The Moment I Met You (Chapter 367)

By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu 

 Felix explained everything to her. Sighing with relief, she said to Felix, ‘I knew that Michael will never betray me. Yes, I was doubtful when I saw the news in all newspapers, but somehow deep down, I felt that Michael loves me so much…’                                                                    

I love you so much too, but I can’t pursue you further because you love someone else, and that’s my cousin who is also my best friend. However, I will always be your close friend, because I don’t want to lose you completely, Felix looked at Chioma as he thought.          

‘I should go,’saying this, Chioma looked up slightly and took a look at Felix. 

 Felix was looking at Chioma at the same time as he made a call. When their eyes met, Chioma could tell Felix was still in love with her, but had to let her go for the sake of Michael whom he adores so much.                                                                                                                                                       ‘I called an Uber  for you,’Felix said as Chioma opened the door to stepped out of the car, and before she stepped out of the car, Felix gently patted on her on the head as he spoke, ‘There are a lot of people that want your downfall, if they see me drive you home it will cause you trouble, I will come to your house anytime for the free lunch. You are currently on the rise, you can’t have any scandals.                                                      

Chioma lifted her head to look at Felix, wondering what the difference between taking her home was and coming over to her house, she was already into many scandals for doing nothing. However, she understood that he was saving her from trouble. Thinking of this, she gave a smile as she said, ‘my friend, I will gladly have you come over and grab a bite.’                                                                                                                    

Felix’s eyes twinkled like a vast sea of stars, ‘You should get going…’                                                                                                                                        In reality, Felix really wanted to take Chioma home. However, he was certain Chioma might not really want that. Besides, there were paparazzi lurking around, sneaking photos and eagerly waiting for scoop. Felix didn’t want to bring trouble upon her, so he decided to call an Uber for her instead.                                                                    

Chioma stepped out of the red Pegani, and boarded the Uber, heading home.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

After Nathan got home, he had gone straight to his luxury room, not wanting to come out for dinner. He was now dressed in a white limited-edition white Versace T-shirt with some patterns on it. Countless bottles of beer were placed on the coffee table of his bedroom. He wanted to get himself drunk, thereby washing off his pain. But he realised that no amount of drink could wipe off the pain he was feeling in his heart which was stabbed and stepped on by the woman he was willing to give his life to.                 

  He was sitting on his bedroom sofa by the window with his feet propped up; staring at the cloudy sky as a bright light flashed through his eyes at the thought of Jessica’s press conference this morning.                                                                             

The weather today hadn’t been bad since morning; Nathan felt that Jessica was the one that had caused the day to be bad with her press conference, which she told the world that she was getting married to Michael.                                                                                                                  

Sharon had been worried about Nathan, so she went to his room, wearing a brand sweater jacket over a round-collared T-shirt. The dress fit her perfectly well. Sharon glanced at the drinks on the coffee table and then at Nathan. Sighing she said, ‘Hope you ain’t planning to consume them?’                         

‘I’ll order some more.’Nathan picked up his phone and was about to dial when Sharon interrupted.                                                                 

‘I didn’t mean to upset you… I just don’t want you to drink them because you are hurt…‘Jessica has gone too far! I will give her a dressing-down,’Sharon said angrily.                                                                                           

  ‘Let her be…maybe she isn’t my destiny,’tears stole into his eyes as he spoke. ‘I will be fine.’ He lowered his face, not wanting Sharon to see the tears in his eyes.                                                                                      

There was a lightening outside of the window, then a peal of thunder over the building. Sharon looked out the window as it started to pour. After a while, Sharon moved her eyes slowly from the downpour outside to Nathan’s face. ‘I know you’ll be fine, but please come and eat your dinner. You can’t starve yourself because someone betrayed you…’ Sharon turned to leave.                                                                    

Nathan raised his eyes, trying his best not to let the threatening tears flow down. He reached for his phone again, checking if there were massages or phone calls. When he arrived home, Nathan had unblocked Jessica’s phone number, but was sad that he hadn’t received any messages from her.                                                                                          

  Wanting to make sure he had unblocked Jessica’s number, Nathan checked the blocked list on his phone, many short messages and phone calls had been blocked, but when he slid on his phone screen with a single hand and checked through the whole list, he was more angry when there was no message from Jessica except the one she had sent a month ago, which read; ‘Nathan, I am willing to start a relationship with you. I won’t be mad if you put an engagement ring on my finger…’                                                                                                     

That was to say, that even if she had hurt him badly, she wasn’t concerned about him, and didn’t want to apologise. She didn’t love him, she want him to put the engagement ring on her finger for her own selfish interest, and not because she loved him.                                                  

She had told him not to love her a million times, but he had never seen himself not longing for her every moment of his life. He had loved Jessica, but she had never loved him in return. Rather she was in love with someone who never loves her. Was this karma? Nathan knew for a fact that Michael will never love Jessica. Should he be happy at the thought or should he be sad or angry?                                                                               

It was obvious that Nathan was deeply in love with Jessica, despite her betrayal. But would he accept her if she comes to him in the end? He looked at the extremely terrible sky. Sighing, he took another look at the screen of his phone, but still saw no notification. He slowly stood up, and went downstairs for dinner. He felt that Sharon was right; he shouldn’t starve himself for someone that doesn’t care about him. Even at the luncheon Aso Rock Villa, Nathan didn’t grab a bite; he only drank a glass of water. Maybe now, he had realised how much tiring it was to play hunger-strike for someone that never loved you, instead, in love with someone who loves someone else. This world was sometimes complicated, Nathan thought.                                                                            

 At the other side, Robert had been waiting at the entrance of City Hospital for Michael to come out from Edwards VIP ward. When Michael walked out of the hospital, Robert immediately got out of the car and walked up to him with an umbrella when he saw Michael walking out of the hospital.                                                                                                 

As he was about to get into the car, the screams of people that had hidden themselves at where-God-knows where could be heard. Michael unconsciously started walking faster. Deep down he sighed, how could these people not know when to stop? It was pouring yet these nosy-people are here to cause trouble. 

 ‘Sir, these people are really flies,’Robert said to Michael. 

Michael was silent.                                                                                            

‘Young master Michael…can we get your autograph after you answer our questions?’                                     

 ‘We really like you and Jessica together.’                                                       Michael’s face immediately turned dark at the mention of Jessica, and he interrupted them with a cold voice. ‘Can’t you see that it really raining? Do I need to remind you when to leave me alone? Maybe you will start listening when I have your different media houses closed.’                       

Michael’s voice wasn’t very loud, but he sounded very cold and mean. He looked so aggressive that everyone shook with fright, making way for him to board his car. No one dare interrupt or object as the driver started the car and drove on the rainy road.                   

 Inside the car, Michael looked at the heavy rain outside the window. He seemed to fall into deep thoughts. Perhaps, his thoughts were centred more on Chioma, and a little on his father who was playing sick. Edward didn’t know that Michael saw through him but pretended not to. Edward knew that from the airport, Michael would drive straight to see Chioma and explain the situation to her, so in order to stop him from going, he feigned to be sick. 

The rain was so heavy that even when the wiper kept moving on the windshield, the view was still blurry. The car was silent as the driver drove very slowly.                                                                                       

Leaning back on his seat, Michael took out his mobile phone, dialed Chioma’s phone. The call immediately went through, and after a few seconds, Chioma picked it up.                                                                                    

‘Are you home?’Michael’s sexy voice was heard, causing Chioma to be filled with warmth and happiness.                                                

‘Yes…How is your father doing?’Chioma asked when she remembered Michael had gone to the hospital to visit his father. She would have wanted to come and visit Edward, but he didn’t like her as well as Patricia. So, going to the hospital wouldn’t be favourable to her.               

   ‘He will always take care of himself,’Michael said.                                    

Chioma who was sitting at the living room sofa, smiled when he said that. She understood his meaning, and knew that Edward wasn’t having any high blood pressure, but a made up sickness to draw sympathy from him or stop him from visiting her. Turning her head to the side, she took a glance at the window at the heavy rain outside. Seeing lightening lit up the sky, she said softly, ‘Please go home already. Let’s see tomorrow instead.’                                                                                                     

Michael laughed. ‘How did you know I was coming to you?’                                       

‘Because I can now read your mind.’ She stuck out her tongue playfully. 

‘Felix told me everything…tomorrow then.’                                   

Michael smiled, and hung up. He was happy to hear her voice.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

 Michael wanted to see Chioma so much that the following morning, he headed off to see her without having breakfast. On his way to Chioma’s poor housing area, he saw that some part of the roads was under construction, so it was full of bumps, hollows and puddles of water. Michael thought of what could happen to Chioma if she was seen walking on this road, filled with puddles of water. What if she passed through it, her feet might be full of scratches and small cuts because of the gravels or stones, and every step she would take would bring her unbearable pain. And instead of walking on, she would stop and lean against a street lamp…At this thought, Michael lowered his car window and yelled at the construction workers, ‘Make sure that these roads become as smooth as those inside the city, else I will have all of you disappear for bad…’