Chapter One

It was a bright sunny afternoon. 

A car stopped in front of a building,its driver side open and a lady in her early twenties stepped out. She looks so beautiful in her simple yet elegant outfit. 

 She wore a black, knee-high fitted gown,silver heels and a bag to match. Her simple necklace looks tiny but clearly expensive. Everything speaks of luxury.

She entered the building and was greeted by all the workers in the house. She was ushered in without any disturbance as she was already familiar with everyone in the house. 

She was engaged to their boss and was respected by everyone. She has been calling her fiancé for hours for a scheduled lunch date but he didn’t pick his calls and did not show up at the date either,so she decided to visit him at home.

She went straight to his room as she didn’t see him in the sitting room. 

She saw a lady’s purse on the couch and while she was starting to wonder what a lady’s bag was doing in her fiancé’s house,she started hearing sounds from upstairs and the situation suddenly dawned on her. “Her fiancé is cheating on her”.  He has been acting weird lately so she expected it. She was not in love with him,it was a marriage arranged by both families for the sake of friendship.She walked slowly and quietly to his room and saw the door half opened.

She could hear the lady moaning loudly.

“Mmmm,ahhh,gosh!!!!” 

The bed moving continuously under the assault on top of it echoed in the entire room as they went on.

Their sounds reverberated in the entire room. Each thrust given and met brought a creaking sound to the poor bed and their moans echoed louder. Their labored breathing and panting could be matched with their erroneous exercise. Their bodies glistened as they bathed in their own sweat. They’ve obviously been having sex for hours. 

She opened the door widely and kept on watching them from the entrance. She relaxed her back on the wall and continued enjoying the scenario in front of her not being aware of the surprise that awaits her. 

She was not interested in the engagement but she had no choice but to listen to her father,the only person who had treated her as a human being ever since she was born. She believed love is an important thing in a marriage. 

She wanted to get married to someone she loves,but she couldn’t bring it up with her father as she did not want to disappoint him. 

She clapped her hands loudly for them to hear as she noticed that they still didn’t realize her presence in the room.

The couple stopped what they were doing and turned their heads to see who had dared to enter the room and intrude on their sexual activity.

 She was shocked to see the lady in front of her.

“Jenny!!” Ann screamed. 

“Ben,how dare you? You cheated on me with my own sister?” She said,

Both Jenny and Ben,instead of being shocked and apologetic,started laughing. 

Ann was shocked to see them laughing. 

“Why are you laughing in this situation? Do you even know what you’re doing?” Jenny,this is my fiancé we are talking about. Are you not ashamed of yourself?” Ann said.

“Why should I be ashamed? I’m only laughing because it took you long enough to finally find out. It’s for the best. I was tired of sneaking around.” Jenny replied

“Are you even trying to be funny? Even if it’s a marriage of convenience, I still can’t get married to an illegitimate child. You’re nothing but a bastard. I have worked hard with my father to build this company and I can’t allow you or anyones else to stain that reputation.” Ben replied.

“Did you expect him to choose you over me? You need to wake up from that dream Ann. You don’t belong here. A dirty slit like you do not deserve Ben. You belong to the trash.” Jenny said.

Ann was determined to make a scene initially to use that as an excuse to leave the relationship but with her step sister's involvement,she is relieved as it will become easier for the engagement to get called off. She had to act as if she was hurt just to make things less complicated for herself. 

“So this has been going on for a while? I can’t believe you two. I believe this is the end of this relationship. Ann said, looking at Ben.

“I had broken up with you a long time ago. Did you just realize that? Ben said.

“Ohh,the lunch date right? Is that why you’re here? Because he didn’t show up? I sent you that message, not him. Let’s end this once. And if possible,disappear from my life please. I’m tired of seeing your face. Jenny said to Ann. 

“Fine. I’m out of here”. Ann said,finally relieved as she had gotten what she wanted. She left the room satisfied as she no longer has to marry someone like Ben but she was not happy because her own step sister Jenny is the other woman. 

Jenny stood up after she left and locked the door to avoid any other problem. She went back to Ben, closing the gap between them and kissed him on his lips and they continued from where they stopped. 

Ann drove out of the compound and went straight to her best friend’s house to relax before going home. She knows what is going to happen to her in that house after everything that happened earlier. Her step mom and her daughter will definitely deal with her and she’s not ready for it.

“You didn’t tell me you were coming,what happened?”.I thought you were supposed to go on a lunch date with Ben? So what are you doing here?” Martha asked her.

“He didn’t show up” Ann replied.

“I don’t understand,he sent you a text saying he wants to have lunch with you. You canceled our plans for him and yet he didn’t show up? Have you tried calling him?” Martha asked.

“ I called him countless times but he didn’t pick up. So I went to his house to check up on him and find out why he didn’t show up” Ann said

“And what excuse did he give you for not showing up?” Martha said

“Excuse? You wish” Ann replied sarcastically.

“I met him having sex with another woman in his room”

“What!!!!” Martha said, surprised.

“Yes Martha. And guess who the woman was” Ann said waiting for Martha’s reply.

“Just tell me who it is. You know I can’t guess”. She replied 

“ It's Jenny.” Ann said.

“ which Jenny again? Your step sister??” Martha said.

“Yes. And apparently,she was the one that sent the text so that I caught them in the act.” Jenny said 

That lady is a bitch. How can she stoop so low? I’m not even surprised.” Martha said. 

Ann narrated everything that happened at Ben’s house to Martha. 

“I knew Ben was up to no good. He’s just an animal. But Jenny is on another level. How can she be having sex with your fiancé?Martha said.

“Ex- fiancé you mean. He called off the engagement. I’m finally free from that bondage.” Ann said. 

“Yeah,finally. Let’s just hope another man won’t show up for an arranged marriage again. Your dad should really allow you to get a man for yourself instead of linking you up with his friend’s children.” Martha said.

“I wish. I just want my Mr.right to come soon,so that I can be free for good.” Ann added.

“I’m sure he will. Very soon”. Martha said 

“You’re talking as if you already have someone in mind,” Ann said jokingly.

“I don’t but I’m sure you will find someone soon. You deserve better than Ben.” Martha said.

“Forget about Ben. I’m starving,do you have food at home?”. Ann asked.

“Let me ask someone to prepare something for you. Are you going home today?” Martha asked, looking worried. 

Ann and Martha have been best of friends since high school. They confide in each other and tell each other everything. Martha and her dad have been the only people by her side as her step mom and her step sister are bent on making life a living hell for her. 

“Yeah. Let me just face it once and for all. You know I can’t escape it no matter how long I try to avoid them. Just give me food so that I can have enough strength to fight.” Ann replied laughing. 

Few hours later, a lady brought two plates of rice to them and they ate quietly. They chatted for a while and they both slept off for a few hours. 

It was quite late when they woke up,Ann dressed up and was ready to leave. Martha escorted her to her car.

“Call me if anything happens okay” Martha said.

“Sure”. Ann replied as she drove out of the compound.