Meanwhile, Mrs. Akpan went to her room, sat on her bed, shook her head as she tried to contain her anger. She was physically shaking. She was so furious. Wale who was already dressed sat beside her on the bed.

“Linda, please let me explain.” he said softly.

She shot up from the bed and pointed to the door.
“Get out! Get out of my life and stay out!”

“Linda please.” he pleaded going on his knees.

She gave him a sound slap. “I said get out! Do you want me to call Segun to throw you out? Get out! Go and look for a young person to play with. Isn’t that what you want? Young flesh?”

“It’s not like that, Linda. She came on strong. You know I’m a man. I couldn’t resist her. Please.”

“Didn’t you for once think? Didn’t you realize you wanted to sleep with my own daughter?”

“Please. It was just a moment of weakness.”

“If you could have a moment of weakness with my own daughter then I wonder what you’ll do with young girls I don’t even know.”

“Please don’t talk like that. I promise you it will never happen again. Please.”

“Of course it will never happen again. I won’t allow it.”

“Please.”

“For the last time, get out of my house!” she yelled.

“Okay but I’ll be back.” he said standing up.

“Don’t ever come back.” she firmly told him.

“Please Linda don’t do this to us. Please I love you. I truly love you.” he pleaded passionately.

“O please! Spare me!” she waved her hands in exasperation “For your information, it was just an experiment. I wanted to get my daughter’s reaction at having a man in my life and being a caring mother. Haven’t you been asking me out for almost a year now? I decided to say yes to you the week I knew she would be coming here. I wanted to see how having a man in my life and showing her emotion would affect her. I read it in an article in a foreign magazine.

Now I know what would have happened all those years ago had it been I decided to date men. I thank God I didn’t because you fickle creatures wouldn’t have been able to resist her youth and beauty and she would have slept with them just to spite me. I’ve disowned the ingrate. Let me see how she’ll live without my financial assistance. I'll stay back and enjoy watching another phase of her life unfold. And of course, I’ll have the last laugh as usual.

As for you, you’re of no use to me anymore. You’ve overstayed your welcome in this house. Get the few belongings you have here and leave. Don’t come here again if you don’t want to be embarrassed by my gateman.”
That said, she laid down on the bed and opened a magazine even though she was still shaking with anger. She placed a hand on her left breast as she felt palpitations. She hoped she wasn't about to have a heart attack over these useless people.

Wale gathered his things and walked out of the room dejected. He walked to his car shaking his head. He knew he should have confessed to being the one who had tried to force Oleng to have sex with him but he wanted to continue coming back here to beg her. He needed her financially. He was bankrupt and she was filthy rich! He hit the hood of his car. He had made a mess of things. Poor Oleng, he thought.

Nice story and I'm loving it

princesa: Nice story and I'm loving it

. Tanx dear

Wonderful work, I have been overlooking the thread for days but couldn't resist any longer.

beautiful story, waitn for more

Waiting!!!!!!! Nice story dear

ADUKKY: Wonderful work, I have been overlooking the thread for days but couldn't resist any longer.

. Rily? Tanx 4 checking it out!

Aliyuozioma: beautiful story, waitn for more

. Tanx dear. More coming up now

almacherish: Waiting!!!!!!! Nice story dear

. Tanx dear

Happy Sunday everyone! Sory 4d late update. Bin busy.

Poor Oleng indeed. For she was walking down the lonely streets weeping. It was already dark. She wondered where she would go. Going down to Zinny and Marvy’s side of the estate was quite dangerous. It was quite a distance from there and totally at the other end of the estate which wasn’t quite safe. The closest place was Dave’s but she thought of how it would be going to stay with him because he was alone at home. Since she didn’t have many choices, she decided to go down there. She didn’t care if people talked because she didn’t have a boyfriend or parents to upbraid her.

To confound things, it started raining. She wept anew when she passed Eric’s house. It would have been the best place for her to go had things been different. She was soaking wet by the time she got to Dave’s house. She knocked briskly at the gate. The gate man was surprised to see her in such a state when he had admired her beauty when she had been there some hours back. Unfortunately, Dave was not at home. He had seen some friends off to Abuloma in his dad’s car some minutes before she came. She had to wait in the gate man's small gate house an hour before he came. She was shivering from the cold and wet dress because she didn’t have a change of clothing since all her clothes were wet in her wet box. Dave jumped out of the car when he saw her from the car’s headlights.

“Jesus Christ! What are you doing here, Oleng?” He knelt beside her when she sat on the steps, still shivering.

“My….Mrs. Akpan drove me out of her house.” she shivered.

“What?” he shouted. “Like this? In the dark? In the pouring rain? How could she have been so wicked?” he raged.

Oleng burst into tears for an answer.

“What was I thinking asking you all these questions outside? Please come in.” he helped her up and opened the door. He led her to the sitting room and made her sit.

“You need a hot bath and a change of clothes. Hold on. I’ll be right back.” he left her and went upstairs to put on the water heater. He came back and led her to his sister’s room where she had a hot shower. She changed into his sister’s clothes that he had given her.

When she went downstairs, she discovered that he had gone to a fast food joint to get them food and drinks since he couldn’t cook. She was touched but she didn’t feel like eating even though she hadn't eaten since breakfast. He had to beg her profusely before she decided to eat not to hurt his feelings. After a few spoonsful of fried rice, she couldn’t take it anymore. She burst into tears. How could her own mother have said such things to her?

Dave sat by her and consoled her while she told him everything that happened.

“You mean she actually said all those heart rendering things to you? Her daughter?” he was bamboozled.

Oleng raised her tear stained face. “She’s no longer my mother. I’m an orphan now.”

“O Oleng! I’m so sorry.” He held her again feeling her misery.

“It’s okay.” She sniffed. “I’ll get over her. I just need to get out of town now. I can’t stand this place any more.” she lamented.

“It’s alright. We’ll leave first thing tomorrow morning.”

“What about the things you wanted to clear?” she asked concerned.

“Forget about them. I can always do them some other time,” He waved it off nonchalantly. “I’ll take you to Calabar tomorrow.”

“Oh! Thank you so much, Dave. You’re a friend indeed.” she hugged him again as tears dripped from her eyes.

“It’s no big deal. Please stop crying. Things will turn out fine. Okay?”

She nodded her head slowly. “Okay.”

Dave played music and movies to cheer her up. When she got tired, she went to his sister's room to sleep. She had a restless night. She kept dreaming of her mother insulting her and Wale trying to rape her. She woke up early the following morning. She was appalled to see that her clothes were not dried and she had nothing to put on; her undies were dried though. She sat on the bed in a despondent state and was about crying when she heard a knock on the door. Dave came in with a nylon bag.

“Good morning.” he cheerfully greeted.

“Good morning.” she tried her best to be as cheerful but failed.

“I brought you some clothes. I don’t think your clothes got dried. It rained throughout the night.”

“Thanks but I don’t think I can wear your sister’s clothes home.”

“They’re not hers. I went to a boutique to get them just now.”

“You did?” she was shocked.

Dave looked at the floor. “I knew your clothes wouldn’t be dried and you wouldn’t want to put on my sister’s clothes to Calabar. So I decided to get you these. I know they might not be the sort of clothes you’re used to wearing in terms of quality but it’s just for a few hours. At least until we get to Calabar.” he explained slowly.

Oleng got up from the bed and hugged him. “Thank you very much. I don’t care if they are rags. I really appreciate the gesture. And as for my putting on quality, don’t you think I should start getting used to not putting them on anymore, now that I’m an orphan?” she said on a sad note.

He shook his head sorrowfully. “Get dressed and join me for breakfast before we leave.”

“Don’t tell me you’re going to cook.” she teased.

“It’s just bread and tea and fried eggs.” he shrugged.

“Please don’t fry the eggs.” she pleaded grinning.

“Okay. I’ll boil them then.”

“Don’t do that either because it is going to be either half cooked or over cooked. I don’t want to have runny stomach while traveling.” she teased again.

“Come on, Oleng. I’m not such a bad cook.” he protested.

“Really?” she said with doubt.

“Really. I’ve boiled eggs before.” He defended.

“And?”

“First was half cooked. Second was over cooked. Third was perfect.”

“Fourth?”

“We’re about to find out.”

“I’ll keep my fingers crossed.”

“Please do because I don’t want eating my food to be a harrowing experience for you.” he jeered

She laughed heartily. He was pleased to hear the musical sound. “God help me.” she said before he left.

She looked at the clothes and discovered it was a beautiful dress top and jean trousers. After taking her bath, she tried them on and was surprised to see they fit snugly on her. She was proud of Dave for being accurate at guessing her size. She put her wet clothes along with others in the box and rolled it down the stairs. She was glad his family was not around because she wouldn’t have been this free.

“You look good.” Dave complimented when he saw her.

“Thanks to you.” she replied.

“Breakfast is ready.” he declared smiling.

“Help me, Lord.” Oleng prayed jocularly following him to the dining room and they both laughed.

Fortunately the eggs were properly boiled and she praised him. He smiled happily. After breakfast, he brought down his bag and they left in one of his father’s cars. His whole family where in Abuja where they went for the wedding of one of their relatives. He had been lucky to meet them at home because he arrived a day before they all left. He left the house key with their trusted gateman who was more like a part of the family than a worker; having worked for them for so many years. Oleng tried desperately not to look at her house when Dave drove past it. Tears welled up in her eyes. She shook her head. It wasn’t her house anymore. Dave drove at a sedate pace to Calabar.

It was early evening when they got there. He drove straight to her Aunt’s place. Her aunt was surprised to see them but thanked him profusely for bringing her niece home. Dave left after promising to visit the following day.

When Aunt Vien asked her why she had returned so early, with tears Oleng told her everything that transpired between her, her ex-mother and her lover. Aunt Vien actually wept when she heard what her sister did. Oleng then asked her about her father. Aunt Vien told her everything. How her mum and dad had had a drunken one night stand which had resulted in her, how her mum had lost her fiancé and how she refused to marry her dad at first, how she had finally persuaded her to marry him, how her dad had died, how she, Vien had breast fed her and taken care of her till she was two years old. Oleng wept bitterly when she finished.

“So she hated me even from the womb. But tell me, was it my fault? Is it my fault? I didn’t ask to be given birth to. I didn’t!” she yelled still crying.

Her aunt held her and wept with her. It took a while before Oleng finally stopped weeping. She was moody for a whole week. Not even Dave could cheer her up. She continued weeping. She wept for her mother, she wept for the love she never had from her and mostly she wept for her late dad who she felt would have loved her immensely.

When her aunt couldn’t take her moody nature anymore, she traveled to Port Harcourt to speak sternly with her sister.

“How could you?” she didn’t even waste time with pleasantries when her sister led her into her luxuriously furnished living room.

“How could I what?” Linda asked nonchalantly and sat down while Vien remained standing.

“How could you throw your only child out in the dark and rain like that because of a man?” she raged.

“Oh!” Linda chuckled. “Was that what she told you? Did she tell you what she did with the man?” she enquired sweetly.

“She didn’t do anything with him. He was the one who couldn’t keep his zip up.”

“Was that what she told you? I know what I saw.”

“You don’t know anything. You don’t know anything about your daughter so you were wrong to jump into conclusions like that.”

Linda got up in anger then. “What did you expect me to think about a girl who not only had sex at the young age of fifteen but got pregnant also?”

“You know that was a mistake she regretted bitterly. She changed after that. I should know because I have lived with her for over six years now. She has not had a single boyfriend since then. Her friends even complained to me to talk to her to have one or go to a convent.”

“Oh! That was just pretense. Did you follow her every movement? Did you know what she did when she was not with her so called friends?”

Vien looked at her in disbelief. “Why are you so bent on thinking the worst about your own daughter? You’ve never for once showed her love!”

“I buy her clothes and jewelleries. I stuff her account with money.”

“Do you think money is everything?”

“O please! As if you all haven’t been living off my money. Aren’t you paid peanuts at your job?”

Her sister was flustered for a moment then she asked, “Have you ever hugged your daughter? Have you ever told her you love her? Have you ever sat down with her to discuss things?”

“And you’ve done that Saint Vien?”

“Yes. I’ve done all that and more.”

“Yet your own daughter still got herself pregnant out of wedlock.” she harshly told her sister.

Vien was floored for a moment at her sister’s wickedness. “Yes. She got pregnant because she wasn't with me. She was with her dad when she got pregnant.”

“Pity then. Please Vivien. I don’t want to quarrel with you over an unworthy child. Just let me be.” she sat down in exasperation.

Vien was quiet for a long time. “I’ll let you be alright. This is the last time you’ll see me. If you could do all that to your own child whom you carried for nine months, then you can do worse to me who is just your sister. All Oleng ever wanted from you was love even if it was just the size of a mustard seed. She's in Calabar weeping for the loss of her dad who we both know would have treated her like a princess. She calls herself an orphan. You’re a big disgrace to motherhood. I regret having you for a sister.” she yelled.

“Go ahead. Blame me like everyone does. I’ve been lonely for years but no one ever took notice. I would have been married to my first and only love but for her and her father.” she recalled bitterly.

“Then must you blame her for the rest of her life and yours? She’s just a victim of circumstance. She came into this world innocently. Blame fate, not her.”

“She’s a big disappointment to me. She’s still gullible to men.”

“You’re one bitter cynical old woman.”

“Thank you very much for the compliment. Now leave my house. Like you said, I don’t want to see you again also. I’m sick and tired of you all.” she pointed at the door.

“You’re sending me out of your house?” Vien was stunned.

“Yes and never come back. So she has poisoned your mind against me, ehn? Your one and only sister.”

“Is she not your one and only child also?” Vien lashed out.

“Not anymore. I‘ve disowned her.”

“You’re so foolish.”

“Thank you but leave and never come back and quit behaving like a saint. You have your own dark secret.”

Vien froze.

Linda smiled. "You haven't told her your little secret, have you?"

Vien shook her head slowly in sorrow.

“You can't tell her, can you? You can't face the risk of her hating you, can you? You know she’s very passionate. She does things to the extreme. She loves passionately and hates passionately. Are you willing to risk her finding out your dirty little secret, Saint Vivien?” she jeered.

Tears rolled down her sister's eyes. “One day, I'll summon courage to tell her and I pray she forgives me.”

“Very unlikely.” Linda laughed. "Now leave my house."

Vien cleaned her tears. “I’ll leave but know that you will regret this as long as you live. You’ve just disowned your only family; your daughter and I because of a stranger. Well, good luck but don’t expect to hear from me again.” she firmly told her sister and left the room abruptly.

Linda Akpan just sat there smiling. Perfect! Things were going as planned. Her fight with her sister would make the latter not come begging when she saw they needed her help. She would see how they’d survive without her. She believed they would regret their actions but pride wouldn’t bring them begging. Afterall, she had been their sustenance all these years.

She shook her head in disappointment. Oleng was still a fool. She was still gullible to men. Instead of avoiding hurt by being like her; swearing off men after what that half caste did to her. She shook her head in disappointment. She however smiled. If Oleng thought this was the end of her controlling her life, she was dreaming.

Devil! That's who Linda is, a devil!

Linda is a devil in human's form,so bad even to her own daughter

d woman is soo wicked I cnt believe it. btwn nyc story waitn for more update

Hahaha! U guys shdnt judge her too harshly sha. She's being moved by bitterness

CHAPTER SEVEN

Oleng wept anew when her aunt told her that her mother had thrown her out also. When she finished weeping she resolved never to waste a tear on her mother. She completely wiped her out of her mind and life. She started life afresh without her.

Life was now quite difficult without finances from her mother. The school aunt Vien taught in hadn’t paid her in months because the proprietress was bankrupt. She had no reserved money because she had used it in paying the house rent and Emem’s upkeep. Emem’s dad had disowned her because of her pregnancy so the burden of her going to school and upkeep had fallen on aunt Vien’s shoulders and she also had to take care of Emem’s child. So they were practically living from hand to mouth. Oleng would rather die than beg Dave for money. She pretended to him that everything was alright knowing fully well that if he found out they were having money trouble he would want to help, after all he was well paid. Oleng felt like a burden to her aunt. She wanted to look for a place to move in to but that would require money also. Her results were not yet out so she couldn’t get a good paying job. She however got a job as a receptionist in a small firm. The pay wasn’t much which was twenty thousand naira a month but at least it helped to put food on the table. Her aunt was very grateful for her contribution. Oleng tried very hard not to regret wiping her mum off her life because of their present situation.

When she had enough money, she sold off all the jewelleries and clothes her mum had bought her. She sold off everything that reminded her of Mrs. Akpan as she now called the woman who used to be her mother. The money she realized from the sale was huge and she wondered what she would do with it. She wanted to give aunt Vien but she refused. She wanted to give it to her for Emem’s child but her aunt refused again. She was bent on not using the money, after all it was Mrs. Akpan’s. When she was tired of thinking of what to do with the money, she went to the bank and opened an account with it. She saved the money there and forgot about it not minding the fact that she was cutting her nose to spite her face.

Life continued even though it wasn’t as rosy as before. She now wore second hand clothes otherwise known as bend down select or okrika which she got from Watt market. She stayed months before making her hair. Her beauty was what made her not to look plain in her new mode of dressing.

When it was time to go for service, she was posted to Cross river state; her own state. She wondered at the luck she had. After orientation camp and everything, she was posted to a bank in Calabar. Her Aunt was very happy that Oleng wasn’t leaving after all and fortunately for them, the bank was not too far from the house in MCC road. Oleng was more than overjoyed. She wondered at the stroke of luck but thanked God nevertheless for the umerited favour. She started working in the bank with great zeal and before long she was a favorite there what with her beauty, her industrious nature and all.

She and Dave were still the best of friends and after a while both Zinny and Marvy came for a visit. They stayed a whole week and had great fun with Oleng and Dave. They wished they would be posted there because Calabar was indeed a beauty to behold. They visited the famous Obudu cattle ranch and marveled at the beauty and serenity of the place. They took a lot of pictures. They also went to Tinapa. Dave gave them suya treats at Bogobiri corner and took them to Freddies and Chinese restaurant.

Before they left, they told her they were positive that Dave was madly in love with her. She denied it saying he had never given her the impression before. They argued about it and told her to tell them the minute he proposes to her. She had shoved them to the door laughing and saying they were dreaming as she followed them to the park to take ABC transport back to Port Harcourt.

Nevertheless, she began watching Dave closely yet he treated her like his sister. She was however amazed when she introduced him to Jenny and Debbie as her ‘big brother’ and he gave her a sharp look. They had teased her that he was probably ‘the one’ but she had vehemently denied it laughing. He had been very quiet throughout the encounter and even on their way home. She had asked him what the problem was but he had said nothing. She had shrugged it of nonchalantly but continued to watch him closely.

They went out one weekend to Freddies restaurant and as they were eating, Collins her former course mate approached their table.

“Hi Oleng.” he heartily hailed.

“Hi Collins. My God! It’s been a while.” She was beaming.

“Yes. It’s been a while. You still look as beautiful as ever.”

She laughed. “You’re not looking bad yourself.”

“Is this your boyfriend?” he asked looking at Dave who was watching both of them.

She laughed again and without thinking said, “Of course not. He’s just a friend”

Dave gave her a stunned look as his jaw dropped. Oleng fell silent. She knew she had made a slip.

Pls,wen is d next episode cumin out

Mercyesse: Pls,wen is d next episode cumin out

Please calm down, say thank you for the ones she has given us first.

Why is Oleng even so nice to Collins? Mtchew, stewpeed dude.
Dave, pls voice your feelings to her, n hope she accepts you.

Dear Audrey, I'm so in love with your work n your consistency. Thank you so much.
Btw, you know we can never get tired of reading it. So, if u can give us another update(s) it wud be duly appreciated

Mercyesse: Pls,wen is d next episode cumin out

. Soon my dear

Mercyesse: Pls,wen is d next episode cumin out

. Soon dear

bibie01:

Please calm down, say thank you for the ones she has given us first.

. Lol! Tanx dear

bibie01: Why is Oleng even so nice to Collins? Mtchew, stewpeed dude.
Dave, pls voice your feelings to her, n hope she accepts you.

Dear Audrey, I'm so in love with your work n your consistency. Thank you so much.
Btw, you know we can never get tired of reading it. So, if u can give us another update(s) it wud be duly appreciated

. Awww! Tanx 4 ur swit comments. U r wecome dear. Update in d nxt 30mins

I think its time 4 me 2 comment,u av a nice write up here.keep up d gud work.....i hope collins wont come to propose to oleng dat will be foolish of her if she agreed

Holubunmi: I think its time 4 me 2 comment,u av a nice write up here.keep up d gud work.....i hope collins wont come to propose to oleng dat will be foolish of her if she agreed

. Tanx dear. I hpe e won't com 2 put sand sand in Dave's garri 2

hmm dave should better do something before collings grabs his meat from his mouth.
I must say ur r talented timms, ur art of discription is perfect. Keep it up.

Incredibleme: hmm dave should better do something before collings grabs his meat from his mouth.
I must say ur r talented timms, ur art of discription is perfect. Keep it up.

. Tanx dear. Tanx 4 following also

Sorry 4d delay guys. Netwrk decided 2b bitchy bt I've dealt wit it

Audrey nau, u xed 30mins n its over 30mins Please nau, I want to be d first ti read it.

“Hi. I am Collins.” Collins quickly said to cover the silence, stretching out his hand."

Dave.” Dave replied shaking his hand.

“Well, Oleng. I don’t mean to disturb but please can I have your number? I really would like us to get together some time. At least for old time’s sake.”

“Sure.” she quickly said and rattled off the numbers which he saved in his phone.
He flashed her with his and she saved it in her phone too.

“I’ll see you around. Take care” he said and left.

There was a deafening silence when he left. Oleng didn’t know what to say. She knew she had hurt Dave's feelings. She heard him chuckle and looked up.

“We’ve known each other since when I was in SS1 and you JSS3. How many years is that? Over eight years and I’m still just a friend to you.” he bitterly told her.

Oleng was lost for words. “Dave, please I’m sorry. I don’t know how those words came out but I didn’t mean them.” she rapidly told him.

“Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh.” he calmly told her.

“That’s not true…..I mean I didn’t mean it. It was a slip. Of course you’re more than just a friend to me.” she told him with desperation.

“Really?...And oh! Before I forget, you also said, ‘Of course not’ when he asked if I was your boyfriend. Is the thought so appalling? Is the thought of being your boyfriend so horrifying to you?” he threw at her with fury.

She couldn’t utter a single word. She knew she had badly hurt him. She looked down at her plate.

When he couldn’t bear the silence any longer he stood up. “I’ve lost my appetite. I am going home.” He paid the bill and left.

Oleng sat there thinking. She tried imagining what Dave was thinking. After all he had done for her, it had really been unfair of her to vehemently deny being his girlfriend and at the same time say he was just a friend. She slowly got up from the table and went home.

She knew Dave was really angry with her when he didn’t call her for a whole week. When Saturday came and he still hadn’t called and wouldn’t pick her calls, she decided to go to his place. She hoped he would be around because he sometimes went off shore. He would have told her if he was going there as he usually did but then again, he was upset with her. She hadn’t been to his place before in Grace Edet Crescent but located it easily. He had pleaded with her a number of times to come to his place but she had always given him one flimsy excuse or the other. She wondered why she had done that now. Dave wasn’t bad looking. He was a very nice and caring guy. He was going to be rich considering the job he had now but she just didn’t feel anything for him.

She remembered what Zinny and Marvy told her. Was it true? Was he really crazy about her? She promised herself to find out during her visit. She knocked on the door quietly. She knocked a second time before he came to open the door. He was shocked to see her. She was equally shocked to see him only on boxers. This was the first time she had seen him bare chested. He had little chest hair.

“Oleng! What are you doing here?” he asked when he got over his shock.

“Isn’t it obvious? I came to see you.” she informed him smiling.

“Really? Please come in.” he said joyfully and made way for her to come in.

Oleng marveled at the beauty of the sitting room at the three bedroom flat.

“Please take a seat. What can I offer you?” he said lowering the volume of his home theatre system.

She slowly shook her head. “Nothing. I’m okay.”

“Oleng! This is the first time you're here after much persuasion. So you must take something.”

“Okay then. Any soft drink will do.”

“Soft drink coming up.” he said like a waiter.

She softly laughed and he went inside to get it. When he had gone, she quickly took his phone that was on the table and scrolled through the call log for her number. She was shocked to see that he had saved her name as ‘My only luv’. So what Zinny and Marvy said was true. Dave did have deep feelings for her.

Oleng, why? Why did you give collins ur number? Well, change ur sim cos I don't want collins calling you n give Dave a chance.

Nice one Audrey, thank you. GoodNight.

Thank you Audrey