The Moment I Met You (Chapter 415)

 

By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

Sharon knew that Jessica was going to cross the line again; she was going to plot against Chioma. Sharon didn’t expect Michael to show mercy. It wasn’t his style to just close his eyes and let wrongs continue. Maybe there was a bigger reason other than the ones he just mentioned. Maybe Chioma begged him not to do anything to Jessica, for she was afraid that Jessica would hurt her family if Michael should punish her. But no, Michael decided to be quiet over Jessica’s wrongs for the reasons he had mention. Jessica was going to scheme again, and this time Michael would trash her down along with her family.

If someone had said these words, Sharon might wave them behind. However, Michael was the one that said it. Jessica would truly be doomed. With Michael’s status, he was capable of destroying any company in a matter of seconds.

            

            

At this moment, Jessica who was still recovering from seeing Nathan with another woman walked into the living room of their mansion at Lekki. Upon seeing Rebecca standing before the window, Sharon threw off her jacket, placed her hands on her hips and walk over to stand behind her mother.                                                                                     

‘Mum, why aren’t you working on a public statement to clarify the situation? Michael has already decided to throw us into the garbage. How dare he publicly announce on TV that Chioma is the only woman he would love for the rest of his life? Mum, I can’t stand it anymore. That slummy girl should be thought a bigger lesson.’                          

Rebecca’s eyes were filled with sadness as she turned around. Jessica was her only child and therefore hated to see her cry for something that seem impossible. She knew that Chioma’s only wish was to marry Michael, not because of his money but because she was deeply in love with him. There was no way she would let her only child cry for something. As her mother, she felt it was best if she helped her.                   

‘There is no point releasing a public statement, there is no point getting the public to be on our side. Your father and I had already discussed before I flew to Abuja, to teach Chioma a lesson that would cause her everlasting pain.’

Jessica was angrier than ever. Because of Chioma, the Nnaji reputation had been blackened like ash. So, she would have to make sure that Chioma was struck again.                                                                    

  ‘After we are done,’ Rebecca continued, looking at Jessica as she spoke. ‘Nnaji Group PR team would write out an emotional public statement. Not even Michael would have choice than be on our side.’              

  ‘Mum, I trust you and father to help me.’                                                  

‘We love you a lot, and would do anything for you.’ Rebecca pulled Sharon to herself and embraced her warmly.                                           

             

Chioma was done with selling plastic bottles for today and looking very tired, she left the factory after she sold the bottles to them. Stepping out of the company’s building, she was stopped by someone in dark suit, tall and well built.                                                              

  ‘Miss Chioma, right? Our boss wants to treat you to delicious meal,’ the expressionless man said.                                                                          

‘I am on fasting…Tell your boss that I can’t break my fast because GOD wouldn’t like it.’ Chioma improvised a lie. In fact, right now Chioma was very hungry. She wished that her angry stomach won’t growl before this man and disgrace her, and she also wish that her lie was good enough to convince the man.                                                                   

Chioma was just new in Lagos. She doesn’t know any big shot in this city, and she didn’t frequent restaurants, she only went to Mama Funke food stall, so she didn’t know the boss at all.                                       

‘Why lie to your stomach?’ the expressionless man said.                     

‘I am not…’                                                                                                

 Before Chioma could finish her statement, the man picked her up and forced her into a black Mercedes.                                                                   

‘Kidnappers…someone please save me!’                                              

The man in the car pressed a dagger against her ribs, and Chioma fell silent. She still want to live, want to tell Michael how sorry she was to cause him pain and now a dagger was pressed against her ribs? The feeling of the blade piercing her rips made her tremble with fear. She felt that the person behind this must be powerful. No place was entirely good. In every country or city, there must be people of the underworld. But then, the only difference was, some cities or countries had reduced rate of the underworld, while in some places, especially the developing countries, the people of the underworld could be rampant. Most of them were bosses of different companies that laundered money and engaged in prostitution.                                                        

But, Chioma could feel that this abduction was for revenge and might not have come from the underworld. Therefore, she would try her best to be calm to avoid suffering physical pain.                                           

Reaching a grand villa in Lekki, Chioma was pulled out of the car and dragged inside the grand and majestic living room, which had all the furniture in European-style. The house was indeed grand.                           

‘Sir, she is here.’                                                                                        

Chioma became afraid when she saw who had ordered for her to be brought. It was Emmanuel Nnaji. He slowly stood up, picking up a glass of wine from the coffee table, he took a sip.                                                     

  ‘Miss Chioma is scared?’ Emmanuel smiled at Chioma.                 

Chioma was quick enough to recognise Emmanuel even though she had only seen him once. Anyway, she was blessed with photographic memory.                                                                                              

  ‘There must be a reason for bringing me here, what could it be?’Chioma was sure Emmanuel wouldn’t call her here for no reason.              

  ‘Miss Chioma is now brave,’ Emmanuel chuckled. Chioma felt disgusted seeing his smile. After the chuckle, Emmanuel pointed at the dining table on the other side and said, ‘Don’t be afraid. I just wanted to treat you to supper today.’                                                                                 

  ‘Thank you, but I’m fasting today, and I still need to maintain my figure.’ Chioma was not stupid. She would not casually eat food from her enemy. What if he put poison in it?                                                        

 ‘It’s okay, I didn’t poison it. I know how hungry you must be after hawking bottles.’                                                                                          

‘I don’t want to eat, sir.’ Chioma took a glance at the table filled with delicacies but still refused to eat. 

  Emmanuel turned to the coffee table, and picked up a cheque. ‘Chioma since you don’t feel hungry and I need to fly back to Imo State, I am going to give you this blank cheque.’ He extended the cheque to Chioma but she didn’t reach out for it. ‘Come on, take it. However much you need, you can fill in.’                                                                                  

  ‘Sir, I…I appreciate this but…but I can’t accept this.’ Chioma was smart. She could not accept the cheque, for she knew that there was no free lunch.                                                                                                                       

  ‘Young lady, you don’t deserve to live in slummy areas. You should accept my sincere offer.’He looked at his luxury wrist watch and said, ‘My plane is scheduled to depart in one hour and 20 minutes. I don’t want to miss my flight.’

   ‘Sir, maybe your plane has begun boarding and, worried you’d be bored in the plane, you decided to come here and offer me this cheque? You should have gone to a bookstore and purchased a few magazines or maybe sat in the lounge and see the viral lovey-dovey online. You must have watched it, right? Michael told the world in an interview that he loves only me.’

 ‘Take this cheque and disappear from Nigeria…you can go to Ghana or any neighbouring country.’                                                                            

‘Why should I do that?’                                                                            

‘Because my daughter won’t have the chance to win Michael over…I don’t want to make you suffer. I just want to be peaceful with you…so, take it.’                                                                                                              

‘I left Michael and he still came here to look for me, don’t you think he would still follow me to Ghana or any country?’                                 

‘As long as you leave Nigeria, I might consider showing you mercy. But if you still want to fight with me, then let me tell you, I will fight you to the end.’ Emmanuel was going mad.                                                          

‘I’m sorry but I won’t do what you want. I won’t leave Nigeria…because you asked me to. I would leave because I am going on vacation.’ Chioma turned to leave.                                                                         

‘Young girl, it seems you have not fully understood my words. Maybe you would understand it very soon when you are not thinking about it.’ Emmanuel’s words had deeper meaning, and there was that creepy smile on his face.

 ‘Maybe you need to experience the Michael that the public spoke of, he is the ultimate king with unchallengable power,’ Chioma turned and said to Emmanuel. ‘He’s not greater than GOD and will never be GOD, but he is capable of placing your wife’s lowly past  in the hottest spots online for any month he wants with an eye-catching headline. He will make sure for it not to come down from the hottest searches…Maybe that way your lowly wife will experience ultimate power,’ Chioma curled her lips in mockery. ‘If you try to buy the top spots, he will suppress it with double your offer. You won’t survive the wrath of Michael…Michael let you take down the viral news of your wife’s lowly past because he believes that anyone can make it in life even those belittled to be little.’ After speaking, Chioma turned again and left.