Shattered Dreams Episode 20 By Nissi Adeola

Shattered Dreams Episode 20 By Nissi Adeola

If I heard you correctly, you are asking me to release the people who held ‘my daughter’ at gun point? Let’s see, why do I feel that you are working with them? If you could pretend to be someone else, kidnapping someone and asking for ransom would not be beneath you” Richard boomed as he faced Marcel who sat opposite him after smuggling himself into his office.

Marcel straightened his already straight back and tried his best not to look offended. “Please sir, I would appreciate it if you don’t insult me. I am very established in Germany and would never stoop low for material things. I know you have never had to live without knowing or having any relation so you can’t understand why I had to do what I did. It is not like I did anything evil while I was bearing Michael’s name, I …”

“You didn’t? My daughter is on the hospital bed, not far from this office just because of you” Richard roared.

“I am sorry sir, it was never my intention. I never wanted anyone to get hurt through this, least of all Alexa.” He paused and cleared his throat. “she has become so dear to me that it hurts me to see that she is in pains”

Richard stared at Marcel for some seconds and relaxed fully on his chair. Marcel did not give away any emotion as he sat looking super confident, just the way people would describe Richard a few years back; probably even now. Behind the indifferent façade, Richard saw something, probably because he was a man also. “she has become dear to you?” he asked with a raised brow.

Marcel swallowed, reluctantly meeting the older man’s eyes. “I have developed feelings for her”

“Hmmm”

Richard wasn’t going to make this easy for him, Marcel realized. “I don’t know how it happened sir, she is my twin’s woman, but Alexa gave me little or no option. I tried all I could to push her away but she kept coming back, making it hard for me to avoid falling for her”

Richard stared at Marc. “So, in other words, you are in love with my daughter” he said.

Marcel was silent for some seconds. “Even if I am sir, I can’t. she is Michael’s girlfriend, or fiancé. I can’t do this to him because I… well, it is my principle.”

Richard smiled. “Young man, it is obvious that you are a loyal being and you have integrity; these are qualities that I really admire but you don’t strike me to be a stupid man. Are you sure that Michael would do the same for you if he were in your shoes?” Richard asked earnestly. “I admire your loyalty to your brother, you left so many things behind because you wanted to do something for your brother. After all I have heard, I think Michael is evil. Are you sure he is not using you to achieve something?”

Marcel did not doubt that he had thought of this. “I don’t think so sir, what would he want to achieve with me? besides, I am sure he was just scared of death when he asked me to do this for him, what would he gain from asking me to take over his own company?”

Richard was silent and Marcel found himself thinking of the possibility that he was being used. But what would Michael gain from that? “How did you meet Michael again?” Richard asked out of the blues.

“We met coincidentally, I was visiting a friend in his hospital and Michael happened to come there for a checkup, he was very ill actually but he did not want to be hospitalized. We bumped into each other” Marc said.

Richard raised his brow. He wondered why he did not trust Michael, he had felt the same haunch when Alexa had brought him. “Coincidence uhn?” he asked rhetorically. “Just be vigilant, I hope your decision to help your twin won’t hurt you”

“It is already” Marcel said, thinking about Alexa. Marcel did not know exactly when he started developing feelings for Alexa. Was it the time she had marched into his office, slouching all over him like a smitten teenager, or when she had stubbornly surrendered her virginity, all in the name of love? It was probably when she had given him her votes in that conference room where Marcel discovered that Michael had too many enemies to count. Alexa was just too unpredictable and she had conveniently sneaked herself into his heart without his notice. Marcel gritted his teeth. He wondered if she was fine. “How is Alexa sir?”

Richard almost smiled. A terribly stubborn man faced with love! Richard thought. “Why don’t you find out yourself?”

Marcel smiled sadly. “She does not want to see my face” he stated.

“You can’t blame her, she was terribly shattered after she found out everything. Get your acts together because she must not get hurt again” Richard said.

Marcel breathed. “I understand sir… As regards my request sir, are you giving me the go ahead to process the release of Felicia and her friend?”

Richard thought for some seconds. “I would call the D.P.O later, but know this: if anything happens to my daughter as a result of this, anything, you would be held responsible. Agreed?”

Marcel smiled slightly. “Yes sir. I appreciate it sir”

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Patricia dialed her dad’s number the seventeenth time and it rang and rang without a response. She hissed and dropped her phone in frustration. “Don’t sweat it Pat, he is probably very busy” Prisca said as she joined Patricia in the sitting room.

“Busy?” Pat asked with a deep frown. “Mum, I have been calling since yesterday and he hasn’t picked up once. What could he be busy doing? He is probably with that witch.” She snorted with a slight grimace.

Prisca sat down. “Don’t get yourself worked up over this, I am a strong woman and I can handle this OK?”

Pat shook her head steadily. “No, you can’t. I know how much you love him, you are just pretending to be fine.” She finally sat down after pacing continuously. “I still cant believe that dad did this. I strongly believe that something out of the ordinary is going on”. Pat thought out loud.

“Don’t worry too much, people change, it is probably what happened to your dad”.

“Congrats mum, you now talk like me, but I don’t like it. You have to be optimistic” Pat said and Prisca smiled. Patricia hadn’t envisaged having this kind of problem when she had decided to come to Nigeria. She never imagined that she would fall in love with her cousin’s boyfriend, or assumed boyfriend, as the case may be; never did she assume also that her parents, who couldn’t stay far away from each other were separating.

Patricia’s phone buzzed and she grabbed it thinking it was her dad calling back but it ended up being someone else. It was a call from Germany. Patricia frowned because she was not expecting KC’s call. KC was the guy that she had plotted to sneak up on Michael, the person who had given her the most valuable information in this assignment. Pat quickly picked up.

“Hey KC” she greeted with a soft smile. “Your call is a surprise”

“Yes, I had to call you today, I am sure you would like what I have for you” he responded.

Pat became alert instantly, dropping her own problems to face her job for the meantime. “Tell me” she said softly but with authority.

“The cameras that I plotted in Michael’s house won’t be getting any information for us again because Michael is on his way to Nigeria”

Pat jumped up. “He is?” She was definitely stunned.

“I am pretty sure he is there already. But Pat, I don’t think his presence bids well for his twin, I can’t send the video recording, it is too large but i would send you the audio recording now. You would understand when you listen” KC said.

“Hmmmm.. thank you so much KC, this really means a lot” she murmured appreciatively.

“I do it for you” he said with a smile in his voice.

Pat nodded even though he could not see that and hung up. Prisca had a puzzled look on her face but Pat just smiled and made her way to the room. Even though she had her worries, Pat was willing to do this for Marcel, even if she would not get anything in return. Patricia did not think about Tellers or the assignment she was given as she opened her laptop, she thought of the arrogant Marcel.

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Belina paced her office in total frustration. She wondered how she was going to break this news to Prisca. She had decided with the conscious agreement of Richard that it was better to tell Prisca because Tony needed a lot of love and support at this time. it was not right that Tony was making the sacrifices just because he did not want Prisca and the children to be sad. Whether they tell them now or not, they are already sad because of the problems and no matter what happens, the truth would still come out and it would hurt the more.

Belina breathed and called Prisca. After greeting her, she told her immediately to come over to Bells. After dropping her phone, Belina exhaled and sat down forcefully on her chair. They needed a solution to Tony’s illness, but what was the solution to death? “Jesus” she murmured.

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Marcel sat opposite the DPO who called the constable to bring out Felicia, Anita or Sophia, and the two men. “thanks a lot for your help sir” Marc murmured.

“It is nothing sir, we can’t deny you anything.” The DPO responded.

Felicia came out with Sophia and the two guys. “You are all free to go” The DPO said.

Marcel turned slowly to look at their faces. They all gasped in total surprise when they saw the person who secured their release. Marcel noticed that they were leaner than the last time he saw them. Before he could speak, his phone rang and he picked up immediately he saw that it was Patricia Williams. “Hello-”

“I need to see you now” Pat cut in.

Marcel frowned. “It must be very urgent, I see”

“Yes, I would be at your house soon” she said.

“I would head home now, do you know the place?” Marc asked, expecting only one answer from the famous Pat Williams.

“See you there” she simply responded and hung up.

He wanted to smile but knew from the tone of Pat’s voice that whatever she was coming for would not be a thing to smile about. He gazed at the people in front of him. “I do hope you won’t transfer your anger against Michael on Alexa, she has nothing to do with this and I wouldn’t take it lightly if anything happened to her. You know Michael’s cruelty but you cant imagine what I would do if anything happened to the person I loved. Releasing you guys is a peace offering” he stood up and left. He really hoped he had done the right thing, if not, he would protect Alexa no matter the cost. He entered his car and drove home straight away.

 
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“Lina, I hope all is well, you almost got me scared when I saw your call” Prisca said as she sat down opposite Belina. Belina continued to stare at Prisca silently until Prisca became nervous. “What the hell is this Lina, have you lost your vocal cords?” Prisca asked in total confusion.

Belina swallowed and lowered her eyes to her joined fingers which rested on the tabletop. “Oh Pric, how do I tell you this?” Belina gasped out.

“Tell me what?” Prisca yelled, getting frightened. When Belina did not respond, her eyes widened as she began to think of so many bad things. “Oh no! Did something happen to Pat? Oh my God! She drove out some minutes before you called” she jumped up. “What happened to her? Or is it…”

“Nothing happened to your daughters Pric, they are both perfectly fine” Belina said instantly, going to meet Prisca to calm her down. After Prisca was seated again, Belina exhaled. “It is Tony”. Belina watched Prisca turn pale before her eyes.

Tears developed in Prisca’s eyes. “Please tell me that he is OK…” She gripped Belina’s hands. “He hurt me, yes, but I won’t be able to bear it if anything happened to him Lina. Is he alright?”

“He lied to you Prisca, no one is pregnant for him”

Prisca froze and suddenly laughed. “Lina, don’t bring back bad memories. I saw the woman, he brought her home and she was really heavy; about five to six months gone. So yes, he really has a baby mama”

“I am telling you the fact Pric” Belina yelled. “It was all a plot, Tony does not have anyone else in his life”

“Then why would he develop this type of plot?” Prisca asked with an amused smile.

“Because he is sick” Prisca froze. “Very very sick”

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Marcel arrived home, as fast as he could. He saw Pat at the entrance of his house and walked up to her with an apologetic smile. “Sorry I took so long, I came as fast as I could” he said.

“No problem, I just arrived some minutes back” she said.

Marc took out his keys to open the door. “Knowing you, this visit won’t be pleasant. What is it about?” He asked anxiously.

“It is about your evil twin, Michael” she said. Marc’s hand stilled and he turned to face her. She smiled softly.

“Let’s go in first”

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Michael entered the police station. The men at the counter looked at him and righted themselves. Michael knew that this was the police headquarters and he was confident that they would handle this case properly. He had used this station several times. “How may we help you sir?” One of the police men asked.

“I need to see your boss here because there has been an encroachment on my rights as a person.” He stated firmly. “While I was away, someone impersonated me, impersonation is illegal and I want him to face the law”.

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