Chapter 15
If I ain't got nothing
I got you
If I ain't got something, I don't give a damn
'Cause I got it with you
I don't know much about algebra, but I know
One plus one equals two
And it's me and you
That's all we'll have when the world is through, 'cause baby
We ain't got nothing without love
Darling, you got enough for the both of us, so come on baby
Henrietta was right at the dining table arranging what she had prepared for Damola. She later sat down and waited for hours before Damola's car zoomed in. Her eyes went straight to the wall clock and it was 10:00 pm already. She had called his phone severally and even left a message but Damola did not respond to any. She looked at the already cold food she made in annoyance. She waited for Damola to enter the house but he didn't bother looking at her for a second not until Henrietta spoke.
"I know I am nothing more than a contract to you but don't you think it is improper for you not to pick up my calls." She said angrily.
"Jessica is dead," Damola said as he went to his room straight.
A million thoughts ran through Henrietta's head because she had never wished the girl any harm but Damola's reaction is giving her concern. She went to the room and saw Damola sitting on the bed looking out the window. Henrietta sat quietly beside him and right beside her was a man filled with bitterness and pain.
"Is there something I need to know?"
"She meant a lot to me. She is friendly to everyone. Why would someone just kill her without a cause?" Tears trickled down his eyes.
"Then why did you leave her in the first place?"
"I love her that's why I left, she deserved a better man."
"I am sorry for your loss."
"Henrietta I will ask you again; Do you have a hand in Jessica's death?"
"I can't do that to anybody Damola. You know me too well."
"I pray you don't," Damola said and stood up to sleep properly on the bed.
The sun was at its peak when Vanessa got stuck up in the traffic. She decided to go out alone without CJ. She increased the volume of her car radio and started vibing with the beat of the song. She was still dancing when her phone beeped just for her to see a new message. She opened the message and saw herself leaving the place where Jessica was killed and a little caption. "I SEE YOU 😂😂😂." She dropped her phone in fear and gripped the steering wheel.
"Who did this? Who did this?" She mumbled before turning off the tape in anger.
"I will find you. I will find you before you find me." She mumbled just for another message to come up on her phone.
"Five million naira and I will shut my mouth🤫" Vanessa laughed when she saw the message. "Indeed you will shut your mouth dear."
It would have been better if Vanessa did not know anything like wealth because it shut down her humanity. The sweet girl who can do anything to survive is dead.
It started with a cold chill running down Vanessa's spine when she saw a box delivered for her before she got to the office. She was cold and silent all of a sudden as she opened the beautiful gift box delivered for her.
"Who sent this?"
"A delivery guy brought it ma."
"Get me a link to whoever the delivery guy is. I want results as soon as possible."
"Okay, ma."
Days, weeks, and months run by and Vanessa could not figure out who was frequently sending boxes to her home and office. It was beyond confusion for her but she had finished using all her tactics and paid almost ten million naira to the blackmailer.
"I want to know who is behind this CJ."
"I am still working on it ma."
"Your work is not enough. I can't keep on losing my money to one bastard out there. Do your job CJ."
"We've installed surveillance cameras everywhere. It's just a matter of time. The criminal will be caught."
"Make it snappy CJ. No mistakes."
Vanessa and CJ were still talking when CJ's phone rang out.
"Excuse me, ma'am. Hello" He said on the phone and he waited for the responder to finish.
"Follow the car and put on your tracker," CJ said before cutting the call.
"Any update?" Vanessa asked.
"We have a link," CJ replied.
Jibola sat on the prison floor with his head down after spending six months in prison. His beard and hair had grown beyond recognition.
"Here are your clothes." The warder gave Jibola his clothes.
He made his way out with his younger brother who came to fill out some documents. The boy filled all the necessary documents and followed his brother who was in a hurry to leave the prison's vicinity.
"How is Amina and my daughter doing?"
"Your wife has left home with your daughter Jade."
"To where?"
"She is now staying in Ikorodu. I heard her sister set up a big provision store for her sef"
"I see, and she cannot come and bail me since."
"It is as if the girl has moved on o. You should do the same too."
Amina was busy cleaning up the house when the doorbell rang. "Who is there?" She asked as she walked to the door to see her sister with bags of groceries.
"You did not tell me you are coming."
"Well, surprise... I missed my baby boy and I can't wait to see him."
"You are lucky I am around. I was planning on leaving the house after cleaning."
"Where are you going, it's Sunday now?"
"Kafayat wants me to follow her to her designer's place. Her wedding is fast approaching."
"Yeah, that's true." Nneka made her way to the kitchen to drop the groceries."
"Sister called this morning that she is packing to her husband's family house" Nneka added.
"Why?" Amina asked curiously.
"I don't know but I heard that her husband doesn't want her all alone in the house when he travels."
"But why in the world would sister Labake agree to that? Well, it's their business, not mine. They both know what is good for them."
"I am going back to the States next month."
"So soon, I thought you said you are staying here for two months."
"Yeah, but my friends are calling me and I have a lot of assignments to cover before the school resumes."
"We should have a lot of fun before that time then because I will seriously miss you."
"Yeah, I agree with you. All bills on you, let's go to the beach this weekend."
"You picked the location so you can foot the bills."
"Haha! Sister Amina now."