Chapter 44: Chapter 44

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"What the hell?????" Pamela shouted more like screamed.

"I'm sorry repeat yourself" she added her pouty lips forming a round open shape in shock.

Chris fanned his eyebrows, hiding his eyes from her shrewd gaze then replied "I'm not in the mood" slowly.

"You are not in the mood?" She repeated after him.

"Yes"

"Are you sick?" A double crease formed on her brows as she frowned.

"No" He replied.

"You are just not in the mood?" She asked again

"Yes"

"3years of marriage and you have never not been in the mood for sex, in fact you always want it so why now?"

"I don't know why"

"Why exactly are you giving me monotonous answers yes, no, I don't know"angrily.

"Temitope is it a crime for a man not to want to have sex? You complain that I do too much and now that I don't you are also complaining" Chris shouted.

'Is that the entire story' his mind echoed.

"Ayomide, what is wrong with you? Is this still about the conference because I am back already now so what again?"

"Nothing. I'm tired and I want to rest can we please do that?" Pinching the space between his eyes.

In all honesty he was frustrated and tired. Tired of wanting a clean slate between them, tired of feeling so guilty, tired of living this lie that everything was okay between them.

What choice did he have in reality?

Pamela stared at him still in bewilderment wondering what exactly was going on here adding to sexual frustration also.

Its true sometimes she allows him to pursue her and act like she didn't enjoy those intimate moments between them but she did and missed her man.

Two weeks was a long time of being celibate between them and he knew it.

Chris got up from the bed and walked to his study especially when the closeness between them was causing him to have am actual arousal.

If he was tired as he said he should be sleeping not going to work

Pamela got up, pulled on a robe and followed him.

Its either he told her what was wrong or no peace for them both she hated walking on egg shells around him.

Pushing in the door to the study she said "My love if I didn't know you better I'll say you are avoiding me."

"No I'm not" Typing on his computer without meeting her eyes.

The guilt will fade with time , he convinced himself.

Never one to listen to No, she walked further in pushing the system away from him and sitting on his laps.

"Ayomi, what is it. We both know its not about the sex because you want it. You are distant from me, you won't meet my eyes. You spend long hours away from me, I miss you. I miss us and you are driving me insane, I hate this distance and its been building ever since I got back. I went away for 6days baby is this what you are punishing me for?" Tears stung her eyes this time.

Chris saw the sad look in her eyes and tears stung his eyes also. He was punishing her for his own mistake not hers but how could he explain that.

"My baby" allowing her hold him and burying his face deeper in her blossom.

"I'm sorry for acting like an ass okay. No its not about the conference, I see the woman who came back from it and I see the passion it kindled in you, how can I not be amazed by it. I love you and all I want to see is your progress. A lot has been on my mind lately from the past and work, its been taking its toll on me and I am sorry for ever making you feel like my problems are your failures." Kissing her slightly in that place where her head and neck met that she liked the most.

The couple stayed like that for a while the steady beats of heart and random slight pecks the only activity in the room

"Don't come and be kissing me there and turning me on o. I can climb you by force o" laughing to take the edge off.

Chris smiled against her skin and did it again, a part of him knew continuing this was playing with fire. He also knew that she was a fire he would gladly let burn and consume him.

Before things got heated he whispered "I love you mine. I love you with every fibre of my being, I pray you never forget it and on days when it feels like I don't you remember it. I don't want to loose you and I know I don't deserve you but with you I want to be selfish. Even in my undeserving state I don't want to ever let go of you." He stared into her eyes as he spoke praying she believed it, praying that when his demons caught up with him she will still be able to see that it was her he truly loved.

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Chris

Days rolled into months and slowly Chris was slowly forgetting that night except the fact that he kept avoiding Nina.

His phone rang on the desk, she was calling and he let it ring. He didn't want to discuss what happened between them, he went as far as avoiding her in the last five months.

She was his lawyer but he deliberately made sure he routed all transactions and discussion between them through his assistant. He wasn't even reading her texts he just kept deleting them not wanting any evidence or lingering feelings.

A part of him hated the fact that he was punishing her for that night it takes two to tango. But he couldn't just bare to discuss it with her, it will feel like disrespecting his wife even more.

A hurried knock on the door cut his line of thought.

"Come in"

Francis walked in. "We have news. Good, bad and ugly which first?"

"Ugly" I replied with a straight face.

"We have a take over issue on our hand. Your dads ex wife has gathered up board members and under acquisition of another company wants his. Also whether planned or not the company in Johannesburg is on fire"

God!

Although I had a tech company on my own from which we launched the baddest mobile phones and electronic devices. I also had my hand in transport and my guardian the man that raised me which I called my dad though not biological left me his company which made cars.

"Bad" I requested

"Our shares just tanked we've lost about 6million Us dollars since this take over bid started."

"Why am I just hearing about it now? How the hell did Gina hide her snake self into my company this time" fume rising from my ears.

"She keeps claiming that you used Nigerian Voodoo on her husband claiming property meant for her and her son"

"She wants a bloody fight. I'll give her one, I didn't pour blood and sweat to have it taken from me right under my nose and handed onto her on a silver platter." I responded.

I buzzed the intercom to my secretary "Send in Saheed please and ask for the jet to be fueled alongside appropriate papers."

"Okay sir. Your mother is a also calling in now on line one" she replied .

"Pick it and tell I'll get back to her later." Disconnecting the call.

"Good" I asked Francis who sat at the edge of the table.

Francis was more than an employee, he was my friend for years and he managed the companies abroad.

"Whats up with you and Nina?"

"How does that classify as good news" rolling my eyes.

"Perhaps the fact that you've been avoiding her for some time! Is it because of her condition?"

"Can you please drop it."slamming my hand on the mahogany desk to drive home my point.

"Wow OK" walking out and banging the door in return.

I was short and rude with him but I really want to be kept out of the business Nina as much as I could.

Dialing my baby's number and gathering my stuff here.

"Babe"

Hey honey what's up!

"Good. I need to go to the united states , I have a takeover on my hand".

She inhaled deeply, " How long?"

"I really don't know."

"The kids are on their midterm break maybe we should come with you for a week. We'll stay and catch up with Liz, plus I need to shop and let my hair loose."

"Baby I am going to work, the kind that takes me away for 18hours, you'll barely see me during your time there. Why don't you go over to Ibadan and when I am back we'll plan a real family vacation?"

"Okay. I'm home presently so I'll start packing up for you."

"Don't bother, I have a house there and some clothes, I'll just drop at home and kiss you and the kids goodbye"

"Okay I'll be expecting you."

Ending the call a text popped up.

Nina_ we need to talk, would you stop avoiding and punishing me have you even thought about the consequences of what we did.

Consequences! What did she mean by that, I should have just ignored this message too.

Pushing this thing away isn't working,  I haven't even apologised for taking advantage of my position with her.

This was the second time we had sex. The first quite deliberate but this was unplanned, I wonder what David thinks of me ruining his baby sister.

"Your car is ready sir and the jets have been fueled. Saheed and Francis said to meet you there at the hanger".My secretary voice cut in through my present line of thought.

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Ibadan, Nigeria

June, 2018.

Pamela

"Papa why is your tummy big?" Ella asked while pulling up my dads shirt.

"Ella!" I shouted.

My dad threw his head back and laughed.

"Leave her alone already, although she looks like her father she acts just like you. Its full of food, lots of food pumpkin"

"Okay. " she said as she wondered how much food he eats to have that stomach.

Grandma went out with Daniel and Tolu. It was just daddy and his girls, the last 3days in Ibadan has been amazing and it brought yo my notice how much I actually miss my family.

"When are you going back?"my dad asked as we battled for the last piece of suya on the foil paper.

I got all my foodie tendencies from this man, at his age he loved fries which was unhealthy for him.

"On  Saturday, there is school on Monday, and I'm on night duty in the upcoming week."

"Oh okay then."

The door pushed open revealing Daniel and the rest. Daniel had a huge cone of ice cream in his hand and some on his face and cheek he looked so adorable.

"Ekaabo ma(welcome ma)" I greeted.

"Give me" Ella asked

"No" sticking out his tongue.

She then tried to pull the cone from him he only took it further out of her reach.

She started crying  and pushed him to the floor causing him to tumble along side the ice cream he was holding.

She smiled seeing that none of them had it, before we could all interfere a loud smack sound was heard.

I stood in shock. Growing up, it didn't matter what she did, Daniel never beat her back even when she did and how many times I complained about it. But today he actually gave her, her dose of medicine in return. A loud slap across  her face.

Ella's buttom lip quivered as her eyes watered. She was also shocked, the effect of the action more painful than the slap itself.

"Daniel, Ella!" Rushing to them both.

I knew deep down that admonishing him for hitting her was wrong as she did it a lot of times her hand was quick to reach out during her times.

"Daniel, why did you hit her?" My mum asked.

"She pushed me first" anger still blazing in his eyes.

"Why did you not report to me or your mum." She admonished.

"Boys don't hit girls" she added.

"But why do girls hit boys"he asked in bewilderment getting more angry.

His was a case of slow to anger but deadly when angry.

"Ehmmmmnn" my mother stammered.

"Daniel come here" my grandfather called. He pulled the little boy in his arms and explained.

"Girls shouldn't hit boys also. We are stronger, and so we shouldn't hit them because we wouldn't want to injure them" flexing his muscles to prove a point.

"Not true dad, stop portraying it like women are the weaker sex" I grumbled.

"Don't start with your feminism on me, in my house madam" rolling his eyes.

"Daniel learn to share with your sister okay. Ella when someone doesn't give you something as long as it is not yours you don't have the right to be angry or sad, ask politely or ask mum for yours" I explained pulling Ella into my arms while Tolu cleaned the ice cream splash on the rug.

"Go and say sorry to your brother for pushing him first." Nudging her towards him.

Although she acted more impulsively, she really didn't like it when he was angry at her.

"Sowwie" cleaning her eyes.

Dan  came down from his position on grandpa's leg, pet her head as he saw us do to them most times  and whispered something in her ears.

The smile which graced her face wasn't just playful it was naughty.

He pulled out the chocolate they got for her from their outing and passed it to her.

She smiled wider, broke it into two and he dragged her in the direction of the kitchen.

"Now, now the fight is over" mum said.

The sound of a large crash in the kitchen drew our  attention.

God not again!

"DANIEL! ELLA!" I shouted more like screamed.

"Allow them jor. You'll be paying for everything broken in my house before you leave you hear me" dragging her ears to drive home her point.

"Why? Because they are not your grandchildren abi. Ask their father o, no body should disturb me" making my way to the room upstairs.

*******

One week later

Lagos, Nigeria.

I was just about to start dinner when I heard the knock.

"Come in" I shouted from the kitchen.

It was Ekene our gateman.

"Madam, you get visitors" scratching his head.

"Who them be?" I asked

"That aunty wey dey follow oga from work sometimes and one woman he be like say na her mama" he replied looking uncomfortable.

Must be Nina

"Okay, allow them in"

I looked down at my leggings and big tee shirt that was stained and wondered if I should change. Allowing Nina see me like this wasn't something I'll enjoy.

I quickly went to change the top to another and smoothed a comb down my hair securing it in a loose bun.

The sight that greeted me when I came back down, isn't something I'll forget soon.

Nina and her mother sitting regally in my sitting room. That didnt catch my attention, it was the bulge in her stomach that did.

I don't understand why a cold sweat was breaking in my brow, and dread forming pits in my belly.

This didn't look or feel right!

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Hey you!!! You that read this