Dahlia had killed a human being.Her sister had murdered a person.

SC found it difficult to comprehend because she knew her sister was a psycho but she didn’t how much of an insane person she was.

Dahlia was in a fit. In fact, she was in rage over her latest revelation to the public, so she took it out on everyone- so she was told by her sources.

Even SC herself was disappointed at Dahlia. How many married men had her sister had flings with? How many was she currently seeing? Why married men?

SC shook her head in pity. Dahlia had brought this upon herself, she had ruined her image and repetition almost permanently and it was so naïve of her. So foolish.

As SC walked up the stairs step by step that morning in Dahlia’s mansion, she heard a crashing noise, accompanied by yells and followed by the soft thud of a door closing. A maid scurried down the stairs, passing her side, with her face white in fear.

SC hastened up her pace until she arrived before Dahlia’s bedroom door. She knocked softly before entering the room. The first thing she noticed were the broken pieces of glass littered around the floor.

Dahlia was present, as well as her secretary Oge.

“You,” Dahlia spat out as soon she sighted her, “you promised me protection,” she yelled, “I’m ruined,” she ran her hand over her rough hair in frustration, “I’m such a good person, I don’t deserve this.” Dahlia wailed.

SC rolled her eyes in annoyance, “what’s your next step after this?”

“This wouldn’t have happened if you and Alhaji would have kept your side of the bargain by protecting me.” Dahlia pointed her index finger at SC in anger.

“For once blame yourself,” SC snapped right back, “If you were sensible and careful in the first place, then this wouldn’t have happened.”

Silence, followed by a thick coat of tension covered the air for next few moments until SC spoke.

“Are you saying this is my fault?” Dahlia’s voice was over the edge and threatening.

SC stared at her unblinkingly as she responded, “if I say yes, will you kill me like you killed that maid?”

They stared at each other with challenge in their eyes, the both of them territorial.

“You’re useful,” Dahlia looked away and stepped backwards, “ I can’t kill you yet.”

“I’m flattered,” SC said sarcastically as she crossed her arms over her chest, “I suggest your PR team should come up with something to the public, in order to save your reputation.”

“I can’t face the public,” Dahlia continued venting, “I can’t.” she shook her head stubbornly.

SC sighed in pity. Thoughts were racing wildly in her head. Who could have done this to her? An enemy perhaps?

“When did manager say he’ll be here?” Dahlia asked her secretary.

“He said he’ll be here this afternoon, with some members of the team to discuss about the way forward. His flight from Abuja is 12pm today, so he’ll be coming directly from the airport.” Oge explained.

Dahlia nodded, and began chewing on her nails nervously, which made SC scoff at the sight. So, a whole Nigeria’s sweetheart could be panicking and devastated.

“I just want to kill whoever did this to me,” Dahlia said furiously as she looked up to SC, “if you find them, kill them all. Burn them in fact.”

“That’s too extreme,” SC warned, “but do you have any idea about who did this? Any enemy of yours, anyone you think is capable of doing this?”

“I don’t know,” Dahlia wailed, “I can’t think of anyone.”

“Someone close must’ve done this,” SC reasoned out, “did you tell anyone about it in the past?”

Dahlia shook her head, “just few people, and they’re all dead. Oge is the only one alive who knows.”

SC glanced at the secretary cautiously wondering if she was the one who did it.

“Don’t even think about it,” Oge told her firmly, “I would never do such. Look elsewhere.”

SC narrowed her eyes at Oge. She looked loyal and comfortable enough. Besides, what was her gain in all of these? It didn’t make sense.

She looked away and moments later, Oge answered a call on her ipad. “Hello Tomiwa. Oh, you’re downstairs, we’re on our way.” She ended the call before looking at two anticipating faces. “Tomiwa is waiting downstairs, and he has some news.”

“Tomiwa?” SC questioned. “Who’s that?”

“My financial assistant.” Dahlia replied as she adjusted her hair bonnet and sighed. “I pray its good news because gosh, I’m drained.”

“Does he know about the bullets?” Sc inquired further.

Oge shook her head and Dahlia replied. “No, he doesn’t, so don’t go blabbing.”

SC scoffed in unbelief. “I don’t blab.” She said firmly.

“Thank goodness,” Dahlia responded, “I don’t have the strength to be worrying about a traitor while I have this scandal to deal with.” She sprayed body mist on both her armpits before continuing, “let’s go.”

It was Sc first time of seeing Tomiwa and she took a good look at him.

He gave out the aura of confidence and mystery. From what she could see, he was a man of few words.

“How are you coping?” He asked Dahlia with his baritone voice.

“Tomiwa I’m not fine,” Dahlia’s voice was softer than usual. Was her sister interested in him?

“We will think of a way out.” Tomiwa told her with a reassuring smile before glancing at SC. “Who’s this?”

“A distant relative of mine, she’s not based in Lagos.” Dahlia replied noncommittally. She turned to SC with a practiced smile, “this is Tomiwa, my financial assistant.”

“It’s nice to meet you-” Tomiwa stretched his palm for a handshake.

“Inome.” Dahlia completed his sentence, “her name is Inome.”

Sc’s heart skipped a beat. Does her sister recognize her? Why use her birthname?

“Nice to meet you Inome.” Tomiwa repeated, with his outstretched palm.

“Nice to meet you Tomiwa,” SC accepted the handshake with a fake smile of her own.

“Dahlia never talks about her relatives so its good you’re here.” Tomiwa continued, “she needs her family in a time like this.

SC nodded, but her smile did not reach her eyes. She was conflicted. Her mind was racing onwhat had just happened. Her sister recognized her?

“You said you had news? ”Oge asked, as she took off her glasses to clean its lenses.

“I don’t think you’re mentally prepared for this news.” Tomiwa’s voice was solemn, “but it is of utmost importance and in need of an urgent solution or else-“ his voice faded away.

“Okay,” Dahlia finally said after moments of silence. “tell me, what is it?”

“We’ve lost three ambassadorial deals,” Tomiwa announced, “Nigeria magic TV, Dipton drinks and Cassie hairs. They’ve all requested for a termination in contract with us.”

Dahlia shut her eyes briefly and SC could see the pain and regret on her face.

“And- and the media?” Dahlia stammered, “are they still trash-talking me?”

“Yes.” Tomiwa replied, “I suggest you go off social media for a while until this subsides.”

Dahlia buried her face in her palms, “I made a big mistake and now I’m paying for it.” She sobbed, “and it was that stupid’s man fault, he lied to me that he was divorcing his wife.”

Even SC scoffed and shook her head in pity. Why would her sister fall for something as dumb as that?

“What’s that noise?” Oge’s voice joggled SC back to the present, causing her to listen to the so-called noise she was talking about.

It was a car honk-or honks rather, each one louder and aggressive by the minute. It was as if the driver wanted to pass across an intentional message.

“I’m going to check it out, because who is this daft person causing this unnecessary noise early this morning.” Dahlia’s voice was irritated and furious.

The others tailed after her until they arrived outside the house. The honks became unbearably loud that SC had to use both her palms to shield her ears.

“Ashawo,” A feminine voice screeched, “husband snatcher.”

The source of the voice was coming from the gate. Just behind it was a woman. Her golden and black shimmering abaya attire screamed expensive, over her head and around her neck was a black scarf.
Anger was an understatement, she was outraged.

“Iwo,” she pointed at her distastefully, “o ma la’ya. You this little rat.” She snickered, “after what I did for you, after how I helped you in your career, you still had the audacity to stab me in the back and had an affair with my husband.”

SC noticed that her sister’s hands were shaking uncontrollably. Dahlia was scared of that woman. She was afraid of one of her sugar daddy’s wife.

“I will make sure I ruin you in this Lagos,” The woman continued, “I will show you shege.” With that, she steeped into her jeep and drove away recklessly.

Dahlia dropped to a sitting position on the ground after the woman had left. “It’s over.” She whispered, “my career is over.”

While Dahlia had a meeting inside the house with her public relations team, SC wrestled with her thoughts inside her car.

She twirled the mentos sweet in her mouth with her tongue, savoring the flavor while pondering over her thoughts.

Who could have done such a thing to Dahlia and why?

Although she hadn’t the slightest clue, it made her annoyed on her sister’s behalf, but even with the whole Dahlia scandal, the bullets were her top priority ad she mustn’t waver.

Forming and alliance with Dahlia was indeed the best decision to take. In fact, Alhaji was so pleased with her when she had informed him about the latest update, he was satisfied that he no longer had to fight for the bullets, it came to him with ease.

SC groaned, using her palm to caress her burning fore head. Her head ached from all the responsibilities, but she had no choice but to keep moving.

A familiar whisper spoke in her head. It was her sister’s voice calling her name, and once again, her heart skipped a beat.

Did her sister recognize her?

She laughed in response, a sour one because there was no way Dahlia recognizes her. She was different, she had changed.

A brief childhood memory flashed in her head, she and Dahlia were playing hide and seek in the compound. There was laughter, genuine happiness-

SC disrupted the memory with a shake of her head. She had other pressing matters to handle and a reconciliation with her sister was the least of her worries.

Somebody stepped out of the gate hurriedly-Tomiwa.

SC studied his stance from her car. He looked like he was in a hurry prompting her to check the time on her phone. It was too early for the meeting to be over, so where was he rushing to?

As soon as he entered his lexus vehicle, she turned on the ignition key, kicking her car to life. She was going to tail after him.

SC was careful so as not to get noticed by Tomiwa. She drove at a safe distance behind him, her curiosity rising by the minute. What was so important that he had to excuse himself from the ongoing meeting?

Tomiwa made a turn at Lekki phase 2 and she followed suit, maneuvering vehicles that obstructed her view. As she drove, she began to think-when she had sent Tayo to deliver the letter and bomb, didn’t he tell her that the address was at Lekki phase 2? What was Tomiwa doing at Lekki phase 2?

Her determination flared up as she tightened her wrists around the steering wheel. Once she finds that Tomiwa was doing something sketchy, he was dead meat.

Tomiwa eventually arrived at his destination, and SC had to park her car on a side of the road. She watched as he came down from his car and entered a building.

She beheld the building and every suspicion about him vanished into nothingness.

It was a hospital.

SC ran her fingers through her locs in frustration and hit the steering wheel aggressively. She had come all the way to a hospital? Ridiculous.

SC loathed hospitals. She hated the smell of antiseptics and drugs. Worse of all, she could not stand to see sick people in pain, people drying up due to one illness or the other and people looking hopeless.

A hospital was miserable place.

SC drove away feeling a kind of guilt in her. She had wrongly suspected Tomiwa when he had done nothing wrong. It was unfair because Tomiwa probably had someone important to see at the hospital, or he was the sick one.

“Follow me.” Dahlia simply said.

“To where?” SC had to ask as she stared at her sister questioningly.

“The rise to fame and power isn’t an easy journey. In this game there is only one rule; eat or be eaten.” Dahlia continued as she pulled together the curtains of her bedroom window. She went over to the other windows and repeated the same procedure. “I want you to see the bullets with your eyes. I doubt you have even seen them physically.”

It was a tempting which SC couldn’t refuse, so she decided to inquire further. “Is it here in your room? Is that safe?”

Dahlia chuckled as she strolled over to her pearly white wardrobes. She turned to SC, “please lock the bedroom door and come over.”

SC did as she was told and cautiously went to join her sister. Were the bullets in her wardrobe?

Dahlia opened a section of an empty wardrobe causing SC to wonder if her sister was in her right senses. In Dahlia right hand was a compact powder and when she opened it, underneath was a button which she pressed.

As if on cue, the back of the wardrobe resting on the wall shifted to the left, revealing a black rectangular hole.

SC’s eyes widened in astonishment. What the-

“Let’s go.” Dahlia entered the wardrobe and disappeared into the hole.

SC’s hair rose in warning and caution as she wondered what could be down that hole. Slowly, she followed suit. Even if Dahlia wanted to do anything funny to her, she had a gun on her she would use to protect herself.

She put on her phone’s flashlight ad discovered that the hole contained stairs leading downwards. She sighed in relief as began to descend.

Once she had arrived the leveled ground, Dahlia switched on the lights illuminating the whole place.

It was a room of a sort. SC noticed as she scanned the area. Boxes were arranged orderly around the four corners of the room, excluding a wide space in the middle.

“This is the store room.” Dahlia announced proudly, “did you really think I would leave these valuables up there?” she scoffed.

SC nodded in approval. “I’m impressed. This is very smart.”

No wonder Dahlia moved to a new house, one she built to suit her and her illegal activities. Her sister was a smart psychopath.

“Of course. I’m Dahlia Kagabel.” She reminded her, “but I wanted to show you something else.”

“What?”

“A new project I’m working on,” Dahlia responded. She opened a smaller carton and produced a small transparent vial containing liquid. She handed it over to SC who accepted it.

SC studied the slender vial containing a yellowish liquid which could easily be mistaken for urine. “What is this?”

“That right there is liquid gothium,” Dahlia explained, “just a little quantity of that in fuel and-“ hersmile was devilish, “you should know what would happen next.”

Explosion. Destruction.

“That took us years to achieve, so its costly than the normal bullets,” Dahlia continued speaking, “once I tell my clients about this, they would go berserk.” She crossed her arms over chest, “I won’t take payment for the bullets but I would for this.”

SC couldn’t believe that she was holding one of the deadliest weapons ever, and it doesn’t even resemble a weapon.

If Alhaji gets a hold of that vial, she pities anyone who would dare to cross him.

“Its not yet in the market until we manage to have about a hundred pieces.But when it does come out, I’ll let you know.” Dahlia told her.

SC nodded absentmindedly. If this was used for the wrong purpose….she swallowed the thought, unable to imagine what would happen. As if she was holding something hot, she returned the vial to Dahlia who kept it in its appropriate place.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t recognize my sister?” Dahlia’s voice had a hint of sadness.

SC froze on the spot. Her heat skipped several beats. Dahlia knew.

“Inome.” She said with affection as she moved a step forward.

SC took a step backwards and inhaled deeply, in attempt to regain her composure.

“How long have you known?” she questioned.

“Since when we first met in the car,” she replied, “I just decided to say nothing.”

SC shook her head refusing to believe what she was saying.

“I’d recognize that jaw scar anywhere. You got it when you were nine as a result from hide and seek.” Dahlia continued.

“Stop.” SC said through gritted teeth.

“My sister’s favourite food is Onunu. When we were young you dreamed of being a renowned fashion designer.”

“Shut up.” SC yelled. Her whole body quaked as tears threatened to fall from her eyes.

“I searched everywhere for you.” Dahlia said again, “I thought you had died like the rest of our family.” She took another step forward, “Inome please, I missed you.”

“I came to your school once, looking for you,” SC started, “I didn’t know you had changed your name to Dahlia, I couldn’t find my sister. One day I saw you on television, you were happy, you were smiling. I had to let you go.”

“Inome-“

“Why did you choose this dirty path?” SC asked with tears in her eyes, “both of us are- we’re-“

Dahlia cut her off with a warm hug, and she sobbed into her sister’s shoulder.

SC had to bear everything alone. She had to grow up too quickly. She had no one to open up to, no one to properly laugh with, no friend.

Whether she accepted it or not, Dahlia was her only family. They only had each other left and they had to do whatever it took to protect one another.

They were both rotten to the core, but the same blood line flowed through their veins.

I need cane, I know, I Know. But please no vex🙏🏿

GLOSSARY
1) Onunu; This food is mostly eaten by the people from the Coastal part Nigeria. This meal is their native dish and it is prepared with boiled yam,very ripe plantain and oil. The combination would be put into a mortar and pounded together . Onunu can be eaten with either Pepper soup, Stew or any sauce you will like.

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