Chapter dedication: Sheiselvira Thanks for your support!

Song of the chapter: Monsters you made — Burna boy ft Chris Morgan.

♤

They've been lying to you.
Ain't no denying the truth.
—𝓑𝓾𝓻𝓷𝓪 𝓫𝓸𝔂

♤

YOU

DID

WHAT??!

My hands freeze midway as I am confused on how to reply Kiki. I sure as hell do not know how to keep my mouth shut so in the process of our phone conversation, I may or may not have asked about Tobais a thousand times. Noticing the sudden interest in her brother, she demanded to know what happened and I mistakenly slipped the info of how we kissed. And me not being able to handle it, I immediately ended the call and now, she has texted me.

Just great!

I decide to shut my screen off, lying face up on the bed that is currently disheveled.

Everything is just a mess currently and right now, I have no strength to fix them. Sighing again, a ghostly smile paves its way to my face as I remember the kiss all over again. What the hell is my problem exactly?! It's just an ordinary kiss and even though it is my first, it shouldn't be much of a bother to me.

As if

My brain retorts in sheer mockery as I resist the urge to release a snicker. My phone beeps with more messages and I glance at it sighing softly the same time. I don't want Kiki to think I'm using her to get through Tobias even though I have discovered I like him much more than I intended to do. It doesn't just sit well with me to discuss about the deets of what happened with her or anyone else. I just want it...personal persay.

And have you spoken with the so-called Tobais so far?

My brain just has this ugly way of reminding me of my unfortunate predicaments and I groan tapping my head repeatedly.

I have a feeling Tobias has been waiting for me to reach out to him first because trust me, I've checked all his social media platforms and he is regularly online. I swear I don't know how to approach an issue like this and it is sickening I am just too shy to address the matter.

Should I just text hi and leave?

I bite the side of my cheek, contemplating seriously and before I can terminate the motion in my head, i quickly grab my phone, clearing all previous notifications as I immediately shoot a quick 'hey' text to Tobais and I just realise he was online seconds ago. The fear of seeing his reply overwhelms me greatly and I quickly dump my phone as if it is hot fire.

Why am I behaving like a love-struck puppy? Oh God!

"Aramide," My brothers crisp voice snaps me out of my little dilemma as I jump from the bed unsteadily.

"Yes AY?" I reply trying to wear my flip-flops on my feet. I navigate myself to where my brother's voice came from and I am able to trace him to the balcony side. I open the sliding glass-door gently, to join him at the balcony and I am immediately greeted with blinding rays from the sufficient sunlight streaming in.

"Slept well?" AY twists a little so that he can get a glimpse of my face but I can only hum in response. We both cannot deny the fact that we've been overthinking this thing since and the truth is, I'm gaining cold feet each and every minute I think of how we would see our mother today.

"The appointment given to us is by 11am. So let's get ready and head out. I can't just wait to get over with all these." My brother mutters in a strained tone and I tentatively step around him, wrapping my arms around his muscular torso in a warm embrace.

"Me too AY. I can't wait." I mumble softly.

***

"For the record, the said patient has not been violent but to take extra precautions, we would still ensure she is restrained and kept metres away for you both safety." A uniformed lady replies with a gentle smile as she leads us to the place we would see our supposed ward. My heart beat increases incredulously with every passing second and my brother encloses my hand in a quick reassurance and I reciprocate it glancing at him simultaneously.

We make a stop at the front of a huge metallic see-through door that somehow looks like a fence. The inside looks very dark but as the woman unlocks the door, light suddenly floods in and I instinctively duck my head lower at its intensiveness. The woman throws an apologetic glance our way but that isn't my main concern.

I instantly sight the hunched figure sitting on a chair stilly. My heart drops to the pit of my stomach as it races speedily. Trying to get freedom out of my body. 

My mother. My own mother.

As we approach her, my legs automatically stop at a point and the uniformed lady and my brother both notice at the same time.

"Any problem?" She asks softly as she gazes at me.

"I can't do this, I can't do this, I can—" my marathon words are being interrupted with a loud sigh from my brother.

"I'll go first." Comes his abrupt reply and I stare at him awestruck. The woman glances at both of us uncertainty and I nod stiffly in return.

"Okay then. But ensure you refrain from pushing the patient too much in order to avoid aggravation. Press the buzzer by your side in case of anything and I hope you both would be fine." She says and gives my back a pat before she exits. Leaving only my brother and I in this unfortunate cubicle. The dull colour scheme of the plain four corners of the wall stare back at me and I bite my lips anxiously.

This should be worth it Lord.

I hear the scraping of a chair sound and I look up just to notice that my brother has drawn a chair across the table, gazing at my mother with a foreign look. My feet are still rooted in the same spot as I gaze at my brother and mother's exchange intently.

"Hey mum," Ayo finally says maybe in hopes to get her attention since she has been siting like a frozen zombie for ages. I think that scheme worked well because she raises her head instantly and jerks her right hand out trying to touch my brother.

I gasp unknowingly at the gesture and I fight back the tears just by taking in her form. She looks ragged as hell and the eye bags below her eyes are so evident. Her face lacks the melanin colour that naturally glows and she has this dark and venomous look clouding her face.

"Ayomideeeee." Her neck cranes slightly as she stretches his name with a malicious tone. She tries so much to reach out to him but the distance put between them is the big constraint. I notice how Ayo's face winces and he clenches his fist so hard by his side.

"Mother, how are you faring?" Her lips curl into a wry smile as she squints her eyes.

"I've been fine my boy. At least I knew you wouldn't abandon me here all alone. I've been waiting for you all year round." Her response makes the inside of my stomach to churn badly.

I've always been the favourite child and here is the fake love she is displaying to my elder brother.

"Oh okay." AY replies stiffly and I give a sign to him to go-ahead in asking the questions we rehearsed to ask her. "Mother, do you love me as your child?" He asks the question with a calm and calculated tone.

"Of course I do. My first and only child, I love you very much." The chains bounding her hands clacks along with her hand gestures. My heart froze when she mentioned Ayo as her only child. So that means...

Oh no!

The pain in my heart is a dull one and I tear my eyes from seeing her face anymore. It's either she believes I'm dead, or she chooses to make it up in her head.

"But, what of my sister? Your only daughter?" The immediate silence that floods in is so tensive. It is obvious that that question weighs a thousand and one unspoken words.

"Who is that?" Her reply catches me off guard and I stare back at Ayo also because the way she asked the question was so innocent and it seems like she genuinely doesn't know who he referred to.

He therefore beckons on me to come so that I can be fully involved this time. I mutter a quick prayer and walk towards thier direction. My feet movement echoes round the lone cell and with that sound as the prominent one, my mother shakes her head to it. As if she is listening to a beautiful melody.

She is truly not normal again.

Finally reaching there, I steadily take the seat beside Ayo gripping the edge of the table tightly.

"Mother, this is your daughter, Aramide Millicent." Ayo re-introduces to her. She raises her head in a very slow and snake-like manner. Her hawk and dexterous eyes eyeing me that I fear she would kill me just with her eyes. The next thing that follows is a very loud and ear-deafening shriek from her. I and Ayo had to close our ears with our hands immediately.

"She's a ghost! A ghost! What is she doing here? Ayomide she is a ghost!" She says frantically as she struggles with the chains bounding her once again.

"Mother relax please. Relax." Ayo cajoles as he hunches over the table slightly in order to gain her undivided attention. But that didn't even make her to stop her frantic behaviour one bit. It seems she is stuck in an horrific daze and it breaks my heart that the mention of my name can derive such reaction from her.

Oh God what is this?

My hand itches to press the buzzer at our side so that they can take her away and we wouldn't have to deal with our psychopathic mother anymore, when Ayo says something out of the blues.

"Senator Dr. Marshall Peterson SMD? Does that ring a bell mother? Tell me!" Ayo has finally lost every trace of civility as he bangs the table so hard along with his trifling speech. Her reaction is perhaps worth it as her mouth hangs open as an electrified fish. My own reaction however is mixed with curiosity, anger and confusion.

Who the hell is that person Ayo just mentioned? and not to forget the fact that he has gone to do some digging-in without me.

"Ayo calm down," I mutter in a desperate attempt as I curl my hands over his biceps. Him and mother are now having this staring contest and non of them has refused to back down.

"I loved him okay?" Her voice suddenly startles me as it sounds clipped and edgy. Her shoulders slag down and the chains rattle along with her movement. I give Ayo a subtle nod that he should relax and sit down back so we can hear what she has to say. He nods back and throws a weak glare at mother before he manages to sit, holding my hand that is already clutched tightly on his bicep.

"Go on." He urges with a strict tone. She scratches her hair in a frenzy manner and chuckles bitterly before speaking.

"My first love, my first boyfriend, my first everything. He loved me so much and I loved him as much as he did. I was fifteen when he was twenty-three. It didn't matter much to me about our age-gap because I loved him so much—" Her eyes swells with unshed tears and she smiles weakly as if she is reminiscing on the good old times. "SMD was eventually about to convocate out of the university and me being such a little girl, i offered my virginity to him as a reward."

Okay that statement made me to cringe invisibly. Was she that foolish in love?

"I've never seen him that excited over my offer and I felt elated and flamboyant. I felt like a damn queen!" She raises her voice at that part and I had to shift back a little at her expression. Is this the part where he raped her? Because we all believed mother was raped by a university dropout, having Ayo in the process.

"And we made our first love a night before his convocation party—" My eyes almost bulged out of thier sockets at that confession and my gaze strays to my elder brother immediately. He quite took the news well because his face didn't change one bit. As if he has always known the truth.

So I am the fool here? Oh wow

"So why did you lie to everyone that you were raped mother? Huh?" Ayo asks her with a calculated tone. Although I have a feeling he knows already, I think he wants her to say it to us; me especially.

At his question, she laughs a full blown laughter. A laughter that would cause anyone else to retreat because it was full of viciousness and an evil glint.

"Don't use that tone on me boy. I'm still your mother so watch it!" My heart leaps in fear and before my very eyes, the trance-mare seems to play out in live HD. The same face that I last saw when she poisoned me, when she said she loved me with a malicious tone and how she always seemed to threaten me all surface at once.

I want to get out of here before I puke all over this wretched hell-hole.

"For the love of God mother!" Ayo sighs exasperatedly and I can feel the agitation seeping out of him so fast. It is already enough that he is an hypertensive person so if he stresses himself too much, his blood pressure will likely rise to an unfandomitable state and that would be quite terrifying.

"Ayo please calm down!" I snap at him this time. I don't care if he is trying to get the truth out of her, but hey his health can be at risk here. Maybe it is the way I snapped at him, or the tears that are lingering on my eyes that causes his expression to soften down a little as he shuts his eyes down, taking a breath exercise quickly.

"I'm sorry but we have to do this." He replies sincerely as he tries to search my eyes for reassurance. My second hand comes up to cover my first hand that are now covered up by his larger ones on his bicep. Squeezing his hand assuringinly, I sigh loudly ready to tone down this internal torment in my head.

"Mother," My brother drags in a sharp breath and looks her straight in the eyes. "Please tell us why you lied about SMD raping you." He adds in a softer and cajoling approach. She laughs humorlessly and throws her head back a little.

"After the amazing time we spent and eventually his convocation day, he dropped the bomb on me that his parents insisted he was taking an immediate flight abroad to further his masters education. I was so confused and hurt but he assured he would always come back for me. Weeks after his departure, I discovered the signs of pregnancy and I confirmed it with the aid of a pregnancy test kit and all of a sudden, all means of gaining assess to SMD proved abortive. His numbers automatically stopped working and he was unreachable. As if he was wiped away from the surface of this earth." Her breath becomes shaky and unsteady as she goes on and I shut my eyes momentarily.

I'll be fine.

"Of course, I couldn't tell my parents I was pregnant so I had to obviously lie that I was raped by a University tout." She shrugs nonchalantly at that part.

"I eventually gave birth to Ayo after a long tussle of months and I was actually proud of I and SMD's offspring. Anyday I saw Ayo's face, it gave me assurance that my love was coming back to meet me, where I am. Moreover, after writing an arranged WAEC, my father insisted I go to Dubai, without Ayo so that I could have a fresh start." The malicious glint in her eyes visibly reduces as she narrates further.

"They thought change of environment could help me but well, I don't blame them. During my five years of studying in Dubai, I actually could not forget SMD. He was evergreen in my mind and I made sure I found him wherever he was anywhere in this world. Luckily for me, during my time in law school, a friend was able to trace him to Switzerland and for once, I was the happiest human on earth. I ensured I kept the information far from my twin brother and then best friend since we were all studying in the same university." Her fists suddenly curl by her sides and my heart dreads the next words that are going to come out.

If I am not mistaking, the age-gap between my elder brother and I is roughly five or six years. So is this the part were she talks about meeting my own father? Or she still lied all these while about who my father was?

"I discovered that—" She hesitates and bites the side of her lip harshly that I fear blood would soon sip out. "That bastard was actually married! His wife was even expectant and fück I was such a fool to believe he was never happy without me."  Her eyes are now swelling with full tears and they start dropping slowly.

My heart breaks at that piece of information and I don't know if I should pity her. My own tears have already been falling non-stop and I had to continuously use the side of Ayo's long-sleeve to wipe them.

"That didn't stop me though." The way she suddenly smirks and automatically stop crying is quite baffling and I am certain she has inherited the bipolar disorder. "I followed him up, took the next flight to Switzerland and tada! Suprised him." She is now laughing wickedly as she clutches her stomach alongside.

Uh, okay so what is making her laugh? It's so creepy as hell.

"I think i was drunk that day because I only remembered how I screamed, he screamed, we argued and we had a makeup sex..."

Does that mean, SMD is my father? My heart is beating so wide and crazy. If she confirms he is my father, that can only mean I and Ayo are blood siblings.

"...and after that sex, I hit a club and had sex with another stranger that day. I wanted to be wild, to be free, to do whatever the fück I wanted to do!"

Oh, so afterall, my actual father is not decided. Just wow.

"So unfortunate I became pregnant again and this time, I didn't know who the possible father could be." She adds in a little and sad voice.

"Is that why you hate Aramide? Because you have not decided who her real father is? Or because of the hurt Senator SMD put you through?" My brother thunders out. My hands are terribly shaking and my head bangs repeatedly. This was not the closure I was expecting but then again, what do I know?

"Actually yes. She reminds me of the bloody mistake I made. So unfortunate she didn't die when i killed her!" This time, her gaze finally lands on me and it causes all the blood in my body to momentarily freeze. Her eyes are now blazing with a daunting look and if eyes could kill, I would have died and resurrected, ready for judgement even.

"Mum don't say that! You don't mean it!" I finally say with a determined look as I stand up. "You're not okay and I know he hurt you be—"

"Agggh! I want to kill you, little brat! Shut your trap up! I hate YOU!" she is now full blown and ranting as she is charging towards me more violent than before. The chains are clacking more and more and it seems they would soon cut because of the way she is charging towards me. Ayo immediately presses the buzzer beside us and within a jiffy, the officials come to whisk her away.

The air seems too tight and it suddenly feels like my oesophagus has been repressed by an external force.

"Aramide!" My brother voice seems distant and without looking back, I run out with full speed. This was a bloody mistake from onset and now I cannot absorb the amount of information passed down.

My chest thumps faster than flash and I feel so dizzy and without warning, I mistakenly run into somebody.

"Oh my God! I'm so sorry sir!" I rush out as I take in the form of the person that I bumped into. The man reeks of filthy riches, quite matured and it is so unfortunate for me to alter his movement because of my stupid race.

"No problem." He finally says as he adjusts himself properly. His eyes remain trained on me more than usual and I have to take a step back eyeing him warily. He seemed to be in a hurry so I lazily give a weak smile and step out of his way completely.

Far too gone by reaching the parking lot already, I slide down to the ground as fresh tears burst out. This wasn't the life I signed for and God in heaven knows I'm tired. Using my hand to wipe the tears furiously, I notice a sticky paper on my hand. Frowning in confusion, I turn my hand to see its contents and I automatically presume it is for the man I bumped into. The words staring back at me brightly, however causes an internal blood flow to my brain and my hand reverberates continuously.

God no! This is not possible! This isn't true!

Senator Dr. Marshall Peterson SMD,
House of representatives.

Author's note

Finally had the chance to update. *phew!* last week has been quite eventful for me and I'm starting my exams next week😭 I hope this update would pacify y'all.

Book recommendation: Clearing the dark skies by  TheOfficialSemiloore of course y'all already know Semiloore is a great author. So run it up people :)

Q: A wild guess on what is going to go down on the next chapter?