The fill-in wife - Episode 24

 

I'm still sick guys. Sorry for the long pause.

Maya:

"Ma'am. The lawyer is here to read the last will and testament. I've been asked to call you downstairs." A maid taps on the door. "I don't want to see anyone right now." I say into the pillow I have been crying into for hours now. I can't believe Derrick left me at the hospital . As soon as the doctor confirmed my thoughts that I'm pregnant, he just took off. He looked completely appalled. "Ma'am. I'm afraid I've been asked to make sure I bring you downstairs." The voice says again and I lose it. "Go away! I just said I'm not coming out didn't I?!" I scream at her. I feel bad for taking my anger out on the poor worker but I can't help my emotional outbursts these days. Damn Derrick! I wrap my arm around my stomach as more tears fall. "OK ma'am. I'll inform Sir Derrick that you are not coming down." At the mention of Derrick, I shoot off the bed. "Derrick? He's downstairs?" "Yes ma'am. He asked me to get you." She says. "Don't worry. I'll be right down." I grind out,. anger rolling off me. He left me at the hospital after finding out we are having a baby only to send the maid to get me for some will reading I don't care about? I don't bother to make sure I look presentable before I match out of the room to meet the coward downstairs.

I find Derrick sitting in the sitting room, bent over with his head in his palm

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/the-fill-in-wife

. "Derrick!" His head flies up and he looks me up to down then wince. I walk the few steps to get to him and he stands up when I'm in his personal space. "What the hell?! I thought we were over this!" I yell in his face. "Baby calm down." "Don't tell me to calm down! You just up and left me! That was cruel." "I'm so sorry. I---" "Do you know how scared I am with a baby on the way?" I cover my stomach with my hand and can't stop the sob racking my shoulders. Derrick is behind me in seconds and wrapping his hands around my waist, his hand covering mine on my stomach. "It's going to be all good baby. I promise you. I'll make everything right and perfect for you and our baby." There is so much sincerity in his voice but I want to know why he freaked out earlier so I go to ask him.

"Why did you run out earlier Derrick?" I ask and I feel his body stiffen. I pull away from him and fix a scowl on my face when he doesn't answer. He just opens his mouth to close it back up.

"I can't take this Derrick. I can feel that there's something always holding you back. You need to tell me." I step closer to him and cup his face in my hand tenderly. His eyes flutter close with a deep exhale of breath.

"I really love you Maya. Never forget that. No matter what happens." He says.

"Promise me you would never doubt that." He continues and I nod.

"Thank you." He presses his lips to my temple and I sigh in content. Nothing else matters, we both love each other.

Derrick:

"Enough with the sickening show of affection guys. Ewwwwww" Deana's voice interrupts and Maya blushes beet red as she pull away from me. I eye Deana who's standing beside Jordan but she just shrug. Jordan rolls his eyes at her before smiling at Maya.

"Hi Maya. It's been a while." He says as greeting and Maya wave at him awkwardly. I wrap my hand around her waist possessively and pull her to my side.

"We should take our seat. This should be an interesting meeting." Deana says and I can tell it's to break the tension. I direct Maya to the couch I was sitting on earlier and we both sit close together.

  Nelson enters the room at this moment with Rose and a middle aged man carrying a briefcase. He's probably Grandma Catherine's lawyer.

"It's good to see you all are already seated for this glorious meeting." He booms as he strolls in, all smiles. He looks smug. If he only knew the surprise waiting for him.

"This is really going to be interesting." I whisper into Maya's ear while I watch Nelson plop down on a sofa.

"We are complete now Peterson. So get on with reading the will." Nelson is so eager to hear bad news.

"This is the last will and testament of the late Madam Catherine. She had me change the clauses about three months ago and her signature here confirms that it's her will."

"Can you go straight to the point? We all know it's her will." Nelson interrupts.

"Let the man do his job." Deana fires at Nelson who shoots her a dirty look. Deana just flip him off and Jordan chuckles. The lawyer obviously looks uncomfortable.

"You should just get to the point before another civil war breaks out here." I tell him and he nods. My eyes move to Rose who's just sitting quietly beside Nelson. Her hair is acting like a shield around her face but my eyes notice the red blotch on her face under the layers of foundation. She notices my eyes on her and quickly brush her hair into her face with her fingers. Our eyes meet but I quickly look away. I must have not seen right. That couldn't possibly be a bruise on her face. I move my hand to caress Maya's knuckles absentmindedly.

"Here goes. The clothing line in Port Harcourt and Benin goes to my only granddaughter alongside the houses and all other properties in both states." The lawyer state and Deana's face stretch into a grin .

"But this would be done as soon as she ties the knot with Jordan." The lawyer continues and I hear Deana grumble under her breath while the lawyer goes on and on about Deana and Nelson's mothers getting 5million naira each.

"With regards to the rest of the properties, money and company,..." There's absolute silence in the room as we wait for him to continue.

"...the first grandson to get married and birth a son gets it all." He says then pause. 

"The eldest grandson, Nelson already presented evidence of his wedding to miss Rose so, every other thing goes to him with exception of one of our subsidiary which would be allocated to the other grandson." He finish and Nelson shoot out of his seat with loud applause. I just let him bask in his supposed victory for a while.

"Don't worry brother, I'll make sure to give you the pure water factory in ijebu-ode. Your luggage shouldn't be that much so you should be able to ship yourself out of my house as soon as possible" He laughs in my face. I feel Maya squeeze my hand lightly.

"Don't let him bother you Derrick, you don't need money to be happy in this world." She tells me and that's all I need to hear. She is obviously not after my money. She's not Rose but she deserves to enjoy with me. I give her an adoring smile before I stand up and come eye to eye with Nelson. Deana just giggle quietly.

"Deana, hand the papers to the lawyer." I say without breaking eye contact with my brother dearest.

"No papers can help you now little brother." He sneers and I shake my head mildly.

"I never considered you my enemy, brother. You brought this upon yourself." I tell him and he frowns.

"What do you mean by that? Fyi I won! This mansion and everything belongs to me!" He spits out and I smile.

"Check again, brother." Nelson's eyes go to the lawyer who's holding photocopies of my marriage certificate and Maya's pregnancy test.

"What the fuck is in those papers?!" Nelson yell in my face and I shrug.

"Why don't you find out yourself." He pushes pass me to the lawyer and grab the papers. I watch his face fall as he studies both papers.

"No! It's fake! He's trying to scam us!" Nelson yells like a deranged monkey. Maya is by my side in a bit and she looks confused.

"What's going on?"

"I just got us the world. Never will you have to suffer or be beneath anyone." I state.

"They looked authentic to me." I hear the lawyer tell Nelson.

"Shut the fuck up. I say what's authentic or not!" He spits as the sound of ripped papers fill my ears. My eyes move to see the torn papers hit the floor.

"There's no more evidence! You lose, I win."

"You look so pathetic." I say with a little pity in my voice. Nelson's face contort in pure rage as he lunge himself at me.

"No!" Maya yells beside me as he collides with me and we crash to the floor.

 Jordan help claw the bastard off me before I could beat the shit out of him.

"Are you okay?" Maya sob beside me and I nod.

"You just keep getting more pathetic. I always noticed the kind of dirty dog you were even as teens." Deana spit at Nelson who's trying to get out of Jordan's hold.

"Nelson, please calm down." Rose who has been quiet pleads but that only makes Nelson worse as he pulls out of Jordan's hold and lunge at Rose instead. I cringe as his fist connects with the side of her face then I see red. She's bleeding! What the hell?! Nelson doesn't stop as he grabs a chunk of Rose's hair and scream in her face.

"As always, you'll defend the bastard! I married you, bitch!" I can't take anymore.

"Get your hands off her!" I surprise everyone including myself by saying.

"Mind your business!" Nelson bite out and I want to beat the shit out of the scumbag.

"Derrick." Maya hold on to my hand but my anger blinds me to her touch. I pull away from her hold and try to pull Nelson's hand off Rose. His grip only gets tighter.

"She's my wife so fuck off!" He yells as he lands two punch to my gut in quick succession.

Read " Redemption " by the same author ( Ameh juliet )

. I stagger back in pain.

"Derrick!" Maya and Rose yell at the same time. Rose tries to grab me but Nelson pull her away with her hair.

"She's mine!" He yells as he drags her away. Her screams and cries echoing in my head.

"Stop hurting her! She doesn't want to go with you!" I yell as I pull myself up and start to go after them. 

"Let them go. She made her bed so let her lay on it." Deana tells me as she block my path.

"You expect me to sit back while he hurt a woman? I'm sorry but I can't do that." I say.

"Let him go. That man would hurt her." Maya says softly. I swear she has a heart of gold.

"I'll be back, sweet girl." I assure her before hurrying after Nelson. My car is parked right in front of the mansion's door and I see Nelson push Rose into the backseat and lock her in. I get there a little too late as Nelson locks the doors of my car and rev the engine.

"Take my car." Jordan throw his keys to me and I quickly catch it. His car is just parked around the corner and I quickly get in and zoom off after Nelson.

 At first, I don't see them but as I drive on, an accident scene catches my eyes just two blocks from the house. My car is mangled beyond recognition and so is the fence it ran into.

 My heart beats ten to the dozen as I park by the side of the road then alight from the car.

 The crowd gathering around the scene seem to be trying to get the doors open.

"Call an ambulance! The lady isn't moving!" I hear someone yell and my footsteps get faster. I reach the scene to see Rose in a bloodied mess, her hand twisted in an unnatural angle.