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"Just leave me alone!", he yelled at her  sending shivers to her.

Jasmine stood there awestruck at Emmanuel's attitude towards her.

After a while she gulped and nodded before she turned her back and started walking back home.

"I'm sorry", Emmanuel said making Jasmine to halt. "I'm sorry I spoke to you in that manner. I was just....just...."he stuttered.

"Just what,Emmanuel?", she asked turning to face him.

He ran his fingers through his hair breathing heavily. He used his hand to sweep his face. He swallowed harder. "I....I was just...jealous", he choked on his words.

"Jealous? Why?", Jasmine asked with a snort.

"Because....I...because...oh shit. Forget it", he replied with frustration.

"C'mon,Emma. What is it you want to say? Feel free and talk to me,you know how much I like and take you as my...."

"Brother?",he suggested with a scoff cutting her mid sentence. She nodded in response. "Of course,what else would you see me as? An ordinary gatekeeper who can never get to your class", he retorted.

Jasmine gasp in disbelief at his comeback and raised a brow. "Emma, what has come over you? Why you acting this way all of a sudden?", she asked confusedly.

"Because I've been in love with you for so long,Jasmine and now someone else has come to snatch you away from me!",he yelled with a flash of anger and hurt written all over him.

Jasmine was stunned as the flowers she was having on her hand fell on the floor. She stood there in a gape.

"Tell. Me. You're. Joking. Right?", she asked after the deafening silence.

"I guess its a joke to you. But to say the truth,I've loved you right from the moment I was hired by your dad to be your gatekeeper. I thought it was just mutual but I never knew it'll become more than mutual...", he paused and gulped sweeping his hand on his face.

"Emma...." She muttered his name and moved closer to touch him.

"I don't need you to pity me now. Its OK, I'm happy for you for having a man who really loves you and who you love too. I guess someday I'll find someone who loves me too. Although its hard to let go,but....I have to,after all letting go shows how much you love and care for that person's happiness. And most of all...you can never be with me because I'm a common gatekeeper", he added in a croaked voice.

"Oh my Emma!I'm so sorry,I wish you had told me earlier than now", she exclaimed with tears and pulled him into an embrace.

"Please this should be between the two of us. Don't let your dad,or anyone know about it. OK?", he begged after the long embrace.

"Sure. I promise", she replied.
***~~^****
Three days later,on a Friday evening, Camilla heard a knock on her door.

"That must be Sylvia", she mumbled to herself with smiles  and rushed to the door. Those smiles immediately ceased into a gape when she saw who was at the door.

"Hello,can I come in?", the lady who was at the door asked.

Camilla gulped. "Jas.....mine?", she muttered her name still in shock.

"Its me,mother", she replied with a smile.

Camilla eyes widened at her last word. "Mo...the...r?", she asked in a stutter.

"Surprise? Don't be,mother",she replied with a sigh. "Now,if you'd let me in I'll like us to talk", she added and waited for her response.

Camilla nodded nervously and made way for her to come in and then she shut the door.

"Hmm,you do have a nice place here", Jasmine commended looking around the sitting room.

"Thank..you. What can I...offer you?", Camilla asked nervously.

"Uhmm,nothing for now. Let's talk,maybe after then I can have something to drink", Jasmine replied.

"Uhmm... OK." Camilla said and stood where she was.

"Won't you sit? Its your house, feel free. Or are you scared?", Jasmine asked with a furrowed brow.

Camilla gave a nervous short laugh and answered. "No...i mean yes,I'm fine. I'll sit".

"Good. So,let's..."

"I'm really sorry. Please forgive me for what I did back then to you and your dad. Even if you don't want to accept me back into your life,please I'll only ask for your forgiveness,Please my child",Camilla pleaded going on her knees.

"C'mon,mother,that's not necessary for you to go on your knees,please get up", Jasmine replied helping her up.

"I don't mind to do anything just to gain your forgiveness", Camilla said not wanting to get up.

"Its OK, you can do anything but not this. Please just get up. I've already forgiven you even before I came here", Jasmine replied.

Camilla raised a brow at that and stared at her daughter. "You...wh..at?", she stammered.

"I've forgiven you,mother. You're my mother and I don't like keeping grudge because it eats me up. So,you're forgiven", Jasmine said with smiles.

Camilla started with a small smile that widens to a grin. "Can I hug you?", she asked and Jasmine nodded immediately. She pulled her daughter to an forever hug. "I miss you so much my princess. You don't know how much I've missed you. I cried everyday for leaving you that way,but I was too selfish to come back to you. I'm. So. Sorry. My. princess", she said with sobs on her daughter's neck.

"I. missed. you. so. much too,mum", Jasmine replied sobbing as well.

"I'm ..so ..sorry. Please.. forgive...me for leaving... you...at..such..a.. tender age",Camilla said between sobs and hugged her tight.

"Its...OK..mum...I've forgiven you", Jasmine replied between sobs as well.
*
"What's going on here?", a voice startled them after several minutes they've been like that in an embrace.

Camilla and Jasmine gaze fell on Sylvia who has bashed in on them few minutes ago.

"Mum,what's going on here and who is....Jasmine?", she answered by herself on glancing at Jasmine with a puzzled look.
"What the hell are you doing here?",she snapped with a scowl.

Jasmine glance from Sylvia to her mum. Her mum stared back at her with a gape not knowing what to say. Jasmine opened her mouth but words weren't coming out.

"Have you suddenly become dumb?", Sylvia snapped glaring at her.

"Yes....I mean...no", Jasmine stuttered.

"Then pray tell why you're at my house and how do you even get to know my house?....oh..I forgot...your lover told you. That being settled, why are you here? You came to bribe my mum for stealing Ray from me or what?", she said as her gaze bored on Jasmine.

Jasmine gulped. "Uhmm...I didnt come to bribe your mum...I..I was about leaving when you came in", she said getting up from the couch.

"Really? You were about leaving?", Sylvia asked with a snicker and Jasmine glance at her mum before she nodded.
"You liar! I saw you two embracing each other and crying. What was that all about?", Sylvia snarled walking up to her but was blocked by her mum when she almost reached Jasmine.

Sylvia stood there with furrowed brows given her mum a quizzical look. "Oh...looks like you're protecting someone here,mum. I never knew you've gotten another daughter just this few weeks I've been away. Is that how you got me replaced so soon?", she asked.

"No,my child,I never got you replaced. I'll never do that", Camilla replied.

"Then what is she doing here,and why were you two embracing each other like that? Except you two are having an affair and I caught...."

"Shut up Sylvia! Stop talking nonsense! Jasmine is your elder sister!", Camilla yelled spilling out the secrets.

Sylvia became dumbfounded at hearing that. She stared at her mum like she just grew another face that was different from the one she was use to. After a minute, she started laughing.

Camilla and Jasmine stared at her wondering what was amusing to her.

"Pardon me. But can you repeat what you just said?", Sylvia asked after her laughs subsided.

" Jasmine is your elder sister. I had her with the first man I got married to before I met your dad and got you",Camilla replied.

Sylvia amused expression switch to that of bewilderment.
"No", she said shaking her head in disbelief.

"Yes, sweetheart", Camilla replied and stretched out her hand to touch her but she flinched back.

A sudden heat broke on her forehead and her vision started getting blur as she kept staggering backwards.

"Sylvia? Are you OK?", Jasmine asked worriedly walking towards her.

"Don't dare come....", Sylvia trailed off as her body landed on the floor.

"Sylvia, Sylvia. What's wrong? Wake up", Jasmine shouted in a worried tone as they both rush up to her.

"Sweetheart please wake up",Camilla said tapping her cheek. "Please get me cold water from the fridge", she instructed Jasmine.

Jasmine stood up and did as she was told.
*****
"Buddy, I'm sorry for betraying your trust. I never intended for it happen", Louis said to his friend as they sat in the bar.

"You're sorry indeed", Ray replied as he took a sip from his bottle of Heineken.

"Yes I am. Please forgive me", Louis begged.

Ray stared at his buddy for some seconds and said. "OK. I've forgiven you", and he continued with his beer.

"Is it coming deep from your heart,buddy?", Louis asked seeing his friend's expression.

"Yes. Of course. I've forgiven you", Ray replied.

"But why is your face that way if you've forgiven me?",Louis asked again.

"My face? What way?", Ray asked curtly.

"You see. That way. Buddy,you know what I'm saying. You're not being free with me like before and yet you say you've forgiven me", Louis replied with a sad face.

Ray gulped the content of beer in his mouth before he responded.
"Because I'm mad at you. I'm mad at you for trying to play with Sylvia's feelings again. Even if she was trying to get back at me by having sex with you, at least you wouldn't have give in but you did,bro,you did", Ray said with a scowl taking a long sip.

Louis smiled. "You're wrong my buddy", he replied.

"I'm wrong?", Ray asked with a raised brow.

"Yes. You're wrong because I'm never gonna play with her feelings", Louis answered.

"Indeed?", Ray asked with a raised brow.

"Yea,indeed. Do you know why?", he asked.

"Why?", Ray asked in a nonchalant way.

"Because I'm so in love with her", Louis replied.

Ray who was having a content of beer in his mouth choked on it and started coughing.

"Hey,easy. Do you need water?", Louis asked tapping his friend's shoulder.

"No..I'm fine", Ray replied calming himself.

" you're good now?",Louis asked again.

"Yeah. I'm fine", Ray replied. "You just said something before I choked on my drink. Do you mind repeating it?", he added.

"Oh yes. I said....I'm so in love with Sylvia. She brings happiness to my world. I don't know how it all happened but I found myself in love with her", Louis said with a wide grin.

Ray sat there gaping at his friend. He couldn't belief his ears. "You mean you're in love with the Sylvia I know of?",he asked again to be sure.

"Yes,buddy. I am. Surprise huh?" Louis replied.

"Yes...surprise", Ray answered.

"I know right", Louis said with a chuckle.

"What about Sylvia? Is this a one-sided love or both sided?", Ray asked clasping his hands and rested it on the table.

"Its both sided, buddy. She also confessed her feelings of love to me as well", Louis replied with all smiles.

"Woa! This is unbelievable!", Ray exclaimed with a gasp.

Thanks for reading!

Love❤💙
Equila73