Entranced (18 ) ✔️(A Nigerian...

By Obiajulum_

34K 2.7K 1.9K

Ijeoma sacrificed her youth and innocence to get the truth about her sister's death. She suspects a prominent... More

Author's Note
Prologue
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Fifty
Words From The Author
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Twenty Seven

590 43 17
By Obiajulum_


When they got to the restaurant, a waitress promptly showed them to their seats without even asking questions. Money was really magical, she mused. Kachi and Aria were already seated, and both looked to be in the middle of an argument. When they noticed their arrival, the couple stood up. Aria hugged her while Kachi and Zubby gave each other that one arm hug men loved. Then Zubby hugged Aria and Kachi smiled at her, no handshake, no hug. The man was something else.

Zubby pulled out her chair for her, making sure she was comfortable before grabbing his seat beside her. Ijeoma thanked him and smiled at Aria who was opposite her, her face looked worn, as if the argument they'd worked in on was taking a toll on her.

"You guys good?" Zubby asked, his gaze resting on the couple across. Kachi grimaced but gave him a nod.

"Chike and Ada will be here soon," Kachi supplied.

"They're not having dinner at the mansion? I was hoping we'd get to go there for dinner, I miss Mrs Nwafor's cooking."

"Apparently, her parents are commenting on how they're acting suspicious so they're coming out for a few hours, they need to breathe."

"Ijeoma, how was the journey here? First time flying?" Aria asked, offering a much better smile but the woman still looked uncomfortable.

"I travel a lot by air, but first time in First class. It was amazing. How are you though?" She nodded in Kachi's direction, her tone lowering. "Are you guys okay."

"We're good, just men being men." Aria waved at a waitress, signaling that the conversation was over and Ijeoma couldn't blame her, after all she was still a stranger to the woman.

The waitress arrived and took their orders, promising their food would be out in ten minutes. The men went back to conversing with themselves and Aria was playing a game on her phone.

Just as her thoughts began to drift, Chike and Ada arrived, setting off another round of greetings and hugs and handshakes. Chike hugged her before going to sit beside Aria and Ada took the seat beside her.

"I need a fucking drink," the woman sighed immediately her behind touched her chair. "My mother is something else."

"You can't drink," Chike commented, a frown on his face.

"I told you not to talk to me." Ada glared at her man. "All of this is your fault."

"Not you two," Zubby muttered underneath his breath but Ada heard him. She reached across Ijeoma's back and slapped Zubby's head. "Damn!"

"You guys should not try me this evening."

"What happened?" Ijeoma decided to ask on behalf of the rest of the group, hopefully the woman wouldn't smack her too.

"Chike can't keep his hands to himself, my mother has been asking all sorts of questions. I want to reveal this on my terms, but this man is making it impossible. It's because of you that I ended up pregnant!"

"Ada remember when you were sa—"

"Don't even finish that statement, at least you can drink."

"And what about you two?" Zubby gestured between Kachi and Aria.

"She doesn't want to get back on birth control," Kachi replied. Aria glared at her man but he couldn't see, his attention on his friend. "When Ada has her baby, you can hang out with the baby as much as you want, we already agreed on no kids for now."

"Don't drag my baby into your shit, I'm not having a child so your woman will experiment motherhood."

That stung and it wasn't even directed at her, Ijeoma mused. This was seeming like a bad night for everyone and her good mood started to decline.

"My baby is going to come out cursing like a tout," Chike groaned.

"My baby! You're not the one incubating her."

"Just the other day, you were cursing at me and blaming me for what my baby was doing to your figure."

"And who are you calling a tout? You cuss more than I do."

"Guys, can we all chill out?" Ijeoma found herself being the voice of peace in the group. "Let's just eat and have a good time, I'm sure with food in our bellies, there's not be much to fight about." She half expected one of them to bite off her head, because who was she to try to calm them down? She didn't know much about them.

"Why don't you tell us about you two? Surely we're not the only ones with issues."

Ijeoma decided to oblige them, maybe if she spoke more, they'd think of her as part of the group and getting close to them would be a plus for her. "Zubby got into a fight with my photographer today. I've never been so embarrassed."

"Oh my goodness!" Ada burst into laughter. "Tell us everything!"

Ijeoma grinned, launching into the tale of how wild her day was. Even grouchy Kachi started laughing by the time she was done and Aria was no longer frowning.

"I don't know why you're skipping over the important detail about you practically being in his lap," Zubby growled.

Eyes flew to her. "Really?" Aria queried.

"The man's hand was on my shoulder. Zubby is just exaggerating."

"Ah! A finished man," Chike teased, and the rest of his friends began ribbing him. "Now that you've officially been taken, how does it feel?"

"Can we fucking eat? I'm starving." Zubby frowned at his friends.

"Language." Ada slapped Zubby's head again.

"Now she cares about language," he muttered. "We ordered food for you, please focus on them."

Their food arrived and the group ate with quiet conversation, the tension in the air completely gone. Ijeoma couldn't stop the tiny bit of pride fluttering in her mind, she'd defused this particular bomb. It was almost like she belonged at this table, with this close-knit set of friends.

Zubby's hand found hers under the table and he ate with his left, taking the teasing comments from his friends  and Ijeoma couldn't help the smile. She'd never felt this contented or happy ever since her sister died. Those thoughts immediately froze her smile and she tugged her hand away from his. What was she doing? At this point, she was way off tangent from her goal and she needed to do something.

Zubby arched his brow in confusion, but didn't try to grab her hand again. He still ate with his left hand and kept his hand under the table but he left her alone. Her phone rang just then and she was glad that he wasn't holding her then, because if her pulling away didn't alert him, the way she froze up would have.

Why was Madam Ini calling her? After she'd walked out of the club weeks ago, she'd not planned on hearing from her again. "Excuse me, I have to take this," she announced to no one in particular and stumbled away from the table before anyone could say anything.

She made her way out and walked without much thought to a destination. She stopped in a stairwell and sat on one of the tiled steps. "I didn't expect you'd ever call me again," she said immediately she answered. She wasn't in the mood for any pleasantries.

"Are you that good an actress or did you really catch feelings for him?"

"What?" Her brows scrunched up in confusion as she looked around. "What do you mean catch feelings for him?"

"Or is it the other way round? Is he falling for you? Does he even know who you really are?"

"Madam Ini I don't have time for your mind games. What are you trying to say?"

"You looked cozy at dinner tonight. Don't you need to go back in? If you're gone too long he might begin to suspect you."

Her heart rate accelerated. Ijeoma rushed to her feet, her eyes wide as she frantically searched for Madam Ini. Had she followed her here? All the way from Lagos? Why? What could she possibly want with her? Ijeoma thought their business was done the moment she quit her job at the club.

"Are you following me? Have you been following me all along?"

"Maybe. How do you think Mr. Ejiofor would feel when he finds out exactly who you are and why you're with me?"

"Don't! You'll ruin everything I'm working on." Her voice was a strained whisper now and she was finding it hard to breathe.

"And what exactly have you been working on? To me it looks like you've forgotten who he is and you're busy falling in love." Madam Ini laughed.

"Madam Ini, what do you want? Why are you doing this?"

"I care about you a lot, my dear. Just like I cared about your sister. I just want to remind you of your goal because it seems you've forgotten. I feel pity for that poor sixteen year old that had come to me with so much pain and anger. If she sees you now, she'd be disappointed."

"Madam Ini please stay out of this. I promise I'm still on track. Let me handle this my way. Don't say anything to him!"

"No need to look so scared my dear. As long as you know what you're there for and keep your emotions in check."

"I promise it's not even like th—"

"Babe?"

"Oh God!" Ijeoma jumped. She turned to see Zubby walking towards her.

"Everything okay?"

"I guess that's my cue. Stay focused." Madam Ini hung up.

"Are you okay? Who's on the phone?" Zubby asked again.

"I'm fine, you just surprised me. That's all." She drew the phone from her ear and forced a smile for him. "Why are you out here? What about your friends?"

"You've been gone a while." He put his arms around her and began to walk her back inside. "Are you cold? Your skin feels cold."

"It's a bit cold out here but I'm good." She thought about going back in and putting on a face for him and his friends but she just couldn't do it. Not tonight. She'd gotten a harsh reminder of just who these people were and why she was with them. For a moment, she'd been blinded and had falling into a sense of belonging. Now that her blindfold was gone, she didn't want to be around them anymore.

She stopped walking, forcing him to stop too. He turned to her, his face wrecked with worry and asked, "are you sure you're fine?"

"Actually, I have a bit of a headache. Can I go back upstairs? You can get back to dinner."

"Yeah, sure. I will come with you. Let me just go in and grab our stuff and tell them. Wait here."

"No no. Just let me go up alone. I don't want to pull you away from your friends, especially not tonight. Ada and Chike are obviously stressed about tomorrow and something is going on with the other couple. They need their friend."

"Are you sure you're okay to be alone?"

"Yes I'm sure. Go be with your friends. It's just a headache. Please get the key and my purse for me. I'll wait here."

Zubby nodded. He shrugged out of his jacket and placed it on her. "I'll be just a minute."

She watched him leave and stopped herself from burying her face in his jacket. He smelled really good and the jacket smelled exactly like him. He was out almost immediately and he hugged her for a few seconds before handing over the key and her purse.

"I'll be up soon. Just lay down. Text me if you need anything."

"I'll be fine, thank you." She forced out another smile. Zubby kissed her forehead before sending her up and as she went, she couldn't stop thinking about how sweet he was to her. Where was the real him?



***

Biko forgive me for the delay o. I'm honestly trying my best.

Don't forget to vote and comment.

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