of her body being pulled out with him, one of the maids fainted. Two of her friends tried to hold her up as well as resuscitate her. Denzel had no choice but to give Janelle mouth to mouth, while screaming her name to come back. He knew he couldn't afford to lose her now. Or ever. Not even like this. Why hadn't he come earlier? He felt uncomfortable leaving her alone at the house that night, but she had refused to go with him to see James. And as soon as he came into the house, she was nowhere around. Her body was still warm to touch and he moved right into action.&
"Tara, abeg nau. Just help me get it from the house." Janelle whined over the phone, pouting with her lower lip pulled out like a five year old. As if Tara could see her.Even of she could. That lady was not of this planet. She definitely did not have a heart. She thought. Tara groaned over the phone. "But is it not your house? Why are you finding it hard to go get your iPad yourself?"She let out a loud breath through her nostrils, sucking her upper lip with her tongue and rolled her eyes. "You're not making this easier for me, Tara." The model from the other line laughed out loud. "Okay, I've heard you. But, nawa for you sha oo. All you just have to is walk in there, call their bluff and simply take what you want to take and leave there.""I'm not ready to listen to anyone just yet.""Now, why do I have the f