LOVE & FLAWS | A NIGERIAN ROMANCE |

Chapter 30: Family over all

It Has Been two days after the fight and all her efforts to contact Clint failed. Clint wouldn't reply to her message. She really wanted to know how he was doing and apologize on her brother’s behalf.

When she arrived at the storey building that housed Clint's office complex, albeit a showroom, she requested for an audience with him from Jane, but was informed of his absence. Jane didn't go into details, and she didn't mind. She was more concerned at escaping the reach of Clint's staff, whose gaze from their respective positions through their cubicles asked a lot of questions.

She drove down to his residence. Her conscience nagged her. She would just say sorry and leave; he wouldn't hurt her, she assured herself. She steered her 2020 Honda CR-V to a stop before the two storeys apartment building. 

Tina looked up at the building, and sighed. She dressed the tip of her skirt before stepping towards the entrance f the apartment block. A second knock on the door was able to call someone's attention. The door opened with a surprised looking Iyke standing before her. 

Her presence wasn't appreciated by Clint. He made no attempt to hide it. She saw his bruised on his face and his bandaged shoulder. He looked on at her, saying nothing.

“You are not going to sit?” Iyke motioned her to a couch adjacent to Clint's, but she joined Clint at his. 

Iyke left the sitting room. She tried to touch his face, but he withdrew his face. She reached out again but received the same treatment.

She was going to apologize to him, that's why she came, but shame got a bigger part of her. Her father getting involved in their issue was enough shame before Pete took it to a whole new level. She brought out a notebook from her bag and scribbled notes on a blank sheet. She tore the page and left it on the table when she was done. “I'm really sorry.” she expressed sincerely after pressing the note into his hand. She left waving at Iyke who locked the door after her.

Tina: I Know you must have read my note by now. I apologize on his behalf.

She texted Clint late in the night: very intent on establishing her level of sincerity.

Clint: (Voice note) You shouldn't be apologizing on his behalf. Can't you see you are the one causing all this harm? If I were you and I had a little conscience left in me, I would stop playing the victim and own up to my sh*t. I should be apologizing for myself, not that of those I manipulated.

Stop that ploy, it won't work with me.

Tina held her hand against her mouth. It took her seconds to recover from the shock she felt. She didn’t expect this level of backlash from Clint.

Tina: What is this supposed to mean?

She typed with quivering fingers

Clint: (Voice note) It beats my imagination why you chose to tread this path. Matter of fact, let me make it clear to you, keeping that pregnancy or playing that victim card won't make me change my mind about you. 

Tina sobbed. Clint is mean. Why would he accuse her of such?

If you must know, the best I can offer you is child care support. You can't use pregnancy and your disability as an added advantage to force your way back into my life. Had I known before now, I wouldn't be paying heavily for this.

Clint’s voice was stern and his tone bitter. Tina clenched her jaw. Anger crept up her heart in place of pains. She won’t take the joke from Clint anymore.

Tina: Where is this coming from?

Clint: Spare me that, Tina. Take it to some other person, they may believe you.