JEALOUSY SETS INCaleb responded with a nod of the head because his mouth was busy chewing food. "I'd like to personally apologise for the misunderstanding that happened a while ago," the manager went on, "And I hope you won't strike out our restaurant from amongst the top-ranked food vendors around the city." He was clasping his both hands in a plea fashion. Mia stood listening completely dazed. "When did he become a don?" she whispered to Elena. "Didn't you watch the news?" her friend returned. Mia shook her head. "My DSTV subscription had expired since...." She broke off not wanting to talk about her fight with Hart. Then she heard the manager asking Caleb what to do about the situation. "How do you want her matter to be handled, Don?" Caleb cleared his throat and took a sip of the Chateau Mouton Rothschild wine. He made a smacking sound with his lip to indicate he was enjoying the taste. "I wouldn't want her sacked outrightly as this may be her only source of livelihood," h
A TWIST OF FATE Hart got to the hospital and thankfully, his father was awake. His step-sister Bella was sitting by the foot of the bed pressing her phone. "What is she still doing here, Papa?" he barked looking at his father. "She was just showing me the show of shame meted out to you at an eatery," El-Zaki grunted out the words barely able to talk well. "The news is trending on social media. Even on international blogs and vlogs," Bella added. "What the fuck!" Hart cried. "Vlogs too? Like, they captured the whole incident on video?" Bella nodded pitifully. "And look what the caption is saying," she clicked something on her phone and began to read it out. "Billionaire CEO kicked out of the V. I. P. section of a restaurant because he couldn't afford to pay." Hart raised his two hands and placed them on top of his head and blurted, "But that's a lie!" "Another one here says, "Son of a deposed Don being treated like a commoner. And then the comments are really disgusting." "Wha
YOU BETRAYED ME"I will never donate my blood to a killer!" Caleb was seething with rage when Adriana told him what was at stake. "Of course, I don't mean that you should. But look at it this way: since you've been looking for a way to get hold of the original document containing your father's authenticity of the company which El-Zaki murdered him to take control of, you should use this as a perfect channel to demand for it," Adriana tried to explain. But Caleb wasn't having it. "You want me to stoop low and bargain with a killer for what's rightfully mine?" He unleaned from the headrest of the Lexus Nürburgring where they were staying to have the discussion just outside a wine bar. Caleb told her it was safer to remain in the car than to be seen in an open place until his security team was put together. "Besides that, you know the former don is very stubborn. He would rather die than submit himself to such humiliation," Caleb submitted. Adriana not wanting to give up without ano
I CAN EXPLAINElena and Mia ran after Caleb in their bid to explain, but he was moving too fast. Before they could navigate their way through the bystanders, he was already on the other side of the road.Mia crossed blindly without watching for any oncoming vehicles. "Whoosh! Thud!" The screeching sound of tyres against the tarred road caused the onlookers to scream hysterically."Oh my goodness! That poor girl, why didn't she look where she was going?" someone cried. Another one replied, "She was running after her boyfriend.""No, it's the other girl's boyfriend." "Help! Help me!" the driver of the Hilux that hit Mia came out and squatted beside her motionless body. Two men from the small crowd that gathered went to assist. The driver, a young guy between 22 and 22 years of age dressed like an athlete with his tracksuit, joggers and a fez cap, scooped Mia into his arms, one of the men supported her head while the other man got the door. Elena looked on in horror. On the spot whe
TORN BETWEEN TWO EMOTIONSCaleb stared at the girl for nearly 30 seconds, lost in the glint of her sparkling grey eyes. And from the way her cheeks flushed, he could sense the girl must already know him. She tilted her head to the left and said quietly, "I will be fine." Then she wiped her face with a handkerchief and pressed a button on the handle of her wheelchair. It began to move. Caleb moved to stand in front of her. "Wait! You don't need to shy away from me. I'm Caleb, by the way," he introduced himself. "I already know who you are," she said shyly. Then she promptly removed her hands from the handle of the wheelchair when Caleb tried to touch her. "And I shouldn't be seen talking with you." "But why? I'm not a bad person," he assured her. She shook her head. "They don't think so," she whispered. "Who? Who are they?" Caleb moved to squat in front of her so that his head would be on the level with her face. But she turned her face away to avoid eye contact with him. "Please
DON'T LIE TO ME"I saw you with someone at the canopy shade late last night. Who was she?" Adriana demanded. "And don't even think about lying because I know it was a woman," she warned when Caleb chuckled trying to lighten the tense atmosphere in the room. He didn't want to prolong the argument so he went straight to the point. "Bella El-Zaki." "Oh, so why did you have to steal away like you were doing something illegal?" "Perhaps to avoid this kind of confrontation," he breathed slowly. "You've been like this since yesterday, thus anything I do will always be judged as sinister." Adriana knew he was right yet couldn't help feeling jealous. "Maybe if you had done the right thing like you promised a few months ago, I wouldn't feel this way," she complained. "Adriana," Caleb drew closer and held her face up in his chin, "Like I said before, I just came out of a harrowing relationship; one that nearly ruined my life. It would be irrational for me to jump into another without firs
AT A CROSSROAD"What you're asking me to do is suicide," shrieked Bella El-Zaki. "My stepmother will murder me if she catches me. Not to mention the Don himself.""I am the Don now," corrected Caleb. "I wield the power of life and death within this jurisdiction - and amongst the entire M75; because I am the number one leader. Thus, if anyone should fear for their life, it is those that have wronged me.""Or those who may refuse to do your bidding," added Bella thickly."This is not a question of doing my bidding," he went on, "it's about giving me something in return for giving you my blood." Bella opened her mouth to say something but the words would not come out. "Yes, I am blood group AB-negative." "Wonders shall never cease!" Bella managed to voice out. Then she continued to stare at him wide-eyed without uttering another word. But Caleb didn't want to waste any more time bargaining. He made to rise from his seat. "I have to get back to work," he stated. They were at the Fo
RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!"Quickly, move the car!" Hart ordered the bodyguard who was with him. "He's coming after us!""Hey, stop! Wait for me please," the second one pleaded running after the car. But Hart urged the driver to keep going when he saw Caleb closing in on the other bodyguard. "There's nothing we can do for him." Then he saw Caleb grab the guy by the shoulder and jacked him up like he was lifting a baby doll and flung him effortlessly onto the ground.It seemed surreal to Hart who kept gawking through the back windshield. He was thankful that Caleb didn't get into his car and chase them. Hart felt his face redden with embarrassment."Who would have thought a day will come when I'd be fleeing from that smug son-of-a-bitch," he muttered and ran his fingers through his hair. He felt a little soreness on the left side of his head near his ear where he had roughly brushed against the sharp edge of the car handle in the rush to get inside and shut the door. Caleb gave the man lyin