By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu
As soon as Michael drove out, Chioma pushed the door open and entered. It was dinner time. Andrew wore grey pyjamas and sat on the dining table, quietly eating his dinner. Seeing Chioma enter, he glanced at her without saying a word, and then continued eating.
Wearing a floral apron, Louisa walked out of the kitchen with a plate of fried fish, seeing Chioma who had just returned, she didn’t ask her where she had been, and instead urged her to take a seat. Smiling, she said, ‘Chioma, I know that your stomach is full, but then, you need to still eat. I cooked your favourites.’
Chioma glanced at the table, and there were indeed her favourite dishes. She couldn’t help but feel guilty, she had gone out with Michael but didn’t inform his mother and brother, and now she was home with the living room filled with the stuffs she had bought from the mall with Michael.
‘Mum, I am sorry I didn’t tell you about going out with Michael. You see I didn’t know that he was going to take me out today, I don’t also know he was going to propose to me…’
Louisa smiled. ‘You are old enough to decide what is right and wrong. I am not mad at you…but then, please next time you have to tell me about a surprise like this. If Andrew wasn’t home when Michael’s assistant arrived with these stuffs, I don’t know what I might have done to him…this kind of surprise can put someone in a coma.’ While saying that, Louisa happily poured juice for Andrew.
Chioma sat face to face with Andrew. Just as she was about to take a plate of spaghetti, she remembered that Andrew and Louisa had gone out this morning for job hunting.
‘Did you find the job?’Chioma asked.
Andrew shook his head.
‘You will find soon.’Chioma gave him a reassuring smile.
‘You are all over the news now, I am glad Michael did what was right. You are blessed to have him,’Andrew said, looking at her.‘Congratulations!’
‘Thank you,’Chioma said with a huge grin.
Instead of driving straight home, Michael decided to visit Edward at the hospital, and he picked up an apple from the fruit basket on the table and began to peel it for his father with a fruit knife.
‘Dad, here, you need to eat this delicious apple.’Michael smiled affectionately.
Edward wasn’t to be fooled; he knew what was hidden behind that affectionate smile.
‘What do you want?’Edward asked as he took the apple.
‘Simple… I proposed to Chioma today and she agreed to my proposal…What is the point of still pretending to be sick.’
Edward nearly choked on his apple and awkwardly smiled. ‘I am glad you saw through me…You know what I want to happen, so do the right thing.’
‘What right thing?’ Michael pretended not to know.
‘Son, a careless mistake will ruin your life forever. You are the Njemanze family heir, a famously devoted son within the upper-class circle…’
‘And you want me to maintain that status for you by marrying Jessica?’ Michael curled his lips in disdain. ‘Father, I know that most times if you want to eat fish in the middle of the night, you will drive with mum in your yacht to fish. But this time, you can go with Jessica, right? After all, your body is still fresh…’
Edward was annoyed with what Michael said but he tried his best to conceal his anger.
‘I am right. You know that I don’t fool around, don’t waste my time picking up girls or playing with cars, getting involved in fights…but I am a man that knows to do the right thing, and could chase anyone anytime that I want from this city.’Michael remained smiling. ‘That includes the Nnaji and if you still value the century- relationship, advice them to stay away from my life.’
Edward felt that there was a ticking time bomb that would explode soon if he continues to push Michael to marry Jessica. ‘Hope you are not planning on cutting off both our relationship and business partnership with the Nnaji family.’
‘It depends on destiny to decide. I do know that you know what I am capable of doing.’
‘I might have retired as the CEO of our company but I am still the chairman of the Moon Corporation and I make major decisions for our company. Besides, I am your father that means you should be afraid of me, and not me being afraid of you.’
‘Then why did you pretend to have a heart attack,’ Michael smiled. ‘You even sealed the information from the media outlets, but didn’t think that they would follow me here when I arrived the airport. But thankfully, I gave them a strict warning not to report about this else they would suffer. ‘
Edward didn’t know what to say, and so he continued munching his apple.
‘Dad, I saw mum’s car trailing behind me. She wanted to cause a scene but she was too late.’ Michael picked up a strawberry from the fruit basket and began to chew on it. ‘I love my mum so much, and I love you too. But you two are hurting me. Stop hurting me.’ He lifted the strawberry to his lips. ‘Stop pushing my hands. Chioma’s my life; I will never give up on her.’ He stood up to leave. ‘There is a product-ordering convention next month in Italy, and I have arranged for the marketing department head to go.’
Edward nodded. ‘That sounds good, but then, I think Felix will represent us well,’he suggested.
‘I have thought of that as well…but I don’t want to keep sending him out. I want him to be here with me… I don’t want to give him a project outside the country that will keep him months.’
Edward sighed and purposely said, ‘I don’t know how he could cope with the fact that the woman he loves is in love with someone else.’
‘Yeah, I could see that you are concerned about him, but don’t worry, he would find someone that will love him unconditionally,’ Michael said with a smile.
‘What if he didn’t?’
‘He will, dad. Don’t worry…Tell mum to prepare the paperwork for your discharge. You have acted enough.’ With that, Michael left the room, leaving Edward speechless.
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