Episode 4- The voice in the dream

"If you don't love yourself, you can't fall in love"

Oluwatosin melody

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I woke up with a crazy headache, another day of pains, and heartaches. No one understands what I was going through every night. Last night was worse than the other night.  No one could cure the heartaches, the nightmares, not even the therapist I go to every Friday evening.

Arriving at the company that morning, I saw a woman speaking with the security guards through the window shield of my car. When the car stopped, my bodyguard Dennis,  a former navy captain who retired and got hired by me opened the door for me to come out.

The securities came to me but, my eyes were fixed on the lady who had sneaked into the company. Dennis seemed to notice her too and pointed at her.

"She could be a spy. Get Tammy to speak to her, "I whispered into his ears.

"Yeah boss," he bow and instructed one of the junior guards.

Dennis and the three other guards escorted me to the entrance of the Company. We took the front door that was open wide and entered the company.

When I entered, I ignored the greetings of my employees and looked around for the lady I saw earlier But, I couldn't find her. I entered into my private elevator with Dennis and press the 35th floor where my office was.

"Did Tammy see the woman?"I asked because I couldn't stop thinking about the woman and what her motives were.

"She could be an assassin."I thought.

"Yeah boss, he had spoken to her. She should be Coming up now, "he said.

When the elevator stopped On the 35th floor, I walked out and headed straight to my office. I ordered Dennis to call the police in case the woman turned out to be an assassin. Dennis bow and went back to the elevator.

When I got to my office, I turned on my computer to see watch the footage of the woman. I looked at the footage of the 35th floor and saw her coming straight to my office. When I heard the opening of the door, I quickly ran and hid inside my washroom.

I could hear the woman entering my office but I couldn't hear her say anything. If she was sent here by the competitive company's, I'll have to catch her red-handed and make sure she rot in jail. I silently walked out of the washroom into the office and stood behind her, waiting for what she wanted to do.

There in front of me was a petite woman. Why would they send a petite and fragile woman to my office?

When I saw her walking towards the glass on my desk, I decided to make my presence known.

I coughed and spoke in a deep but, loud voice. "Who are you? Do I know you?"

The woman didn't do anything, she didn't turn to look at me. I could see her trembling where she stood. That was exactly how I wanted her to feel. I waited for her to turn but when she didn't, it got me pissed off that I shouted.

"I'm asking again, who are you? And what are you doing in my office!"

The lady turned but she didn't look at me. I needed to see her face, to see the fool they had sent to my office to steal whatever they thought they could steal.

"Look up, "I said but she didn't answer so I shouted. "I said look up now !!"

The woman slowly raised her head and looked at me in the face. I glared hard at her and smiled at my competitor's foolishness.

"How could they send a fragile lady who looks like a starving orphan to my office?"

"Franklin" she called.

She called me by my second name. A name I haven't heard in a while except in my dream. A woman always called me that in my dreams and the shocking fact was that, the voice sounded the same. I couldn't conclude yet because, for some reason, I  haven't been able to see the woman's face in the dream.

"Franklin, "she called again.

I stared at her with my face void of emotions. I tried to read her expression and then I saw tears on her face. An expression of sadness.

"Who are you? Who sent you here?"I asked the unfamiliar woman.

She cried and rushed to hug me. For a moment, I wished the hug wouldn't end because I have lacked warmth all my life. When I thought about my competitors, I pushed her away.

"Get away from me woman. I won't ask again, who are you?"

"It me franklin, Melody your wife." the woman replied with a smile.

Did the woman just escape from a mental institution? I don't even know her or who was putting her up for this. I grabbed her arm and shook her.

"Who put you up for this? who the hell are you!!"I shouted and pushed her away.

The woman fell to the ground but stood up again and walked closer to me. She touched my face but I slapped her hand away.

"If you tell me who told you to come here, I might not sue you for trespassing, "I informed her.

The woman stared at me for a moment and looked at me closely. she tried to touch my face again but,  I slapped her hand away.

"I hate when people touch my face."

"Don't you dare touch my face?"I pointed a finger of warning at her.

"Franklin!! What are you doing? How dare you try to pretend that you can't recognize me? How dare you?" she shouted and began to punch me in the chest with her fragile hands. "How dare you pretend? How dare you!" she yelled.

I grabbed her hand to stop her from punching me and pulled her closer to face me. Her face was red probably from all the crying. That's was not my problem, it is not every day a deranged woman walks into your company and starts calling you her husband.

"Listen up madam. I don't know how much they pay you for this. I'm not who you think I am. I'll let you walk away free if you could stop all this stupid assumption."

She freed her hand from my grip and gave me a resounding slap.

"How dare you?"I shouted. How dare she raise her dirty hand and slap me.

"How dare you pretend not to recognize me, franklin. I know it is five years but at least you could have searched for me." she sobbed.

I watched her as she cried and wondered what she was talking about. I have never met her all my life.

"I thought you were dead, I saw you getting shot and the house on fire. I saw you getting shot"she ranted and then yelled. "How come you are alive!"

"I have no idea who you are or what you are ranting about. You have the wrong person and if this is a game, you better stop it."

"A game?" she laughed and started crying again. "You think spending five years in hell was something I wanted. I don't know how you survived in that fire franklin but you not recognizing me, is not something I expected."

I couldn't say anything but look at her. What was she ranting about when I don't even know who she was.

"You think because you dye your hair from black to blonde that I wouldn't recognize you!" she yelled.

How does she know about my blonde hair? I've dyed my hair for five years now and it was not something everyone knew. I dyed my hair to forget my past.

Just as I was about to reply to her, the door burst open. Dennis and two guards entered my office. The two guards grabbed the woman and pulled her out of the office. She yelled kicked and shouted my second name.

"Let me go! Let me go!! Franklin!!!!" she shouted as she was pulled out by the two guards.

My head winces and a memory flashed in front of me. I could hear the voice of a woman calling out to me. The voice sounded the same but, I couldn't see the woman's face cause the memory wasn't clear.

"Are you alright boss? I'm sorry I came late."Dennis apologized

I gave no reply and walked out of the office into the elevator. When I got to the ground floor, I saw the woman being pushed into the police vehicle. For the first time in so many years, I felt guilty.

Our eyes met and she stared at me with tears in her eyes before looking away.