Abuja.

Mariam walked inside the hospital with her head held up high feeling as though there is no one like her because there isn't. There is only one Mariam Abdou Baldé in the entire world. Her blood scarlet pumps clacked gently on the tiled floor, her face featuring a scowl that makes everyone scared to be on her way. One of her brows is raised aloof helping the arrogant tilt of her nose right beneath her RayBan shades.

They arrived at the doctor's office, OB/GYN to check her health because she hadn't been feeling good lately so she told her paramour who is extremely influential with enough money to feed Nigeria and other African countries. He ordered his assistant to book the most sought out doctor in Nigeria for her which he did in less than an hour, something that takes forever.

The doctor is hardly seen, even with an appointment. He's a busy and far-reaching man. She doesn't give a crap about that though, as long as her health will be checked. She is coveting that she is not pregnant. The symptoms were there, she needs to get them tackled as soon as possible. She was never pregnant in all her rendezvous, she wont start now no matter how rich her new paramour is. She's been with someone far richer anyway.

She vowed to never give birth because what is the essence of it? She won't be able to live life the way she wants to, it will hinder her success in the world of prostitution. People will look down at her. But she's never terminated pregnancy before in her life, she was more than careful throughout. Her pills are always taken with great care, the most overpriced ones out there. She hired a maid just to remind her when it's time to take them.

And her paramours never go bareback, she's extremely discerning.

Madina knocked at the door twice before an answer drifted to their ears so she opened the door tentatively. Mariam went ahead and entered before her, she is the patient here so he should see her first right? She stood in the middle of the office and perused over the room with slow investigation. The place is nice enough but not what she'd expected when she heard that he is the most sought after OB/GYN. He will do though.

She relegated the sunglasses from her face, traipsed to the two chairs facing an executive one and sat down without waiting for him to tell her to do so. It was two other heartbeats before her eyes landed on the doctor's. She tilted her head arrogantly trying to look more wealthy than she is, as if that would intimidate the intelligent man. More wealthy? She could count on her life that she's richer than him.

He is older than her with more than two decades with bald hair and face free of any hair. He's got this pretty caramel skin that glistened beneath the empire chandelier in his office, accentuating out the fact that he is not just any plebeian, he is living a healthy and moneyed life. Even from his sitting position, he looks tall, his body is folded but he's occupied the height of the chair he is sitting on. This man must've broken many hearts growing up. Is it his geriatric handsomeness or charming presence?

"Good morning, Miss Mariam?" He asked, his eyes on his computer to confirm whether she is the one with her name written there.

Mariam made a straight face. Why is he asking? She battered down her sack of sarcasm and answered. "Yes. Mariam."

"Yes, the right one. So what brought you here Mariam?" He gave her a panty-dropping smile that had her raising her brow moodily. She's not here for such good mannerism. He is clearly faking it.

"I missed my period for three days. I want to confirm whether or not I'm pregnant." She folded her arms in front of her, relaxing back on the large chair she is sitting on. It is swallowing her whole wee figure.

Doctor Nazeer stared at her in regalement while at the same time managing to look bewildered. She booked an appointment with him, —Dr. Nazeer, the busiest doctor in Nigeria— came late and she is now telling him she wanted to confirm whether or not she is pregnant? Why didn't she go to regular doctors for that? It's not hard finding out whether or not you are pregnant with advanced technology. And doesn't she know about the pregnancy kit? She should've used those instead of wasting his time.

He is only booked for emergencies, malignant complications and massive surgeries, not minor stuff such as this. But since she's already wasted his time, he will go through the process of checking her to avoid her brattiness which he's sighted the minute she came in and besides, she intrigues him. Who wouldn't? She is too beautiful with attitude to die for. Her eyes spells tons of secrets and mysteries.

"Are you married?" He asked unconsciously not because of his job, for his personal interest.

Mariam gave her neck a small lilt. "Why are you asking? That has nothing to do with your job, does it?"

"It does, Ma'am. I want to know what you are up to whether or not you want the pregnancy so I know the tests I should conduct." He answered with his own tinge of ego, smoothly cloaking it up with a professional smile.

"Well, I am not married. Now let's get this done and over with I have a lot to do." She grimaced thinking about the man she is going to see after leaving this hospital. She is going to end their affair soon, he is becoming clingy.

Doctor Nazeer gave up right then, there is something about this girl that screams crisis. She is not just a mere prostitute, she knows what she is doing in this life albeit young. Who would be able to get the richest politician in Nigeria snagged to her alone just like that? She is a real woman that maneuver alone in the world filled with admirers.

His eyes settled on the friend beside her with slightly darker skin, she is cute. Just that the both of them are not ready to settle down and as a doctor, he refuse to get all the diseases they might have in them. STD, HIV and AIDS. They don't go hand in hand with women such as themselves, they are rotten goods that won't settle for anything less. From the upscale nature of their outfit and perfume, he knew he cannot afford any of them.

He immediately conducted several tests on the both of them, no pregnancy whatsoever and surprisingly or not, they don't carry any disease in them. That is why he knew she was not just any normal prostitute, she is a cognoscente in what she does. A connoisseur, eloquent, suave and conceited alongside. She got Alhaji Salihu Shata, she's obviously the best out there.

"Thanks for your time, Doc." With that the both of them stood up and made their way out of his office more accomplished than ever.

Thinking about carrying any man's baby in her womb made her want to regurgitate. Why on earth would she do that in her line of job? She is going to lose shape, get those awful stretch marks she sees on her mother and make her breasts fall. Not that she wont be able to get back in shape, they are just not worth the trouble at all. Kids are problematic, a colossal hindrance to the successful road ahead of her.

She stared down at the prescribed medicines in her hand and let out a suspire. How on earth is she going to fit three more tablets in her already surfeit miscellany? Is this man trying to make her overdose so she comes back to him crawling? She's seen her fair share of attention seeking men to know this man is no good at all. He is attracted to her like all the men she's come across. Mariam is used to all pitfalls.

"Don't you think something is fishy with that man, Madina?"Mariam asked her friend as they rounded the corner to the pharmacy that is inside the hospital.

Madina smiled in that enigmatic way at her friend. She is used to men getting infatuated by her friend just by staring at her from afar. Mariam sometimes act so naïve that Madina doesn't know what to do with her in the business. She is obviously beautiful with a fair ivory skin to go with so every man with working anatomy of certain southern location would feel something for her. She is tired of explaining things to her though, not even about the handsome geriatric doctor.

"Other than the fact that he was obviously smitten by you, I don't think so." Madina answered yanking her away from getting bumped by some man on a wheelchair.

Mariam turned around to stop the man from moving any further, she stood in front of him hands akimbo. Her eyes sized the older man up from his bald hair down to his graying mustache, trailed over the wounds across his body. He is in a really bad shape, why is he allowed all alone around the hospital? Are there no relatives of his or nurses around to tend to him?

That didn't stop her eyes from narrowing in accusation. "Cant you see where you are going, old man? You almost hit me there."

The man scowled at her, clearly ready to fight too with that attitude of his that fumed from where she is standing. "You should've been more conscious of your surroundings since you are not in your house."

"Hey, old man! Don't make me mark your face or you won't leave this hospital alive. I don't take disrespects lightly!" She glared at him, leaning down a bit to intimidate his form huddled miserably on a wheelchair.

"I'd like to see you carry out your threat, little brat." He sized her up too, like he is someone important she is supposed to know. Maybe he is but Mariam definitely have the upper hand here.

"Give me your name and room number. After I'm done with you, don't forget to give my name to others or add it to your testament as soon as possible. Mariam Abdou Balde..." She was yanked away from the man by Madina.

She knows how crazy her friend is and if this stubborn geriatric decided to give her his room number or name, he is done and over with. Now he is thinking her threats are merely words from a spoiled brat but one phone call from her will end his life no matter how important he thinks he is. Mariam is far more influential, she has her way through and through in Nigeria and other places. She is very authoritative.

A few distressed lines on her face could rise a war by all the men after her, none which are not dominating Nigeria inside and out. Starting from the polished posh politicians, superior chiefs, prominent Kings, the Field Marshal, Director-General of Nigeria Custom Service, Admiral of the Fleet, Marshal of the Air Force, Inspector General of Police, high up, drug lords, bandit lords, front-page businessmen at the top of Forbes List and whatnot. He shouldn't feel too important against Mariam because he isn't. No one knows who he is.

Probably his boss is in her miscellany of plethora men waiting in her list. One phone call might get him fired, killed or whatever the fuck she wants to occur so he better cord solicitously in this. Madina must interfere to ensure the safety of the man and also make sure her friend does not have more blood in her hands. She is going to get inundated in her own pile of crimes.

"Baba, go on please and forget this has ever happened. We are sorry for the inconvenience but my friend is tensed after finding out she is terribly sick." She passed a beseeching smile at the man who read the signal.

Raising his eyes to look at Mariam, he glowered then asked a male nurse passing by to wheel him away while watching her well manicured artificial nail giving him the middle finger. If not that he is expecting his boss, he would've continued this and see who on earth is that girl in Nigeria. Surely she's got some strong connection to talk to him like that. Mariam Abdou Balde. She isn't Nigerian right?

"You need to stop defending me like this or more like getting in my way. The least he could've done was say sorry and move the fuck on with his small head and rabbit ears." Mariam scolded Madina when the man disappeared out of sight.

Madina chuckled then sighed and went to the woman behind the counter passing her both their prescribed medicines. The woman was watching the entire show with her mouth agape and excitement shimmering in her eyes. Doesn't she have better things to do in her life? Why didn't she interrupt as a staff in the hospital? That was so unprofessional.

"I don't like you trying to always intimidate people around you because you have the power to do so." Madina meandered to survey her friend, her face pinched chidingly.

"Didn't you see how he almost hit me though? I should've thanked him for doing that too, huh? I'm not as nice as you are. Don't bother changing me." She rolled her eyes looking anywhere but at Madina hoping she wont start her unnecessary spiel.

"That is what you want people to see not the real you. It's good to let things go once in a while." Of course Madina would continue, she never works with signals or red lights.

"Alright, Miss Goody-two-shoes. Loud and clear I'll allow people to smash me from now on." She rolled her eyes, lowered her glasses from her head to shield them.

Madina rolled her eyes at the jeer. "That is not what I mean but you—" Madina was cut short when she saw that Mariam's attention was not on her but at the door, hospital's entrance.

Mariam rushed out of the hospital almost tripping on her pumps then came back to poke her head and yelled to Madina. "Stay right there and finish, I'm coming back in a jiffy."

Before Madina could give an answer or even a nod of her head, Mariam had disappeared again leaving myriad of wrathful patients and family at her wake. She knows that hospital is not a place for her to shout like that so Madina apologized on her behalf giving another crappy excuse they grunted at. They know when they are being fooled.

Mariam on the other hand experienced something she's never experienced in her life. When she first saw the man leaving the hospital with his friend looking grim and uptight, she wanted to look away and continue having one of her several arguments with Madina but she couldn't. Her eyes got stuck at the man's side view, everything seized to exist besides him. Her heart lurched itself to her throat and sat there comfortably, making her uneasy.

She forced herself to look back at her friend but only for a nanosecond before they went back to the man's. She's never felt like that in her entire life, wanting to keep looking at a guy no matter how handsome. She's seen far more handsome men than him, then why on earth couldn't she look away and why is she following him? He is not that handsome neither does he look like the rich men waiting for her to beckon them with a crook of her finger.

Gulping, she hid behind a car at the parking lot of the hospital and watch them take a cab. A cab? Is the guy poor? How worse could things be? Mush worst because she found herself locating her car in the throngs of cars, she entered and turn on the engine, revving it to life. She knew it was about to get much more worse of course, she is following him! And she cannot even recall how she's sped down the smooth coal-tarred path ahead.

Her hands became clammy on the steering wheel, wanting to hiss and turn around but she couldn't bring herself to do so. The fact that she didn't see his face clearly made things materialize more ridiculous. Why is she following a guy she doesn't know? What is this pull dragging her to him like a moth to a flame? Or is it magnet to iron? It makes absolute no sense, that's the least of her concerns at the moment though.

The cab continued driving for about ten minutes before it stopped outside a hotel she is not really familiar with. Two guys got out of the cab and made their way inside, she snapped the two of them from the distance albeit blurry she knew it will have to work in her favor. She dropped her phone to her thighs and thought quietly to herself.

Mariam, are you in your right state of mind? Are you alright?!

She's got no answer for that only continue to think about the guy's side view that she is sure wont permit her to sleep today. He was tall, really tall and lean with bulging muscles of a boxer. His skin is dark, so beautifully so too with flawlessness that made her tingle all over. Other than that, she cannot say anything about him but yet, she stalked him. Like a damned voyeur with no better things to do.

Why? WHY? The one in capital letters.

If she wasn't mistaken, what she felt after seeing the displeasure all over his face was anger and thirst for revenge. Why does his displeasure bother her so much? She's never met that guy, she could swear on her wealth —the most dear thing to her in the world— for that. Then why the closeness? The familiarity? Why the sudden possessiveness and protectiveness shrouding her? What happened to her then?

She literally felt her heart skipping a beat at the suaveness he used to bounce down the small steps leading out of the hospital. And the way he talked to his friend or was it brother...with a glint in his eyes. It was almost malicious but she cannot be too right, it was from afar. This is just stupid. So fucking stupid that she is yet to permit it inside her cranium, not wanting to accept it.

"Fuck! Why am I acting like a voyeur? He is not that handsome neither is he rich or someone important. What's going on?" She murmured out loud caressing her forehead; distressed and uneased. Was she charmed?

The hairs behind her neck stood at attention, goosebumps rising all over her arms. Something prickled in her scalp, a quiver rocked her stomach.... Her phone rang on her thigh but she was far into her own misery to hear the raucous sound till it rang for the third time, a worried Madina won't just relax. Mariam groaned before picking the call. She is freaking lost here.

"Where on earth are you? The car is not at the lot too. Where did you go leaving me here, Mariam?" Madina asked in a worried voice thinking she's met up with an accident or something.

Using both her hands, Mariam roughly draw them down her face with a loud sigh. "I'll be there in a few. I'll tell you where I was, Aissata."

She will have to tell her if she wants to find this man. Something is amiss and if she doesn't see him in real sense, she is going to go crazy. Well, more cuckko than she already is. He will tell her what he's done to elicit such emotions and feelings within her. She is never emotional, never was she a fool in her own idea.

Love exists, she's seen it many times but she won't ever be able to trust men in her life. They are dangerous creatures living with a façade that makes women feel safe and loved when that is not the case. Her father left them for another woman, more wealthier and materialistic. And she's been with more married men than single, both young and old. They cannot be loyal, can't stick it to one place.

Mariam never told her mother that, she would be more heartbroken than she already is. When she got powerful in her world of prostitution, she started searching for her father not because she wanted him back in their lives, for the sake of knowing whether he is dead or alive. She'd rather him dead though but she found out he was married to an extremely wealthy woman that lives in Dubai. She wanted to shatter that little happiness but restrained, her mother wouldn't like that.

And then the men she sleeps around with. They act like devoted little puppies around their family, even on social media but in reality they are bunch of ugly bulls filled with enough shit to make them constipate. She can never trust men, that is not the main reason she won't fall in love.

The minute he leaves her sight, she will fear what he is doing out there with women. Is he bedding another woman to satisfy his needs during her period? Just one way or the other she is not going to fall in love.

Why does it feel like it is too late though? Like she's already fallen in love and there is nothing she can do to undo it? With a stranger that is poor?

Nope! That can never be possible. She won't go back to that impoverished penury life she's left, never again. This man will have to disappear from her mind once and for all. It doesn't matter how or when, he will have to dematerialize. After she sees in him full, of course. And maybe ask him a few questions that she cannot answer herself. She does not like puzzles, at all.

This had never happened to her, she won't let this guy go scot free after wrecking her for mere minutes. She is going to find him!