"Stella James, this is the man that I am giving you to" my father said in his usual harsh tone as I was pushed towards the man I had gotten married to that afternoon. It was no news that my father was selling me out since he had sold my three elder sisters out to old men but what was more news was that he was selling me off to a deaf, dumb and crippled incredibly handsome young man. My father was selling me to a disabled man. I watched the body guards of the disabled man carry him into his brand new SUV and they pulled me from behind towards the SUV. No matter how I struggled to get off the hands of the two hefty men they were holding me, they were stronger than I was. When I looked up, my father was not looking at me, he was grinning at the full cash in his hands. Pause: You can foll0w this page for more stories and updates. The full cash that the disabled man had given him. I glared at our house. The house that my father had built from selling my sisters. My two brothers were still in the house but my father had used I and my sisters to feed himself and my brothers. The last girl was the one left. I looked sadly at my weeping last sister. "Why are you making it look like I am selling you off? I am only marrying you off!". My father cried out after me. ...and I remembered that book I had read when I was in primary school... Nwanyibuife Because I and my sisters were females, we had to be f0rced out of our will. I sat still in the dark room that they had kept me in that night and waited patiently for the disabled man to come into the room to disv!rgin me. I trembled. My father never took me to the university and he didn't just stop there, he had sold me to a disabled man. I wished in my heart that there will be a time that I will be able to prove to my father, the saying... Nwanyibuife. ...but it was not possible. I was going to be forever subdued under my disabled husband. I suddenly heard a sound outside the door and I knew that it was my husband. My heart was beating in my mouth and I trembled. Instead of him to be coming into the room on a wheelchair, the man I had called crippled was walking towards me. HE WAS WALKING!!! Suddenly he said, "Welcome to my home, Stella James". I fell off the bed in shock. He was not dumb!!! My husband was not crippled and he was not dumb. "Y... you? Who are you?" He smiled. "My name is Ricky Roland". It was confusing. The incredibly handsome rich man was not deaf and dumb or crippled. I couldn't help but wonder why he had feigned to be disabled and what he wanted from me. Ik Onyekachi. To be continued on » Tehilah

"Why did you marry someone like me, Ricky Roland?". I asked him softly as I looked squarely at him. "Someone like you? Aren't you Stella James?". I chuckled. "You mentioned my name as if I am one popular person that you know from somewhere". "You will be popular only if you help me". "Help you? How?". "Do you remember the famous lunat-ic that once paraded along Adeyeri crescent, Ogba Lagos, BOOKWORM THOMAS?". I remembered him...my once best friend, the mad man, BOOKWORM THOMAS. "You were the one that made BOOKWORM THOMAS sane. You took care of him and did what even a trained psychiatrist wouldn't be able to have done. A teenage girl nursed a mæd man to health, perfect news story!". "How did you know that much about me? Who are you?" "The same bookworm Thomas is now the famous serial k!ller, Thomas Lands". I gasped at him. "Bookworm Thomas is now a serial k!ller?". He shrugged. "I don't think he would have become a serial k!ller if he was left as a lunatic and was probably in one of the asylums by now, but you made it happen, thanks to you". He said sarcastically. "Where is he right now?" "That is why you are here, Stella James. You are going to lure Thomas Lands since you already had an encounter with him in the past". "How do i do that?". "That is why I am going to make you a very famous anchorwoman in my mother's media house. You will be famous around the world, and in return for that, you will find the serial ki-ller and nurse my father back to health". "Your father?". "Yes. My father has been in Reland psychiatric hospital and he is only getting worse. You can use the miracle you did on Thomas on him". "Can I ask a question? Why did you come as a disabled man to me in the first place?" He smiled to himself. "Your father would never have given you to me if I wasn't disabled, coupled with my looks and wealth. He would have been skeptical that I wanted to use you for ritual". "Why did you marry me?". "My mother would never make you a great person in her media house if you are not already my wife". Pause: You can follow this page, Berkinsdanielblog for more stories and updates "Where is your mother right now?". "She is not in Nigeria right now,that was why someone had stood in for her today in the wedding ceremony". I sighed deeply. "You don't have to worry. I won't touch you and when your mission is accomplished, we will div0rce officially". That sounded a lot like a wonderful idea. I smiled excitedly . "So you mean I will become educated?". He shrugged. "Deal?" "Deal". I changed into my faded yellow gown right there in the room. I observed my neatly plaited 'All back' cornrows which my younger sister had plaited for me in the morning. She had dressed me up for my wedding and we had sang our childhood song together. Tears filled my eyes as I remembered my sisters. When I become educated, I am going to set my sisters free. I joined him in the sitting room. There were no live-in maids in the house. Ricky Donald was sitting on a rocking chair and smoking from a pipe. He looked strange on the hat on his head and overall coat. In the dark... Everything felt so dark around Ricky Roland's mansion. I was hungry. "Is there not food in the house?". "Check the fridge and find something to cook for yourself" "It is so late at night. Can't you order a delivery for me?". "How old are you?". "I clocked twenty yesterday". "No wonder you are still very st-upid" "Me? S-tupid?". "Yes". He said softly and looked away, pouring out smoke from his mouth. I walked into the kitchen and made yam porridge. I placed his share of the yam porridge I had cooked in a plate and arranged it beside a bottle of water on a tray. I took it to him in the sitting room. He glared at me as I brought the food before him. "Did I ask you to cook for me?". "Er...I felt I couldn't just cook for myself and I...". "How many times have I told you that there should be nothing like sentiments between us?". He looked away and smoked from the pipe again. I shrugged and walked to eat in my room and preserved the rest in the fridge. The next morning, I woke up and began to clean the house. He fumed at me. "I told you to not meddle with anything in this house! I have a part time maid that cleans the house every afternoon!". "...and what is the big deal if I clean the house myself?". I fired at him. He stared at me with disbelief in his eyes. "Did you just raise your voice at me?". I trembled as I saw the fire in his eyes. "I didn't mean to...". "I picked you from the hands of your father! I gave you freedom and you should forever be subdued by me!!!". He cried out. I bowed. "Yes boss". " Come into my room". He walked into his room and I followed him from behind. He sat on his bed and flipped open his laptop. "We are going to act like a real married couple right now because I will be calling my mother who is living abroad on video call because she wants to see you". I sat beside him on the bed and he dialled his mother on video call. The honorable looking woman was revealed in the cam. She grimaced immediately she sighted me. "Is that your house help sitting beside you?". She asked Ricky Roland as she pointed to me. He placed a arm around me and kissed me on my forehead. "I love her like that and I am going to make her school abroad". "What!!!". I bowed. "Good morning ma". "Save your greetings" she switched off the video cam. (Five years later) Rita Roland smirked and sipped from the glass of wine in her hands. "I thought the plane would have landed in Nigeria by now". She told Ricky Roland. "My driver already drove to the airport to pick her. She is supposed to be here by now". There was a knock at the door. Ricky Roland walked to pull open the door. She had grown. Stella James had grown. She was no longer on her corn rolls, she was wearing bone straight hair with classy make up that highlighted her already grown face. She smirked as she met the eyes of Ricky Roland. She had never met his eyes before, but for the first time, she did. She hugged him. "Didn't you miss your wife?". Stella James was no longer the naive village girl who was always on cornrows and untidy dress, she was a mass communication graduate from Cambridge university and civilization had set in. Civilization has changed her. She kis-sed him on his forehead with a de-vilish grin on her lips as she whispered . "We are both business partners, right Ricky Roland? From now on, treat me like one and not as a slave that calls you boss because you are not my boss. I help you find the serial kil-ler and nurse your father back to health, you help me become a famous anchor woman". Onyekachi

He watched the yellow sundress melt in the fire and smiled to himself as he watched the næked girl whom he had tied on a long chair. She screamed as the beads of sweat filled her forehead. "Please I am begging you, who are you?". He watched the yellow burn't pieces melt in his hand and he f0rced it down into her throat. "You want to know who I am? I am the bookworm Thomas". * I walked to join Rita Roland in the sitting room as Ricky Roland's eyes was filled with disbelief. Rita Roland smirked as she looked up at me. "Are you aware that in this house, you are still a nobody?". I chuckled. "I did my internship in BBC newshouse. I am totally hotcake in Nigeria, so, it is a privilege for you to have someone like me in your news house". I walked to the freezer to get soft drink and gulped. Rita Roland stared at me with disbelief in her eyes. "Are you really the girl I saw through the video call five years ago?". "No, mum. I am no longer an illiterate, I am literate now". "How do you prove to me that you are qualified to work in Kachi television?" "Why don't I start tomorrow?". * I took off my clothes and gave my reflection in the mirror a hard stare. I was back to Nigeria. Back to redeem my sisters. As I took off my clothes, I heard Ricky Roland's footstep from behind. I didn't turn but I continued taking off my clothes as I sat facing my dressing table. "You should have knocked, since what we have is a contract marriage". He scoffed. "Contract marriage? It was marriage my dear. We were properly married before I made it a deal". I turned to him. "Who is Laura Joseph?". He gasped. "Isn't she the famous presenter for my mother's media house?" I chuckled. "Stop acting like that is all you know about her. I know everything". "Everything?". "Look here Ricky or whatever you call yourself, as long as we are still officially married, I don't like it when I am put to shame. If you wanna do your fling thing, do it secretively, do you understand?". Pause: You can foll0w» Berkinsdanielblog for more stories and updates. And to be notified when I post He smirked. "You have no right to order me around". I smiled to myself. "At least you are already the famous wierd son of Rita Roland. What do you think people that already know you will say? Ricky, you are free to date her openly and let us see who gets the heart of the masses first". I walked into the bathroom. It was the first time that I was stepping into Kachi media house. I had only heard about it while growing up just like I had heard African independent television, silverbird, TVC, channels and the likes. I was directed to the television studio and I was asked to cast out news, using the teleprompter. The glint in Rita Roland's eyes showed that I was a perfect broadcaster. After the test, I met the news department head, Tony Maxson. "You will be in charge of the morning and night news from now on starting from next week Monday. Your name here in your file says that you are Stella James, a graduate of Cambridge university and the wife of Ricky Roland , the director of Ricky feeds and son of Rita Roland". I smiled and nodded. "Do you have any idea where my husband is?". "I saw him walk into Laura Joseph's office earlier". "Where is her office?". He directed me and I walked towards the office and pulled open the door. Ricky Roland was sleeping on her desk and she was going through her laptop on the same desk. They both looked up at me. She stood up immediately. "Stella James?". "Stella James Roland". I told her my full name as if passing a message to her. She stretched a hand and I accepted it. "I hope we work together in future". "Same here, as long as we both don't cross our boundaries, I guess we will be fine". I said with a soft smile. She nodded thoughtfully. "You were suddenly married and all of a sudden, you left Ricky Roland for five years". I smirked. "I guess that issue is for husband and wife to deal with, right Ricky Roland?". Ricky Roland rose up. "Let us go home, Stella". I nodded thoughtfully and walked to the parking lot towards his car. Suddenly his phone rang and he connected it. "Hello sir". He said softly and gasped as if hearing an odd news from the caller. I searched his eyes. "What happened?". "Your younger sister has been mærdered by Bookworm Thomas". Onyekachi To be continued If we meet up 200 shæres I will drop two episodes at a go.

I watched the c0rpse of my sister expand under the white cloth. My father was nonchalantly chewing kolanuts with some elders while my two brothers sat gloomily around Jane's corpse. NB: Please click on the “Recommen” section and recommend my page, also drop a positive review Tears filled my eyes as I looked at my father. "Why did you send my sister to buy something late in the night when my brothers were around yesterday?". My father smiled. "Look here, one boy is equal to fifteen girls. If I send one of my sons and I loose him to a serial k!ller, I have lost almost everything I have. I feel very bad at Jane's death but my comfort is that I still have other daughters". "You don't have daughters, Felix James. You have only sons". "How dare you call me by my name?is it because you have gone to oyigbo school, you now feel like you have the right to call your father his name? By the way, why are you still bearing Stella James and not Stella Roland?". "...so that when I stand before the world, you will recognize me". "Your place ends only in the kitchen, woman". "No, my place begins where the place of your favorite sons will definitely end, Felix James" He lifted his hand to slap me but I dodged and smiled. "You don't lift your hand at a warrior!But I promise you, Felix James, I will avenge the death of my sister and my mother!!!". Belinda stared into space as she sat on a stool in the kitchen and held her baby in her arms. Jane was dead. One of her younger sisters. She was the first daughter of her mother but she had become so useless that she wasn't even able to take care of her younger sisters, Catrina, Stella and Jane. As she trembled as she remembered the fate of her sisters, she heard heavy footsteps from the sitting room. It was the sixty year old man she had married. Chief Harry. The man her father had f0rced her to marry. He was drunk again. He glared at her. "Belinda, did you cook the white soup I asked you to cook?". "You told me to cook rice and vegetable soup this morning before you left". He pushed the heavy pot of vegetable soup to the floor and the boiling soup spilled on her legs. The baby in her arms screamed in fright and began to cry. She sobbed and all of a sudden, her phone began to ring. She couldn't pick the call. She knew it was Stella's call. ...but her legs were hurting. Her heart was hurting. (One year later) "Follow Kachinewsdotcom for more info, thanks for watching". I rounded up the news and my directors applauded me. I wiped my forehead with an handkerchief. "Your blog has two hundred thousand likes in just one year! Laura Joseph has worked so long here and her blog only has ninety thousand likes!!!You are a star!!!". Tony Maxson exclaimed. I nodded and smiled to myself. "Thank you, Tony". I walked into Rita Roland's office. "Are you contesting with Ricky's uncle for the upcoming 2021 election?". She was surprised at me. "How did you know that?". "I know everything, including the fact that Ricky's uncle contributed to his staying in the asylum". "How did you know our family secret?". "I do research". She nodded thoughtfully. "Are you barren?". I was surprised at her question. "Barren?". "You returned since a year now. It is six years since you have married my son and no heir for my broadcast station. People are already talking". I cleared my throat. "A woman that has not given birth for one year is not a barren woman". "I give you three months to get pregnant or else...". "Or else what? Laura Joseph will take my place? Mum, once I divorce your son, you will loose serious chance in that election because I will play victim and the whole world will be on my side. I will go as far as sticking on the side of the ev-il man, Collins Roland, Ricky's uncle, the man you hate the most". "You wouldn't do that". "Give me one year, not three months. Three months is too short". I walked out of her office. It was closing hours. NB: Please click on the “Recommen” section and recommend my page, also drop a positive review I walked to my car and I heard footsteps from behind. I turned. It was Laura Joseph. She bit on her finger nails like a child as she walked towards me. Tears filled her eyes. "Ricky Roland is lonely. He married you for companionship but he is still lonely" I glared at her. "You have no right to...". "I have every right because Ricky is my friend! He is suffering so much inside! He has suffered for so long! You are a self centered wife who is detached from her husband who believes that the whole world revolves around her! How do you expect me to not care? Do you know how hard it was for me when I found out that he married you and I will never have the chance to be with him for life? It is still so hard for me but it is harder when I watch him suffer! If he was my husband, I guess he will be brighter". Pause: you can f0llow this page» Berkinsdanielblog for more stories and updates. I walked into my car and drove off. It was already a year since I had sent money to my sisters for business but none of them had invested in any business. What if Belinda's husband had taken the money? What of Caterina? Is that how women become secretive once they get married? As I pondered on it, I heard Ricky enter the house. NB: Please click on the “Recommen” section and recommend my page, also drop a positive review I walked out of my room and watched him as he brought out a bottle of water from the fridge and gulped. "Did you eat outside?". He looked up at me. "When are you going to start your mission in this house?" "I have a lot of plans in my head concerning bookworm Thomas. I also hold a grudge against him so don't think I will give up on that". "What of my father?" "I will visit him on Monday". I cleared my throat as I watched him closely. "Do you love Laura Joseph?". He swallowed bitterly. "I don't believe in love. I don't care about how anyone feels about me because I don't believe in love". I shrugged as I watched him. "You don't believe in it because you have not found it. I remember my mum those days, she will call all her daughters together and there is this song she used to sing with us, we will dance and laugh so hard. She had learnt the song in Ajegunle. It was a very funny song" I chuckled. "I hold onto those memories because that was the only memory I had about love". I sobbed. "What hurts so much is that i promised Jane that I will come back for her. I failed. You are so lucky, Ricky. You have a mother that cares about you". "Is that what you think? growing up with an insane father and a mother that was always traveling? You think such life was easy at all? You had siblings, I lost my sibling, I was with nannies my mum was frequently changing every two months. No one is lucky". I nodded thoughtfully. "I am sorry I have been too locked up in my own shell. I was so insensitive to realize that you also had your problems that you are facing. What about tomorrow? I will see your father tomorrow". "I thought you were a de-vil. You surprise me now" . He said with humour in his eyes. We burst into laughter. It was the first time in six years that we had laughed together. "Do you have a grudge against bookworm Thomas?". "He murd-ered my baby sister many years ago". NB: Please click on the “Recommen” section and recommend my page, also drop a positive review I gasped. "I am sorry". He nodded. "That is part of the reason my father is insane. He had watched Bookworm Thomas mur-der my sister that terrible night. Since then, he couldn't say a word... Bookworm Thomas is connected to all my misfortunes in life". My phone rang. It was an unfamiliar number. I connected the line and placed my phone on my ear. "Hello, who is on the line?". "Am I speaking with Stella James?". "Yes?" "Do you remember me? I am bookworm Thomas, the mad man you had accepted despite his state of health? I was the one you had made recover at Adeyeri crescent, Ogba Lagos. I have been looking for you everywhere until I saw you today on a morning show in Kachi television"

I had to feign excitement and hide my true intentions towards him. I pretended to be excited. "Bookworm Thomas?where have you been? I missed you so much. Can we meet now? Where exactly are you?". I winked at Ricky Roland as I waited for his response. "Why did you marry my worst ene-my?". "Marry your worst en-emy? Who is that?". "That stup!d detective that has a poultry". "My husband is not a detective". I looked up at Ricky Roland and he nodded. He had been a detective and I didn't know all these while. "Where do we see, so that I can explain everything to you, bookworm Thomas?" "I will meet you anytime you don't expect". He disconnected the line. The number he had called me through was an unregistered number. I looked up at Ricky Roland. "What's the next step?" "Keep contact with him. I will place a secret camera on you that will always alert me everywhere you are" "Are you a detective?". "Everyone knows that". I awkwardly cleared my throat. "My bad". "Happy new year, Stella". He said softly. I gasped and glanced into my phone. The time was twelve o'clock on the dot. I excitedly hugged him. "Happy new year darling!". He watched me release him. "you look so excited about this year, 2021". "2021 will be good for us. Our mission will be accomplished. What should I cook? Fried rice? Jollof rice? Intercontinental rice? What do you want to eat?". He reached for my hand. "Why don't we just take a long walk?". I already called my elder sisters to wish them happy new year and I walked excitedly with Ricky along the road. "You didn't call your mum to wish her happy new year?". He shrugged. "I don't see any big deal about this new year". "Your dad will recover this year, we will trap bookworm Thomas this year and we will d!vorce this year! Three perfect goodnews!!!". I cried out. He chuckled. "Are you kidding me right now?". I nodded emotionally. "I pray that when we part ways, we will still be good friends". "We will definitely". "So tell me, why did you resign from the station?". "My team leader told me to close the case on Bookworm Thomas and it hurt so much because I had carried out proper research on the bæstard and after that stress, one fo0l was telling me to close the case! I knew that it was time to work alone, so I looked for you and found you". I nodded thoughtfully. "You looked for me because I am the only one that can lure Bookworm Thomas out of his hiding place". "I will be meeting your father today". "Thanks so much Stella". We watched the knock out write, HAPPY NEW YEAR 2021 on the sky and we smiled excitedly. It was the first new year that we had celebrated together. * "The R-R family will be so frustrated that they ever met me. Rita will have no option than to give up on this 2021 election". Collins Roland said with determination. "Should I carry out the rit-ual?". Chief Harry asked softly. "Why not?". Chief Harry drove to the hideout that Ricky's father was kept. He was going to sneak into the hideout through the ceiling like he had always done because he knew where Ricky's camera was located. He was the artist of the paintings that always frightened Roy Roland. The pictures he had used to tie him down in a mental state for years. The money Collins Roland had paid him for years was what he had used to take care of Belinda and her children. I drove to Ricky's father's hideout. Roy Roland. When I entered into the hideout with the key that Ricky had given me, the man was righr there, sitting and facing the mirror dejectedly. I smiled and waved. "Hello handsome" He ignored me and continued staring into space. Did he have panic disorder? I leaned towards him and noticed that he was holding a piece of paper. I tried to collect it from him but he ran to hide under the bed. If he was holding a piece of paper, then someone had definitely entered the room. "Where did you get that paper?". He didn't look at me. He didn't have schizophrenia, he had a trauma over his daughter. Someone with trauma only needed something to take them off that depression. I walked out of the hideout and headed towards my car parked at the front. Suddenly someone grabbed me from behind and whispered into my ear. "Stella James, haven't you been looking for me all these while? Now I am here" SIX It was the forty year old Bookworm Thomas. He was holding me tightly from behind. "Why did you marry so early?" "What are you talking about?". I whispered back without turning. "I have no family. You are my only family, Stella James. I will gladly die for you". "I am married as you know, Thomas". "I know that Ricky didn't just get married to you for nothing. Your marriage is mysterious". "I love Ricky". "I don't care about whom you love, I only care about whom you will love". Ricky appeared from nowhere and smiled to himself. "Welcome again, Bookworm Thomas. Is it ten years now?" He must have tracked me because of the secret camera he had placed on me. Bookworm smiled and released me. "Ricky Roland, it's been a while". Suddenly we were surrounded by the police. They pointed the gu-n at him. Bookworm Thomas was fast enough to grab me from behind and smiled devil-ishly. "If you don't allow me to leave this place, I will k-ill her". Ricky Roland smiled. "You can't ki-ll the woman that you love". Bookworm Thomas chuckled. "You have not changed, Ricky. Always believing that you know everything about me". His fingers tightened around my neck. "I am capable of ki-lling this woman and ki-lling my self" There was fear in Ricky's eyes. He looked up at the police. "Put down your rifles". "If we do, we will loose him" one of the policemen said. "...we can catch him some other time! Put down your rifles!!!". He fired. It was the first time that i had seen Ricky act that aggressive. The police put down their guns and Ricky rushed in with full f-orce and grabbed me from behind, while one of the police team fi-red at Bookworm Thomas's leg from behind. It had all been planned by Ricky. He k-illed two birds with one stone... making Bookworm Thomas release me and making the cop fire at Bookworm Thomas's leg so that he wouldn't be able to run. Bookworm Thomas groaned but he continued running despite his shot leg. Ricky and the police aggressively chased him from behind. I followed them from behind and watched as Bookworm Thomas jumped into a moving truck and grinned at us as the truck moved with full speed. Ricky grit his teeth and fumed. I touched him from behind. "I know how much you want to catch Bookworm Thomas. I am going to do it for you. I will get Bookworm Thomas's heart again". "How do you intend to do that?" "I will do that because Bookworm Thomas is still mentally unstable. I will heal him again just like I had done at Adeyeri crescent". The look he gave me showed that he believed in me. I turned towards my car but he stopped me. "Let's go together in my car". "What about my car?". "My driver will bring it home later". As he drove on, I remembered how he had saved me from Bookworm Thomas's hands earlier. "If you had allowed the police to have shot Bookworm Thomas the time they had the chance,I am not sure we would have lost him today"I said softly. "...but we would have lost you". He said as he gave the road a hard look. "That was your only chance after so many years. You lost the chance because of me. I am sorry". "It is fine". He didn't say a word again till we got home. I walked out of the studio and noticed Laura Joseph making a call in front of the toilet. Was she talking to Ricky Roland? I moved closer and discovered that I was right. She was making a phonecall with Ricky. She turned to me immediately she heard my footstep from behind. She disconnected the line and watched me closely. "Ricky will be here soon for me". "For you? Why?". "I lost my grandmother, my only guardian in this world on the first of January 2021". "I am sorry about that". She cleared her throat. "Your name is all over Nigeria, you have the world in your hands but the only thing that I need by my side is Ricky Roland. I am not blind, I know that your marriage is a mysterious one, I know you guys don't love each other, but if you can take my career, I don't mind, but Ricky is the very air that I breathe". I nodded thoughtfully. "I and Ricky will get a divo-rce soon, but I want you to do something for me. If you want me to agree to the div-orce, stop forci-ng yourself on him, he is still my husband. It !nsults my pride when you treat him like a married man, when he is still married to me. If you act like you are sharing my husband with me,I will never sign the papers". "How long do I have to wait then?" I smirked. "You have no right to give me conditions because you have nothing to offer me, Laura Joseph. It is in your place to always wait no matter how long". I walked past her into the room of Rita Roland. I smiled at her election stickers she had placed around the walls of her office. 'VOTE RITA ROLAND AS SENATE PRESIDENT FOR 2021'. "Without stickers, you can make it as what you want to be with my own influence, I assure you". "Worry about your barrenness and don't worry about my election, Stella James". I shrugged and looked away. "Probably you didn't train your son well for not knowing his manners as a married man". She glared at me. "What do you mean?". I threw three pictures of Ricky and Laura in a compromising position on her table. "How do I get pregnant when your son's mind is always distracted?". "Did you and Ricky ever love each other?why did he get married to you?". "I thought he did but I realized that, it might just have been an infatuation he had felt, who knows?". "You guys want to get a div-orce?". "Divo-rce?you want us to get a d-ivorce?". "You are famous in Nigeria because of my newshouse. I can't let you go just like that". "If you can't let me go then go talk to your son". "If you want me to talk to my son, then do your work as his wife". I shrugged and walked out of her office. Bookworm Thomas popped open his eyes and found himself in a strange looking room with paintings around the walls. Last he remembered, the owner of the truck he had jumped into when Ricky Roland and the police were chasing him had arrived on purpose. The truck had been prepared by Collins Roland, Ricky Roland's uncle. Bookworm Thomas had fainted in their arms as soon as he had realized that he was in safe hands yesterday evening. Collins Roland was at the far end of the room, looking out of the window and sipping wine. "We removed the bullet from your leg this morning. Don't you feel pains?" It was when he had called his attention to the injury on his leg that he felt the extreme pain coming from the sealed wound on his leg. He winced. Collins Roland walked to him. "Bookworm Thomas, help me win this election. Threaten Rita Roland's family and distract her from the election". When Bookworm Thomas was alone in his room, he unplugged his phone from the charging point and dialled Rita Roland's number. "Hello". "Hello, who is on the line?" "This is Bookworm Thomas. Collins Roland, your brother in law wants me on his side, but I am going to choose your side over his since I have nothing to loose. I can help you win this election since I have strong connections with the strong officials in government, but in return, you will help me do something...stop Ricky Roland's investigation about me". Onyekachi

Catarina heard her husband's knock at the door. She was Dominic's second wife. Dominic was fifty years old. His first wife had died a long time ago. "How is your boss?". She took off his suit and watched him walk into the room. She followed him from behind and watched him take off his clothes. "Are the kids sleeping already?" He asked. "Yes. Martha was the last to sleep this night because she was trying to read for her test tomorrow" He nodded thoughtfully. "I want you to do something for me". "What exactly?" "Your younger sister". "Stella James?". "Yes. Make her stop her husband from chasing Bookworm Ricky" Catarina's husband was Rita Roland's personal assistant. "I haven't been able to find Ricky Roland. My spies said that they have not been able to discover his new hideout". Ricky explained as he typed on his laptop. "Bookworm Thomas will contact me soon". I smiled to myself as I sliced some onions on a round plate at the dining table. Ricky rolled his eyes. "You can't be so sure". I threw a bundle of carrots to him. "Slice those carrots for me please". I brought out peas and beans from a bag and arranged them on the table. He threw the carrots back to me. "I have never done that before". I gasped at him. "You have never sliced carrots before?". "I have never cooked before". I stared at him with disbelief in my eyes. "Liar...". I whispered. "Why is it so hard for you to believe?". "Are there humans like that?". He shrugged. "Can I teach you?". "Teach me how to cook?" "Yes". "I don't think there is any need". "What if I fall sick or you know, get pregnant?". I said with humour in my eyes and we burst into laughter. "I know that she is troubling you about that". He said as he chuckled. "You must get pregnant this 2021". I micmicked Rita Roland and we burst into laughter. He watched me closely. "Teach me how to slice the carrots". "Wow! What made you change your mind?". "It is because if I don't learn anything,you will always carry the work load". I was touched by his statement. "You still do have a heart in there". "I think we are both the same heartless devils". He said humorously and we burst into laughter again. There was a knock at the door. We both stifled and watched the door. People hardly visited us. Ricky walked to open the door. It was Rita Roland. She smiled and walked in. It was the first time that I had seen her smile that way. She helped herself to our cushion and crossed her legs. "Hope I am not interrupting something?". I smiled. "I was about cooking fried rice before you came in". She walked to drop a package on the dining table beside the ingredients I had arranged on the table. "This package contains ingredients for fertility. It contains drugs and leaves. Take the drugs in the morning, it will boost your sexuality and boil the leaves at night before you sleep and drink the water. Do it everyday". I and Ricky winked at each other. She cleared her throat and turned to Ricky. " I already employed someone to investigate on Bookworm Thomas. I don't want you to ever investigate about him and put my husband's life in danger. We already have your uncle to face". Ricky smiled to himself. "Tell Bookworm Thomas that I don't care about your election and that I am not scared of him". Rita trembled as she watched her son. "I don't understand what you are talking about". Pause: You can follow» Berkinsdanielblog for more stories and updates. And to be notified when I post. "Of course you do". He smirked and walked to open the door. "Get out of my house and never come back here". Rita Roland shamefully walked away. I rushed to him. "How did you know that?" "I know my mother". I searched his eyes. "What do you think we should do?". "We will definitely continue from where we stopped". He walked into his room. I drove down to Roy Roland's hideout that night. I had gathered video CDs from Ricky's room that afternoon. Video CDs that contained the happy moments of the R-R family. To recover from his trauma, he needed happy memories to bring him back to life. As I got out of my car, I stopped short as I noticed a shadow coming out of Ricky's father's hideout. I hid behind my car and watched if the face of the figure coming out of the hideout will reveal itself in the light. I recognized him. He was Belinda's husband. Chief Harry. I rushed towards him and kicked him to the floor. I snatched what he had in his hands. It was a painting. A painting of a little girl child wearing a yellow gown with her mouth and body filled with bl0od. I glared at him. "Who are you working for? Collins Roland?". He grinned at me. "If you expose me to your husband, your sister's life will also be in d-anger". He winked at me and walked away. Tears filled my eyes as I looked into the painting. Collins Roland had been restoring Roy Roland's sad mental state with the memories of his daughter's death. I heard footsteps from behind. It was Catarina, my immediate elder sister. "I have been trailing you for hours because I really wanted to talk to you". "Sister, what happened?". "My husband's job will be in danger if you don't help me with this". "What is it exactly,sister?" "If you don't stop your husband from trailing that serial killer, my husband's life might be in danger". "That serial k!ller our sister!". "It won't bring her back to life, will it?Once Rita Roland wins the election, my husband will be promoted. If she looses the election because of you and your husband, I might forget that you are my sister because there is no use wasting your time about something that will not change anything. Help me stop your husband". She cried out. Tears filled my eyes. My two sisters were pushing me to the edge. It was time to make a final decision. To be continued

MYSTERIOUS MARRIAGE EPISODE EIGHT "What if I say that I am not going to give up on pursuing Bookworm Thomas?". I said after her immediately she turned to leave. She stopped short and turned to him. "Do you mean what you just said?" "I do. I am not giving up on it,Catarina. You can do what you have in mind". "What I have in mind?". "Yes". I walked into my car and zoomed off. As I drove on, it was boiling in my heart. ...that I had made that decision. To part ways with my sisters because we were now walking opposite As I drove on, I noticed that someone was approaching the front of my car so I immediately pulled on my brake and realized that my elder brother was the one that appeared in front of my car. I got off my car and walked towards him. "What do you want, Paul?". He looked very haggard. "Sister, hunger. There have been no food in the house. They haven't paid me my salary for three months and big bro Frank is trying to do odd jobs but he fainted yesterday while doing the work and I told him to rest for today, but I don't know whom to run to again". "What of the father of boys? Isn't he starving too?". "He said that he will rather die than beg money from any of his female daughters". I walked back into my car and brought out a bundle of money from my dashboard. It was twenty thousand naira. I gave it to him. "A woman always gets angry and hætes, but her heart fails her anytime it concerns her family members. Despite the fact that I regret being his child, I will never turn my back on an old starving man. You can start working for me as my personal assistant from now on. Resign from your job and call me when you are ready". Tears filled his eyes. "Thanks so much sister". "Don't thank me for anything,I am not a stranger okay? Anytime anything wierd happens in that house, make sure you call me". I rushed into my car and drove off. I was comforted in my heart that at least, I still had my brothers. I was not completely abandoned. If I keep my brother closer, since he is my blo0d, I will definitely feel comforted. Even when I got home, it still troubled me in my heart that Catarina and Belinda would cut off ties with me. I watched Ricky eat in the sitting room absently. He stared at me. "What happened? Only your family members can make you look this worried. What happened?". Tears filled my eyes as I met his eyes. "One of my brother in laws work with your mother and the other one work with Collins Roland. Both of them want me to give up on chasing Bookworm Thomas". He nodded thoughtfully. "Do you personally want to chase Bookworm Thomas aside from the deal we both have?". "Yes. I have also come to realize your pain aside from my pain". "My pain?". "Yes". Tears filled my eyes. "Collins is the reason your father's mental state is getting worse". "How?". I brought out the painting from my bag and gave it to him. I watched him tremble. "Since Collins know your father's hideout, let us bring him here". "My father?". "Yes. He will recover more once he stays in the midst of people". "Will you be fine with him being here?". "We are married right? Your father should be my father". He hugged me. "You are the greatest comfort that happened to me in 2021". Pause: You can follow up, Berkinsdanielblog for more stories and updates I rolled my eyes. "You liar". He chuckled. "Laura Joseph is just a friend". "What's the proof?". I asked him as I stared into his eyes. He looked closely at me. "You want me to prove it to you?". I shrugged and before I knew it, he kis-sed me. It was our first k-iss. My first kis-s. I sighed awkwardly and rose to my feet. There was humour in his eyes as he looked up at me. "Where are you running to?". I avoided his eyes. "You didn't even ask for my permission". I stuttered. "I should ask my wife for permission to kis-s her?" "No...I mean, yes..after all we married after a deal". "No, we married before a deal". "But it is still a marriage out of a deal". "...but it is still a marriage". "You know we lack feelings for each other right? And this marriage will definitely end this year". He chuckled. I felt more insulted. "Don't take me anyway like Laura Joseph! You have no right to fl!rt with me the way you flirt with Laura Joseph" "I am not fli-rting with you". "Then what did you just do?". "That was how I felt about you that moment and I wanted to prove it to you that you are way more precious to me than Laura Joseph". There was silence between us for a while. I awkwardly stood before the sink and counted 1-3 in my mind. He approached the kitchen. "Why are virgins always so defensive?". He pulled open the fridge and brought out a malt, which he flipped open and gulped. I made eyes at him. "You are not even acting as if you kissed someone as if I am just like any other girl". He burst into laughter. "Who will believe that in all your style and class, you are still an inexperienced girl". "I am not inexperienced". "...you are angry that the first time you experienced a first kiss, it was from someone that didn't kiss you from his heart". "You don't even know anything!". I defended and rushed into my room. I jammed the door and leaned on it. He was right. It was the first time I had ever been ki-ssed all my life but I felt so empty in my heart. He pulled her by her hair as she crawled on the floor after him and held on his leg for support but he ruthlessly carried her in his arms and threw her on the bed. "How can you tell me that despite how much Stella loves you, you still can't convince her to do anything you want?". Catarina wept. "I have never asked Stella for anything and she didn't grant me. I was equally surprised at this one" He smashed her face with the mirror in his hand and bl0od filled her face. "Right now, you will go around the area and place Rita Roland's postals around the walls. Do I make myself clear?". Catarina wept uncontrollably. "This is only 2a.m. Please don't do this to me". He fumed. "You have the guts to argue despite the fact that you failed in what I asked you to do?". He pulled her hard on her hair out of the house and locked the door. Martha peeped from her room and sobbed. All her thirteen years of life, she had watched her father be-at up for mother like the beast that he was. Who will save her mother? Belinda arranged chief Harry's food on the table. He glared at her. "You are such a badluck in this home". She didn't say a word. She continued arranging the food on the table. He pushed her to the floor aggressively. "Master Collins wouldn't pay me this month because of your sister" "I am sorry". She muttered. "Just sorry? How will your sorry help me huh?". She sighed and remained on the floor. "Tell your sister to stop trailing Bookworm Thomas". "The man that k!lled our last born?". "Yes". She met his eyes daringly. "...and if I don't?". "Are you challenging me?". "I will never stop my sister! So don't disturb yourself, chief Harry". He beat her up until she fainted. She had a mission. To kill her father for bringing her to the worst marriage on earth... Who was going to help her? Rita Roland excitedly watched people rush to thank her for the food she had provided for children in orphanage homes. She had played good politics and three politicians already were supporting her. After receiving hugs from the poor people, she rushed into her car and took off her suit as she grimaced. "Throw that suit in the bin! Gosh! Those stinking people! Hugging me with their thrash body". Bookworm Thomas was sitting at the front. "Your son is still digging into me. How come you haven't been able to convince him all these while?". She smiled to herself. "The only person Ricky loves aside your father is his wife. Get close to his wife and use her to play on his emotions". "How?". "Play the victim and catch her heart. You should know how to play the game". I was driving to work that morning when I received a call. It was an unfamiliar number. I connected the line. "Hello? Who is on the line?" "Stella James, have you forgotten me so fast?". "Bookworm Thomas?". "How about if we continue our old time friendship just like we always did at Adeyeri crescent? Meet me at that abandoned house at Adeyeri Crescent that we usually meet those days". Onyekachi ike

MYSTERIOUS MARRIAGE EPISODE NINE "Bookworm Thomas have k!lled seventeen girls from the ages five to twenty and they were all on a yellow dress when he mur--dered them. According to my own research, Bookworm Thomas had lived with his drunkard mother in a small house. Even before Elena Thomas died, Bookworm Thomas had been mentally unstable. Schools had rejected him and advised his mother to take him to the psychiatric hospital but she had refused and worked on her night duty at Jully Bells which is now Savanna Bells. Elena would leave Thomas in the dark and give him equations to solve. Bookworm would solve all the equations and teach the children of his neighbourhood their class homework. Even when Bookworm Thomas became a complete mentally deranged person, he was still solving equations. That was why people called him Bookworm Thomas. He is extremely brilliant". Ricky Roland explained to Laura Joseph in her office that morning. "How exactly did you know all these?". Laura Joseph inquired. "The neighborhood he had lived in with his mother in the past knew them pretty well because Elena was an industrious worker in old Jully Bells restaurant". He explained further. "Do you know that even if you get Bookworm Thomas behind bars, you don't have any evidence against him?". She asked worriedly. "I don't, that was why I placed a secret camera on my wife". "You think Bookworm Thomas will commit his act infront of the woman he loves?" "No, but someday, that secret camera will help me find Bookworm Thomas's hideout and once I discover that hideout, I will locate all the evidences that will implicate him forever". "Weren't you an eyewitness when your sister died?". "I had only seen his face, but I didn't see him commit the mu--rder, only my father did" She nodded thoughtfully. "Where is she right now?". "Bookworm Thomas called her to their old meeting place at Ogba, Adeyeri Crescent, at the back of Solid Structure school". "Aren't you scared that he might harm her?". "Bookworm Thomas would never k--ill her and I trust my wife. I trust her enough to come back alive". Laura swallowed bitterly. "You seem to be getting very fond of your wife so fast". He smiled heartily. "She is very annoying, but she is the most interesting thing that has ever happened to me. She brought light to my dark world". Tears filled Laura's eyes. " You don't plan to divorce her?". "Did she tell you that?". "Yes. She said that she couldn't wait to divorce you". "Divorcing her or not is up to only me, her husband to decide". He walked out of her office. He entered the elevator and a young man joined him. The young man fumed at him. "How long are you planning to frustrate that woman?". Ricky was confused. "Who?" "Stella James. She is a good friend of mine and she needs to be loved because she has suffered so much". "Who are you?". "I have been working in Kachi newshouse for fifteen years now and you still don't know me? Are you that non challant about people?" Ricky cleared his throat as he observed him closely. "Tony Maxson" He gasped at him. "You knew my name?". "You have no name. I just knew that through your identity card around your neck. You have no name, Tony Maxson, so you have no right to lecture me about the way I treat my wife because i love that woman way more than you can ever even love your girlfriend in the nearest future". Ricky smirked and looked away. Tony fumed at him. "I have a name in Kachi newshouse". "...and your name ends here, so since I don't work here, I don't think you are anybit relevant to waste time talking to just because we are in the same elevator". The elevator opened after it had landed them to their preferred floor and Ricky Roland proudly walked out, leaving the shocked Tony Maxson in the elevator. The once abandoned hall that I had once visited everyday to take care of the once mad Bookworm Thomas was now a beautifully built school. How did he get the key of the school? Did he rent it or did he buy it? No student was in the school. I curiously parked my car at the front and entered the school. He was playing a violin in the big hall. I stopped short immediately I remembered that tune. It was the rhythm of the song my mother had taught I and my sisters during our childhood. Nwanyibuife. 'A woman is soft but her tears can bring down the hard heart'. ' A woman is weak, but she fights for the Strong' 'A woman is pretty, even upon her suffering' 'The woman who I am'. Chorus: Nwanyibuife, Nwanyibuife, tell the Igbo fathers, ah ah ah Tell the Hausas, tell James my father, that Nwanyibuife...ah ah ah Nwanyibuife, Nwanyibuife, tell James my father, ah ah ah. That I will wipe his tears. As I recalled that song, I cried because of the way my mother had sang it those days. It had wiped our tears when our father would chase us out of the house anytime he gets drunk and we would be hungry and cold outside the house while he will be locked in the house with my brothers . My brothers had always eaten to their satisfaction before I and my sisters would start eating . But my mother would pluck mangoes on Osuam tree, not too far from our house and give us to eat, then sing us that song. ...and we will be comforted. I walked into the hall that Bookworm Thomas was waiting dor for me and my heart melted as I watched him play the violin and smile at me. "It was this song that made me recover from my mental illness because you always sang it to me from your heart. You were the first person that ever sang a song to me from her heart". You can add me, Berkinsdanielblog for more stories and updates "...then what would have inspired you to ki---ll people despite the fact that you had recovered through the help of love ?". "Which one is easier? To erase what made you mad in the first place or erase what made you recover?". Tears filled my eyes as I watched him. "To erase what made you recover because what had made you mad in the first place can never be forgotten". "Then why are you figh--ting against me?". "Why did you kil--l Ricky's sister?". He swallowed bitterly and looked away. "I have a strong ha-tred for girls on yellow dresses?". "Why?" "That was Jully Bells workers uniform those days ". "Jully Bells? What's that?". "Your husband knows everything. Ask him". I remembered that my sister had worn a yellow dress the day he had mu---rdered her. "Was that why you had ki--lled my sister?". Tears filled my eyes as he looked up at me. "Your sister? I ki---lled your sister?". "Your last mur--der was my sister". He screamed and sobbed uncontrollably. It was the first time that I had seen Bookworm Thomas cry like that. He was crying from the depth of his heart. I touched him from behind and he held my hand protectively. "I will never try to stop Ricky from pushing me behind bars but please, just this year, can you be squeezing out time to be with me? I just want to enjoy you just this year. Please. Just that little memory with you that made me happy for the first time". He sobbed uncontrollably. "I can't believe that I ki--lled the sister of the person I loved the most in this world. I wish I could describe how I am feeling right now". I hugged him. Just like those days when we had shared pains with each other. Even if he was forty years old, he was still that little boy that I had made human many years ago. After singing together, I walked out of the hall to my car which was parked outside. I didn't want to be too late to work that morning. My phone rang immediately I started the engine of my car. It was Ricky Roland. I connected it. "Hello?". "Meet me at Jickson bar right now". He disconnected the line. I drove to Jickson bar and he was right there, smoking cigarette. He gave me a hard stare as I joined him at the front. "Are you okay?" He sighed deeply. "Are you in love with Bookworm Thomas?". "Bookworm Thomas???what are you talking about?" "Why then did you hug him? Why will you hug him?". He cried out frustratedly and gulped a full bottle of Heineken. "Bookworm Thomas is like a little brother to me". "You connected with him! He even played your favourite song and touched your heart, and you say that there is nothing going on between the both of you?". "... don't tell me that you are jealous...". "Why won't I be jealous?you even went ahead to tell Laura that we will get a divorce! Is it because you have a plan with Bookworm Thomas?" "Oh, you even talked to Laura today? that means we are even". "Laura is my childhood friend!". "Bookworm Thomas is my childhood friend!". "Bookworm Thomas ki--lled your sister!". "Bookworm Thomas is not in his right senses!". He gasped at me and shook his head in disbelief. "Is your feelings for him this serious?". "Believe what you want to believe okay? I am not even supposed to explain anything to you in the first place because we are not even in a real relationship!". I walked to my car and drove to work. Ricky Roland didn't talk to me all through last night. He had left the house that morning before I could even see him. After cleaning the house that Saturday morning, there was a knock on the door. I walked to open. It was my eldest sister, Belinda. I could barely recognize my sister's disfigured face. 0nyekachi If we get 500 shæres, the next episode will come, smiles.

MYSTERIOUS MARRIAGE EPISODE TEN "Belinda". I cried out with tears in my eyes. "What happened to you?". She folded a package into my hand. "That package contains all the paintings my husband had drawn to frighten your father in law all those years" "Why are you giving me this?". "Lock him behind bars with this" "Was he the one that did this to your face?". Tears filled her eyes. "Sister, please lock that man behind bars if you want me to live" I hugged her. "You will divorce him and start your life afresh". "Please, I need to leave that man and start life again with my children". "I will use the painting to make him get a divorce and burn it afterwards. Where are you staying now? Come and stay with me". "I and my children are with the pastor for now. We will be praying until he is locked behind bars". "For the sake of the children, I will only make him sign the divorce papers instead. Let us take you to the hospital first". I drove her down to the hospital. Catarina placed the last flier of Rita Roland on the wall and sighed deeply. She was famished. She sat on the floor. Suddenly she heard a car horn. She looked up. It was a limousine. A man popped out a head from the side mirror of the driver's seat and beckoned. Rita Roland was sitting elegantly at the backseat. "Such hardworking woman". Catarina bowed. "Er...goo..good evening ma, I mean goo..good morning". Rita Roland observed her closely. "You are beautiful. You look so much like your sister, Stella. Do you want to divorce him and be free?" Catarina gasped. "Who?". "My personal assistant, your husband". "I don't believe you". "You will be more useful to me in future than your husband. Don't you want your revenge?that after you divorce him, you will become his boss?" I walked into the room upstairs that we had given Roy Roland, Raymond's father. He was not sleeping when I walked in. He was sitting up on the bed and staring into space. I was holding one of the video disk that he and Rita had taken of Ricky Roland before his sister was born many years ago. As it played on the big screen, Roy Roland looked trembled and whispered. "Richard...". He had spoken. For the first time. After i had made Roy Roland sleep for the night, I waited for Ricky Roland in the sitting room. He hadn't returned from work. I suddenly heard his car drive into the compound and rose to my feet. He entered the house and I rushed to help him with his suitcase. He ignored me and left the suitcase in my hand and walked into his room. I followed him into his room. "Your father watched your childhood video this afternoon and talked for the first time today. He said, 'Richard". He sighed in shock. "He did so?" I rolled my eyes and looked away. "I thought you didn't want to talk to me". He began to take off his clothes. "You have no idea how angry I was. But are you serious? My father really talked?". I chuckled. "I was shocked". He walked to me and hugged me. "Thanks so much for coming into my life, Stella. I was so lonely before you came in". I giggled as we released each other. "Crippled and deaf and dumb! Gosh! You are a crook!". He burst into laughter. "I was a good actor right?" I nodded. "...I was relieved that even if you had behaved like a wizard, you were with a beautiful face, so i could still manage you". He stared at me for a while. "You and Bookworm Thomas talked today right?". "Only on WhatsApp". "You guys have even gone as far as chatting on whatsApp!!!". "How can I prove it to you that Bookworm Thomas is not as precious to me as you think he is?". He shrugged. I suddenly remembered what he had done to me weeks ago when I had asked him about Laura Joseph. I kis---sed him. It was my first time kis--sing anyone but kis--ing Ricky felt so good, my heart was racing. What sign was that? We released each other and he held my cheek. "Can we?". "What?". He pointed towards his bed. "Can we take this risk?". My heart was beating so fast. "What if I get pregnant?". Tears filled his eyes as he stared at me. "I am never going to divorce you, Stella James. I don't think I will be able to live without you". He didn't come totally at once that night, he was calm with me all through the week. And somehow... I was comforted in my heart that I had lost it to someone like Ricky Roland. ...my husband. I had just finished my morning programme at the studio and walked into my office. Laura Joseph was there. ...in my office. She smiled at me. "How are you doing, Stella?" I sighed and pushed open the blinds. "I just feel overjoyed in my heart". I helped myself to my giant seat close to the blinds. "Its been two weeks now and you have been so happy at work and very relaxed, no longer rigid like you used to be. It is so unlike you. Can you share the good news?". "My goodnews are personal matters". I said firmly. "You told me to give you three months. Three months and you will divorce Ricky Roland". "Divorce? Did I ever say that?" Laura Joseph gasped at her. "Why are you talking like this?" "I will discuss this with Rita Roland and if she..." "We never talked about Rita Roland when we made that deal!" I cleared my throat and looked squarely at her. "Look here madame, this will be the last time you come into my office to talk thrash with me. Can you leave my office? I need to rest". I placed my head on the desk and heard her heavy breath before she left my office. Ricky Roland was arranging some files on his desk in his office when he noticed a disk on his desk. He slipped in the disk into his laptop and there was a video playing on the screen. A video of Bookworm Thomas as he committed one of his past mu--rders. Everything was in the video. The full evidence of how Bookworm Thomas had k--illed one of the deceased. His receiver rang. He connected it. "Hello?" "Sir, there is someone waiting outside". "Who is the person?". "The person simply introduced himself as Bookworm Thomas". He sighed in shock. "Tell him to come in". In a split of seconds, Bookworm Thomas was in his office. He looked around the office in amazement. "Whoa! Only son of of the unbeatable Rita Roland!". Pause: you can add me, Berkinsdanielblog to be notified when I post "The politicians that are backing you were the ones that told my boss to close the case years ago right?". Ricky asked. Bookworm Thomas shrugged. "What use is that information when you already have the evidence on a platter of gold that you had worked so hard to get all these while, including planting a secret camera on Stella James?". "Why did you give me that video?" "Have you ever loved a woman before? If you will have, you will understand why i have taken that risk". "I don't understand what you are saying". "I love Stella James and I want you to wait till four months before you submit that evidence and put me behind bars". "Why four months?". "I want to have a good time with my baby first". Bookworm Thomas answered daringly. "Who is your baby?" "Stella James is my baby. You must not submit that evidence until four months time. I only need four months to be with her. Give me that chance, Ricky Roland". If we can get 300 shæres, I'd drop two episodes today

MYSTERIOUS MARRIAGE EPISODE ELEVEN "You know the only favour I will grant you? I will delay the time I will release this evidence and eventually release it on the day that you won't expect...but you will never set your eyes on my wife. You can watch her on her morning shows on TV". Ricky licked his lips and rose to his feet. "What if I tell you that I have a strong evidence against your mother that, once that evidence is released right now, she will eventually go to jail?" Ricky cleared his throat. "Look here Thomas, if my mum has done something that is against the law, she should be treated according to the law". Bookworm Thomas fumed at him. "You will never get your way this time, Ricky. Stella doesn't even love you". "As long as she is my wife, her heart and body are in my full possession" Bookworm Thomas grit his teeth at him. "Don't tell me you are sleeping with her". Ricky burst into laughter. "Sleeping with my wife? I don't understand? What's so wierd about a man sleeping with his wife?". Bookworm Thomas smiled to himself. "You think i don't know that your marriage to your wife is not a real one? And a real one is easy to break. Are you confident that the woman you call your wife will not eventually come to me?" "Let's see about that". (One month later) My brother walked into my office that morning and announced my schedule for the day. A lot of things had happened in just one month. My brother had accepted the job offer I had offered him, Belinda, my big sister had had div0rced her husband and was already a promising farmer. The receiver on my desk rang. I clung it to my ear. "Stella James on the line" "I need to introduce you to someone". Rita Roland's voice answered. "In your office?". "Yes". She disconnected the line. I walked into her office. To my greatest shock, my immediate elder sister was standing beside Rita Roland in her office, wearing official wears. "Sister?" "Good morning to you Mrs Roland". Catarina answered officially. Rita Roland smiled to herself. "Meet Catarina James". I was surprised to hear her call my sister by my father's surname. "James?". Catarina cleared her throat. "I am a divorcee and I am now the personal assistant of my boss, Rita Roland". "You div-orced???" "I don't think I have to explain that to you". She walked out of the office, leaving me with Rita Roland. I glared at Rita Roland. "What are you planning to do with my sister?" "That woman is a broken woman. If you were indeed her sister, you would have done everything to make her leave that home". "Where is her husband?". "He resigned and is presently working with Collins Roland. Your two brother in laws have joined hands to defeat me". Catarina dialled and Martha picked the call. "Is it break time now at school?" "Yes mummy" "Have you checked on your siblings?". "They have eaten, mother". "You people should warm that rice in the fridge when you get home and please, don't allow your brothers to play outside the compound. Play inside the compound and turn on the torches when the house gets dark". "Okay mother". "What should I buy for you when I am coming back?". "Shortbread biscuit. Buy chocolate for Tim and Terry mummy". "Done. Bye baby. Drop your phone with the security before they seize it again today". She disconnected the line and stopped short when she noticed that someone was standing before her. It was an unfamiliar man. "How may I help you?". He stretched a hand for an handshake but she didn't accept it. "I am Tony Maxson, the director of the news department". Catarina looked away. "Any problem?". "I guess you are Stella's elder sister". She nodded. "I heard you are a divorcee too" She fumed at him. "Why are you investigating about my life?". "I am sorry I am kinda the nosy type. Pardon me please". He cleared his throat and looked away awkwardly. She turned to leave but his words stopped her. "You are a good mother". He muttered. She walked away. It was closing hours at work. I walked into my car and turned on the engine. I suddenly noticed that someone was sitting at the backseat of my car. It was Bookworm Thomas. He was bleeding in his stomach. My heart was in my mouth. "How did you get into my car?". "I appeared. Please take me to the nearest hospital. Someone has stabbed me". As I waited in the waiting hall of the hospital, my phone rang. It was Ricky Roland. I connected it. "Hello?" "Where are you?" "I am sure you already know where I am". "I am in front of the hospital, come outside, let us go home". "I have to wait to see if he is fine first" "I don't care why you have to wait! Just come outside right now!". "I won't come outside until I am assured that he is fine"I disconnected the line and just as I was disconnecting the line, Ricky was standing infront of me. "Why are you always unnecessarily stub-born?" "Why do you always want to have things your way?". I cried out frustratedly at him. Suddenly the doctor rushed out of the emergency ward. "The patient survived. He had no complicated injury since the stabbing was not deep". Ricky Roland's phone rang. He connected it. "Hello". "It is me, the patient the doctor is telling you about right now. I just wanted to tell you that I have began that competition with you, Ricky Roland. Tell your wife to not be worried about me. Tell her that I am fine". Catarina walked towards the house that her father was living in with her brothers. Pause: You can follow me, Berkinsdanielblog for more stories and updates. And to be notified when I post She whispered to the landowner who was standing beside her in front of the house. "I want to buy that house and I will pay you well. Chase that man out of the house with his useless sons and make him live on the street! I want him to suffer and cry for help because right now, the only people that will be able to help him are his three surviving daughters". The land owner smiled to himself. "I will lie to him that the house had been bought forty years ago and he will have no other option". She winked at him and walked towards her new car parked at the front. Her phone rang. She connected the line. "Who is on the line?". "This is your husband. I am giving you a special warning to back down from Rita's side, or I will ki--ll you". She disconnected the line and smiled to herself. She had recorded the call. I watched Ricky suspiciously as he drove along the road. "Why did you tell me to suddenly stop monitoring Bookworm Thomas?why did you give up on finding the evidence?" "Must everything always be about Bookworm Thomas?" I was feeling total discomfort in my body that moment. "Can we go back to the hospital?". He gasped. "To see Bookworm Thomas?". "No, I don't like the way my body feels right now". He reversed and drove to the hospital. After treating me, the doctor walked back into the ward where I was lying on the sickbed and Ricky was holding my hands. Ricky rose to his feet impatiently. "Doctor, how is my wife?". The doctor smiled warmly at Ricky. "Congratulations, your wife is four weeks pregnant". 0nyekachi To be continued» on Bcdblog If we can get 300 shæres, I'll post the next one really early

MYSTERIOUS MARRIAGE EPISODE TWELVE Ricky hugged me and k!ssed me on my forehead with tears in his eyes. "Thanks so much, Stella. Thanks so much for carrying my baby in your womb". I was happy. I was carrying a baby in my womb for the first time and it was Ricky's baby. He held my cheeks in his hands. "I love you, Stella James. I love you from the depth of my heart". It was the first time he was telling me that. Tears filled my eyes and I doubted him. "you love me because I am carrying your child in my womb". "I have loved you from the beginning, Stella. Even if I didn't say it, you should have seen it". I believed him. He searched my eyes. "What about you?". "I love you too, Ricky". He k!ssed me in front of the nurses. Bookworm Thomas fumed and pushed down the big table as he stood in his hideout. Stella James was pregnant! He had confirmed it from the nurses. He was not going to give up. If there was no other way, he was going to kidn-ap her and travel out of the country. His phone rang. It was Rita Roland. He stood before Rita Roland and her personal assistant, Catarina right there in her office. Rita Roland looked worriedly at him. "Where have you been, Bookworm Thomas? For over a month now, you haven't been around to help me with my election processes. You are going to rig the election since it is next two weeks". Bookworm Thomas smirked. "Of course I will help you rig this election, but you will have to help me with my utmost desire". "What is your utmost desire?". "Stella James". "My daughter in law?" "Yes. Give me your pregnant daughter in law and you will definitely win this election at all cost" "Pregnant?Stella James is pregnant?". "I don't care about that, just give me her and you will win this 2021 election". "Shut up your mouth! You are very stu+pid for making such request of all requests! She is carrying the child of my only son in her womb!!!". "Fail then!". He cried out and left her office. Catarina followed him. She rushed to him and stopped him. "Why give up so fast?". She fired at him. He stopped and turned. "Who are you?". "I am Stella James elder sister". He rushed to hold my hand. "Can you? Can you help me?". "Since I am her sister, it will be easy for me to turn her mind against her husband. I naturally didn't want that Ricky Roland for my sister in the first place. Give me one month and she will be in your grasp". She smiled to herself. After deceiving him and making him think that she will divide her sister's home, she was going to use him to make Rita win the election and ki-ll him just the way he had murdered her baby sister. He looked pleadingly at her. "How do you intend to help me?". "That is for me to deal with"she winked at him and walked to eat in the dining hall. As she ordered food and began to eat, Tony Maxson joined her, holding his tray of food. She fumed at him. "Why are you here again?". "Stella has a very jealous husband, if not I would have joined her at her table". He pointed at Stella James as she ate hungrily behind them. Humour shone in her eyes. "Do you like my sister?". He chuckled. "I don't like your sister, I like you". She glared at him. "What did you just say?" He looked away. "I didn't say anything". "I am thirty three years old. I have two immediate younger brothers that are older than Stella. If our last born was alive, I would have paired you with her". He chuckled. "How old do you think I am?". "I don't care, but I know that I am far older than you". She answered. "I am thirty eight years old". She rolled her eyes. "Stop increasing your age,you this church rat". "I was born on the third of January, 1983". "You liar". "Check my file then if you have such time. I understand how much you hat-e men. It is obvious from how you treat all the men in our broadcast station". She glared at him. "You have no idea about anything". Stella James joined them with her tray and looked suspiciously at Tony. "Tony, why are you hitting on my sister?". She scooped out of Catarina's salad and placed them on her plate of rice. "I thought you didn't use to like salad before". "You hated it more than I did those days that aunty Blessing will bring it for us in the evening" Catarina said with humour in her eyes. Stella chuckled. "Married life can change people's taste bud you know". Catarina shrugged. " That was how it was when Martha was about to come into this world". Stella smiled. "What are you insinuating?" Tony gasped as he looked closely at Stella. "Congratulations Stella". Stella rolled her eyes. "Catarina, you should have kept it a secret from Tony. This guy will use his marine witchcraft mind to eat my baby". They broke into laughter. Stella cleared her throat as she sliced through her meat. "Big sis, Tony is a nice person though. He is the man you would have met if not for father". Catarina forced a spoonful of salad into her mouth. "I prefer you finishing all my salad than saying all those annoying things". Tony winked at Catarina. Ricky was summing up some company records when the receiver rang. "Hello Dwayne?" "Mrs Laura Joseph is here to see you". "My friend? Tell her to come in" Laura Joseph walked into his office. "Workaholic...". She muttered. He chuckled. "... Stella is more workaholic than I am. I just come in here because she is not always at home. Kachi newshouse sees her more than I do everyday". She frowned slightly and helped herself to a seat before him. "Is she making any divorce plan?". "Divorce? Are you crazy?". "She has not mentioned divorce to you ?". "Are you threatening my wife to divorce me?". "Ricky, why are you playing dumb with me? How can you tell me that you never loved me despite all the time that we have spent together?" "You will only be a friend until my dying breath". "How can you say that!!!". She fired. "Is it because your wife is now more famous than I am?I will work very hard and take whatever she has taken from me!!!". "Even if you take everything from her, Stella will still remain the same to me. It is a matter of whom she is, not what she possess". "I promise you, that girl will leave you". He ignored her and continued going through his company records. Immediately she left, he walked to the toilet to urinate. When he returned, he couldn't find his jacket. As he leaned to look for it, his receiver rang and he clung it to his ear. "Hello?" "Mr James is here to see you sir". "Mr James?". "James Felix". James Felix was Stella James father. "Let him in" Pause: You can follow me, Bcdblog for more stories and updates. And to be notified when I post. Felix James walked into his office and looked suspiciously at him. "You are not exactly the kind of man I wanted my daughter to marry, you rit-ualist". "Are you saying that it is not possible for a handsome educated billionaire to come for your beautiful daughter?". "Why then did you come to ask for a hand in such a cunning way?" "You already know the answer to that. If I had come like this, you wouldn't have given me your daughter". "You needed a virgin so that you will use the blood of her virginity to get richer". Ricky stifled laughter. "Why do people always assume that every rich man acquired his wealth through spiritual means? Why don't you Nigerians believe in hardwork?" "I need two million naira from you". "Two million naira?". "Yes. That is the only thing that will comfort me from your past deceitful nature". Ricky chuckled. "I paid her full brideprice to you,so irrespective of your view about my wealth,I owe you absolutely nothing. If you need money, say it outrightly and stop playing cunning with me". "So, for the first time your father in law is asking you for money, you choose to talk down on him?" Ricky rolled his eyes. "Since you need money, ask my wife. When you go through her, she can come to me and I will give her any amount she wants to give you". "I can't ask a woman for money". Ricky shrugged and looked away. "When you are ready, Stella will get back to me". He grit his teeth and walked out of his office. We giggled as my husband placed my legs on his laps and massaged them. I felt completely loved by him. "Why are you staring at me like that?". He asked me awkwardly. "I just feel lucky to have a man like you in my life" "Thank God that you are not stingy with your sweet words today". I chuckled and squeezed his cheek. "I can't be stingy anymore because you are becoming sweeter by the day". He smiled heartily at me. "Your legs are so soft" He pulled on my toes and I chuckled because it gave me a tickling sensation. He pulled on it again and again and I burst into laughter. We stopped short when we heard a knock at the door. Ricky rushed to open. It was Laura Joseph. She was holding his jacket. "Hi Ricky, you forgot your jacket". Onyekachi IK To be continued after you shære and comments.

MYSTERIOUS MARRIAGE EPISODE THIRTEEN I walked to the door and collected the jacket from her. "Thanks for the jacket, Laura". Laura smiled sheepishly. "Probably we were careless". "Careless with what?". Ricky challenged. Laura shrugged. "You know better". Ricky smirked. "Did you steal my jacket to make this petty joke?". "You call what happened between us today a joke?". Laura fired at him. Ricky chuckled with a surprised glint in his eyes. "I didn't know that you were this desperate". "We both know that I came to your office today and we had a good time. Your workers can testify". She cried out. Pause: You can follow this blog» for more stories and updates. Bcdblog I smiled at her. "Laura, it is time to leave. Thanks for the jacket". I closed the door and I and Ricky walked back into the house. Ricky rushed to hold my hand. "Can I explain everything now?". I pulled off his gripse. "I don't think I need your explanation". I walked into the room we were sharing together and I relaxed on the bed. He stood at the door. "If you can trust me, Laura wouldn't succeed in her eyvil plans". "You knew she had e-vil plans but you still entertained her at your office today". "I didn't know her intentions until today". "I just want to be alone for the moment". I said softly. He nodded thoughtfully and walked out of the room. I had to trust Ricky to keep my marriage. I definitely had to keep this marriage even if my faith was already failing me. I was feeling very feverish again that morning at work so i took a walk around the field of Kachi newshouse. I heard footsteps from behind. I turned. It was Bookworm Thomas. He sighed deeply. "You married the wrong man, Stella James. If I were your husband, I wouldn't be able to breathe without you by my side. A man that cares about you will not be satisfied with not hearing your voice every second". I shrugged as I walked on. "...at least, my husband is not a murderer" "Do you think I don't regret it anytime I 5kill a person? I do it with bitterness in my heart then all of a sudden, after the work is done I realize my bad. You think it is every ki--ller that likes k--illing?". I nodded thoughtfully as we walked on. "Did you threaten my husband?". "About what?". I shrugged. "He suddenly gave up on finding any evidence against you so i just naturally assumed that you had thre-atened him". "Your husband hides so many things from you". I was surprised at him. "What exactly happened?". "Take your time and research on your husband's belongings. Don't be so trusting all the time". He wiped the beads of sweat forming on my forehead with his hand. "Since your husband can't do this for you, I can help you". I slapped his hands off my forehead. "I am fine". "You are not fine and your husband doesn't even call you!". "He is busy!!!". "No man is too busy for the one he loves! How can he not even visit his pregnant wife? That is very bad!". "Do you think that proves love? I am just few weeks pregnant and I don't expect my husband to pamper me just to prove his love". "Are you aware that this is a delicate stage of your life? When a woman is at the early stage of her pregnancy, there are likely chances of misc-arriages!". "That doesn't prove love!". "You think he loves you? Every man always feels proud anytime a woman carries their baby in her womb. Don't misinterprete his love for the child as love for you. That man obviously loves someone else". He folded a package of fruits into my hand. "Eat this for the health of the beautiful baby in your womb". He smiled heartily at me and walked away. As much as I didn't want to admit it, I was sincerely touched. He cared about the baby in my womb despite the fact that it was not his own. When I got to the office, I waited for Ricky's call all day, but he didn't call to check up on me. Truly, Ricky never called to check up on me at work but I never noticed it until Bookworm Thomas brought it to my mind. I dialled Ricky's number. His number was busy. He had time to make calls but he didn't have time to call his wife. The statue infront of Muave beach reminded him of how Stella James usually posed anytime she was angry with him. He laughed at the thought of it. He sat on the floor alone at the beach. He wished he could call Stella...but she always preferred it when he didn't disturb her at work. Would it be selfish of him to call her just because he wanted to see if she was alright at work? He knew it would be selfish of him to call her when she was at work but all the same, he wished she would learn how to take care of her body especially now that she was pregnant. What if he instructs her to give her body more rest? Will she see him as bossy? Stella was the type that liked to keep her home matters away from work so appearing at her workplace would make her uncomfortable and feel like he is overpossessive right? ... At least she had mentioned it to him the other day that Tony Maxson said that he was overprotective of his wife. Should he stay put and balance things or react the way he feels about her? Will that be selfish of him? Will calling her at work make her feel like he was being overprotective? His phone rang. It was one of their neighbours. He placed the phone on his ear after connecting it. "Hello Jayboy?" "Your father has been sitting in front of your house for hours. Are you sure it is safe for him?". "I am coming right away". I walked out of my office after work hours for the day. I was not happy because Ricky doesn't hear my voice all day and he never bothers. Laura Joseph was chatting with Tony Maxson outside my office. She walked towards me. "You don't look good today, Stella. Are you alright?". "It could be marriage stress". Tony Maxson muttered. "Why do you think I have not been married up till now and I just keep getting fatter and fatter?". I made eyes at him. "... don't tell me that you are just flirting with my sister. I will tell her that you are an unserious blockhead". He chuckled. "Your sister hates me so I have given up on her". "If you believe a woman hates you anytime she gives you attitude then you can never cope with her. You always have to prove it to women that you always have them on your mind. If you can take care of a woman and always make her know that you are always there for her,man, you have hit the jackpot". I winked at him. He nodded thoughtfully. "I won't give up on Catarina". Laura Joseph smiled sarcastically at me. "Relationship coach, how is your marriage?". I turned to her and smiled. "Not every stress you see on a woman's face relates to her marriage. Sometimes it can just be because of bad vibes around her". I sarcastically responded. "I give you bad vibes?". I patted her gently on her shoulder and walked out of the company into my car parked at the parking lot. When I got to Ricky's mansion, my stomach churned. I couldn't feel the love of the man I called my husband and it really affected me. When I entered the house, he had already cooked. He smiled excitedly and walked to hug me. "I made your favourite". "I don't think I have an appetite". I maliciously pulled off his gripse and walked into our room. I remembered what Bookworm Thomas had told me about searching his belongings to find everything that he was hiding from me. I opened his suitcase and the first thing I saw was a disk. On it was written, BOOKWORM THOMAS. I slipped in the disk into my laptop and watched it. It was a video of Bookworm Thomas committing one of his past mu--rders. I gasped. How could Ricky hide such a vital information from me? We had began the research together and now he hid such thing from me. I indignantly dropped the disk back into the suitcase and sighted a lipstick at the far end of the suitcase. It was not my lipstick. I rushed to his pair of shoes that I had polished for him that morning. His shoe was filled with the sand from a beach. It said it all. He had gone to the beach with Laura and she had forgotten her lipstick with him. I walked to the sitting room with a hard heart. Ricky was lying on the couch sadly when I walked in. I sat before him on the other couch facing him. "Let us get a div---orce, Ricky Roland". (THE NEXT EPISODE WILL BE COMING UP THIS EVENING IF WE GET 100 shæres)

MYSTERIOUS MARRIAGE EPISODE FOURTEEN "Why are you silent?I just said that we should get a d!vorce". I said firmly. "You came back home and was suddenly giving me attitude and now, you are talking about divo-rce. Are you cra-zy?" "How dare you!!!". I fired at him. "You didn't have my time anymore because you have been busy with Laura!". "Will you shut up! Why are you saying things that you are not even sure about?". "How will you explain the lipstick I saw in your briefcase?" "You checked my briefcase?". "Yes. I also found the evidence against Bookworm Thomas that you also hid from me". "I just felt that I had to protect you. How will I have involved you with such evidence when Bookworm Thomas is a murd--erer?". "You were the same person that made me go to his hideout, so what is knowing about evidence compared to everything we have been doing to work this out?". He swallowed. "I am sorry". As much as I didn't want it to, it melted my heart. His apologies. "What about the lipstick?". "Someone put it in there". I searched his eyes and knowing what Laura could do, I believed him. "How did she get to your office?". "That is what I don't know, but I will find out everything and put a secret camera in my office". I held his hands. "Why do you ha-te calling me? You hardly call me". "I hardly call you at work because I felt you might not like it". "How can I not like it? You don't even know me". He nodded thoughtfully. "Yes,we don't know each other". Tears filled my eyes. "Knowing each other is beyond s-ex or saying I love you. We have never taken time to know each other". "The issue here is that you are always at work and we hardly have time to be together". I placed my phone in his hand. "You are the only one that have the power to tell your mum to give me a two weeks break. Sometimes i sleep at work and it is tiring. I can just use the opportunity to cover events outside the newshouse". He dialled his mother's number and she connected immediately. "Mum, it is me". "Son? Are you okay?". "Give my wife a three weeks leave. I want to be with her". "No problem my son. How is she? Is the pregnancy disturbing her?". "Yes. She needs enough rest. Even when she resumes, she will be leaving the work early everyday for the safety of the baby". "Of course my son. That baby is the future of Kachi newshouse. I will give Stella enough time to rest for my own good". She disconnected the line. Father in law appeared. He was panting. He had started talking. Enough progress. Even if not everything he said made sense, it was enough progress. I rushed to him. "Are you hungry, dad?" "I am not hungry. Don't divo-rce my son". He muttered as he stared at me. I and Ricky exchanged glances. I helped him to a seat. As I helped him, I noticed his stance. He didn't have weak muscles like other old men. His muscles were flexible like he had worked out in a gym. "I won't divo-rce Ricky, father". I assured him and kis-sed him on his forehead. After Ricky had taken his father out for a walk, I walked into his room. Things felt shady. Especially for a man who had been trapped on a sick bed for years, having flexible muscles. I noticed something popping out from under the bed. I swept it out and found a bundle of the same type of painting that I had disposed. How did Roy Roland get the painting? And how come the painting was in his hands and he was mentally getting better? My father in law... What was he hiding? Pause: You can follow» Bcdblog for more stories and updates. Catarina received a call from school that Martha had slumped during an inter-house sport competition. She panted and rushed towards her car. Tony Maxson drove and parked beside her . "Are you sure that you will be able to drive in that state of mind of yours? Get in, let me take you to your destination". Without a second thought, she entered his car and buckled her seatbelt. "Mainland junction". When they got to the school, Martha's father was already there with her in the sick bay. Martha had woken up and he was sitting beside her. Dominic looked insecurely at Tony Maxson. "While your daughter is fainting out of over thinking, you are there, flirting with a small boy. Shameless woman". He breathed cynically. Catarina slapped him very hard aross his face. "You have the guts to talk to me like that?Who is the reason for her over thinking?". Martha sobbed. "Mother, tell father to leave this place. I and my brothers were happy before he came again and now he is causing trouble again". Dominic fumed at her. "If you know that you were fine without me, why then did you slump?". "I slumped because of I had over-worked myself for the sport competition. Leave here father so that I will be able to erase the memories you had caused for my mother!". She cried out and Catarina led Dominic out of the ward, leaving her behind with Tony Maxson. Tony Maxson sat by her on the bed and smiled softly at her. "Has the sport competition ended?". "Yes, and we the yellow house team came out first place. I was the candidate for the yellow house". His eyes lit with humour. "See your long legs! Why won't you be a good runner?". Martha chuckled. "Is that why I can also play basketball pretty well? Because of the long legs?" "Yes, but the best footballers are the short guys!I don't think you can play football with these long legs of yours". Martha burst into laughter. "You are right. I am not very good at playing football. What about you?". "Those school days, I could only dribble people around the school field but I never scored any goal". They broke into laughter. Catarina was shocked when she entered the ward and saw her only daughter laughing from the depth of her heart. Martha had not laughed like that in a long while. The last event she was to cover for that week was Rita Roland's election. It had been peaceful at first as she and other journalists sat and watched voters vote for their candidates. Suddenly,thugs appeared from nowhere and the election was thrown into chaos. I stood up and began to take pictures. All of a sudden, someone slipped a black cloth over her face and carried her. Suddenly, she found herself in a car and the driver began to drive on high speed. She took off the black cloth that the person had covered her face with. Bookworm Thomas was the one that had kidna--pped her. "My thugs are the ones that are causing chaos right now at the election ground . I instructed them to burn down Collins Roland's ballot papers. With that strategy, Collins candidates will be limited and we will have the higher votes for Rita Roland". I grit my teeth at him. "How has that got to do with kidnapping me?". "Do you know how long I have been looking for this opportunity? After I had heard Rita tell your sister that you are going to represent the station, I knew that I had hit the jackpot!". He laughed out loudly. "My husband will get you! You bast---ard!!!". "He will get me after our wedding". "How can you get married to a pregnant married woman?". "Because I am Bookworm Thomas, the untouchable!!!". He winked and drove on. Suddenly an upcoming truck approached his car from the other side of the road and blocked us. Bookworm Thomas aggress---ively rushed out of the car towards the truck. The truck driver was wearing a mask. He jumped off the truck and ran towards Bookworm Thomas as Bookworm Thomas also came at him. He kicked him hard on his chest and rushed into the car that he had kept me. He carried me into his truck while Bookworm Thomas squatted on the floor, groaning in pains. The truck driver started the engine. "Since you already know my secret, there is no use of hiding myself anymore". "Know your secret?who are you?". "You are a strong detective for you to have detected that I was working out just by touching my arms despite the fact that my worked out hands wasn't that visible. And as for the paintings, I have plenty of them, including the videos". Was it the person I was thinking he was? My heart was in my mouth as I watched him take off his mask. It was Roy Roland. Ricky Roland's father. Onyekachi Ikeh. I think you all don't like this story. I will stop it because the shæres are not encouraging. If We can't get over a 100 shæres, I'll stop

MYSTERIOUS MARRIAGE EPISODE FIFTEEN He drove silently to Ricky's mansion. I couldn't believe it. It just felt so hard to believe anything. He parked at the parking lot and helped me out of the truck. Ricky was not around. Roy Roland carried me in his arms to my room upstairs. I sat up on the bed and stared at him with disbelief in my eyes. "Mr Roland, please can you explain to me what is really going on?" He cleared his throat and gave me a hard look. "You are a very foo-lish girl. This Bookworm Thomas ki---lled your sister and you still smile at him? Did you even give it a second thought? How can you disgrace yourself and move with such a living corpse?". I trembled as I watched him. "Are you really the traum-atic Roy Roland I knew three months ago?" He scoffed. "That fateful day that the living corpse had murd-ered my daughter, i was the only one that had witnessed everything. I knew that moment that the best way to keep my life was to act like I was not a normal person so that Bookworm Thomas wouldn't see me as a big threat. That was the only way my life would have been safe and I could still do my underground job". "What underground job?". "Your husband didn't tell you that since yesterday he had been looking for the disk that Bookworm Thomas had given him to implicate him?". "The murd--er disk is missing?". "Bookworm Thomas had sneaked in here to steal it yesterday. His plan was that after stealing the disk, he would kidn--ap you and live a long life with you without getting implicated. Ricky Roland is still in search of that disk". I fumed. "Bookworm Thomas had given my husband that disk to trick him. He knew that Ricky wouldn't do a duplicate because he would feel relaxed about the disk because he had given him himself". "Can you now see the man you claim as your childhood friend? He is still mentally deranged even right now as we speak!!!He is pretending to be normal!!!". I sighed frustratedly. "What are we going to do?". "I have everything that will implicate both my younger brother and Bookworm Thomas". "You have evidences? How did you get them?". "You think all those while that I was in that hideout I was just sitting down? I always escaped through the window. I witnessed ten deaths of the girls that Bookworm Thomas had murde---red. I recorded everything. I am the only one that knows Bookworm Thomas real hideout. Bookworm Thomas's real hideout is in the church of one of his relatives. His relative have been the one covering up Bookworm Thomas's murders for years now". "Since you have all these information, why haven't you reported to the police?" "Police? If I wanted to report to the police, would I have gone this far?" "What then do you plan to do?". "Before I give the evidences to the police, I am going to mur---der Bookworm Thomas the exact way that he had murd---ered my daughter". Martha was the one that opened the door for her when she got back home that evening. They excitedly ran into her arms immediately she entered the house and she gave them the biscuits she had bought for them on her way. After her children had taken their night bath and had gone to bed, she walked into the bathroom to take her own night bath after a long day at work. She returned to her room and changed into a nightgown. As she sat on her soft bed to cream her legs, she noticed a plain sheet on her dressing table. She walked towards it and glanced into it. IT READ. YOUR DAUGHTER IS THE NEXT ON THE LINE Her heart jumped into her mouth. She knew that the person that had written that information was Bookworm Thomas. Her phone suddenly began to ring. An unfamiliar number. She clicked on the record button and answered. "Hello?" "You deceived me and made me think that you wanted your sister to marry me, but you just wanted to use me to make your boss win that election" "I tried my best but...". "Shut up! You think I don't hear you whenever you give Stella marriage advise at work?" She trembled and disconnected the line. Suddenly her phone rang again. This time it was Tony Maxson. She connected it. "Tony please help me". "Are you alright Catarina?" "You were given a month leave at work yesterday. Can you spend that one month at my place if you don't mind?". "Alright. Should I come in the morning?" "Can you help me bring the kids and from there you can stay with them at home tomorrow?". "Alright. What happened?". "Someone is threatening to k---ill my daughter". "Bookworm Thomas?". She gasped. "How did you know about him?". "Everyone knows Bookworm Thomas but no one has any evidence against him". Laura Joseph poured another glass and gulped as she sat alone in one of the dark rooms of Jickson bar. She belched. As she poured another glass, someone appeared from nowhere and sat before her. Bookworm Thomas. She gasped. "Who are you?". "Bookworm Thomas". She trembled. "What do you want from me?". She looked around in fear. Pause: You can follow Bcdblog to be notified when I post "No need to be scared. I came to you because I know that you are drinking right now because of Ricky Roland. You love him so much but he keeps loving his wife more and more". She sighed frustratedly. "Why do you think all this is happening to me? Am I cursed?". "Stella James is pregnant". She trembled. "You liar". "The only way Ricky Roland can come to you is if Stella looses the baby in her womb". "Loose the baby?I don't understand". "Get Stella's heart. After you have succeeded with that, I will give you a substance that will kil---l the baby in her womb" "Ricky would never come to me even if that happens". "I have plans. Immediately that happens, I will use my skill to turn Ricky's mind against Stella". I opened the door for him and he hugged me. "I have been calling you since. Where did you drop your phone?". "I misplaced it". I didn't want to tell him that Bookworm Thomas had kidnapped me and that I had misplaced my phone on the process. "You misplaced it at work?". "Yes". I avoided his eyes. I didn't know how to lie to Ricky without avoiding his eyes. I decided to change the topic. "Er...did you misplace the disk that Bookworm Thomas gave you?". "How did you know that?". He gave me a suspicious look. "Er...I checked for it and...". "Leave me to bother about things like that, okay? You are my wife and I have to protect you". I helped him with his briefcase. "I made your favourite. Why don't you go take your bath?". He gave me that look he usually gives me anytime he wants to touch me for the night. "Will your stomach hurt today again even if I don't do it in a way that it will touch the baby?". I chuckled. "Go take your bath first, we will discuss that after you eat real food". He winked at me. "You are the real food, Stella and I will eat you tonight in a way that you wouldn't get hurt at all as usual". "Go and take your bath so that you can eat the real food before the realer food". We burst into laughter and I watched him rush into the room in excitement. Even if I was tired from the kidnapping issue I had with Bookworm Thomas that afternoon, I had to always satisfy my husband's desire anytime he needed me. That is the price we wives always have to pay. No qualms though. We move. He was the one that woke me up the following morning. It was eight o'clock when I opened my eyes immediately he touched me. "Your phone is ringing and it seems urgent. It is from Catarina". I collected the phone from him and placed it on my ear. My sister's trembling voice came from the other side of the line. "Bookworm Thomas has kidna---pped my child". If we get a 100 shæres, then we are ready for the next episode

MYSTERIOUS MARRIAGE EPISODE SIXTEEN I rushed into Roy Roland's room but he wasn't there. Ricky turned to me curiously. "What are you looking for in my father's room?". "Your father, I am looking for your father". "Why?" "I will tell you everything when we find him". I dialled his number and he connected it. "Where are you?did you go to save my niece?". "Bookworm Thomas burnt down the hideout that he had kept Martha but before he did that, I had already saved her. I had to take that risk since she is my daughter in law's niece". I gasped and fell on my knees with tears of joy in my heart. "Thanks so much Mr Roy Roland. Thanks so much". After I disconnected the line, Ricky looked suspiciously at me. "What is going on?". "Martha is safe". "Martha is safe? How did that happen?" "Your father saved her". "I don't understand". "Your father is sane" "My father can't be sane!". "He wants to get revenge on Bookworm Thomas. That was the only reason he had been hiding under the shadow of being traumatized. He didn't want to be a threat to Collins Roland and Bookworm Thomas". (Flash back to how Martha was kidna---pped). Bookworm Thomas followed Catarina back home that evening. He had heard her when she had told Stella James that morning that she should do everything to keep her home. It had said it all. She had only played smart with him. He was angry. He had to get his revenge. Immediately she entered the compound, he jumped in through the walls and followed her closely. Immediately she entered the house, he jumped into the house through the back window and hid in between the curtains behind the television. Immediately the children went to bed that evening, he sneaked into her room and grabbed a pen and sheet from his pocket. He penned down his threatening message and watched her as she walked in after bathing to read it. When he noticed that she was dialling his number, he rushed into her bathroom and answered the call. He had witnessed how she had called Tony Maxson and how she had sobbed to sleep that night. It was that same night that he had sneaked into Martha's room and after forcing her to sniff in crazy substance that would make her sleep, she had drowned into a deep sleep and he had carried her to his hideout. He had set his hideout on fire after he had kept her there and took pictures and sent them for Catarina to see. But he had heard that familiar truck drive out. The same truck that had snatched Stella from his arms... That same truck man had rescued Catarina's daughter. He clenched his fist. (THE PRESENT) Catarina had cried all through the day and she couldn't be comforted. Her daughter had been kidnapped since yesterday and few minutes ago, Bookworm Thomas had sent to her pictures of a burnt down room. She found it hard to believe that Bookworm Thomas would have the mind to b-urn her daughter alive despite what he had shared in the past with her younger sister, Stella James. Tony Maxson had made her sons to sleep and he joined her outside at the verandah. He swallowed to himself. "Do you believe in God?". She shivered. "I am a Christian". "Not all christains believe in God. Do you believe in God?". "I am a mother, Tony. I don't even know what I believe in anymore". "During my growing days, anytime I was very scared of any situation, I would begin to sing songs from the depth of my heart to God because I know what he can do. I know that he will always do the impossible". Catarina sobbed uncontrollably and fell on her knees, waving her hands and singing to God. After thirty minutes, they heard footsteps. They looked up. It was Martha. I excitedly walked into my office. "So you mean Martha is safe and sound?". My brother asked me excitedly as he arranged the files on my table. "Yes! Martha is safe and sound!!!". We hugged each other excitedly. I had left Roy and Ricky that morning as they were having an argument concerning his father's false traumatized health. Laura Joseph walked into my office. This time, she was holding a basket of fruits. She smiled softly at me. She had never smiled that way at me. She dropped the basket of fruits on my desk. "Can you take some fruits?". I was surprised at her. "Why?". Tears filled her eyes as she met my eyes. "I know that you are carrying my friend's baby in your womb. I won't be a good friend to Ricky if I don't treat you right despite that". I was touched. That moment, I knew that Laura really loved Ricky. "Thanks so much for this. I know it took so much strength for you, but thanks so much". She touched my face. "Can we be friends?". She swallowed bitterly. "I have never had a female friend before and now that I don't even have a family, it feels more lonely for me". "Let us be good friends, Laura Joseph". We shook hands. It was finally the day that the winner with the highest vote would be announced. Stella and her sister, Catarina were present to witness the event. Collins was seated beside Rita alongside other candidates. One after the other, they announced the votes of the candidates and Collins and Rita were announced as the top most candidates. There was suddenly an audio that began to play on a loud stereo. It was the voice of Collins Roland as he was discussing about his evil plans with Dominic and chief Harry. The audio disclosed that Collins Roland had sent chief Harry to destroy Roy Roland's health more with paintings that will lure him back to the past, how he had rigged the election and converted Roy Roland's money. Suddenly, Roy Roland appeared with the police. The police handcuffed Collins Roland. Collins trembled as he stared at his elder brother. "Roy Roland?". Roy smiled at him. "Yes, I am not traumatized". "You con!!!". He screamed as the police pulled him out of the big hall. Rita rushed to Roy and hugged him. "I can't believe that my husband is now in good health". Roy pulled off her gripse. "You are not hugging me because you are happy that I recovered, you are only hugging me because I made it look as if it is likely for you to win this election. Rita Roland, the real winner of this election has been chosen and it is not you". "Then who" Another 100 shæres and we’re ready for the next episode

MYSTERIOUS MARRIAGE EPISODE SEVENTEEN "Jane Spilia has two votes that surpassed your number of votes" . Roy whispered and just as he had said, the speaker announced Jane Spilia as the winner of the election. Rita Roland fainted. Belinda heard the knock again at the door and she realized that she hadn't imagined the knock. She pulled the door open and it was her father...Mr James. Her father? "After I was chased out of our house, your brothers rented an apartment but they refused to let me in. You are my first daughter. I didn't know anyone else to run to". Tears filled Belinda's eyes as she looked at her haggard looking father. "So you have a daughter? I hope you now see the value of a woman? You know that we women, our hearts fail us all the time. You know that right?that is the reason you believe I will accept you in". "Please, I need water". He said breathlessly. She pulled him into her house and gave him water and food, then she made his shower. Pause: You can follow me» Bcdblog for more stories and to be notified when I post He took his bath and slept off. He was truly famished. No matter what happens, family will always be family. I and Ricky were watching an American movie on Netflix in the sitting room that Saturday afternoon. ...an action movie. I leaned on his shoulder and we watched the movie together. Suddenly, I remembered my boss, my mother in law who had fallen sick for a week now after loosing the election. "Ricky, what will happen to your mum?". He shrugged. "If she wants to loose her life because of material things,she has my full support". "Why do think Rita Roland lost the election?". "It is just simply a payback for her negligence of her family. This will teach her that family is more precious than what you gain in life. My mother never understood this" I nodded thoughtfully. "My brothers rented a new apartment weeks ago but they didn't allow my father live with them because they believe that he will monitor their lives". "Don't tell me your father is homeless right now". I nodded. "I just wonder where he is". "He hasn't called you till now? He came to my office the other day and was talking about me giving him two million naira but I told him to ask you first". "Two million naira? Why is that man so greedy?". "Why do you think your father has not come directly to ask you for help despite the fact that he knows that you are capable enough to help him?". "My father would rather go to my other sisters than come to me because his ego is hurt that despite how much he had looked down on his daughters, I have become so great. I am happy that at this stage in life, I have been able to prove to my father that I have a value as a woman". Roy Roland was not insane all these while, and now, he had grown so strong despite his age. STRONG AND PREPARED. Roy Roland had even become stronger than him. He had exposed a whole Collins and had even saved one of his intended victims. He had even made his wife loose the election without exposing her evil deeds. He had collected back his money from Collins. ....and he knew all his hideouts. He panicked. No one had ever threa--tened him just the same way that Roy Roland had done. He had little time, or else Stella would be completely Ricky's. He dialled Laura Joseph's number and she connected. "Do you know Macon coffee shop?". "Yes". She answered softly. "Ask for Kilory vase. Tomorrow morning, prepare Stella James her favourite food and sprinkle the Kilory Vase portion on it. The baby will not even last a second in the womb". "Just like that? Thanks so much Bookworm Thomas. How long will the medicine take to work?". "Two minutes". "You have to stay with her alone in the office while she eat so that when the food start affecting her, you will dispose the food so that the doctors won't trace it back to you". Laura Joseph walked into Stella James office. It was perfect timing. Her brother was not in her office with her. It was a good coincidence that her brother was not in the office with her because he was always with her in her office, but today was an exception and it will encourage her plans. Laura dropped the food on her desk. "I prepared this food myself for you. Your favourite!!!". Stella screamed and rushed to hug her. "you are the best friend in the world! You are so wonderful!!!". She rushed to the food and began to devour it. Laura smiled to herself and watched her as she ate the food. Two minutes and Stella was still eating without reacting the harmful content of the food. Ten minutes. Twenty minutes. Stella James licked the plate and covered it after she had cleared the plate. "Thanks so much for this wonderful meal, Laura Joseph". Laura was shocked at her. "You don't feel anything in your body?". Stella James watched her closely. "Why? Because you put something in it to k--ill my baby?". She caressed her stomach and smiled to herself. If we get another 200 shæres, then we will drop two episodes today

MYSTERIOUS MARRIAGE EPISODE EIGHTEEN (FLASH BACK TO HOW STELLA JAMES HAD FOUND OUT ABOUT THE HARMFUL FOOD) I had pondered that evening on why Laura Joseph had changed overnight. It had been weeks since Laura had been bringing fruits and snacks for me to my office everyday. What looked more suspicious was when Ricky had told me that Laura Joseph had stopped talking to him since she had come to the house to implicate him about the jacket that night. If she was not talking to my husband, why was she talking to me? If Laura Joseph was not completely happy with my husband, why was she acting like she was completely happy with me? I had to follow my instinct and find out her true intentions. One fateful saturday,Laura walked towards the toilet to answer a call. I had moved closer to hear her phone conversation but she had disconnected the line immediately she sighted me coming that day. I decided to put a monitoring code on her phone. From that day, I had monitored Laura's calls and heard her phone conversation with Bookworm Thomas that fateful day. I was gripped with fear and told Ricky everything that same day that I had found out. Ricky fumed. "Hope you recorded everything she had told him?. I sobbed. "I did. How can she even think of having the mind to k--ill my baby?". He hugged me. "If you don't calm down, she will find out that you have an idea about her trick. We have to catch her red handed". "I am going to cook my favourite food that day and exchange it immediately she comes to the office with the food". "I will ask my mum to distract her with work that morning so that you will have enough time to exchange the food without her finding out". (THE PRESENT) Laura Joseph trembled. "How dare you monitor my calls!!!". She fired. The door pushed open and the police marched in. My brother appeared from behind, holding the flask that I had exchanged the harmful food and preserved it in. He smiled mischievously and opened the flask for Laura to see. ...the steaming harmful food. The police handcuffed Laura and pushed her out of my office. I had given them the recorded call she had with Bookworm Thomas as evidence and the harmful food had stood as another evidence against her. There was enough evidence to take her to jail. Immediately the police had left with her, Ricky rushed into my office and hugged me. "I am so sorry about everything. Your life was in danger because of my foo-lish mistake". "No, darling. If not that i had nursed Bookworm Thomas to health, all these issues that we have been facing wouldn't have been happening". "Nothing is your fault, Stella. You just have a wonderful heart". Tears filled my eyes as I searched his eyes. "You changed my life forever, Ricky. You made me actualize my dreams. If not for you, I wouldn't have had the ability to prove to my father anything". "What about you, Stella?Do you know where I would have been today if not for you? I would have still been living a miserable life. You took away my dark world and brought light in our mysterious marriage". Mr James sulked as he watched from afar as Belinda managed her big farm. His sons who he had placed on high expectations were feeding from the daughters whom he had neglected. So something good can come out of a woman? Belinda rushed to him immediately she sighted him. "Have you taken your dru--gs, father?". He blinked off the tears forming in his eyes. "In just a day, you chose to forget all the pains that I had caused your sisters and your mother for many years. I feel so ashamed that my stinking bloo--d still runs in your vein". "A woman, no matter what her family members cause her, the only way that she is completely geniunely happy is when she has the ability to support her family. That is a true woman. That is a true daughter". They hugged each other. James thought in his heart. Truly, Nwanyibuife (A woman is valuable). They had played on the swing, watched movies on Netflix together and sang songs. Tony Maxson was the mastermind of the fun. For just two months since he had been staying with them, her children had experienced for the first time what it felt to have a father. It wasn't too late to be happy. Was it? Tony had sang bedtime stories for the children and they had fallen asleep. She heard his footsteps while she sat before her dressing table in her bedroom. He had never entered her bedroom since two months now that he had been staying with them. He knocked on the door of her room. He always knocked like that anytime he wanted her to join him in the balcony. For the first time in her life, she was conscious of the way she looked and her scent. She immediately rushed to the mirror and observed her reflection. She sprayed perfume and rushed out of the room to meet him. He was enjoying the view the view in the balcony. He smiled when she joined him. "I will be leaving tomorrow". Her stomach churned immediately she heard him say that. "Tomorrow? Oh, okay". He cleared his throat awkwardly. "I don't want you to think I am saying this because I stayed here but I just feel like if I don't say it now, I won't be able to relieve myself of what I feel". "Feel?". "I love you, Catarina. Why don't you open your heart to be completely happy now? I want you to forget all the issues that you have faced in the past and I want you to be completely happy just the way you are supposed to be". Tears filled my eyes. "Are you sure that you won't change?". "What do you think? Does it feel as if I am pretending?". She sobbed. "It just feels so good to be true" He hugged her. "It is our time to smile, Catarina. Today marks the end of all your suffering". Rita had jerked back to a sound health. It had taken her two months to fully recover from her bad state of health. She had been kept in one of the rooms of her son's mansion. She was ashamed of herself. She was a failure. A failure at work, as a mother and a wife. She walked to the wardrobe that they had kept her load and she began to fold in her clothes into her suitcase. She was going to leave the house before anyone comes in and call her a failure. It was better for her to accept the fact that she is a failure to herself than someone to call her that to her face. She heard footsteps and she stifled her shoulders. Roy appeared in the room. "Where do you think you are going?". Her heart began to beat so fast. It has been so long. Her Roy... Her husband... Tears filled her eyes. She avoided his eyes. "I have to leave". "Why?". "I don't have the strength to face anyone...you and Ricky. I don't have the strength to accept myself as a failure". "The election right?". "No, a failure as a wife and a mother". "You think you can't still change that?". Ricky appeared at the door and walked in. "Mother, how are you feeling now?". Rita sobbed uncontrollably. "I am sorry, Ricky". "Sorry for what?". "I am sorry that I was not the kind of mother you had longed for. You see, when I failed the election, I realized a lot of things. I realized that, the real life is when we live as if our life is more precious than every other thing we are working for in this life. You both were my life, but I didn't stand by you because I felt that material things were more important than the people that were supposed to be called my life...but I failed in my thinking...that a good family is more precious than any other thing in life. Family is the real life. If we achieve every other thing without a family, someday, we will still realize that family is the real life". She hugged Ricky . "I am so sorry". For the first time, she felt fulfilled. She had a family that was sticking together. She had a family to enjoy. She had a family that loved her irrespective of what had happened in the past. There was still a chance to change everything and correct her mistakes. I and Stella were gisting about a movie series in the sitting room when Roy and Rita walked into the sitting room. "We will be traveling out of the country in two days time". Roy informed us. I gasped. "Mum? You too? When will you be coming back?". "When you give birth to your baby"Rita answered with a bright smile and kissed me on my forehead. "Ricky, make sure you take care of your wife just the way your father had taken care of me. Stella, didn't I tell you that 2021 will be your year?". We burst into laughter. "So, my parents are traveling out of the country to do their second honeymoon?". Ricky asked his parents humourously and we broke into laughter. I grimaced. "I don't want to imagine it". Roy rolled his eyes. "A married couple do that thing till they are stricken in age. As for me, I am strong enough to still do anything". We broke into laughter. Roy brought out a big file and handed it to Ricky. "Everything in here are strong evidences against Bookworm Thomas, but there is a problem. After looking for evidence against Bookworm Thomas, we have a big problem". "What problem?". We chorused. "Bookworm Thomas has gone into hiding. He is nowhere to be found. Ricky Roland, you have to find Bookworm Thomas". This story is coming to an end soon..let's get 300 shæres to unlock the last episode

MYSTERIOUS MARRIAGE EPISODE NINETEEN Belinda called my line and I connected it. "Hello Belinda?". "Can you come to my house?". "Hope there is no problem?". "Make it to my place this morning please". She disconnected the line. My sister has never called me for any emergency. There was definitely something wrong. I stared at my husband who was sleeping on the bed. I had taken the day off to be with him for the day, but now my sister needed me. I leaned to kis-s him on his forehead and he opened his eyes. "Sweetheart, I will have to step out for a minute".I explained softly. "Where are you going?". "My eldest sister called me to come over to her place. I won't take long I promise". "Hope she didn't sound like there was danger?" "No, she is fine". "Tell the driver to drive you there, don't drive yourself". "I won't, I promise". "How many hours is Belinda going to take my wife from me?". He said with humour in his eyes. "Two hours". "One hour thirty minutes". He replied firmly. "Okay darling. There is still spaghetti in the fridge in case you get hungry". "I will wait for you. What will you be wearing?". I pulled open my wardrobe and placed my hands on my waist. "What should I wear today?" "Wear the yellow gown with black stripes. Wear it with your black heels" "Okay darling". I brought out the gown and dropped it on the bed. He helped me undress and helped with the yellow dress. I was already getting used to him dressing me up everyday i go to work. He selects all the dresses I wear by himself and I also select his clothes that he wear out too but he was more of a fashion designer than I was. He hugged me from behind and rested his hands on my protruded belly. We remained silent in that position. He always knows how to wrap his hands around me in a way that I will feel so loved. "One hour thirty minutes". He whispered and we broke into laughter. ONE HOUR THIRTY MINUTES. When I parked in Belinda's parking lot, I noticed that Catarina's car was also parked there. I knocked at her door and this time it was one of my brothers that opened the door. My brothers were also in...and my father!!! My father avoided my eyes immediately he noticed me walk in. I was boiling with rage with all my insides. "What is he doing here?". Catarina fired at my father. "You have to calm down, Catarina". Belinda responded softly. "You guys have not even sat down". She made I and Catarina help ourselves to the cushion. To my biggest surprise, my father walked into our midst and went on his knees. For the first time since I have known my father, he looked very sober like he was really acknowledging his wrongs. "I know that I don't have to right to apologise for all my wrongs, I know that I have lacked my responsibility as a father and made life difficult for you all, I know I caused you all pains, I am deeply sorry from the depth of my heart...". Catarina scoffed. "You are only apologising to us now because you have nowhere to go. Just imagine what you are saying. Now that we are grown and financially stable, you have the guts to apologise? What if I didn't buy your house and made you homeless in the first place? Would you have been helpless enough to apologise?". I and Belinda exchanged glances. "Buy his house?" "Yes, I was the one that bought his house and made him homeless so that he can regret his actions". Catarina explained. We were shocked at her. Tears filled her eyes. "Belinda, you are not like Stella that is enjoying her married life, what can you say about the marriage that father put us into? Don't you regret what you passed through? If not for father, we wouldn't have entered a miserable marriage! He nearly ruined our lives!". She fired. I and Belinda comforted her. "I am sorry about the bad marriage I put the both of you into because of money". "...and now you are coming back to us because of money". She rolled her eyes. My father wept. It was the first time my father had wept. It melted my heart. Completely. I lifted him to his feet. "We are one family right?" Catarina walked to hug my father. "It is not too late to still stick together as one family after all that we have been through right?" . "It is not too late my child, because Nwanyibuife". My father said with tears of joy in his eyes. It sounded nice to hear it from his mouth. NWANYIBUIFE. Two mu--rders. Bookworm Thomas was missing and he had committed two murd--ers after his disappearance. In two different locations. Ricky had advised the police to carry out a secret research about his where about because he didn't want Bookworm Thomas to be wary and more cautious. He heard his wife's footstep from outside. He watched her as she walked in. She had spent two hours at Belinda's place. She looked stressed. "What was it about?" He asked. "Hope Belinda is fine?". Tears of joy filled my eyes. "My father apologized! My family is now in unity! For the first time in my life, I feel so good about my family". He was so joyful in his heart. He hugged her. "I am so happy at this good news". "Nwanyibuife. My father said about his daughters for the first time". I observed that he had been researching about Bookworm Thomas. "What's the update?". "Bookworm Thomas has committed two murders in two different location since his disappearance". "Two murders? Why don't you guys just do an open missing report about him?". "No, we have to catch him unaware and to succeed with that, you have to stay with Belinda for the while". "Belinda?". "Belinda's house is the only house that Bookworm Thomas doesn't know about. He knows Catarina's house he also knows this house. If he finds out that I am doing deep research about him, he will take it out on you and your life will be in danger. You have to leave while I stay here, Stella". Finally, he was able to track Bookworm Thomas by one of his spies. He was residing Lary Lee. He drove to Lary Lee beach. Bookworm Thomas was there. He was standing right there, staring into space before the sea. Ricky grinned. It was a good idea that he did not do an open missing report so that Bookworm Thomas would be caught unawares and it worked. Ricky touched him on his shoulder from behind. "Hello handsome". Bookworm Thomas looked up at him and trembled. "Ricky Roland?" Suddenly, Ricky alerted the police about him and they appeared. They had Bookworm Thomas surrounded. Bookworm Thomas was trapped by the police for the first time in his life. Ricky stepped back when he noticed the hands of Bookworm Thomas dripping with bl--ood. Bookworm Thomas had committed his third murder after his disappearance. "Whom did you k--ill?". Ricky asked him. Bookworm Thomas chuckled. "Someone you know too well, right here at this beach". Ricky panicked. Someone he knew too well Who was the person Final episode will drop by 2pm if we get 200 shæres

FINAL EPISODE MYSTERIOUS MARRIAGE If Bookworm Thomas had buried someone in the beach, it is either he buried the person in the thick sand or drowned the corpse of the person. Ricky observed his hands and noticed that his right hand was wet. He had drowned the corpse of the person inside the water. As he stepped towards the sea, his phone rang. It was the police. He connected the line. "Hello?". "This morning, Bookworm Thomas sent some thugs to set the police station on f-ire. That was a plan to make Laura Joseph escape from the prison and in the bid of trying to put an end to the f-ire, we didn't realize when some thugs sneaked into the cell and made her escape. Her cell mates were the ones that alerted us, but it was too late...she had escaped". Ricky's heart slipped at the thought of it. If Laura Joseph escaped from the prison, it must have been Bookworm Thomas that made her escape. Did Bookworm Thomas k--ill her? Bookworm Thomas chuckled. "Your childhood friend is dead". He noticed a movement of the sea. He jumped into the sea and found Laura Joseph sinking in slowly. She was unconscious as she tried to gasp for breath. He carried her in his arms and placed her on the floor. She tried to gasp for breath as blo--od filled her mouth. She had been sta---bbed. Tears filled her eyes. "I am sorry...". She said breathlessly. "You don't have to say anything, we will go to the...". "No need to go to the hospital, Ricky. I won't survive it. I am so happy that you are the last person I will see before I leave this world". Tears of frustration filled Ricky's eyes. "Why on earth did you escape from the prison?". She winced. "Bookworm Thomas told me that when I escape from prison, we will join hands to k--ill Stella. He told me that you guys no longer lived together and that since it will be easy for me to get close to you, I will convince you to drop charges and also convince you to give me information about Stella's whereabout. I never knew that it was a trick to get me out of jail and ki---ll me since I have full information about him so that he will escape from the country and return". "When we were growing up, we always told each other something. We always told each other that no matter how much life deals with us that we weren't going to change, but you changed, Laura". She struggled for breath. "I am sorry. So sorry". She smiled sadly. "Your marriage is indeed a mysterious one. It can never be broken. If Stella's baby is a girl, I promise to recarnate". She said humourously and passed away in his arms. It hurt Ricky. Laura had been his only childhood friend. They had grown up together. She was the only one that had been by his side until Stella came into his life. He sobbed. The painful loss of a friend. Bookworm Thomas's laughter called him back to his senses. He glared at him. Some of the police men rushed to carry Laura Joseph's body. Ricky fumed at Bookworm Thomas and held him tightly on his collar. "You are the reason for all my pains! You have to die! Prison is too little for you! You ba--stard!!!". Bookworm Thomas laughed out loudly. "Ki--ll me so that I will recarnate as Stella's son". Ricky punched him hard on his jaw and the police held back at him from behind. "You can't stain your hands, Ricky Roland! Remember you always stand for justice, right?". The police chief cried out. Tears filled Ricky's eyes. "He kille---d my sister and my sister in law! Now he k---illed my childhood friend! He kil---led little girls that had a bright future! How can such a person live in this world!!!why is this world so partial? Why?" "That is what Bookworm Thomas wants. He wants you to kil-l him, that is why he is trying to aggravate you" the police chief warned him again and Ricky stepped back as the police handcuffed Bookworm Thomas. Bookworm Thomas screamed in frustration. "Don't listen to him you ba--stard!". He fire--d at Ricky. " I can't spend the rest of my life in that bloo--dy cell!!!". He cried out as the police pushed him into the van. My husband called me on my line and told me the good news. Bookworm Thomas was finally arrested. I packed my load from my sister's place back to Ricky's mansion. I made him his favourite food and waited patiently for him to return. He entered the house and hugged me immediately. "If you were by my side today, you would have given me strength for the tough day". He whispered into my ear. "Was it that hard to accept that you could finally capture the Bookworm Thomas we have been struggling to find all this while?". He swallowed bitterly. "Laura Joseph is dead". She gasped. How could Laura Joseph be dead? "Are you lying to me right now?". "She joined hands with Bookworm Thomas with an attempt to kil--l you but she was so fo--olish to not have known that Bookworm Thomas would never hurt you". I hugged him and patted him softly on his back. I knew how hard it must have been for my husband. Loosing the only friend he had grown up with. After dinner that night, he bathed me and we both listened to the movement of the baby in my womb excitedly. He k--issed me on my forehead. "The scan says that we will have twins right?". I nodded and smiled into his eyes. "I can't wait for you to hold my children in your arms". "I can't wait for you to get that stress off your stomach". He responded softly as he helped massage back and legs. We didn't have to do anything or say anything, we just had to sit beside each other hearing our hearts sing it way. Love... The definition of love in the dictionary didn't explain it well, not even google did. The best explanation of love was finding Ricky Roland. As for the singles, never settle for less, find your Ricky Roland. Pray to find him just like I did when I was in the four walls of my father's house. That day I had gone out to fetch water and tripped on the staircase. The bucket had broken and my father had beaten me up despite the injury I had gotten from the heavy fall I had gotten when I had tripped on the staircase. I had said, Lord, please don't allow me to be married to old men just like my sisters had done. ... and that fateful day that Ricky had approached me with a disabled facade, I had told God that he never answered prayers. But he did. I had thought that God was only a fiction. But he had listened to my prayers and wiped my tears by finding a man that made me forget my past. The man that knew my value. NWANYIBUIFE. Ever since Rita had left Nigeria, Catarina had resumed to work and was working alongside Tony Maxson in the news department. She hadn't responded to him concerning his confession since that night. She met his eyes as she ate her food. He cleared his throat. "You still subconsciously believe that I will end up treating you like your ex husband did if we get married right?" She sighed deeply. "I have feelings for you too, Tony. I have done for quite a while now". He sighed in disbelief. "I never knew that". She smiled heartily at him. "I trust you, Tony. I know that you won't be like Dominic because God brought you into my life. You are the first man that i have ever loved". He brought out a small box and flipped it open. In it was a ring. "Will you marry me?". It was the first time that a man was asking for her permission before getting married to her. She had a choice despite the fact that she loved this choice. "I will marry you, Tony Maxson". If no woman has told you how painful it was to give birth to a child, well now I am telling you that it is most painful thing that has ever happened to me. The tearing of your opening and the forcefulness of that tiny thing that feels so big when it is slipping out. It wasn't just once... The second twin. Very painful. But when the baby slips out, where do the pain go? Still a mystery. My beautiful twin babies. A boy and a girl. My girl looked a lot like Laura Joseph. My husband also noticed it. "Laura told me that the baby in your womb if it is a girl will be recarnated after she dies". He replied breathlessly. "Laura had a life she would have fulfilled that she didn't. This baby will be brought up and do the opposite of what she had done". I explained to him. "I am happy that my son doesn't look like Bookworm Thomas. Immediately he told me that he will come back again, I made sure that he didn't die. I told myself, he must not die until my child is born!". We broke into laughter. I looked around the big ward as it was filled with everyone. Our family. Rita Roland and Roy Roland. My two big sisters. Catarina was getting married to Tony Maxson next week Saturday. Belinda's pig farm had been developed and her commercial farm was developing. She was going to have a bigger farm than Obasanjo's farm. My father was assisting Ricky in his company. My two brothers were developing a chemical company. I was the future CEO of Kachi newshouse. Rita Roland had already signed it in my name. She was going to be staying here in Nigeria with Roy because she still wanted to be a part of Ricky's life again and repair those lost moment. Even if she was annoying at times, she was someone I could be myself with because we were both troublemakers. We go dig am together.... good-naturedly though. So you see? After Bookworm Thomas has been sentenced to life imprisonment, I am finally happy with my big family. The life that I had thought that I would never have was finally here. Do you remember the beginning of the journey when my extremely handsome husband had come to marry me with the facade of no legs, deaf and dumb? When we got into this mysterious marriage that changed our lives forever? The mysterious marriage had brought out the value of I and my sisters. Yes, that was the beginning and this is the end. Thank you for reading Stella James story. NWANYIBUIFE. Kachi will be right back. Let her go and read for her school exams so that she no go carry the course. Now that this story has ended, hope you will appreciate by inviting people 🤲 and sharing. Thanks