“Are you ready?”Nicholas asked her and she nodded her head, taking a deep breath.“I don’t know what we’re doing, as Lorenzo wouldn’t say a word but, okay. I am ready.”“Don’t fret. It is nothing serious,” he shook his head and then curved his arm beside her.Leilani nodded her head and then breathed out again. “If you say so.”She linked her arm around his arm, and together, they walked to the press.The moment they sighted them, they all turned to look at them, flashing their lights at them which almost overwhelmed the woman.But, Nicholas was holding on to her tight as they walked down the red carpet.They kept walking, ignoring the literally provoking questions the press was asking till they walked in through the opened door of the hall.Leilani gasped softly as she entered the hall.It was the largest she had ever seen. Real or on the television. It was so bright too that it could blind a person, and the ornaments used to beautify the hall could not go unnoticed.Chandeliers hu
“Is that not… Enzo’s wife?”Shane chuckled dryly as he leaned in his seat and then nudged his brother gently.Arthur took his hand from the woman who sat beside him and then turned to look in the direction Shane pointed at.“No way.”“Look there. She is sitting with Nicholas.”Arthur squinted his brows and when he confirmed that it was truly the woman, he chuckled and then hissed.“Who is that?” The woman, Emily asked.Emily was his girlfriend and he had hoped that after the event was over, he would take her home and introduce her to his family.“Lorenzo’s wife.”“Your stepbrother?” She asked and he nodded his head.“Woah, she’s pretty,” she sucked her teeth.“I don’t see it.”“She is so pretty. She looks better in person.”“Whatever,” he rolled his eyes and then turned to look at Shane.“Why is she here though?”“Perhaps… She came out to cheer for Nicholas? No one needs to be told, we know he’s getting an award tonight again.”For the past five years, Nicholas had been receiving awar
David shook his head as his boss wouldn’t stop laughing and then shook his head.“Sir.”Lorenzo smacked and then exhaled. “All along… it was him.”“Boss.”“We suspected someone from the house, did we not?”“Yes, but certainly not Shane.”Lorenzo nodded his head in agreement and then dropped his head on the headrest, his eyes closed.He might have actually imagined it to be anyone, but never Shane.He thought he knew the man.He was reckless and sassy, but certainly not the type to commit arson or murder.Well, in the past.He had just assumed the man to be a jester as he used to derive joy in making fun of his condition by coming up with numerous ironies just to insult him.But never in his whole life had he thought that Shane would go as far as wanting to kill his own wife.“Boss.”“Yes?” He opened his eyes and then sat upright.“What do we do?”“Where is he?”“He is in the hall also,” he answered.Lorenzo nodded his head and then chuckled.“Give me your orders. What do you want me t
“I am Lorenzo Byers, and I am the founder of the BENZO group of companies.”Agnes choked on the water she was drinking as she stood up gently from the couch with Aaron opposite her.“That is…”She coughed out loud, dropping the glass cup in her hand and not minding the way it shattered to the ground. She hit her chest and then coughed again.“That is…”“Lorenzo?” Aaron whispered, and then removed his medicated glasses from his eyes as if that was going to help him to see clearer.“That is Lorenzo?!” Agnes hollered and then widened her eyes.They had both settled in front of the Television to watch the event as they had hoped that Arthur would be receiving an award that night.“He is… Benzo?”“He can… walk?”Agnes and Aaron stuttered respectively.“This is wrong. There must be an error somewhere,” Agnes shook her head.But, Aaron’s reaction was different.He staggered to the big screen, touched it, and trailed his fingers down his son’s supposed legs.“He is standing!” He cried out an
“I am sorry to inform you that we lost the baby.”......Silence ensued as Leilani tilted her head and stared at the doctor for a few minutes before he moved closer to her and shook her gently.“Are you okay, ma’am?”“I… I didn’t get you,” she shook her head.Did he intend to pass that news to someone else?“We are sorry. We tried our…”“Hold on. What baby?” She cut him short, her brows pulling together.“What?”“You said I lost my baby. I don’t understand you,” she let out a dry chuckle.“You… you didn’t know that you were pregnant?”Leilani stiffened and widened her eyes. Pregnant?She had never been pregnant for once since her four years in marriage, so how could she have miscarried a baby she didn’t even have?“You are mistaken,” she shook her head.“I'm sorry, ma’am.”“No! There is no way I was… pregnant!” She cried out.“You are wrong with the test result. Run it again.”Her eyes darted as she shook her head at the piece of information that she had just received.There was no
She was trying her best not to look at the woman who sat on the couch, her hands on her belly, like she was announcing to her that she was indeed carrying a baby in her womb.But all of this was still confusing.She needed a proper explanation as to why her husband had brought another woman home and why her in-laws were not seeing any problem with it.Jonathan returned with a brown envelope in his hand and she swallowed hard when he stretched it at her.“What is…” she sniffed.“It is divorce documents, Leilani,” he said, confirming her doubts.He had settled beside the woman again and now the paper in the envelope was already in her hand and she was scanning through it with tears in her eyes.“W… why?” her voice broke.“Why?” Nancy, her mother-in-law answered instead and burst into laughter.Nancy might actually have been the root of everything that was going on in the house.She and Jonathan had started off pretty well.Although Nancy had never been in support of their union right fr
With shaky legs, Leilani staggered up the stairs, struggling to not burst into tears so those people laughing loudly behind her wouldn’t have leverage over her. Not like they didn’t already. It was as if the world she had known was crumbling away and it hurt more because there was absolutely nothing that she could do about it. Turning the knob of the door to her room, she breathed out and then entered. However, she had not entered fully before she caught the whiff of luggage settled in the corner of her room. Her matrimonial room. Their house had just three rooms, and her mother-in-law and sister-in-law were occupying two, leaving one for her and Jonathan. Even though she was aware of how the man was displeased with them sharing a room, they still had no other choice than to. He rarely comes home and sleeps in the bed with her anyway. “Her luggage is here… already,” she stated as if anyone was there to hear her. She dropped the document on the bed, walked to the bag
Tightening her grip around the traveling box that rested gently by her leg, Leilani swallowed hard as she bore her eyes into the gate, hoping that it would suddenly open and Jonathan would rush out and then usher her in while he begged her that he had made a terrible mistake.She could only dream, of course, but she wished.Tears streamed down her face, her sweaty palm fondled into a tight fist while the other held the handle of her box gently.After she had signed the document, forcefully, Maxwell, Jonathan’s sister had taken up the task to gather her loads and had surely made sure to leave out a lot of them, obviously.“The divorce will go through with or without you around. I have my way with it. You will get your alimony from my lawyer tomorrow,” he had said before his sister and mother walked her out of the house.Dumbfounded beyond comprehension, Leilani walked out of the house, trying as hard as she could to keep her tears in and not break down in front of these people.“Ugh, f
“I am Lorenzo Byers, and I am the founder of the BENZO group of companies.”Agnes choked on the water she was drinking as she stood up gently from the couch with Aaron opposite her.“That is…”She coughed out loud, dropping the glass cup in her hand and not minding the way it shattered to the ground. She hit her chest and then coughed again.“That is…”“Lorenzo?” Aaron whispered, and then removed his medicated glasses from his eyes as if that was going to help him to see clearer.“That is Lorenzo?!” Agnes hollered and then widened her eyes.They had both settled in front of the Television to watch the event as they had hoped that Arthur would be receiving an award that night.“He is… Benzo?”“He can… walk?”Agnes and Aaron stuttered respectively.“This is wrong. There must be an error somewhere,” Agnes shook her head.But, Aaron’s reaction was different.He staggered to the big screen, touched it, and trailed his fingers down his son’s supposed legs.“He is standing!” He cried out an
David shook his head as his boss wouldn’t stop laughing and then shook his head.“Sir.”Lorenzo smacked and then exhaled. “All along… it was him.”“Boss.”“We suspected someone from the house, did we not?”“Yes, but certainly not Shane.”Lorenzo nodded his head in agreement and then dropped his head on the headrest, his eyes closed.He might have actually imagined it to be anyone, but never Shane.He thought he knew the man.He was reckless and sassy, but certainly not the type to commit arson or murder.Well, in the past.He had just assumed the man to be a jester as he used to derive joy in making fun of his condition by coming up with numerous ironies just to insult him.But never in his whole life had he thought that Shane would go as far as wanting to kill his own wife.“Boss.”“Yes?” He opened his eyes and then sat upright.“What do we do?”“Where is he?”“He is in the hall also,” he answered.Lorenzo nodded his head and then chuckled.“Give me your orders. What do you want me t
“Is that not… Enzo’s wife?”Shane chuckled dryly as he leaned in his seat and then nudged his brother gently.Arthur took his hand from the woman who sat beside him and then turned to look in the direction Shane pointed at.“No way.”“Look there. She is sitting with Nicholas.”Arthur squinted his brows and when he confirmed that it was truly the woman, he chuckled and then hissed.“Who is that?” The woman, Emily asked.Emily was his girlfriend and he had hoped that after the event was over, he would take her home and introduce her to his family.“Lorenzo’s wife.”“Your stepbrother?” She asked and he nodded his head.“Woah, she’s pretty,” she sucked her teeth.“I don’t see it.”“She is so pretty. She looks better in person.”“Whatever,” he rolled his eyes and then turned to look at Shane.“Why is she here though?”“Perhaps… She came out to cheer for Nicholas? No one needs to be told, we know he’s getting an award tonight again.”For the past five years, Nicholas had been receiving awar
“Are you ready?”Nicholas asked her and she nodded her head, taking a deep breath.“I don’t know what we’re doing, as Lorenzo wouldn’t say a word but, okay. I am ready.”“Don’t fret. It is nothing serious,” he shook his head and then curved his arm beside her.Leilani nodded her head and then breathed out again. “If you say so.”She linked her arm around his arm, and together, they walked to the press.The moment they sighted them, they all turned to look at them, flashing their lights at them which almost overwhelmed the woman.But, Nicholas was holding on to her tight as they walked down the red carpet.They kept walking, ignoring the literally provoking questions the press was asking till they walked in through the opened door of the hall.Leilani gasped softly as she entered the hall.It was the largest she had ever seen. Real or on the television. It was so bright too that it could blind a person, and the ornaments used to beautify the hall could not go unnoticed.Chandeliers hu
“Oh, how beautiful you are, Leilani!”Mia exclaimed as soon as she returned to the room and saw the woman standing in front of the dressing mirror.“Oh, how much you flatter me!” Leilani rolled her eyes and they both laughed.“I am dead serious, sis, you’re so gorgeous, Jesus!”“Uhm-hmm,” Leilani nodded her head, blushing.The make up artist moved over to her, did the final touch on her neck and then moved back.“You look like you walked out of a painting.”“That compliment beats it all,” Leilani groaned and Mia laughed.Mia scrutinized Leilani again and shook her head. “How did my brother get this designer? She is so good!”Leilani was wearing a fully beaded blue gown which flared from her waist and stopped above her knees. The V-neck of the dress was deep and was held up by two small spaghetti straps, but then there was also a drapey off-the-shoulder cap sleeveLeilani had first worried that the style would make her shoulders look huge, but now, with the pushup strapless bra that s
“Do you think he is going to show up at the event?”“Who?” Aaron asked after he drank from the glass cup and then picked up the serviette paper.“Benzo,” Arthur answered and then exhaled.“Are you still thinking about that person?”“Do you think he will show up?” He asked again.“I don’t know. He hasn’t shown up for once in over five years that he has been invited. Wonder if he ever got the awards, in fact.”“I heard no one even showed up in his place to receive his awards,” Shane butted in.“He is definitely trying not to leave any chance to be seen,” Aaron added.“What if he shows up and then considers you? You have been sending messages the longest, haven’t you?” Shane asked.Arthur nodded his head and then smacked. “I really wanna know who this person is.”“I thought he was found though. I heard someone claiming to be him.”“It was a lie. I went in search of the person and they were not real. Tch,” he breathed out in frustration and then grabbed the glass of water.“The event is i
“You will buy it?!” Lorenzo breathed out as his friend hollered, and then leaned in comfortably.“Yes, you heard right.”Both sitting in Lorenzo’s study, Lorenzo announced his plan to buy the house and car that Lorraine had placed on sale.“Why would you? Do you have any idea how much you have lost and how much you are about to lose again if you do that?”“No one will agree to buy the house and Car without seeing it first. And besides, it’s not like that is a scam. I will be getting the original documents of both properties so Jonathan and his family will have no other choice than to leave.”“I really think you have gathered enough proof to apprehend that woman. And Jonathan too.”“And where is the fun in that? I only get to see him suffer for the money he stole.”“Is that not better?”“No. He needs to be homeless, miserable… with nowhere to go. That is the plan.”“And the money?”“That money is mine, regardless. It is going to be a piece of cake getting it back from that woman. I pr
“My wife? What had she done?“Jonathan asked, his brows raised.He had not even walked away from his car before his mother and sister rushed to him.“That woman, Lorraine, insulted me!” Nancy snapped.Jonathan sighed and turned his head to look at Maxwell who nodded her head in agreement and then scratched her forehead.“In what way, mother? What did you do to her?”“What? What did I… are you seriously asking me that?”“Would you just tell me what transpired between you two already?” He sighed.“Okay, you know we’re having guests over in a few hours, right? So, I asked that she help out in the kitchen as the work is too much for Maxwell and I. Guess what she said.”“Mother, Lorraine is pregnant. She shouldn’t be doing hard chores like that.”“Are you insane, brother?” Maxwell snapped her brows together.“What?”“I told you, mother. I told you it was useless talking to him about it. He is never going to take your side. He has been brainwashed already. Can you not see that?!”“How dare
“Excuse me?“ Lorraine raised her head, tilted her head, and then crossed her legs from where she sat.“I said you should come assist in the kitchen. We are having a lot of people over and we need to get things done faster,” Nancy repeated.Lorraine chuckled dryly, leaned comfortably in her seat, and then pointed her index finger at her belly.“Did you see this at all?”Her bump had grown bigger and it was even more evident that she was carrying a baby.“I don’t understand.”“Why would you expect a pregnant woman like me… a heavily pregnant woman to join in the kitchen? You want me to lose my baby?”“Oh, Come on, Lorraine. Don’t take it personally, okay? I will find you a place to sit. You could just help with the cabbage and carrots. Or help to chop other vegetables. It’s nothing serious at all.”“Exactly, why should I help you to do anything at all?”“What?”“What is going on, Mom?” Maxwell joined them in the sitting room and asked.“I don’t… I don’t understand why she is being this