Mirage - Episode 6

 

Noah:

 "My fiance. He's the reason I came back to the country dad. We are getting married" Minerva says to her dad and I can't help my hanging jaws. What?! I should be ecstatic about this because it makes my plans much more easier but it's just absurd and the look I am getting from chief badmus is just murderous if not worse.
"That's a joke right Eva? You can't mean this thrash is your fiance. How did a nobody like him even get into my party? Where Are those idiots? Michael go get one of the body guards to throw this thrash in the nearest thrash can!" Chief badmus seethe . Wait. Did he just called me thrash? I am about to tell him who the thrash is but I feel Minerva wrap her hand around my waist. I turn to look down at her. She's no taller than my shoulders. She's small. Not what I will usually go for but she's pretty. Like soo pretty. 

"He's not going anywhere dad. I love him and If you can't accept him I will return back to Canada and never come back!" Minerva Says resting her cheek on my chest. I awkwardly wrap my hand around her shoulder. I guess I am now the fiance and I have to get into character too. I move her away from my body then kiss her forehead.
"Come on, peanuts

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/mirage

. I don't think we are welcome here." I say then take her hand pulling her to exit the room.
"Fine. Your pauper fiance can stay. We can talk about this later. There's still people I have to introduce you to." Chief badmus says, defeated and I smile even though the old thing just called me a pauper.
 
  Chief badmus walk to us and take his daughter's hand from mine then pull her towards the sitting room. The remaining two people in the room storm pass me. The younger one eye me from head and my shoes before moving on to the sitting room. I just shrug them off. I don't know who they are and I don't care.

  As soon as I am alone, I start looking around my surrounding. I haven't been paying attention to where I am. I was just concerned about Minerva. I saw the way she went pale when that guy pecked her cheeks and I followed to make sure she's alright. I don't even know why I care but when her eyes found mine in the crowd, it was just as if we have known each other before. There was this strange pull. Even when i held her just moments ago, it felt... Good. It's probably nothing though. That girl is chief badmus' child and an apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

   Since I got here, I have been looking around if I will find corolla but I haven't seen anyone like her. If I could just go upstairs without getting noticed, I could find somthing. There are so many CCTV cameras in this house, so far I have counted about seven. And that was just the sitting room and corridor.
  I click on the little button on my glasses and take a few pictures of this room. I look to my left and notice the CCTV camera focused on me. Yeap. Its time to leave. I can't look suspicious or they will kick me out. I start walking out the room when Minerva rushes in and grab my hand to pull me back in.
"Peanuts. Really?"she spit out. What is she saying? Oh that's what I called her earlier.
"Well, you are small" I say hiding my grin.
"I am not sma__oh never mind. Thanks for covering up for me back there."
"You are welcome. I guess. So when is the wedding?" I can't help but tease.
"There is never going to be any wedding between us. I just did that to get my dad off my back. He wants to trap me here in Nigeria and he thinks marrying that Michael guy is gonna do that. At least now, he won't try to force him on me." She explain.
"Well, your plan is ingenious except for one loophole? Your dad would want to know our wedding plans and all that." I point out.
"Just leave that to me. You have done your part by consenting to my dad that we really are getting married. I'll be going back soon and then everything would be settled."
"Wait. You are leaving soon? Buy you just got back"
"Well not that its any of your business but I can't stand being in this country." she say. She's so full of herself. Of course she thinks she is too big to be in Nigeria or whatever. I can't stand the likes of her.
"Yea. I hope your plan works peanuts" I say and storm out.
"Hey don't call me that" she protest but I don't turn back to her.
 
   The chattering of the party guests greet me before I reach them. I feel exhausted all of a sudden. Since I arrived here, all these fake people have looked at me through their noses. They think they are better than me because I am wearing a cheap ass tux. This is just part of my cover. I am not even a little bit poor. After my parents left me alone in this world, I was adopted by a really rich couple and all their fortune was passed down to me when they died in a car accident.

   I pick a flute of champagne from a passing server and down the whole thing at once.
"Do you know anyone named corolla who works here? She's kind of short, about your age. I just want to give her back her purse. She should be looking for it now" I ask the server.
"Well...." she draws out and rub her thumb and index finger together. Of course, money answereth all things. I slip a thousand naira note into her tray with the champagne flute and she smile.
"We're not supposed to talk about anything we see here but I can tell you this, the only young female worker in this house is in the kitchen. I don't really know her name though" the server whisper before walking away to other guests.
 
 I start walking towards where I think the kitchen is. The servers have been coming from there. A large hand grab my shoulder and I turn to see a really large man behind me.
"Chief wants you now" he says then point to chief badmus who is upstairs looking down at us. I nod my head and follow the big guy upstairs. He leads me to a big room. There is a big mahogany table with two executive chairs in front of it. There's another chair at the opposite side of the table and it looks so much like a throne. This must be where he rules his drug empire. I pretend to adjust my glasses while i click the little button and get few shots of the office.

"Sit down" chief says and the big guy push on my shoulder to get me to seat. I look behind me to see that the doors have been closed. I could take on the big guy if push comes to shove. I stay extra alert while fingering the small gun in my trousers pocket.
"Drink?" Chief ask after pouring to glasses of whiskey. I could just get poisoned. I start shaking my head but the look the big guy gives me changes my mind.
"Sure. Thanks" I say pretending to be nervous.

Read " Stolen innocence " by the same author ( Ameh juliet )

. I have to act like I am not a threat. I am totally in the lion's den without any exit plan. I grab the glass and wait for chief to speak. He's just looking at me intently.
"So, what are you intentions towards my daughter" he finally ask and I breath a little sigh of relief. I actually thought my cover has been blown.
"Well sir I love your daughter and I really want to spend the rest of my life with her" I say convincingly.
"So you aren't after her because I am her father?" he ask
"Well who wouldn't want to be your son in law" I joke and when I see his face twist in disapproval, I shut up.
"I just want her. Even if she's the daughter of a cobbler" I state and he nod.
"I can't help but think you got my daughter too easily. If you want to marry my daughter, you have to pass all my tests. I have to go somewhere now but make sure you are here before 7:30am tomorrow. Now goodbye" he states and gesture for the big guy to escort me out.
  I stand up then intentionally slip on the tiles and I fall face down. The big guy grab my jacket and pull me up but not before I attach the magnetic listening device to the metal legs of my chair.
"Gosh such a klutz. I wonder where Eva found this girly man." I hear chief badmus say under his breathe before I am escorted out of the office and out of the house.