‘Good afternoon gentlemen, I am here to get
my sister’ Obinna wore a frown.
Ife had successfully tied Ekene to a chair and
scrutinized his phone while he was still
unconscious. He had found just one copy of the
voice note in Ekene’s mailbox; he had deleted it
immediately.
‘Where am I?’ Ekene groaned and scanned the
environment.
‘We are at your house’ Ife replied coolly.
‘Or should I say “My house”, considering the
fact that I gave you all these. You didn’t
deserve a thing but I gave you anyway. The
house, the car, the job’ Ife gestured with his
hands.
‘Are you going to kill me?’ Ekene’s dull irises
shot up.
‘No. I am not a murderer Ekene. I am nothing
like you’ Ife replied.
‘So what do you want?’ He asked.
‘I need all the copies of the voice note I sent to
you. I have just deleted one from your phone,
where are the others?’ He rose to his feet with
the club.
‘That’s the only one I had, I swear’ Ekene
begged. He never thought Ife was capable of
something like this. Was he a killer?
‘I trusted you, yet you thought me a fool. Why
would you call Narissa a “Cheap lay?” Why
would you even tell her about the bet? How
could you?’ Ife rolled his eyes.
‘Please do not hurt me. I promise to mind my
business going forward. I swear, that’s all I
had on my phone. I promised’ Ekene begged.
‘Really?’ Ife stared at him intently. He needed
to be sure he wasn’t lying.
‘Good. You are no longer welcomed at
Methocorp. Once I release you, pack your things
and get the hell out of this house; drop the car
keys too. If you try anything funny, if you
attempt to harm me in any way, I would spill
your guts, chop your body into fine little pieces
and eat them’ Ife said the words so slowly, it
raised the hairs on Ekene’s nape.
‘Please don’t do this to me; if you take it all
from me, I’ll have nothing. I will be useless’
Ekene begged. If Ife carried out his threats,
his life would be over. He would have to return
to Obinna for help and that was the last thing
he wished for.
‘You’re such an ingrate. I cannot pardon
somebody like you’ Ife moved towards him and
undid the ropes that bound him to the chair.
‘Ife, please, you don’t have to do this’ he fell
on his knees.
’You don’t tell me what to do, now get out of
my house before I change my mind and use this
club on your brain’ Ife lifted the heavy object.
‘Please, I’ll be left with nothing. Have mercy, I
beg of you’ tears welled up in his eyes.
‘Left with nothing? Nigga you are nothing. Now,
be on your way!’ Ife pushed him hard.
The police men exchanged glares as the young
man moved towards to them. Then the eldest
whispered into the ears of the younger officer.
‘He seems like a well-to-do man. That stupid
girl shouldn’t have invited us in the first place’.
‘I am still waiting’ Obinna repeated himself.
‘We are very sorry sir for the inconvenience;
please have a seat while we go bring her’
‘I am sorry Obinna, this is all my fault’ Iman
kept apologizing.
‘Honey, I have told you to stop’ he scooped her
hand and squeezed it.
Minutes later, Asa was brought to him. Her face
still glowed, then a wide smile spilt her face as
she saw her brother.
‘Obinna’ she rushed and hugged him.
‘My love, how are you?’ he smoothened her hair.
‘Fine. I am happy you both came, that place
stinks like hell’ she rolled her eyes.
‘Sir, please, you’ll have to sign here’ the police
officer called his attention.
‘Let’s go wait for him in the car’ Iman pulled
Asa towards her and they both left.
‘We are very sorry sir’ the policemen apologized
after he was done with the documentation’
‘It’s okay, have this’ he dipped a hand into his
pocket, fetched some naira notes and handed
it over.
Their faces were bright with joy.
‘Sir, we are loyal’ they cheered him.
‘Thank you’ Obinna made for the door but was
stopped by a familiar scent. Although he had
gotten over her, he’d still recognized the scent
of her perfume anytime, anywhere.
He swirled around and faced the woman that
he once loved, the woman that had trampled
his love with eyes wide opened.
Their eyes fastened together but neither spoke
any word.
He trotted past her towards his car and joined
Iman and Asa.
‘I hope you have not released that girl, she
attacked me for heaven’s sake!’ Nkoli hissed
angrily. What was that loser doing here
anyway?
‘You better leave this place if you know what is
good for you’ the officers warned.
‘What kind of stupid talk is that? I paid you
good money to arrest that girl’ Nkoli was
infuriated.
‘You call your chicken change, money? You can
have it back’ the older officer launched the
five hundred naira note at her.
‘What is the meaning of this?’ Nkoli hissed
angrily, ’what did that loser do to both of
you?’
‘Loser? Mr Obinna is a well-to-do man. What
he gave us is nothing compared to your chicken
change’ they both laughed.
‘Mr Obinna?’ She raised her brow and wondered
what was actually happening.
‘If you are done, you can leave now or we take
you into custody.’
‘Stupid officers’ she cursed underneath her
breath and left. Her heart leapt as she saw him
drive away in a sleek black car.
‘What is really happening?’ Her heart raced.
Had Obinna finally made it in life?
‘No, impossible’ she reassured herself. She
needed to get more information about him.
Obinna returned to the car wearing a gloomy
look; Asa was the first to notice it as they
drove away from the police station.
‘Are you okay?’ Iman observed the tightness of
his features.
‘I am fine love’ he forced a smile. Seeing Nkoli
at the station had resurrected memories of how
she had treated him when he had nothing.
‘So Asa, tell me what really happened, who
attacked you?’ He pushed the disturbing
thoughts out of his mind.
‘Who else than that crazy girl Nkoli?’ Asa hissed
angrily.
‘Nkoli attacked you? Why?’ Obinna almost lost
his focus on the steering.
‘I was just doing a video with Iman’s phone
when she pushed me from behind, telling me
she promised to deal with me while at Ekene’s
place’ Asa narrated in detail what had taken
place.
‘Who is Nkoli?’ Iman was a bit lost.
The car suddenly turned into a graveyard as no
one was willing to provide any answer; she
noticed Asa peered out of the window
pretending she had not heard the question.
‘My ex’ Obinna said quietly.
‘Oh, sorry I asked. I was just curious’ Iman
suddenly felt embarrassed and self-conscious
as his eyes penetrated hers.
‘No need. She is stale wine. You never asked me
about work’ he needed to lift his spirits and
theirs.
‘Okay, tell me about work’ Iman’s lips gave way
to a weak smile as she stared right back at
him.
‘You guys never asked about this car, I was
given the car and a house; we are moving there
today’ he announced.
‘Oh my God! I am so happy for you’ Asa
cheered.
‘Congratulations, you deserve it’ Iman smiled.
‘The Alhaji has a good sense of humor you
know, he asked me some questions’ Obinna
smiled as he remembered the time he spent with
his boss.
‘I know brother Usman and his mind bugging
questions. I am happy you could answer them to
his satisfaction’ Iman felt proud of him.
To Be Continued….
