I LOVE YOU, BUT…. (Part 13&14) – OPEYEMI AKINTUNDE

Part 13
I LOVE YOU, BUT….
Opeyemi Akintunde

“What do you mean? How can you see me in your dreams since we have never met?”Freeman asked after catching his breath.

” Yes, as embarrassing it may sound, I see you in my dreams… I mean like in the past two months, I have seen you and I seated in an office discussing. Sometimes, it would look like we are in a board meeting… and I think in one of the dreams I saw myself giving you money…” Winter said in a rush. She needed him wrapped around her f!nger.

” Money…I like the sound of that!” Freeman joked

” Seriously… but why would I have that kind of dream?” Winter said

” Well, maybe it could be a pointer for you to invest in my company. My manners, I am Freeman and I run an IT company….” Freeman was saying

” Do you mind if we sit, my heels are killing me…” Winter said laughing…

” Sure…” Freeman said as he looked around hoping to see if there was anyone that looked like his potential investor.

” You came here to meet your girlfriend…How can she stand up a very handsome man like you up…?”

” Oh no.. I am married…”

” Ok..and you don’t have a girlfriend?” Winter said teasing

” I.. used…” Freeman was about saying he used to, but he stopped himself…

” I don’t have a girlfriend.. I am married with three beautiful daughters”

” Touche…You have it all going for you… I guess not everyone can be as lucky and happy as you are…Lucky you!”

” You are Married..so you should be happy” Freeman said refering to her wedding ring. Although he didn’t like the path the conversation was heading, he found himself enjoying the conversation he was having with the woman…

Winter knew this was the time to withdraw from him. She had lured him into her, she could bet he was finding her interesting already. This was the time to make him yearn for more…

” Can we talk about business …We were already delving into my personal life and that they say is not healthy for business… Isnt that true?” Winter said in a chic manner

” Yes…I am sorry for drifting too…”

” So tell me what you are really into, and how much you want me to invest..I am not bragging but I have got a lot of money. I want to make good use of my husband’s money. “

Freeman gave a soft side smile. Today was a good day for him. He was hoping he would meet the initial investor also. That would be a double victory for him. He could recognize money when he saw it. The woman sitting across him at the lounge was MONEY. He did a quick evaluation. Her bag was a designer bag which would cost nothing less than a million Naria…

” It is a limited edition” Winter said

” Huh?” Freeman said

” I saw you staring at my bag… I bought it in London for 6000 pounds. Limited edition. I have been throwing money away recently, so if your business will be a good place to put in money, I am game…” Winter said

” It sure is… My company is into…” Frreman gave his usual 3 minutes speech about the company…

*******

Beauty paced around in the living room. Winter had put her number on speed dial on the phone, but she had been calling her for over 3 hours without any response

” Where on earth is she? Did Freeman’s wife find out about Winter? Is Winter Dead? Or Has winter left me to die in this state? Maybe she got tired of me…”

Beauty was beginning to learn how to move around the house in her blind state. She avoided the windows for fear of the sun. The herbalist had told her to avoid the sun for 21 days.

Her eyes!

It seem like it was getting worse as she was seeing darkness than any appearance of light as she had hoped.

*****

Pamilerin wondered why Freeman was taking forever and unlike him, he wasn’t picking her calls. Even when he was in a meeting, he would pick up for her to hear the conversation going on in the room.

Her legs were burning. It felt like her legs had been placed on hot coals…

She needed him at that moment.

******

Freeman couldn’t believe he sat with this beautiful stranger for three hours discussing. They Spoke about business, politics, Travelling and Football. She was the first woman who spoke about football with so much Passion.”

” I need to be on my way!” Freeman eventually said ” I wish I didn’t have to go, but my wife had a minor domestic accident”

” Oh really? She slipped?”

” Exactly!”

” Is she hospitalized ?”

” No…it’s not that serious. She should be on her feet by now. I just have to be at home early. I promised her I would be back early.”

” Lucky her!”

” Your husband is lucky to have you too, you are easy to talk with!”

” He is dead!” Winter said maintaining a strong intense look with him

” Oh!” Freeman was taken aback. ” Sorry about that!”

” I am healing…so thank you!”

There was a brief moment of silence…

” I hope I didn’t end a good time with you on a bad note?” Winter asked

” No…I am … sorry once again”

” Thank you, but I think luck is shining my way, my Old friend who is also a widower is looking my way and I think we may start something soon.” Winter said

Winter almost punched herself. She was good at this game.

” Rule 221 of seducing a married man…Don’t present yourself as an available girl, men love to fight for their love interest. They like to prove that they snatched her from someone else.” Winter reminded herself…

” Now, my day is once again bright.” Freeman said. ” I will prepare the proposal and send to your mail.

” Alright…I will be expecting ” Winter said.

” Thank you!”

Freeman stood up feeling accomplished. Immediately, his phone beeped. It was an email which read;

” Can we reschedule, stuck in traffic.”

” Good Riddance to Bad Rubbish” Freeman muttered under his breath.

Winter smiled as she watched him go… She had sent the mail.

“Winter, give it to Freeman cold, Freeze him to death and take all he has.” Winter said to herself as she took the final sip of her white wine.

Part 14
I LOVE YOU, BUT….
Opeyemi Akintunde

” Where are you coming From?” Pamilerin’s words sounded like an attack. Freeman took a pause wondering why the outburst..

” You were with her right? I twisted my leg and you spent three hours with her… Freeman, don’t take me for a fool. I know you are not over her yet, but at least you should still pretend to show a little compassion. You know how you left me in this house, yet you sat frolicking with her in some restaurant..” Pamilerin said in tears

” Pamilerin, who are we talking about here? Beauty? I haven’t seen her in weeks, you know I have paid her off.”

” So where were you?”

” I went for a business meeting… Pamilerin… don’t get me on the edge, you know how I become when someone pushes me to the edge. .. I was coming home with good news of a big financial shift coming our way and here you are nagging me about some girl who is in my past.”

” What good news?”

” I just met this money bag who is interested in investing in our company….I met her at one of the posh restaurants….Wait? How did you know I was at a restaurant?” Freeman looked at Pamilerin suspiciously

” I called your Secretary… I was told you were going to meet an investor at a restaurant…”

” And you assume…I was going to meet Beauty… Jealous woman” Freeman teased.

Freeman moved closer tickling her leg…He knew Pamilerin’s weakpoint was tickling. She was ticklish to a fault.

” Don’t….!” Pamilerin screamed instead of laughing..

” What’s wrong? The leg still hurts?” Freeman asked

” Yes… At this point, I can’t even describe the pain..sometimes it hurts, sometimes it burns me so hotly, few minutes ago it felt like there was no blood in my legs..”

” Then, we need to get to the hospital. “

******

” What do you mean you don’t know how she escaped death? The husband told me she only slipped. Baba Shagba if you have lost your touch, return the 1.2 million and let me find someone stronger”

” Winter… Have I ever failed you?”

” There is always a first time” Winter said angrily

” There will never be a first time, I will see to her end.” Baba Shagba said

Winter angrily dropped the call.

*********

Ajoke saw the light she used in representing Pamilerin in her house, suddenly go off, despite the oil in the base of the lamp.

” The gods forbid ” Ajoke rose up sharply. On seeing the lamp that had gone off, she ran out of the house.

******

Dearest Mum had a nudging to call Pamilerin but she waved it aside. She didn’t want to call her so Pamilerin doesn’t get the idea she was forcing her to complete the money for the altar beautification…

” I don’t want her thinking I am calling her to beg her for her money. My daughter has completed the money” Dearest Mum said to herself.

******

” Why did you come back?” Beauty said the moment Winter walked in. Beauty had laid on the floor in tears. She had been blank on what to do. She was helpless. She couldn’t even go out for fear of the sun…

” I don’t understand your question!” Winter replied

” I thought you were gone and you didn’t want to say goodbye this morning “

” I was sad and broken this morning, that’s why I couldn’t speak with you. I didn’t want you hearing my voice. I was sobbing.”

” Why?”

” The woman is not dead. The herbalist sent me a message on waking up that she has strong evil powers. He told me at this point, your life is at risk.” Winter said convincingly

Beauty felt like a wall crashed on her.

” She is noootttt dead?… That means I will be dead soon… It doesn’t matter anymore. Life means nothing to me anymore..Guess I am just extra in this world. I am not much of a big deal…” Beauty said crying. Her voice broke with every word that came out of her mouth.

” No…don’t say that Beauty… You are important, you are beautiful… Your existence is intentional… You are not going to give up my friend… You will not die and you will recover your sight.” Winter said with tears pouring out of her eyes. She intentionally made her tears drop on Beauty’s arm…

” Winter, you don’t have to cry… ” Beauty said though she was crying bitterly.

” Beauty, I have spoken to the herbalist, you will stay with him for maximum protection. If the witch sends the spirit of death , if you are here, there is nothing you and I can do to stop it, but if you are with him, you will be protected.”

” You mean..I will be living with the herbalist…”

” Temporarily! Till the woman dies “

” That place stinks!” Beauty said on remembering the last time they were there.

” You shouldn’t stay more than 2 weeks.What do you say?” Winter asked eyeing her maliciously. She wanted her out of the way. Though she had not discussed her new plan with the herbalist, she wanted the herbalist to keep her with him till she ended her mission .

” Beauty…What do you say?”

CLICK HERE TO READ ‘I LOVE YOU, BUT…’ (PART 15&16) – OPEYEMI AKINTUNDE