A woman's dilemma - Episode 25

 

Frances:

 I am boiling mad right now but keep a leach on it while my son hug the side of my body till we reach the house. He falls asleep sometime before we arrive and I have to carry him upstairs to avoid waking him. Francis is quiet and walks past us without a word. If he thinks I'm going to let the embarrassment he caused at Claudia's party tonight, he has something else coming. Ola doesn't move a muscle even after I drop him off on his bed and cover him up with a blanket . Just as I pat the blanket down, his live in nanny comes in. I motion for her to be quiet and she nods. 
"Put this in my room for me, okay?" I hand her my scarf, shoes and bag but on second thought, I retrieve my phone from my bag and slip it into my dress's pocket before handing the bag back to her. She nods without saying a thing and leaves me with Ola.
"Goodnight baby." I place a quick peck against his forehead before slipping out silently. I need him asleep for what I plan for his father tonight. As soon as I'm out of my son's room, my simmering anger comes back to boiling point. I make my way down the hall towards Francis's room. I need a divorce and he needs to know tonight

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/a-woman-s-dilemma

. He can't treat me like this anymore. I don't care if elections are less than a month away. He has messed up enough.
"Goddammit!" I stop in my tracks at the sound of glass hitting the ground close by. It's clearing Francis swearing. I listen closely from my spot, few steps away from his door but hear nothing more. I tiptoe closer and press my ear to the door.
"You can't do your job right?" I hear him whisper. I wonder if there is anyone in there with him but considering the time, I doubt it. He must be on the phone but with who and why is he whispering. My ears has to be firmly pressed into the door to hear him clearly, meaning he doesn't want to be heard. 
"She's alive!" He yells suddenly from inside and I freeze up at how cold he sounds. Should I be listening to this? 
"You were supposed to kill them. How did this one tiny woman escape?" He's whispering again but I hear the words loud and clear. I gasp in horror and nearly let out an audible sound. I clamp my hand over my mouth. Kill them?! Tiny woman? Tears sting my eyes at the realization my mind is drawing. The woman at the party is supposed to be dead along with other women. What kind of monster did I marry? I should get out of here. I take a shaky step back. 
"If anything goes wrong with our operation and I don't win this election, I'm gutting your two kids and sending you their genitals as presents." I whimper at the words as they slam into my retreating back. I hear the sound of something hitting the wall and conclude that his call is done. I need to get out of here. He can't know I know.
"Sh*t!" i whisper yell when the tunes of Anne Marie's 2002 blares out from my dress pocket. I flip the stupid phone out of my pocket and slam my fingers into the end button as I take to my heels.
"End call!" I cry out but my shaky and sweaty fingers do nothing to end the call. I hear Francis's door open behind me but I don't stop. I fly down the stairs.
"Frances!" Francis growls from behind me, nearly stopping my heart. I run faster.
"Hello, Frances? Are you there? Hello?" I look down at my phone as I go down to see that I connected the call instead of ending it. Gideon's name flashes on the screen. I need to have him get me and Ola out of here. I push the phone to my ear once I get down the stairs.
"Please help I--" The phone is flung out of my hand and my hair grabbed in an unrelenting fist. I cry out in pain. 
"Please don't kill me. I didn't eavesdrop. I heard nothing." I sob.
"You heard nothing huh? What do you take me for!" A disorienting slap slams into the side of my face and he let my body hit the ground. I try to crawl away from him but my abdomen feels like it's on fire along with my shoulder.
"Please. Don't hurt me. I didn't hear anything, I promise." Tears blind me as I taste the fear of losing my life on my tongue. Why did I follow this monster home and with my child? My eyes goes upstairs where my son is sleeping peaceful and I break out into a broken wail. Francis stoops to the floor and grab my face to bring me eye to eye with the devil.
"You should have thought about our little boy before you went about eavesdropping on things that weren't for your ears." He tsk like he pities me but the leer on his lips frighten me to no end. 
"Hear what? I only went up to apologize to you but when my phone started ringing, I hurried away so as not to disturb you." He lets go of my face and I drop my gaze to the ground. Where's my phone? Just as I think about it, I see the shattered pieces of what used to be a phone on the ground.
"No one is going to save you tonight my love." I feel sick to my stomach when he brings his hand down to caress my cheek.
"Please Francis. Don't hurt me, please. I didn't hear anything. Our son is just upstairs. He needs his mother." I touch his hand lightly and try to force my features to show something akin to affection for Francis.
"We can make this better. I love you." I continue. His eyes soften a little at my words but then he grimaces.
"Why did you have to eavesdrop honey? No ones outside the inner circle learns about this and live." He shakes his head like he pities me while he starts to remove his belt. Is he going to whip me to death? He must see the look I'm giving the belt because he eyes the belt too.
"I won't whip you don't worry. I just have to bind you for now. Till I figure out what to do with you. I can't​ have you blabbing before the elections." He pulls both my hands together while I try to fight him off me. He's stronger and binds them easily. The belt dig into my skin but the throbbing in my abdomen and shoulders are the pain I'm beginning to only feel. I shake my head at the light headed feeling coming over me.
"I just have to keep you locked up till after the elections in few weeks. That or they'll kill you. They know you were eavesdropping too." He tells me and I wonder who they are.
"You can't​ lock me up for a month! Ola needs his mother! My parents will look for me. They won't let you get away with this." I try to reason with him.
"You mean your father? He's in on this too. You think I alone killed those girls?" No, he's messing with me. My father is not a beast like him. I shake my head profusely. 
"Oh, I feel sorry for you. You think he climbed the ladder of politics without making some sacrifices? We are in the same political party. Blood must be shed before every win."
"No!!!! Liar!" I clamp my hands against both my ears to shut out his words.
"Maybe you'll get to ask your father when and if you get out of this.

Read " To Live For Once (Set Me Free II) " by the same author ( Ameh juliet )

. Come on. " he heaves me up at this but my legs refuse to stay steady under me.
"Get a grip!" Francis gets annoyed when I do nothing to help myself up. I don't know if it's because of fear or horror but my legs are rubber under me.
"Frances? Frances!" Why is he yelling my name? The world tilt on it's axis in a matter of seconds and I feel the food I consumed at Claudia's come up to my mouth. Everything appear to double in my vision as Francis's words swim in my head. I feel something wet drizzle down my legs but my hanging head refuse to go down to check what's happening to me. 
"Oh my God!" My body gives way and slip out of Francis's hold to hit my head against the floor. I don't feel anything  but woozy.
"Frances! Frances! " even Francis's voice sounds distant.
"Boss! There's a fire! We have to get out of here, ASAP! Come on! Boss!" I hear rather than see my husband's bodyguard come up to drag Francis off me. He fights the hold I think, but then the huge man lifts him off me.
"Fran-- Ola?" I croak out as I fight unconsciousness. I need to get my son out. I start to smell the smoke but can't​ seem to get my limbs moving. Plus the belt digging into my wrist makes it hard to stand without help. 
"Help! Ola!" I stretch my hand out for Francis to help but his guard holds him back.
"The boss said to abandon her. She's a liability." I hear them say before I lose and let the darkness take me.