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Finale Episode
.
THE DINNER…..

The night had come, the night he would get his pay for
keeping their dirty and dark secret, he was a fulfilled man,
Kachi Romeo, one of the wealthiest bloggers in the
country, after Linda Ikeji, he was next and there was no
stopping him.
‘How do I look’? Romeo smiled mischievously. He was
confident the business with the Itas would work out just
fine, with Oliver and the boys to protect him, nothing
could go wrong.
‘You look okay, but we’re running out of time, it’s almost
9’ Oliver reminded him.
‘Let them wait, they need me more than I need them’
Romeo replied and he was right, the Pastor was a man of
repute and he would do anything to keep that identity and
that of his family.
‘My boys have taken strategic position round the Itas
house, so you have nothing to worry about’ Oliver said.
‘I trust you Oliver, when I am with you, I feel safe, one
day, I would reward you for your kind services’ he patted
him on the shoulder and walked away.
‘Good riddance to bad rubbish’ Oliver offered him a sly
smile, he couldn’t wait to strangle him later that night.
He had other plans too, once Romeo was out, others
would follow, no one could ever blackmail him again.
***
I had tried to escape during the night but I dissuaded
myself against such action, it could get me killed,
besides, I didn’t know Helen’s plans with the rifle, what if
it was meant for me? What if she was spying me?
‘Dinner is served, darling, come and eat’ I heard her call
to the husband from the kitchen.
I had prepared food for everyone, Romeo was included
but he wasn’t yet here.
‘What makes you think I’ll eat your food?’ the pastor
scoffed.
‘She wants to poison us, sorry mum, I just gave dad
something to eat’ Rose chipped in.
‘I bet you did’ Helen grinned, she couldn’t wait to put a
bullet into her.
‘I’ll need you two to be nice, Mark is coming home, so
let’s not ruin the family dinner with all these’ she gestured
with her hand. She had to lie for them to comply, she still
had not gotten any information on Mark.
‘Fine, but we’re only having this dinner cause of Mark’
Rose replied and led her father to the dining table.
‘Thank you’ Helen replied and joined me in the kitchen.
‘Ajunwa? Be a dear and check the doorbell, it seems our
guest is here, one more thing, I need that obscene video
of my husband f-----g his daughter’ she said.
‘In my room’ I replied and left for the door. Helen was up
to something, there was this macabre gleam in her eyes
and I prayed no one would be buried in that garden that
night.
‘Romeo? What are you doing here’? Rose was surprised
to see him as I opened the door.
‘I came to pay your family a visit’ Romeo smiled and took
a seat.
‘Hello there Romeo, lock the door Ajunwa’ Helen smiled
mischievously as she surfaced from my room with the
video camera and a rifle.
‘Yes Madam’ I swallowed hard, it would take a miracle
for me to stay alive.
‘What is this? Are you crazy’? Romeo was terrified.
‘Mum? What are you doing? You think you can kill us all
and bury us in the garden’? Rose went wild with curses.
‘Shut up you little b---h, I am not your mother, I couldn’t
have birthed you, you’re sick, your father too’ Helen
dropped the Camera on the table and pointed the gun at
Romeo.
‘Play it, and I want pin drop silence, come this way
Ajunwa’ she ordered me and left for the door.
‘Helen you don’t have to do this…’ the pastor wondered
what had come over his wife.
She didn’t say a word, Romeo obeyed and played the
video.
‘Mum…I can explain’ Rose was shocked, I could see it on
her face.
‘Helen, please, it was the devil’ the pastor fell on his
knees.
‘the devil? Funny’ she laughed.
‘So you were f-----g your own daughter, how nice is that?
You connived with her to destroy me, you told Romeo I
was the one who’d killed Grace and I should be shamed,
after everything I did for you Rose, why?’ Helen’s voice
cracked.
‘Mum, I’m so sorry, please forgive me’ she cried.
‘When did it start’? Helen wiped her face.
‘I am sorry Helen, this is all my fault, I forced myself on
her’ The pastor crawled near her.
‘No dad, let’s tell her the truth, that we love each other,
no one would fathom this but it is real. Mum, I know you
wouldn’t kill me, I’m your daughter, all I ask is for
forgiveness’ Rose begged.
‘My daughter? Sorry Rose,I would put a bullet through
you, and I wouldn’t feel a thing’ Helen replied and pulled
the trigger, without hesitation, Rose lay dead.
‘Jesus!’ we all screamed, this woman was crazy.
‘Shut up you all, now let the dinner begin’ Helen wiped her
face and pulled a chair.
‘So you set me up”? Romeo laughed.
‘Call it whatever you want, but you’re dying tonight and I
am burying you underneath my roses’ Helen smiled.
I watched as the pastor wept aside his daughter.
‘Helen, I would never forgive you for this, you killed our
only daughter’ he cried.
‘Oh shut up and stop acting the saint, and by the way, you
killed her, I wore gloves remember? So it’s your
fingerprints the police would see when they come’ Helen
laughed.
‘What are you talking about’? Pastor Ita wondered.
‘Well, let’s say, you touched the gun while you were
asleep, I kind of pressed your palms to it, so start
weeping for yourself, because I would ensure you end up
behind bars for the murder of our daughter’ Helen exhaled
and faced Romeo whose face was a cloud of fear, shock
and disgust.
‘So Romeo, how much shall I pay you? You are the cause
of everything, why didn’t you keep your nosy self out of
my family business? You threatened me with those lame
messages, now it’s time to end you, any last words’? he
asked.
‘If you kill me, you’ll die too’ he sounded confident.
‘Why is that’? Helen raised a brow.
‘Oliver and his boys have surrounded the building,they
would kill you if I don’t come out alive’ he said.
‘How stupid, now Ajunwa, tell him about our little plan’
she pointed the gun at me.
‘Grace? What is going on here? and why does she call
you that’ Romeo asked.
‘I’m sorry Romeo, I am not Grace, just a look alike and
Oliver is working with us’ I explained.
‘Oh my God, Helen, please don’t kill me, I promise to stay
off your family, please’ he begged, so Oliver had betrayed
him?
‘No, too late, next time you come into this world, just
choose a better occupation, don’t be a snitch or a
blogger, you could be like me, a rose gardener’ Helen
smiled and pulled the trigger.
‘No’ her husband screamed. I couldn’t, it was so easy for
this woman to shoot people, I knew I could die any
minute, so I started reciting prayers.
‘Shut your mouth you dirty b-----d, else you’ll join them’
anger flashed her eyes.
‘Just kill me, I accept, take this pain away,, you monster’
the man cried.
‘No, death is too easy for you’ Helen smirked, he
deserved to live without his precious daughter.
‘Please don’t kill me’ it was my turn to beg her.
‘No, I’m not killing you, your job is to bury these bodies in
the garden, now get to work, let me deal with Oliver’ she
gave her orders carefully and I obliged, I had no option,
clearly, Helen Ita was a psycho.
Coincidentally, Oliver stepped into the house as I moved
over Romeo’s body.
‘Oliver’ she drawled his name, but he ignored her, he
scanned the bodies on the ground in disgust and before
one could say Jack Robinson he pulled out a gun at
Helen.
‘Oliver’? I fixed my eyes on him, what was he doing?
‘I’m sorry I have to do this Helen, but it’s the only way to
have my freedom, If I let you live, you may blackmail me
in future, so goodbye’ He was about to pull the trigger
when we heard gunshots outside.
‘You’re surrounded by the Police, everyone step out with
your hands on your head’ the police radio echoed and we
all froze.
It seemed like the world had stopped. Oliver pointed the
gun at Helen and Helen Pointed hers at him, while the
Pastor widened his mouth in shock.
‘Did you snitch on me’? Helen asked weakly, she hadn’t
expected the police.
‘Let’s go outside’ Oliver lowered his gun and placed his
hands on his head and we all followed suit.
‘There she is, please don’t hurt her, she is innocent’ Mark
pointed at me.
‘Mark? What is going on here? what are the police doing
here’? Helen was stunned to see him with them.
‘All of you must remain silent, anything you say or do may
be used against you in the court of law’ a police man
barked and I watched in sheer horror as they were
handcuffed, one by one.
‘Mark what did you do’? Helen asked.
‘Something that was necessary, you, dad and Rose killed
Grace and buried her in the garden, you killed Nelson too,
even when I raped all those girls, you did nothing to
correct me, I left to think about my life and I realized I
have a mental disorder, and I had to see my therapist
who encouraged me to report you all to the police, luckily
I found dad here too, a pastor who is a murderer. I am
not sorry Mum, I don’t regret this, as I would be joining
you guys too for assaulting women’ Mark sneered at
them. He had decided to report himself at the police
station, maybe that could absolve the guilt he felt for
hurting Ajunwa.
‘Where’s Rose’? Mark asked me.
‘Two dead bodies’ a police man shouted from the house.
‘Who killed her’? he asked.
‘Your mother, Helen’ I replied.
……………………..
EPILOGUE
I was stunned that Mark could offer himself to be
arrested just to show he was remorseful about what he’d
done. I had forgiven him and told him his actions were
unnecessary but he was hell bent on being punished so I
left him.
There had never been such a scandal in Nigeria such as
the Ita family scandal, not even Miss Anambra’s
cucumber saga could beat it, theirs was on a higher level.
How could a Pastor sleep with his own daughter?
‘How could my Uncle sleep with his own daughter’? Joy
dropped the newspaper in disgust.
‘If you ask me, na who I go ask’? I replied.
.
‘I’m just glad you came out of all these alive, Grace
wasn’t that lucky, Nelson too’ Joy sighed.
She was as shocked as many Nigerians to discover the
dark side of a man they all looked up to, his wife was an
icon to many but they both were sentenced to life
imprisonment.
‘It was really a house of secrets’ I was glad I had made it
home. Grace had died, Nelson followed, then Rose and
Romeo, I was just lucky.
‘No, it is a house of monsters’ Joy said and we burst out
laughing.
This got me thinking, do you know your house? Is it a
house of secrets? Or monsters? Are there just roses in
your garden? Or something dark waiting to escape? Show
me your house….
.
THE END
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***
He’d woken up on a hospital bed, slowly the memories of
his accident replayed in his brain and he thanked God he
was still alive.
He had been surprised to see Joy, his niece, how had she
known about his condition? Had the news gone viral that
the great pastor Ita was lying on a hospital bed? He
didn’t like the sound of that, but he trusted Helen, she
was going to handle everything well.
He had enough time to reflect on his life as he’d come
face to face with death, what if he had died? He would’ve
gone straight to hell, that was why he would shun
everything evil and focus on God, and live a righteous life
in truth, but could God forgive him and cure him of the
unnatural attraction to his daughter?
‘Uncle, I’m sorry for taking so long, I left to receive a call
from a friend’ Joy pushed the door open.
‘It’s okay, how’s the family? I hope they aren’t afraid for
me, I’ll be fine’ Pastor Ita replied his niece.
‘We are not worried, you’ll pull through, I can see it all
over you, you’re so strong, you’ll come out of this’ Joy
rubbed his legs.
Her uncle was a good man, she couldn’t say much about
his wife and his evil seeds of children.
She hated Helen so much, that was one of the reasons
she rarely visited, and her kids? Well, they were just like
their mother, especially Rose, she was a snub and a very
arrogant one.
‘Are you okay’? the pastor could see worry in her
features.
‘I.. I am fine’ Joy replied. She remembered the incident
vividly, though her uncle never got to hear about it.
She had trusted Mark like her own brother, one day
they’d been together in a room and he’d raped her, they
were teenagers, she’d been so scared and hurt, so the
only person she’d run to was Helen, but Helen acted like
nothing had happened, instead offered her some money
to keep mute about it.
‘So, why didn’t you come along with the new maid, you
left her to herself and she almost lost the job without
your presence’ the pastor said.
‘I had to see a friend’ she lied. In truth, she never wanted
to face Mark or his witch of a mother, now she regretted
it all. Ajunwa was a very pretty girl, what if Mark tried to
force himself on her? They had a lot to discuss. She
wished she was financially buoyant, Ajunwa would never
have had the option of working as a maid, she only
prayed her best friend was safe.
‘You know the funny thing? She actually resembles our
last maid, Grace’ the pastor paused as he remembered
what had transpired between Grace and Rose.
She had found out about their affair and had taunted
Rose about it, a fight ensued and Rose killed her, Helen
helped them cover the issue without asking for the real
reason behind the fight, if Helen ever found out, she
would be heartbroken.
‘I never met Grace…’Joy replied.
‘You stopped visiting me Joy, what happened’? Pastor Ita
suddenly asked.
‘Goodmorning sir’ the door burst open and the maid
stepped in with two plastic bags.
‘Ajunwa!’ Joy rushed and hugged her.
The pastor just lay smiling as he watched the friendly
exchange between the girls, he felt more guilty, these
girls were like his daughter, but he’d defiled Rose.
‘I brought your food sir’ Ajunwa set the table as she
placed steaming plates of pepper soup and rice before
him.
‘Thank you my dear, where is my wife’? the pastor
wondered why Helen nor his kids weren’t present to see
him.
‘She would be coming later sir’ Ajunwa replied.
‘Okay then, thank you’ he straightened up and worked on
the food, that was when the two girls left for outside.
Minutes later, Rose stepped into his room and he was
surprised to see her.
‘Hello dad? Miss me’? she walked seductively towards
him, for the first time, he felt repulsed by her actions.
‘Rose, welcome’ the pastor replied quietly.
‘Welcome? Is that all you have to say’? Rose wondered
why this man acted differently.
‘I am sorry honey, where is your mother’? he asked coolly.
‘Gosh dad, you’re getting me all riled up, I come here to
see you and you’re asking about Helen, you’re supposed
to ask about me, I’m the one who cares and not that b---
h’ Rose poked her finger against her chest.
‘Hold on, don’t ever call your mother a b---h before me,
how dare you? She bore you for heaven’s sake’ anger
coursed through him.
‘Really dad? Why are you doing this? Helen doesn’t love
you, in fact, I have evidence that this accident of yours
was her plan to get rid of you for good and to take
everything you own with her lover whom I just
discovered’ Rose quickly fetched the note she’d found in
Nelson’s room.
‘What are you talking about’? he got the note from her
and ran his eyes over it.
‘Mum has been sleeping with Nelson, I found them on top
each other in the garden, then I found this note in his
room when she sent me to call him, they had a plan, to
kill you and run off with your money, but it failed.’ Rose
explained carefully, she had to do anything to gain her
dad’s favor.
‘How did you know this’ his hands shivered, how could
Helen plot his death, Rose had never lied to him before,
so Helen was equally cheating on him, what hurt him
most was her plotting to kill him.
‘After I had found this note, I begged mum to report
Nelson to the police, I cried for justice, but she said we
should forget him, can you imagine that’? she scoffed.
‘I would kill Helen for this betrayal’ he pushed his food
aside as he lost appetite.
‘Dad, mother does not love you more than I do, I even
advised her not to tell people about your condition, so
your members wouldn’t lose faith in you, but do you
know she refused it? She told the press everything, it’s all
over the news, the papers carry it, that Pastor Ita is
almost dead.’ Rose added.
‘Oh my God, switch on the television’ he needed to be
sure, if Helen had really done all what his daughter
accused her of, then he would forget his title and deal
with her.
‘I told you, it’s all over the news’ Rose switched on the
television. Coincidentally, the headlines ran across the
screen as ‘breaking news’.
‘Why would she do something like this’? the man was
deeply hurt.
‘That’s because she wants you dead in reality, so she
could run off with Nelson, but dad, we need to fight back,
I’m with you on this, let’s make her life miserable’Rose
said.
‘How do we do that’? he was ready to play by Helen’s
rules, the game was a dirty one and he’d get his fingers
greasy.
‘I have been working on this plan, thankfully, I have a
blogger friend who may help us, we’ll tell the whole world
mum killed her maid and buried her in the garden’ Rose
paused.
The idea had come to her while Romeo had visited.
‘What? That’s really dangerous and it could put us all in
trouble’ the pastor objected.
‘No, I am not finished, I would testify in court against
mum, saying that I knew about the affair and she tried to
kill me too, Grace had found out about the affair and
mum had killed her, it’s very easy, we’re totally absolved
from this matter, all eyes would now be focused on mum
and trust me, even if she comes out of this alive, the
stigma that would follow her would be forever’ Rose
smiled mischievously.
‘What about Mark’? her father asked, knowing how close
the boy was to his mother.
‘He’ll get used to her absence’ Rose replied and pulled at
her clothes as she had the urge to make love to her
father.
‘Then let’s do it, Helen wouldn’t kill me first’ Pastor Ita
relaxed, he needed to hurt her back.
‘I miss you so much daddy’ she spread her legs apart and
sat on him.
‘I miss you too angel’ he smiled and kissed her.
***
‘It’s been so long my friend, I miss you so much,you
hardly call or text’ Joy was so excited to see her friend.
‘I’m sorry Joy, but I’m here now, how’s the village and
how’s my mum’? I asked. I wish I could share in her joy
but my mind was occupied with so many things.
‘She’s fine, I told her about my journey and she sends her
greetings’ Joy replied coolly as she realized I wasn’t in a
good mood.
‘What’s wrong Aju? You don’t look too happy, are you
angry that I left you that day? I’m so sorry, I wish you
could understand’ Joy sighed, she wished her friend
could know the reason she stayed back from her uncle’s
house.
‘I don’t know Joy, I wish I could talk about it’ I replied, I
could feel it, the pain of what Mark did to me, the shame
and the heart ache that rode along broken trust.
‘Ajunwa? Talk to me’ Joy neared me.
I turned back and stared deeply into her eyes, not
knowing how to start, how to explain it to her.
‘Mark raped me’ I blurted out.
I expected her to shout, to scream and call fire, that was
how she expressed her anger, to my surprise, she
remained very still, instead she started sobbing and her
body vibrated with each sob.
‘Joy? Please don’t cry, I’ve gotten over it, though it still
hurts, I am fine, just that I would do about anything to
make your cousin miserable in this life’ I rushed to her
comfort.
‘How could he do such a wicked thing to you, I hate him
so much, I would kill him with my bare hands’ she
grunted. I glanced around nervously and thanked God we
were alone at the car park, nobody could see us like this.
‘I am fine Joy, just get up, I have other things to tell you’ I
replied, I needed to show her the video clip I’d found in
Grace’s room and about Helen’s affair too.
‘No you’re not, that b-----d raped me when I was fifteen, I
hate him so much, this is all my fault, I should never have
let you come here’ she said and I understood why she’d
cried so hard.
‘Calm down Joy, we’ll talk about this later, right now we
have a bigger issue on our hands and I don’t know how to
handle it’I reached for the video camera and showed it to
her.
‘what’s this’? she eyed me suspiciously.
‘Just watch’ I replied.
‘No, god forbid, what is this? It can’t be real, it’s
photoshopped’ she gasped with shock.
‘No it’s not and you know that, Helen is equally cheating
on her husband, that house is filled with dirty secrets and
I don’t know how to handle that, if I run, I fear I may lose
my life, just like Grace’ I paused, I was quite sure Grace
was dead, no innocent person could survive in that house,
even if they did, the darkness in each person would
overshadow them and swallow them up. Grace must have
discovered something, Helen’s affair or this and she tried
to escape and they killed her and probably faked her
death.
‘This is dirty, how could they be sleeping together’? Joy
spat.
‘What should we do with it’? I asked.
‘I understand everything now, when we were younger,
Rose was too close to her dad, even as young girls, she
chased all the guys away, I thought she was a lesbian at
some point’ Joy said.
‘Well, it appears she was preoccupied with her father,
now back to my question, what do we do’? I asked.
‘Honestly, I don’t know, if my Uncle finds out you have
this video, then he would do almost anything to have it,
and that means killing could be one of the options’ Joy
sounded scared.
‘Well, I’ll hold unto it, something could up and I just may
use it as leverage’ I replied.
‘Ajunwa, I think you should follow me back to the village,
let’s disappear before they kill you like they did this Grace,
please, I already blame myself for the rape, don’t allow
me to cry when they kill you’ Joy fell on her knees.
I was about saying something in return, when my phone
rang.
‘Good afternoon Ajunwa, I need to see you urgently,
return home’ Helen ended the call before I could reply.
‘Who was that’? Joy asked.
‘Who else than your aunt? See, I am not running, I need to
hurt Mark like he did me, I need to stand up to him’ I
replied more determined than ever.
‘I can’t, the pain is too much to bear’ Joy replied weakly.
‘Then you rise up and fight the pain, Mark is our pain’.
‘I can’t Aju, since you wouldn’t listen, I would leave you,
call me if anything weird happens, I’m outta here’Joy
walked away.
‘I can’t walk away’ I whispered, I had to stay and fight
back.
Tbc
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I had prepared breakfast for everyone and now I was
preparing myself to go see the pastor at the hospital. I
had already made something hot for him to drink, I hoped
he was okay.
I decided to go through Grace’s things once more, I had
never met her in person but I felt I had known her my
entire life.
I fetched her album and stared at her pictures again
especially the one she stood with Romeo, they looked so
great together, I was sure Mark started raping her when
she fell in love with someone else.
‘B-----d’ I cast the album aside and wept on my bed.
I cried for about fifteen minutes, my eyes were all foggy
and swollen, I stopped the minute I heard a strange
sound. You know when your battery is about to be
exhausted and it makes a sound, exactly what I heard,
but I was quite sure it wasn’t from my phone.
I rose up immediately, what if Grace had left her phone
behind, I heard the sound again, it came from the
cupboard where I’d found the photo album and the note,
how come I’d never seen or heard it?
As I pulled out the last drawer, a huge rat climbed out
and I screamed for my dear life.
‘Jeez, that wasn’t funny’ I laughed for the first time that
day.
‘Here you are darling…’ I wondered what it was, it wasn’t
a phone, I realized it was a mini sized video camera.
‘What’s this’? I pressed a button and waited for the
device to show me something, but it didn’t, so I tossed it
aside.
I slipped on my shoes ready to move when I heard
sounds that resembled moans from a woman in pain, this
time, pain wasn’t the case, what I saw was going to haunt
me for eternity.
My phone rang and I picked it up hurriedly.
‘Hello’ my voice was shaky from what I’d just seen, how
could that happen?
‘Ajunwa? Have you forgotten me so fast? This is your
friend Joy’?
‘Joy, I’m sorry, I’m just not feeling too well’ I lied, how
could I have forgotten Joy, my best friend whose uncle I
worked for.
‘I’m sorry sweetheart, guess what’? she sounded excited.
‘Wow you sound happy, what’s that’? I asked.
‘I know my uncle just had an accident, the news is
everywhere so I am at the hospital with him, later I’d be
at the house and we would gist throughout the night’ she
replied.
‘Wow, I’m coming there soon’ I replied and dropped the
phone in my bag.
Joy was in town, I wondered if I could let her in on what I
had encountered in the house. I turned the video camera
off and hid it safely, I had watched enough. Pastor Ita
was making love with his daughter Rose, truly, this was a
house of secrets.
***
She smiled mischievously, her mother’s plans was for
them to keep their dad’s accident secret but she’d
tweeted it and the media had carried it, she would have
Helen begging for forgiveness for slapping her like that.
‘Rose, open the door’ Mark pounded her door.
‘Come in bro’ she answered sweetly.
She had dressed up, things had changed, she needed to
see her father, they needed to save themselves from
what was to come.
‘How could tweet about dad’s accident? Have you
forgotten about mum’s orders? Why did you disobey her’
Mark was annoyed with his sister.
‘Well, I did the right thing, your mother is a very selfish
woman and she doesn’t care much about either of us,
how could she defend Nelson like that’? Rose hissed
angrily.
‘Oh, this is still about Nelson? I’m sure you were f-----g
him, how could you disobey mum? Though she seemed
off, but I saw the good in her suggestions, now, dad’s
members may lose faith in him, I hope you’re happy now’
Mark hissed and turned to walk away.
This was her chance and she seized it.
‘Why do you think so highly of your mother? Let me tell
you something sweet bro, mother was having an affair
with Nelson, what if they connived to kill dad to afford
them more time to be with each other, have you thought
about that’? Rose asked.
‘Is that all? Mum is sleeping with Nelson, is that a bad
thing? What of dad, what if he’s sleeping with other
people? How is that your business, see Rose, this is their
marriage, we’re the children, we’re not supposed to take
sides, we’re to let them work things out on their own not
to judge, I’m not perfect, I just did something that’s
eating me up which I may pay for later, I don’t think
you’re perfect too, let’s just be united now more than
ever’ Mark hoped she’d see reasons with him, he wasn’t
surprised to hear about his mum’s infidelity, Grace had
mentioned it before they had a fall out and Ajunwa had
told him the night before.
‘Bravo, nice speech, I see, Helen has gotten her claws on
you, but before you go, I had this feeling you and Grace
had something you guys shared and I’ll love to tell you
something about your sweet dear mother’ Rose rubbed
her hands together.
‘What about Grace’? Mark sighed.
‘Grace isn’t missing, she is dead, she walked in on mum
and Nelson and mum killed her and buried her in the
garden, I could show you where, if you promise not to
flare up’ Rose said.
‘You’re bluffing’ Mark swallowed hard. How could Rose
cook up such a lie? His mother was many things but not a
murderer.
‘Go find out, beneath the roses, midnight, check it out’
Rose patted his shoulder.
‘Beneath the roses’he whispered the words, Ajunwa had
found Grace’s necklace beneath the Roses, he swallowed
hard and prayed it wasn’t true, he needed to confront his
mother.
‘Yes bro, you’ll have to excuse me now, I have a call to
answer’ Romeo was the caller and she couldn’t wait to
answer it.
‘Hello my darling…’ she pawed sweetly. She had set her
plans in motion, she couldn’t wait to see her mother go
down.
‘Hello red rose, guess what’? Romeo answered in the
same manner.
‘What is it my love’? she asked.
‘I’m at your gate, please let me in’.
***
‘Mum, open the door’! Mark was infuriated, different
emotions ran through him, how could his mother betray
him like that? Why did she have to kill Grace and lie to
him about it?
‘Mark, what happened?’ Helen had just woken up from her
sleep.
‘Mum, please tell me this isn’t true, please deny it’ Mark
stared deeply into her eyes.
‘What is it dear’? she wondered why her kids wouldn’t let
her be in peace.
‘Did you kill Grace because she found out you were
having an affair with Nelson? Did you cut her into pieces
and bury her beneath your roses’? Mark asked.
‘I see, Rose is twisting this story, trying to paint me black,
was she the one who told everyone about your dad’s
accident’? Helen felt deeply hurt, calls from her church
members had awoken her, somehow they got to know
the pastor was in the hospital. How could Rose betray her
like that?
‘Mum?’ Mark called her.
‘Thank you for coming to speak with me first before doing
anything stupid, come in and have a seat, let me tell you
everything but first swear you’ll forgive me and trust me
again’ Helen invited him in.
‘Just tell me the truth’ Mark sat at the edge of her bed.
‘I kept this secret from you because I didn’t want you to
get involved in something so dirty, I felt you saw me like
a saint and I had to keep it that way, I’m sorry darling, I
should’ve told you everything, but know this, I love you
from the bottom of my heart, I protected your sister who
had turned against me now for some reason, just like I
protected you’she paused.
‘Just go straight to the point mum’ Mark was getting
impatient.
‘No, I’ll take this step by step so you’ll judge for yourself
who’s guilty or innocent. Your sister came into my room
one day just like you’re doing now and begged me to
save her, she was so scared, I followed her and found
Grace on the floor bleeding from her head, she was dead.
Rose claimed they had a fight and she hit Grace too hard,
I knew reporting to the police would destroy your father’s
reputation, so I cut the body into pieces and buried it in a
place where no one would ever know, under my roses,
and now she accuses me of being the one that murdered
that girl’ Helen scoffed, she would destroy Rose with her
hands.
‘Mum, how could you do something so gruesome?
What’s the difference between you and Rose, you helped
her cover her sin’? Mark was still confused on who to
believe.
‘I had to protect her, she is my child, even you, I have
protected you before, when I had the chance to turn you
over to the juvenile court, I saved you, don’t you
remember Mark? What happened when you were sixteen’?
she rose to her feet.
‘I don’t want to talk about it mum’ Mark was evasive.
‘No, let’s face it, judge me, I’m the bad one here, but in
my badness, I protected you, Joy, your cousin had come
visiting and you raped her in this house and I covered for
you. I should’ve reported you to the police, but I sheltered
you, look into my eyes and tell me you believe Rose’
Helen pressed his head to her face.
‘I’m sorry mum, I judged you wrongly’ Mark cried.
‘That’s my boy, now, your sister has drawn the battle line
and we must fight her, if she leaks that secret, I would go
down for nothing, so I need you on my side, I need you
to support me, we have to be clear with each other, no
secrets’ Helen instructed him.
‘I raped Grace many times and Ajunwa last night, please
forgive me, I don’t know what came over me’ Mark
sobbed like a baby.
‘You raped them?’ Helen was scared and disappointed.
‘Yes, I’m so sorry’ he nodded.
‘Don’t worry, we’ll fix this’ Helen replied. Mark could be
trusted, she had bought him over, now she had to draw
him into her own darkness.
‘I killed Nelson and buried him in the garden, somehow
he knew about Grace as I asked him to bury her decaying
hand so I felt he was a threat to that secret, so I killed
him last night’ Helen sighed as she let her son in.
‘Mum? How could you’? he was about to judge her when
he recalled his own sins were equally if not more
grievous.
‘Good. Now we understand each other, we have to fight
for ourselves first’ Helen fetched her phon
e, someone knew her secret and she had to protect
herself from going down.
‘What’s this’? Mark asked as she handed him the phone.
‘I KNOW WHAT YOU DID. IT MAKES ME SICK. I AM
GOING TO TELL. A SECRET IS BURIED IN THE GARDEN’.
‘Mum’? he called quietly.
‘Yes’? Helen wondered why he seemed shocked, did he
know anything about it?
‘I received this text last night, what’s happening’? Mark
was terrified.
‘Really’? Helen chuckled, not even the situation she found
herself could kill her sense of humor. Someone was
blackmailing them, mind games was this person’s style.
‘Mum, this isn’t funny, what if they know all our secrets?
We are all dirty except Rose and dad, we have to find a
way out of this’ Mark sighed.
‘No, we can’t be the dirty ones, maybe your father is clean
but I’m sure your sister isn’t, she killed Grace for a reason
and that’s your job to find out. I need to speak with the
maid you raped, I need to bring her closer to me, so she
wouldn’t be used against us, most times, blackmailers
could get information out of domestic staff, one of the
reasons i took out Nelson’ Helen paced nervously, there
was a lot of work to do.
***
She had not set her eyes on one of her admirers for a
long time, Kachi Romeo was as hot he’d been three years
back.
‘Hello Cherie’ he presented her with some flowers.
‘Hmm, they smile nice, thanks Romeo and do come in’
she smiled and offered him in.
‘It’s been so long Romeo, thanks for paying me a visit, sit
here, let me fetch you something to drink’ Rose dived
into the house and left her guest in her mother’s garden.
‘Roses everywhere, garden of Roses’ Romeo looked
around the garden, it was really beautiful and smelt very
nice but held a dark secret.
Oliver had done a good job by telling him about Grace,
now all he had to do was find her and get her to give him
evidence of the pastor’s affair with his biological
daughter.
‘I am back’ she returned with a bottle of red wine and
glasses.
‘Your mother’s garden is beautiful’ Romeo smiled.
‘Thank you’ Rose wondered how he knew the garden
belonged to her mother.
‘So how’s everything? How is Grace? It’s been long I
haven’t seen her or your brother Mark’ he poured himself
some wine.
‘They’re fine’ Rose replied hurriedly, why did he ask about
Grace? Her heart raced, no one could know she was
dead.
‘Good. I was just in the neighborhood and I just wanted
to visit, I’d see you some other time’ Romeo rose to his
feet.
‘Thanks so much Romeo’ she replied.
‘Can I see Grace before I go? And Mark too’ he quickly
chipped in.
‘Uhmmm, they’re not around, Grace isn’t here, she’s at
the market’ Rose stuttered, why was he so keen on
Grace?
Rose knew Romeo from church and he’d met their maid
too, but it made her uncomfortable to recall what
happened that fateful day.
‘Really? How nice, see you later then’ Romeo smiled and
walked away, deep down he felt it, something wasn’t
right. He’d observed the evasiveness that lay prominent in
her eyes whenever he mentioned Grace, had Oliver lied to
him?
‘Bye….’ Rose waved at him. Fear engulfed her, soon, more
people would ask questions about Grace, questions she
wouldn’t be able to answer and she knew how dangerous
her mother had become, what if her mother turned her in
to the police?
‘No, she has to go down for it, for everything’ she hissed
loudly, she had her plans, Helen would go down, she
needed to see her father.
***
Tbc
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The night had been empty and longer without a man to
warm her bed, her father was badly wounded and was in
the hospital, she had not set her eyes on her mother’s
driver since the accident, and she felt really h---y.
‘Brand new day’ she crawled out of bed and stared
outside the window, she had to see Nelson, she needed
to feel him inside of her, she needed to quench her
burning desires.
Rose showered and dressed up and left for the kitchen,
she decided to have breakfast first, before sneaking into
Nelson’s room, she’d thought she’d been the only one
awake but was surprised to walk in on the maid, she was
crying.
She’d grown up with maids and didn’t like the lot of them
especially Grace who’d walked in on her and her dad, but
the sight of this new maid crying had an effect on her and
she was tempted to comfort her, but she couldn’t, she
wouldn’t stoop that low.
‘What are you doing? I need my breakfast and be real
quick about it’ Rose hissed loudly trying to mask her
concern.
‘Oh, Goodmorning Ma,please what would you like to eat’?
Ajunwa rose to her feet and wiped her face hurriedly.
‘Food’ Rose hissed loudly and left the kitchen, she
decided to check Nelson first, she couldn’t stand a crying
maid.
As she neared his room, she noticed something strange
in the garden, a bottle of scotch and two glasses,
someone had been drinking the night before. That was
when she remembered her mother’s late night visitor, Mr
Oliver, that was how she’d addressed him.
‘Wow, mum you’re so smart, your husband is almost
dying and you couldn’t wait to bring your lover home’
Rose clicked her tongue as she caressed the bottle. She
had always known her mother was sneaking around, but
now, she’d found out who her lover was.
She scoffed and continued walking, she couldn’t wait for
her dad to get well so they’d resume their affair, she had
proof that her mother was equally cheating, so why
should he stay faithful to her?
‘Nelson’? she knocked twice, but there was no response,
she pushed the door with all her strength, but realized it
was locked.
‘Motherfucker’ she cursed and picked up the note close
to his door.
‘What’s really happening’? Rose wondered as she
scanned it.
DEAR MADAM,
I AM REALLY SORRY FOR WHAT HAS HAPPENED, IT’S
ALL MY FAULT, I COULDN’T FACE THE PASTOR, SEEING
HIM ON THAT HOSPITAL BED BEAT MY CONSCIENCE
AND I HAD TO RESIGN. PLEASE FORGIVE ME.
‘Are you kidding me?’ Rose scoffed, she felt stupid for
even having s-x with him earlier, he didn’t have the
courtesy to let her in on his eloping plans.
‘B-----d’ she spat angrily.
‘Mum’! she rushed back to show her mother the letter.
***
It was like a dream to me, I still couldn’t believe Mark
had raped me, I trusted him completely and he treated
me like an object.
My hands shook as I washed the dishes, I couldn’t tell
anyone what had happened to me, if only I’d listened to
my mother, now I’d lost my virginity in the most appalling
manner and I had so many fears, what if I got pregnant?
what if I got raped?
So many things ran through my mind, I was so scared, I
paused and inhaled deeply, everything in me screamed I
should leave the house and return to my village, but the
quest for revenge swallowed the inner voices.
I couldn’t let Mark go scot free, I had to hurt him as much
as he hurt me, even his whole family, they had to pay for
what Mark did.
What if he’d raped Grace too? Was that why she wanted
to run? I had so many questions yet no answer.
I peeped out of the window into the garden as I heard
Rose screaming for her mother, what had happened? Had
she discovered her mother’s affair with Nelson?
I shook my head in disappointment, these men of God
had a lot of skeletons in their cupboard.
I prayed to be strong, I couldn’t cry now, I couldn’t show
Mark I was weak, I needed to fight for myself, I wouldn’t
be used and discarded like an old doll, I had my plans.
‘Ajunwa’ the all too familiar alto called my name.
Normally, I would’ve been scared of her, scared of her
presence, but I felt nothing as I swirled and faced the
woman who was married to a pastor and was equally
sleeping with her driver. Suddenly, all my fears
disappeared and I felt more courageous than before.
‘Goodmorning Ma’ I replied coolly.
‘Morning, prepare some food, something spicy, you’ll tend
to my husband today, I have a very busy schedule’ Helen
gave out the orders and was about to leave when her
daughter rushed into the kitchen.
Before that, she noticed something different about
Ajunwa, the girl hardly ever looked her straight in the eye
but she did right then and that made her uncomfortable,
that wasn’t a good sign, she waved it aside and decided
she’d deal with the rat later. She had more important
things to deal with, she needed to meet with the church
elders and she needed to pay Oliver off for his services.
She had slept like a baby throughout the night, she had
never felt that much peace, knowing the only person
capable of leaking her secret and tearing her family apart
was dead, she couldn’t have wished for more.
‘What is it Honey’? Helen replied coolly.
‘Mum, I found this, it seems Nelson has gone’ Rose
handed her the note.
My ears were erect as mother and daughter conversed,
why would Nelson run? Afterall he had access to his
boss’ body and she must have taken good care of him.
‘What? What’s the meaning of this? How could he just
leave without telling me’? Helen complained.
‘Mum, I think we should call in the police to find him, he
was responsible for dad’s accident and now he has gone,
I think he took our kindness for granted, Mum please you
need to arrest him’ Rose suggested. What hurt her most
was sleeping with him, and he just bailed out on her like
nothing happened.
‘No dear, we need to think this through, we don’t need
the police, since he’s already gone, there’s no point’
Helen replied. How could Rose say something like that?
Bringing in the police would destroy her plans.
‘Mum? Why are you defending him? he hurt father, your
husband, he confessed in this note that the accident was
his fault, then what are waiting for’? Rose asked, her
mother was acting weird, she noticed Helen’s eyeballs
were dicey, she was hiding something.
‘I am not defending Nelson, this isn’t the time to call in
the police, let’s support your father, once he is on his feet,
we call in the police and deal with him’ Helen replied.
This was getting interesting, first, Grace wrote a note and
vanished and now Nelson? I scoffed as mother and
daughter argued till Helen’s idea overshadowed Rose’s.
‘Good morning all, what’s the noise about’? Mark
swaggered into the kitchen and my heart raced as I
recalled what he did to me.
It took willpower to control my shaky hands and the urge
to strike his face with a ceramic, I needed to hurt him so
badly.
‘I was just telling mother about this and I feel we should
bring in the police, what do you think’? Rose showed Mark
the note.
‘Uhmmm, not a bad idea, Mum he just confessed, we
should report him for running, what if dad never
recovers’? Mark asked.
‘You know what Rose? I need to see you in my room’
Helen ordered and strode out of the kitchen with her
daughter, leaving I and Mark.
‘Baby….’ He neared me and encircled his hands around
me.
‘Get your dirty hands off of me’ I screamed as tears
welled up in my eyes, but I controlled them, he couldn’t
see me as weak.
‘Why the anger? We shared something special last night’
he tried to kiss me but I slapped him. how dare he?
‘You are a devil Mark, you forced your dirty self on me
and now you’re telling me we shared something, are you
okay? Did I offend you in anyway? Why did you rape me?
Is that how you raped Grace? Tell me, was that why she
left you for Romeo?’ a tear slipped from my eyes.
I noticed the surprise in his eyes as I mentioned Grace.
‘Romeo? How did you know about him? what do you
know’? he dragged me closer to him, his eyes brimmed
with tears.
‘Let go of me you psycho, I knew that’s what you did to
her, but I am not Grace, get that into your thick skull, I
would pay you back, go and write it down’ I pushed him
backwards and ran out of the kitchen.
‘Wait Ajunwa! I am sorry, please don’t leave me’ he cried
but I was gone.
His heart raced as he cried, what had he done? She was
right, his problems started with Grace when she fell in
love with another man, how could she have chosen
another over him?
He had noticed a certain young man whom she hung out
with after church service, she had told him his name was
Romeo,he had fought hard to win her love before she
escaped and brought pain to his world.
***
‘I saved you from the police, I buried your secret in my
garden and you dare question my authority in this house,
how dare you Rose’? Helen poured out her anger at her
daughter’s irritable behavior. Who was she to give her
orders?
‘Mum, why do you always have to bring that matter up?
why can’t you ever let it go? Why do you make me feel
like I can’t correct you when you’re wrong simply because
you helped me that day. Remember I didn’t ask you to
cover it up, I was scared and broken, cutting her into
pieces and burying her in the garden was your idea, you
had a choice to call the police but you dragged I and
father into it’ Rose screamed angrily at her mother.
‘How dare you? You little ingrate, should I had reported
to the police, you wouldn’t have had the guts to stand
before me, because you would’ve been dead in jail, your
father’s reputation would’ve been tarnished, I helped
everyone, I cleansed us all and you’re so ungrateful’
Helen scowled.
‘Cleansed us? You’re the one who needs cleansing’ Rose
scoffed and turned to walk away but Helen dragged her
and offered her a slap which sent her reeling on the floor.
‘Excuse me? I’m the one who needs cleansing? When you
murdered Grace in cold blood for a reason I’d never
know’ Helen chuckled.
‘I know your secret mum, I saw it in the garden, you think
you’re a saint? Wait till dad gets well and I tell him about
you and your lover, I would tell him how you sneak him
into the house and f--k him, just wait on me’ Rose
staggered.
‘How could you’? Helen smirked. How could her own
daughter whom she saved speak to her that way?
‘So it’s the truth afterall’? Rose arched a brow.
‘I only slept with Nelson because your father lost interest
in me and had no time for me, he buried himself in
church work, why should you judge me, you’re no better’
Helen exhaled.
Things were falling out of place, if only she knew she
would’ve reported Grace’s murder to the police, now the
daughter she spared was now challenging her authority.
‘You slept with Nelson’? Rose was shocked, so her
mother was having an affair with Nelson, no wonder she
was reluctant to report him to the police, that did it for
her, she would work straight into a police station and
report Nelson’s elopement.
‘Just get out of my room, I buried your secret in the
garden and I regret every bit of it’ Helen dismissed her.
‘Whatever’ Rose hissed and walked away.
‘God, I’m dead’ Helen sank into her bed, truly, there was
no peace for the wicked, if only she knew, she wouldn’t
have spared Rose, now everything would fall back on her.
She hadn’t closed her eyes for a five minutes just to take
a short nap, when her phone beeped and she checked it,
it was a message, one whose words left her terrified and
she wished the earth could crack open and swallow her
up.
‘I KNOW WHAT YOU DID, IT MAKES ME SICK, I AM
GOING TO TELL. A SECRET IS BURIED IN THE GARDEN’.
‘Lord save me’ she cried and buried her face in the
pillow, Oliver had shown her the text before, someone
was after her, she could feel it strongly.
***
He had tried a number of businesses but none worked
out well than that of blackmailing people and getting
them to pay heavily for it. He had blackmailed lots of
Nigerian politicians, most of them made the mistake of
being mean to their domestic staff, and that was the
easiest means to get to them.
‘Why didn’t you take pictures, how could you be so
stupid? Now we have no evidence, she could easily deny
it and claim nothing happened’ Kachi Romeo yelled
angrily at one of his agents.
He not only owned a blog, he had numerous connections
with different secret cults as well as assassin groups, so
anytime a big fish ordered for the death of someone, he
knew, except for very top officials. Helen was not close to
the top, she played into his hands very easily.
‘Take a picture after shooting him? she was right there
and if I tried that she would’ve killed me too and buried
me in her sweet little garden’ Oliver scoffed.
Working with Kachi Romeo was good business, most
times they both connived and blackmailed those that had
hired him to kill.
‘Bury you? You were the one with the gun’ Kachi poured
himself a drink.
‘So what? There are many ways to kill a man, trust me,
Helen Ita is a very dangerous woman. Nelson was foolish
to have s-x with her even after you’d revealed to him the
woman that had sent men after his life’ Oliver replied.
‘Well Delilah killed Samson, how much more a smaller
fool like Nelson?’ Kachi scoffed.
‘You call him a fool, but what about you who is in love
with Rose, a woman that fucks her own dad, who does
that’? Oliver grimaced.
‘In love? I used to love her once, but now, I see her as a
means to a very rich end,this would be our biggest job, a
family with secrets, each would pay to keep their
abnormalities from the world’ Kachi laughed heartily.
‘What about Helen’s son? Mark, he seems to be clean,
you have not said a thing about him’ Oliver asked.
He’d worked together on the Ita family case with Kachi
for a long time.
‘Mark is no angel, in fact, he is the reason Grace really
opened up to me, we’ll talk about some other time, now I
need all the information to find Grace, I need to know she
is okay, she helped me very much’ Kachi sighed, Grace
had really suffered, she had gone through hell in that
cursed house, he was glad she had opened up to him.
‘Nothing much, the pastor is still in the hospital bed, and
I think Grace has returned, I saw her last night serving the
Ita’s’ Oliver replied. He was sure of it, the girl that served
dinner was Grace, he’d seen her many times when she
met in secret with Romeo.
‘Are you sure about this? Then why didn’t she contact
me? Why are her numbers not going through, this would
be the greatest news ever’ Kachi dialed her numbers but
they weren’t reachable.
‘I swear it, maybe I could go back to the house, and
instruct her to meet you’ Olive suggested.
‘No, that would be dangerous, stay away from the Itas,
now, we have to get evidence that the pastor is sleeping
with his own daughter, we already have a voice note of
Grace telling me how Mark raped her a lot of times, after
which I convinced her to fix this a tiny video camera in
the house to catch Helen and Nelson in action, which she
did, now all what remains is our biggest fish, Pastor Ita
and Rose’ Kachi clapped his hands excitedly.
‘You’re very smart, but I think we should take on just one
person, too much of everything is bad’ Oliver advised, he
wasn’t too comfortable with Romeo’s idea.
‘No, one person wouldn’t make me as rich as I want, so
we take them all down’ Romeo replied not too pleased
with Oliver countering him.
‘I still don’t support it, I say we take the pastor down, he
was what to lose most, he has a ministry,we have to
think very clearly’ Oliver insisted.
‘Since when did you start giving me advice on how to run
my business’? Romeo snapped angrily at him.
‘Well, mind the way you speak to me, we’re still in this
business’ Oliver warned.
‘Partners’? Romeo scoffed, he knew how just to deal with
Oliver, with the snap of his fingers, the fool would obey
him.
‘Of course, I do your dirty work’ Oliver replied.
‘Well that’s because you’re dirty, you’re a pig and I am
the clean one, next time you challenge me, I shall leak
your secrets and trust me, the Nigerian police would treat
you just find and all the clients you blackmailed’ Romeo
hissed loudly and walked out of the room.
Romeo’s words stilled Oliver and scared him too, he
suddenly discovered he was a slave to Romeo like
everyone else whom he blackmailed.
‘No way, I wouldn’t be your pawn’ Oliver rose to his feet,
he needed to get out of Romeo’s clip, and he knew just
how to get out.
Tbc
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I was panting by the time I reached my room, the
memories of what I’d seen in the garden haunted me and
I wished I never saw them.
‘Where are you coming from? I’ve been looking
everywhere for you’?i gasped in fright as Mark neared me.
‘Whoa slow down tiger, I don’t bite, what’s with you, you
look like you escaped a group of soldiers, what’s going
on’? he asked.
My mouth felt glued, I couldn’t say a word to me, how
could I tell him that I’d seen his mother having s-x with
Nelson? How would he take it? What if he hated me
forever? I couldn’t risk it so I chose silence.
‘Are you okay Ajunwa’? he asked.
‘I am fine, I need to get some sleep’ I quickly yawned to
prove it.
‘You’re a very bad liar, and you’re not leaving here till you
tell me what the problem is’ he replied.
‘I am fine Mark, I really am’ I wished he could just leave
me alone.
‘Your phone is ringing, you should pick that’ I pointed to
his phone in a bid to distract him so I could run into my
room.
‘Okay, it’s a message’he checked it out.
From the look on his face it wasn’t something nice, I
decided to peep, that’s when I saw her picture, the one
I’d seen earlier, the one she stood with her ‘romeo’ but
that wasn’t what got to me, it was the words that
accompanied the picture that disturbed me.
‘I KNOW WHAT YOU DID, I’M GOING TO TELL’ those were
the words of the text.
‘She is really crazy, she runs off without telling me, leaves
her necklace in the garden, the necklace I got at a very
expensive price and now she’s trying to play mind games
with me, I hate her so much right now’ he was furious.
If only he knew why Grace had eloped, he wouldn’t be
that angry, I decided to tell him the truth, maybe he’d
understand, maybe he’s stopped feeling so bad but he
had to promise he wouldn’t tell no one.
‘Mark’? I called him gently.
‘Yes’? he answered.
‘There’s something I must tell you, please promise you
wouldn’t act on your feelings, just keep it to yourself
okay’? I pleaded with him.
‘Sure, go ahead, tell me anything’ he replied.
‘Your mum is having an affair with Nelson’ the words
came out in a rush.
His eyes twinkled in surprise then they dimmed like he’d
heard something of that nature before.
‘What is it’? I asked.
‘That was what led to my quarrel with Grace, she said
something like that and I doubted her and she got angry,
oh my God, she was right, how did you know this’? he
asked.
‘i…I saw them making out in the garden’ I stuttered.
‘Oh God, how could mum do this? Knowing how
important dad is in the society? I am disappointed in her’
Mark fumed and I tried to pacify him.
‘Please don’t do anything stupid, I think Grace must have
stumbled on this secret and had decided to run because
of that and because you didn’t believe her, and as she
did, I’m equally leaving’ I informed him.
‘No you can’t leave, I now understand why she pushed
me away and left me like that…’ Mark rubbed his face
deep in thought.
‘Yes, I’m so scared’ I whispered.
‘Don’t be, I promise to take care of you’ Mark whispered
to me, before I could know what was happening, he
scooped me up into his arms and took me into my room.
‘Mark? What are you doing’? I was terrified.
‘Making sure you don’t run away the second time’ he
locked the door and began to undress.
‘What are you talking about’? my lips trembled.
‘It doesn’t matter, I know Grace is gone, but I’ve decided
to love you like I did her’ he replied and forced me on the
bed. I screamed, i fought him with all my strength but he
overcame me and I felt powerless.
‘No Mark, please don’t’ I cried, but he was deaf to my
pleas.
Shock and fear were the only feelings I experienced as
Mark raped me, how could I have been so blind? How
could I have trusted him?
I vowed that moment, to bring hell to the Itas family.
tbc
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He wondered who was trying to kill him, had Helen found
out about his affair with Rose? But he quickly dismissed
the thought, Helen had acted very fine, she was happy,
even the way she spoke with her husband while he drove
them showed nothing had changed about her, or had her
husband been the one?
‘You’re late’ the blogger spoke without looking up as
Nelson neared his table. Nelson had finally decided to
meet with him, and he suggested a hidden venue for the
meeting.
‘Tell me what I want to hear and be quick’ Nelson pulled
a chair backwards and slid in.
‘Oh, don’t be too fast, we have a lot to talk about’ Kachi
lit a cigarette.
‘What do you want from me? Why can’t you face your
stupid blog and leave me the hell alone’ Nelson scowled.
‘Uhhmmm, remember I have your secret, so you should
mind the way you talk to me’ Kachi pointed his index
finger in warning.
‘Why are you doing this? No one would believe you, so
whatever game you’re on is not going to work, just stop it
right now’ Nelson advised.
‘You’re sleeping with your boss’ wife, it’s been going on
for years, I know this for sure and I have proof, if you’re
willing to work with me, I promise not to expose you, but
if you fail, I shall leak all videos of your love making and
don’t ask me how I got them’ Kachi smiled satisfactorily
as he saw the fear on Nelson’s face.
‘How did you know this’? Nelson’s heart pounded against
his chest.
‘That’s because I am a blogger, we love to buy and sell
information’ Kachi replied.
‘So tell me about the person trying to kill me, maybe after
that I’d consider working with you’ Nelson said.
‘You really think you have an option do you? Now look at
these’ Kachi handed him an envelope.
‘What’s inside’? Nelson was afraid to open it.
‘Go on, open it’ Kachi said.
‘S--t! What’s all these? Why do you want to ruin my life’?
Nelson shivered as he watched the pictures of Helen and
himself kissing unclad.
‘Now sit still and listen to every word I say, I promise not
to expose you if you obey my every word’ Kachi ordered.
‘Just tell me what you want’ it dawned on Nelson that he
had no choice but to comply.
‘I need you to spy for me, I need information about the
Ita family’ Kachi started.
Kachi Romeo had relocated to the city of Calabar many
years back, he’d beed drawn to Pastor Ita’s ministry and
even had a crush on his daughter but Rose rebuffed him
strongly, he’d taken it in good faith knowing a girl from
such a high class could never settle for him but he never
knew the real reason behind her rejection.
‘There was a maid working for the Ita’s, I have not seen
or heard from her for months now, she worked very
closely with me and I paid her handsomely for it, but she
just vanished, her phones are not reachable and I have a
strong feeling something bad happened to her in that
house’ Kachi added.
He’d picked interest in a certain young girl in church, she
was meek and good humored, he later found out she was
the Pastor’s maid, that got him more interested in the
friendship, he still yearned for Rose’s attention and he
begged her to put in a good word for him, that was when
the curtains fell apart.
‘You can never have her, please forget about her and find
someone else’ Grace’s mood had quickly changed at the
mention of Rose.
‘Why? Does she have someone’? he asked.
‘No, not that, it’s just that, she’s…I’m sorry we should not
talk about my employer’s daughter’ Grace evaded the
subject.
Her behavior that day had triggered his curiosity, he
pressured her till she began to open up about the Ita’s.
He couldn’t believe it, that a father would sleep with his
own daughter, it disgusted him more than anything else,
but they had no proof. Grace had planned to take pictures
of the evil pastor and his daughter but she never showed
up again.
‘Grace? So it was Grace that was your snitch? Oh my God,
I’m doomed’ Nelson rose to his feet.
If Grace was truly Romeo’s snitch, it meant they had s-x
videos of himself and Helen, if they were to be released,
the scandal would be enormous.
‘Yes, and I paid her more than her employers ever did, the
Ita family are a bunch of fakers just like most families of
our religious leaders, I intend to make a big story out of
everything, you’ll be rich if you work with me, all I need is
your co-operation’ Kachi said.
‘What do you want me to do’? Nelson exhaled, he was a
trapped animal and he needed to find escape by all
means possible.
‘Are you aware the Pastor Is having an affair’? Kachi
raised his brows.
‘Not really except for the photoshopped pictures you sent
to me last weekend of him and some girl kissing’ Nelson
replied. What was he getting at?
‘What makes you think the picture was photoshopped?
You see the problem with Nigerians is this, you’re all too
gullible, you see these men of God as actual gods and in
fallible, all perfect and invincible but you’re all wrong’
Kachi reached out for his phone.
‘Well, I don’t know if he’s faithful or not, what does that
have to do with me’? Nelson frowned.
‘He’s having an affair with Rose’ Kachi paused and
watched his face.
‘Rose? Who’s Rose’? Nelson wondered.
‘His daughter’ Kachi replied and Nelson burst out
laughing.
‘It’s okay, I didn’t believe it too but it’s real, Grace never
lied to me’ Kachi was slightly pissed by his laughter.
‘You’re a good comedian, why don’t you change jobs?
Seriously, you mean the pastor is f-----g his own
daughter? And his sneaky wife don’t know about it?
Come on man, stop being paranoid’ Nelson rose to his
feet, obviously the blogger had nothing else important to
say.
‘Sit down Nelson, we aren’t finished’ he drawled.
‘Sorry Kachi or Romeo or whatever you call yourself, I
would not be part of this stupid game, as for the pictures,
you’re free to release them, what do I care? But I think
you are a coward, you would’ve released them if you
really want to’ Nelson replied and swirled round, ready to
walk away.
‘You never asked about your enemy’ Kachi’s eyes
gleamed wickedly.
‘Who is my enemy’? Nelson quickly turned round.
‘The woman you’re sleeping with’
***
‘What are you doing here? don’t you know this is very
risky’? Helen couldn’t fathom the foolishness of his
action.
‘I’m so sorry Madam but I had to knowing the operation
failed, I came here to explain everything and to warn you’
Oliver replied.
‘Warn me’? that got her. She had not used thugs before,
but she had their contacts long before now, she knew
Nelson would become a threat, that was why she needed
to eliminate him.
‘Someone knows about our deal’ Oliver paused and
scanned around, they’d decided to meet in her garden.
‘What are you talking about? I gave you and your boys
directives via phone so how would anyone suspect that’?
Helen wondered.
‘We don’t have any answers to that, but someone sent us
a message and I think you should read it, it’s like a
warning, I think you should give up on this guy for now,
lay low’ Oliver advised and showed her the text.
‘I KNOW WHAT YOU DID, IT MAKES ME SICK, A
PASTOR’S WIFE AND A BAND OF THUGS, I AM GOING
TO TELL’
‘What’s this’ Helen backed away from the man, what was
happening?
‘I think there’s a snitch living under your roof, monitoring
your every movement, I have to go now, just be careful’
he replied.
‘My God, this isn’t happening’ she pressed her hands on
her beating chest. She had never felt such fear not even
while they were burying Grace. Someone had been tailing
her and she had to know who.
‘Nelson!’ she considered but she shook her head, she
had sent her daughter to go call him while she made the
call to the thugs, so it couldn’t be Nelson.
‘Oh my God, that girl is leaving my house tonight’ Helen
realized it could be the maid, but her heart insisted it was
her lover boy.
‘Someone is coming’ Oliver whispered.
‘Yes, I need your help Oliver, this last time’ she replied
before he ran deeper into the garden.
***
‘Darling…’ she heard his voice, the voice that once turned
her on but was now a sound she dreaded.
‘Nelson, you scared me’ she gasped.
‘I’m sorry, I miss you so much and I just want to be here
for you, I know what you’re passing through’ he warmed
up to her.
‘Thanks Nelson,I have to sleep now’ Helen replied.
‘You know what? I know something that could make you
relax real good, do you know what that is’? Nelson
caressed her face. He had his plans, he had to know the
truth, what if the blogger was lying?
‘Baby, we shouldn’t do this here, what if someone sees
us’? Helen whimpered.
‘It’s late and I bet your kids are asleep, the gateman is
asleep, so this garden is all ours’ Nelson slipped his
hands under her clothes.
‘Nelson….’ She moaned and couldn’t resist his touch, this
was definitely their last.
***
‘Oh my God…’ I whispered as I hid in the garden. Helen
had walked out with her visitor two hours earlier and
Mark and Rose had gone to bed, I was the last person
awake so I was curious, why was she still outside?
I was only concerned about her wellbeing, that was why I
left for the garden, only to find her in an amorous
conversation with Nelson and I felt disgusted by the sight
of it.
Did Mark know about this? I wondered, then it dawned on
me, the words of the note were beginning to make sent.
‘A house of secrets’ I repeated the words and pressed my
hand against my beating chest.
How could a pastor’s wife, a famous one for that matter
sleep with her personal driver? I had a strong urge to
puke as their groans became louder.
Grace must have known about it and I guessed that was
her reason for eloping without notice, I realized.
What if she didn’t elope? What if they killed her to protect
this secret? I thought to myself and got scared. I now
understood why she was so afraid to see me when I
showed up unannounced on her veranda, she must have
feared it was Grace that had returned to spill her secret.
‘No’ I panicked, I was really being naïve, if this woman
knew that her maid had an idea that she was having an
affair, she would kill her to end it all.
‘Oh my God’ my breathing increased as I recalled the way
she treated me on that day, like I was a ghost, that was
why she poured sand on me.
I was in trouble and I needed a way out, I now wished I
had listened to my mother, how could I bear the burden
of this heavy secret? Who could I tell? Like Grace, I made
up my mind to elope first thing in the morning.
I couldn’t take it anymore, so I sneaked and found a way
out of the garden, I needed to pack my bags.
***
‘You were so good baby’Nelson smacked her a-s and
squeezed it, he was fully sated and now had enough
strength to think, why would Helen want him dead?
‘Thanks’ she forced a smile and touched his face lightly.
‘So, we should do it in the garden next time, what do you
think? It’s so awesome here’ Nelson suggested.
‘Nelson…’ she called him gently and rose to her feet fully
dressed.
‘Yes baby’ he answered.
‘This is the last time, we should stop seeing each other
for our own good’ Helen said flatly.
‘What? Why? I’m I not good enough? Don’t I satisfy you?
Why would you want to break up with me’? his heart
raced as he watched her face, she truly had changed, she
looked fierce and indifferent, he prayed the blogger
wasn’t right cause women like Helen could be very
dangerous.
‘Just get that into your thick skull, this is over, if you want
to keep your job, then behave’ Helen replied and was
about walking away when he made a statement that
made her froze.
‘I’m going to tell your husband, I’ll tell everyone about us’
Nelson started, he needed to see her reaction.
‘Really? What exactly would you tell him huh’? she
scoffed and turned towards him.
‘I’ll also tell him about the human hand we found when
we made love in Grace’s room, I’m sure the police would
be very much pleased’ he sneered at her but his plans
failed, Helen’s eyes were unreadable, she was still
composed.
‘Good, you’re free to tell the world anything you like but
that can only happen if you’re still alive’ Helen replied and
laughed wickedly.
‘So you really want me dead’? Nelson scoffed.
‘You’re already dead’ she smiled and walked away.
Her confidence scared him, so Romeo was right? Helen
had sent some men after him, he was filled with fear and
decided to pack and run as fast as he could but he
wasn’t quick enough.
He felt a cold object behind his back and he froze.
‘Hello Nelson’ Oliver pulled the trigger and he fell to the
floor.
‘Good work Oliver, now find a place and fix his body,
write a note in his name, so it looks like he ran away
because he felt guilty about the accident’ Helen
reappeared with a bottle of scotch.
‘Why don’t we leave the body here and you call the police
and make up a story of robbers? You know how greedy
the police are?’ Oliver suggested.
‘No, that’s risky and stressful, this is the best way out’
Helen replied and poured herself a drink.
***
Tbc
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‘Dear, please hold on, you’ll be alright, I promise’ Helen
cried as the nurses rushed her husband into the theatre.
They had an accident, a trailer had crashed into them,
smashing the windscreen and injuring her husband who’d
been in front seat, how Nelson got out alive.
‘Mum? How’s dad’? Mark rushed towards his mother.
‘Honey, he’s badly injured but he would be fine, I hope so’
she cried.
‘Where’s your sister? Why is she not here’? Helen
wondered.
‘I couldn’t tell her, you know how close she is to dad, I
didn’t want her to get worried about him’ Mark replied.
‘Good day Madam, please I need to see you in my office’
a doctor beckoned to her.
‘God see us through’ Mark sighed and took a seat. He
clutched to the necklace he’d bought for Grace, that was
the very first thing he’d bought for her since they started
dating,yet she dumped it at the garden. It was really
strange.
‘Hey boss, how are you holding up’? Nelson took a seat
beside him.
‘I’m fine, what really happened out there’? Mark eyed the
driver.
‘Well, I don’t know, but I wasn’t speeding, that’s for sure,
the trailer driver just had too much to drink’ Nelson
replied.
‘I just pray dad comes out alive and strong’ he inhaled
deeply and fiddled with his phone.
‘Yea’ Nelson replied and felt for his phone, it beeped
twice.
WHAT IF I TOLD YOU THE BULLET WAS MEANT FOR
YOU? WHAT IF I TOLD YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO DIE?
CALL ME.
‘What’s all these’? Nelson muttered to himself as he read
the words of the text, what was the crazy blogger talking
about.
‘Are you okay man’? Mark saw the worried look across his
face.
‘I’m okay, thanks’ Nelson rose to his feet, someone was
playing mind games with him and he needed to teach the
stupid blogger a lesson.
Mark watched as he walked away, why was he not
injured? And why was his mother equally not wounded?
Something wasn’t right, he wasn’t stupid, Grace had told
him a lot of things about his family before she died, one
which led to the last fight they had, they were just too
dirty and abominable, but he was starting to believe her.
What if his mother was having an affair with the driver?
And they were trying to get their dad out of the picture.
‘Mark…’ Helen called weakly as she returned from the
doctor’s office.
‘Mum? What did the doctor say? Is dad going to be
alright’? he rose to his feet.
‘He’ll be fine, he just needs some time’ Helen sighed with
relief. The doctor assured her that he would be fine, but
he would be unconscious for some days as the accident
affected his nervous system.
‘I’m glad mum’ Mark squeezed her hands.
‘Me too’ Helen replied. She was really glad she hadn’t
lost her husband, that wasn’t what she’d planned, the
boys failed her and she was going to deal with them for
hurting her husband, they had failed to adhere to her
instructions.
Earlier that day, she’d contacted some assassins and
sent them a picture of Nelson, the plan was for them to
follow their car, then block them and get Nelson out of
the car instead of crashing into the vehicle.
Nelson couldn’t live, he knew too much about her family
and that was very dangerous for their reputation.
***
I was restless, I prayed to God to save the pastor, if the
man died then my days in the mansion were numbered
because Helen would send me out that very same day. It
wasn’t easy being fatherless, it was a great burden to
bear.
I had already prepared lunch and cleaned up everywhere,
so I had nothing doing and was a bit bored.
I still wondered about Mark and Grace, those two must
have really been close, but why did she suddenly pack up
and leave, it wasn’t right and that ignited my curiosity.
Was Mark a bad lover? I shook my head, he seemed like
a caring and romantic type of guy. A smile played on my
lips as I realized the obvious reason of her mysterious
departure: Helen must’ve been the reason.
She must have found out about their affair and must have
become very mean to the poor girl, that was the most
likely reason.
‘Or what if she was pregnant and he denied it’? I spoke
aloud.
I rose to my feet and fetched her album once again, I
needed to watch those pictures, maybe they could help
me find my answers.
‘House of secrets’ I repeated the words of the note I’d
found days back.
I dropped the note aside and kept watching the pictures,
it’s either Grace was a very good writer or she was crazy,
the mansion I lived in was owned by a man of God and
there were no dirty and dark secrets.
‘Who do we have here’? I found another picture of her
smiling with a handsome young man, they seemed well
acquainted with each other. I couldn’t discard the picture
that easily, I noticed something about it, she wore the
necklace I found in the garden, and on the picture was
written : ‘ROMEO’, had she been cheating on Mark? What
if he found out and killed her? I went wild with ideas.
‘Open this goddamn door and bring me my food’ the
banging on my door brought me to reality, Rose had
woken up.
‘Okay, I’m coming’ I slid out of bed, Mark had not told
her about their father’s accident, maybe that piece of
news could humble her a bit, she was so arrogant, I
wondered briefly how Grace coped.
‘Where’s my brother’? she asked dryly and settled on a
chair.
‘He went out’ I replied and offered her a plate of jollof
rice.
‘To’? she raised her brows.
‘I don’t know’ I answered.
‘How would you know? Dummy’ Rose fetched her
buzzing phone.
‘Hello darling, it’s been such a long time, Romeo’ she
paused and gulped some water.
‘Yes baby, how are you and the family’? he asked.
‘Fine, you forgot about me’ she sounded sad.
‘Well, I remember you now, you kept pushing me out of
your life, saying your family wouldn’t approve of us, I still
want you Rose’ he said.
‘Well, that was then, my family don’t hold the aces no
more, we should see soon’ she replied cheerfully and
brought the call to an end.
‘What are you looking at dummy’? she sneered at me and
I scurried out of the kitchen. She’d call the man ‘Romeo’,
that reminded me of the inscription on Grace’s photo with
the handsome guy, could they be a connection?
‘I need more’ she called me back.
She thought about Romeo briefly, she had turned him and
many guys down because of her father, but he no longer
cared about her, he no longer loved her like his own, so
she had to find new outlets to release her inbuilt desires.
She had met Romeo in Church, her father’s church to be
précised, he introduced himself as a Blogger and writer,
what drew her to him was his cuteness, Romeo was a
very hot guy but he was very broke, but he had not
worshipped there for a very long time.
***
Thankfully, the pastor had two drivers working for him,
himself and some middle aged man, the other car had
been badly damaged, so the church driver had brought a
Sienna to transport them back to the house.
‘Good afternoon boss’ he hailed the man.
‘Nelson, I’m happy you’re all alive, God is in control’ the
man said.
‘Yes he is’ Nelson replied and walked some meters away
from the car, he needed to warn the blogger.
‘Hello? Am I speaking to the owner of Hot gossips blog’?
he waited patiently for an answer.
‘Yes, my name is Kachi Romeo, can I help you’? the
blogger asked.
‘Hey listen up, I don’t know what game you’re up to, but I
don’t have any information to sell, just back off, even if
there was something to tell, I don’t snitch’ Nelson
scowled.
‘Slow down, Mr Nelson is it?’ the blogger asked.
‘How did you know my name you freak, are you stalking
me now? I’m calling the police on you and your stupid
blog’ Nelson threatened.
‘Well before you do, I’d like you to know the fact that I
know something about you, a big dark secret and if I’ve
got proof, if I leak it, you’ll lose your job even your life, so
just listen to me first, I don’t want to coerce you into
working with me, we could be partners, we could work
this out real fine’ the blogger explained rather confidently.
‘Are you blackmailing me or what? What do you know
about me and why do you want this family so bad’?
Nelson asked, heat crept up his neck as he tried to recall
all the bad things he’d ever done.
‘I know you’re sleeping with the pastor’s wife’ he replied
coolly and Nelson froze where he stood.
‘Hello? Mr Nelson? I need you to trust me, I promise your
secret is safe with me but to gain your trust, I must show
you something first’ he continued.
‘What do you want to show me’? there was so much fear
and panic in Nelson’s voice, what if the blogger had a
video clip of him and Helen?
‘Someone made attempt on your life today but the wrong
person was injured, I want to show you this person’ the
blogger said.
‘You’re crazy, what are you talking about? I don’t even
have enemies’ Nelson rubbed his chin.
‘Everyone has enemies, you slept with yours’ he replied
and the line went dead.
***
‘Nelson’ a shrill voice cried out his name and jerked his
from the sea of his disturbing thoughts.
‘Madam’? he swirled and faced Helen and Mark.
‘We have to go’ she ordered and slipped into the car with
her son.
‘Okay then’ he replied and join the rest in the car. So
many things ran through his mind, first, how did the Hot
Gossips blogger get to know about his affair with Helen?
The news crippled him, she was going to kill him if she
ever found out about it, she would blame him for
tarnishing her image.
‘So mum, now dad is down, who’s going to handle his
appointments’? Mark asked.
‘Not to worry, that’s why I’m his personal assistant, and
we’re holding a powerful tarry night this week, we have to
keep members on their toes for God’ Helen sighed.
‘Nice one mum’ Mark replied and was surprised to hear
his mother sound so spiritual.
‘Your father would be fine, everything would be fine and
soon we’ll live our normal lives’ she rubbed his hands.
‘Yes mum’ Mark replied.
She had this feeling Nelson was up to something, Mark
and her had stepped out of the hospital and met him on a
call. She’d read his features as he spoke to whoever,
something wasn’t right, that gave her courage to plan for
his death another time, what if he told the world about
their affair? That wasn’t what troubled her, it was her
carelessness, letting him bury the decaying hand they’d
found in Grace’s room that bothered her, what if he had
plans of blackmailing her, how stupid she’d been.
‘Are you okay mum’? Mark noticed she was frowning.
‘Sure, I am’ she replied and took one last glance at
Nelson.
***
Tbc
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*
‘Kiss you? I don’t understand’ Nelson was stunned by her
words.
‘You heard me darling, just come on, I know you’ve been
admiring me for a long time, just come and get it,are you
shy’? Rose flashed him a seductive smile and began to
pull at her buttons.
‘What are you doing’? he asked weakly, as her full b-----s
came into view, they were really supple and he knew he
wasn’t going to resist.
‘Something you’d like very much, come closer’ she
beckoned to him and he obeyed like a little child.
She kissed him deeply and led his hands to her bra, she
loved the taste of his mouth, she hadn’t had any other
man apart from her father, this was the first time she was
kissing another man, and to be honest, it felt better.
‘Stop, are you sure about this’? Nelson released her from
his grasp.
‘Yes, I like you already’ she stared into his brown eyes.
‘Alright’ Nelson nodded, praying Helen never got to know
about his affair with Rose.
Minutes later, when they both lay on the bed, panting like
antelopes that had gone racing, his phone rang and he
picked it up.
It was Helen, his heart froze, why was she calling? He
didn’t want Rose to suspect him and her mum, so he
decided to ignore it.
‘Who’s that? You have a girlfriend’? Rose winked and
turned to face him.
‘No’ Nelson smiled. She was really beautiful he noticed,
she was a younger version of her mother.
‘Let me see your phone’ she dragged the phone from him
before he could protest.
‘I can explain…’Nelson licked his lips .
‘Oh, mum? Actually she must be waiting for you in the
garden’ Rose stood up and got into her dress.
‘Waiting for me’? Nelson raised his brows.
‘Sure, she needs you to take her somewhere, last I
checked you’re still the driver’ she stormed out of his
room.
Nelson stared after her pondering on her last words, he
suddenly felt humiliated, they just had s-x, yet she still
saw him as her mother’s servant.
He paused and picked his phone, he’d received a
message from the blogger who’d published the news
concerning the alleged affair of Pastor Ita and his
supposed girlfriend, how this blogger got his number, he
didn’t know.
HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT MY PROPOSAL? WHAT’S
YOUR FEEDBACK?
***
He was glued to his chair for some minutes, the strange
call he’d received had unsettled him,he needed to do
something about it.
‘I know what you’re doing, it makes me sick and I’m
going to tell’ the words echoed in his brain.
‘I hope not’ the pastor sighed, he hoped no one was
trying to blackmail him.
‘Goodmorning man of God’ Helen sauntered into the
room, wondering why it had taken Nelson ages to get
himself ready.
‘Morning Helen’ the preacher replied, he had to act
normal, he couldn’t let his wife know about the caller,
that line of thought scared him.
What if the caller knew about his secret affair with Rose?
He couldn’t tell his wife, he couldn’t risk her finding out
about his affair with his own biological daughter.
‘You don’t look well’ Helen observed him from her mirror.
Her husband was usually very cheerful in the mornings,
but from the grim expression on his face, everything
wasn’t alright.
‘I am fine, I just had a revelation from the lord, it’s
troubling me’ he lied.
‘What revelation? Please share it with me’ she was
concerned about his wellbieng, though she had not given
up on finding his secret lover, she was sure he had one.
‘Impending doom, I must go to church today and organize
a fast within the week’ he rose to his feet.
‘That would be nice’ Helen replied and quickly fetched her
buzzing phone.
‘What’s all these’? Helen smirked as she clicked on the
image of her husband pecking a girl whose facial features
were blurred.
‘What’s that’? Pastor It asked curiously.
‘Mark said I shouldn’t believe it, he said I could trust you’
Helen sighed. Someone that had access to her number
must have sent her the photo of her husband’s alleged
affair with an unknown woman.
‘This isn’t true,it’s photoshopped, a bit to tarnish my
image, please don’t believe this’ the Pastor was afraid,
someone must have seen them from the hotel. He had
been in the car, kissing his own daughter, but he couldn’t
tell Helen that, as he’d told her he’d been heading for a
meeting.
‘Please be honest with me, I really want to trust you’
Helen stared deeply into his eyes. She’d already made
her decision to dump Nelson and stick with her husband.
‘I am honest dear’ He replied and pecked her forehead.
***
The house was quiet, Rose was in her room, Helen and
the Pastor had gone out and I was left alone in the
kitchen. The house was a huge one, I noticed that while
cleaning, but I enjoyed every bit of it, I had been in the
village for years doing nothing, I loved working.
‘Don’t you ever rest’? Mark strolled into the kitchen, this
was the second time I’d seen him since he had that
argument with his mother.
‘I…I uhmmm, I just want to make sure everything is in
place’ I replied.
‘No, you have to rest, you’ve been working all day, just
take a break, let us go to the garden’ he walked towards
me and took the kitchen gloves off my fingers.
‘Oh no Mark, this isn’t a good idea’ I objected.
‘I am not asking for your permission’ he smiled and
forced me outside.
‘It’s really beautiful here, so many flowers, your mum
plants well’ I smiled as we took a seat close to the yellow
bells.
‘She didn’t plant them, Grace did’ he quickly corrected.
‘Oh, nice, tell me about this your Grace’ I was curious and
confused, I wondered if it was right for me to show him
the note I’d found in her room.
‘I’ll tell you everything once I’m done with this call’ Mark
rose to his feet.
‘What? Mum where are you guys’? he asked.
From the look on his face, something bad must have
happened, I prayed silently and hoped no one had died.
‘They just had an accident, dad is seriously injured’ Mark
rushed into the house, leaving me in a garden of flowers.
I don’t know why, roses weren’t my favorite flowers, but I
was drawn to the pink roses in Madam Helen’s garden, I
walked towards them and decided to pluck one for
myself.
‘Hello beauties’ I inhaled the deep rosy scent, as I
opened my eyes, I found a pearly necklace on the floor
close to me, no one was looking so I carried it,it was too
beautiful to be left there.
‘Where did you get that’? Mark asked. I could feel anger
in his voice and I froze, what if he thought me a thief?
Did it belong to him?
‘I just found it here, beneath the roses’ I replied.
‘It belonged to Grace’ he replied.
Tbc
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