“But I
don’t love Melissa,” Hector said to her. “I have never loved her.”
“Then
why did you propose to her if you did not?”
“I did
it for you mom!” he shouted at her.
“Don’t
shout at your mother.” His father voiced out. He gradually rose up on his feet.
“You don’t need to disrespect your mother just because you have called off the
wedding.”
Mrs.
Henshaw said, “He has called off nothing! It will hold.”
He
walked closer to his wife. “Have you forgotten there was a time I told you that
you were forcing Melissa on him?”
She
looked away from him, stamping her right foot on the floor.
“I know
you won’t say anything but Hector is old enough to marry who he loves.”
She
faced him. “There is no reason for him to call off the wedding.”
“But
Hector is in love with someone else.”
Her
facial expression drowned and her jaw fell.
“Hector
is in love?” Hillary asked surprised and crossed her hands. “How is that
possible?”
“Ask him
yourself, he is in the better position to tell you why he cannot marry
Melissa.”
“Are you
supporting your son?” his wife asked him.
“I want
my son’s happiness and I will do anything to get him his soul desire even if I
die trying.”
“Dad
it’s okay.” Hector finally spoke. “Please go to your room and rest.”
He
smiled cleverly at him. “Are you capable of handling these women?”
Hector
smiled back at him. “I am capable dad and if I am not able to manage them I
know what to do.”
Henshaw
placed his right hand on Hector’s left shoulder. “Don’t be afraid. Whatever you
are going to do, remember you are doing it for love. Do not hold anything back
but show your mother some respect. Don’t judge her because she feels she’s giving
you the best.” He removed his hand.
“Thank
you dad.”
“Good
night my son.” He said and walked away from the sitting room.
Hector
went close to his mother. “Mom you need to sit down for us to talk.”
“I am
not going to sit down and talk nonsense with you,” she said. “Whatever you want
to broadcast to me I am waiting to hear it now.” Hillary remained silent and waited patiently
for whatever her brother was about to spill out, she could not wait to hear the
name of the person he is in love with.
“If you
don’t want to sit, fine, I will let you know why I cannot marry Melissa.”
She eyed
him in a flushed face and throbbing veins marched circled her neck.
“I am in
love with Renee.”
They were
too shocked to say a word to him. Mrs. Henshaw was motionless to the ground.
Hillary could only drop down her hands and stare at her brother in blank
amazement. Was he playing with their minds? She asked herself silently.
“I need
someone to say something!” Hector said after getting impatient with their
stillness.
Hillary
swallowed. “I want you to be specific, is there any other Renee you are talking
about?”
He
hissed. “How many Renee do you know?”
“One.”
“Well,
that’s the Renee I am talking about.”
“God
forbids bad thing!” his mother yelled with tremendous anger in her voice. “You are in love
with Renee? This is unbelievable! If this is a dream I don’t think I want to
wake up.”
“Mom
calm down.” he said to her.
“How can
mom calm down in this situation?” Hillary asked. “This is absurd! You can never
leave the rich for the poor, I don’t see any sense in it.”
He went
closer to her furiously. “If you don’t keep your mouth shut, I will do it for
you.”
“You
dare not!” his mother barked at him. “You will not lay your filthy hands on my
daughter because she is saying the truth.”
Hector
turned to his mother. “The truth?” he asked. “Because Renee is from a poor
background, a wealthy man like me cannot fall in love with her?”
“Yes my
son. I will never agree to let you date Renee not to talk of getting married to
her. This is not even the case here, Melissa must be your wife and your wedding
with her must hold. I am certain she is not aware of this foolish idea because
she has not told me.”
“I will
let her know by the weekend.”
She
shook her head. “You will tell her nothing. You will get married to her.”
“What
about my own happiness?” he asked. “I will never be happy.”
“You
will be happy my son.”
“Why is
it difficult for you to accept Renee? Father and Hope have accepted Renee.”
His
mother face changed suspiciously. “No wonder you took her to meet Hope, that
barren woman.”
“Mother!”
he articulated. “Hope is your daughter, your first born. How can you call her
that?”
“What do
you expect me to say? Hope is useless if she does not want kids.”
“It is
not her fault,” he said. “She has her reasons.”
“Then
whose fault? I am in no mood to talk about Hope. I want Renee and her mother
out of this house now.”
“But it
is late already.”
“I don’t
care!” She riveted to Hillary’s way. “Go and tell that cook and her useless
daughter to leave my house and I give them ten minutes to leave.”
Hillary
walked there cheerfully to give the bad news.
“Mom we
can settle this amicably.” he said.
“Never!”
she went over to sit down. She was shaking her head and legs at the same time.
Being furious with her son, husband, the cook and Renee was an understatement. Her
vexation was beyond imagination.
Mrs.
Alice ran down to her boss in tears, begging, she pushed her away. She almost
fell down on the floor if not for Hector that quickly held her from falling
down. Hillary carried their two travelling bags along with her to the living room.
“Where
is your daughter?” she asked angrily.
She
looked at her disordered. “I thought she was in the living room.”
“She’s
in my room.” Hector said.
His
mother sprung up on her feet and ran to Hector’s room. He went after her.
“Open
the door Renee!” she yelled, banging her fist on the door. Renee heart froze. She jumped up from the bed
with her heartbeat thumping. “Leave my son’s room you this prostitute!”
“Enough
mother!” he roared. Hector was trying so hard to hold his temper but he has had
enough of her awful attitude. “Renee, do not open the door unless I tell you.
Relax your mind and don’t panic.”
“She
better panic because I will tear her apart when she comes out!!”
“You
will do no such thing as long as I am alive.”
“You
cannot stop me, nobody can stop me.”
Mrs.
Alice was on the floor rolling and begging her boss. There was commotion,
argument-taking place between Mrs. Harriet, Hector and Hillary. The uproar from
them woke Mr. Henshaw up. He was taken aback to hear loud argument from his family,
he got up from the bed and walked to open the door to meet them.
“Enough!!!”
he bellowed with full strength. They all turned to see him standing. He stared at
the cook on the floor. His heart sank. “I want you to stand up.”
She got
up on her feet fidgeting. Warm tears were rolling down her cheeks.
“I am
highly disappointed in all of you especially my wife.”
“Oh
please!” Harriet said back at him.
“If
Hector does not want to marry Melissa leave him alone.”
“He will
marry Melissa and no one can change that. How can you support him to leave
Melissa for Renee?”
“It is
Hector’s choice and I will support him because he is my son!”
“I want
the useless cook and her low life daughter out of my house.”
“What if
I say no?”
“Then
there will be trouble, big trouble. I will bring down the house if they do not leave
tonight, I do not want to see them at all. Let them go!”
“Dad,”
Hector spoke up. “I don’t want to do anything that I will regret later, Mrs.
Alice and Renee will leave tonight.”
“Good!”
his mother said. “They are also fired!”
“Please
ma.” Mrs. Alice begged her.
“Oh shut
up your dirty mouth!”
“Harriet
it is enough!” her husband said to her.
Hector
waited for them to leave, he called Renee to open the door for him. She did and
he quickly entered. He motioned forward to his wardrobe and took out a shirt to
wear. He informed her to help him arrange some of his clothes inside a small luggage.
“Why?” she
asked in a nervous condition.
“Don’t
ask me any questions for now, just do as I say.”
She did
as he said. He went out of his room alone to get a gown from her bag. Renee
wore the dress on top of her nightdress. Hector’s family and Renee’s mother
were waiting for them at the living room.
“Thank your
God my son is protecting you,” Mrs. Harriet said after they came out to meet
them. “If not, Hillary and I would have beaten the hell out of you.”
“Dad I
will call you when I reach my destination.” Hector said to his father.
“Okay
son,” he said to him. Tears filled Renee’s eyes. She was going to miss him.
“Where
do you think you are going to?” his mother asked as she sighted his bag.
He
looked into his mother’s eyes. “You cannot stop me.”
Hillary
said, “Hector…”
“Shut up
or I will punch you!”
Renee
and her mother followed him outside to his car.
Renee
wiped off her face as he drove outside the building. “Where are we going
tonight?”
“We will
stay at my hotel.” he replied. Hector took her left hand and kissed it.
“Everything will be alright.”
They
arrived at his hotel after thirty minutes, his manager came outside to meet and
welcomed them. The manager carried Hector’s bag to his personal room and
another room was booked for Renee and her mother. They went to their separate
rooms to freshen up and relax. Hector made a call to his father and he called
Michael too. Michael promised Hector he would see him very early the next day.
Hector
went over to see them in their room after making his necessary calls. He assured
them not to worry or think and that everything will be okay. He took Renee outside the room to kiss her deeply
before he went to bed.
*******
“I am
highly disappointed in you.” Mrs. Henshaw said to her husband in the room as
they lay on the bed.
“Because
I want the best for my son?” he asked.
Harriet
shook her head. “I want the best for my son too, he has to marry Melissa.”
“Why?”
he asked.
“She is
the right woman for him,” she said. “Renee is a lowlife who knows nothing about
handling anything! Melissa will lead Hector to the right path when we are no
longer here on earth.”
“Hector
and Renee are capable of handling anything together.”
“Total
rubbish!” she spat out.
He
glared surprised at the disgusting utterances from his wife. “Have you
forgotten I am still your husband? What is the problem with you?”
“Nothing
but Hector should marry Melissa, they fit each other.”
“Leave
him alone.” Henshaw turned to face the other side of the bed.
“If you
continue to side with Hector, I will tell him the truth and he will hate you
forever.”
He
rotated to his wife’s direction. “What will you tell him?”
“You
know what I am talking about, do not pretend.”
He
grimaced. “But that will not stop him from loving Renee.”
“But it
will change everything between you and him. It will destroy your close
relationship.”
“Under
this my condition?” he asked in a low voice and a saddened facial expression. “You
want to cause a rift between me and my son?”
“Tell
him to marry Mellissa.”
“I will
not be blackmailed. I love my Hector and his future, the mistake I did in the
past should not make me weak but strong enough to fight for my son. Good night
Harriet, pray I do not die in my sleep because my spirit will hunt you forever.”
“You can
say whatever you like,” she said unconcerned. “Sleep over what I have discussed
with you.”
He closed
his eyes in discomfort.
**********
“Are you
serious about what you have told me?” Michael asked after Hector had summarized
everything to him in his hotel room the next morning.
“That is
the truth my brother.” he said dressing up to leave for the office.
“I know
your mother will not accept Renee because of her poor status but forcing
Melissa on you is frightening. I cannot imagine getting married to a woman I do
not love. I will helpless and useless.”
“I am so
confuse.”
“I am so
sorry about what is going on. Should I talk to your mom about it?”
“There
is nothing anyone can say that will make my mother change her mind. She wants
me to marry Melissa by all means.”
“So what
do you want to do now?”
“I don’t
know for now but I will inform Hope later about this. It is very early in the morning to
call and tell her the news.”
“What
about Hillary?” he asked. “Whose side is she on?”
He
hissed. “You talk as if you don’t know that messed up brat.”
Michael
burst out laughing.
“Hillary
is very annoying.” Hector said. He suited up in a black fitted suit, paired
with a white shirt, and a solid colored tie. He wore his leather shoes he
stored in his hotel room. “Let’s go.”
He
shrugged. “What about Renee?”
“What
about her?” he asked surprised.
“Won’t
you introduce her to me?”
“Of
course I will, we are going to see her now.” They left the room and Hector lead
the way to Renee’s room.
He
knocked twice before she opened the door. Renee jumped at Hector gleefully and they hugged
deeply. He put her down and he smiled brightly at her. She was dressed in a pink satin gown.
Hector
and Michael entered and greeted Mrs. Alice. She welcomed them.
He
introduced his cousin to the love of his life.
Michael
stretched his right hand for a handshake. “I am happy to meet you Renee and
truthfully you are angelic and pretty.”
She
blushed and shook his hands. “Thank you.”
“Be
assured that you and Hector will never separate. I am behind the two of you and
I will help in any way I can.”
“Thanks
bro.” Hector said. “I knew I would always count on you.”
Renee
gave a natural smile.
Hector
had to skip breakfast because he was already late for work. He ordered his
manager and the chef to respond to Renee and her mother whenever they needed
them. He promised to call her often at the office. He gave her some money to
hold in case she or her mom wanted anything. He pecked her on the right cheek and
left. The men walked side by side to the parking lot.
“Renee
is not the kind of girl you used to like.” Michael said.
“Love
happens when you least expect it. Love is not about the physical but the
matters of the heart and sometimes the heart sees what is invincible to the eyes.”
Michael
smiled. “I am happy you have found true love.”
“Thank
you bro.” The walked to their cars and drove away.
Indeed,
he meant what he said to her. Michael thought Renee was one of the most beautiful
women he has ever seen.
The
first thing Hector did when he reached his office was call his elder sister on
the phone.
“You mean
all these happened since yesterday and you are just telling me?” Hope asked him
after narrating the drama.
“I did
not want to disturb you.”
She took
a deep breath. “I am so mad at mother. What are your plans now?”
“I have
no idea,” he said frustratingly. “Maybe I should elope with her.”
“You are
not a coward,” she said. “You will break father’s heart if you leave. What about
the company, investments he gave to you, you promised never to destroy what he
gave to you.”
“I know
and I will never betray father, I’m just confused.”
“I won’t
blame you but fight for what you love and believe in. I will talk to you
later.”
“Okay
sis.” He called Renee to check up on her. Hope cancelled her appointment, she
was on her way to see her mother and to spill out what was on her mind and
nothing was going to stop her from holding back anything.
Ebube
opened the door for her when she arrived. She went to the master’s bedroom but saw only her dad. She hugged and pecked him on his forehead. Mr.
Henshaw was delighted to see his daughter and he informed her mother was in the
small living room. She hugged him again and left. Mrs. Henshaw did not answer
Hope after she greeted her. Hope sat down on a sofa in front of her mom.
“I am
not surprised you did not answer me,” Hope said. “I had to cancel my appointment
with an orphanage home to come here to see you for something very important.”
She
dropped down the magazine she was reading on a small table by the side of the couch.
“What are you going to do at an orphanage home?”
“That is
not the issue that brought me here but I will tell you, I am planning to adopt.
Her
mother laughed mockingly. “Are you not ashamed of yourself? How will you be
able to take care of a child you don’t want?”
“I am
not here to listen to you about that but to talk about Hector.”
“I don’t
want to talk about him because there is nothing to say.”
“Hector
will not marry Melissa.”
“And who
the hell are you to decide for him?”
Hope
uplifted from the chair. “He is my only brother and I will do everything
possible to make sure that the wedding will not hold.”
Her eyes
turned red in rage. “It will be over my dead body!”
She
stared at her mother stunned. “How can you talk like this? You cannot call
yourself a good mother with the way you talk and behave.”
As toxic
at her speedy glare, within the blink of an eye, Mrs. Henshaw swung on her
feet and dazed Hope with a hot slap on the face. “How dare you talk to me like
that? Who are you to talk about being a good mother when you will never be! Do
you know what it takes to be a mother? I want you to leave my sight or I will
disfigure your ugly face with my fingers. You are nothing but an embarrassment to me, a
disgrace to womanhood and I curse the day I gave birth to you.”
Hope cried
her heart out with the hurtful words from her mother. She felt as if her heart had
been ripped away from her body. Tears from her eyes refused to stop flowing. She
walked away and went to the entrance of her father’s room. She cleaned her eyes
and opened the door to bid her father good-bye. Hope sobbed inside her vehicle for some minutes before she could drive away.
********
At
3:55pm, the office phone of Hector buzzed. He picked it up to answer his
secretary.
“What is
it?” he asked.
“Miss
Melissa Nnaji is here to see you sir.”
His left
eyebrow went up. “Melissa is here to see me?”
“Yes
sir.”
“Let her
in,” he said in an expressionless tone. “Cancel all my appointments.”
“Yes
sir.” He dropped the call and waited to see his former fiancée. She knocked
once before she opened the door. Melissa was dressed in a short black dress, a
black scarf round her neck, paired with black high heels. She braided her hair
black. She placed her red handbag on top of his desk and sat down opposite him.
“Why are
you dressed in black?” he asked.
An uncleared
smile crossed her lips. “I might be a widow before I officially get married.”
His
mouth fell. “Meaning?”
“That
something terrible will happen if you don’t marry me.”
He shrugged.
“Don’t threaten me Melissa,” he said in a stern tone. “I am not scared of you.”
She
slammed her fist on his table, rose up on her feet and pointed at him. “You
should be scared of me because you absolutely don’t have a hint of what I am
capable of doing! Don’t bring out the demon in me because you will not like me
and you will regret your existence.”
He
touched his jaw and brought down his hand. “I don’t love you and I never did.”
“What!”
“Oh
please don’t pretend because you knew I never loved you. I am not interested in
getting married to you, I am sorry.”
“Hector,
we will get married by force!”
He
frowned thoughtfully. “If I get married to you, I will never show you love.”
“Who
cares?” she asked in a harsh tone. “Your mother called me yesterday night to
tell me everything and I have assured her we will get married whether you like
it or not. I will not be laughed or mocked at, the wedding must hold.”
He
laughed at her.
“What’s
funny?”
“We can
never be a happy couple. I can’t marry you Melissa and I am sorry for that. I
am sorry for disappointing you but my happiness depends on this, I will write
you any amount you want.”
“I don’t
need your money asshole!!” she screamed at him.
“You can
scream your lungs out! I simply don’t give a shit about it.”
“You
choose a small stone over a solid rock.”
“Have
you forgotten it was a small stone that killed Goliath?”
A scorching
frown creased her face. “You are mad and insane!!! How dare you?!”
“I
cannot marry you but we can remain friends.”
She pressed
her lips together. “I don’t want to be a friend but your wife!”
“That
can never happen.”
“The
color of my handbag is red,” she said. “It is a sign of great danger coming
your way. Don’t bring out the worst in me.”
“I will
not take you to the altar.” Hector said calmly.
Melissa
laughed out in a wicked way. “Hector Ebuka Henshaw,” she called his full names.
“You will take me to the altar, with the plans I have for you and your rag, you
will get married to me.”
He
maintained eyes contact with her without uttering a single word. He searched
her facial expression.
Melissa
grabbed her bag and sauntered to his door and opened it, she turned to look at
him. “This is just the beginning.” She walked out and banged the door at his
face!
He picked
up his handset from the table and dialed Weyinmi’s number.
“Hello chairman,”
his friend said.
“I want
you to help me monitor Melissa, her every move.”
“Melissa has threatened you.”
Hector
gave a sigh. “That woman means business,” he said. “I don’t want to take any
chances at all. I will get a bodyguard for Renee. Melissa is desperate to marry
me.”
To be
continued next week…lol next tomorrow ooo
Carina you don try...so since morning I have been refreshing this page cos you promised to put up a new episode in the morning. Just negodu *sobs*
ReplyDeleteEhee...this Melissa is quite desperate oh. Btw...Hector can relocate Renee and her mom to another country nau, cos I got a bad feeling Ms.Alice won't live to see her Renee marry Hector
Nma's Blog
Nawa oo
ReplyDeleteHey, I haven't read it yet oooo. I wonder what the content is.
ReplyDelete@Nma....I said in the evening but i am sorry it came late, my pc was down. Make una no vex. Will post the next episode in the afternoon.
ReplyDeleteCarina Abeg Sunday is too far ooooo...Biko nu..mbok
DeleteGood...and thanks@carina
ReplyDeleteDis Melissa odikwa very dangerous ooo... Hector had better tk Renee outta 9ja
ReplyDeleteCarina, sunday is too far ooo... ahnahn!!
Mhmm
ReplyDeleteThank God is next tomorrow and not next week.
More power to ur fingers o
Nawa oo
ReplyDeleteHian I knew the mother wasn't going to accept Renee but I never knew it was gonna be this serious,, hope should tell her mum why she can't give birth Na, the insults are just too much
ReplyDeleteWow. The tension is high.
ReplyDeletePamscrib.blogspot.com