#unedited
^^ CLIFFORD’S CONDO ^^
As soon as he stop the car, Susie got out of the car wanting to leave but Clifford got to her on time, he lifted her over his shoulder once again, taking her into his condo.
“Put me down Clifford! This is manhandling” she yell, hitting his back and he didn’t let her go until they were in his room.
“Manhandling my foot. Have tried the reasonable path with you Susie but you keep bringing out the unreasonable side of me!” Clifford said.
“So, refusing to be in a marriage is being unreasonable?” She yelled in return.
“We both know that it’s not about our marriage, it’s about something else which you aren’t telling me” Clifford said in return.
“That something else as you call it is that I don’t love you anymore, I don’t love you and I want to get a divorce” she said turning to leave but he wrap his arms around her from behind.
“I love you, I love you Susie and I don’t want a divorce” he said softly.
Susie stood still, holding back her tears. She won’t cry in front of him, she won’t cry and let him see how weak she is.
“Fine then, It’s your call. Instead of letting me go, you choose to keep a woman who doesn’t love you by your side” she said, pulling out of his arms to stare at him.
“You will end up letting me go when you realize I no longer love you. I will be staying in the guest room, do me a favour and stay away” Susie said and left the room.
*****
<< BAR >>
“Here’s your margarita ” The flirty waiter said as he handed Nina her drink but she was deep in thought to notice his flirting.
She sip her drink, checking out others in the bar. She notice Stanley seated alone at the bar counter like her.
A smile lit up her face and bracing herself, she went to join him.
“Hello? Are you here alone?” She ask as he stare at her.
“What do you think? You here alone too?” He ask Nina who nodded in return.
“Stanley, I know you h@ťě me for everything that has happen. If I didn’t interfere, Susie and you might have been together, I really regret it” Nina said.
“I know. I was a bit harsh to you, am sorry” Stanley apologise both being friends again.
“I came here tonight to finally tell myself that Susie is gone. You blame yourself for meddling with Susie and Clifford life but what you don’t know is that it’s their destiny to be together and even without your meddling they would have gotten together somehow. And so, this toast is to Susie and Clifford, they deserve all the happiness in the world” Stanley said gulping down his wine.
“What about you? You deserve happiness too” Nina said, taking hold of his hand.
“I know you might h@ťě me for saying this but I never stop loving you. My feelings for you are genuine and it always will be” Nina added.
He stared at her, not saying a thing. Feeling nervous by his intent gaze, she let go of his hand and was about to pick up her glass when he suddenly drew her to him, capturing her lips in his.
When they both pulled away, breathing heavily, Stanley said.
“You don’t mind if we find somewhere more private?”
“I don’t” Nina said, licking her lips nervously.
Hand in hand, they left the bar to somewhere more private for the night.
******
<< NEXT DAY ~ HOPE ELDERLY HOME>>
Tamara was waiting at the hospital cafeteria when Jennifer join her.
“I heard you are looking for me? Do I know you?” Jennifer ask taking a seat.
“You don’t know me but I know you. Am Tamara Knight, Clifford Knight sister” Tamara introduce herself.
“Oh, you are the sister to my daughter husband” Jennifer said, taking hold of Tamara hand.
“It’s so good to finally get to meet one of my in law” Jennifer added.
“I wouldn’t say the same, Mrs Graham” Tamara said, wiping her hand with a tissue.
“Am not here to bond with you as in law. Am here to ask how much it will cost to get you to help me break your daughter and Clifford apart” Tamara said.
“What!”
“Will half a million do? What about hundred or is it a billion you want? Name your price and I will give it to you” Tamara said.
“You must be mad to think I will accept your filthy deal” Jennifer yelled at her.
“But it’s money we are talking about and I know that you love money a lot. You were even going to sell your daughter off for…” Tamara words were left unsaid as Jennifer threw a glass of water on her face.
“You are right! I love money but you made a mistake by thinking you can tempt me with it and why would I make a deal with you when have got Clifford as my son in law. He’s the real deal here since he’s the one in charge of all the million and billion you are mentioning. I can easily get a trillion from him, so your million and billion are worth nothing. Get a rag to wipe your face, your make up is smudge and it makes you look horrid” Jennifer added before leaving the cafeteria.
“Do you want me to go after her?”Chen asked.
“When she’s gone? You should have tried to stop her before she threw the water on me” Tamara snap at him.
She push past him and was about to walk off when Marco approach her.
“Here is something you can use to dry your face” he said.
“I don’t need your…”
“I suggest you take this from me. Who knows, I might have juicy info for you about Susie” Marco said catching her interest.
She took the wipe from him and began to clean her face.
“Would you like to talk in my office. Am not a bad guy, am actually a doctor ” Marco added.
A while later, Tamara sat still, reading a folder over and over again.
“Is this for real?” Tamara asked.
“It is” Marco answered.
“Then I don’t have to do much” Tamara said.
“That’s if she dies but if she doesn’t die, you will need to sit right” Marco said.
“I doubt if she’s going to survive ”
“Never say never” Marco said in return.
“Then how about you do something for me and I pay you handsomely for it, what do you say?” Tamara ask deviously.
“As long as it’s a billion we are talking about then am in ” Marco replied.
*****
<< MARTHA HOME >>
Martha has just end the call with Susie when she heard the door.
On opening the door there was her daughter Anna and the chauffeur.
“Why is she back? She’s meant to spend the weekend with her father” Martha said to the chauffeur.
“Well, Mr Edward insist I bring her back to you. You can call him for more info” the chauffeur said before leaving.
“Mommy” Anna sudden tears got Martha kneeling in front of her, they were both still standing by the door.
“What’s wrong sweetie? Did your father scold you?” Martha asked.
“No. Daddy has another woman, I saw him kissing and hugging her” Anna said.
“You might have seen things wrong…”
“No! I didn’t see it wrong. I ask him about her and he said he’s going to marry her since he loves her. I wanted you and daddy to get back together but with that lady in the way, it’s impossible” Anna said, sobbing harder.
“It’s okay sweetie. Some things are not just meant to be” Martha said trying to soothe her daughter.
When she finally stop crying, Anna pulled back to stare at her mom.
“If Daddy can get another woman so can you. I don’t want you two together anymore, I want you find me a new daddy” Anna said impulsively.
“Then you don’t mind me being one, right?” Adrian said as he stood outside the door starring at Anna and a surprise Martha.
*****
<< CLIFFORD CONDO >>
Susie was still in bed when she heard the door to her room open.
“Am off to work, I made you breakfast and…I will try to come back home early and don’t you dare run away cause I will find you till the end of the earth if I have to” Clifford said by the door way.
When she said nothing, he left just as she got a call from Martha.
“Am just seeing your message, Is it true?” asked Martha.
“It is. I have few months left to live” Susie said.
“What cancer is it?” A sobbing Martha asked.
“Kidney cancer. The doctor said it’s hard for me to get it treated since it’s in stage four and….”
“You have cancer?”
Hearing that question, the phone slip out of Susie hand and slowly, she turn to see Clifford standing by the door way, watching her.
➳ TBC ➳💙🤍🧡