CHRIS"Do not walk out on me!" I paused immediately, with my hands in my pocket, I turned around and faced my father. "Dad, why are you being this difficult? I can't keep on forcing her. I never had interest in her, you are the one pushing me into this." "That lady has potential, son." "For crying out loud! This is what you have been saying. She has potentials, she has potentials, and I have asked you what the potentials are but you haven't answered me." "Can't you look inward and see it?" I shook my head because my father was just making things difficult for me. I feel terrible for forcing a lady to marry me. Not that I love her. "Father, if eventually she yields to my pressure, just know that we are going to have problems in the marriage because we don't fit each other." "Don't say that. You both can still love each other as time goes on." I chuckled. I never believed what he was saying to me. I walked out of my house and went to the bar to join my friend. "Chris, you arr
CHRIS"Chris, what's the matter? You sounded so disturbed over the phone." I held his wrist, "Follow me," I took him to the veranda. "Please sit." We sat down on the wooden chair. "Chris, I ask you again, what is the matter?" I sniffed, "Joanna is back." Henry was startled, he adjusted on the chair and looked around. "You mean, she is around?"I nodded my head, "she is right inside, although still sleeping." "Hmm, this is a big issue. What are your plans?" "Henry, I am so confused right now. I couldn't even sleep. She asked me to make love to her but I refused." "She will suspect easily." "Joanna believes that I worked tirelessly yesterday and she didn't disturb me. She is planning on visiting my father today." "Huh? You have to stop her." "That is the issue." There was silence because we both knew what was actually at stake. Henry snapped his finger against his thumb. "What is it?" I asked him. "Maybe you can tell your father that she is pregnant and carrying your child
SANDRAIt's been two weeks since I started communicating with Armando and it seems this curfew won't end soon. What do I do now? I don't know if I should inform my mother about this pregnancy before it becomes obvious. On the other hand, I would love to inform Armando about this because I can't keep on hiding it to myself. I need him to also take responsibility. Who do I confide in? I need to talk to someone before I make a mistake. I began to ask myself a series of questions. What if he gets offended? How am I going to handle it? I should say this now before the fetus begins to grow big and by then, I will be left with no option but to carry it. Oh shit! This was never the plan. I picked up my phone but I couldn't even have the courage to dial his number. What the heck is all this? If not for the curfew, I don't think this would have been an issue. I need to see him instead of talking with him over the phone. I concluded that I would have to meet with Damien and at least let
SANDRAI noticed that I felt cold immediately in my body. What could that mean? I turned around but there was nothing. Maybe the ice cream that I took made my system cold, it's possible, right? I don't even know what else to think about. Was I forgetting anything? I quickly looked around me again and got into my car. I tried to bring the car back to life but it wouldn't. "Huh? What is wrong?" I tried again and again but nothing. "Since I got this car, it hasn't misbehaved, so why now? Do you want to keep me stranded?" I hit the steering wheel hard, including the dashboard out of anger. I tried it again for the last time but it didn't work. I got out of my car and opened the car bonnet. I placed my hands on my waist and stared at the big engine. I don't even know what to touch now. I looked around to find out who would help me but none. The garden was already scanty. What do I do now? I hit my hand on my head countless times. The weather began to change. The sky was moving and
SANDRAThe maid quickly arrived with a cocktail drink and a packaged Cornish pie. "Thank you," I said to her. "Enjoy yourself," He said to me. I took a sip but I was sure to take the Cornish pie back home. "Sir, I am here to inform you that I will be going to a meeting in Los Angeles because the scientists that are carrying out the research on the unknown disease just informed us of a great improvement." He started clapping his hands, "This is great news." "But the problem is that there is still a curfew and I won't be allowed to pass." "Huh? Says who? Now that you have come to tell me your purpose of going to another city, I will have to do something about it." "Yes sir, that is why I am here to know if I would be given a pass permit, the meeting is tomorrow afternoon." "Really, tomorrow afternoon? A minute please." He went inside, my heart was already jubiliating that I had already succeeded. Thanks to Damien for encouraging me to meet his father directly. I kept sipping m
SANDRAMy decision didn't settle down with my mother but I told them about the meeting. I know her to be very sensitive but that wouldn't change my mind. Sussan was also worried. "Sis, we only want your safety, you can tell them that the road isn't safe and they will understand. Besides, they won't sack you because you own your hospital." I chuckled, and my mother exhaled. "That isn't the point. The last time you went to Los Angeles, you were kidnapped and now you want to return there. How am I sure that you are going for a meeting?" I had to stop her at this point before she said what wouldn't be acceptable in the presence of Sussan. "I understand all your fears and I appreciate it, but I also want to remind you that I am an adult and I can do whatever I choose. If you weren't living with me in my house, you would still not find out when I travel or not." "But sis, you can send one of your staff and you have an assistant." "Is that how selfish you can be? If you can't risk you
SANDRAI was startled and paused. I saw someone that was peeping to see me. I waved at the person. He moved the trunk a little. "Why are you here alone? Didn't you hear that there is a curfew?" "I am sorry but I have something urgent to attend to in Los Angeles." "You are really brave, but I am sorry I won't allow you to pass. If it was a man that came here I would give him a severe punishment before letting him go back." "Hold on," I said to him. I went back to my car and brought out the envelope. "Here, this is my pass permit from President Flores." He didn't seem surprised, instead he chuckled, stared at me for a while before he snatched it from me. He tore it open and read the content. "You didn't open this when he gave it to you.""No, it's sealed so why should I?" "What if he asked us to send you back?" My mind began to think of so many things. Could President Flores betray me? I tried to collect the paper from him so that I could read it myself but he refused. He dial
SANDRAI don't even know if I should start shouting at him or just walk away. It's already getting dark, maybe I should just find a nearby hotel and lodge because my head is filled. What am I saying? Let me call him. The gatekeeper was there when I dialed his line. "Armando, I have been outside your house and your security guard has refused to let me in saying that you gave him rules not to let anyone inside, including me?" "What? You mean you are outside my house right now?" "Of course, I have been honking for close to thirty minutes." "Oh my! Will be there in a jiffy." I hung up and waited for him to come out. This didn't even move the gatekeeper. He wasn't even scared that I called his boss. Not long after I began to hear Armando scold the young man and then the gate began to open. I rushed back to my car and drove inside while Armando stood and watched me drive in. I could see the shock on his face. He came to me, helped open my car door, and hugged me while I was still se
MICHIGANA few weeks later after the incident at Damien's mansion, I felt sick and became bedridden due to a very unusual flu which I ignored at the start.I thought deeply as to where that moment of fantasy would lead me and Damien, it felt different as I embraced the mutual feeling we both shared and gave in to my heart's deepest desire.The flu kept me from work and doing anything productive leaving me with no other option than to hire a maid. I was too stubborn to go to the hospital as I feared that I would have to spend days thereafter testing.Just as I sat in my room with my wipes on my side and my nose as red as that of the red reindeer, my maid walked into the room and there seemed to be someone at the door as well."Someone is here to see you madam.""Come in."I responded with anticipation as I watched the door to see who it was, surprisingly I saw Damien walk into the room with flowers in his hand.His expression changed when she saw the drain look on my face that hinted a
DAMIENThe death of my father was more than a shock to me as I still could not grasp the level of the situation. What I felt in the aftermath of my father's death was indescribable.I would sometimes be lost in my mind each time I thought about his death, it would seem as if I had lost my mind and driven to madness.A few friends of my father had gathered in the mansion to mourn him after the burial, and countless people all came to me to say the same thing over and over again.It became infuriating but I had no other option than to keep up and put up an understanding face. I left the main room where all the guests were gathered to the outskirts of the mansion.To my greatest surprise, I saw the most unexpected guest I didn't think would come, I watched as she walked out of her car and her driver drove off to park the vehicle."Michigan."I stuttered as I still could not believe my eyes as I saw her in a black dress approach where I stood, she looked even more beautiful in the dress.
ARMANDOI looked at the letter that weakened me from the very moment I saw it, a letter from my long-lost family.All my life I never thought that this day would come when I would meet my people again, a cluster of emotions raided my mind as I couldn't help but feel an outburst of happiness and sadness at the same time.The name I had made for myself as well as Michigan made it easier for anyone to find us as well as my long-lost parents."What about Michigan?"The one thought that made me think straight in the fog of all those emotions, I spent so much time with her as we became a crucial part of each other and I could not help but feel what this message would do to her once she heard.I closed my eyes as tears dripped down my cheeks, there was only one road for me to take and it would be a painful one but the best for us both.I walked into Michigan's office after leaving my desk with a different sense of being, I took my steps slowly in an attempt to find the right words to disclos
CLARAI could not help the fact that my meeting with Paul caught me off-guard as I did not expect anything like the outcome of what I encountered, it made me drive with a worried mind."Why do I keep getting this intuition that something wrong would happen?"I thought aloud in the car as I drove alone, the exact words rang through my mind as I approached the end of my destination.Arriving at the mansion with the same worried and troubled countenance as I walked up to the door, the mansion appeared even more quiet than usual as I stood at the door surprised."What is going on here Damien?"I asked as I saw him sit in anticipation and with a menacing look on his face, he sipped the glass of juice before bringing himself to speak to me."Look at those test results, all the answers you need are in there."He spoke in such a calm tone which made the situation even more frightening as I touched the test slip on the table. He watched me like a predator waiting for me to make the wrong move
ARMANDOTo my greatest surprise, she did not even seem fazed by the fact that I was with Paul, it was almost as if she knew about us the entire time which I highly doubted."Why am I not surprised to see the right-hand man or should I say servant of Michigan, you guys do make quite the duo after all."She spoke with a sense of calmness as none of what had happened seemed to catch her by surprise, even with the element of surprise on our side she was not moved."I haven't got all day Paul, If you have something to say to me you might as well go on with it or save us the stress of having such an absurd meeting.""I did not come here to banter words with you Clara for that time is far behind me, you decided that you do not want me in Benjamin's life knowing fully well that he is my son and not Damien's."I watched as Paul poured out his mind to Clara in a tone that I never heard him use until the moment he accepted the gruesome fate that Clara presented him with."I will leave his life b
ARMANDO"We were able to apprehend the assassin as well as his employer who happened to be an underground drug lord portraying an addictive gambler to the public. I got the drug lord to talk and he confessed to his crimes."The detective said as he revealed the concluding aspects of the investigation, one thing was still ringing in my mind and I waited for him to finish the reveal before I asked."There is still one part of the investigation which seems like you skipped it, it's the part that concerns Michigan and happened to the same thing that linked her to the case.""I was just getting there, the drug lord also revealed that he was working with Clara whose sole aim was to frame your boss for the crime while the main plan was to kill Paul."Such a full disclosure was certain to drive one into a state of unparalleled shock, I stood my ground in disbelief as I slowly assimilated the information that shook me."it is now up to you guys if you will press charges against her or not, you
DAMIEN"Hello madam so sorry to have kept this from you till this time but Benjamin fell sick last night and right now I have him in the hospital receiving treatment."I spoke with a polite tone as I disclosed the current situation with Benjamin to his school management. They were more than ready to give him as much needed time as possible to recover."We will find time to get his classmates and the staff to visit him, my regards to him.""Will do, madam."I responded to the headmistress as I hung up after seeing the presence of one who completely changed my neutralized countenance, someone who needed to be here but not the type I would expect to arrive at anything early."Where is he, where is my son?"Clara asked as she walked straight to the room I was standing close to, I stopped her from entering as the nurse was still administering his medication."Hold your horses right there, you barge in demanding to see a son you didn't even bother to check on before driving off to some busi
DAMIENAfter a day of nonstop paperwork even as the owner of the company, I returned to my mansion with a weighted expression and a tired countenance.All I needed was rest at the moment, nothing more nothing less as I crawled out of the car, trying to lift my entire body and the briefcase I held in hand."Nancy!"I called out to Benjamin's nanny as she was the only maid in the house before crashing into the nearest couch I could find in the living room, loosening my tie as I awaited her arrival.After a few minutes of no response, I decided to call her as I had no more strength left in me to call out at the fullest extent of my lungs."Where are you, Nancy?" I asked immediately if she picked up my call, "I have been calling you since I got back and you are nowhere to be found.""I went to the store to pick up something that Mrs. Clara ordered, she asked me to rush down here a few minutes before you called sir."It was not of her own doing as the task sounded exactly like something Cl
DETECTIVE LEONARDSteven added as he then approached the pair to apprehend them, I could sense that one of the two suspects would want to defy the odds and try to pull a stunt on us.The more deadly tossed the nerdy guy unto Steven as he immediately jumped through the big vent that sat behind him, a smart move that I did not anticipate."Cuff him!"I said to the detective as I ran off to meet up with the escapee who happened to have planned his getaway plot if something like this were to happen. To my greatest surprise, the officer caught him before he could get on his feet, cuffing him up as he could not pull any more tricks out of the bag."You nearly got killed in there, I hope this goose chase you were about to take us on was not for nothing or else you will have me to answer?"The suspect did not want to answer as he held a bold and overconfident expression with me, he wanted to make this even harder than it already was but I knew just what to do to get to him.I drove them back