When History Repeats Itself

Chapter Nineteen

** Aoki - Ai Tominaga **

"Kerry, wake up!" Sumaya shook me out of my sleep. I had come home Friday night exhausted. This ad campaign was draining me physically, mentally and especially emotionally. Aoki had still not left the country. Like a good business woman, she stuck around and ensured everything went smoothly. Tomorrow, the billboards, magazine spreads and one minute commercials would all be released. My work was done. I came straight, went straight to my bed and fell asleep.

Sumaya was still shaking me, insisting I wake up so I rolled over and faced her.

"You might want to see this" she said and I could sense the urgency just seeing the troubled look on her face.

I got out of bed in my crumpled work clothes and followed her to the living room. We stopped behind the couch and faced the television. My mind was still foggy as I looked at the screen. Why was my photo on the TV screen?

My mind cleared as I heard the news host say my name then my nightmare began. "Yes people we have a love triangle" the news host said with enthusiasm that made me sick then a slide show of photos of me and Dom rolled by on the screen.

"In an interview earlier this evening, Aoki broke down and told everyone how an assistant at Chase Men stole Dom from her. The interview was about the upcoming collaboration between her, Dominic Chase and Lucas Wole, but when asked what it was like working with her ex fiancée so closely, Aoki lost composure which is rare and mentioned how Kerington Effah is the reason behind Dom breaking off their engagement"

I gripped the back of the couch for support.

The woman wasn't done yet. My nightmare continued.

"Now we checked into Miss Kerington Effah's background and what do you know? It runs in the family. Her name sounded familiar earlier? Here's why. Remember the scandal involving one of city's biggest lawyers Benjamin Effah cheating on his wife with a bar-hand while she was on military duty serving our dear country? Well Miss Effah is the product of that affair between Benjamin Effah and his then mistress Seli Kerington. You would think Kerington would learn from her mother's mistakes and keep away from other women's men"

I couldn't breathe. I watched as they replayed a snippet of Aoki's confession from the famous interview. She was lying! I started to cry and Sumaya just held me, trying to console me but I cried even harder.

The banging on our door snapped my attention to the door through my tears. If it was Dom, I did not want to see him now. Sumaya left me huddled on the floor behind the couch and went to open the door. I was so relieved to see my father and aunt Jamila come rushing in that I started to cry once more.

My dad crouched next to me and then pulled me up from the floor. He led me to the couch and held my trembling body there, stroking my back. Once I calmed down a little, Sumaya brought me a glass of water to drink.

"I will crush them, I will bury them under lawsuits" my dad's voice shook with anger.

"It's a lie, dad. She lied!" I managed to say before tearing up again.

"I know, baby. I know" he assured me.

"Your mother is on her way" aunt Jamila said to us.

Someone knocked loudly on the door and then I heard Dom's voice, "Kerry! Kerry, please let me in"

My dad was about to answer the door when aunt Jamila stopped him. She stood blocking the door when she opened it.

"Dominic, now is not a good time"

"Please let me just see her" he pleaded.

He walked in the minute she stood aside and tried to reach for me when my dad rose his hand to block him.