Thirty Three

Mr. Allen heard what Rose said but every other thing was lost to him. He has a granddaughter and that's what he could think of. When did Christopher meet this girl who tricked him into giving her seven million naira? How did things go so wrong? He didn't want to stay there anymore and that's why he got up and pulled Cindy out. The so-called wife looked gentle but she had a tricky mind and sharp tongue. He was in a dilemma. What was he supposed to do?

"Why are we leaving like this?" Cindy asked after she was pulled out by Mr. Allen.

"What do you want me to do!? I need to think. Let's go for now. We'll figure out what to do later but for now, let's just go." Mr. Allen tried to convince her.

"Fine!... I will call my father this minute and tell him that, you got your son married to another lady if you don't go in there and send that lady packing!!" Cindy threatened.

"Why don't you go in and pull her out? If it's that easy then why haven't made him fall in love with you?" Mr. Allen who was already having a headache due to her shout said angrily. "Ki ni gan kno?... What is it? What do you want me to do?" He asked and got into his car.

Cindy was shocked by his outburst. He had never raised his voice at her but now, he is doing that. She didn't say anything and got into the car with him. After she entered, Mr. Allen ordered the driver to take him home. "Take me to my house first!" She said angrily.

"I am not your Uber driver. If you need a driver, get down from my car and order yourself an Uber." Mr. Allen answered her.

"Why are you being so angry with me? I should be the angry one here. You promised my father that, Christopher would not get married to anyone but me, and now, he is not only married but with a child." Cindy said angrily. "Instead of you to be begging me you are here frowning your old face at me," Cindy said and folded her hands across her chest.

Mr. Allen looked at her for a while and didn't know what to say. He opened his mouth and closed it without saying anything. He closed his eyes and pretended to be sleeping. "Should I take Miss Cindy home first?" The driver asked. Mr. Allen nodded in approval and the driver drove towards Cindy's house.

When they dropped her off, the first thing she did was to call her father. "Dad!!!" Cindy whined immediately the call was connected.

"What is it, my angel? Did something happen?" Cindy's father asked her.

"Yes, something happened. Something bad and I feel like killing myself..." Cindy said.

"What's so bad that would make you want to kill yourself? You shouldn't even be having such thoughts. What will happen to me if you take your life?" Her dad said.

"What's left for me in this world. You said you would give me anything I want in this world so, why is it hard for me to have the person I want?" Cindy asked her father.

"What are you talking about, I am confused." Cindy's father Mr. Coker said.

"Christopher is marred. He even has a child!!" Cindy shouted.

"That's not possible. It's probably a joke or you saw it wrong." Cindy's father said.

"I know what I saw dad!! Your friend allowed Christopher to get married secretly. I even went to complain to him and he told me to my face that he will never allow me to get married to his son..." Cindy lied to her father.

"What? Allen said all that to you?" Mr. Coker asked angrily.

"That's not even all. He and the so-called wife called me a rotten fish. He said I wasn't good enough to become his daughter-in-law. Me. Cindy..." She said.

"Don't worry my baby. Your dad will handle everything. Allen is trying me. Ode mo mi ooo. He knows me and he knows what I am capable of." Cindy's father said and chuckled over the phone.

"You better do something dad. I want to be the new Mrs. Allen and you know it. Do whatever it takes to get your friend to call his son to order." Cindy said to her father.

"Don't worry yourself. I will get to it right now!" Cindy's father promised.

"Thanks, Dad!! That's why I love you. You are the best!!" She said happily.

"I will do anything for you and you know that. Besides, we both know that if you become Mrs. Allen, there is a lot to gain from it. Bye, dear." Her father smiled and hung up the call.

After the phone call, Cindy's mind was put at ease. She smiled happily at herself and walked into her room to rest.

Back on Mr. Allen's side, he got home but didn't take a step out of the car. He was lost in thought and the driver was scared to disturb him so, he sat there and waited for him. After about ten minutes abs he still hasn't moved, the driver had to take the risk and notify him. "Sir!! We have arrived." He said. When he didn't get an answer, he tried again, "SIR!! We have gotten home." He said a little louder.

Mr. Allen was aroused from his thinking and he looked out the window. He didn't say anything to the driver. He just got down, took his phone from the car seat, and walked into his house. He hadn't even taken a seat when a call entered his phone. He looked at the caller I.d. and his expression changed drastically. He dropped the phone as if it burned his hand and watched it ring. The phone rang till it stopped and started again. After the third ring, he decided to pick up the call. "What am I hearing Allen?" The person on call shouted immediately the call was connected.

"What are you hearing again ooo?" Mr. Allen asked tiredly.

"How dare you allow your son to get married to another woman and they even have a child together?" Mr. Coker Cindy's father asked.

"Where did you get such information from?" Mr. Allen asked and as if he just realized something, he quickly added. "Oh, I shouldn't be asking you such a question. Your daughter can always do the job. The only thing I am curious about is what she told you."

"So, it's true. You got your son married behind my back. Allen, do you want to taste my patience? Why did you go against our agreement?" Cindy's father asked.

"I didn't get my son married. He got married behind my back. How am I supposed to know? I have done everything you have always asked of me. Isn't it enough? I am tired. Christopher is not someone you can control!!" Mr. Allen said.

"Is he not your son? If you had not sent him outside the country will he be so rebellious?" Mr. Coker asked angrily. "See, just do whatever you can to get him married to my daughter, or else you will regret it. You know me and you know I always stand by my word!!" Cindy's father threatened.

"If you think it's so easy then, why wasn't your daughter able to make Christopher fall in love with her? Isn't she a woman? Can't she do what other girls her age would do to get a man?" Christopher's father asked. "Please Coker, I have tried. Please, let's just forget about this agreement and allow the children to live their lives. I have never done anything for my son nor have I allowed him to make decisions for himself. Please just let it go this time..." Mr. Allen pleaded with Cindy's father.

"I should let what go? That's not possible!... You must do what I want or, I go to the public with what I know. That information could ruin you and remember, I still have the evidence." Mr. Coker threatened.

"But, I have done so much for you already. Why don't you let this one slide and I'll do something else for you? Just say it and I'll do it." Mr. Allen pleaded.

"You'll do anything?" Coker asked over the phone.

"Yes, I'll do anything but you have to promise me that you will destroy the evidence that you have." Mr. Allen said.

"Fine. What I want is half of all your properties and wealth. Can you give me that?" Cindy's father asked.

"You and I know that's not possible. You know the half you are asking for belongs to my wife and she willed it to her child's partner. How can I give you what is not mine?" Mr. Allen asked.

"That's why you must marry my daughter to your son. Your wife gave birth to a son which means, his wife has access to the other half of all you have. I want that right to go to my daughter and if you don't make that happen, you know what will happen..." Cindy's father said.

"Fine. Don't do anything yet. What do you want me to do now?" Mr. Allen asked.

"Now you are talking... This is what you should have said since. You were now making me do what I hate the most. Well, you can do what you know how to do best... Get the wife out of the way." Cindy's father said with a chuckle.

"What do you mean? I don't understand." Christopher's father asked.

"Well, don't let me spell it out to you. Do whatever it takes. You have two weeks to do that and then, we start planning a wedding that will make us in-laws. Doesn't that sound nice?" Cindy's father asked and laughed.

"Two weeks is too small. Christopher is not as simple as you see. Give me a month at least. Please..." Mr. Allen pleaded.

"That's too far. Two weeks... If I don't see changes by then, I will surprise you. Good by in law." Cindy's father said and ended the call.

Mr. Allen dropped the phone and anyone who saw him at that moment will know he was lost. He sat there for a long time after the call without moving. He was lost in his own world. He was thinking of what to do. 'What kind of a problem is this? What do I do now? Christopher will never listen to me. How do I even tell him? Oluwa ooo!! Save me. Should I get the lady killed?' He asked himself. 'No... No, I can't go back to such life anymore. Maybe I should just set her up and make Christopher see her' he thought to himself. After a while, he shook his head and thought again, 'that might not work either. I think my best choice here is to go through that woman but, what If she ends up taking my money again like tonight?' He kept having his internal war.

"Oga!! Oga!!" Someone called and tapped his shoulder.

"What is it Bola?" He asked his live-in cook. She stays in the main house with him because he didn't want to be alone.

"You have been sitting here for so long and it's very late. Why don't you go and have a rest?" Bola said.

"Thank you, Bola. I will sleep but I just have a lot on my mind. You go ahead and don't worry about me." Mr. Allen said to her.

"Sir, I know I shouldn't be saying this but, allow pardon me for it. You shouldn't always bottle up your problems. Sometimes, you need to talk to someone. I have noticed that something is eating you up. Talk to someone and I am sure you will feel better..." Bola said.

"Ok. I should talk to someone. If I may ask who is that someone? Is it you?" Mr. Allen asked her.

"If you wish to do so. I am here and I will listen, sir." Bola answered.

"I am here and I will listen... See the way she is talking sef. Did I employ you to poke nose? Mind your business and so what you are paid to do!!..." Mr. Allen shouted at her.

"I was only trying to help... I am not..."

"You are not what? You are not putting your mouth where it doesn't belong?" Mr. Allen interrupted what she was saying. "Listen and listen attentively. I pay you to go cook and that's the only thing you should do in this house. Amebo!.." Mr. Allen said angrily.

"Am sorry sir. I was only trying to help," Bola apologized.

"You were trying to help who? Your father abi?" Mr. Allen said angrily. "My friend get out of my way!! Helper..." Mr. Allen said and pushed her out of his way and walked up the stairs to his room.