Watched the man with my heart in my mouth.
Two weeks ago, Rosa James had threatened me
with my life and I had already given the recorded voice to the
police last week.
I watched him closely and thought deeply about what to do. "Someone sent you to kill me right? I have a voice recorder
that recorded the voice of Rosa James two weeks ago when she had threatened
to kill me. If you kill me right now, she gets into jail".
The man laughed. "You liar...".
"Can I get it right there on the
kitchen shelf so that you will see it yourself?".
I walked into the kitchen shelf and he followed me from behind, pointing a gun
closely to my head.
I squatted and opened the cupboard.
There was a knife.
I slipped it into my sleeves and continued
searching for what was not there.
The voice recorder was not in the kitchen. I
had only taken him to the kitchen so that I
would be able to get the knife.
I walked into the room.
I reached for the voice recorder which was
under my bed and gave it to him.
He played the recorder and gasped.
As he listened to the recorder, I watched
the gun in his hand.
I just needed one fast move and I will
defeat him.
The only fast move I needed to save my life.
He pointed the gun at me as he listened to
the recorder.
I reached out the knife from my sleeves and
sliced through his fingers.
The gun fell to the floor and his hand bled.
I could reach for the gun on the floor
faster than him because he was trying to contain the pain coming from his
bloody hand.
I pointed the gun at him. "I give you
just one minute to get out of my house right now". I shot his leg.
If I didn't shoot his leg, he might still
try to stop me on my way to Raymond's birthday party.
I watched him struggle with his left leg and
bloody hand as he walked out of my house.
I watched Raymond as he worriedly
dialed my number as he sat at the front
in the big hall with a lot of people.
I remained at the back and texted him. 'Don't turn. I am right
behind you.
Truly, he didn't turn, I watched him smile
to himself as the event continued.
When it was time for the celebrant to give a
speech, he walked to the stage and faced the audience.
After appreciating the people, he looked
towards me. "There is someone here that I would like to introduce to you
all...".
I was at the back, watching Rosa James as
she smiled to herself, probably thinking that I was already dead.
"I want to introduce to you the woman
that had given me strength, the woman that my heart will choose to love
forever, my one and only, Victory Charles!!!". He cried out and there was
a round of applause from the audience.
I rose to my feet and walked to the stage to
meet him.
He went on a knee and brought out a box, he
flipped it open, it was a ring.
A diamond ring...
There were cheers from the audience.
I was shocked that Raymond had planned to
propose to me on his birthday.
I never knew that Raymond would engage me so
soon!!!
Tears filled my eyes as I stretched forth my
finger and he slipped the ring into it.
There were cheers from the audience.
He hugged me, kissed me, and carried me in
his arms.
There was so much joy in my heart.
I was engaged.
After receiving 'Congratulations' from the
audience, we walked out of the hall.
I looked around.
Rosa James was nowhere around.
She must have rushed out to look for the man she had sent to kill
me.
When we got to his car, I stretched his
packaged gift to him.
He gasped and kissed me on my cheek.
"Thank you, Victory".
He tore open the package and right there was
a necklace.
On it was engraved, 'Victory's man'.
He chuckled and hugged me. "You are so
annoying".
We burst into laughter.
He looked observantly at me. "You look
stressed. Did something happen?".
"Rosa sent someone to kill me".
"Rosa sent someone to kill you?".
"She had said it two weeks ago and I
had recorded our conversation, and just as we had predicted, a man with a gun
had come to kill me".
He hugged me. "I am so sorry,
Victory!". He released me and dialed Rosa James' number which she
connected immediately. "How dare you try to do anything to Victory! How
dare you!".
"If she has proof, she can bring it.
If she doesn't, then there is no need to call me for this". She
disconnected the line.
"I have a proof". I told him and
he told someone to take my car back home while we went in his car.
When we got to my house, my house had been
broken into.
I rushed into it to the place where I had kept the last recorder, in one of the
wardrobes in my room, but it was not there.
Rosa James had sent someone to clean
everything that would implicate her.
"How could someone break into your
house? What sort of rubbish is this!!!". He snarled and called the police.
I held his hand. "I already have strong evidence with the police".
We got to the police station.
I walked to the two policemen to whom I had
given the evidence and asked them concerning the evidence.
They blinked cluelessly at me. "We
don't understand what you are talking about".
I explained myself the more and they brought
out the recorder.
They had deleted the contents.
The Nigerian police whom I had trusted with
my evidence had deleted it because they had been bribed by Rosa James.
I screamed frustratedly. "How can you
do this? How can you do this and you call yourself the police?".
Raymond held me from behind and walked me
down to his car.
He watched me sob frustratedly.
I was close to saving myself, and now,
everything was all gone.
He hugged me.
I needed it at that moment.
He released me and looked into my eyes.
"My men already sent your things back to your house. You will be returning
home today".
"My parent's house?".
"Yes. You can't live alone like this,
especially in your situation".
I was sweating over my forehead and he wiped
it with a handkerchief. "I already employed a nanny that will take care
of you from now on".
"...but I have Endurance".
"Endurance has a lot of
responsibilities. She will definitely not be able to take care of you in the
way I want. I already sent someone who will secretly keep his eyes on you for
your safety".
When I got to the house, Nelson was arguing with my father and brother outside the house.
They rushed to me immediately after I walked in.
Nelson's leg was already healing.
"Raymond's proposal to you is over the
media!!!". Collins said breathlessly.
"...and when the rich expose news to
the public, there is no going back!!!". My father said in shock.
My father followed me into my room.
"Raymond employed a doctor for me for a week now and they now treat me
in the VIP room! The doctor said that I will be completely healed this year.
The doctor once trained under Ben Carson! He told me that I should have been treated long ago!".
I nodded thoughtfully. "I am happy that
my dad will be completely healed this year! Come and give me a hug even if you
are so annoying!".
He hugged me. "What happened? Why did
you bring your things down here?".
If I tell my dad that I was threatened, he
will be wary of the rich again. "I just want to be around people. I was so
lonely there, that was why I came here".
He chuckled and nodded. "We are here to
keep you company my darling".
My phone rang the next morning.
It was Grace Craig.
I connected it. "Hello?".
"Rosa James had been two days pregnant
before she had slept with Raymond that
night. Regina Donald confirmed everything from the doctor. Where are you, baby?".
"I will be coming right away. Where are
you?".
When we got to the hospital, Rosa James
walked out of the hospital.
Regina Donald slapped her. "How dare
you force another man's baby on my son ?".
Rosa James sobbed. "There was no
pregnancy! I just lied to get Raymond's love". She gave her a negative
pregnancy test.
Rosa James had aborted the pregnancy...
I knew it...
I knew that there was going to be war because Paul King was going to kill her.
Regina Donald snatched the negative report
from her and shredded it into pieces. "You are a bitch". She grits her
teeth.
Rosa fell on her knees and sobbed. "I
swear to God, I am not pregnant".
Regina Donald held my hand and waved my
ringed finger at Rosa's face. "I found someone better than you and we will
be fixing the wedding date very soon". Regina took me into my car.
I stole a glance at Rosa and she was smiling
to herself.
She was obviously up to something again.
When I got to the house, Nelson was sitting
at the front.
He looked up at me. "Can we talk for a
minute?"
I was tired but I reluctantly walked to sit
beside him. "What do you have to say?"
"I will be traveling to France very
soon. I didn't tell anyone but I want you to take care of yourself and the
baby".
I nodded. "Do take care of yourself
too, Nelson".
He sighed indignantly. "I had wasted my
time and energy coming here and making friends with your family. At the end of
it, I discovered that no matter what happens, what will be will be and I learned to accept the fact that you have already started learning how to love someone
else. I wish you a happy married life in advance" he said bitterly. "I
learned my lesson the hard way and found out that no matter what happens, you shouldn't leave a person you love in times of trouble. I heard you have even
started developing your fish pond. You have indeed made it in life".
I nodded. "Thank you, Nelson".
He cleared his throat. "What if the
baby in your womb dies? Will you still marry Raymond?".
I
chuckled. "The baby in my womb will never die because my womb is
the wrong womb to die in. My baby has come to stay. This baby in my womb is the
result of all my achievements today. And even if that happens, pregnancy is not the reason I am getting married to Raymond. I am getting married to Raymond because
I am growing to love that man".
He shrugged. "Most of my customers in
Jickson bar prefer to go to your hotel because they can easily lodge in. I was
not even strategic enough to create a lodge on time. I had thought Jickson bar
would always be at the top because it is built beautifully, but in a twinkle of
an eye, someone came and replaced me".
I burst into laughter. "I am not
supposed to laugh right now but I don't even know...".
"It is your time to laugh, Victory. You
have cried enough".
I nodded thoughtfully. "Thanks so much,
Nelson. I pray the Lord will give you the strength to fight the war ahead of
you".
He sighed bitterly. "I regret it so
much, Victory. I regret ever leaving you".
Collins was the one that woke me up the next
morning.
He sat on my bed and placed an arm around me.
"Those days when I was abroad, having an irresponsible mother and a father
that was in Nigeria had been so hard. I was growing up practically alone and I
wasted my time. As old as I was, I hadn't even achieved anything. One day, I
locked myself in the room and cried from the depths of my heart. I had given up
on myself and I was coming back to Nigeria, without achieving anything. I had
given up on my talent. Sincerely I had, but I never knew that Nigeria was my redemption.
I never knew that the baby in your womb was the redemption of this family.
Now, senators even have my paintings in their office because of your future
husband's strong influence. Thank you, Victory. Thank you for giving me a
reason to live again".
I hugged him. "I love you, big
brother".
"Please don't call me big brother, I
should be the one calling you big sister".
"You will always remain my big brother
no matter what, Collins".
When I looked up, my father was smiling and
standing at the door.
I had finished taking care of my fish pond
when one of my workers rushed to me with my phone. "You have a call".
I collected the phone after taking off my
glove.
It was Grace Craig.
I connected it. "Hello, baby
girl?".
"Rosa James is causing a scene at the
bridge. Gey bridge. Everyone has gathered there. She wants to jump. She is
obviously waiting for you and Raymond".
I disconnected the line and dialed Raymond.
He connected the line. "Hello, darling?".
"Did you hear the news about Rosa James
that is trying to kill herself at Gey bridge?"
"I am not going to Gey Bridge, Victory.
I am even presently in the board room, I will talk to you later". He
disconnected the line.
I was shocked.
Raymond was comfortably holding a meeting
when Rosa James was planning to commit suicide.
I drove to Gey Bridge.
Immediately she sighted me, she began.
"People of Nigeria, my name is Rosa James, I had cheated on the chairman
of Bower bound because I wanted to grow in
Kachi media. I resigned from Kachi Television because I accepted my
wrongs! I had made a mistake! Please help me plead with Raymond Donald!".
Regina Donald was among the crowd.
"People of Nigeria, don't listen to that promiscuous woman! Even though it was a daint to the reputation of Bower bound, the foolish girl was
still in a relationship with Paul Kings. I have the pictures right here with me
for evidence!".
Rosa sobbed uncontrollably. "That woman
is a liar! She is saying all that because she hates me!!!".
Someone gripped her leg.
It was Paul Kings.
She fell into his arms.
"Even if the world gives up on you, I
will never do that. Even if it means giving up on Kachi television, I will
never give up on you because I love you so much, Rosa James".
There were cheers from the crowd and
journalists had taken videos and
pictures of the scene.
My phone rang.
It was Grace Craig.
I connected it. "Hello, Grace?"
She sobbed. "Eyewitnesses just told
Regina Donald that Raymond was shot by an unknown man and taken away in a black
bus without a plate number in broad daylight".
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