Juwon smiled when Gini walked back in. He had been worried that his friends' reaction had made her gone into hiding but she looked fine as she sat beside him.

"You took a while."

"Was on the phone with my sister."

"Is everything okay?"

"Yea."

"Do you want to play? You give two hints and we guess what you mean."

"No, I'll just watch."

Juwon was hoping his friends didn't somehow ruin what he had going on. He had told them about Gini and her dad just like he'd told Muna and he was already regretting confiding in every single one of them. His friends were too confrontational, even their stance made it obvious that they wanted to call Gini out.

Femi was explaining what he wanted the rest to guess and Muna replied loudly with, 'Gold digger'. Juwon wanted them to just end the game. Immediately Gini came back in, they made it more of an accusation than the game it was meant to be. Muna was cackling like a bad back and everyone was laughing hard. Even clueless Collins had his teeth out. Gbenga took over and Juwon pulled Gini closer as their answers became direct jabs at Gini. He hoped she never guessed that she was the one they were making fun of.

"I'm getting tired," Gini said into his ear.

He didn't hear anger in her voice so he supposed she was truly tired. "I'll tuck you in then join the guys afterwards."

"That's fine."

Juwon stood and helped Gini up. "Guys, I'll be right back."

"Good night, everyone."

Juwon heard his friends mumble something inaudible back at her. Collins was the only one that gave her a proper reply.

"What's up with your friends?" Gini asked immediately they got to his room.

"I really don't know." He hated lying but Gini wouldn't like the truth. "I'll talk to them about their attitude."

"Just like you talked to your assistant?" she snapped.

"What do you want me to do? I can't control their reaction."

"I'm leaving town tomorrow," Gini said.

Juwon watched as she violently pushed the covers off from the bed. He shook his head as she marched to the bathroom. "Because of my friends' attitude? C'mon Gini, don't threaten me."

"Point of correction, it isn't a threat. I'd rather just go where I'm loved."

"And you think you're not loved here? Tell me you don't believe that."

"Isn't it glaring? They were nice at first but that was obviously a gimmick."

"I'm sorry about that. Can you spend one more day? I promise, everything will be different tomorrow."

Gini ignored him as he stood at the door of the bathroom. She got a new toothbrush and began cleaning her teeth. He followed her back into the bedroom when she finished.

"You're not saying anything. Gini, are we seriously having our first fight?"

"You have no idea how emotionally strained I am. I feel like I'm going to snap soon, there's just too much for me to deal with and here your friends go giving me more to think about."

Juwon folded his arms and watched as she changed into her night wear. He could feel the anger emitting from her pores so he kept his distance while she vented. Gini stared at the ceiling as she got into bed. Juwon was disturbed by how affected his friends' behavior got her. He had invited them over because he missed them but they were complicating his life. Moving forward, he was going to separate both areas of his life. Gini didn't need to know his friends and vice versa.

"I love you," he said before walking out of the room.

His life was a mess, he didn't know if he was living a lie or lying to himself. He had been so sure he'd hate her forever and now he wasn't so sure about his feelings anymore. He didn't resent her but he couldn't decide if he hated her or not. He only knew he wanted her in his life and everyone around him was trying to ruin it.

Juwon frowned as he joined his friends. "You guys got me fucked up. What was that about? Calling her a gold digger to her face...I just don't understand."

Roman started laughing and the rest joined him. Collins was looking at them obviously lost.

"It's funny to you guys, right?" he fumed.

"Boy, shut up. Isn't that the same bitch that accused you of raping her or did you make that up?"

"Don't call her a bitch, Roman. I'm fucking serious."

"You actually brought her to your house, are you insane? I mean, have you totally lost it?" Femi spoke in bewilderment.

"You guys are surprised about that while I'm confused over here. This dude is really backing her up, like literally siding with her. She stole your generational land which ultimately killed your father and made you an alcoholic at seventeen. Do I have it wrong, Jay or are you just pussy whipped?" Gbenga asked.

"Must be one heck of a pussy. Probably sprinkled with gold because it can't be the regular one that every lady has. That shit has my man acting out of character," Roman said.

Juwon respected Roman so much but he was literally getting on his last nerve. "Just stop," he asked.

"Stop what? Do you know how much you talked about getting revenge on everyone that wronged you? She's one of them idiot," Gbenga said.

"You're a doctor, you shouldn't even be saying this."

"I can't with this guy. Can you imagine him reminding me that I'm a doctor, what has gotten into him?"

"Muna, is this what you've been dealing with?" Femi asked.

Muna shrugged and Juwon looked at her. He knew she was enjoying their planned intervention, as if he told them he needed one. Collins left the room and Juwon wished he could just leave too. Inviting them while Gini was still around had been a mistake. He didn't even know they were going to come in so early, and he knew Muna planned it like that. She left them in the dark on purpose so the shock could make their reaction more spot on. She was lucky he wasn't interested in firing her, she'd conveniently played on his intelligence.

"He's still taking his revenge on her guys, his method is just different. He plans on breaking her heart like she did his, right?"

Muna knew how lethal he was and she was still okay with putting words in his mouth. "Yes, that's the plan. You guys should stop worrying, it's all pretend."

That wasn't what he had in mind but since they couldn't accept the truth, he'd feed them with lies. His friends started laughing in relief.

"Ol' boy, you really played us acting all serious," Roman came to hug him.

"Was pulling your legs."

"Thank Goodness, I was so scared," Gbenga said.

"Don't be."

"So you still hate her as you used to say, yea?"

"For sure. How could I ever forgive her? I'm going to completely break her heart then toss her to the side."

Femi laughed. "Bad guy!"

Muna cleared her throat and he almost cussed at her. She was indirectly calling his bluff knowing he couldn't say anything in return without blowing his cover.

"When are you leaving this shit hole?" Roman asked.

"Soon." Once Gini left he had no business staying behind. His engineer would look after the resort while he was back in the city.

"When did you decide that?" Muna asked.

"I've been thinking about it. You want me back in the city and I think you're right, it's time to leave all this behind."

Muna looked at him like she didn't believe the words that just left his mouth.

"It'd be great having you back in the area," Femi spoke.

"Can't wait."

"Have you shown the guys the file I sent to you? I totally forgot she was the one when you introduced her earlier." Roman brought Gini's matter up again and Juwon tried to restrain himself.

"You asked him to look into her?" Femi asked.

"I shouldn't have."

"What was in there?" Femi asked without acknowledging his regret.

"She has a boyfriend which means she's cheating on him right now."

"You added that it wasn't serious."

"But there was something. If she cast him aside so easily imagine what she'd do to you if you fall for her again."

"I won't," he was forced to say.

"And she's broke!"

"She's ten times more dangerous then," Gbenga said.

"I'm being careful."

"I trust you," Roman said.

Juwon stood from the sofa. "I've to go to bed, it's getting late."

He made his escape and joined Gini in the bedroom. She was snoring softly and he got on his side then opened his bedside drawer. He got a book where he used to write his music back in the day and turned to the page he had thoughts about Gini.

Juwon used to be so emotionally dark and his thoughts reflected that period well. He read all his plans on how he planned to ruin Gini and her dad, he then looked at her sleeping peacefully and sighed. It was so hard to take her as the person he wrote about in his book, they were totally different persons. He dropped the book back and settled into bed.