Lady K

"Thank you Kora."

Kora let a smile appear on her face as she slowly handed the bowl of water in her hands to Obianuju. Uju took it and dropped it on the table beside her. It was time to give Benjamin a bath and Kora was doing all she could to help. Ever since Jeremiah gave her the location of the safe house his father was in, that was where she spent most of her time before and after school. She wanted to help. She knew Obianuju couldn't do everything on her own even when she had a maid helping her especially since Jeremiah was still setting up meetings with members of the board.

This was her way of being there for him, it was the only thing she could do to support him. She didn't mind at all besides, taking care of people was something she was really good at, plus Obianuju really loved having her around. They loved being in each other's company. They'd sit and talk all day about random things, about school, about the past, one time, Obianuju had even taken her time to show her this album with pictures of Jeremiah at his first eight years. Kora loved it. She loved being there, around the two people she really cared about.

"I'd just get a change of clothes." She volunteered, turning around and hurrying to the wardrobe at the far end of the room. Uju turned to Benjamin, squeezed the water out of the towel into the bowl and started to clean him.

Kora got out after a few seconds.

"Found a really comfortable short and this tee that says 'I love Abuja' on it. I was expecting to come face to face with a closet filled with several pieces in Louis Vuitton, Prada, Chanel, Dior, all those big designer names. Rich people are really confusing."

She smiled as she dropped the clothes slowly on the sofa. Obianuju chuckled, another reason why she loved being around Kora was the fact that Kora always made good jokes that made her laugh every five seconds. It was intentional, Kora did all she could to lighten the mood all the time.

"They sure are." Uju turned to Kora as she hurried to stand beside her and watch her. "Have you had lunch yet?"

Kora nodded. Uju went back to cleaning Benjamin's arm gently.

"I had something from our school's cafeteria."

"I made your favorite, beans porridge and fried plantain. You still like that don't you? You used to love it a lot when you were a bit younger."

Kora shrugged her shoulders.

"Not anymore." She clicked her tongue and shrugged her shoulders. "I stopped eating it after I broke up with Luke last year because it always reminded me of him."

"Oh really?

"It was his favorite food too." Kora drew a deep breath. "But I'd eat yours, your porridge beans was always unmatched. I could never turn down anything you cook for me."

"You and that sweet mouth of yours." Uju said after a faint chuckle. Kora laughed too.

Uju frowned after a second and then raised her eyes to the ceiling.

"Good Lord!" She exclaimed. "I totally forgot to ask the maid to do the laundry again." She exhaled. "What is wrong with me?"

"No worries," Kora cut her off. "I've got it. I'd send them to her." She looked around the room till her eyes found the laundry basket beside the door. "Those clothes isn't it?"

Obianuju lowered the towel and turned to Kora. Kora looked at her too, still maintaining a huge smile on her face. Uju exhaled and slowly reached for her hands, taking Kora by surprise.

"Nanny?"

"Thank you Kora." Uju's smile widened. "Thank you for helping me, for being here." Kora let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Thank you for being a strong pillar for Jeremiah, for always being there for him even though he wasn't exactly good to you at first. Thank you for not giving up on him, thank you for coming to me that time I called you, letting me stay at your house all that time and for keeping our secret. I can't tell you how much of a support you and your mother have been to me and my son."

"Nanny," Kora smiled. "Nanny, really this is nothing at all. I'm only doing what I can to help." She slowly turned to Benjamin. "I never really met Mr Ozor in person but I know how important he is to you and Jeremih. I know how important it is that we help him recover especially now. Plus, Jeremiah has done much more for me, this is nothing compared to what he has done for me. If this was the smallest thing I could do to help him, to assist him and make things easier for him, then I'm more than glad to help. I'm glad to help the both of you."

Obianuju nodded in approval.

"That's fine, but remember what I said, if you really want to help us-"

"I should do it right," Kora completed. "I should always tell my mother where I am, not skip classes, and not stay out late, I know." Obianuju always repeated the same words over and over again. It felt good to know Kora was actually listening even though she did everything else but told her mother where she was.

Ever since she got back from the club, Lilian had changed. She smiled less often and refused to entertain any conversations about Jeremiah or his family. She had told Kora to stay away from him but there she was, trying to be a superhero and disobey her mother. If Lilian ever found out where she was, there was no way she was ever going to let her visit them ever again. Kora let out a nervous smile.

"Jeremiah would be home soon." She squeezed Uju's hands as she told her. "He finished his meeting with the board a few minutes ago and it went well. He has been able to bring three members of the board to his side as we speak. He said he was going to stop by at the supermarket for some groceries."

Uju nodded.

"Thank God." She let out a relief exhale. "That's a relief. I'm happy to know he's doing well." She squeezed Kora's hands. They both exchanged huge smiles right before they heard a crashing sound from outside the room, followed by the maid's scream and a loud voice.

"Jeremiah!"

They shook the moment they recognized who owned the voice. It was Christian's. Christian was there. Christian had found them. Obianuju placed her hand over her mouth as she gasped in surprise and fear.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

Kora

"Come out now little brother!"

Bang!

My hands trembled every time he opened a door and banged it close right after. Christian was going room by room, it was obvious he was looking for us, looking for Mr Benjamin. I swallowed hard and then turned to my Nanny. She was twice as scared as I was. I could feel her hands tremble under mine. I had to think hard. I knew better than to let my fear get the best out of me. I knew I had to find a way to stop him, a way to stop him from finding them. I knew I had to at least try to buy time before Jeremiah came home. I swallowed hard. I had to go out there.

"Shhh." I placed a finger on my lips, looking at my Nanny and encouraging her to stay quiet the moment I had noticed that the doors had stopped slamming close. I couldn't hear his footsteps either. He had to be down the hallway, checking the last room at the end of the house.

"I'm going to go outside to buy some time." I whispered to her. "Just stay here and call for help. Lock the door right after me so he doesn't get in."

I remembered everything Jerry told me. I remembered how important it was for Christian not to find his mother or his father or he was going to take them both to that God knows where. If the door was locked, there was no way he was ever going to get in unless he broke it and I wasn't going to let him. I drew a deep breath before I felt her hands squeeze mine.

"Be careful." She whispered to me. I nodded. I knew what I was doing or at least I hoped I did. I slowly walked towards the door, praying in my head that Jeremiah got home as soon as he could. I was terrified of his brother. The stories I heard, being in front of him was one thing I never imagined I was ever going to do but look at me, look at God.

I tiptoed outside the room slowly, trying not to make as much as a sound, counting my breaths and closing the door right behind me. I could hear it lock immediately. Good thing my Nanny listened to me. I scanned the hallway. He wasn't there but I saw the maid, she was on the floor beside the shards of the broken flower vase. My guess, Christian had pushed her out of his way on her way to keep it, causing her and the vase to fall to the ground. I felt so sorry for her. Gasping with my hands on my mouth, I  hurried to her as fast as I could to help her.

"Aunty Kora," she noticed my presence as I bent over to check her.

"Are you okay?" I felt really bad for her especially since I could see how the shards from the vase had cut her knee. I turned to her knee, wondering what I could do to help her. "Can you walk?"

She nodded. I could see tears hanging in her eyes. She was hurt. I wrapped my hand around her, helping her get up.

"Hurry and attend to your wound. I'd clean this up."
I needed her to leave as soon as possible. I didn't want her to be there when Christian returned. She turned quickly and hurried away and I bent over so I could pick the ceramic shards as fast as I could, being careful at the same time. I started to hear his footsteps again. He was coming back.

"Jeremiah!" He screamed. "Don't think you can steal from me and hide." He walked out of the corner to where I could see him. I froze as I noticed his eyes turn to me. It was the first time, the first time he had ever looked at me, the first time we had ever made eye contact and it made me so nervous, so scared.

He looked a mess. He had his neck tie halfway down his chest and his shirt was barely tucked into his trousers. He looked like how those guys in the movies did when they just returned home after drinking their heads off, and where on earth did he find the baseball bat he was holding? I watched how his gaze shifted back to the door in front of him, THE door, gripping tightly to the bat in his left hand. That was it, the only room left for him to check. I gulped hard the moment he took a slow step towards the door, a huge mischievous smile covering his face.

I had no idea when my legs moved me off the ground and before I knew it, I was running back to the door. I don't know what came over me but something in me wanted to stop him, stop him from getting to that door even if it was locked.

I stood in front of the door and spread my trembling hands with the shards in one of them, urging him to come to a stop right in front of me. This was one of those cases where people did things like this and ended up saying "you must pass through me to get to them," in movies. I didn't need to say those words but it looked like he understood perfectly. My breath shortened every second he glared at me like that. I knew he must have cursed me a hundred times in his head already. The way he rolled his eyes showed me how unbothered he was trying to be of my presence.

"Get out of the way." He talked to me. Christian Orji talked to me. I shook my head.

Don't be intimidated Kora.
I said those exact words in my head to myself over and over again.

"Are you deaf?" He asked me. His frown carving in. All my life, I had never seen someone filled with so much anger and sadness in his eyes. If looks could kill, I'd have been dead that very second. "I said move."

I shut my eyes so that when I shook my head again, I didn't have to see the look on his face after I did. At that point, I was prepared for whatever that was going to happen, or so I thought. I wasn't prepared for the next thing he was about to do. He placed his hand on my arm, and with one push, I found myself on the ground immediately. He had pushed me, swept me off my feet, literally. The shards fell from my hands, cutting me in the process. I gasped the moment my hand started to bleed. He was back at the door, his hands reaching for the knob. I tried to get up. I did and then I rushed to him again while he kept pulling the knob trying to open it.

"Stop," I told him. "Please stop," I reached for his arm but he pushed me again, this time I fell harder to the ground, losing all control of my legs. I fell on my ankle and it hurt as hell.

Ouch.

I couldn't stand. I tried to but every time I did, the pain on my ankle grew worse. I watched the door, hoping Nanny listened to me and didn't open it no matter what. I could see how frustrated he suddenly was. What a relief.

"Kora!"
I turned to the entrance immediately when I heard Jeremiah's voice. The look on his face, when our eyes met- I watched him drop the bags of groceries he had bought quickly on the ground and hurry to me. He was back, thank Goodness. I let out a relief exhale, thank goodness.

"Jer," I called his name as he squatted in front of me, grabbing my arm gently.

"Are you okay?" He had a look of worry in his eyes, fear too. He looked scared, I watched how his eyes narrowed from my hands, to the broken shards and then to the blood on them, before it rested on the blood on my hands. I watched a frown replace his pursed lips and then his eyes changed. He was upset, I grabbed his arm immediately. I knew exactly what this was. I knew exactly what was going to happen if I didn't stop him.

"I'm fine." I told him. "It's just a small cut." I forced a smile, trying to pretend like my whole body wasn't aching. Jeremiah was barely listening to me. I watched how his eyes shifted to Christian who was still standing in front of the door. He wasn't trying to force it open anymore. He just stood there with his eyes on the door and the bat in his hands. He was still. I watched how he raised his head a bit and shook it slowly from side to side, flickering his tongue around his teeth.

"Where is he?" He asked Jeremiah, not bothering to look at us, "Where are you hiding him?"

Jeremiah got up immediately and then hurried to the door, and before I could even say a word, he placed a hand on Christian's shoulder and gave him a turn he didn't expect causing him to let go of the baseball bat. He grabbed Christian by his collar, glaring right into his eyes. I gasped, everything was happening so fast.

"Isn't it enough?" Jeremiah asked him. "Haven't you done enough? How many more people are you going to hurt? How many more people have to get hurt just to stop you?!" Jeremiah yelled at him.

Christian scoffed.

"Just what are you talking about?"

"Didn't I tell you? Didn't I tell you not to hurt the people I care about? Didn't I tell you I wasn't going to just sit and watch any longer? That I wasn't going to let you hurt anyone I cared about any longer?"

Christian grabbed Jeremiah's shirt too, pulling it just as much as Jerry was pulling his.

"Then you should have minded your business. You shouldn't have stolen from me. You should not try to stop me or take what's mine!"

"I never stole from you!"

"You stole Dad from the hospital and now you're trying to steal my company. Who said you could compete for CEO? Who are you to compete against me? Compete for my position? That seat is my seat, the title of CEO belongs to me! Who are you to meet with my board of directors and try to get their votes?! Are you stupid? Did you actually think you'd stand a change against me tomorrow? Do you think the board is ever going to let someone like you become CEO? I'm going to become CEO of Benoil tomorrow and do you want to know the first thing I'd do when I am, I'd take those shares Dad wanted you to have so badly, and then I'd make sure you never stand a chance at Benoil, I'd destroy you and anyone else that tries to stand in my way but first, first, I need Dad. Give him to me right now and I might actually forgive you for everything after I get what I want."

"Why? Are you scared?" Jeremiah asked him, letting a wry smile cover his face. "Are you scared that I might actually stand a chance tomorrow? Do you feel threatened? Do I make you feel so insecure? Are you finally worried that I might have brought the board to my side? Are you worried that after all your noise and sacrifices, after all your influence, the board might choose me tomorrow? Choose an illegitimate son, a total nobody over you? Are you scared that after tomorrow, everything you thought you were is going to become useless? That after tomorrow, you'd become useless?"

"Why you-" Christian let go of Jeremiah's shirt with one hand and with the other, he punched Jeremiah immediately, causing him to recoil. I gasped, placing my hands over my mouth. I tried to stand up but I just couldn't and it was frustrating. I watched Christian rush to him and grab him by his collar again.

"What did you just say to me?" He yelled at Jeremiah who raised his bleeding face to look at him. Christian had punched him so hard with his wedding ring that it left a small cut beside his left eye. "Go on, say it again." He told him. Jeremiah pushed him off but he drew back, preparing himself to punch Jeremiah again when Jeremiah caught his fist and before I knew it, Jeremiah gave Christian a payback punch that caused Christian to stagger many times, he walked to Christian before he got the chance to recuperate, pulled him to face him again and threw him yet another punch that caused Christian to fall to the ground.

I tried to move, I tried to stop them, to stop him. They were starting to fight, I watched Jeremiah get on top of him, trying to restrain him while he threw punches at the same time as fast as he could, Christian flipped him over and did the same thing. It was a mess and I didn't know what to do. I tried as hard as I could to pull myself from the ground till I was on my feet again, screaming both their names as I hurried to them. They had rolled themselves from the door to the center of the room, fighting fiercely. I had never seen such violence up front in three years.

"Stop!" I yelled at them. "Christian stop!" Should have seen the way Christian had managed to stay on top of Jeremiah, serving punches like he was determined to kill him while Jeremiah did all he could to push him off. Christian was strong, he was really strong. They both were but Christian had the advantage at that point. Jeremiah had blood on his entire face, Christian too. It terrified me. Were they trying to kill each other?

"Stop fighting!" I kept screaming. I didn't know what to do, I didn't know how to stop him. Jeremiah managed to push Christian off of him, causing Christian to fall to the ground, he managed to get up quickly, holding on to his sides like it was broken as he staggered as fast as he could towards the door, Christian got up too. Jeremiah picked up the vase beside the door and smashed it to the ground. It shattered immediately, into huge shards. I screamed as I watched him pick up the biggest shard while Christian reached for the base ball bat that had rolled behind him. He grabbed it on his right hand and held on tightly to it. They started to walk towards each other. They were really going to kill each other. I had to stop them from making the worst choices ever. If any of them were to use the weapons in their hands against the other, he was going to die instantly.

"Stop this for God's sake!" I yelled at the top of my voice as I jumped in their middle, keeping myself closer to Jeremiah which caused him to freeze the moment I did. I didn't even notice the door unlock. Christian on the other hand, he didn't care, he kept racing towards us, raising the baseball in the air so he could hit Jeremiah with it.

"Enough!" We heard a yell from behind us. A yell that caused everyone to freeze, including Christian. He came to a stop just a few paces in front of us. I turned quickly so I could have a good look at my Nanny who happened to stand right in front of the door, breathing as fast as she could with tears dropping from her eyes. She had her eyes on the scene and she looked just as frightened as I was. Anyone that saw what we were looking at would have felt the same way. She hurried to us as fast as she could then stood in the middle of all of us.

"Are you two planning on killing each other?!" She yelled at them both, looking at them one after the other. "Do you want to kill yourselves so badly? You both are brothers for God's sake!" Her voice was shaky and she had more tears falling from her face. The two people she was talking to kept glaring at themselves as she did. "You might not share the same mothers but you have the same blood running through your veins. How can you let hate control you so much? Are you trying to get me killed?! Are you trying to get me and your father killed?"

"Get out of the way." Christian warned her. "Get out of my way now so I can teach that boy a lesson!" He yelled at her as loudly as ever.

"He's right Mum, get out of the way." Jeremiah said. "This is between me and him. Don't interfere." She turned to Jeremiah immediately and slapped him. It made me gasp. Jeremiah placed his hand on his cheek. He couldn't believe it either, he lowered his gaze to her in shock and stared at her.

"Mum?"

"Fine." She told him. "Since you both have lost your minds, since you both are trying to kill yourselves, kill me first!" She turned to Christian. "You both are going to kill me first! I'd rather die than watch two brothers kill themselves!" She yelled. "Kill me!" She cried harder.

"Mum." I could see the sorry look in Jeremiah's eyes. Christian scoffed immediately.

"You think I won't?" He asked her  "You think I care about your silly crocodile tears?" He lowered the bat. "You need to stop with all your drama and stop acting like you actually care. Instead of crying, you should be ashamed of yourself." Nanny raised her head to look at him. "You're the reason all of this is happening. If you had just closed your damn legs in the first place, if you had not tried to take someone else's husband, none of this would have happened!"

"Don't talk to my mother like that." Jeremiah took a defensive step to him but Nanny held him back, placing a hand on his chest to stop him with the rest of her body facing Christian.

"Fine." She told him. "I accept that it's my fault." She said. "I'm the one to blame for this, I'm the one to blame for everything. Blame me, blame me and let your brother live. Hate me, hurt me and don't hurt your brother. My son didn't do anything. None of this was his fault. It's bad enough that you threw him away all those years, sent him away to suffer on his own all those years with no one by his side. How long does it have to go on? How long does he have to suffer for a crime that he didn't commit? Your father and I are to blame for everything that happened. We are the ones that sinned against you, we are the ones that hurt you, that hurt the both of you. Why do you have to harbor so much anger and hurt in your heart for eleven years? Why do you have to hate your own brother and make him suffer for eleven long years when all he has ever done is love you and try to make you forgive and love him back? What crime did he commit that can not be forgiven?" She dropped her hands.

"Take it out on me." She walked till she was in front of him. "Take me instead, kill me instead before you kill my son. Take all your hate out on me!" She stared into his eyes.

Christian was hesitating. My Nanny's words were getting to him, I could see it. He narrowed his gaze on her and then turned to me, to Jeremiah and then to the door before he returned his gaze back to her.

"You think I have the time for any of this?" He asked. "Get in here!" He yelled and in a few seconds,a few men in black suits started to walk into the house. I could count about seven of them as they walked towards him. More like personal guards. They all stood behind him. What was happening? Who were all those men and what were they doing inside? Jeremiah scoffed. It was like he knew exactly who they were.

"I'm here for my father." Christian continued. "All I want is him, I don't want to hurt anyone. Move out of my way. I won't go easy on anyone that tries to stop me."

The men got out their guns immediately and pointed it at us. I was frightened, my Nanny too, we quickly embraced each other while she pulled Jeremiah who didn't seem to be scared at all behind her.

"So what?" Jeremiah asked him. "You're going to shoot us now?"

"Not if you don't try to stop me from walking into that room."

"Has it gotten to that?" My Nanny asked him. "This is where your father lives. How can you walk in here with guns? How can you threaten the life of your father?"

Christian tilted his head a little bit to his side, he gave a signal and the men started to move forward. They were moving to the room.

"Stop!" We heard a loud voice from the door that caused us all to turn as a man in an expensive suit walked briskly into the house with a few men running from behind him.

Thank goodness. Back up had arrived, it took them so long. I let out a relief exhale as the men ran behind us, making a straight line in front of the door. They pulled out their guns too immediately at Christian and his men. Emmanuel walked to us and then bowed in front of my Nanny.

"Sorry we are late." He told her and then raised his head to Jeremiah.

"It's okay Manuel." Jeremiah nodded. The man slowly turned to Christian and his men.

"What is this?" Christian had a forced smile on his face. "You're going to stop me now?"

Emmanuel looked at him for a second, he had a huge frown on his face. He slowly turned to Christian's men.

"No one is allowed to get into the chief's room. We are here to protect him and everyone in this house based on the Chief's order. Anyone that tries to disobey this order or take one more step towards that door, my men would shoot immediately, no matter who it is." His eyes returned back to Christian who had disbelief in his eyes. "Ask your men to drop their weapons and exit the premises, please." He bowed to Christian.

Christian scoffed.

I looked anxiously. It didn't look like Christian was going to give in that easily. The men behind us cocked their guns, pointing it further towards them and in position too. They had to know that Emmanuel wasn't playing. Neither Christian nor his men moved a muscle. In as much as they were prepared to strike, Manny's men had the numbers.
He wasn't possibly going to jump into fire on his own, he was hesitating.

"This is not over." He had his eyes on us and then raised his head to Jeremiah. "I guess I'd see you at the shareholders' meeting tomorrow baby brother."

Jeremiah scoffed.

Christian turned back to his men. Let's go.
He ordered them. The men started to drop their weapons one by one, they obeyed him. Christian was the first to walk away and soon after, the men went after him.

My Nanny staggered back in relief the moment they left and Manny's men started to lower their own guns. I and Jeremiah caught her. She turned to Jeremiah immediately.

"Mum, are you okay?"
She held on tightly to his arm and then nodded slowly.

"I'm fine." She placed her hand on his face. "I'm sorry I slapped you earlier. Does it hurt?"

He shook his head.

"I'm fine."

"These men are going to watch guard from now on." Manny broke the silence as we all turned to them. "They are one of the bests and they would be in charge of protecting the Chief from now on. They won't let Christian or his men gain access to this building ever again."

"Thank you Emmanuel." Jeremiah told him. I slowly turned back to the door. I wasn't done yet. Everyone were too busy getting over what happened, they didn't watch me run out of the house. I had to catch up with him. I had to catch up with Christian before he left the house.

I ran outside.

I was right in time. Christian had not gotten into the car yet but he was about to. One of the men had opened the door for him to get in when I hurriedly ran to him, I stopped when they turned to me, making sure I kept a distance between us. I was still terrified of the man in front of me. Christian gave me all of his attention, he turned to face me fully, raising his brows at me. I swallowed hard.

"What is it?" He asked me, calmer than he was when he was inside the house.

"He doesn't hate you." I had no idea why I was blurting out those things or what I was doing there. This was my subconscious doing the most through my mouth. "Jeremiah, he doesn't hate you."

Christian exhaled. I could see he was tired of listening to me already.

"He's only trying to protect you. None of what happened in the past was his fault. No matter what it is that happened, no matter how you try to hurt him, he's never going to bring himself to hate you because you're the most important person to him. He's doing all of this because he still has faith in you. He still thinks you can change. It's not too late, it's not to late to be good, to be a better brother to him. I know he's important to you just as much. No matter how mean you are to him, no matter how you try to hide it, or hurt him, I know you care about him a lot more than you show it. He still has faith in you so it's not too late to show him."

"It's Kora isn't it?" Christian asked me. "Your name."
He had his eyes focused on me. I nodded my head.

"Yes."
He smiled and looked at the house. The wind kept pulling strands of my hair to my face and I kept pulling it back.

"I like you Kora." He smiled at me. "Maybe, just one day, we'd meet again, as friends perhaps. In a less frightening situation, who knows." He shrugged his shoulders and then turned around.

"Wait," I took a step but he got into the car and it closed. The men got into their cars too, I stopped trying to stop them.

They drove off.