THE BLACK WIDOW

CHAPTER THIRTY

The rest of her day was ruined, and she could barely get any work done efficiently. Not long after David left, she had another visitor. It was none other than Julianna Rogers. Sonia could barely acknowledge her presence, as she was still troubled about Caroline.

"Love sick? I thought the only love of your life was Michael." She mocked.

Sonia did not reply.

"What? Your sharp mouth is jammed? The high and mighty Sonia Rogers has nothing to say?" Mrs. Rogers laughed and sat down across Sonia.

"I warned you didn't I? Did I not tell you that you will regret ever messing with me? Now you are selling yourself cheaply to men. How pathetic!" She threw her head back in another fit of laughter and added,

"But I guess it is true what they say that victims of sexual violence sometime become sexually loose." She added in disgust.

Sonia was not offended. She got up from her seat, walked up to Mrs. Rogers and got on her knees.

"I am sorry for coming into your life and turning everything upside down. I am sorry that you lost Michael, not only to me but to death too. Forgive me for intruding your space and territory."

Mrs. Rogers was shocked beyond words.

"I want this war to end please."

"Are you on something Sonia? Cocaine? Heroine? Marijuana? You are simply not yourself!"

Sonia broke down into tears.

"Michael may still be alive if I didn't marry him. I'm so sorry for depriving you of your son!"

Mrs. Rogers stood up angrily.

"It is too late for that Sonia! Michael is gone! You have robbed me of so much! The only thing you can do for me now is hand over your CEO position at OWOLAFE INDUSTRIAL. You may keep ROSEBUD."

*****

Sonia refused the condition. OWOLAFE INDUSTRIALS was hers and no living being can take it from her! She thought about how furious Mrs. Rogers was before she leaving.

"I've tried to make peace, I tried. Anyone that tries to hurt me and my family going forward will pay with their lives!"

Obviously, the war was not over yet. She called her aunt after her mother-in-law left to check on Caroline and she was told her cousin was doing fine. She was more terrified than physically hurt. She was slapped and got a few punches, but nothing more. If the war was not over, then she needs to protect herself and her loved ones even more. It was either Benjamin or Julianna that sent those men to attack her cousin. She knew what game her mother in-law was playing: the crazy woman was trying to make sure she loses everyone close to her, either to death or by creating enmity between them. Her goal? To make sure that Sonia remains alone in this whole world, without anyone by her side.

"Even David hates me right now." She said out loud.

Her phone's ringtone stopped her thoughts in their tracks.

"Detective," She said with a smile.

By the time the call was over, Sonia's smile was wider.

"That explains why the old fool had so much confidence to come to her office and brag: the calculating witch was responsible for the attacks."

Sonia sat down on the sofa in her bedroom and shook her head in wonder.

"So, delivering her stupid henchmen by her doorsteps in view of her family and neighbors didn't shake her enough and give her sense not to mess with me. She will pay even more dearly this time around. She will never again mess with me and my family."

****

A week later, Sonia was greeted with bad news as she entered her office.

"Madam, did you see the breaking news?"

"What news Stella?"

"Your mother in-law's supermarket... it caught fire!" Stella lamented. "It just came out! Your mother in-law must be devastated Madam!"

Sonia was stunned. No way! That multi-million Naira business? What about the employees? They are now unemployed! All those branded merchandises are gone?

"I'm going to check on my family, please cancel all my appointments!"

"Yes Madam."

Sonia rushed back out.

"Dear God, please console the Rogers family." Stella prayed as she locked her boss' office.

Camera flashes hit Sonia's face as she drove inside the mansion. Several police officers were there to drive the nosy journalists away. As soon as she parked her car, Sonia rushed inside the main building. Waves of sadness washed over her as she remembered her final days in the mansion for Michael's funeral preparations. She saw three women seated around Mrs. Rogers, consoling her. She recognized them as the same set of friends who came during Michael's tragedy. Margaret sighted her first and hugged her tightly.

"Why is this happening to us Sis?" Margaret wailed.

Sonia was lost for words. That branch alone brought millions into ROGERS INDUSTRIES in revenues annually. How were they to bridge the loss?

"We will get through this Maggie. We will."

Before anything else could be said, Mrs. Rogers got up and pushed them apart.

"You whore! You gold-digger! Why are you here? Are you here to seduce my husband? You have failed? Are you here to destroy what is left of our lives? You are bad luck Sonia! Bad luck! You!" She pointed at her face,

"You are worse than any black widow! You are worse than any snake! Leave my house!"

Sonia quickly weighed her options, not that she had any.

"I will take my leave mother. Please take care of yourself" Sonia mumbled.

"I will get you Sonia! For all you have done to me!"

"Excuse me? Are you accusing me of something?" Sonia asked. Surely, the old lady cannot be accusing her of setting the store on fire.

"You threatened me remember?" Mrs. Rogers shouted.

"Mum! Stop it!" Margaret cried.

Out of respect for herself, her late husband and Mr. Rogers, Sonia left the house before any more damaging and humiliating words could be fired at her.

*****

"That is not fair!" Kunle cried. "My sister is not responsible for the fire."

Caroline looked at her cousin as she adjusted herself on her seat in her living room.

"She has to be the one Kunle. She is very upset with a lot of people, and even me for being engaged to David. She dumped him and expected to pick things off from where she left off?"

"I do not care what you think, but she is not responsible for your attack, and neither is she responsible for the fire." Kunle said in his sister's defence.

"She is going through so much and all you can say is accuse her of all these evil things?" He added in despair.

"Sister Sonia is sick! She is not who she used to be. She even stopped going for therapy. Someone like that is capable of anything!"

Kunle got up angrily. "I do not know who has been feeding you with lies, but please mind your words. Besides, do you have evidence to support your claims? No!"

"Kunle, she is the only one with a motive so strong to do all these evil things." Sonia shot back.

"Goodbye Caroline! Perhaps you have forgotten she has a lot of enemies who would do anything to bring her down."

"She is responsible Kunle! She is!"

Kunle shook his head and left. No matter what anyone else says, he will never believe that his sister could be capable of such evil.