New flame

Chapter 66

It's a new day, and I'm already dressed in my blue jeans, a black sweatshirt, and a pair of sneakers. As I wait for my mother and Olivia to get ready, I'm sipping my hot coffee and staring out the wide window at the city skyline.

Even though I am limited in what I can order, I have been enjoying my stay. After eating the egg porridge last night, I fell asleep without even realizing it, and I feel much better this morning.

A nurse had also come earlier to check on me medically and let my mother know that I was doing fine.

Ren enters my head as I enjoy the breathtaking views of Lagos as the sun rises in the bright sky.

I smile and say to no one in particular, "She will love this view," remembering our last date at Lagos Motor Boat. I smile even wider as I recollect her refusal to ride the boat out of fear.

I stop grinning when I think about how much I miss our conversations, her companionship, and our intimacy. I also regret how I ruined my second chance with her. I should be worrying about how today is going to be since I don't even deserve her in the first place.

I will certainly testify for the state but there isn't enough evidence to convict my father at this point. I don't know what they're up to, but they're making Jeff the criminal, so his representative would have no doubt been well-prepared for this.

My phone rings, and I jump out of my thoughts to grab it on the bed, only to discover that it's Mom calling. This implies that we are ready to leave.

I set my coffee mug down on the table and take a long breath, shutting my eyes and making a conscious effort to believe that everything would be okay today.

When I eventually leave my room, I see Olivia in her floral dress and leather sandals, and Mom in her black suit and heels, walking side by side as they approach me.

We enter the elevator and descend the floor, then we head to the parking lot. I'm not sure how Mum got this whip because it isn't one of Dad's. I choose not to inquire as I want to be completely focused on what will transpire in court.

We all remain silent while Mom speeds off to the Lagos State High Court, which is located on Lagos Island.

Olivia and I are both staring out the window, but Olivia has a pair of wireless AirPods on her ears while Mom concentrates on the road.

A few minutes after we arrived, we make our way to the courtroom, which has already been opened. When we walk in, the first people I see are Jeff's relatives. The fact that I can identify his mother, younger brother, and younger sister indicates that the two elderly men seated with them are also family members.

Jeff's mother is speaking with one of the elderly men, so I merely wave and say hello to Jeff's younger siblings, who are staring at us and making a fake smile at me in response.

Among the people already present in the courtroom, I could also make out a few of Dad's employees. On the other side of the judge's seat, a woman who appears to be the clerk is seated, and two men wearing wigs and black gowns are seated in front of the judge's seat.

No sooner did I sit between Mom and Olivia than the prison guards followed Dad and Jeffrey, in.

As they move toward the dock, I fix my gaze on them. The two stood next to each other in their prison uniforms as the officers unfastened their handcuffs.

Dad's eyes move into mine when he abruptly notices that I am looking at them.

I gulp because he can't take his eyes off of me. This makes me want to feel bad for him. I manage to look away from him and gaze only at Jeff, who was looking at the ground.