● A WEEK LATER ~ XAVIER’S APARTMENT ●

After clearing the dirty dishes, Sally made way to Xavier who was busy with some paperwork.

It’s been a week now and though she told her mother that she will find evidence against Desiree, she hasn’t even begin and that’s mainly because she hasn’t tell Xavier about her plan.

Whenever she brings it up, she just can’t seem to tell him cause she doesn’t want to hurt him by telling him horrible things about his grandmother but if she doesn’t do it, Desiree is bound to get away with her evil deed which is unfair to Sophia.

“Can I have a word with you?” Sally ask, earning his attention.

“Can’t it wait?” Xavier ask, giving her a pleading look.

“It can’t and I need to tell you this before I get cold feet about it” Sally answer quickly.

“Fine then, come tell me” he said, motioning her to seat beside him which she did.

“Take a look at this” Sally said showing him the letter the unknown man had given May and her colleague.

She watch him read the content before setting it aside.

“What does this mean?” Xavier ask, turning to her.

“It says that your grandmother ki||ed Sophia, her stepdaughter”

“That’s impossible. Though I don’t remember much about my aunt, I do know that she ki||ed herself. She went mad and committed suicide”

“That’s what Your grandma made everyone believe but she really ki||ed Sophia” Sally told him.

“Do you have any evidence to back up your words aside from this anonymous letter?” Xavier ask.

“I don’t and that’s why I need your help in getting the evidence. If your grandma really ki||ed Sophia then it’s unfair to the dead Sophia”

“My help? You aren’t getting it. For one, I don’t believe that my grandma ki||ed Sophia and I know that Desiree is cruel and manipulative sometimes but she isn’t one to ki||” Xavier said, getting off the sofa.

“But….”

“End of discussion Sally. She might have been a cold and heartless woman but she is my grandmother. How can you suggest that I do that to her?” Xavier ask, silencing Sally.

“Then do you think we should let this matter slide and let Sophia murderer go scot free? All am asking is that we get evidence and if it turns out that your grandma did it then….”

“Enough Sally! Enough!” He said suddenly, his voice coming out thunderous.

“No more talk about this and I will pretend you never said it, okay!” He added and when she said nothing, he went upstairs.

Ever since their marriage, this is their first fight and it’s all because of Desiree and Sophia.

Sally took in a deep breath when her phone beep of a message.

★ OUT CLUBBING AND AM TOO DRUNK TO DRIVE, CAN YOU COME HELP A FRIEND? ★

★ SORRY CLAIRE , BUT I CANT, WHY DON’T YOU JUST CALL A DESIGNATED DRIVER ★

★ DON’T TRUST THOSE $h|t. SEEMS LIKE I WILL HAVE TO DRIVE MYSELF AND I WAS HOPING WE COULD GET TOGETHER AGAIN SINCE IT’S BEEN SO LONG ★

★ FINE THEN, TEXT ME THE ADDRESS★

A while later, Sally left a note on the fridge for Xavier, explaining her outing with Claire.

She would have love to tell him herself but he might still be angry.

It was well into the evening when Sally got to the club in one of the car Xavier bought for her.

She walk into a crowded room and when she fail to find Claire, she called but there was no answer.

“Did she leave already?” Sally mutter as she turn to leave only to collide into someone.

“Sally” Adam call, his arms around her trying to steady her.

Ever since the anniversary night, Sally hasn’t seen him.

” Hello Adam. I came here to see Claire, do you know where she is?” Sally voice came out very loud and that’s due to the loud song played by the DJ.

” Claire left some time ago. Had to call the driver for her” Adam said.

“Oh, then I should leave too” Sally said but Adam stop her.

“Don’t! Stay here and keep me company, please”

“Am sorry Adam but I….”

“For old times sake. Okay, if you can’t keep me company then share a drink with me, please” Adam plead again trying to get her to stay.

Sally knew that if she didn’t agree, he wouldn’t let her go and so she decided to just have one drink with him.

The whiskey given to her was quite strong and it taste a bit weird.

Does whiskey taste like that? Sally thought as she put the glass down and stood up.

“I shared a drink with you like you want and so, I have to leave” she said, staggering as she took a step.

“Just one glass and you are drunk. Seat here, let me take you home”

“Yo….you don’t need to” Sally said, her words slurring, her head spinning.

“It’s not a problem. I will run you home in your car and come back for mine, you definitely can’t drive like this. Just hand over your car keys” he said and slowly she pull it out of her pocket and gave it to him.

And that was the last thing she remember before dozing off.

******
Xavier descend the stairs, his anger having dissipate.

Sally had gone far by claiming his grandmother is a murderer but he had gone far too by yelling at her.

They’ve never argued before and since he knew that he is the one who lost his temper, he decided to apologise.

On getting to the sitting room there was no sign of Sally except for the note she left on the fridge.

Xavier called Sally through a video call but there was no answer.

He was about calling again when she called him through a normal call.

He didn’t have on his hearing aid and so, he decided to send her a text.

★ WHERE ARE YOU ? ★

★ OUT WITH CLAIRE. DON’T WAIT FOR ME, I MIGHT BE LATE ★

Xavier muse on this message, wondering where Sally had gone to with Claire when Genova called.

He didn’t want to answer but she might be calling for work cause after all she’s part of the company now.

Reluctantly, Xavier put on his hearing aid before answering.

“Guess who I just saw?” Genova ask down the line.

“Am not in the mood for guessing games. If you won’t talk then it’s best we….”

“Sally. I just saw your wife going into an hotel with a man”Genova said quickly.

“What did you just say?”

“You heard me and if you don’t believe me, you should come take a look” Genova reply and end the call.

A while later, she send him the hotel address with a little message.

★ SEEMS LIKE YOUR WIFE IS SEEKING FOR ATTENTION OUTSIDE ★

That got Xavier leaving the apartment and straight to this so called hotel his wife is.

“I knew you will come” Genova said, walking towards him the moment he got out of his car.

“Where are they?” Xavier ask, his voice ruffled with anger.

“I took the liberty of getting the info from the reception desk. Follow me” Genova told him as they made way to the lift which took them upstairs.

“They are in here” Genova said, slipping the card key into the lock.

The door open and there was no sight of anyone in the sitting room except for male clothes and Sally’s clothes which were tangled up on the floor.

“They made quite a mess ” Genova mutter as Xavier made way to the bedroom.

He open the door to find Sally sleeping in the arms of Adam.

Adam woke up at Xavier arrival but Sally didn’t.

“See! I told you that she’s cheating on you” Genova said with triumph.

“What’s going on?” Xavier ask, his gaze on the sleeping Sally.

” I hope you don’t get mad but Sally and I have been….together ever since your marriage. We didn’t want you finding out like this but now that it has come to this then it’s time to tell you the truth” Adam said, sitting up.

“Truth that you two are cheating on me?” Xavier ask.

“Not cheating but if you want to put it that way then it’s your problem” Adam said softly.

“Why isn’t she waking up to tell me this herself?” Xavier ask.

“She’s a little drunk. We were at the club before coming here and after our…after what we did together, she’s exhau….” Adam didn’t get to complete his words cause Xavier gave him a punch which got him hitting his head on the bed rest.

“What the hell is that for!” Adam ask, getting off the bed while clutching his jaw and head.

“You know, there’s a limit to your nonsense and this have gone far as it can for you two” Xavier said, pointing at Genova and Adam.

“What do you mean by that? Don’t you believe me? I clearly saw them coming in together” Genova said.

“Together? Why not just come out and say the truth or do you want me to guess it myself?” Xavier ask waiting for them to speak and when they said nothing, he began to talk.

“Sally went out after getting a call from Claire then somehow she ended up with you who probably gave her a spiked drink and then you brought her to this hotel, a hotel Genova payed for. You put her on the bed after discarding her clothes then you do the same and waited for me to arrive with Genova, right?”

“He wasn’t suppose to know that?” Adam mutter at Genova who push him away from her.

“Xavier it’s not what you think. Sally is really….”

“Enough! Have heard enough of your lies. Do you really think am a fool? Sally never calls me through a normal call, she only calls me through video call or message me but whoever was with Sally’s phone made her mistake of calling me through the normal call and Genova. When we were coming to this room some minutes ago, the receptionist never gave you a card key but miraculously, you had it with you when we got to the door. I have no doubt that the room was bought by you just to achieve this goddamn scheme of yours!” Xavier yell at them.

“Xavier, give me a chance to explain, I just….”

“Save your explanation. All I want you to do right now is to get out and that goes for you too!” He said to Adam who quickly left the room followed by a reluctant Genova.

Xavier let out a sigh and sat on the bed starring down at his wife with love and tenderness.

******
● BROOKS RESIDENCE ●

“Come in, Miss” The man who had brought Lucia to see Teddy urge her into the house.

Lucia had been a bit reluctant when she had first got a visit by this man but when he told her that it’s a matter of life and death, Lucia agreed to see the man called Teddy Brooks.

“If you will wait here, I will go bring my boss” the man said just as another man appear, a more older man.

“Am here already, don’t bother” Teddy said, taking a seat while starring at Lucia.

“You must probably be wondering why I called you here?” Teddy ask, going straight to the point.

“I will be lying if I said no” Lucia reply softly.

“I will get straight to point then. Do you know Sophia Landon?” Teddy ask and immediately Lucia stood on her feet.

“If it’s about Sophia then I know nothing” Lucia said quickly, turning to leave.

“I know you know Sophia. She wrote to me about you years ago, when she was at the hospital, she mention that you were one of the nurses who took care of her before she gave birth to our child” Teddy said and that made Lucia stop.

“Please, I need to know what happen to the child she gave birth to. When I return to the city, Sophia was dead and there was no trace of our child, tell me what happen to her?” Teddy ask, his eyes filled with pain.

Lucia swallowed hard before turning back to Teddy.

“The child Sophia gave birth to….died” Lucia reveal shattering the poor man heart…….

TBC ❤️