CHAPTER SEVEN

My Ex Is Back

Stephany searched under the door mat and took out the key, opened the door and entered after greeting the old woman neighbor who had opened her door to see who was outside.

Once in, she closed the door and fell on the couch next to the door without a bother to remove her heels and decided to take a nap as she waited for Candy.

"This woman surely keeps Candy's door safe?" She says thinking of the old woman who happens to be Candy's neighbor and her actions before she throws herself on the couch.

From what she had told her, the old woman had the habit of peeking on anyone coming in or out of the next doors and because she had never been here since the woman moved in, she never thought it was true.

In a little while she had fallen asleep on the couch. Her long legs dangled from the couch's arm and her arms were spread on the sides, one touching the carpet and the other almost touching the other arm of the sofa.

Her hat was already off and her braids were all over. She slept without a care of her appearance or the world. If only she knew what her boss was planning, she would have sat her ass down and waited for that drink she had ordered.

Mangrove courts, Juma's villa.

"If she is the only one who can be close to you then, it will also save you always being the talk of the town or people being curious about you. It will help you keep your condition hidden for sometime" Khan added.

They talked for sometime and the door bell sounded. Juma ended the call and went to see. who was at the door. He was the chef who was to come by. He welcomed him in and showed h the kitchen before showing him to his room.

A young lady in a black striped white tights, white crop top, black boots and short brown hair walked near the apartment buildings and through the same stalls Stephany passed by earlier. She was carrying a black sling bag on her shoulder and on her right hand she had a brown bag with a supermarket logo.

She walked passed the stalls in the ground floor to the stairs corridor and climbed up to the apartments floor. Reaching at the 4rth floor with another plaque on top of the floor number plaque, Studio apartments, she heaved a sigh of relief.

"Why haven't they repaired the lifts? I wonder how the others feel", she said a little out of breathe as she opened the door to the hallway.

Just when she came out of the door, the old woman next door opened her door once again. She almost laugh out loud.

"Hi", she greeted.

"Hi Candy. Someone had visited your house and she hasn't left", the woman replied informing her.

"Thanks for keeping an eye. I know", she said to her in a smile, "I brought back with me bananas, would you want some?" she asked.

It was clear that this lady at her early twenties was Candy the owner of the apartment Stephany visited.

"No no, my son had brought me some. Okay good night" the woman said awkwardly and before Candy could answer she had closed her door in a bang.

Her escaping actions made her smile as she shook her head. Ever since she knew of the old woman's snoopy behavior, she also learned of a way to chase her back into her shell. Inviting her in or asking if she would need a share of your food. Nonetheless, she made the hallway a little lively and not gloomy as before.

She walked to her door and just. when she was about to find her key from the bag, she realized the door was a little open, not closed. She raised a brow. That was totally not Stephany's kind of behavior. Once she was here, she would lock the door like no one was in.

"Huh! This woman totally needs a drink", she thought and pushed the door slowly.

What greet her was the dangling feet which did not shock her. Seemingly she knew of this sleeping style of hers but in the next second she was shocked. The feet had heels on. She closed the door and removed her shoes before helping her from the heels.

Placing the brown bag on the table, her sling bag still on her neck, she turned to wake Stephany up. Stephany had beads of sweat on her forehead and creased her brows. From the looks of it, she was having a dream and not a good one at that.

Was this day getting weirder by the sun down because it still 4 pm and even the old wan had wished her a good night in advance.

She shook her calling her name softly to wake her up.

Stephany's dream.

Walking home to her place, a car drives to a halt near her. Out comes Juma with a dirty look on his face as he stares at her with lust.

"Steff!"

She stiffens at the name. In her mind she had just left his home and he seemed to not know her real name, so why was he calling her that. She hasn't seen or heard of some one sleep driving or was her horizons not that large as she had thought?

"Mmmh what, you thought I won't remember your face or know your real identity? You were my girlfriend remember?" he said moving closer to her.

She was standing next to the car so when he came in front of her, she was now standing between him and the car. Anger took over her and her eyes turned red.

"So, earlier you were pretending?", she asked angrily.

"Ofcourse. You are still that stupid girl I pretended to like back then. Still oblivious of when people pretend. You know I thought that since you have changed your name and self",

he said still walking to her untill her back leaned on the car and bent over her looking at her clothes disgustedly,

"You would know how to pretend much better. But here you are, already betrayed by your emotions"

He placed both of his hands on both sides and dew to his closeness, he had pinned her between him and the car and she couldn't escape.

What crazed her more was the fact that it was day time and what he whispered to her ears.

"Know that am your boss now and whatever I will want, I get it or pay the compensation for cancelling the contract" he has said.

Her anger was now over the edge. Her chest heaved up and down and the fact that she felt his body on her every time her chest heaved up and the warm air from his nose on her face, she was about to blow up.

She couldn't cry, she wasn't someone easy to cry. She told herself at that situation. She had promised herself never to cry and she meant business to that promise.

"Yeah, I should have known you are the Emperor of Liars", she bit out each word.

Juma smiled, "Is that the only thing you can say? Let me inform you, since you are still single, and am single in this country we have to mingle. What do you say, oh wait a minute, you have no say right?" he said.

The smug look on his face was a thorn to her eye. He leaned on her and their bodies were now touching. He lowered his face and bit her nose and licked it. Her body trembled, it wasn't for the feeling but her anger.

Is this where her life has led to? Is this how she will end up again in the hands of this liar who now seems more crazier than before?

He leaned to her lips and she punched out by reflex.

"No way!" she screamed.

...

Candy held the week punching fist and continued to call Stephany's name softly with concern.

"No way, no way", Stephany muttered in her sleep.

"Calm down it's just a dream" Candy comforted.

She took out her sling back placed it on the table and sat down next to her head holding her arm.

On the other hand she hoped it will calm her down on the other hand she was afraid to receive a more stronger. punch than the weaker one when she wakes up.

"Even if I have to be looked down to a my life, I will endure but not be with someone like you! My brother won't allow mmph! mmph!"

Stephany screamed but before she could finish, a clothe was stuffed on her mouth and two robust men pinned both of her hands on the car and another helped Juma up.

No one could help her. It was her doom to have met this man in her life. She couldn't make a sound on the clothe too and her angry muffled sound with expression seemed to only ignite the fire burning on Juma's dirty mind.

"Fiercer than before! Ha! Ha! Ha! I love it. At least this time you won't say I lied, I have come clean from the beginning", Juma said porting his mouth.

He leaned and was about to kiss her forehead when she woke up.

Her eyes opened and she jumped to a siting position. From where her head was remained. a wet patch definitely from her sweat. She was breathing heavily and did not notice Candy who was sitting on the carpet waiting for her to calm down and be awake.

"Steff, what is it?" Candy asked slowly sounding the words.

"My ex is back and he kinda owns my life now!" Stephany hurriedly said without looking at the source of the voice.