CHAPTER 77: IT’S ALL COMING DOWN TONIGHT [2]
Erica closed the door to her room and smiled as she strolled towards Raphael with a huge smile on her face, wondering why he called her privately but whatever it was, she was sure that it would make her happy.
“So, what is the important thing you have for me? Our engagement is just a few days away and I think it’s gonna be special.”
Raphael yawned and nodded, “Call off the engagement.”
The smile on her face was wiped off completely when she heard this. She instantly put on a frown.
“What do you mean by calling off the engagement? I don’t understand.”
“I believe that I am speaking the official language of the country correctly. CALL OFF THE ENGAGEMENT. Even a kid in basic class understands what I am saying.”
“Well, I don’t. How can you just tell me to call off my engagement with you? It’s impossible! Did I do something wrong, Raphael? I will apologize. I will change any bad habit of mine but please, don’t make me call off the engagement.”
“Then I will call it off myself.” Raphael shrugged.
“That’s impossible. You can’t. You have to do as your father has told you, Raphael. You are bound to get married to me and no one else.” Erica replied fiercely.
Raphael stroked his chin and nodded, “So, that’s how we are going to take it around, huh? Fine by me, Lucy.” He replied and Erica’s eyes widened. She took a step back out of fear and blinked. Her chest was heaving lightly as her heart beat faster.
“You must be surprised by how I knew about you. It was quite easy and simple. You asked earlier if you did something wrong, Lucy, and guess the answer. Yes, you did a whole lot of things wrong to me.”
Erica shook her head, “No, you must be drunk before coming here. I am not Lucy, I am Erica. Your future wife.”
Raphael placed his hand on his lips to silence her.
“Don’t talk about the topic loudly.”
“Look, Raphael, you don’t seem to be in the right state of mind now. I can’t call off the engagement…”
“Don’t change the topic. I brought it up so I will determine when to change it. You are Lucy, right?”
“No, I am not. You have the wrong person. I don’t even know who that is but here you are accusing me of something I am innocent about. If you are so sure of yourself, show me the proof.”
“Of course, lady Lucy.” Raphael dipped his hand into his side pocket and brought out an envelope.
“Take a look.” He threw it at her. Erica tore the envelope open as quickly as possible and she was faced with the unacceptable fact. There were pictures of her in bikinis as Lucy and Erica. They were short records of her as well.
“What is this supposed to mean? We don’t even look alike.”
“Exactly, you don’t. While Lucy was attractive, you are ugly. Playing to be Lucy was the best thing I could have ever imagined from a ‘self-standard lady’! You fooled me. I can’t believe that this was the woman that I fell for years ago! My first love and all…you duped me! Made me useless! Created more rift between my father and me! You automatically made me useless.
Getting the real secret about you wasn’t a big deal. Your waist tattoo exposed it for me.” He revealed and Erica checked the pictures again before putting a hand on her waist after realizing her mistake.
“Yeah. You must be shocked. After all, you must have kept your secret. I don’t want to waste your time because they must have been waiting for us. I was able to get your pictures with the help of someone, your so-called cousin. I was in disbelief but then it favored me. I had Jeremy do some background checks on you but it turned out some things about you were kept very private.
I decided to use the subtle method and that was agreeing to this useless engagement in the first place.” He revealed.
Erica saw no need of hiding anymore.
“Listen to me, Raphael. Please, I plead with you to overlook that okay? I acknowledge the fact that I am Lucy…”
“You f*cking duped me, Lucy. I was humiliated more than anyone else, my trust in you was broken…”
“But my trust in you remains the same, Raphael. I love you.”
She tried to come closer to him but he stepped back multiple times to create distance.
“Don’t touch me with your filthy hands. You did not love me. You only saw me as a means for you to get your money.”
“Raphael, I swear, it wasn’t intentional. Fine, my purpose in approaching you was because of the money but along the way, I fell in love with you. Unfortunately, things had spiraled out of control. The money was already collected and I had no choice but to run just like Shaft had ordered. When things finally got back to normal, I decided to come into your life once more and pick up the shreds but apparently, you were in for someone else.” Erica cried out.
“All these are your dramas. All I need you to do is to call off the engagement if you don’t want me to reveal to my father who you are. Believe me, he is going to be the one to call it off himself.”
“Then go ahead to do so. After all, the things I have done for him are worth it. I won’t leave you for that shameless girl. Never!” Erica argued further.
“Thank goodness that you know who I prefer to you. You will have to let go of me if you don’t need me to post your sex tape in public.”
Erica fell to the ground as if she had been hit by lightning. No one knew about her sex tape if not Vincent.
“How could he…? How could he…?” She yelled. Raphael looked at her indifference and looked around. It was great that the room was soundproofed. She could scream all she wanted…why did he even stop her in the first place?
“You should know what comes next when the videos are posted. Your reputation becomes ruined, the media will blast you more than they blasted my lovely Evelyn, and your not-so-called Uncle will be displeased. In short, your value will decrease faster than a robot’s race. Choose the wise decision.”
“Enough of the joking, I have a lot of things that can probably put you in shame, and don’t try me. I will be waiting for you downstairs, go with the flow. I hope you understand me. Don’t waste my time, I have a very important place to be.” Raphael said coldly but Erica held onto his leg, pleading with him.
“I am sorry, Raphael. I am willing to change. I will do anything that you want me to, but please don’t let go of me.”
“Excuse me.” Raphael pushed her off and left the room.
As he walked out of the room, his countenance changed into a sad one. He climbed the stairs and came back to the dining table. Everyone had been bored. Mandarin’s face was boiling with anger. She had been sitting for the past thirty minutes without eating and she had no idea what they were up to.
“What were you two doing up there? Didn’t you know that you kept us waiting?”
“If you had felt tired of waiting then you could have left.” Raphael retorted.
“It is not like you add any value here when seated.” He added and sat down.
“Raphael, watch your tongue,” Michael warned.
“Where is Erica?” Shaft asked eagerly.
Just then Erica came out looking all shattered and heartbroken. She dragged herself to the dining table. Shaft frowned when he saw her facial expression, he checked that of Raphael and felt that something was wrong.
“Erica, what is wrong with you?” Shaft asked.
With trembling hands and lips, Erica announced.
“I want to call off the engagement.”
“What?!” Shaft and Micheal yelled at once. Mandarin’s eyes widened.
“I want to call off the engagement.” She repeated.
“Erica dear, what are you saying? How can you just say that suddenly? The engagement is this weekend. We have informed a lot of people, the media, your friends, and my business associates. How can you change things suddenly? It’s not done!”
“I said I want to call off the engagement! I am not interested in him anymore. I don’t love him, I hate him and I don’t want to see him anymore. I am sorry for wasting your time but Raphael isn’t for me.” She replied, her voice shaking with force.
Raphael shook his head in disbelief before standing up suddenly.
“Thank you for wasting my time and that of my father. I hope this will be the last time that we meet too.” He then walked out after exchanging looks with Vincent.
Micheal was confused and the whole dinner thing scattered. Mandarin stood up and pulled her husband along with her after he informed Shaft to talk with Erica.
As the family departed, Shaft hit his hand against the table in frustration.
“What joke did you play on us?!” He yelled at her.
“Maybe you should ask your son what he did!” Erica yelled back and ran away in tears. Vincent looked at his father intently, his eyes doing the talking.
As Raphael was going, he received a text from Don and it was written as; WORK DONE AND DESTROYED. He smiled and increased his speed.