That same night at Diamond Gardens, Audrey and Celine sat in the garden. Strings of fairy lights twinkled overhead, casting a soft, whimsical glow that danced among the blooming night flowers. Their sweet fragrance mingled with the cool breeze, creating a melody that swirled around Audrey's troubled mind. The moon, a luminous pearl suspended in the vast expanse of the night sky, cast long, inky shadows that stretched across the lawn.
Celine, bathed in the faint glow of her pink unicorn headphones, seemed a world away. Each swayed gently in their own luxurious wicker rocking chair, the plush cushions offering little comfort to Audrey's tense posture. A bowl of strawberries sat between them, their sweetness blending with the night air. Audrey popped a berry into her mouth, but the juicy burst did little to distract her from the weight on her mind. She couldn't help but question why Louisa had discharged Chioma so quickly. It felt like a puzzle with a missing piece, a truth shrouded in secrecy. What was Louisa hiding? Perhaps there was something that Louisa didn't want her to discover. The unanswered question gnawed at Audrey, a sour note amidst the cool night's sweetness.
Suddenly, her phone buzzed with a WhatsApp message. Hoping for some clarity, Audrey grabbed it quickly. However, the message was from Jessica. 'How is your brother's girlfriend doing?' Jessica asked.
Audrey was taken aback. 'How did you find out about it?' she wondered.
'Sharon told me,' Jessica replied with a laughing emoji. But Audrey sensed a hint of mockery in Jessica's tone. She remembered what Prince had told her about Chioma being in a relationship with Michael. Audrey glanced at Celine, who was engrossed in listening to music with her pink unicorn headphones.
'Did Prince share any more details about Chioma?' Audrey waved a hand in front of the headphones, the movement catching Celine's attention.
Celine sighed and took off her headphones. 'I wasn't interested in hearing heart-wrenching stories,' she grumbled, her eyes flashing with annoyance. 'If you want me to get involved in this soap opera-like drama, then tomorrow you'll have to treat me to that new seafood restaurant in Wuse. Fashion Week is stressing me out.' She paused, crossing her arms. 'Unfortunately for you, my dear, Prince and I already have plans tomorrow after tomorrow's show. We're going to the movies, and he's already bought the tickets. If I don't go, he won't be happy. You know how awful it feels to be stood up. I'd rather not invite Chioma. I'm afraid she'll come up with ten reasons why she can't join us. Your innocent-looking friend is quite skilled in playing love games. I don't hate her, but I will if she hurts my brother.'
With that, Celine stood up and left the garden, leaving Audrey speechless and even more confused.
***
Not long after Michael arrived from Port Harcourt, he had dinner and took a shower. Picking up his mobile phone from the coffee table, he sent Chioma a video call request. The phone rang a few times before she answered. After a brief pause, her face appeared on the screen. She was sitting on the bed, wearing a pink floral nightdress, with Chisom lying beside her. Louisa had left the bedroom and gone to the living room to spend the night.
Chioma smiled sweetly at Michael, doing her best to hide any signs that would reveal she had undergone surgery after being attacked. From the camera, she could see that Michael was in his hotel room, dressed in a white bathrobe with slightly damp hair from a shower.
'Chioma?' Michael's mouth formed a gentle smile.
'Yes,' she replied. But before she could say anything else, she noticed Michael's image on the screen frowning deeply. She could hear a buzzing sound on the other side, which was coming from the Sony television he was watching. The screen displayed the latest stock market news. Michael reached for the remote and muted the sound.
'You're reading at this time of night?' he asked, glancing at his wristwatch. 'It's 11 PM. Why are you still reading a book? Don't you have work tomorrow? Do you want to sleep-work tomorrow?'
As Michael glanced at the time, his yellow-gold Patek Philippe luxury watch appeared in the corner of the screen, capturing Chioma's attention.
Michael stopped talking when he realised how fixed Chioma's gaze was on his watch. 'Chioma? Why are you staring at the watch instead of my face? Does it remind you of something or someone? Don't tell me you're cheating on me with my watch.'
Chioma shook her head, snapping out of her trance. Looking into the camera and onto his face, she smiled softly before replying, 'I was just trying to make you talk more. You're a man of few words. So, I had to stare at your watch to get you to talk more.'
'And you succeeded in changing the conversation. But I still remember I asked why you were still reading...' Michael said.
Lifting the book for him to see, Chioma said, 'It's Lesley Pearse's Rosie. It's a book about how love and tenderness can flourish, like wild roses, even in the most barren ground.'
'I'm familiar with the story,' Michael responded. 'No matter how well people can conceal their past, it will always come back to haunt them. But I'm glad the story had a happy ending. Even after being exposed as the daughter of a murderer, which was the greatest risk she took, Rosie still found true love.' He paused, gazing into the future they would build together. 'Our story might not mirror Rosie's, but the part where she found happiness after overcoming numerous obstacles gives me hope that we'll find our own happiness in the end. Nothing will ever hinder our love from blossoming and flourishing.'
Chioma wished that were true. She wished that nothing would ever stand in the way of their love.
'Did you have any suitors while I was away?' Michael jokingly asked, his charming lips curling up.
Chioma swiftly changed the topic. 'When are you coming home? I miss you so much.'
'I should have returned tomorrow, but I have about four to five hours of meetings with investors. After that, I'll be meeting with the Lagos State governor at 4 PM. That means I'll be home the day after tomorrow.'
Chioma smiled tenderly and replied softly, 'We will have our relationship announced...'
'Mhm... I'll leave you to sleep now,' Michael said.
'I'm not sleepy yet,' Chioma responded.
'Honey, are you getting insomnia from missing me too much?' Michael teased, causing Chioma to blush and turn her face away from the camera. However, Michael's beautiful face continued to stare at her through the screen.
'If you're not sleepy, heat up some fresh milk and drink. Do you have milk?' he suggested.
'Yes,' Chioma lifted her face and answered.
'Okay,' Michael said, but he didn't quite believe Chioma because he thought she might be embarrassed to admit she had no milk. He lazily sat on the plush couch, then reached for another phone, a sleek black one, and started typing rapidly, leaving Chioma wondering what he was doing. She could hear the tapping sound coming from his phone.
'What are you doing?' Chioma curiously asked.
'Talking to my latest girlfriend. She misses me so much. I miss her too,' Michael replied.
Chioma frowned, but just then, her phone vibrated, and two messages popped up on her screen. The messages were from FirstBank, stating that her account had been credited with the sum of 50 thousand naira from Michael Njemanze, along with her updated account balance.
Chioma was surprised at how Michael had obtained her account number.
'Don't worry too much,' Michael's voice, smooth as silk, filled the line. 'I have my ways of finding whatever I need. I knew you wouldn't tell me if your milk was finished, so I went ahead and sent that little amount for you to purchase milk... sleep well,' Michael assured her before ending the call.
Chioma was left feeling confused. Did this mean he had found out about what happened to her? She wondered how he would react when he returned home.
After hanging up, Michael let out a sigh, feeling calm and relaxed. Even though his day was stressful, talking to Chioma made him feel at peace. He reached for the bottle of red wine on the side table. He poured a generous amount into a crystal glass, the ruby liquid catching the soft glow of the lamp. As he swirled the wine, the rich aroma of berries and oak filled his senses, a welcome relief from the stressful day. He brought the glass to his lips, savouring the smooth texture and the burst of flavour on his tongue. To him, a lovely conversation with Chioma was far more nourishing than having a glass of fresh milk or wine. Just then, his phone began to ring again. It was a call from Felix. Michael took a big sip of his wine before answering.
'She was discharged today,' Felix's voice sounded from the other end of the line.
Michael settled into the plush comfort of his bed as he responded, 'That sounds good.'
'It doesn't sound good to me,' Felix countered, expressing his concern. 'She didn't tell me about it.'
'Are you both quarrelling?' Michael chuckled lightly as he propped up a pillow and slouched against it lazily.
Felix rubbed his nose gently, dressed in his blue checked Chanel suit in his study. 'If we were quarrelling, I wouldn't have bothered about her. But no, we are not.'
'Maybe she did it for a reason... When I return, I'd love to see this dumb puppy of yours,' Michael replied casually.
'How dare you call my woman a dumb puppy? Are you tired of living?' Felix exclaimed, feeling protective of his partner.
'I thought you would feel warm and cuddly when I called her that,' Michael teased, lifting his glass to his lips, his expression playful. 'But on a serious note, I'm still gathering evidence to find out why those mobsters attacked your woman. We will uncover the mastermind behind it and ensure they face justice. No mercy will be shown.'