The Moment I Met You (Chapter 408)

By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

Patricia arrived Njemanze Villa, feeling angry. She thought that she would talk some sense into Audrey. But no, Audrey supported Michael and Chioma’s relationship as well as Isabelle and Nicholas. And now, from heaven knows where, reporters filled the gate like sardines and all pointed their microphones towards Patricia’s car.                              

From the rear-view mirror, the chauffeur looked at Patricia and asked,‘Madam, should I ignore them and drive inside.’                                         

 ‘I am not a coward. Besides, I need to take advantage of this.’ Patricia opened the door of the car, and immediately the reporters all pointed their microphones to Patricia.  Under the flashes of the cameras, Patricia looked sternly at the reporters.                                                        

‘Ma’am, the slummy girl moved to Lagos State, and young master Michael followed her, could it be that he is crazily in love with the slummy girl?’                                                                                                          

  ‘My son hasn’t been crazily in love with her.’ Patricia stared into the cameras and said, word for word.                                                                    

‘Then what could be the reason why Michael left for Lagos?’                      

‘Business…as for the slummy girl, my son will never marry her so she should stop wasting her time.’                                                                            

‘Ma’am, but don’t you think that his love story has surpassed that of Romeo and Juliet? Almost all the streets, shopping centres are all the poster of Michael and Chioma.’                                                                           

  ‘No love story is as great as Romeo and Juliet. These days no one dies for love. Even Romeo and Juliet are regretting dying for love. If given an opportunity, they would prefer to marry someone…They are in hell.’                                                                                                                           

‘That means you would never accept Chioma for your son?’                           

‘Why should I accept her?’ Patricia glared at the cameras and sneered.                                                                                                

  ‘Did you think Chioma went to Lagos just to get Michael’s sympathy? If that is the case, why did you still let him go there for business?’ the female reporter pushed for an answer, ‘As I am aware, Michael went to Rose TV and boldly announced his relationship with Chioma. He answered all the questions thrown at him, and everyone saw how happy he was whenever Chioma Chima was mentioned. Why didn’t you ask Jessica to go to Lagos with him? Are you afraid of Jessica causing a mess?’

Patricia looked slightly annoyed as she responded, ‘Jessica will never make a mess. She’s my future-daughter-in-law. Chioma Chima will never be. She is qualified to marry a wheelbarrow pusher or a garbage collector.’

After hearing her response, the reporters looked at each other. They didn’t know whether to cry or laugh. It was true that Chioma was a slummy girl but that doesn’t mean that Patricia should wish her such a bad luck.                                                                                               

‘I want you guys to leave…can’t answer more of your questions.’               

The reporter’s could tell that Patricia  was obviously trying to get the public to hate Chioma even more, but deep down she knew that Michael would never listen to the public opinion rather he would listen to his heart.                                                                                                             

She yanked the door of the car and entered inside as the chauffeur drove her inside the majestic villa.

‘Hey, why do you look so angry?’ Edward was surprised to see Patricia walked into the study, looking angry. ‘You seem to be in a bad mood, what’s wrong? You look like your mission wasn’t successful,’ Edward said.

Patricia didn’t say anything. She went to him, sat down, poured herself a glass of wine, and drank it all.                                                                     

‘Everyone seems to like her.’                                                                     

‘Who? Who is this person that everyone loves?’ Edward was confused.                                                                                                   

‘Who else? Of course that slummy girl your son is in love with, who else? Isabelle told me that there was nothing wrong with Michael loving Chioma. Nicholas said the same thing; even Audrey did say the same thing. I’m sure that slummy girl must have bewitched all of them.’               

  ‘That’s why you are angry?’                                                                              

Patricia frowned at him. ‘What do you mean by that? I need you to help me deal with that idiot.’

‘That’s easy, what about feigning to have heart attack, then you compel Michael to choose you over that slummy girl…better still, you can take one of our boats and sail to international waters…you will have to sail with Michael and Jessica. I’m sure that they will fall in love after this…’                                                                                                            

‘Edward, I am sure that you have been bewitched as well. You don’t sound like someone that wants to help me,’ Patricia said coldly. ‘You are not even serious about this matter. That girl will ruin our reputation.’                                                                                                                   

‘Did you think that this girl that got our son’s heart is an ordinary girl? Yes, she looks so ordinary. But I must say that she got the aura, even though she is definitely not the most beautiful woman in the world. Besides, Patricia I have learnt that a woman’s level of attractiveness doesn’t come from her looks, because looks will always fade away. They need to have ways.’                                                                         

  ‘Are you trying to say that…the slummy girl has a lot of tricks up her sleeve?’                                                                                                                

  ‘Not at all…but I still think that she is really good.’ Edward had investigated Chioma’s person and he found out that she was an incredible woman.                                                                                                   

   In secondary school she was the senior prefect of her school, and therefore though she wasn’t very beautiful, men would fall crazily in love with her.                                                                                                             

Most interestingly, during her entire school days she came on top of her class. She was a straight A student. She just reminded her of her first love Louisa Ugo.                                                                                                      

  The only difference between the two was that Louisa was more beautiful. People said that Louisa was playing hard to get, but Edward knew that his woman had never played, she was just hard to get. He had bought Louisa expensive gifts during her birthdays, but she would prefer those gifts that she could afford, not those that she couldn’t. He was crazily in love with her. But his special status made them not to be together, and that was because his parents objected his marriage to Louisa. They preferred Patricia because she went to school and from a reputable home.                                                                                                       

‘If the girl is really good, are you going to let our son marry her?’                

   ‘I didn’t say that.’ Edward looked up at Patricia. ‘Just relax…everything will be fine.’                                                                                 

‘I am afraid that girl must have bewitched you,’ Patricia said in a huff, turning to leave.