Now That You Are Here – Episode Twelve (A Tale Of Deception, Betrayal And Murder)

It was three days since his meeting with Damilola, Muyiwa was lying down on the sofa of his apartment with Halima watching the news when a knock sounded on the door.

“Who is looking for you at this time of day? It’s almost 8pm.” Halima grumbled, lifting her head from Muyiwa’s chest.

“I don’t know. Check the door, I am sure it is one of those neighbours or something. Sorry dear, just get the door.”

Halima stood up with a pout and was about to walk towards the door when he pulled her back and planted a kiss on her lips.

“Let go of me,” she giggled girlishly.  Muyiwa smiled to himself, wondering how lucky he was to have a wonderful woman. Thank God the situation with Damilola has been put under control, he thought to himself.

After the s3x and the heat of unadulterated passion had blown over, he had tried talking with her in the most reasonable tone he could muster and surprisingly, she had been calm and nodded with a dreamy expression on her face. He was surprised that she would keep to her word and she had even offered to cook for him before he left. For the remainder of his visit, they talked about life in general and he felt assured that he could still have the old Damilola back.

Maybe she isn’t as bad as I thought so he had agreed that she could attend the wedding since she seemed to have now given her full blessing.

“This came for you,” Halima’s voice brought Muyiwa out of his reverie. She handed him a brown envelope and his frown must have shown his surprise as he collected it from her.

“I wasn’t expecting any delivery. It has no name on it. Are you sure it is for me?”

“Yes, the person said for Muyiwa,” she shrugged, walking away.  “I need to start dinner if I am going to get home early today.”

He opened the envelope and dipped his hand inside, bringing out a compact disc. He looked at it with a puzzled expression on his face and went into his bedroom to get his laptop. His blood ran cold when he saw the too familiar room of Damilola come on the screen and a few seconds later he and Damilola appeared.  He watched in horror as their last encounter played on the screen and for a moment his heart stopped beating. He quickly shut the laptop in fear.

Damilola made a s3x tape? My God! His hand was shaking as he quickly removed the disc from the laptop and picked up his phone.

***

“Have you gone nuts Damilola? What is the meaning of this nonsense, why are you out to ruin my life? You have to stop this madness Dammy.” Muyiwa paced the room angrily and hit his left fist into his right palm to curtail his frustration. Upon seeing the video, his first thought had been that someone was trying to blackmail or expose his affair with Damilola and he had tried to maintain his cool until Halima left. He was however shocked when he called Damilola and she calmly informed him the video was from her.

“I am not your toy to be used Muyi. You have to learn that. A copy goes to Halima if you threaten to end what we have again. Trust me when I say I am doing this for the both of us. It for our sake. We have something good together. Why throw it away?”

“Can you listen to yourself talk? You sound like a lunatic? What happened to you! Damilola you have to stop this, you can’t do this. It is absolute madness. Nothing but pure madness.”

“So now I am mad as well? Good night Muyiwa. I love you.” With that the line went dead.

He had thought of rushing to her place that very minute but something in him told him to wait till the following day. Maybe he could still reason with her and not act like she had him but staring into the beautiful face of Damilola now, he felt like wringing her neck.

“How can you be so cold Damilola? What sort of demon has possessed you?”

She sat there with a nonchalant expression on her face, looking at him like and watched him rant. Muyiwa cursed himself for the umpteenth time for having gotten himself into this.

“What exactly do you want Damilola? I can’t marry you for sure, I love Halima and she is going to be the mother of my child. This new you is just so strange, how can you be so filled with hate as to go to this extent?”

Damilola scoffed, disdain in her eyes. She stood up and went over to the drink cabinet.

“Who said anything about marriage? Don’t flatter yourself Muyiwa, I wouldn’t marry you even if you were offered on a platter of gold…”

“Then what the hell is all this about” Muyiwa interrupted angrily. “We had a freaking good time, let it go dammit!”

Damilola’s eyes narrowed into slits.

“What I want is very simple, despite your marriage to your Miss Perfect; we are going to continue us. This is not over until I say it is, you can’t just waltz into my life like some prince charming come to rescue the damsel and then plunge a dagger into my heart a second time, that is cruel. You are the monster not me. You don’t act the hero when indeed you are the villain that is nothing but deceit and betrayal of the highest order.” She took a sip of her drink.

“You knew there was no future in this for us Damilola. I didn’t mean to get involved with you but it happened. We are both grown adults to be able to move on.”

“The heart wants what it wants my dear, and this girl’s heart is set on you.” She moved close to him and tried to lay her head on his chest. He pushed her back and stared at her with venom in his eyes.

“You can’t ruin me Damilola, this madness is going to stop. I am going to tell Halima all of this myself.”

***

 “I am sorry Halima, I just couldn’t hold it back anymore, I tried to tell you the other day at the restaurant, that was why I asked to see you then.” Anu said, consoling the weeping Halima.  Halima’s tears were coming down hard and fast, making Anu question the logic of her action. She had not been able to hold it back anymore and she had finally spilled the truth.

“You should have told me sooner Anu, I understand you were trying to keep your friend’s confidence but what about me? What about what they were doing to me? What about…” Halima’s voice trailed off and she started crying. Anu hugged her close, not knowing how to console her.

“What is going on here?” Muyiwa asked as he entered the room.  Halima raised her head up, her face was tears streaked.

“How could you Muyiwa?” She flew at him in rage. She slapped him on the face and pushed him violently. “How could you? I trusted you! You were everything to me! Was there something I wasn’t doing right? I defied my family for you. You are nothing but guttersnipe, a lowlife rat rat!”

Muyiwa didn’t need to be told what she was talking about. He deflected her next blow and pulled her to him.

“I can explain Halima, just listen to me, please.”

She wriggled out of his embrace.

“Get out now! I don’t want to see you Muyiwa, get the hell out of my house,” she screamed.  Muyiwa tried to protest but Anu pleaded with her eyes for him to leave.

Taking an exasperated breath, Muyiwa walked out of the house. His world was crumbling around him and it was all because of one person, Damilola.

To Read Episode 13 CLICK HERE