Chapter Thirty six of Ruthless
Me😥 I'm tired of Violence ❌❌❌

"Why did you have to slap him?"

It took Tacha a very deep long breath of silence before she looked up at Natasha to answer her question. Her voice coming out in a whisper. "I was just angry he hit someone who was having an harmless discussion with me. I was angry he wouldn't let me be to be candid." Pain etched in her eyes, as if tied up in her stomach that she could barely breathe. "I didn't know I would hurt him that much. I--care about Nathan. And I really can't explain how much have come to like him no matter what I tell myself. He completely ignored me through out the party...and, every time I tried looking into his eyes, I knew it was my fault he didn't look happy through out the party. It was then I knew how much I affected him. How much he liked me. I tried to apologise, but I never had access to him. Never. He walked past me many times, his eyes as cold as when I first met him. It seems he hates me now."

When Tacha hit Nathan on the face, the only saving grace she enjoyed at the moment was because he cared so much about her. It had gotten to the point that he knew he would rather walk away than yell to her face like she did, getting her to explode all the tears she had in store for him.

That night, Tacha took side with Ricko.

"I will not allow you stand here and harass anyone of us like you always do!" Her eyes cocked at Nathan like he was a piece of shit, her eyes glaring so deeply that he could feel the sudden hatred that developed in her eyes towards him. He knew any other action taken by him could result into a misunderstanding that might succeeded in making Tacha hate him forever. He didn't want that. He was so pissed, fuming that he could not even explain himself to her, but managed to curb himself. If they were finally going to go their separate ways, he wouldn't want to be a douchebag to her anymore. He expected Tacha to at least ask him why he had to do what he did, but instead, he was embarrassed by her. At that moment, he regretted his actions. For thinking she was worth the pursuit when she wasn't ready to be with him, ever. 

"Thinking you can beat up anyone because you are Nathan Brown is a total bullshit! We are only having a quiet discussion and you have no right to do what you just did!" Her eyes fixed on Nathan. "You have no right Nathan. I was never your girlfriend, nothing to you if I will have to be honest with myself with how you treated me, and this man right here is my ex." Tacha shifted her gaze to Ricko who was stunned by Tacha's braveness. Tacha eyed him.  "Even if he's a bloody cheater who slept with my cousin, and doesn't deserve me speaking up for him. But... I ain't doing this for him." Tacha glared at Nathan, anger emitting from every word that escaped her mouth, as if looking for a day like this to tell him what she still had in mind. Her chest going up and down.

"This is for you Nathan. To leave me alone, and let me move on with my life. Please... I really want to." She dragged, and her eyes became red, the fierceness in her voice betraying her as her voice became weak, sounding less strong like when she started. She pushed on still, determined to say all she had to say. "Please...I will appreciate it if you don't have to invite me to any of your gatherings, following me about, beating the people around me, and... looking at me that way with those eyes after what we agreed on. We agreed to move on, which should be the reason you shouldn't have invited my team to this party or not include everyone. It really makes me sick that I have to come around where my heart stays heavy, unable to breathe well...because I really don't know what's gonna happen every time I see you." Tacha paused, her voice obviously shaking, trying to ease her chest going up and down after confessing how much Nathan had been affecting her. 

Tacha brought her voice down, directing her gaze away from Nathan. "That's the true fact Nathan. It's hard seeing you--but realising... realising I could never be--anything to you." A tear rolled down her eyes, and immediately she used that opportunity to walk away. "Excuse me please." Tacha wiped the tear away, walked back into the hall to her seat, and left the party after about two hours of sitting restlessly. She left before the party was over.

The moment she looked up at Nathan before walking away from him, she regretted everything she said. The pain was visible in his eyes, standing with his hands balled into fist, yet doing nothing but staring deep, uncontrollable, with anger burning from his eyes to hers. That moment, she knew she had hurt him badly. Till Tacha left the hall, she was the only stealing quick glances at him while he went about his business. There was no way she could reach him, and even after the party, after a week, she was never able to talk to him again.

The next day, Tacha got a message from Ricko about being sacked after she had refused to pick his calls. She didn't call him back. She doesn't need to know why and who did it, and she was clear when she told him she doesn't want anything to do with him anymore. That was the moment Tacha knew she had to block his number and deleted it. Tacha was dressing up that morning to go to work as well when she got the text. Instead of stepping into her black flat shoes, Tacha removed her clothes instead. Different thoughts running through her mind.

What if he had told those people to sack her again?

What if she resumed there and was embarrassed?

The first person that came to Tacha's mind was Kaffy. She wouldn't want that evil human being who hated her the most to mock her and take back her position right in front of her eyes. She wouldn't be able to handle that embarrassment. She'd better not resume.

First day, she didn't.

Second day, she refused. She missed work so much but stayed at home still

Third day, a call came through, asking her why she didn't resume to work for the past two days. With that, she got to know Nathan never took her job from her. Getting to know that, part of Tacha scolded her. Why she keep seeing Nathan just the same way she once knew him, she knew she was missing out in how much he was becoming a better person for himself. She was expected to realise a lot had improved about him which she was going to have to respect. He was the same person that apologised to her. The same person that kept coming to her to make things straight. How come she was so blind to see all he was doing.

I will let you go.

Can you be my girlfriend.

Or at least a friend.

Those words Nathan said jokingly and some with sincere expression written all over his face should have made her realise something had changed about him towards her.

While coming back from work, Tacha told herself she had to find a way to speak to Nathan. Whether he was still angry at her or not, she wanted to apologise for all that took place between him and her at the party and let him explain why he did that. She branched Lucas lounge that night. The following day, she did again, again, and again, audience not granted to her even when they saw each other face to face, shared very quick glances, but still, acted like she never existed.

"So, have you given up on talking to him?" Natasha asked again, her soft voice drifting into Tacha's head. She leaned forward, dropping a white card before Tacha.

Tacha looked down as she spied the words written in small font on the white card. You are invited to Natasha's thirtieth birthday... Venue; Lucas lounge.

Tacha looked up, her brows lifting up for response. Instead, Natasha smiled at her. "I saw you at Lucas lounge yesterday when I came to check the place I'm using for my birthday. I saw you asking the barman when Nathan was coming, but when he came, you couldn't even walk up to him. I asked Nathan, and he told me you've been coming for days." Natasha held Tacha's gaze with a small smile on her lips. "He saw you the whole time too." Natasha leaned back on her chair. "I could tell you aren't the type that party and you didn't move an inch from where you sat till you decided to leave. The sweetest one you should know is, he watched you the whole time, but he was just angry at you."

Tacha dropped her gaze on Natasha. A surprise look on her face but her heart was jumping with excitement to know the sweetest secret that just being revealed to her. Natasha was right that she saw her. Right that she asked the tattooed barman who was excited to see her again about Nathan.

Tacha stared closely at the woman whose accessories were enough to buy the whole apartment they rented a mini flat from, yet as calm as a dove. Humble and very soft spoken. No British accent, no man made accent other than her refined grammar that sounded more like a Nigerian she was. Her natural hair weaved into allback. Well, Natasha was a Brown, and one of them were known for selling diamonds, gold and silver accessories for both men and women. Therefore, all of them always adorned themselves with it. To say Nathan had seen her the whole time and had watched her formed bubbles in her stomach, delivering happiness to her brain, hoping he would give her attention soon or later.

Natasha adjusted herself for thousand times on the chair she was offered at the dining table. Her bottom cheeks were stiff in few minutes of sitting which gave her no option but to shift whenever she felt that way. Once she did, she was good for another fifteen minutes again. She barely forgot what she told herself when she almost asked if they had air conditioner. It had been ages she entered a place that had no air conditioner and fan, including generator to power it for places with bad light. Natasha gripped the electric hand fan close to her body hoping there was light to power their beautiful binatone standing fan staring at her as if it could pity her state.

Natasha had found Tacha to her home. Where she lived with Kenny, with the help of Bolatito. It took Natasha another hour after facing Lagos traffic before locating the place which was far inside the street they told her. There was just something about Tacha that Natasha clung unto. Not being afraid to speak her mind to Nathan even though she did it at the wrong place and time. Everything she said that night was clear to everyone she adored Nathan, and was angry he wasn't doing anything to reach for her...but she had to use violence to express herself when other ways could work as well. Tacha was still oblivious to the reason why Nathan hit Ricko, but seeing how much she had hurt Nathan, she was willing to apologise to him, and that showed Natasha another side of Tacha she loved so much. If Nathan really liked this babe, she would play a part for them to realise nothing was stopping them to be together than their pride, and proud thoughts which Natasha agreed was total nonsense and very stupid.

"Come to my little birthday gathering and speak to Nathan. I can tell you he's not the type that hold a grudge for long. He'd been seeing you for days and he's not a baby not to know you came there for him." Natasha smiled. "By the time you realise why he gave out that punch, I will need you to return the slap back to who deserves it. That's a deal or not"

Before Tacha knew it, she had a small smile on her face. It was just how Natasha carefully said those words in her soft voice. She grabbed the invitation card on the table. "Thank you so much. Can I offer you something now?"

"Water is fine."

Tacha got up, walking towards the Hisense freezer at the corner of their sitting room. Natasha touched the bottle water and the coldness sent her hand flying far away.

"Whao! I guess I didn't come at the appropriate time."

Tacha laughed. "If you are talking about light, that's if you can come another time by one in the morning."

"Na midnight parol."

"I want to believe they have enemies in this area."

Natasha laughed. "Even Saturdays?"

"Even Sundays when the whole family stays at home. Blackout until midnight."

"Whao." Natasha finished the water in her glass, smiling. "Thank you for this. I quit believing my friends who told me several times that mainland is sweet. I almost moved to explore."

Tacha laughed so hard. "They scammed you. You might never survive."

Natasha got up, carrying her bag. "Thank you so much for receiving me Tacha. I'm grateful."

Tacha embraced her into a hug, releasing each other after few seconds. "It's a pleasure to have you at my place. I'm sorry for the stress you went through to get to this place, and I'm sure you must have been uncomfortable with the heat. I'm really sorry. Thank you for every second you spent in this room."

Natasha couldn't hold her laugh for how serious Tacha was, covering her mouth with her left hand. "Been long someone appreciate me this much. Thank you too. See you tomorrow. I made you a dress already, expect something from miss Quality tomorrow."

Tacha screamed, her lungs probably telling her to calm down, but it doesn't look like she was willing to. Her smile came out huge, her eyes enjoying the feeling with her. "Oh my, God! Are you for real?"

"Hundred percent real, real, real!" Natasha rolled her eyes, her head moving with her eyes as she exposed her small gap tooth for Tacha to notice she never really smiled in her Instagram photos for her to know she had that. "Anyways I have to go cause I don't stay out late anytime I'm not with my driver." She reached out and hugged Tacha again, kissing her cheeks. They released each other again. "You don't need to escort me, just wave at me at the gate."

Tacha smiled. When Natasha got into her car, Tacha did just like she requested, she threw her a huge smile and waved at her till she drove her Mercedes from the untiled road, carefully dogging the sunken area till she was far gone from her street. 

"See you tomorrow." Tacha whispered to herself.

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😄😄 It's time to put an end to this barrier Biko😂 violence tire me.
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Pepper is coming in the next chapter, garnished with everything sweet and beautiful 😁

😂😁 This is me asking God for forgiveness cause my thought was dirty when typing this😄 I'm just finally happy for them☺️

Muslim brothers and sisters, sorry o😄
You will need to break your fast before you read next chapter. I will drop it by 6pm Naija time☺️

Thank you so much for reading Ruthless ❤️
PLEASE KEEP VOTING ⭐
AND SPREADING LOVE ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ THE ONLY LANGUAGE I UNDERSTAND ☺️ THANK YOU SO MUCH 🙏