Binary Hearts

78| Cracks of Betrayal 💘

Chidi leaned back comfortably in the worn armchair, taking in Adaora's modest living room with a sense of ease that made her uncomfortable. He tilted his head slightly, his eyes narrowing with a glint of curiosity. "So, how’s Tunde?" he asked casually, as though they were merely old friends discussing trivial matters.

Adaora, sitting rigidly across from him, swallowed hard. "Thank God, he's fine," she replied, forcing a small smile. The tension in her voice was barely concealed. She hesitated before adding, "And thanks again for your help with the money. I’ll make sure to repay you once I can."

At this, Chidi's smile widened, but not in a way that brought comfort. He stood up slowly, closing the small gap between them, his presence towering over her. Leaning in close, his breath warm against her ear, he whispered, "Do you really want to repay me?"

Adaora’s heart raced. Clearing her throat, she instinctively took a step back, bumping slightly against the wall. "I was referring to the money," she managed, her voice shaky but firm. "I’ll repay you the money."

Chidi’s smile softened into something more playful as he straightened up, placing his hands casually in his pockets. "I know," he said, laughing lightly. "I'm just pulling your legs, Adaora. You don’t need to repay anything. Consider it a gift."

Adaora forced a smile in return, but inside, her nerves were frayed. She wished for him to leave but couldn’t bring herself to say it.

Meanwhile, Tunde sat in his room, staring at the brown envelope that the mysterious biker had thrown at him. His hands hesitated before tearing the seal open. Inside, a wave of disbelief washed over him. There, among the documents, were pictures—clear images of his best friend, Mide, shaking hands with none other than Mr. Okoye, Chidi’s father.

He rifled through the papers. It wasn’t just casual meetings—there were documents of transactions, signed deals that betrayed Spark Technologies. Mide was leaking information, vital company secrets, to their competition. Worst of all, Tunde found evidence that Mide had been in secret meetings with the very shareholders who had pulled out from Spark, weakening his company when they needed support the most.

Tunde felt the room spin. His best friend, the one person he thought he could trust after all the betrayals he’d faced, had been conspiring against him. His heart pounded, a deep sense of anger rising from within. He grabbed his phone, furiously dialing Mide's number, but the call went straight to voicemail.

Elsewhere, Mide sat frozen in his office chair, staring at his phone in disbelief. The call he had just received from Chevron was nothing short of a nightmare. "We regret to inform you that your services will no longer be required..." Their words echoed in his mind. Fired? How? Why? What did he do?

He was reeling, panicking. The consequences of his actions with Mr. Okoye were catching up to him. He knew he was in trouble. Without thinking, he bolted from his office, rushing to his car. He had to speak with Tunde, to try and explain things before it was too late.

At the Okoye residence, a sleek, black motorbike rolled to a halt outside the expansive gates. The biker, still wearing a black helmet, dismounted and walked toward the front entrance. "It’s done," the mysterious figure said, his voice low. Mr. Okoye, standing just inside, nodded and handed over a small envelope, thick with cash. "Good work," Mr. Okoye murmured as the man disappeared into the shadows.

Mide arrived at Tunde’s house, his heart hammering in his chest. He rang the bell, shifting nervously on his feet. When Adeola opened the door, her face was one of mild surprise. "Adeola!" Mide said, trying to sound casual but clearly agitated. "Uh... I need to speak with Tunde."

Adeola let him in, gesturing for him to sit in the living room. Mide paced back and forth, trying to compose his thoughts as he waited.

Upstairs, Tunde’s grip tightened around the folder as he heard Mide’s voice echo faintly from below. The rage that had simmered inside him was ready to boil over. He stormed downstairs, his footsteps heavy and determined.

Without a word, Tunde marched straight up to Mide, his face contorted with fury, and before Mide could react, Tunde landed a hard blow across his face.

Mide stumbled back, shocked. "Tunde! Are you crazy?" he shouted, clutching his cheek.

But Tunde didn’t reply. His fists spoke for him, landing another punch square on Mide’s jaw. Mide, now more confused than hurt, retaliated, his anger flaring. "What the hell is wrong with you?" he shouted, swinging back at Tunde.

The two men erupted into a full-blown fight, fists flying, both of them consumed by their emotions. Tunde’s blows were driven by the pain of betrayal, while Mide’s were defensive, confused, and desperate.

Adeola watched from the side, biting her lip, her hands clasped nervously. She wanted to intervene, but part of her hoped Tunde would win this fight, that he would come out on top.

Sweat poured down both men’s faces as they exchanged punches. The living room was filled with the sound of heavy breathing and grunts of pain. It wasn’t long before Tunde, fueled by rage, got the upper hand. With one final, powerful punch, he sent Mide sprawling to the floor, gasping for air.

Tunde stood over him, his chest heaving. "How dare you betray me?" he spat, his voice thick with anger.

Mide, sitting on the floor, wiped blood from his lip. "What do you mean?" he panted, still bewildered. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

Tunde threw the folder onto Mide’s lap, the incriminating documents spilling out. "Explain this!" he demanded.

Mide’s eyes widened as he stared at the photos, the documents that laid bare his secret dealings with Mr. Okoye. For a moment, he was speechless. He had been caught. He knew there was no talking his way out of this. The regret hit him hard—he shouldn’t have betrayed Tunde, not when everything was about to change for him. Not when he was finally ready to turn over a new leaf.

But now, it was too late.