DISCORD

CHAPTER ONE

"Gretta Anderson, you are a true daughter of Harry Anderson.I didn't mean to leave the burden in your hand so early but please, don't allow your little ones go astray. Sell our land and use that money to take care of your siblings". He told her with teary eyes as he remained on the sick bed.

The cancer had hit her father so hard for five good years and she had prayed silently for God to take his life so that the pain will end.

It was much pain to watch him go, but enough relieve to watch the pain go.

She watched him close his eyes.

Her honorable father, Harry Anderson.

He was a freelance Journalist who was always challenging the government and getting away with it.

Now the government will be happy that only cowards will remain in the journalism society.

Craig opened his eyes faintly and stared at the man and two women that sat around the bed that he was lying on. "Where am I? Who are you all?".

Herrica shivered. "...just like the doctor predicted..."she muttered fearfully.

Frank placed a comforting arm around her. "The doctor said that he will recover his memory in no time. The most important thing here is that the accident did not give him a brain tumor. He will be fine".

Herrica looked like she had faith in his words. She nodded thoughtfully and looked up at his nanny, Maureen. "Is his food ready?".

"Yes ma".

"Bring it right away".

Craig squinted thoughtfully at them and sat upright on the bed. "If I can get you all right, I am your son and I lost my memory in an accident?". He watched them nod and one of the women brought food to his bed and tried to feed him the food but he looked away and scoffed. "What on earth are you trying to do?"

"To feed you".

"Feed me? As in...the way you feed a kid...that kind of feeding? Is this the way you were treating me before I lost my memory?".

Tears filled Maureen's eyes. "I am your nanny. I always feed you anytime you fall sick".

He chuckled. He found it so hard to believe. "Please can you tell me how old I am?".

"You will be thirty years old in September".

"Perfect. Then why have you been feeding a thirty year old man?Well sorry to disappoint you all, I am uncomfortable with this. Show me my room please".

Maureen directed him to his room.

Herrica shivered and turned to her husband. "What is happening to Craig? My soft spoken and pampered son now looks so bitter and dictatorial. Can two years in coma change him so much?".

"No one survived in the car. Only our son did. I am more interested in the fact that Craig has grown to be a strong person. A true son of Muato! He will lead Lagos capital well when I retire. I have always had a fear that Craig was a weakling but this strong personality I see in him is a good beginning". He smiled to himself.

Gretta was washing clothes at the backyard that morning when Regina walked to meet her with a disturbed look in her eyes. "Sis, Ben has been acting strange since dad left us. He has been ransacking his study room and it seems he just found something there because he has been screaming 'i found it!' since ten minutes now".

Gretta stopped what she was doing that moment and rushed to the study room to find out what was going on with her younger brother.

Ben was hunched over scattered and squeezed sheets littered on the floor.

Tears of joy filled his eyes as he stretched a sheet to her.

She reached for it and read the contents. It was a doctor's report indicating a feigned pregnancy of one Maureen Muato.

"The mayor of Lagos state, Francis Muato made his wife feign a pregnancy thirty one years ago because he wanted to win the election. The masses would not have voted for him if he had no heir but our father met with the doctor before he died. The name of the doctor is not indicated here but we can still find him".

Gretta shredded the sheet that he had given her and grit her teeth. "This useless journalism work nearly cost father his life! Now, you are talking about Mayor Muato? Are you kidding me right now? I will not allow you to do this as long as I remain alive as your sister!!! What exactly are you using this piece of information for, huh? Tell me!!!".

"I am leaving this house then sis. I am old enough to take care of myself. I am twenty four years old. I am father's only son and I am going to complete the task he started whether you like it or not".

"You are going nowhere!".

"I am going to find Muato's doctor".

..

"Coke or lemonade?"

"Water".

"Blue suit or black suit?".

"White corporate shirt".

"Vegetable soup or pancake?".

"Yam and fried egg".

"Music or movie?".

"Documentary".

Maureen was always so frustrated by his responses to every offer.

He was acting so different from his past self before he lost his memory.

So different.

" Are you sure you are the master Craig that I know?".

Craig ignored her and outlined the company designs on his laptop. "Is my father still around?".

"Yes".

"Call him over here".

"Call him? You have to meet him yourself in the study room".

"I said call my father!!!". He fired at her.

She rushed to his father's study room and returned with him in one minute.

"Craig, what is causing the ruckus?".

"Who is in charge of the land we intend to build our fish project?".

"Her name is Gretta Anderson".

Regina frowned slightly as she watched her elder ones argue again in the kitchen over the chicken that she had asked him to microwave and he had refused to.

Since father's death, they have been acting like cat and dogs.

She suddenly noticed a black SUV parked in front of the house.

She curiously rushed to where the car was parked to find out whom it was.

A young man who was wearing sunglasses and corporate black shirt walked out of the car. "Is this the house of Gretta Anderson?".

Regina looked suspiciously at him. "How may we help you?".

"Are you Gretta Anderson?". He snarled.

"I am". She heard her sister say behind her and she turned because she hadn't even noticed when she came out of the house.

She was standing behind us and folding her arms, giving the young man a daring look. "What do you want?".

"Is twenty million naira not too much to purchase a two plot of land in a area like this?". He pointed to the sign board infront of the house that indicated the price of the land.

Gretta scoffed. "Are you buying or not?".

"Fourteen million naira". He said with a firm tone in his voice.

She stifled laughter. "This is an industrial area and besides, the land is good for planting and rearing. If you can't go with the price then forget about it".

"Seventeen million naira". Ben said as he walked out of the house and everyone looked up at him.

"We will sell the land for seventeen million naira but we can as well make a deal before we agree to release it".

"What deal?". Craig asked in a defending tone.

"Make me your personal assistant in Sparkles organization".

Craig gasped. "Why? Why do you want to be my personal assistant?".

"Your mother inherited the company from your grandfather, right? Sparkles company is the fastest way to gain connections because your grandfather, Zion Levato is the only man that queen Elizabeth of England recognize in Nigeria because they were friends during their childhood". He said softly with a mischievous grin. "I need to be your personal assistant to gain connections for myself".

Craig looked suspiciously at him. "How did you know that I was from Sparkles organization?".

"AnderBen95@gmail.com". He whispered mischievously. "Sounds familiar?".

Craig gasped as he remembered the Gmail account. "You were the one that recommended this land to Sparkles company. You already knew about the fish project".

"We will give you the land for seventeen million naira". Ben said again.

"I will get back to you". He headed back into his car and drove off.

"Why is he so aggressive?". Regina spat.

Ben smiled to himself. "...just like his father".

"Father? Who is his father?". His sisters chorused and looked up at him.

"Mayor Muato. He is the son of mayor Muato. He was involved in an accident two years ago. He just came out of a coma a month ago. Craig found out that he was not the biological son of his mother. That was what almost led to his death two years ago. Now that he has lost his memory, he needs someone that will help him recover his memory. Someone like me...Ben Anderson who has to be his personal assistant to start business". He rubbed his hands and licked his lips.

"That church rat had the guts to make a deal with me and tell me that if I wanted the price of the land to be reduced to seventeen million naira, I should make him my personal assistant! Can you imagine such rubbish!!!" Craig grit his teeth.

"What did you say that his name was again?"

"Ben Anderson"

"He reminds me of someone". His father muttered.

"How can one plate of full chicken be two thousand five hundred naira? Jickson you should go to jail" . Gretta made eyes at him as she tore the chicken slices by slices into her mouth.

Jickson rolled his eyes. "You are my best friend and I never accept money from you for any food you come to buy here but you still complain about the price everytime".

Gretta chuckled and shrugged. "You know, I am talking for the sake of others".

He chuckled and observed her closely. "How have you been coping since dad left? Regina told me that Ben has been giving you so much trouble".

She sighed sadly. "Ben wants to plant discord in the mind of rich people".

"How?".

"The mayor of Lagos state has a past that might implicate him and Ben wants to dig out his past".

He sighed. "Very much like the Ben I know".

"...but I am scared, Jickson. Muato is a desperate man. If he finds out about my brother's intentions, he will threaten my brother just like he used to threaten father those days".

He nodded thoughtfully. "You know what you will do? Just keep speaking reality to him. He will change his mind. Don't try to stop him with force. Just drop bits by bits of creative words that will gradually mentally affect him and make him change his mind".

She nodded thoughtfully. "I think that is what I will do"

He smiled as he stared at the red ribbon that she had used to tie her hair. "You still wear this red band".

She untied her hair and held the red ribbon. "Do you remember this red ribbon?".

"Yes....that boy that saved you seventeen years ago...".

"How will I ever forget?".

Flash back

Gunshots could be heard in the air and Gretta's mother, April held her hand tightly as they ran and the hefty thugs chased them from behind.

Gretta was gasping out for breath as sweat filled her face. "Mummy, are they going to kill us?"

"They won't my darling". Her voice didn't sound any bit convincing.

They could feel the men getting closer and all of a sudden, April was shot.

Gretta screamed and fell on the floor.

"Pleaaaaase my child, keep running, don't stop please". She said breathlessly as she touched her bleeding stomach.

Gretta ran as fast as her legs could carry her.

The men were still chasing them and shooting from behind.

Suddenly a car parked by her and she was forced into the car.

She was screaming, thinking it was the men that had been chasing them.

"Calm down little girl". A soft voice in the car told her.

She turned.

It was a boy that looked like he was twelve years thereabout.

A very beautiful young boy with long lashes.

She would never forget that lovely face that had made her forget her worries for the split of seconds that she had taken time to observe his unbelievable beauty.

"How old are you?".

"Nine years old".

"So what is happening? Why are they chasing you?".

"My mother spied on them and heard their conversation, then they began to chase us! My mother! They shot her!".

"Don't worry, your mother will be safe. Let us take care of you first. Do you know your home address?".

"Block fourteen Adenike street".

He looked up at his driver. "Take us to block fourteen Adenike street".

When they got to her father's compound, he turned to her, smiled and touched her cheek. "I hope we meet again". He brought out a red ribbon from his pocket and tied her hair. "Your hair looked untidy, that was why I had to tie it with this ribbon. It is one of my mother's favourite ribbons. You look better with your hair tied than your hair falling on your shoulders. Always tie your hair".

"My mummy had used a ribbon to tie my hair this morning before we left the house but when we were running from those people, it fell off".

He nodded and touched my cheek again. "Your new ribbon looks good on you. What is your name?".

"My name is Gretta Anderson".

She got off the car and waved at him until the car was out of sight.

(THE PRESENT)

"I remember when we found mother's body abandoned on the road that night. Those thugs had burnt her body after killing her so that she wouldn't survive. It hurt so much to loose my mother. I had wished I had died with her and the rich boy didn't save me. But what would have happened to my siblings, especially Regina that is just a teenager? I am so grateful to that boy till today".

"Those men that killed your mother, have you tried looking for them?". Jickson asked curiously.

"Will finding them bring back my mother or just waste my time? I need peace in my heart so that I will be able to take care of my younger ones".

"I support Ben's fight. The government is corrupt and they have to be exposed. They can do anything especially when it concerns a fight for the throne. They killed your mother and threatened your father. I support Ben's fight".

"Me too". Gretta muttered.

Craig dialled the number he found on the mail and it connected. "Am I unto Ben Anderson?"

Ben chuckled. "You took longer than I expected".

"You will start work on Monday. You will drive me to work so you will have to resume in my compound at latest seven a.m".

"I can even resume by 2.a.m darling".

Craig fumed and disconnected the line.

He walked to the sitting room and began to take down all his childhood portraits that they had hung on the wall.

Herrica rushed to him. "What are you doing?".

"Are you blind to see?".

"Why are you taking down your pictures!".

"I am trying to take off that notion that you guys have about me still being a child! You guys believe that I am still a child because of all these useless child pictures of me still hung around the walls of this house!!!". He dropped the portraits in the storehouse and headed back into his room.

He heard a knock at the door of his room. "Come in if you want to".

Maureen walked in and sat on his bed. "Guess who always tied my hair anytime I was going to work?".

He grit his teeth. "...don't tell me it was me???".

She smiled softly and nodded. "You know the reason we have very few good men in the world today? It is because most men believe that being a nice person is feminine. The word 'nice' didn't come out because of a woman, it came out rather because of a human. To be human, you have to have a heart irrespective of your gender".

"I hate the fact that you all still use my childhood to judge me!".

"Seventeen years ago, you saved a girl that was almost killed! Till now, that girl owes you a lot wherever she is!All thanks to the niceness that you are avoiding to be because you feel it makes you a child!!!". She cried out.