BESTIES’S REVENGE
CHAPTER 3
South Africa was such a beautiful country. Shooting of the movie had to take place in various locations in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Soweto. After my first day on location, I retired to my hotel room and checked my messages on WhatsApp. There was a voice note from Faith, saying that she missed me. I told her I missed her too. The second message was from Ashley. She had texted me to find out if I was ready to chat. As soon as I replied, she came online.
“Hi Ashley.”
“Veron”
“Yes, how are you?”
“Great and you?”
“Cool”
“How’s South Africa?”
“The place is beautiful, but work won’t allow me to enjoy myself. Anyway, there was something you wanted to talk to me about.”
“Yes, it’s about Faith. However, you have to promise that you will maintain sealed lips, and you will never tell her it came from me.”
“Cross my heart.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
“Did she tell you that there was a man in her life?” Ashley asked.
“No, she didn’t.”
“Alright, I am telling you now. The owner of the gas plant she works in, I mean her boss, is her fiancée. He has promised to marry her. In fact, he has proposed to her, and she has accepted. They have been together for many years and recently, they had started making plans to get married. However, last week, he complained to me that Faith had started behaving strangely. I hope it’s not because of you.”
“But Faith told me she was as single as an old widow. She didn’t tell me anything about any man.” I replied, shocked.
“Then she has been lying to you. You better be careful because the man is rich and influential. However, he has a soft spot for Faith. I don’t know what she has done to him. She is able to manipulate him at will. Whatever the case, you just have to be careful.”
“Thank you very much, Ashley. Thank you.”
I laid on my bed and wondered why Faith hasn’t been true to me. It now made sense to me when she told me that I shouldn’t worry and she was somehow going to be able to raise the money for me. I now understood why she was able to raise four million on such a short notice. So, what did she want from me if she was going to be married to someone else? By not telling me she had someone, she was putting my life in great danger. At least, she should have told me so that I know how to play my games.
True to what I had promised Ashley, I maintained sealed lips. I didn’t ask Faith anything about what Ashley had told me. In my mind however, I decided that I would be very cautious and conscious once I got back into the country. I didn’t want to be ambushed without seeing it coming. I also decided that I would look for a convenient time and a peaceful way to bring the topic up.
It had been a month now. Shooting of the movie was over. The movie was called THE MONEY OR YOUR LIFE and it was a huge success already. The premier was attended by famous actors and celebrities in South Africa. I had finally achieved my long dream of becoming a global face. I was paid handsomely and created a lot of contacts for future projects. Everything had happened successfully, and now it was time for me to return to my own country.
I arrived in Cameroon late one night. I had already contacted Faith and she was at the airport to pick me up. She was so happy to see me again and she hugged me and wouldn’t let go. She said she missed me terribly, but in my mind, I was thinking about all what Ashley had told me.
We spent two nights at Akwa Palace Hotel and on the following day, we headed back to Buea where I lived. In Buea, we spent another week together. I had to move to a new house that befitted my status as an actor and I also had to get myself a car. Faith was with me every day until I was able to move. At the end of the week, she went back to her home and promised to see me during the weekend.
All that period Faith was with me, she hadn’t reported to work. She didn’t even obtain permission. Instead, she went absent without leave. In the past, I would have wondered how she could be so negligent about her job. But Ashley had already enlightened me. Faith was dating the boss and could therefore do as she pleased. Worst of all. The boss had a soft spot for her.
It is very dangerous to have a soft spot for a woman. It is even more dangerous when you have a soft spot for a woman whom you love more than she loves you. That was the kind of relation Faith had with her boss. Faith was very aware of that and took advantage of it. Her actions gave the boss serious psychological torture, but he was at a loss as to what to do. He loved her too much.
In spite of her boss’ love for her, her prolonged absence had pushed the boss’ patience to its limits. So, he decided to call her to order when she finally showed up for work.
“Faith, where have you been?” He asked, trying not to be angry.
“I went on a small trip.”
“You abandoned your job and went on a “small trip” without obtaining permission? How do you want the other workers to feel? What do you want them to think of you? What do you want them to think of me, of us?” The boss was now visibly angry.
“Please, leave me alone.” Faith said nonchalantly. “I told you I didn’t want to work here but you pressured me to. I am tired. I don’t want to work again.”
“What do you mean by you don’t want to work again? You are not serious, are you?” The boss asked.
“I am very serious. I am too important to work in this place na. Ha ah!! I am your fiancée. I need something better.”
“Something better like what?”
“Make me the head of this plant. Make me the head so that I can sit in a nice and comfortable office. I am your fiancée oh. Is this how you want to treat me when we get married officially and start having kids?”
“I can’t make you the head of this place at the moment. With this your present character, it would be a risk putting you at the head.” Her boss said, firmly.
“Alright, then forget about me. The relationship is over. It’s obvious you don’t care about me. Let me go and look for someone who will love and cherish me.” She said and started shedding fake tears.
“It hasn’t gotten to that, honey. Please, don’t cry. Ok, I will take a rain check on what you have proposed. I will think about it.” He tried to coax her.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I am sure. Now smile.”
From the way Faith treated Mr. Agbor, her boss. You would think that Mr. Agbor was an old, portly “money miss road” kind of a man. He wasn’t. Mr. Agbor was just in his mid-forties, average height, fair-skinned, highly educated and very handsome. You would wonder why such a good-looking and successful man was so desperate over a lady. But no one knows what had transpired between them.
I was now a big boy in town. There were talks of Netflix buying the movie I had just finished shooting. I knew how important that was to me. It meant millions were coming my way. All the local TV stations and talk shows had booked interview sessions with me. My schedule was very tight and everywhere I went, people flocked to greet me. I was really enjoying my celebrity status until something happened that put me into depression.
One day, I was driving home in my brand-new Lexus Jeep when my way was blocked by two black cars. I immediately sensed danger. I thought it was kidnappers and assassins and they had come to murder me because of my celebrity status. I tried to reverse my car and make an escape, but I realized that there was another car behind me. With my escape plans having been spoiled, I realized that I had to show courage. I opened the car door and got out of the car.
“What is the meaning of this?” I asked the driver in one of the cars.
“You are coming with us.”
“Why?”
“The boss wants to see you.”
“Who is the boss? Listen, young man. Do you know who I am? I am a celebrity. I am an actor. Anyone who wants to see me has to book an appointment. I have a manager. I have an agent. Is this how you people conduct business in this town? This is harassment and I will sue for this. In fact, let me call the police now.” I said, getting my phone.
“Touch your phone and you are dead.” The guy in the other car said, coldly. I looked at him and he was wearing dark glasses. He was heavily bearded and muscular.
“What did you say?” I asked, afraid. But I didn’t show it.
“Don’t be a dead hero. This is not one of your movies, star boy. This is real life. This is reality. Make just one wrong move, and I will air condition your stomach.”
I now realized how serious the situation was. I had no choice than to go with them. At gun point, I was taken into one of the cars. One of the guys drove my car and we all moved in a single file. As we drove towards nowhere, it didn’t even occur to me that all these was because of Faith. I thought it was my enemies that had gotten hold of me, or just some random kidnappers who wanted money. So, I engaged them in a discussion.
“Please, tell me who sent you. I will pay you twice what he has offered you. You know who I am.”
“We are not here to kill you. The boss wants to talk to you. Just be a good boy and everything will move smoothly. All he wants is a little interview. By the way, I hear you are good at giving interviews.” He said and laughed out loud. I hated him immediately but there was nothing I could do.
We climbed the Bonduma hill and went towards Bakweri town. When we got to somewhere around the former GCE Board office, I was blindfolded. I tried to resist but I was overpowered. I tried to scream but a gag was put in my mouth. I struggled to break free but it was useless. From then onwards, I didn’t know what road they took or where we went to. However, about thirty minutes later, the cars stopped. I was taken into a compound which turned out to be a big abandoned warehouse. My blindfold was removed and so was my gag. I squinted my eyes as I tried to adjust my eyes to the brightness of the daylight. I looked around and I saw just the three cars driven by the kidnappers. I didn’t see mine.
“Where is my car, you hoodlums?” I asked, vexed.
“Parked in front of your house as we speak.” One of the guys said and laughed. “Alright, star boy, let’s go meet the boss.”
I was led into the warehouse. From the way it looked, it was more of an abandoned factory than a warehouse. There were many huge old machines in it. Many had become rusted out of disuse. I wondered what product was produced here before whoever had it ran out of business.
I was taken to the far end of the factory. When we got there, I saw a handsome middle-aged man sitting in a chair.
“Welcome, Mr. Veron.” He Spoke.
TO BE CONTINUED…
