CHAPTER 27: A PUNCH.
Erica’s car’s door was opened for her by one of the security men in the compound that actually belonged to her Uncle. Because of the type of jobs that he was into, the security was tightened and none of the men were smiling. They bowed to greet her as she walked into the mansion.
Her heels clicked against the tiled floor with confidence as she walked past the workers. A man dressed in a black suit and fully armed met up with her.
“Where is my uncle?” She asked fiercely.
“In the private office.” He replied and she left for the place.
The man stared at her intently as she walked in a huge stride towards the private office. She was the princess of the family and received so much love from her uncle. There were some mysteries about her coming around to the public a few years back. No one knew that Shaft had a niece until recently when she popped out of nowhere in the last few years and made a name for herself with the help of her uncle.
She met up to the beauty standard and had workers at her beck and call who would do anything just to please her…or more like, so they wouldn’t get banished.
Despite her gentle look, she was someone that shouldn’t be taken as a fool according to some people. She was as deadly as a scorpion…only for those who might have faced her wrath.
Knock…Knock…Knock
“Come in.”
Erica opened the door and got into the room. It wasn’t dark nor was it bright enough, it gave the horrific vibe but she was less concerned about that.
Tunes from the 1960s were playing as a background accomplice to the moment. Erica sat in front of Shaft who had a different aura around him. He had a long pipe in front of his mouth before sticking it fully. He drew in the killer’s smoke before blowing it out in the dark. His shallow eyes landed on Erica and she had a tamed expression afterward.
“Erica.” His croaked voice called out to her and she looked at him in response.
“Uncle.”
“How was the meeting?” He asked and puffed out another handful of smoke. Erica shrugged and lay flat on the chair’s head.
“I wasn’t opportune to meet with him. He left before I arrived.” She replied.
“Hmm.” Shaft nodded. There was a moment of silence between the two as they observed each other.
Shaft sat up and bent a little, propping his palm under his chin while the other hand was holding the pipe and tapping his thigh occasionally.
“And are you sure that you want to be with him even after everything that might happen?” He scrutinized her facial articulation when he asked her this question. Erica’s mouth parted slightly before she gulped then nodded.
“Yes. I love him very much.”
Shaft laughed when he heard this, his croaked voice sending a type of chilled vibration around the room. Erica understood what that laugh meant. It was that she had spoken an unbelieving statement in his ears.
“Love indeed. If you did love him, nothing would have happened back then. It’s just a useless fairytale so wake up, girl.”
Another silence.
“You need to know that I am only accepting to do this because I promised you your freedom to be with that man but in return for this favor, you have to do something for me. Do you remember?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Very good then. It’s a must that you do it, Erica, if not it won’t be funny between you and me.” Shaft warned with a slight tone of warning at its edge.
“Hmm.” Erica nodded once more.
Shaft crossed his legs and put the pipe down before rubbing his palms against each other casually.
“So, I need you to step up your game in winning him over so I can get what I want. What I can do in helping you is very limited but powerful too but you should be able to make this one work by yourself, alright? And there shouldn’t be any missteps.” He warned.
Erica put on a happy smile when she heard this, she felt enthusiastic again.
“There won’t be any, I promise.”
—————-
Raphael arrived at the family mansion and walked in with a blank look on his face. It seemed as if everything else around had become boring or an eyesore to him.
In the sitting room were the people that he dreaded the most. The mother and son pair. They were judges looking for who to give their unnecessary judgment to. He decided to walk past them.
“I suppose you aren’t blind.” Vegas interrupted his walk and took a sip from his drink while staring at the television. Mandarin glanced at her stepson with a look of mockery and snorted.
Raphael turned cold and bit his lips till they almost popped into his mouth. He turned around.
“I am too busy to see smaller objects in the path of my success.” He replied calmly and Vegas’s eyes narrowed. He stood up in reflex and approached Raphael with the purpose of pressuring him but it didn’t work as Raphael just stared at him blankly as if he was out of the planet Earth.
“Why don’t you mind what you say, you f*cking bastard?” Vegas growled in annoyance.
“Next time, don’t talk to me when I am not interested in your cries, son of a b*tch!” Raphael replied and he was punched so hard by Vegas.
Mandarin was shocked that she had to put down the glass of wine she was holding to interfere in the coming up saga between the two.
Raphael touched his injured lips and looked at his hand. It wasn’t bloody.
“How dare you! Don’t you know your place? Well, if you don’t, I am willing to let you…”
The rest of his menacing words were left unsaid after receiving a direct punch at his nose from Raphael suddenly. Mandarin yelped and rushed to them but got pushed away by Raphael who grabbed the unstable Vegas and pulled him by his collar.
“I know my place but every time, I have to always remind that particular person where he actually belongs. I might be soft and obedient but remember dummy that everything I do is for my dad and not for you, you overgrown worm. Next time that you cross the line, I will beat you till you fall into a coma, mark my words!” He pushed him away and climbed the stairs to his room.
Mandarin rushed to check the inflicted injuries on her son’s face and kept on gaping in disbelief at the amount of injury caused by just one punch.
“I can’t believe this. Does he want to kill you? How can such a devilish and ungrateful child exist in this world? I have to report this to your father. He needs to regret his decision of ever bringing this useless boy into this world.”
“Let him be, mum. I will deal with him in my way.” Vegas replied with a deadly gaze as his hand randomly went to his bruised nose.
________
BACK AT EVELYN’S HOUSE, 9:30 pm
“So, when were you actually planning to tell me?” Kira asked as she fell flat on Evelyn’s bed. It was late in the evening already but she decided to stay over so she could get a full gist of her friend’s love life.
“Tell you about what precisely?” Evelyn enquired in a tired tone. She had not been able to walk around that much and only preferred to stay in bed and have her dinner there as well.
“Tell me about the fact that something is going on between you and Mr. Raphael Theophilus.”
“What?” Evelyn was puzzled.
“Why do you always have weird suggestions going around your brain? Can’t you think well for once?”
“Nope, so now tell me.” She held onto Evelyn’s arm playfully but the latter pushed her away.
“Nothing is going on between the two of us. He is my boss and I am his assistant. I was even surprised to see him at my doorstep this morning because I thought that it was you all along until I opened the door.” Evelyn explained.
Kira raised her brows questioningly before wiggling them.
“You don’t believe me? Fine, then.” Evelyn wanted to turn away from her but got held back.
“Of course, I believe you. The whole story…[supports her laying body with her hand] seems kind of ‘sus’ to me if you understand what I mean. I don’t think any boss, especially the billionaire type with lots of work and meetings to attend, will come looking for his assistant to take care of her because she is sick. Does it make actual sense? I mean, my boss won’t probably give a damn if I am sick. All he needs is money so your boss is ‘sus’, baby girl, and have you ever caught a glimpse of the striking resemblance between Tom and him?” Kira asked seriously.
Evelyn eyed Kira before placing a hand on her forehead. Here comes the same discussion that she had tried letting go of since when she noticed it.
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TBC…