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Republishing this chapter because a huge part of this chapter was missing. My fault actually. So sorry.

The word count as changed from 1883 to 2400 after I added those parts.

Sorry for not updating for I think two weeks ❤
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Jackson and I were seated in the living room, watching TV. Well he was watching while I was staring at my phone. It'd been weeks and I haven't heard anything from Hope. She hadn't even posted anything from her social handle. The only thing that got me going was Baby's words, reassuring me everytime that she was alright.

I wanted to see Hope, it was killing me that I just couldn't see her in person. Looking at her pictures was all I could do, until a message suddenly appeared on my screen.

Mum :

Family dinner by noon tomorrow. Cancel all schedule cause attendance is compulsory.
-4:26pm

I let out a groan forcing Jackson to stare at me. "Who's giving you blow job?"

"You're sick," I sighed, looking at my phone but Jackson just laughed it off. "My mum."

"Your mum is giving you a blow job?" He let out a fake gasp while I threw a pillow at him. "Okay, okay, what's the matter?"

"Now that Olamide's back, mother thought it best to host a family dinner-"

"Olamide's back!" Of course, I'd spilled the tea. I knew Jackson would react like this to his long term crush.

"She isn't just back, she's also pregnant." I let that sink into Jackson's brain.

Jackson leaned back on the couch with a visible smile. "I'm going to be a uncle."

I wasn't surprised with Jackson's two seconds grief. "Why are you acting this way? So they won't ask you about your girlfriend? Just take Yemi with you."

"Is this national annoy Henry's day?" I scowled and Jackson laughed. "I honestly think mother probably thinks I'm dating Yemi. Bringing her with me would mean sealing the deal."

"Sad to be you right now," Jackson commented. "The one you love doesn't want to see you and the one that loves you, you don't want to see."

I only remained quiet as his words brought Hope back into my head.

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I stared at the building right in front of me. A building that could be classified as a homey mansion. A building I was trying to avoid for months now. I swirled the car keys around my index finger as I made my way into the house. I hadn't been home for three months now. I would've been here more often if only my parents especially my mum, weren't head over heels to meet my girlfriend. I knew once they set their eyes on my girlfriend, the rest would be marriage plans and preparations. Marrying Yemi was a big no for me and I didn't want to start what I couldn't finish.

I moved over to the living room to be greeted by several house keepers. I made it so to have several help at ones feet whenever someone arrive at the Williams resident, so my parents won't be stressed.

"Henry!" Olamide's chirped, forcing Dorcas to gaze at me. Mum and Dad weren't downstairs yet.

"Henry," Dorcas matched towards me and I could see how frustrated she was. "Yemi came crying to me the other day saying you treated her unfairly."

"Sis," Olamide stood and pushed Dorcas slightly, so she could stand beside me. "Not now."

"Stay out of this, Ola." Dorcas said firmly and glared at me. "The movie premiere is coming soon. Your movie isn't out yet and you want to start causing controversies? This isn't the time to start acting spoilt, Henry."

"I'm spoilt?!" I wasnt sure what came over me when I yelled at Dorcas. Mum and Dad used that opportunity to climb down the stairs and they didn't look happy. "All this time you've pushed the wrong girl my way without asking me what I wanted and you stand here to call me spoilt?"

"Have I ever stir you wrong?" Dorcas wasn't ending it. "I know what's good for you and that girl Hope, isn't good for you."

"How can you tell?" Olamide's asked smoothly. "You've never known what love feels like so of course you won't see it in another even if they shove it in your face."

"Olamide!" Mother yelled with a disappointing look on her face. "Apologize to your elder sister!"

"She should first apologize for chasing the girl he actually likes out if his life cause of her greed." Olamide said calmly but her words held twice the weight.

"What?" Mother stared at Dorcas and Dorcas looked the other way.

"You heard me mum," Olamide continued, placing her hand on my shoulder. "Henry finally found love and Dorcas isn't hearing any of it because that girl isn't Yemi.

"Let's move this to the dining room," Father finally spoke, breaking whatever would have occurred between me and Dorcas.

I just knew that this family dinner was a huge mistake. We finally moved to the dinner room and was served two different soup cause my Dad though being a Yoruba man, married an Akwaibom woman, my mum.

"Now," Father said in a stern voice. "We're going to talk things through like a normal human being with no exchanging of words. Starting with Henry, your mother and I thought you were dating Yemi."

I stared at the afang soup. "A fake relationship. Yemi and I, had a fake relationship."

My parents shared a look. "So this girl, who's she?"

"A fraud mum, Ola wants your son to date a girl that disguised herself to be a boy!" Dorcas yelled at her end.

"A fraud?" Mum frowned upon hearing that.

"She was desperate, mother. We do things when we're desperate." I said to mother, then said everything Jackson told me. "She was in need of money. She's the first born of her family and currently having ten siblings and-"

"Ten?!" Olamide yelled, interrupting me.

I nodded and continued. "And she's their only means of livelihood. Even being a first class graduate, she had no job of her own. The job Dorcas broadcasted was the only one with a nice pay and now...." I paused, looking down. "And now she couldn't stay to get the salary that would help her family."

The table was silent, even Dorcas didn't have anything to say.

"T-this Hope," I looked at mother. "I want to meet her."

"What?" I asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, what?" Dorcas frowned. "Did anyone not hear me when I said his movie is coming out soon? Everyone thinks he's dating Yemi! We don't want to cause controversy!"

"Dorcas, can you stop being greedy? This is not about you so I don't get why you're popping veins and taking panadol for another person headache?"

"Ola," My mother warned with a sigh, before looking at me. "I want to meet this Hope. Can you bring her soon? Probably this week?"

I nodded frantically. I knew it would take some convincing to bring her along. I really didn't care about what Dorcas had against Hope. As long as mum agreed, I was fine.

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The next day all thanks to Jackson and his directions, I drove over to Hope's place. People around gasped upon seeing Jackson and me. Looking around I had only one thing in mind, to get Hope out of here. I didn't like Hope living here. The place was so unkempt.

Jackson kept leading the way and we saw Hope sitting on what seemed to be a well, with earpiece stuck in both ears. Christy was beside her talking but Hope, didn't look like she was listening to anything Christy was saying.

I moved ahead of Jackson and came into Hope's view. Hope lifted her head slowly and when she saw I was standing right in front of her, her jaw dropped.

"Sir?" She quickly got up and yanked the wires of her earpiece to pull it off her ears.

"Henry," I moved towards her. God, was she the one. Same girl I'd fallen for with just her pictures. Same girl I'd met at the supermarket. Same girl I'd met at the car park. Same girl I'd met at the club. Same girl, was standing right in front of me. No disguise, no nothing, just Hope. "Henry, to you."

"W-what are you doing here?" I understood why she was so stunned and Christy had a mirrored expression on her face.

"Here to take you back," I was done hiding and running away and I was done with the controversies Dorcas was talking about. I heard the people around whispering while reaching for their phone, and knew this would be in the news within seconds and that was what I wanted. "I need you back."

"Me?" Hope was fully stunned. "How? Why?"

"Because I've fallen for you and you pushing me away hurt so much." I stepped closer. I debated if I should hold her hands or not. God, I wanted to pull her towards me so bad.

"I... I can't. I don't want to cause anymore havoc." She shook her head, folding her arms to herself. "Your sister-"

"Hell to my sister!" I snapped which forced her to stop talking. "My mother wants to meet you. She wants to meet the girl that's making me go crazy."

"B—"

"I want to kiss you," I blurted and Hope looked at me like she'd just seen a ghost. "I've been in love with you even before I'd met you in person. Can't you see Hope? I'm in love with you!"

Gasp came afterwards but I didn't care. If I was to announce to the world how much I loved the girl in front of me, I would.

"I thought you hated me," Hope said in a small voice. "You didn't give me the selfie I wanted at the super market, was rude to me at the parking lot and ruined my reputation at the club. I sincerely thought you hated me."

My heart sunk when she said those things.

"I'm sorry," I moved and cupped her face. "It was never my intention. At the Super market, I was really tired. Just arrived at Lagos at that time and was sent straight to an interview. Plus seeing you for the first time, I didn't want to get overly excited. At the park, I never planned to make you feel less of yourself. I was just teasing you but that went bad. The club? I didn't know my words would hold so much impact and all I ever wanted to do after that, was to apologize. I'm sorry, Hope. I'm sorry if I ever made you feel less of yourself."

Everyone was quiet. Hope, Christy, Jackson, the spectators and myself, we were all quiet.

"And here I was, killing you ten million times in my head." Hope gave a warm chuckle which finally made me sigh in relief.

"Come here," I whispered, pulling her into my arms and wrapping her tightly like she'd disappear if I ever let go.

"We finally made up and I'm about to meet your mum?" She said inbetween chuckles. "Let's go in."

"Where's Baby?" Jackson asked as I held Hope in my arms, still moving towards Baby's room.

"Out," Hope opened the door and we stepped in, Christy couldn't tag along cause according to Baby, she was banned from entering his room.

Baby room on the other hand was quite fancy. His bed was definitely a king sized bed, taking majority of his room. His walls were filled with multi coloured wall lights and above our heads was a blue light. His flat screen TV was currently turned off and resting against walls was his huge home theaters. Baby wasn't paid yet, so I believed all this came from his personal pocket. "He's the only one with friends."

"Isn't his friends Yahoo guys?" Jackson asked. Hope shrugged, which made him frown. "He needs to change his friends."

I ignored Jackson and turned to Hope. "I heard about your situation from Jackson. Dorcas was quite shocked herself. You could've taken the money she'd offered you."

"I like you," Hope looked down at her hands, has the confession spilled from her mouth. "I didn't think it was right to take that money from your sister."

"And your family-"

"I'll find a way," Hope shrugged, looking at me once more. Hope's sacrifice for her feelings towards me, made me feel warm inside. She wasn't just beautiful but strong to... The urge to hold her grew stronger.

"I feel like kissing you," I confessed in a low tone.

"PG, the kids are seeing." And I finally took note of Jackson's presence. Jackson looked at the other end with a sigh. "I seriously need to find myself a love interest since the author of my life is using me to catch cruise."

I chuckled at his words, then reached for my back pocket to bring out what I felt was very important right now. My cheque book and a pen. I usually don't carry it around but I did today because I knew I was going to need it. Once I wrote down what I needed, I tore the paper and gave it to Hope. She reluctantly took it and saw the amount written on it.

"One mili!" She gasped, shocked. I laughed a bit, Hope was so unpredictable with her personality. "You're giving me one million! Why?"

"Give that to your family. Pay your siblings school fees and whatever debt that's need to be paid." I stretched another cheque towards her. One I'd written for days now, hoping to give it to her. Have that for yourself."

"Oh my God, Henry!" She started with a gasp. "Jackson, Henry just.... he just-"

"You're worth it, worth more." Jackson stopped her from fumbling with words. "You make my friend happy, very happy."

"Thank you!" This time Hope pulled me in her arms and I did what I'd always wanted to do.

I kissed her.

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I knew there was a mistake when someone commented about Christy being there during Jackson comment about Hope being worth it and I was like 'aren't they in baby's room?' I had to read through and realized I'd chopped of quarter of this chapter.

Sorry for the inconvenience. Henry never wrote that cheque out in the open. He's not arrogant to do so.

So our dear Hope and Henry finally broke the ice... Do you think the drama's finally over?

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Word count : 2400

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-Eddy