𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐃 (𝐀 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧-𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥) ✔

- 30 -

                  - Hope's POV -

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Last update for today... Enjoy
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Baby wasn't at home when I heard knocking coming from his door. These past few days I'd been squatting with Baby until I find a better job with a nice pay. I wasn't going to be ahead of myself this time around. Any job even with minimal wages would be okay for me.

But, moving out wasn't my number one priority.

Fulfilling the promises I made with my family, was.

The thought roaming through my mind was how to sell the iPhone 13 Henry got for me. It was just few days old and obviously as good as new. I knew selling it would atleast cover the promises I made to my family and would still have little for me to go by.

Knock, knock!

The knock came in again yet I didn't bother getting up. I no longer talk to anyone in the compound aside from Baby and I obviously had no friends so who'd want to visit me? If it was Baby's friends, then they'd just have to go and come back later.

Baby was a good friend, someone who was there for me and respected my every decision. A decision to go by the name Hope Prince and no longer Cherry Jesus.

Why on earth did I even gave myself the name Cherry? I wasn't an agbalumo.

"Cherry, please open the door." And that was when it got to me, that voice. That voice completely stopped all thought enveloping my small brain. That voice came in with so much emotions I couldn't comprehend.

I thought of ignoring that voice but my legs had minds of their own as they strode over to the door and opened it. I sucked in breath seeing the face that threw my stuff out. Seeing the face that betrayed and exposed my secretes because of a guy that never knew she once existed. Seeing the face that pretended I wasn't even existing as she went on with her day to day activities, ignoring my ass out.

Cherry wanted to slap the shit out of Christy but Hope? Hope didn't want to stain her hands with the filth that was Christy. And right now, I was no longer Cherry.

"What do you want?" I snarled in anger, watching Christy fidget with her fingers.

"Can I c-come in?" She stuttered pointing at Baby's room.

"This isn't my room, I don't have the permission to let you in." I replied dryly. Baby wasn't home, he'd gone out to the studio to record his new single.

"I know you're mad at me Cherry but—"

"I know not this Cherry you speak of," I rolled my eyes, already disgusted at her sight. "I'm Hope, Hope Prince."

Christy felt shocked at my change of attitude while I stared at her boredly. I wanted her gone so I'd go back and resume my thinking. "I made a mistake and I'm sorry. Remember all the things I did for you? Favours I made for you? I practically sheltered, fed and clothe you. I even gave Baby his money without you lifting a finger. And if it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have had your bodyguard job remember"

Was she kidding me? It was also because of her I lost that said job.

"Can't you just forgive me?" She pleaded. "I miss you."

I didn't know when I started chuckling then it blown into a full laughter. This wasn't the first time she counted Favours. This was literally the third time. She did it the first time we argued cause of Henry, then the second time we argued cause of Henry and now this?

"You know what you always do, Christabelle?" Christy was for my best friend. The girl standing in front of me was a total stranger. "You count favours. Why call it a favour when you remind me every second of it, huh? Don't call it Favours cause you did me none. Call it by its rightful name, a debt cause I'll pay you back every second of it. Calculate everything you've done for me and send me the bills."