Unknown culprit

A few hours later, Maria barged into Meera’s room, yelling in excitement.

“Meera, look, yours and Ben’s news is all over the internet and everyone is on your side!”

Meera, who just managed to fall asleep after not shutting her eyes since yesterday, moaned as she tried to sit up. She was having a severe headache and her dimmed eyes wouldn’t open wider than it already had.

Seeing she was having difficulty sitting up, Maria put the matter aside and got on the bed, “Are you okay?” she touched her forehead and winced, “Oh My God! You’re burning up. We have to go to the hospital.”

“I’m fine... What happened on the internet?”

“Forget about the internet, you need to see a doctor. You look excessively feeble and dying!” without waiting for her to protest, Maria helped her out of the room while screaming for her brother.

“David, we’re going to the hospital, your sister is unwell!”

David, who was in the sitting room, impatiently waiting for Mr. Greg’s message while also reading the news about his sister, paused and looked up. Seeing Maria struggling to bring his sister down the stairs, he threw his phone aside and dashed for the stairs.

Panicking, he questioned, “What’s wrong with my sister?”

“I don’t know, but I presume it’s a fever.”

“We can’t take her to the hospital. Paparazzi will be everywhere. Let’s get a doctor to come check on her.”

“Right, I forgot. Then help me take her back into the room.”

Arriving back in the room, Maria busied herself trying to get a competent doctor while David used an ice pack on his sister’s forehead. Since the day before, he had cursed Ben and Vivian over a million times and even now, he wouldn’t stop.

...

Meanwhile, at Ben’s house, Vivian was throwing things around the living room in a fit of rage, while Ben stood by the stairs staring at his phone screen with wrath in his eyes.

“You told me she wouldn’t say anything. Now, what is this? Why does a prominent blogger have this to say?”

Ben stayed silent as he scrolled through the comments. Everyone was cursing him and his mistress whose identity wasn’t made public.

If Meera posted about his affair, then why would she hide the identity of his mistress?

“You trusted her, didn’t you? Now see what your trust has caused! It’s a good thing that my name was not mentioned, but how long would that last? Other bloggers would soon start to poke their noses and when that happens, my identity would be out there before you know it. My career is about to be over and our baby, what will happen to our baby?” she plopped on the floor and started wailing very emotionally.

“I have known Meera for decades and I said she wouldn’t do that!”

“Then who did? If it wasn’t Meera, who?!”

“I’ll give the blogger a call. You should leave because the paparazzi will be coming here anytime soon.”

“No! I’m not leaving until I know who’s after mine and our child’s life.”

“Fine. I’ll be in my study. Even if you hear a knock on the door, don’t open. Stay still and don’t go about causing problems for anyone. That would be the best thing you can do for us right now.”

Vivian froze and suddenly gave a mocking laugh, “ Are you calling me a troublemaker, or you’re indirectly asking me not to bother Meera?”

“Vivian, please, don’t start. I don’t have the time for this,” he turned and headed for his study room.

About an hour later, he returned, feeling betrayed. Seeing that his countenance had changed, Vivian didn’t bother to ask before she started yelling.

“I told you that vixen would never let the matter slide. She did that to spite us and put our child’s life in danger! Today, it was just you. Tomorrow, she’d post my name and what next? Your crazy fans would start to attack me!”

“I didn’t expect her to do something so beneath her. Giving the blogger news when she promised not to pursue the matter.”

“Now, she’s done it. How are you going to handle this? Yesterday, her brother almost killed our unborn child and you did nothing to him. Today, it’s Meera!”

“I’ll confront her and make her take back what she’s done.”

“And you think she’d listen to you? For her not to mention my name when she clearly hates me, that should let you know that she’s up to no good. What if she’s waiting for you to appear in front of her, then record what you two talked about for more evidence?”

Ben sighed, “Then what more can I do? I can’t refute the claim without solid evidence. Our friends were there when I called it off. And I know her friends would run to her defense once I showed myself online.”

“Then leave it to me. I’ll take care of her. Meera wants to play, I’ll teach her the hard way.”

“What are you planning to do?” Ben narrowed his eyes. Vivian is cunning and cruel and he was familiar with how she takes care of her enemies– she ruins them completely.

“What? So you’d warn her? I’m taking back the man I love, and the father of my unborn child. You don’t expect me to go easy on her when I already gave her the chance to walk away, but decided to strike me, do you?”

Hearing her call him ‘her man’ and the ‘father of her child’, it warmed his heart and a sense of joy he hadn’t had for a few days swept over him. “Whatever you do, make sure not to push her too hard.”

“I don’t go easy on people who want me dead, you know this.”

“Vivian! Don’t push your luck!” he yelled.