Chapter Ten

#THERICHMARRIEDWOMAN

#EPISODETEN

Margaret pulled off my gripse. "How dare you hold my hand, you daughter of a nobody!".

"Daughter of somebody, leave someone's husband alone".

"You are the one that do those amateur designs I see on Bower bound business papers right?".

I bowed mockingly to her. "Yes your majesty".

She barged out of the bar.

I took his suit that was carelessly lying on the table. "Raymond, let us go home".

He nodded obediently and followed me from behind.

I sat at the driver's seat.

He was surprised at me. "Can you drive?".

"I was a Keke napep driver all through my days in school".

He rolled his eyes. "This is not a Keke napa or whatever you call it. This is a car with the latest technology".

"Just get in and stop making noise". I started the engine and he rushed to sit at the backseat. I turned. "Do I look like your driver?".

He chuckled. "I heard that people that sit at the front seat die faster than people that sit at the back, so let me just preserve my life here".

"Come to the front right now!". I cried out.

He gasped at me. "Anytime you scream like that and I remember the day you plugged iron to deal with me after I cheated on Margaret, I usually feel as if I have no other option than to just faithfully obey you everytime". He rushed to join me at the front and buckled his seat belt.

I grinned mischievously at him. "Hold to your seat tightly".

"Why?". He stuttered.

I increased the car speed and drove on.

He stared breathlessly at me until we got home that day.

When I got to office the next morning, I had already finished drawing some designs that I had researched about for hours when someone knocked at the door of my office.

I walked to open.

I recognized him.

Nathan Boyle.

One of the board of directors of Bower bound company.

He walked into my office and examined the design that I had drawn on the computer closely. "You can't submit this to Bower bound company".

I was surprised at his statement. "Why?".

"Bower bound don't appreciate a designer the way a designer should be appreciated. That was what they had done to designer Dennis". He explained.

I was surprised at him. "Why are you telling me this?".

He walked to stare out of the blinds. "Bower bound only appreciate foreign designers. That was how he was able to survive".

"Survive? You know where he is right now?".

"Don't ask me questions. Just do as I say. Hide this board in the underground room of the Rolands kitchen. Any design that you spend twenty four hours trying to put in place, don't give Bower bound company. Reserve it in that kitchen, then you contact foreign designers and sell it to them. That way, you will make your name worldwide just like Mr Chap had done".

Mr Chap was one of the most famous designers in the world.

He was always wearing a mask and no one knew his identity but he had a signature.

The signature of a man trapped in the midst of lions.

Any design that he did was concluded by that painting (signature of a man trapped in the midst of lions).

The man cleared his throat. "Mr Chap is Mr Dennis".

I stepped back in shock. "What do you mean?".

"If he had remained in Bower bound where his value was dormant, would he have been world designer mr Chap today?".

"...but before I started working in Bower bound, Jennifer Roland bought mr Chap's works to design the company products".

"Jennifer Roland would never believe that the underestimated Dennis is mr Chap. After all she killed him".

I was more confused. "What do you mean?".

"Jennifer Roland killed Dennis but he survived and became mr Chap".

I sobbed. Father had been alive all these while. "But what is he still doing in Texas? Doesn't he have a family that he wants to look for?".

"Mr Chap needs an evidence against Jennifer Roland before he arrives because if he arrives now and she finds out his identity, she will wipe off his family".

I never knew that Jennifer Roland was so dangerous.

The man turned to me. "Do you know Candelaria?".

"The head maid of the Rolands mansion?".

"She is our spy. We gained her loyalty a long time ago. There is only one evidence that will implicate Jennifer Roland and it was hidden by Collins Roland mother the day she had died. Collins Roland's mother and Dennis were supposed to die on the same day but Dennis survived".

"So are you saying that Jennifer Roland was the one that killed Collins Roland's mother?".

"Collins Roland's mother was almost as strong as Jennifer Roland. If she was still alive up till today, she would definitely be married to Zac Roland by now and would have taken the company after she must have poisoned pa Brian. Why did you marry Raymond? To find your father right?".

My heart slipped. "How did you know that?".

He chuckled and walked to sit on my seat. "Do you think I will trust you enough to be telling you all this just because you are an upcoming designer? I know everything. I know that you are the daughter of Mr Chap. The only way that you can make your father return home is by finding that evidence that implicates Jennifer Roland. Candelaria was the one that the mother of Collins had told that the evidence was in that mansion. If not for your marriage with Raymond,we would have been on Collins side. Your father had wanted to protect Collins like his own son because of his relationship with his deceased mother, but now that you are married to the family of his worst enemy, the battle has just begun".

Tears filled my eyes. "You have nothing to worry about. I have not slept with Raymond Roland yet. There is still a chance to divorce if things get out of hand".

He held my hand in his. "There will be war. We are four men, but one man will cause war if you don't divorce Raymond Roland".

"What are you talking about?".

"I, Mr Chap, Eric who is a shareholder of this company and Collins Roland. We have been planning for this game together but now, Mr Chap has to protect his son in law against Collins and protecting his son in law against Collins means war but the war will stop only if you divorce Raymond Roland".

"I will divorce Raymond soon but I will only do that as soon as I get that evidence!".

He placed a comforting arm around me. "We have three tough women in this world. Jennifer Roland, Collins mother and you! Gold Roland, you are a strong battle for Jennifer Roland".

My phone rang. I connected it. "Hello?".

"Am I speaking with Mrs Gold Roland?".

"Yes, who is on the line?".

"Laura's brother".

"Fabian?".

"Were you not informed about the launching of the fishery business and restaurant opening of Avocados Spirals which is taking place today?".

My heart slipped.

Avocados Spirals was what Collins had mentioned to that unknown caller that night that I had eavesdropped and the restaurant opening?

They had moved both launching to the same day so that no one would understand that the party was arranged because of the avocados spirals that Raymond would taste and be hospitalized for two months.

It was planned.

That was why I was not informed.

I sobbed. Raymond was definitely going to be hurt today. "Has Raymond tasted the avocados spirals?".

"He will in two minutes time". He disconnected the line.

I panicked and dialled Raymond's number but he was not connecting.

Raymond would taste it.

There was no way I would be able to reach Lekki in two minutes time even if I used flight.

Nathan Boyle looked worriedly at me. "What happened?".

"My husband is allergic to Ghana pepper and Collins Roland would put it in the food that he is going to taste in two minutes time".

Nathan gasped. "That is great opportunity to find the evidence!".

"My husband would be hospitalized!!!".

"I thought you said you were going to eventually divorce him! Why are you worried!!!".

"I can't help being worried about my husband! He is my husband!!!". I fired at him and rushed out of the office to my car.

I drove on and prayed after texting Candelaria. "Father lord, please don't allow my husband to take that thing! God please!!!".

As I drove on, I noticed that a car was following me from behind.

I increased my speed but the car overtook me and blocked my path.

I rushed out of the car. "What the hell do you think you are doing?".

He got out of the car.

Henry Roland.

He grinned at me as he walked towards me. "I waited for this moment! You think you can protect him?". He grit his teeth and held my head aggressively and smashed my face on the windscreen of my car until I couldn't feel myself breathing anymore.

Henry Roland had stopped me from going for the launching so that no matter what, my husband would never survive.

#fromyourfastfingers

Onyekachi Ikeh

THE END