Jeremiah

I had my eyes fixated on the huge wall clock right above the basketball net, my hands on my knees and my fingers wrapped around and pinching each other anxiously. It looked like I had no business at all with what was going on on the court. It was Thursday and it meant that it was activity day. Basket ball was today's theme and for the first time in a long time, we were competing with young money and new young money. Ever since the renovation, old money had mixed a lot with members of other classes and gotten really used to hanging out with them. I on the other hand was only concerned about one thing, one  person, Kora. She was the only reason I was intentionally not on the court with the rest, playing my favorite sport. I was worried about her. It had been over an hour since we separated in the hall. She was supposed to be here just like the rest of her class was. I couldn't help but wonder if she was okay.

Did I have to go find her? What if something was wrong? What if she was being bullied again? I was restless. I knew she was going through a lot and it couldn't stop me from feeling like she was having a hard time going through everything on her own. I wouldn't want to be alone either if I were in her shoes.

Nah. Sitting still and worrying was only making everything worse. I was barely even concentrating on anything at that point. My heart was racing and every second felt so uncomfortable. I wasn't going to keep waiting. I was going to find her. I got up immediately.

"We need to talk."

I stopped myself from bumping right into Oma. I took a second. A second to catch my breath and stop being all hasty. I could see how she glared at me with her hands folded. I could almost guess that whatever it was, had something to do with the current subject trending on campus. It had something to do with me and Kora. I exhaled and then shook my sweaty hands.

"Can we not do this right now?" I asked her. I really wished I had the time to sit and talk about everything but I didn't. I had to find Kora. I knew It was really selfish to ask but I couldn't help myself. I slowly reached for her shoulder. "I promise I'd listen to everything when I'm back." I looked into her eyes hoping she could understand.

I was being a jerk. I know. It's all I've ever been to Oma but it wasn't something I had control of just like i didn't this moment. She slapped my hand away from her shoulder.

"Aren't you going to stop?!" She raised her voice at me. She was loud. I had never heard her yell so loudly before and trust me, everyone heard it too. In a second, no one was interested in playing basketball anymore. I knew it when the ball stopped bouncing and the entire room got really quiet. They were watching us and I was watching Oma. She had tears in her eyes. I exhaled. Now I was in a situation.

I exhaled.

"Oma," I tried to reach for her arm again but she pushed herself back.

"I've had enough of this. How far are you willing to go with this? Until when are you going to stop? To stop making a fool out of me? Don't you pity me? Don't you have any respect at all for me?!" Her voice was the loudest I had ever heard and even with all that anger, she didn't let a single tear drop fall from her eyes. I looked around for a quick second. Everyone was watching. I slowly turned back to her. "Are you really not going to stop this? Are you really going to let everything go down the drain because of some girl? What about her?! What is it about her that makes you go completely insane?! Until when are you going to stop this madness and respect me and our commitment?!" She pushed me. "Tell me!" She pushed me again,

I just stood there. I wasn't sure I had the right words to say or do. I let out an exhale.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

Kora

It was over.

My greatest fear was gone but I wasn't sure how to feel about any of it. Getting rid of the very person that frightened me cost me my best friend. At that point, I had realized I was alone. I had no one else. Charles was gone. Everyone had seen him for who he really was. He was being talked about all over the news and blogs and every other girl he had abused was beginning to speak up. His family was scorned at and could barely go out in public without being verbally or physically abused. He was finally getting the punishment he deserved plus, he was expelled from NAUN. It meant I never got to see him again. Thanks to Grace.

I still couldn't believe she had confessed to what she did and framed Charles for it just to help me get rid of him. I had no idea what was going to happen after this. I had no idea what was going to happen but I knew one thing for a fact, nothing had to change. I just had to do everything on my own now. I had to go back to living my life how I wanted before all the crazies happened and it brought me back to where I was supposed to be, at the basket ball hall with the rest of my class.

I had my eyes buried on the ground as I walked in. At the first five seconds, I had not noticed the awkward silence that had filled the room. I was just walking as far as I could see the empty ground but I stopped for a second when I saw shoes right in front of me. I slowly raised my head to the glaring crowd in front of me but right in front of them, I could see the very one person I didn't want to see, Oma. I always knew nothing good ever came from coming face to face with her but that time, it felt different. The atmosphere felt different. It was like I had become the center of attention. I swallowed hard and then turnedto Jeremih who just happened to stand right behind her with his eyes glued on me.

What was that? What was going on?

I didn't have to say those words. You could read them from the look on my face.

"You're here." She stared at me. "Good." She took a few steps towards me.

"Oma, don't bring her into this."

I thought as much. Nothing good was going to come out of this.

"You must feel so happy and proud of yourself right now don't you?"

I didn't need a translator or anyone to explain to me what she was talking about. I picked the pieces and fixed the puzzle. I knew exactly where she was driving at.  I exhaled.

"Are you happy?" She asked me pushing my shoulder lightly. I let her. I wasn't exactly in the best of moods to actually give in to what she wanted. "I asked you a question." She pushed me again. "Are you happy?"

"That's enough Oma!" Jeremiah grabbed her arm and pulled her away from me. He walked to me as fast as he could and then grabbed my arm.

"Come on." He told me as I slowly turned to look at him. "You don't have to be here, let's go." He turned and then pulled me to turn with him.

"It's not going to last!" Oma yelled as we started to walk to the door. "She's going to know the truth eventually. She's going to know what you did and she's going to hate you." Jeremiah froze. He stopped walking. I stopped too. I could notice how his hands began to tremble on mine that moment. I slowly raised my head to him so I could see him. I could see how numb he had become.

"What?" Oma said with a chuckle behind us. "You're not going to walk out anymore?" She started to walk slowly towards us, she had a smirk on her face. Jeremiah slowly turned to me.

"Don't listen to her. Don't pay any attention to what she's saying."

"Woah!" She chuckled. "Someone's scared. Is that fear I sense in your voice?"

What was that? What on earth was she talking about?

He slowly turned to her.

"Aren't you going to stop?" He asked her. I could sense the fear in his shaky voice. "Why do you have to be so childish?"

"Childish? Me? I'm childish? I don't think I'm being childish. I'm just dying to know what's going to happen to your precious relationship with her when she finds out the secret you've been hiding from everyone. I want to know what everyone would think about you when they find out what you did."

There were tiny murmurs from behind her. Everyone was obviously starting to whisper among themselves. She had raised their curiosity. Jeremiah took a deep breath and then hurried to her immediately. He grabbed her arm before she said anything else. I froze as I watched him.

"Come with me." He told her and then pulled her. What did they know? What was it that he didn't want me or anyone to know?

Oma pulled her hand away immediately.

"Why?" She asked him. "Why must I do anything you say? Aren't you dying to know? Dying to know if she really loves you? If she'd look at you the same way if she knew?"

"Oma!" Jeremiah yelled at the top of his lungs and it frightened everyone. Everyone except Oma. She wasn't scared. She wasn't scared of him. She looked pretty determined to say what she wanted to say. At that moment no one could blame her, she was upset.
She narrowed her gaze to me.

"He can never love you." She told me. "Not the way he loved her."

Loved her? Loved who?

I frowned. I guess she could see how lost I was form the way my brows curved in confusion.

"The only person he could ever bring himself to love sincerely."

"Shut up." Jeremiah told her

"Rebecca. His childhood lover. He killed her."

I froze. I could feel every vein in my body freeze. I couldn't move the moment I heard those words. Jeremiah quickly turned to me. He grabbed my arms and turned me so I could look at him. He was shaking, afraid. I could feel it. I could feel him tremble. I could see the fear in his eyes too. He swallowed hard like he was looking for the right words to say.

"Don't believe it. Don't believe anything she says."

"You had better listened to me." Racheal said behind him even admits all the chaos. "Cause I'm only trying to save your life. He doesn't care about anyone and when he does care about someone, he ruins their lives. He's going to ruin yours just like he ruined hers."

Jeremiah shut his eyes for a second.

"Shut up." He whispered.

"He loved Rebecca more than life itself. We were engaged but he always ran to her just as he runs to you. It's funny how you both almost share the same story; fragile, hopeless. That's the kind of girls he's attracted to. Your kind. He held on to her too tightly and forgot what happens when he held on to people. His obsession killed her, he killed her."

"It was an accident." Jeremiah turned to her. "I didn't mean to and you know it. I'd never have hurt her."

"Was it? You got drunk on purpose. You drove that car drunk on purpose when you knew you shouldn't have. There was an accident, an accident that you caused and she died. It pretty looks like the same to me. If only you had let her go, if only you didn't hold on to her like that, she'd have been alive. You killed her and your family made it go away, made it look like it was nothing and you couldn't even defend her memory. I guess she was worthless after all, just like your precious Kora is going to be."

"Why are you doing this?" He asked her. "Aren't you going to stop?"

"I told you didn't I? I'm the only one that can ever love you no matter what you do. I'm the only one that can ever understand you. You'd keep trying to make a fool out of me but I'm your destiny. You'd always crawl back to me in the end, just like you did three years ago. I'm the only one that can ever accept you even after what you've done." She bragged. "You're a danger to everyone else, to everyone you claim you care about. You end up doing what you want, driving them insane and then you kill them. You ruin their lives. It's who you are. It's who you're ever going to be Jeremiah!" She scoffed. "You're incapable of loving anyone. Your love always turns out to be self brought destruction. You're a user, and you're a killer. You've been abandoned by everyone. Your own brother can't even stand you and your father sent you away because all you do is cause trouble and ruin things. No one wants you. I'm all you have. Do you understand that?"

Jeremiah wouldn't take his eyes off her. You could see his heart was ripping apart with the way he glared at her. You could see him move his lips like he wanted to say something but words never came out. How could he ever be okay after hearing all those words from her? The entire room was so quiet. No one made a sound. Not even him. He sniffed and then buried his head like he was trying so hard not to cry.

"So what?"

I took a step forward. My eyes glaring at Oma. Trust me, I had no idea where all that bravery was coming from but for some reason, I wanted to take his side. I wanted to defend him. My heart was literally tearing apart hearing Oma judge him and talk to him like that. Oma raised her eyes to mine.

"What?" She scoffed.

"So what?" I repeated. "So what if he's all those things?"

Jeremiah slowly raised his head and then turned to me.

"He drove drunk. He wasn't supposed to but he did and someone died. Someone he loved died. Do you think it has been easy for him too? He made a mistake. Haven't you made mistakes you're not proud of?" I turned to the rest of the crowd. "Haven't you all made mistakes you've not been proud of? Someone died. Do you think he's not aware of it? Do you think he hasn't had his own share of pain? How can you?"
I scoffed.

"How can you talk down on him and act like you're perfect. How can you humiliate him and turn on him like this?"

"What?"

"This is not love." I told her. "You're simply toxic and that's it. If there's anyone here incapable of love, it's you. You don't know anything at all."

Oma scoffed. She didn't take the smirk off her face. I exhaled and then slowly turned to Jeremiah. He was just as surprised as everyone else was. I pursed my lips and then slowly reached for his hand. I held it.

"I'm starving." I told him. "I must have been so excited to be in school this morning that I had forgotten to eat breakfast. Can we go eat something?"

He blinked twice. He was speechless but it didn't stop me. I turned around and then pulled him right behind me. I was going to protect him this time. I was going to be his pillar this time. I could tell how the crowd broke out as we walked out of the room.

I didn't care. I grabbed on tightly to his hands and walked away with him. I didn't let go.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

I loved the wind. I loved how it brushed itself on my face but most importantly, I loved the view in front of me. I had only realized how much I loved looking at him. I could stand behind him and watch him for hours and not feel my legs weaken. I was sad at the same time. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't shake off all the horrible things Oma had said to him. I felt it and I was sure he felt it just as much. He didn't say a word to me on our way to the rooftop but I knew how much it bothered him and how he tried to be strong. He just sat still at the edge of the roof, his legs sticking right outside. He was so lost in his thoughts to be bothered by the height of where he sat. I could watch him swing his legs and look up to the sky. He had no idea I was standing right there, my hands were freezing from holding on tightly to the cans of coke in both of them and he was probably never going to notice.

I was worried about him.
I couldn't help but wonder if he was okay. I was dying to know what Oma meant. I was dying to know what the real story was but I was aware he was hurting. Now was probably not the best time. I exhaled and then began to make my way to him. Dragging my breath. God, I hated heights but I sat right beside him anyway, making sure I never looked down for any reason. I could already feel my heart trying to jump from my mouth. I was scared but I was busy trying to act really cool to show it. I stretched one of the cans to him.

"Here." Then I slowly turned to him. He was looking at me. Did it for a while and then took the cab from me as slowly as he could.

"Thank you." He slowly turned back to looking at the tall trees.

Pffft!

He opened his can and I followed suit. Maybe if I just drank the coke, I wouldn't exactly be bothered by the fact that I was sitting on the rooftop of a five storey building. Everything looked so little from up there. My mind wouldn't stop asking me the same questions.

What if I fell down from there? What was going to happen to me?

Talk about rough plays. I raised my eyes to the skies so I could draw a deep breath and distract myself.

Just how much more did you have to do for this man Kora?

I was going to pee on myself if utmost care wasn't taken.

"You must be really confused." I froze when I heard him speak to me. It took a second. I quickly turned to him. "All those things Oma said." He continued. "You must have a lot of questions."

I did have a lot of questions. I was dying to know who she was, the girl Oma talked about. I wanted to know what happened that night and why it triggered him so much.

"Not really." I lied, trying to act cool. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

Jeremiah scoffed and then let out a smile.

"Her name was Rebecca." He shifted his gaze once again to meet with mine. "She was the love of my life."

At that moment, it felt like the world had stopped moving and I had stopped breathing. I looked deep in his eyes. I could see the sadness that lingered in his eyes.

"We met in the states, attended the same high school." He continued. "She had the prettiest smile and the kindest heart I had ever seen. She got into my school on a scholarship. Unlike everyone else in our private school, Rebecca didn't really have rich parents. She belonged to a froster home. She worked three jobs just so she could take care of her little brother and buy herself a uniform. She was the first person." He paused and then licked his lower lip slowly. "She was the first person and the only person that reminded me that I was never alone. She was the first person to think I was worth sticking with even though I lived the toughest of lives and hung out with the worst of people."

He dragged his breath and at that moment, it felt like he was going to cry. He turned back to his can and then rubbed his fingers around it.

"One night." His voice broke.
I didn't want to hear it. I didn't want to hear it if it was going to make him sad again or cry but he was strong, stronger than I had hoped. He exhaled. "One night I let my emotions get the best out of me and I forced her to go to this party one of my friends had thrown. She didn't want to go but she did and that night I couldn't stop drinking. Just like what happened at the gala I was upset. I hated my father and all I wanted was to get his attention, to embarrass him. I thought if I got drunk enough and someone recorded it, recorded me doing something totally insane, he was maybe going to come get me or stop me. He was in the country and he didn't even want to see me. He never came and so I made up my mind to go to him. I got into my car and Rebecca tried to stop me but I didn't listen. She offered to drive but I didn't let her. She didn't want me to go alone. I should have listened to her and just did what she wanted but I was a fool and I let my emotions get the best of my judgement. Rebecca got into that car because of me, because I didn't listen, because she didn't want me to be alone. We got into an accident minutes later. Got hit by a truck. I barely managed to survive. I was in the ICU for a week and when I had opened my eyes, she wasn't there." He sniffed. "They Uh-they said she had died on the spot."

He inhaled and then raised his head.

"Can you believe it?" He was trying so hard to force a smile on his face but I knew better. I read through him.

"When I think about it, Oma was right. I killed her. She was doing so well on her own. She had this big life in front of her. She had dreams of becoming a medical doctor and helping her brother get out of froster care and I ruined it the moment I got involved in her life. It's all I do. It's all I've ever done, ruin things just as I ruined your life." She scoffed. "Maybe I deserve to be alone after all. Maybe I'm really incapable of loving anyone, of truly meaning well for anyone. Oma got one thing wrong though."

He slowly turned to me. I blinked hard.

"You're not Rebecca and I'm not trying to get with you to replace her. Rebecca is a part of my past. A past I can never replace. You're my future." He told me. "I like you Kora. I really like you a lot."

My heart skipped multiple beats and the thick frown on his face just made everything worse. I froze. I could feel butterflies in my belly and it made me really anxious. I held on tight to the roof so I didn't fall because I felt like I was about to. My heart was racing and my head too. I was so lost in his eyes. What was wrong with me? I blinked twice and then turned away quickly right after clearing my throat.

"I said we didn't have to talk about it." I reminded him. I didn't know how to act after hearing him say all those words to me. I could feel my checks fluster. My heart too. Why did he always make me feel that way? So speechless and embarrassed in a good way. Why did my heart always race when he said those words to me. I had to focus. I knew the man beside me was not mine to have. He was never going to be. He belonged to someone else. It was bad enough that I already had feelings for him. What was going to happen if it got worse than this? If I put myself in a situation I was never going to get out of. I was so scared. I was so scared of getting hurt again, of getting my hopes high for nothing, for what could end up to be a goose chase, a wild dream. I pouted.

"Why are you talking about it?" I whispered to myself but then he grabbed my arm and turned me to face him.

Oh my goodness!

It surprised me a lot but I had found myself looking back in his eyes while he held on tightly to my arms.

"Did you hear what I said?" He was looking right into my eyes. He didn't blink for a second.

I sure did.

"I like you Kora. I like you a lot and I meant everything I said back there at the hall. Go out with me, be my girlfriend, please."

I blinked again. I had no words. No I did. I had words but I was really fighting hard within myself not to say the words my heart wanted me to say.

"I know you feel the same way and I know it's really selfish of me to ask but I can't help it. I can't help the way I feel about you. I'm crazy about you every single second. You're all I think about, you're everything I think about. I always have these fantasies just like I do right now...I really want to kiss you right now."

What was stopping him? I swallowed hard.

God,  you must be going insane Kora. You must really be insane. I just couldn't believe myself but his honesty was everything. He was too straight to the point but it felt good hearing him be as blunt as he could. He leaned closer to me, his eyes focused on mine. If hearts had legs, mine would have sworn it was ready to race out of my body. He stopped halfway.

"Can I? Can I kiss you?"

That was it. That was what it took to throw me off balance. Thank Jesus! Thank Jesus I had a really strong will or I might have just gone naked that minute. That was every definition of sexy and I was the very definition of a whore at that second. I was already having flashes in my head, funny flashes.

"W-what?"

"I asked if I could kiss you." I could feel his breath on my face. He didn't take his eyes off mine. His eyes were the most beautiful things next to heaven. "I really want to- kiss you."

His hands were still on mine. They felt so warm. I felt so hot. It felt like my insides were on fire even with all that wind. He pushed his face closer to mine, I didn't stop him. Why wasn't I stopping him? I had even forgotten how scared I was of heights at that point. There was a greater fear in front of me. God, he was so hot. He got way close to me. Just a few more inches and our lips were going to be right on top of each other. I shut my eyes quickly, still holding my breath.

"I have class right now." I blurted out immediately.
I had no idea when those words escaped from my lips. It was Thursday. I had no lectures until two PM. It was the only thing I could think of. The only way to stop him.

Way to go Kora.

He paused. He didn't move an inch. I could feel his sudden stop. I opened an eye lid. He was still staring at me and then I opened the other one. Why did I have to be so stupid?

He scoffed and then pushed himself back.

Was that it? Was he really not going to try to convince me? Was it really okay?

He smiled.

"Well I guess you shouldn't be late for your class then."

He pushed himself back a little bit and then pulled himself to his feet.

Wait. Just like that? I slowly turned around just as he stretched his hand to help me up too. I slowly took his hand after hesitating for about three seconds. Why was he so cool? He pulled me up.

"D-don't you have any classes?" I had to ask him since he didn't take his eyes off his watch. He shook his head and then raised it back to mine.

"Nope. I've got dinner with my Dad and a press meet by six. My dad thinks we don't have a lot of pictures or press appearances together. I'm supposed to help him show the press how much of a good father he is. How much he loves his sons equally. It's good for his reputation especially since he's running for office at the senate house soon."

"Oh."

"Yeah." He squinted his eyes like the sun was affecting them. I on the other hand, I looked at him. I was beginning to stare at him a lot recently and I was sure he noticed too.

"Are you okay?" He asked me.

"I don't hate you." I told him. I was dying to say those words the entire time. "I don't blame you for what happened either. What happened to her was not your fault and everything Oma said was a lie. You're not a bad person and you're not incapable of love. You're the victim of your story just like I am in mine so I understand. I understand how it feels to be in your shoes. How it feels to be completely alone. How it feels to be the main lead in a story you wish you could just delete yourself from, I know. So I don't hate you. I have never hated you. I could never hate you."

I was spewing a lot of nonsense. A lot of nonsense that came from the bottom of my heart. I watched him, hoping he understood what I was trying to say.

He let out a very faint smile and then nodded slowly after a second.

God.

I bit on my lower lip really hard. I guess I over did it. I must have sounded so stupid, more like a pick me. Why did I have to run my mouth all the time without thinking? Who asked me? Who asked for my opinion about anything? I always found new ways to make myself look really stupid. I never disappointed myself or everyone else at that.

"See you around." He said and then turned to leave. I froze.

What was I expecting anyway?
I wasn't expecting an award for telling him how I felt. It was how I felt and I wasn't going to feel sorry or stupid for letting my intentions known. I exhaled and then turned my face away. I really didn't have to watch him walk away completely. I could hear him perfectly. Then I stoped hearing him. That was fast. The door was still a long walk from where he was.

I slowly turned back to see. He was still there. Still backing me but he was still there. He had stoped walking. I wondered why. Was he okay? Was everything fine?

I took a step to him. I had no idea my leg had even moved. And then I took another one, keeping a straight face with my eyes glued to his back. Why had he suddenly stoped walking and why wasn't he saying anything? I stoped walking too and then he slowly turned to me.

Huh?

He looked perfectly fine to me. He took a step to me and then another. He began to walk as fast as he could to me until was almost running. Why? What was it? Had I said something wrong? I waited till he was really close to me, really, really close.

"Wh-"

He pushed himself close to me and then gently reached for my face, pushed his face close to mine and kissed me. I froze. My eyes widened because I was at the shock of my life. I had totally not seen that coming at all. My entire body was numb especially when he wrapped his other arm around me. I could feel it, I could feel him. His warm breath caressed my face and his warm fingers on my back melted me. I was slowly becoming weakened under his touch and I didn't stop him. This time, I didn't want to. I wanted it just as much as he did.

Yes, I said it.

I really sucked at hiding how I felt anyway. I was never good at it. I liked Jeremiah. I liked him a lot more than I thought I did. I found my hand slowly grabbing a fist full of his jacket. I was hesitating like I wasn't sure I wanted to but in the end I gave in. I held on tight to his jacket and then I closed my eyes, giving in completely to him. To his kiss, to our kiss. I was kissing him right back. Kissing him so he'd know I felt the exact same way. I held on so tight to his jacket not daring to let go. At that moment, I didn't care about anyone else or anything else. I didn't care about who I was or who he was. I didn't care about the impossibilities of what I was getting myself into. I just wanted to be with him, to hold him the way I was doing right now.

Yes I was making a decision. A bad decision that felt so right. I was walking into fire willingly and I wasn't sure I was going to get out without getting burnt.

At that moment I wanted time to stop. I wanted to be trapped in that moment forever. As crazy and reckless as it sounded, I wanted to be trapped in a timeless loophole with him forever.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

Lady K

Boom!

If you were there the way he folded his paper and threw it hard on the table the moment Emmanuel said those last words, you'd have been frightened a lot. You could literally hear his heavy breathing if you were standing close enough.

"What?!" Benjamin's hoarse voice echoed around his really huge office. "She never left for Ghana?"

Yup.

You guessed right, who the subject of discussion was at this side of the story. Jeremiah and the Obidis had done a great work at keeping Obianuju's whereabouts private but you really can't hide something like that for a long time when dealing with the kind of man Benjamin was. It was about time he caught up with them.

"I'm really sorry sir." Emmanuel couldn't even bring himself to look him in the eye and apologize for his incompetence. He just had one job. It was his job to make sure Obianuju got on that plane and he had no idea when she came down from it shortly after. He had overlooked everything again and this time, it was going to be really hard to fix this mistake.

"It happened that she got on the plane but got off of shortly before it took off. Our men at Ghana just reported that they never picked her up from the airport. She never showed up."

"Just reported?!" He yelled. "It has been four days! How could they just make a report now?"

Manny bit on his lip hard. He had no excuses. None at all and Benjamin could see it. He shut his eyes for a second and then took a deep breath.

"Have you found her?" He finally asked him. "Have you been able to find out where she is hiding now?"

"Not yet sir, but my men are on it. We are not going to rest until we find her. Be rest assured sir."

"Unbelievable." Benjamin rubbed his temples. "I can't believe you let this happen. This is unlike you Emmanuel."

Emmanuel bowed again.

"I'm really sorry sir."

Benjamin raised his hand to stop him from apologizing.

"No need for that." He clasped his hands together. "If Obianuju really got off that plane it means she did so for one reason. There's only one person that can possibly know where she is." He raised his head so he could take a good look at Emmanuel. "Where is Jeremiah?"

"He's on his way to the mansion sir. His driver just picked him up from school."

"Did you leak the news about our dinner today?"

Manny nodded.

"My men already sent word to a few media houses. I'm sure they'd respond as planned."

He nodded.

"I'd find out where he's hiding her. You just focus on the other thing we talked about. Make preparations for tonight."

"Ehn?" There was shock in Emmanuel's voice. Benjamin slowly returned his gaze to him. Manny bowed. "I'm sorry sir. I didn't know you were still going to go on with the plans."

"Hmm." He exhaled. "I'm just really eager to see how this plays out. Don't interrupt anything. Let everything go according to plan."

Manny bowed again.

"Okay sir."