Song: Wo Y3 Guy - Quamina MP

*Unedited* (For inexplicable reasons)

***

"What did you tell him?" Kofi asked.

Michael and I had come back from our very successful date the next morning, elated. He said he had something to take care of, so as soon as he dropped me off and made sure I was 'okay', he went out.

But I wasn't exactly 'okay' because Kofi was bent on making my life a living hell. I was very peacefully taking my breakfast - with the prostitutes, for the first time - and enjoying conversation with Barbie, who was recovering very quickly and smiling as brightly as before, when Kofi came out of nowhere, grabbed me forcefully by the arm and took me to the balcony.

"Let go of me!" I said, yanking my arm away from his reach. I rubbed the area and frowned disdainfully at him.

"Last time I saw you both together, he hated you. He rejected you in bed, now he's spending thousands on you? I know you told him something."

"Shouldn't you be glad? I doubt anyone has spent that much on a prostitute and I ended up sleeping with Michael, so it's a win-win for you." I decided earlier that I would lie to him that I'd been with Michael, so that I didn't have to go through the losing virginity nonsense again. I just hoped it wouldn't backfire.

"That's not the point! There's no way he could've forgiven you if he knows he has nothing to forgive you for."

"He loves me."

"Don't start with that bullcrap! I know you told him that you were kidnapped."

I sighed and rubbed my forehead in frustration. We hadn't thought about this. Michael suddenly coming to my rescue was too suspicious. We should've known that. "I didn't. I promise." Which wasn't a lie, because I never actually told him.

"Your promises don't mean shit. Elorm, I hope you're happy knowing you killed the man you 'love'."

"I didn't tell him anything! He figured it all out. I'm telling the truth!" I said. I wasn't thinking straight at that moment. All I was thinking about was Michael, and how I couldn't let anything happen to him.

"And you confirmed it, didn't you?"

"No! I didn't, but he's convinced. You have to be stupid to believe in something this stupid! The man has known me all my life, he knows all that I've wanted in life, and becoming a prostitute was not one of them. It just took him a while to realise that."

Kofi looked at me for the longest time, then he said, "It doesn't matter whether you told him or he figured it out. He has to die."

I grabbed the railing and squeezed it tightly until my hand was sore. Gritting my teeth, I told him, "No he doesn't. And you won't kill him, because I know his father is the third partner of this syndicate."

Kofi smiled, then he began laughing. He palmed his forehead, shaking his head and bearing his pearly whites for all to see. "When did you come up with that one?"

"I expected this. It's not like you're going to tell the truth. Acting like I'm stupid is not going to confuse me, so you had better save your breath."

He just laughed some more. "You think a high-ranking illegal organisation like this is run by some insignificant village chief?" He asked, then laughed again.

"I never said he ran it. I know he's a partner, and therefore, you can't kill his son. He won't let you."

"You're crazy." He chuckled.

"I'm right."

He ignored me. "By the way, since you now can't convince your boyfriend that you didn't come here willingly, you'll have to convince him that you're staying here willingly."

"See? You're trying your best to avoid killing him because you know that you can't."

"I'm trying my best to avoid killing him because a missing person - and one of his status - is too much of a risk to take. I don't know whatever movies you've been watching but killing someone and getting away with it is actually much more difficult than they make it out to be."

I sighed. I had to remember that Michael's father being the third partner was a mere suspicion. It wasn't a fact. "How exactly will you convince him that it was my own decision to stay?"

He smiled. "You will, of course."

"Why exactly will I help you lie to him?"

"Other than save his life? Well, your family of course," he said, his smile becoming even more devious, if that was even possible.

I swallowed, knowing I was trapped before he even disclosed the whole plan. "What about my family?"

"I'll relocate them to the city. Make sure all their bills are paid, they have enough to eat and they're happy."

I gripped the railing again. "How am I supposed to convince him that I agreed to stay here?"

He stepped closer to me. "Love."

"Love?" I echoed.

"You will tell him that you have fallen in love with me."

I took several steps back in shock and began to choke on air. I grabbed my neck and began coughing to free whatever imaginary substance that was trapped in my oesophagus. "W-what?"

"You heard me. I don't like this anymore than you do, but it's necessary. Tell him that you've fallen in love with me. Simple."

"Simple? Simple! How can I be in love with you?"

He rolled his eyes. "I didn't say you had to be in love with me. I said you just needed to tell him that."

"You don't really expect him to believe that, do you?"

"Then you have to show him."

"How am I supposed to do that?" I yelled.

"That's up to you. Your family is on the verge of death, Elorm. You must do this for them."

His words struck a chord in me. My family had never been the most ideal, they never really treated me with kindness and we'd never been close, but they were still my family. They had lives that mattered. They deserved to live.

It wasn't their fault that they weren't affectionate. It had probably stemmed from a long line of lack of affection. In most families of my village, the relationship between parents and their children was like that of an employer and an employee. That was the way things were.

I probably only felt the need for familial love because of the things I'd seen on television, how other parents were so affectionate and loving towards their children.

I couldn't let my family die, no matter how much they felt like strangers to me.

"So what? Are you supposed to be in love with me too?"

He frowned. "Of course not."

"Why do you want me to stay here so badly?" I questioned. His constant efforts to keep me with him made no sense to me. It was almost like he wanted me to stay just because he wanted me. But that was stupid. He couldn't possibly want me close to him.

Could he?

"I've told you a million times. If you can't understand, then that's on you."

I sighed. Was I really thinking of going through with this? "I can't think of any ways to convince Michael that I'm in love with you. Unless..."

"Unless what?" He urged. "Please, go to the extreme to convince him. You must, if you want your family to be safe."

At that, I frowned. "How am I supposed to be sure that you'll keep your end of the deal?"

"I'll give you proof of course."

"What proof?"

"I'll make you visit them in their new house."

I sneered. "How do I know that you won't kick them out?"

He rolled his eyes. "You just have to trust me."

"Trust... you?"

"From the looks of things, you have no choice."

"I could simply ask Michael to relocate them for me."

He laughed at me. "Why haven't you then?"

I faltered for a minute. Why hadn't I?

"He's his father's son. Remember that," he had leaned close to me and whispered into my ear.

I stepped away from him and frowned. "I know he will help them if I ask, no matter what his father says."

"You're also doing it for his life. Stop deceiving yourself, that village chief is in no way involved with this syndicate. If you force me, I will end your boyfriend's life."

Would he really kill Michael? Would Michael help my family if I asked? He could've helped them before even coming to see me, but he was content with letting them suffer. The thought suddenly evoked a new anger in me.

He allowed them to suffer, just because he thought I'd left him. My alleged actions were not supposed to influence what would happen to my family. He let them segregate them, and now that I thought about it, I didn't want him to pretend to care about them now that he had reconciled with me.

In fact, Michael had done me a lot of wrong that I overlooked without a thought. I remembered all the mean things he'd said to me since he came here, I remembered telling him that I hoped he would regret hurting me and hoping that it'd be too late.

I remembered him rejecting me in bed after leading me on and making me want him. I remembered him using me to escape his responsibilities as chief. I remembered him creepily following me on my date with Justus and bringing another girl just to make me jealous.

Though, that last one turned out to be a blessing in disguise, seeing that that was what prevented me from getting raped that day.

It didn't excuse all that he'd done to wrong me from the beginning though.

I know he apologised, but that doesn't mean that everything he's done would suddenly go away. I realised, at that moment, that we were moving too quickly. Clearly, I still hadn't really forgiven him for everything he'd done, and I couldn't allow myself to move past this and be in a relationship with him if I hadn't forgiven him.

This didn't mean that I needed to push him away again by telling him that I was in love with Kofi. But, it made me wonder, would he see past this lie too? Or would he be gullible and distrustful of me as usual and believe it?

I was almost tempted to go ahead with Kofi's plan, just to test his loyalty, but I realised that that wasn't fair to him. I shouldn't be testing him like this, it wasn't right. I needed to ask him first and see if he could help taking my family out of the village before I agreed to anything Kofi wanted me to do.

If he couldn't help my family, then I would have no choice but to obey Kofi.

"Okay," I told him. "I'll try to convince him that I'm in love with you." It was better that Kofi had no knowledge of my plans to ask Michael to move my family instead. He would only cause problems, and I was all for the shock and humiliation he would experience when he finds out that Michael had already relocated my family.

"Good," he said. "don't you dare tell him about this conversation and don't dare try to play smart with me." He came closer to me and grabbed my upper arm. "You already know what I'm capable of."

If I was a little bit angry with Michael, I was completely furious with Kofi. I detested him more than I ever detested someone in my life. I hadn't forgotten when he locked me up in a stable with that murderous, psychopathic horse, nor when he left me naked, facing all the elements without a roof over my head.

I yanked my hand away from him and glared. "I know."

"It seemed like you were enjoying your meal. I'll leave you to it," he said, dusting off his shirt.

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks to you, I lost my appetite." I said.

I headed up to the room we shared, hoping that I would get the chance to talk to Barbie later in the day.

* * *

Michael came back late in the afternoon. At least, that's what he claims. Apparently, he came to see me as soon as he got back. It was strange to see another male in Kofi's room. Michael's presence in the room just felt so wrong, and I was sure Kofi would share the same sentiment if he came to see Michael.

"Can we go outside?" I asked Michael.

"Of course," he nodded. "I was even thinking about asking him to let you move into my room."

We had just gotten out of Kofi's room and we were heading down the stairs. "Michael, we're moving too fast. This is the exact reason why Kofi has become suspicious of us."

"Who cares if he's suspicious or not? Elorm, I'm taking you out of this place." Michael said firmly.

We had gotten downstairs and went into the living room, where I sat on the sofa with my legs folded underneath me. "It's not that easy, Michael. Kofi, he won't let me go."

He frowned. "Why?"

I smiled coyly. "I suspect that he likes me, but he won't admit it."

"The only man for you is me," he said, coming to kneel before me. He took my hands in his.

"I'm sorry, I thought I got to decide that?" I decided to flirt with him, even though there were a million things running through my mind that I had to tell him.

"No, no you don't. Capiche?"

I took my hands out of his, my smile fading. "Mi-"

"Can we just spend sometime not talking about the serious stuff? Please?" He cut me off.

"No," I sighed, scooting over to give him space to sit beside me. When he didn't catch the hint, I patted the space beside me. He got up from the ground and sat beside me, leaning his back on the sofa in a bad sitting position. "I need your help, it's important."

He turned to me and took my hand. "You know you can ask me for anything, right?"

I smiled and nodded. "Michael, why did you let them segregate my family?"

Almost immediately, his smile fell and his face clouded over with guilt. "At that point, I was filled with grief and rage, I wasn't thinking straight. I convinced myself that that was what they deserved for influencing the woman you'd allegedly grown up to be."

I took in a deep breath and removed my hand from his. "So, if I'd really run away to become a prostitute, you'd have let them die?"

He wasted a lot of time replying, not even daring to look me in the eyes. "I don't know, Elorm. I was hurt. My mind was in a really bad place."

"Michael, your mind being in 'a really bad place' is no excuse to let innocent people die!"

"Innocent people? Elorm, those people have tortured you emotionally and physically ever since you were born. They're not innocent."

"So they deserve to die?" I asked, incredulous.

"No, no, that's not what I'm saying, but forgive me if I feel no pity for them, after everything they've done to you."

Tears were running down my cheeks so I hurriedly stood up and turned my back to him. I hated that I always cried with the least provocation. I wanted to be a strong, slightly unrealistic female character that nothing could get to. "You don't realise how horrible that sounds?"

"I do, but I'm sorry, that's just the way I feel. Do you want me to help them? Because I will, if that's what you want."

I was glad that he wasn't trying to comfort me, but maybe he just hadn't realised that I was crying. The fact that he wasn't close to me gave me the courage to say what I knew I would eventually regret. "No."

"What?" He asked. I heard the resulting sound as he stood up from the sofa. "Why not?"

"Kofi's already taking care of that." Looking back, I wondered what made me decide there and then that I wanted nothing to do with him. I hadn't even taken time to think, but I guess my anger and shock from what he had said had taken over my rationality.

"Kofi?"

I wiped my eyes and my cheeks so that he wouldn't notice that I was crying if he decided to come in front of me. "Yes, Kofi. Don't even try and do anything about that. I don't want you helping them just because you see this as a competition."

"What? No! Elorm, I want to help your family now because that's what will make you happy. Not because I see this as a competition."

"Well thank you, but I don't need your help," I spat.

He sounded confused. "Is there something going on that I should know about? Did I do something again?"

It's funny that he should use the word 'again'. So he knows he did something wrong.

Just when the thought played out in my mind, I realised that I wasn't being rational. He knew he'd done something wrong, and he'd apologised. At that moment, everything he'd done wrong was just hitting me too hard, preventing me from thinking properly.

"No, you didn't do anything. I just... I'm not in a good mood." That wasn't a lie. I wasn't in a good mood.

"I understand." He said. He didn't say anything else and within seconds, he had closed the distance between us and was hugging me from behind.

I was melting into his touch, allowing him to ease all my worries, but for some reason, I began to recall the time when he'd come to visit me in Kofi's room after Kofi had locked me outside. I remembered him calling me a whore multiple times and blaming my brother's disappearance on me.

"Michael," I complained, detaching myself from him. His touch had begun to arouse rage within me. I felt my eyes begin to water with angry tears as the scene replayed in my mind like a movie.

"Elorm? What's wrong?" He asked.

I wanted to turn around and strike him on the cheek for all the things he'd said to me. "Nothing, I'm tired, I'm going to bed."

He laughed nervously, no doubt wondering what exactly had gone wrong. Yesterday, I'd been so wrapped up by his romantic gestures, renting me so that those other nasty men wouldn't get their hands on me and preparing a romantic dinner for both of us that I'd forgotten that deep down, I was angry with him.

Now though, it was so clear. This hidden anger was the whole reason why I was currently doubting my love for him. It was the reason why I was doubting whether I wanted him, yet, I couldn't deny that I still had strong feelings for him.

The whole thing was very emotionally confusing. The feeling of wanting to be close to someone, wanting to hug them, touch them, kiss them, yet wanting to push them away and kick and slap them so that they'll feel some of the pain or hurt they've caused you.

"Going to bed? It's barely six o'clock."

"So now you're going to decide what time I go to bed?" I asked more vehemently than I should've.

He babbled something indecipherable. "E-Ellie," he touched my shoulder but I quickly shrugged his hand off, just as the onslaught of tears began. "whatever I've done wrong, I'm sorry. Please, talk to me."

"You don't even know what you've allegedly done and you're apologising? This only proves that you're not truly sorry, you're just trying to get on my good side."

"No," he tried to turn me around but I shrugged him off and began to run.

"Elorm!" He called behind me.

I ignored him and continued to run up the stairs. My destination became clear soon after. Kofi's room.

"Elorm, please wait!" He was catching up.

Kofi's door was right ahead, but just as I was about to open it, he had already done so from the inside. I inevitably crashed into him.

The effect resulted in me being thrown to the ground. I landed with a thud, just as Michael came into view.

To my surprise, Kofi's eyes widened as he looked at me on the floor. "Are you okay?" He asked, holding his hand out to me.

I just looked at him, confused, but then his eyes briefly flickered up. I realised that this was all a show for Michael. He still thought I was going according to his plan to make Michael believe that I was in love with him. I guess I was.

I took his hand and he helped me up. I turned to Michael and Kofi put his arm around my waist, bringing me closer to him. At the moment, I didn't want anyone touching me but I was willing to tolerate it if it made Michael jealous.

Michael scanned my face, looking alarmed. "Why are you crying?" He asked, then his gaze settled on Kofi's arm which was around my waist. "Stop touching her." He ordered.

"She doesn't belong to you," Kofi countered from behind me.

My eyes were hard as I looked at Michael. He looked back at me and his eyes softened a fraction. "Elorm, I'm confused, please tell me what I did wrong."

"Go to your room, Michael," I told him. His whole face dropped immediately I finished talking. I began to feel uncomfortable with Kofi's arm around my waist, so I pushed it off. I felt him subtly kick my ankle.

"Elorm-"

"You heard her. Goodnight," Kofi said. He pulled me into the room and shut the door.

I immediately created distance between us and went to sit on the bed. He leaned on the door and grinned at me, whilst Michael began to bang on the door like an uncultured ape.

"Elorm, please open the door, I beg you!"

His pleas were hurting me. I wanted to go over and open the door, yet I also wanted to throw myself on the bed and forget everything and everyone.

"Go away!" Kofi yelled, whilst looking and smiling at me. He chuckled like he was finding the whole situation amusing.

"I'm not here for you!" Michael retorted.

Kofi rolled his eyes. "He's so cheesy. How can you be into someone like that?"

"Shut up and go away," I said, throwing myself onto the bed. I grabbed a pillow and pressed it over my head like that would shut out Michael's yelling.

"Have you forgotten that this is my room?" He asked. I heard his voice get nearer and nearer and my body tensed up with fear.

I was afraid of Kofi. I mean, who wouldn't be? After everything he'd done to me, I'd developed a phobia for him. Even when he came close to me, I would feel my hair stand on end and a chill pass through my body. I wouldn't let him know about this though, of course. Even though I was weak and cowardly on the inside, I tried to put on a brave front so that nobody would be able to take me for granted.

I wasn't expecting what he did next though. The man grabbed onto my legs and unceremoniously pulled me off the bed. Before I could hit the ground, he swiftly turned me around and put his arm under my back and my knees so that he was carrying me bridal style. I was shocked, to say the least, when he smirked at me and set me on my feet.

"Elorm, please..." Michael sounded drained as the banging noise died out. His voice was hoarse, as if it was retreating into his throat after shouting too much.

My heart ached for him. I tried to push Kofi away but he held me close to him, smashing our chests together.

"What is wrong with you?" I protested, struggling against his hold.

He held a finger to his lips and made a shushing sound.

"Elorm," he called again.

The way his voice broke at the end made me want to rush to him, hug him and tell him that everything was alright. Sadly, it wasn't, and the big obstacle called Kofi was between me and him.

"Doesn't that sound so sad?" Kofi asked.

I smashed his foot underneath mine, but he made no indication that he was even feeling the pain. His grin had disappeared. He looked like he was steeling himself for something.

"Why are you holding me like this? What is wrong with you?" I questioned.

I pushed against him and he staggered back this time, but he quickly grabbed me and pressed me against himself again.

"This is assault," I told him.

"Will you shut up?" He asked, annoyedly. Suddenly, he let go of me and began to walk towards the door.

Out of pure curiosity, I didn't move as I watched him go to the door. He turned the knob that locked the door, which meant that he had unlocked it. Which also meant that he was allowing Michael to enter.

Why?

Maybe he was giving me permission to go to him. I shook my head, clearing my thoughts. I began to make my way to the door so that I could see Michael when Kofi grabbed my waist again. He turned me around and smashed me against his chest again.

We were back to the position we were in before he went to open the door.

"What is wrong with you?" I questioned again, struggling.

"Shut up and be still," he whispered, warning me.

I looked at him, confused. I became lost in my thoughts again, forgetting to struggle against him. What was I thinking telling Michael 'no' when he asked if he could help my family? Was I thinking of going along with Kofi's plan?

Was that really how low I could stoop just out of spite? I was disgusted with myself, if that was even possible. I needed to talk to Michael and tell him that I did want him to help my family. Then, I'd tell him how I felt and how he needed to give me time to forgive him.

We could work things out.

I think Michael realised that the door had been unlocked, because both our attentions - Kofi's and mine - were diverted to the door as we heard the click that told us that it was being opened.

Before Michael could even get the door halfway opened, Kofi wrapped his arm around my waist, pulled me even closer, tilted my chin up with his finger, bent over, and kissed me.

* * *

I am simply the best, aren't I? 😉 Look at this update, which should have come next week Tuesday (since the last update was last Tuesday) or Friday (as promised) but it's here on Sunday! 😊

This trend of women coming out with false rape accusations is really killing me. They really tried to accuse JB 😒 this is very harmful to actual victims of rape, and I hope these horrible women get what they deserve. Accusing people of rape is not a trend. It's not a 'social experiment'. So sad that people are doing this. 😢😣😤

Anyways, thanks for reading! I hope you liked this chapter (my Kofi and Elorm shippers must be so glad, if there are any of you😂)

Don't forget to vote! 🌟