I had summed up Bower-bound company records for the day.
I had to rush to the site where I had purchased my lands.
Mum had travelled that morning and Dad was
still receiving treatment as an outpatient in Evans Hospital.
As I grabbed my bag on my desk, I heard
footsteps from behind.
I turned.
It was Raymond Donald.
He looked worriedly at me and helped me with
my bag. "Are you sure you didn't truly abort the baby? You are not
behaving like a pregnant woman at all. You don't even sleep at work".
I collected my bag from him. "Are you
aware that we don't have any business with each other now?"
He cleared his throat. "I didn't see
you eat today".
"I had gala and zobo".
"You shouldn't take roadside zobo. You don't even know how those women
prepare it".
"Whatever I take or don't take is my
own business, Raymond Donald".
"No matter what you say, we both know
that my blood runs in the vein of that baby in your womb!".
"...and no matter what you say, we both
know that you are engaged and will be married very soon".
He sighed. "I need company right now.
Can you help me?".
"Ask your fiancée to help you with
that, Raymond".
"There is something I need to tell you.
Something you have always wanted to know".
"If it concerns the Donald's, I am not
interested".
"Your mother travelled abroad this
morning for her surgery". He said firmly.
I stopped short and glared at him. "Why
are you guys still watching me? What do you want from me this time?".
"Just follow me to my favorite bar and
I will keep your little secret".
"Bar? Head usher? Bar???". I made
eyes at him.
"Have you heard of Jickson bar? It is
one of the most famous bars in Lagos".
I reluctantly followed him out of the
office.
When we got to the parking lot ,he walked to
one of his black Range Rovers and got in.
I joined him and he drove to the so-called Jickson bar.
When we got in, we used the elevator and
landed on the seventh floor.
It was not like the local bars in my area.
It was almost the height of a sky scraper.
It was cozy, well designed and furnished.
The hall we were directed to was a VIP hall.
It had a lot of attendants and very few
customers that could afford it.
It had a spa session, gyming equipments at
the other side, and a musician was singing a slow song at the front, staring
into the thick blue light.
The attendants knew Raymond Donald so well.
They gathered around our table.
"Aren't you going to make
orders?". He nudged me.
"Just give me pepper soup, turkey, and
hi-malt".
"Are you sure that is all?".
"Yes. If I eat too much, I will just
vomit everything while I am brushing my teeth tonight".
He broke into laughter. "You are one of
those that use to brush their teeth as if they are brushing toilet seat".
I shrugged. "Didn't you like my fresh
breath the first time we talked? That is the secret".
He chuckled. "What about the first time
we kissed? It was also Wednesday and it was raining in the morning. Can you
remember?".
I made eyes at him. "Talk to your
fiancée about things like that, Raymond Donald".
I stopped one of the attendants who was
bringing three bottles of Goldberg. "Hey! Go and drop that thing and give
this man malt, I am not ready to carry anybody's fiancé on my back this
evening".
Raymond laughed loudly and accepted the
tray. "Don't mind this young lady. Give me two more bottles please. Mix
with Heineken".
I made eyes at him and continued devouring
my own meal. "What's the secret you wanted to tell me?"
He poured drink in a glass and gulped.
"You are so lucky, Victory. You have so much freedom".
"I don't understand. You don't have
freedom?".
"Are you aware that I am going to be
just her husband on papers?".
"I don't understand".
He poured from another bottle and gulped.
"The more the wedding date is closer, the more I get so frustrated".
"Why? I thought you loved her".
"Rosa James is the face of Bower bound
creams and soaps. Our cream and soap is trending because of her influence. Rosa
James is the number one presenter trending in the country. It will be great
scandal if after our open relationship, we break up".
"Does it mean that you proposed to her
because of the benefits Bower bound is getting from her?"
"I liked Rosa James at the beginning,
but now I see the reality, such feelings is not enough to lead to marry her. I
don't love Rosa James enough to marry her".
"Are you just realizing that now? Why
are you realizing that now? And why did you say that you will only be married
on papers?".
"Did you think Rosa James just got to
that stage in life by magic?".
I poured more wine for him so that he will
talk more. I excitedly watched him get drunk slowly. "How did Rosa James
get to that stage?"
"My worst enemy, Paul Kings".
Paul Kings was the CEO of Kachi television.
"What is Paul Kings benefiting from Rosa James?".
He shrugged. "I don't know".
Someone walked in.
I could smell that familiar mixture of
Culvate cologne and Flower gin cologne.
Only one person mixed those two colognes
just like that.
The person approached our table and shook
hands with Raymond.
Raymond nudged me. "Meet the CEO of
Jickson bar, Nelson Fred".
The blue light blinked on his face but I
could see Nelson Fred.
Nelson Fred was the CEO of Jickson bar???
Raymond chuckled as he watched the surprise
on my face. "Don't tell me you have also been captivated by Nelson's
beauty".
My heart was beating very fast. It was going
to six years since I had set my eyes on Nelson...that painful night he had left
me.
It was not surprising that he already owned
a big bar like Jickson.
His father was rich.
I forced a smile and stretched a hand.
"Nice meeting you, Nelson Fred".
His strong hands accepted mine. "Nice
meeting you again, Victory Charles".
Raymond Donald gasped as he looked at the
both of us. "You already knew each other".
Nelson cleared his throat. "She
wouldn't ever forget the only person she trusted enough with her
virginity". He grinned devilishly.
I grabbed a glass filled with Heineken and
poured it on his face. "Don't you
ever say anything you just feel like. Be very careful with the way you address
me".
His attendants rushed to the chaos.
Nelson wiped his face with his hands.
"You look more attractive now that you have grown. What do you do now?
Prostitution?".
I smiled at him. "I am Bower bound
company's financial head".
"What are you doing with an engaged man
then?".
"...and what is so bad in business
partners having a chit chat in a bar when it is not even an hotel?"
He swallowed. "In case you don't know,
I am still single".
"What do you think is the difference
between a dog and a human?".
"Humans don't go back to their
vomit". Raymond responded.
Nelson angrily walked out of the hall.
Raymond glared at me. "You told me that
you had never loved anyone before!".
"My love life is definitely none of
your business!!!".
"Why then were you forcing your way
into my life when you have an unsettled love life?"
"Unsettled? What I had with Nelson was
a teenage fling".
"It cost you your virginity! Girls
don't easily forget that one man!".
"Girls don't easily forget that one man
that truly loves them!". I fired back at him.
He calmed and watched me closely. "Are
you saying you have never been loved before?".
"Love doesn't let go!". I sat back
to continue eating my gigantic turkey.
He was surprised at me. "You are still
going to continue eating like nothing just happened?"
I rolled my eyes. "What did you expect
me to do? Take him to hospital for pouring alcohol on his face?".
He sat back and continued drinking.
"You know one of the things I like about you, Victory Charles? You are
always yourself with me. I always feel like being myself anytime I am with
you".
I shrugged and continued eating.
I watched the big head faint right there on
the table with empty bottles scattered around his head.
I picked my phone and dialed Rosa James
number.
She connected on the second ring. "Your
fiancé, Raymond Donald is right here at Jickson bar in the VIP hall, he is very
drunk and he needs your help".
"What are you doing there with
him?". She fired.
"You can ask him that yourself when he
gets back to his senses". I disconnected the line and finished my Hi-malt.
I headed out of the hall.
I had to quickly meet with the agent at the
building site to check the update.
When I got completely out of the building,
someone grabbed my hand from behind.
When I looked up, it was Nelson, standing
behind me. "Let us get back
together, Victory. I don't care about the father of that baby in your womb but
I am willing to walk you down the aisle this moment".
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