*EPISODE 19*
(CLICKED)
flashback.
When Leo and Precious arrived in Kemi’s hometown, they tracked their way down to Kemi’s family home. There they met Kemi’s parents and some of her paternal relatives, who welcomed them wholeheartedly after introducing themselves as old friends of Kemi’s.
After a short discussion, Kemi’s father asked further:
“So you said you two are friends with Kemi?” he asked, leaning forward from the old sofa he was sitting on.
“Yes sir. We wanted to see her when we heard she was finally back after her sudden disappearance five years ago,” said Leo.
When Kemi’s father heard this, he sighed deeply. Then he shook his head and said:
“Are you sure you’re not both from the police? Because they’ve been visiting us quite a lot lately,” said Kemi’s father.
“No, sir. We’re just her friends, that’s all,” said Leo.
“Do you think you can fool an old man like me?” Kemi’s father asked furiously.
“No, sir. But I’m…” Leo tried to explain.
“……You are what?.” Kemi’s father interrupted angrily. Then he got up and said. “If you two were friends with Kemi then you should have known that she isn’t back from where she left, five years ago.” He said.
“What? No, that is not true. I saw Kemi. We saw Kemi with both of our bare eyes”. said, Leo.
Hearing this, Kemi’s mother quickly grabbed Leo’s collar.
“Where’s my Kemi? did you see her?” She cried.
It wasn’t easy trying to get her to free Leo’s collar. Looking into her eyes, Leo could see the pain, anguish, and mystery Kemi’s mother was going through at that moment.
A few moments later.
After the fury died down, Kemi’s father started explaining everything that had happened to them.
“We have never seen my child since my child disappeared five years ago. The only thing she did was call us a year after her sudden disappearance. She just said she wanted to let us know that she is alive and sound and doing fine. So we didn’t have to bother to think of her welfare. And that was the last time we could hear her voice. The number she used to call us automatically disconnected after that day. Then what we’ve been seeing recently, have been various police officers going in and out of our house, all looking for our Kemi,” said Kemi’s father.
“What could make the police come after Kemi?” asked Precious who was confused.
“According to them, Kemi shot the man she had been living with for all these years,” said Kemi’s mother.
“What?.” Leo and Precious screamed in surprise. Their mouths fell open and disbelief crossed their features as the two stared at each other.
“We still need to know who the man is and why my Kemi would end up killing him after she ran away to live with him for five years.” Kemi’s mother sobbed.
“That’s unimaginable. Kemi killed someone?” Leo asked, turning to Precious who was just as confused as he was.
“If she’s capable of killing someone, then Jeff and Tricia are not in safe hands. We have to reach them as soon as possible.” Precious urged.
And that led to the call Leo made to Jeff, who couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Present-day.
Jeff couldn’t control the anger in his heart after hearing all about Kemi from Leo.
“Kemi said her parents forcibly handed her over to a man. While Kemi’s parents say they haven’t seen her in the last five years?. One of them is trying so hard to cover up the truth. But the question is, who exactly is telling the truth?.” Jeff asked, clenching his fist on his office desk.
Out of curiosity, Jeff left his office and returned home. When he got to his house he went into the living room but Kemi wasn’t there. He quickly dropped his suitcase onto the couch and headed straight for the door of Kemi’s room. Just as he was about to knock on the door, he heard noises from his room. And without hesitation, he quickly stormed into his room, where he found Kemi jumping up, utterly startled by his presence.
“Oh, you’re back,” said Kemi, feeling uncomfortable and scared.
Jeff completely ignored her as his eyes scanned his room. He noticed how scattered the table, drawer, and wardrobe was. Because he wasn’t the type to leave his room scattered like it currently was.
Then he returned to Kemi and stared at her in disbelief, and then his eyes lit up as new anger burned within him. He clenched his fist and tried so hard to contain his anger cause he almost exploded in anger.
“What are you doing in my room?” He managed to ask while counting his words.
It was strange. Kemi had never seen that side of him before. His anger showed in everything. His voice, his gaze, and his body all screamed for trouble.
“I’m…I…” Kemi stammered.
“Speak before I do something crazy to you now.” He screamed in a deep voice full of rage and fury.
“I’m sorry Jeff. I was just trying to set up your room.” She lied helplessly.
“You liar. How could you?. How could you be so mean and heartless?. Oh!. did you think you would be lucky to find any important documents in there?” He said, pointing to his drawer. “Or did you think you would be lucky enough to stumble upon a huge sum of money in my closet?.” he asked, completely furious with pains in his heart.
“No, Jeff. It’s not what you think…” Kemi pleaded, kneeling in front of him, with tears streaming down her cheeks.
“Then better make it look like what I’m thinking right now.” Said Jeff.
And furiously he walked up to Kemi and grabbed her wrist. He pulled her up and dragged her out of his room and straight into the living room. Where he pushed her to the ground.
“You better start talking Kemi. who exactly are you?” Jeff screamed, gesticulating. “And why did you return to my house after you murdered someone?.” He yelled.
Kemi froze when she heard the word murder come out of Jeff’s mouth. She looked at him, eyes wide with shock and disbelief.
“Oh, you thought I wouldn’t find out anything about your so-called lover that you ran away to five years ago?” Jeff asked, almost losing his mind.
“Jeff… how…?” Kemi murmured in surprise.
“….how did I find out?. Well, thanks to my Archangel for taking it upon himself to make sure I don’t go down the drain for my good heart and good intentions towards a she-devil like you. ” Said, Jeff.
Kemi couldn’t say a word. She just sat on the floor with tears running down her cheeks.
“You better start telling me all the things I need to know. First of all, why did you come into my life when you already had a man you wanted to elope with? Who exactly are you?” Jeff asked heartbrokenly.
“I’m sorry, Jeff…” Kemi apologized tearfully. “I originally intended to leave your house as soon as I lay my hands on your documents or a huge sum of money in your room. Because I’ve realized that I no longer have a place in your life. And the best thing to do is to go.” said Kemi tearfully.
Jeff, completely weak, sat quietly on the couch facing Kemi. He leaned forward, his clasped hands resting on his lap.
“So, tell me Kemi. What happened? Jeff said, eyes red with tears and pain.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Flashback 6 years ago.
Jeff was coming home from work one fateful evening when he almost ran over Kemi with his car as she was crossing the street, ignoring an oncoming vehicle.
“Jesus Christ!.” shouted Jeff and quickly brought his car to a stop.
He fell out of his car and found Kemi lying unconscious on the ground. He was sure he hadn’t hit her. But then he had to shoulder the responsibility of taking her to a nearby hospital, where he paid all of her hospital bills.
He stayed with her until she regained consciousness. And when he asked why she ran out into the street like that, she went on to tell him that some guys wanted to rape her because she slept in an unfinished building.
Then Jeff asked why she slept in an unfinished building of all places. Kemi then told him that she came from a very humble background. And she had come to town to live with her aunt, who wanted to get her into prostitution against her will. However, since she refused to comply with her aunt’s demands, she was then sent parking. Which resulted in her sleeping in an unfinished building.
Upon hearing her story, Jeff felt sorry for her and then took her to his home in hopes of helping her find a better place and a well-paying job. But when Kemi realized that Jeff was doing well for himself, she automatically wanted to sneak into his heart. And so she started to play the role of the good girl. By doing all the chores and keeping everything clean, just like Jeff liked them.
She played Jeff the pity card over and over until Jeff’s heart finally opened to her. He saw her as the perfect woman who lacked nothing. But he didn’t know that Kemi was only playing to get closer to him.
But Jeff, on the other hand, adored and valued Kemi like the air he breathed. He was proud to present her to his friends and family members. He practically changed her life and made her the envy of other women with the way he pampered her like an egg.
But what Jeff didn’t know was that Kemi already had a boyfriend (Kunle) who was into drugs and stealing cars. And Kemi never stopped meeting him for sexual pleasure.
When Kunle finally realized that Jeff was serious about marrying Kemi, he staged her disappearance.
* * * * * * * * * *
Present-day.
“The day we met on the side of the road where you almost ran your car over me, I lied about running from some rapists. The truth is my ex-boyfriend Kunle was in the auto theft business. We stage acts like that to get the driver to get out of the car while we point a gun at him and run away with his car. But the day I ran into your car and feigned unconsciousness, Kunle and his gang couldn’t attack you because they got a call to hide them for that moment because the minister’s son that day, with a lot of escorts and well-trained military, paraded down the street. So in such a situation, it would be very difficult to escape with your car. I did not know it. So I lay down waiting for them to show up, but they didn’t come. Then I had no choice but to play along. When we got to the hospital, I had to come up with those made-up stories I told you back then. And surprisingly, you stupidly fell for it. You then took pity on me and brought me into your house. Then, when I saw how furnished and expensive your house looked, I swore I wouldn’t leave empty-handed. I kept meeting up with Kunle to give him feedback on the things I saw in your house. And then he advised me to find a way to make you spend money lavishly on me. Which I did. But honestly, while I was trying to make you fall in love with me, I fell in love with you. You were different from all the guys I met back then. You treated me with so much care, love, and attention that I stopped stealing from you to give to Kunle. And that’s what caused problems between us. He was beginning to suspect that I was already in love with you. Then he threatened to kill you if I didn’t back off. Things got even worse when you finally proposed to me. He couldn’t watch you take me away from him. So he staged my disappearance,” Kemi revealed through tears.
Jeff couldn’t believe his ears. His whole body shuddered as Kemi’s confession sent shivers down his spine.
“So everything about you was fake? Your love, your life, your presence, and your absence. Were all fake? Kemi, how could you? your lies ruined my whole life. I ended up hating myself thinking I was the cause of your disappearance. Whereas everything was perfectly planned and executed by you and your boyfriend. You both made a mockery of me.” Jeff blew hot, totally provoked.
“I’m sorry, Jeff… I’m truly sorry…” Kemi cried helplessly.
“Tell me. Then why did you kill him? asked Jeff.
“That monster tried to run away with another girl after ruining my whole life. I had no choice but to end his miserable life and that of his side chicken who was trying to play a smart move on me. They both deserve to die. And I don’t regret ever putting a bullet through their thick skulls. They both deserve what they got. They were both bunch of losers.” Kemi screamed angrily through tears.
“No Kemi. The only loser here is you. You’re the only loser here, can’t you see that?. Your poor parents have longed to set their eyes on you for so many years. But you ended up tearing their hearts to pieces because of your stupid and reckless lifestyle. I honestly do not know why I’m busy wasting my energy on you. You deserve to be gone forever. Said Jeff. He then went to the door and pulled it open and let in some police officers who came in and took Kemi away. Because when he returned home, he stopped at the police station and brought four police officers with him.
As they took Kemi away, Jeff laid back on his couch and cried his eyes out. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Tricia’s number.
“Hi, Jeff…” Tricia said as soon as she answered his call.
“Where are you?.” he asked tearfully.
“I’m at a film location right now. Why does your voice sound like that?” Tricia asked, feeling uncomfortable.
“Please Tricia. Can you come home right now? I think I need your warm hug and soul-soothing words right now”. He sobbed on the phone.
“OK. I’ll be right over, okay?. Please hold on and don’t try anything stupid, okay?” Tricia said, grabbing her purse hastily.
Despite the film director’s attempts to call Tricia back, Tricia hastily got into her car and drove home.
When she finally entered the living room, she quickly rushed over to Jeff, whose eyes were red and swollen with tears. Tricia quickly sat down next to him and threw away her purse.
“What happened?.” she asked, placing her palms on Jeff’s cheeks.
Jeff stared at her for a while, fighting back tears. And without hesitation, Tricia quickly laid his head on her shoulder while she slowly patted his back.
“It’s okay to cry when your heart is heavy. I’m right here Jeff. So everything will be fine.” She said, patting his back slowly.
Jeff couldn’t help but burst into tears and cried into Tricia’s shoulder.
