Kel and Presence stood before the low wooden gate of Funi's mother's lagoon house. The area, reminiscent of a Government Restricted Area was lined with expensive-looking wooden houses, a stark contrast to the more common cement and brick structures elsewhere.

As they pressed the bell, Presence's heart tightened. She couldn't help but wonder what would happen when Kel and Funi saw each other again. Jealousy gnawed at her insides like a hungry rat, but she caged it. This was Kel's mystery to crack, his past to confront.

The gate opened almost immediately, and as they cautiously entered, the front door of the white wooden duplex swung open. Funi emerged from the white wooden duplex like a figure from a dream. She moved in slow motion, each step heavy with disbelief, tears racing down her cheeks faster than gravity should allow.

Presence's heart pounded in her chest, each thud a reminder of her insecurities. Her gaze, fixed on the back of Kel's head, felt like a cruel reminder of her place in this complex web of past and present. She bit the inside of her cheek, tasting copper and anxiety.

Funi broke the silence first, her voice a whisper that barely disturbed the air. "If this is a dream and you wake me, I'll kill you."

Kel's face was a mixture of emotions - relief, hurt, confusion, and that stubborn affection that refused to be solved. "Not a dream, Funi. I'm here, in the flesh... sort of."

Funi reached out tentatively, her fingers brushing Kel's cheek. "How? I... we thought you were dead."

"It's a long story," Kel replied, his voice soft but tinged with an undercurrent of pain. "One that involves a lot of watching and waiting... and seeing things I wish I hadn't."

Funi's hand dropped, understanding and shame flickering across her face. "Kel, I... about Anthony... I'm so sorry. I never meant to-"

Kel held up a hand, stopping her. "We have a lot to talk about, Funi. A lot. But right now, there are more pressing matters." His tone became more urgent. "We need answers. About Chief, about why he wanted me dead, about everything."

Funi nodded, wiping away her tears. "Of course. You deserve to know the truth. All of it."

Kel turned back towards Presence, suddenly remembering her presence. "Presence, come on. Why are you standing there?"

Presence, startled out of her thoughts, moved forward hesitantly. Kel reached out and took her hand, a gesture that didn't go unnoticed by Funi.

"We're in this together," Kel said, his voice firm as he looked between Presence and Funi. "All of us. It's time we got to the bottom of this mess."

Funi nodded, gesturing towards the house. "Come inside. It's a long story, and none of us are going to like all of it. But you're right, Kel. It's time for the truth."

As they headed inside, the air hummed with unspoken words and the promise of earth-shattering revelations. Sometimes, the truth is a gift. Other times, it's a bomb waiting to go off. They were about to find out which one this was.

As they settled into the living room, Funi turned to Presence with a polite smile. "Water for you, I guess?" Presence nodded, returning the smile albeit with a hint of tension.

Funi then looked at Kel, her expression softening. "And apple juice for you, I suppose?"

Kel's eyebrows raised in surprise. "You just have that laying around? You don't even like it."

Funi shrugged, a small smile playing on her lips. "I kept buying it... out of habit, I guess. It felt wrong not to have it in the fridge."

As Funi left for the kitchen, Presence felt a twinge in her chest. It wasn't that Funi was trying to make her jealous; it was the effortless way she remembered Kel's preferences, the shared history evident in such a simple exchange.

The living room was a space of warmth and familiarity, drenched in golden light filtering through expansive windows that framed the quiet lagoon outside. The wooden floors, polished to a gentle sheen, were partially obscured by rich, plush rugs that promised comfort beneath the feet. The furniture, overstuffed and inviting, seemed to cradle its occupants in a cocoon of soft fabric and cushions.

The walls were adorned with framed photographs and artwork, giving the room a lived-in, homey feel. A faint scent of sandalwood and vanilla hung in the air, mingling with the fresh, slightly salty breeze from the water.

Funi returned with a tray bearing two glasses and a cup of coffee, alongside a saucer of small cream crackers - Kel's favorite. As Kel scoffed and picked one up, he sniffed it and shook his head with a smile. Presence caught his nostalgic smile - the simple joy of smelling again. Funi, meanwhile, looked like she was watching a foreign film without subtitles.

Funi plopped down next to Kel, took a breath deep enough to reach China, and dove in. "I'm guessing you've got questions."

Kel nodded, his expression a mix of anticipation and wariness. "Yeah, like what the fuck is going on?"

The room crackled with tension you could cut with a knife. Presence leaned in, hungry for answers, while trying to ignore the feeling she was crash-landing in the middle of someone else's soap opera.

"My father," she said softly, her voice catching, "wanted your father's company in Sokoto more than anything. But your dad was incredibly astute. He put legal safeguards in place to ensure that only family could own it."

Kel's breath caught in his throat as Funi spoke, her words revealing a stark portrait of greed and betrayal. "If anything happened to your parents," she continued, "you would inherit everything. But if you died, the court would grant him access as a 35% shareholder. The company would be his—unless you somehow came back to life."

Funi's voice broke, and she took a moment to compose herself, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill. The silence in the room was deafening, broken only by the sound of Kel swallowing hard, his refreshment forgotten in the face of these earth-shattering revelations.

With a deep breath, Funi plunged back into her narrative, her voice gaining strength as she unraveled the threads of the conspiracy. "I was clueless at first. But then, one fateful day..." She hesitated, the name catching in her throat like a thorn. "...I was with Anthony."

The name lingered like a dark cloud as Funi recounted the moment of discovery. "A text flashed on his phone, while he bathed. There were 23 missed calls from an unknown number and a message that shifted everything: 'My offer still stands. Eliminate him, and 30 million naira is yours.'"

Kel and Presence exchanged horrified glances as Funi's story darkened further. She described Anthony's ties to gangs, her mounting suspicions, and how she had him followed. Then she revealed Anthony's meetings with a purple-haired assassin named Niki—a name that made Kel's blood run cold, recognition flashing in his eyes. Niki worked exclusively for Chief, which deepened the investigation significantly.

As Funi's tale reached its climax, the pieces of the puzzle began to fit together. The name "Ezeh" had surfaced, but Funi hadn't connected it to Kel at the time. When Kel died a few weeks later, the realization hit her hard. "When you died," she concluded, her voice laden with the gravity of her discovery, "everything suddenly made sense."

It was like watching a car crash in slow motion – horrifying, but impossible to look away from. The truth had finally reared its ugly head, and it was even messier than they'd imagined.

Kel's voice was barely a whisper as he spoke, "So, your father—Chief—he orchestrated my death for a company?" The disbelief in his tone was unmistakable.

Funi nodded, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. "I'm so sorry, Kel. I never wanted any part of this."

Presence leaned forward, her brow furrowed. "But if you knew all this, why didn't you come forward? Why the secrecy, the games?"

Funi's hands trembled as she spoke, her voice breaking. "When I first discovered everything, I was paralyzed. The realization of my father's cruelty was like a physical blow, and my fear grew as I realized the danger we were all in. My father... you don't know what he's capable of. I needed time to gather evidence, to make sure I could bring him down without risking everyone I cared about."

Kel's hands clenched into fists. "And Anthony? Was he just a pawn in all this too?"

Funi's face crumpled with shame. "Anthony... that's complicated. He refused to go through with it, but by then, he was in too deep. My father had leverage on him, on his brother. We... our affair... it started as a mistake but it became a way to keep tabs on him and protect you. But then..."

"It became real," Kel finished, his voice flat.

"No," Funi whispered, shaking her head, her tears finally spilling over. "It was never..."

Presence reached out, placing a comforting hand on Kel's arm. "So what now? Your father thinks he's won, but Kel is here. Alive... sort of."

Funi straightened, a determined look replacing her guilt. "Now, we have a chance to end this. To bring my father to justice, to reclaim what's rightfully yours, Kel."

Kel stood abruptly, pacing the room. "This is... it's too much. A company I didn't even know existed, your father's plans, Anthony's involvement, your... affair." He paused, turning to face them both. "But you're right. We have a chance to make this right."

Presence stood as well, moving to Kel's side. "We're with you, Kel. Whatever you decide to do next."

Funi nodded in agreement. "I've gathered evidence, recordings, documents. It's not enough to bring him down completely, but it's a start."

Kel took a deep breath, "Then let's finish this. It's time to confront Chief, to end this game once and for all, but how?"

"Way ahead of you," Funi declared, a touch of pride in her voice as she rose from her seat. Leaning forward, her eyes sparkled with a fierce intelligence that surprised even Kel. "I had an international hacker freeze all his accounts."

Kel's eyebrows shot up, genuinely taken aback by the magnitude of her plan. Funi's eyes lit up as she spoke, her words gaining a frantic rhythm. "He might not realize it yet, but every airport has his wanted poster pinned up. The police are hunting him down everywhere." She leaned in, her voice dropping to a dramatic hush. "He'll surface sooner or later, and when he does, it would be game over."

A slow smile spread across Kel's face, a mixture of admiration and something deeper, perhaps a rekindling of old feelings. "Look at you go," he said, his voice warm with approval. "Ifunanya Madison Egemba. Who would have known you had it in you?" Funi grinned in response, rolling her eyes playfully at his praise. The moment between them was charged, filled with unspoken history.

Meanwhile, Presence, feeling like an outsider in this intimate exchange, awkwardly glanced away. Her eyes fixed on the wall, a futile attempt to mask the flicker of jealousy that threatened to betray her emotions.

But Funi wasn't done. Her gaze sharpened as it moved from Kel to Presence, curiosity and suspicion mingling in her expression. The playful atmosphere dissipated, replaced by an urgent intensity as she leaned forward, her eyes boring into Kel. "Now," she said, her voice low and insistent, "tell me how the fuck you are still alive and what has been going on with you."

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