Thompson ran after the moving vehicle, shrieking like a lunatic. He didn't know what just hit him. It took him a few minutes to acknowledge he had just been ripped off. Wrapping his hands around his waist, he nodded his head in contempt and sat next to a gigantic fence outside. He couldn't report to the cops or inform anyone what happened.
"Where do I go from here? I don't even have a dime on me right now. What do I tell my daughter? How will she respond to the devastating information?” Facing the sky, Thompson besought silently in a faint tone. He got so engrossed in his thinking and napped outside, unbothered by the scorching sun melting his skin.
"What are you doing here?” A passerby woke him.
"I'm good,” replied Thompson. He yawned and stood up.
"I need to call my daughter immediately. She must be concerned about me,” ransacking his pocket for his phone, he screamed. He immediately went cold after he realized his phone was gone.
"Can I please use your phone?” Extending his hand, he pleaded with the stranger.
“Sure,” the stranger responded and carefully observed Thompson until he was done talking to Sophia. She tried reaching out to her father countless times, but he wasn't reachable.
Knowing how hurt she would get, Thompson lied about a different event and she believed him.
He returned the phone and appreciated the stranger. He stood up, on the verge of departing, when he spotted a poster for a Job Vacancy. His face was beamed with joy after reading the job notice. He landed a soft knock on the gate and was attended by the gatekeeper.
“Hi, there. I saw a job Vacancy posted on the wall. Can I please come in for the interview?” Happily, he requested.
"And you're?” After the cross-examination, the gatekeeper asked.
“I'm Thompson. Can I please come inside for the interview?”
"Where are your qualifications? This is a reputable organization. We don't employ everything that breathes,” he rudely answered. Thompson wasn't bothered. He knew without his qualifications, a situation like this was bound to happen.
"I was robbed of my valuables while coming. Please—let me in. I need this job to stay alive. I can't even go back home.” he pleaded, still, the gatekeeper shunned his tears and asked him to vacate the premises.
Aware it was his only shot at life, Thompson refused and tried to force his way inside the company. Despite being twice as old as the gatekeeper, he found his way inside and created a scene.
“I'm not leaving this place without getting a job. Y'all don't have the slightest idea what I went through today. You will need the intervention of the cops to get me out here,” he sat on the floor and caused a commotion. His voice got so loud and got the attention of the CEO, who invited him to the office. Like a thief, Thompson was dragged to the CEO's office.
"I heard about your heroics in my company. You don't even look fit to work. You're so unkept,” the CEO taunted Thompson's appearance and completely condemned him. He swallowed the insult and didn't fight back. He was determined to get the job. The abusive words meant nothing to him. After realizing that Thompson had come for a peace talk, the CEO marveled and ceased shouting.
"Quite impressive for someone who was humiliated. I bet a few people would have smashed my head with a bottle. But you are different. What kind of human are you? What's your name?” Flabbergasted by Thompson's patience, the CEO was compelled to ask.
"Thompson Smith. from Living Faith Arena, Mississippi. I got robbed of my valuables while I was coming. I lost everything. I need this job badly,” he narrated with confidence.
"Did you just say cornerstone? This is Unbelievable! Thompson, it's me. Don't you recognize me anymore?” The CEO's eyes widened as he stood up and moved closer to Thompson.
"I can't seem to recall your face. Sorry, have we met before?”
“Don't be so ridiculous. It's me, Duncan. Your best friend, in the hood. We mutually agreed to allow our kids to get married to each other in the future. Have you forgotten?” Duncan reminded Thompson and refreshed his memories. They were best friends and often considered twins by everyone. Not even their parents could separate them from each other. While they were kids, they both made a pledge that would allow their children to get married to each other in the future. Unfortunately, they lost contact and parted ways after graduation. Unlike Thompson, Duncan has become wealthy and owns Supreme Group, one of the largest beverage companies in the state.
"Good to see you again. I could barely recognize you. You look good! A lot has changed about you. Can't say the same for me. Please help me with this job. My daughter needs it,” Shamed at himself, Thompson faced the ground. He still can't fathom how Duncan acquired such massive wealth. Back in school, Duncan was the dumbest.
"Come off it. What happened to you? You were the most brilliant champ in school. You even help solve my math. We've got a lot to talk about. I see you now have a daughter. Great! I've got a son, too. Two handsome sons. Our vow still stands, right? I'll tell my son about it, while you go back home and notify your daughter. Don't worry about your stolen phone and cash, I'll replace them.” Dipping his hands inside his drawer, Duncan brought out his checkbook and wrote a check for $500k.
"Take this. I guess it'll be sufficient to solve whatever issues you have,” he slipped the check to Thompson, Pam.
"Is this a joke? Please stop it. I hate being pranked,” he withdrew his hand and rejected the check. Everything is happening so fast.
"Of course, not. Go on, take it,” Duncan insisted and forced the check on Thompson's palm again. Astonished by his benevolence, Thompson went on both knees and displayed his heartfelt gratitude to Duncan. He'd never seen such an outrageous amount in all his life.
"How can I repay you for this act of generosity?”
"You don't have to. Just go home and rest. I can imagine what you've been through.” Duncan responded as they both had a lengthy conversation and laughed at each other's jokes. They also reminisced about the good old days. After an hour of mind-blowing conversation, a thought smashed Thompson's mind.
“I am a bit worried about my daughter. I doubt if she'll accept our demand. Nonetheless, I've got a solution,”
“Really? Let's hear it!” Duncan consented.
“I'll go show this $500k to my daughter at home and lied you lent me the loan with the condition that she must marry your son until I'm done repaying it. What do you think?” Thompson suggested.
“That's a brilliant idea. But I doubt if $500k is enough to convince her. Hold on a sec!” Duncan halted and wrote another check of $1 million.
“I think this should be enough to arrest her conviction,” Duncan smiled after handling the check to Thompson.
“Wow!” Thompson smiled. It all feels like a dream to him. He took the check. They spoke a bit as Thompson was accompanied by Duncan himself as he exited the office.
**********
Sophia screamed from her room to let Johnson make love to her. She covers her mouth to prevent the scream from alerting the neighbors.
.
Just when Sophia thought she was having her best moment, her father walked inside the house and called her out.
“My father is back. What do we do now? If he finds you here, he'll kill the both of us,” Sophia tossed off the bed and shivered like a hen drenched by the rain, Johnson leaned forward, yearning for more.
"Are you dumb? Can't you see my father is back? Do you want to get me into more trouble?” she slapped and pushed him away.
“Ouch, you don't have to do that. So what do we do now?” Caressing his chin, he bemoaned.
"Don't be silly. I don't want to believe you've got nothing inside that big head of yours. I don't want my father to find you here. We should think of getting you out of here before he walks inside,” She whispered. Her head is spinning already. She could barely think straight to come up with a solution."And I asked us not to make love here. We could have just gone to your place. Now see the mess you caused me.” She blamed Johnson for what was happening."Enough with the self-pity. It wasn't my fault. Don't act like you didn't want it, too. If you were so serious about this, you would have declined. But no, you jumped on the bed and consented.” he clapped back and taunted her. Leaning forward to her room door, Thompson called out again, this time, screaming out his lungs.“Sophia, I know you're in there. Why are you not answering? I've been calling for over an hour. I need you downstairs this minute. Are you trying to play a prank on me?”Making an indistinct chatter, Sophia ordered J
Fabio caressed his cheeks in anger and returned to his room only to find Nikki packing her stuff and set to leave the house."What the heck are you doing here, man?”"I presume you're not blind, are you? I overheard everything your father said to you. I'd rather sleep in my apartment tonight. I can't stand the heat,” Nikki wailed as she attempted to exit the room with her luggage."We can still discuss this, right?” he pleaded and grabbed her box."There's nothing to discuss. Didn't you hear the conditions? You'd be stripped of your inheritance. You're not that stupid to choose me over fortune, right? What I don't understand is why your Dad keeps controlling you as if you were a kid. I can't take this. I'd be back when the drama ended. But right now, I'm out of here.” She wept like a child and departed. All efforts to make her stay proved abortive.The damageThe relationship saga hit Sophia so hard and pierced her heart like a dagger. She got carried away and forgot where she was."G
Fabio and Sophia's tense stare-down seemed to stretch for an eternity, each harboring their secrets and resentments. The air in the room grew heavy with unspoken words, suffocating any chance of reconciliation.Duncan, Fabio's father, shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his eyes darting between his son and his potential spouse Sophia. He had hoped their first meeting would lead to a pleasant acquaintance, but the palpable animosity between them left him bewildered."Do you two know each other?" Duncan's voice broke through the silence once again, his tone tinged with a hint of desperation for answers. He had sensed something amiss from the moment they laid eyes on each other.Fabio's jaw clenched as he weighed his response, grappling with the tumult of emotions swirling within him. Sophia's mere presence stirred memories he had long buried, memories of a past he wished to forget."Is she the one I'm supposed to marry?" Fabio finally spoke, his voice laced with uncertainty as he tried t
CHAPTER 6Acceptance Sophia opened the door of the office, her movements graceful yet purposeful, and stepped out into the corridor. Fabio followed closely behind, the weight of their shared history hanging heavy in the air between them."So you're the one I marry?" Fabio's words cut through the silence like a knife, his tone laced with bitterness and resentment. "Your poor wretched family wants to reap where you guys didn't sow."Sophia stopped abruptly, her heart pounding in her chest as she turned to face Fabio. The hurt and anger that had simmered beneath the surface for so long threatened to boil over, her emotions raw and unfiltered."How dare you?" she seethed, her voice trembling with barely contained fury. "You think you can just waltz back into my life and pass judgment on me and my family?"Fabio recoiled slightly at the venom in Sophia's words, the sting of her rebuke cutting deep into his wounded pride. He had never intended to hurt her and had never imagined that his wo
Duncan led Fabio back into his office, the weight of their earlier conversation still hanging heavy in the air between them. He gestured for Fabio to take a seat in one of the plush armchairs arranged around the ornate coffee table, the rich mahogany furniture exuding an air of old-world elegance.As Fabio settled into his seat, Duncan crossed the room to the well-stocked bar nestled in the corner, his movements deliberate yet unhurried. With practiced ease, he poured two fingers of whiskey into a crystal tumbler, the amber liquid glinting in the soft glow of the overhead lights."Here you go, son," Duncan said, his voice gentle yet firm as he handed Fabio the glass. "A little something to take the edge off."Fabio accepted the glass with a grateful nod, the cool surface of the tumbler soothing against his clammy palms. He took a sip of the whiskey, relishing the smoky warmth that spread through his chest, momentarily chasing away the lingering shadows of doubt and uncertainty."Thanks
Sophia trudged up the front steps of her family home, her mind still reeling from her encounter with Fabio in Duncan's office. As she reached the porch, she found her father sitting in his favorite wicker chair, a newspaper spread out in front of him."I miss the good old days of mail and paper news," he remarked, his voice tinged with nostalgia. "You kids don't know what you're missing."Sophia offered her father a small smile, her heart heavy with the weight of the day's events. She sank into the chair beside him, the worn wicker creaking softly beneath her weight, and let out a weary sigh."How did it go?" her father asked, his gaze gentle yet probing as he studied her face for any signs of distress.Sophia scoffed bitterly, her frustration bubbling to the surface like a pot left unattended. "That son of a bitch," she muttered under her breath, her words dripping with venom. "That entitled prick."Her father's brow furrowed in concern at her outburst, his eyes searching hers for an
Fabio stood in his sleek, modern kitchen, the aroma of simmering marinara sauce filling the air, he couldn't shake the feeling of unease gnawing at his gut. Tonight was the dinner date with Sophia, an event his family had been eagerly anticipating for weeks. Yet, despite the excitement buzzing around him, his mind was elsewhere, consumed by thoughts of Nikki.Nikki, his fiery and passionate lover, had dropped a bombshell on him just days ago: she claimed to be pregnant with his child. The news had sent shockwaves through Fabio's carefully curated world, shattering the illusion of control he had worked so hard to maintain. Now, as he diced onions with mechanical precision, his thoughts were consumed by the impossible choice looming before him.On one hand, there was Sophia, the woman his family had chosen for him, the embodiment of everything he was supposed to want in a partner. She was refined, elegant, and came from a respectable family with a long-standing relationship with his own
Sophia's phone buzzed softly on the bedside table, drawing her attention away from the turbulent thoughts swirling in her mind. With a heavy sigh, she reached for the device, her heart sinking as she saw Fabio's name illuminated on the screen.Reluctantly, she tapped on the message, her eyes scanning the contents with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation. What she read made her heart sink even further."Your dress will be sent to you and a chauffeur to pick you up at 6 pm tomorrow."Sophia's lips curled into a scowl as she read the message, her frustration bubbling to the surface like a simmering volcano. How dare he presume to dictate her schedule and make decisions on her behalf without so much as a word of consultation? The audacity of the man infuriated her to no end."How can I marry such a guy?" she thought bitterly, her mind reeling with indignation. "He has no manners, doesn't know how to treat a lady."With a flick of her thumb, she composed a terse reply, her fingers flying