Song: MzVee – Sheriff

*Unedited* (This chapter is too early)

Things definitely didn't go the way I expected them to. I had the whole thing played out in my mind. Kofi kisses me, Michael is shocked, he stands there with his mouth open and starts hating me again. He'll call me a cheat and storm out of the house with fury, then we'll never see each other again.

But was I in for a surprise! See, I can only explain this whole thing as happening in slow motion. So, Michael opened the door and then Kofi starts adjusting my head to accommodate his intrusive kiss, but by then, Michael already had the door open all the way and that was when the shock registered.

See, this time, Michael didn't let the shock paralyse him. As Kofi began to lower his head – which thankfully took a bit longer than it should've due to my height – Michael rushed forward, which was quite comical in slow motion.

Kofi was very close, maybe just a millisecond left for our lips to touch before Michael grabbed him by the shoulders, turned him around, and delivered a powerful punch to his left cheek. Seeing someone punched in slow motion was the most hilarious thing ever.

Back to normal speed, Kofi was on the ground as the power of the punch was too much for him to stay on his feet. Michael grabbed me and hugged me like he was afraid I would vanish into thin air.

At the time, all I was thinking about was how awesome the whole thing was. I don't think I registered the fact that Kofi tried to kiss me. I looked up at Michael, laughing. He didn't laugh back as his whole face was filled with worry and concern for me.

"Are you okay?" He asked, cupping my face.

"That was awesome!" I told him excitedly. "I wish you could do it again, honestly."

Then, he smiled, albeit reluctantly. "I saw him trying to kiss you and I couldn't think of anything else than killing the bastard."

We heard a rustling sound behind us. Kofi was sitting up, with his back to the wall as he rubbed his sore jaw. "Prince, I think you've overstayed your welcome."

For some reason, that made me laugh again. That was his reaction to having the stupidity punched out of him?

"What's funny?" He asked me annoyedly.

The question made me laugh even harder. This time, even Michael looked at me weirdly. "What's funny? You... you tried to kiss me! And my boyfriend punched you!"

"Boyfriend?" Michael asked with a small smile.

I stilled, realising the word that had involuntarily escaped my lips, but before I could reply, Kofi made it to his feet.

"I guess our plan isn't going to work then," Kofi said, looking at me.

"What plan?" Michael asked, pushing me away slightly so that he could look at me properly.

I frowned at Kofi for putting me in this spot. "He wants you gone," I pointed at Kofi. "so he wanted me to lie to you that I was in love with him."

Michael chuckled. "Like I would fall for that."

"I know right!"

"Which is why I made a counter plan," Kofi explained. "I had hoped you'd accuse her of cheating again and leave."

"Again?" Michael turned to me. "You told him?"

I felt my face heat up in embarrassment. "Yeah."

"Why?"

"It was when we found out about Justus, I don't know, I think it just slipped."

"When you found out about Justus?" He asked.

I realised that he had no idea about what Justus tried to do to me. "Can we talk about this later?"

Kofi didn't wait for Michael to reply. "What happened right now has made me realise that I don't need to plot to get you to leave. This is my house and I want you out of it now."

The whole reason why Kofi kept trying to make Michael want to leave willingly was because he didn't want Michael to try saving me. That would jeopardise the syndicate. I guess he realised now that it was hopeless, that there was nothing he could do now that would make Michael forget about me.

"That's great. I don't want to spend another second in this dump. We will be gone by tomorrow."

"I didn't know you spoke French," Kofi remarked.

Michael glared at him. "I do, but I'm speaking English right now. We, as in my girlfriend and I will be leaving by tomorrow."

Did this mean that we were dating now?

"Elorm is not leaving this place. This is her life now. You had better accept that. You've served your purpose in her life, it's high time you left."

Michael looked at me and said, "Who does this guy think he is?"

"Beats me," I shrugged.

"Your first mistake was allowing Wolfgang to kidnap her. If anything, this is all your fault."

No. It was my fault for going out with Justus. If he hadn't drugged me, I could've fought Wolfgang off.

Michael looked guilty when he said, "And I'm going to rectify that mistake. Elorm is coming with me whether you like it or not."

Kofi laughed. "No, she's not. You're on my turf now, prince. I can do whatever I want to you."

Michael laughed. "No, you can't. I know my father is an accomplice of yours, and he won't let you harm me. If not, you would've a long time ago."

"So you're the one who put this silly idea in her mind? That I would do business with some insignificant village chief?" Kofi scoffed. "Prince Michael, leave my house. Your refusal to leave will mean that your stay will be permanent, but I promise you, it'll be six feet under."

Michael just looked back at him, refusing to budge, but I felt my heart jolt when he uttered those words. What if we were wrong and Michael's father wasn't the third partner of the syndicate? I wouldn't be able to live with myself if Michael died because of me.

"Michael," I tugged on his shirt sleeve, making him look at me.

"El–" he was interrupted by the ringing of his phone. He frowned and pulled the phone out of his jean pocket. Without even checking the caller ID, he ended the call. "Hey, don't be afraid okay?"

I took his hand. "Can we talk outside? Please?" I briefly glared at Kofi.

"Yes, of course."

We went to Michael's room. I went and sat on the bed and he lay on his stomach beside me. Before I moved on to deeper matters, I asked him, "So I'm your girlfriend now?"

He smiled. "Yes."

"Do I get any say in the matter?"

"No."

I laughed and he pulled me down to him. He leaned over me and cupped my face. "If anything, you started it. Calling me boyfriend first."

"It was just a slip of tongue," I replied.

"But you do want to be my girlfriend, don't you?"

The voice at the back of my mind told me that we still had a lot to talk about. I needed to give myself time to forgive him before we could get into a relationship. I needed to find a way to make him leave and forget about me for the time being, so that later, we can plan my escape when Kofi is least suspecting.

But of course, I ignored the logical part of my brain and said, "Yes."

He grinned. "To be honest, you really didn't have a choice."

I laughed and turned us around so that I was hovering over him. "Wo–" I was interrupted by his cell, which was ringing again. "Maybe you should get that? It might be important."

He took the phone and ended the call immediately again. "It must be my father, or a friend."

The phone began to ring again.

"I think you should get that."

The man rolled his eyes at me and answered the phone. "What do you want?" He asked.

I smacked his chest and rolled my eyes. He was always polite, from day one. I was influencing him.

He laughed at me. "And?" He asked the person on the phone. After some seconds of listening, the smile on his face waned.

"Michael?" I asked, wondering what the bad news could be this time. We can't ever catch a break, can we?

He ended the call and sighed. "Etornam is awake."

* * *

Michael didn't want to visit her. I couldn't blame him though. She'd been pregnant while engaged to him and she didn't tell him anything. She was the one who began the rumours about me, so all that was happening to me was technically her fault.

I wanted to see her though. Partly because I wanted to see if she was okay, but mostly because I wanted an explanation. I needed to know why she hated me so much, I needed to know who the father of her child was.

It was a good thing that I was a master at convincing Michael to do my bidding.

We were parked in front of the hospital, but he was refusing to go inside.

"I told you, I don't want anything to do with that girl."

"Don't you want answers?" I asked.

"No. She's a vicious snake. I won't trust anything that comes out of her mouth."

"She has nothing to gain by lying now."

"Liars don't need a reason to lie." He retorted.

"Michael," I whined, clutching his arm to my chest.

He rolled his eyes. "I'll go in there on one condition."

"Do you even have to ask?"

"After this visit, we're leaving."

"We're... leaving?"

"We're leaving that mansion in the woods."

I dropped his arm. "Where to? Your village?"

"No. No. My father still hates you. I'll take you to my flat, in the city. They won't find us there."

"Michael," I sighed. "remember what I told you? The tracking chips, remember?"

He rolled his eyes. "Have you ever considered that they told you that just so that none of you would leave? I doubt that you wouldn't feel when a foreign object has been placed inside of you."

"I'm scared that he'll hurt you."

"He won't. My father won't let that happen."

"What if your father isn't the third partner?"

"Third partner?"

I sighed. "The syndicate is run by three crime lords. One is Kofi's father, the other is Justus' father and the third is unknown to me."

"Justus," he repeated the name as if testing it on his tongue. "you never told me what you found out about him."

"Michael," I pouted. "later. We have to see your ex now."

"Ugh, please don't call her my ex. It wasn't even a real relationship."

I laughed and poked his cheek. "You're cute."

"Says the five-foot person."

I glared at him as he got out of the car. I followed him into the hospital, where a nurse led us to Etornam's room. Her eyes were closed, but the nurse told us that she was just asleep, and that we could wake her up easily.

We didn't need to because when we got closer, she opened her eyes. I almost gasped at how horrible she looked. Her eyes were tired; there were bags underneath them as if she hadn't been asleep all this while. Her lips were parched and cracking, her face had lost all colour; she was as pale as a black person could be.

It was shocking to see someone who'd always been so pretty look like this.

"Michael," she whispered. She coughed, probably getting reacquainted with her voice, since she hadn't used it in a long while.

I felt sorry for her when he crossed his arms over his chest and frowned at her.

She sat up with little difficulty and looked up at him guiltily. "I'm so sorry." She said. Tears were pooling in her eyes.

"For what, exactly? Dragging my girlfriend's name through the mud when you were the vile one all along?"

"Michael," I whispered, grabbing his arm. I kept my eyes on her when I said, "she's been through a lot. Please be gentle with your words."

"You of all people should not be defending her, Elorm. She ruined your life. It's her fault that you're being forced into prostitution."

Etornam looked at me just at a tear slipped down her face. She sneered at me and turned away, focusing her gaze on her tears that were staining her hospital gown.

"I know. I'm not defending her, but she just lost her child."

I knew I'd used the wrong choice of words when Michael's face hardened. He turned to her and asked, "Who was the father of your baby?"

She looked at him, more tears rolling down her face as she shook her head.

"No? No what? No you won't tell me, or no the baby didn't have a father?"

"Michael –" I began to complain but he cut me off.

"Elorm, please stay out of this. You said you wanted answers," he reminded me.

I sighed.

"Who's the father?" He repeated his question.

Etornam squeezed her eyes shut as her lips stretched, morphing into her crying face. Hers was even uglier than mine.

"Crying is not going to do you any good. You think you ruined her life?" He asked, gesturing to me. "Watch what I do to yours."

"Michael," she whispered again. Her eyes were red and her face was covered with tears.

I felt my heart lurch with pity. Coming here was a mistake.

"I've already told my father about you."

Her eyes widened, her whole face morphing into shock and... fear. "Y-your f-father?"

I wanted to believe that she was only stammering because she hadn't spoken in a long while, but she was obviously afraid of something. I didn't know that the other villagers knew how much of a tyrant Chief Amegah was. Most of them thought he was a benevolent chief.

"Yes, my father. I can assure you that you won't be received warmly when you go back to your home."

"Michael, p-please don't let me go b-back there." She stammered as she cried.

"Did you think about what would happen when you started spreading false rumours about her? Why should I consider you now? Especially when everything you've done is the actual truth?"

"You d-don't understand. I c-can't go back t-there." Her breaths were getting shorter. She gripped onto her bedsheets as her chest heaved with every too-short breath she took. "P-please."

"Michael." I pushed him aside and got closer to her. Even in her condition, she managed to frown at me. "Why can't you go back there?"

"I just can't. T-this is much deeper t-than your h-hatred for me." She spoke with so much loathing that I was surprised.

What had I really done to this girl?

"Her hatred for you?" Michal jumped in. "She didn't even know you for a long time! You just suddenly popped out of nowhere, spreading vicious rumours about her and ruining her life."

Etornam glared at me. "She's not innocent. S-she has you wrapped a-around her finger, that's why you're b-blinded."

"I never did anything to you," I replied, frowning in confusion.

"You ruined my l-life first. I just returned the f-favour." She wiped her face and glared at me.

"What is this girl talking about?" Michael asked, bewildered.

"You want to know who the f-father of my baby was, d-don't you?"

"That's the only reason why we're here."

"Fine. My child's father was her father."

My heart skipped a beat. I stepped back, feeling my head swirl. Michael caught me in his hands and stabled me as we both stared at the bed-ridden girl. "W-what?"

She smiled, obviously enjoying the effect her words had on me. "Yes. Your f-father was the father of m-my baby." Her smile fell and her look morphed into one of pain and regret.

"You slept with her father?" Michael asked, his own expression morphing into disgust.

She looked at Michael again, and the tears started falling again like they never stopped. "He m-made me think that I w-wanted it."

"Bullshit," I replied. I glared at the girl, wishing I could strangle the life out of her. "If you're not lying – as usual – about the paternity of your child, my father didn't force himself on you."

She glared at me again. "I never said he f-forced himself on m-me. He made me t-think that I wanted to sleep with h-him. Your father g-groomed me."

"You lying bitch!" I rushed at her, ready to rip her throat out, but Michael wrapped his arms around my waist and stopped me. "Let me go!" I complained, struggling against him.

"Elorm, we're in a hospital. Trust me, I wouldn't stop you if you wanted to return all her favours, but you mustn't dirty your hands with her. She's not worth it."

"Michael..." she whispered again; the pained expression returned to her face.

"Don't talk to me. I don't want anything to do with you."

She scoffed, then turned to me. "Your father slept with me when I was f-fourteen. I had just discovered sex then and I was eager to practice, but no matter my w-willingness, I was just a child. He was an adult. He should've known b-better. He should've stopped me. He should've rejected my a-advances. He didn't though."

"What kind of fourteen-year-old seduces a man who's old enough to be her father?" I asked, fuming.

Her hiccups were becoming less frequent as she took control over her tears. "It doesn't matter what happened that led to that m-moment. What matters is that he encouraged my advances. I was just a kid, one of us n-needed to be the adult."

"You didn't think there was anything wrong with what you were doing?"

"I didn't realise until after the first time, but your father, he threatened to e-expose me to my aunt. My aunt would've surely kicked me out, and my parents died a long time ago. I would've been disgraced and homeless. Your father used this to b-blackmail me."

"You're lying," Michael said.

"I'm not!" She replied. "Michael, please believe me, I'm not lying."

"You're telling me that my father blackmailed you into sleeping with him for four years? And you kept this all to yourself until he got you pregnant?" I scoffed. "Liar."

"That is exactly why I never told anyone anything. That was the same reaction I feared. I knew they would blame everything on me and your father would end up going scot-free. In fact, he didn't just blackmail me. He made me believe that I wanted to sleep with him. He always reminded me of how our affair began, he told me that we were only together because that was what I wanted. I believed everything like a fool."

"Let's say there's a slight possibility that everything you're saying is true. What did I have to do with any of this?"

"You're his daughter, obviously. One black sheep shames the whole family. By shaming you, I got to have a little revenge on him. I hate you too. I hate your whole family, which is why I helped those people kidnap your little brother."

My blood froze. I gasped, falling and hitting the wall before I could stop myself. My legs had given up beneath me as my brain struggled to process everything I was hearing. I pressed my hand against my chest as if it would help calm my heart that was racing too quickly to be safe.

"Are you admitting to kidnapping a young child?" Michael asked, bewilderedly. Even he was too shocked to move.

I sat there on the floor as my head spun, unable to understand all that I'd been told.

"I'm sorry," she said. "but I really don't care what happens to that child. I hate him and their entire family."

"W-what bad men?" I asked. Even though I was speaking, my voice didn't sound like mine. In fact, it felt like the real me was detached from reality and my body was put into auto-pilot.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" She sneered.

In the twinkle of an eye, Michael had closed the distance between them and had his hand wrapped around her neck. "Where is he?"

The look on her face screamed 'shock'. "Michael, you're hurting me."

"Yes, I believe that was the intention," he said sarcastically. "where's her brother?"

"I... Michael, her father took advantage of me. He didn't care that I was also just a child." She spoke with some difficulty, seeing that Michael's hand on her neck was cutting off her oxygen.

"I know you'd like to believe that you're the victim here, but stop trying to shift the blame. You're also at fault. What ever happened to you was no excuse to do all that you've done. He is just a kid. He can't even talk yet."

"I barely hit puberty too! Yet... y-yet her father –"

"Where's my brother!" I cut in, yelling so loudly that I was sure even the people downstairs would hear me. That meant that we didn't have much time left.

I saw the fear flash in her eyes, but it was quickly followed by satisfaction. She grabbed onto Michael's hand that was squeezing her neck and looked at him pleadingly. "Please, you're hurting me. Besides, if I die, you'll never know where her brother is."

Michael glared at her, looking conflicted. Then, he let go of her neck. She began coughing, trying to force air back into her lungs.

"Tell me where her brother is," Michael said. His hands were balled into fists beside him as he looked at the girl like she was a piece of trash.

"When her father found out that I was expecting, do you know what he did?"

I wanted to bash her face in. "I don't care about your relationship with that man. All I want to know is what happened to my brother."

"He beat me up. He beat me up with the intention of aborting my baby himself. I'm glad that my baby died, because that beating he survived probably deformed him. At least, now he's in a better place. He won't have to be born into this cruel world."

"Like I said, I do not care about you, your dead child, or your lover. All I want to know is where my brother is."

"Tell me that my hate for you isn't justified. Go ahead and tell me."

"Did you hear her?" Michael asked, sounding more menacing that I'd ever heard him sound. "She asked where her brother is. Tell her."

Just then, the door burst open and a nurse walked in. "Is everything alright here?"

"Yes," Michael replied hurriedly.

"No. Can you please escort these people out? I want to rest." Etornam said hurriedly.

"Of course." The nurse said. "Sir, Miss, can you please leave? The patient would like to rest."

"I'm not leaving until this bitch tells me where my brother is."

"Excuse me?" The nurse asked bewilderedly. "Miss, please leave. Now. Or else I'll call security and you'll never be allowed back here."

"Trust me, we won't be visiting this piece of trash again." Michael answered her.

"Michael," she said.

Only when she looked at him did the hate in her eyes disappear. I wondered whether she had feelings for him. I went over to Michael and took his hand. He looked at me and wrapped his arm around my waist.

"You're back together?" She asked.

"We are. Your lies didn't and will never keep us apart."

She looked at me. "You wonder why I hate you. Your father ruined my life, and you stole the man I love."

"You don't love me. If you really loved me, you'd help me find the child."

"I do love you Michael. I've loved you for a long time, from afar. I loved you knowing that I'd never have a chance with you, since you only had eyes for her. When she left the village and you were single and heartbroken, all I longed for was to comfort you and make you forget about her. Unfortunately, I was already pregnant, thanks to her father. I didn't let that stop me though. I met with your father and the elders and thoroughly impressed them into letting me be your wife." She glared at me. "Thanks to my aunt – who was a teacher in the city before moving back to the village – I learnt English a long time ago. To help me prepare to win the chief over, she taught me decorum and how to be elegant. The chief said I carried myself around like a princess. I'd be the best daughter-in-law."

I didn't care that she'd won the chief's favour. The fact that he liked her was no surprise. They both were terrible people.

She turned back to Michael. "I hoped that you'd fall in love with me after getting to know me. Then, I would've told you the truth and hopefully, you would've raised my child as your own. My mistake was letting you come to see her. I knew you were suffering and that you wanted some kind of closure. I never expected you to reconcile with her after everything she's done."

"She did nothing and you're deviating. Who did you give her brother to?"

She sighed and looked at him. "I wish you saw past my imperfections the same way you do hers."

"Imperfections? You don't just have imperfections. You're a horrible person. You helped unknown people kidnap a child. How could you?"

"Please don't say such things to me. He deserved it. He's a part of that family. He would've just grown up to be just as bad as the rest of them."

"I'm also glad your baby died. You would've been the worst mother," I told her. "he would've probably turned out to be like you."

She glared at me. "You will never find your brother."

Michael sighed. "Elorm, she's not going to tell us anything. Let's go. We'll find him."

"Michael, we don't even know where to start looking." I sobbed.

"We'll find him, I promise him. The sooner we leave, the sooner we can start searching."

"Please listen to the him, Miss." the nurse – who was waiting quietly while we conversed – said.

"You'll burn in hell." I told Etornam, accepting that I wouldn't get any information from her.

"I'll be fine knowing that you and your entire bloodline will be there with me." She replied with equal vehemence.

"Come on," Michael kissed the side of my head. "let's go."

Jealousy clouded her face as she looked at both of us.

"You don't have any health insurance, you know that right?" Michael asked. "Good luck taking care of your hospital bills. Goodluck funding your way back to the village."

"Michael," she called as we were leaving. "Michael!"

Her cries fell on deaf ears.

* * *

So this chapter was just... something else. So many secrets revealed! What do you think? Is Etornam a victim? Is her hate for the whole family justified?

Look at me, updating much much earlier than I should 😊 Aren't I the best? Liked this chapter?

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