The Scoundrel
A wicked smile crossed David’s face as he heard the question from Maven.
"Well, the condition is very simple. I want him to wear a wedding dress on the day of your wedding, and you would wear his suit because obviously you’re going to be the man in this stupid marriage you are about to enter, and I shall give you this check of one hundred and fifty million naira." He said he was wiggling the tail of the check he was holding in his hand.“How can I wear a wedding dress?” Thomas asked in disbelief.
David squints his eyes. “Are you going to take the offer or not?”.“We will take it." Maven rushed to answer; she nudged Thomas' arm when he tried to protest."Good, now go on. See you at 2 p.m.“2 pm.?" Maven asked.“Yes, 2pm. I would love to see him in that wedding dress after your so-called wedding at the registry." David said it mockingly and rolled his eyes. He smiled, his eyes bulging like those of an owl, and got into this car.“Why are they so mean to you?” Thomas asked her as they began to walk down to the registry because Maven's rickety car had broken down for the hundredth time in the week.“Don’t you want the money?”
“Of course I do. I need my grandma back to her jolly good self. I would do anything within my power to save her, and that includes wearing that wedding dress." Thomas answered. Meanwhile, he has plans to pay the bills with the card his grandpa gave him a few hours ago. Since he had promised Maven that he would show up on time.
After thirty whole minutes of walking, they got to the registry. Thomas quickly changed into the wedding dress as they had agreed, and Maven got herself dressed in the oversized, worn-out suit. She was doing all of this to save her head. The judge kept flashing them skeptical looks, but he wasn’t really bothered about what they were wearing, even though they looked like clowns. The moment they finished and stepped out of the hall, they met David waiting for them in front of his car.“Oh! Here comes the bride and the groom." He began to cackle at them mockingly.
“Ah! Here comes the clown and his wife." He laughed heartily and clapped his hands as he spoke the words to them. Maven frowned, obviously vexed by his display of stupidity and deliberate ridicule.“We did as you wish. Can we have the check now?” Maven asked. Her shoulders were almost invisible in the oversized suit she wore.“I love your suit." He mocked. Thomas even had the worst shape in the wedding dress. His chest stood flat, and his butt lay invincible in the wedding dress.“Well, I love how you two look, but I am afraid to inform you two that there will be no check." David informed them. He brought out the check slip and tore it. Then I tossed the shredded pieces of paper in the air. The pieces showered down on Maven and Thomas. “Happy married life, clowns." Maven screamed at the top of his voice. He got into his car and zoomed off. Maven blinked back the tears that welled up in her eyes.“You are such a jerk." She exclaimed as she chased after the car and stopped when David increased the speed.
“I guess we are in this alone." Thomas spoke loudly.
“Let’s go to my house,” Maven said. Thomas held the helm of the heavy wedding dress and began to walk with beads of sweat forming on his forehead.”“To your house? You mean your grandma’s place?” Thomas asked. He was curious because that was not part of the plan. He had planned to be Maven’s husband for three years and a half because he believes that Maven has a good heart, yet her family humiliates and hates her like no one else. She was kind enough to want to get such a huge amount of money from her grandmother just to make sure poor Grandma Elizabeth gets the best treatment. They had barely walked a few steps when a police car stopped in front of them. His real grandpa Al Thani already told him to hide his identity, as he suspects his rivals are hovering around the city. The plan was for his safety, just as it has been since he was born.“I have to go see my grandma in the hospital. I have left her since last night. You could leave the address with me; I would go to the hospital, and then I would return to your house." Thomas suggested. Maven paused for a while. She bit her lower lip.“So how would you get the money for the surgery? I am even about to lose all my inheritance; I thought my grandma would. She sobbed on her flabby shoulders. Thomas reached out to her and wiped her tears with his palm. He hates it when people think they can oppress the weak. She was now his wife by law, and he would protect her from the skims of her uncles and grandma to wade her off the inheritance her later father left her.“David will pay for this humiliation he went through today,” Thomas said with a serious look in his eyes."You can’t touch David; he is Grandma’s favorite grandchild, and whatever he asks Grandma gives him. He might just order your arrest, and you would serve a jail term you know absolutely nothing about”. She warned. She knows that her grandma is dreaded by everyone, and no one wants to get into her books.“Are you scared of her too?” Thomas asked her with raised brows.“Grandma is dangerous; look, let’s just focus on the bigger goal of helping me get my inheritance. We would sign an agreement for the percentage you would receive once I get it. And please, no one has to know we faked the marriage because we could both go to jail for deceiving my entire family.“That’s the idiot officer; arrest him." A crooked voice came from the other side of the road. Thomas looked in the direction and found his bald old neighbor pointing at him.Grandma is no more.“What? Maven, I don’t know what he is talking about.“You stole my car." The old man said,.“Come on, boy, get into the car; do not let us use force on you." One of the officers said that and pulled him by the wedding dress.“Is there a clown party going on somewhere?” His large eyes could tell how curious he was.“We just got married. This is my husband." Maven spoke dryly. They were married for barely two hours, and the man she had chosen to be her husband was already causing her so much pain and trouble. The officers dragged Thomas into their van and drove off, leaving her by the roadside. Now she has to walk home all by herself.Meanwhile,Maven was walking back to Grandma’s house so she could get help to bail Thomas out of the police cell. Her shoes were beginning to inconvenience her, so she took off one leg, leaping with one of the heels on. “Damn bastard!!!” She cursed and pulled the second heel off with all the aggression in her body. David had made her d
It was a mistake.Thomas couldn't bear the fact that his grandma had just passed away. He rushed forward and pushed the nurse aside. He then went on to grab the sheet and toss it away, only to see a strange woman lying lifeless on the bed. “This is not my grandma,” Peter screamed, wiping his tears, then running out to check the room number again. He realized he had entered a room different from where his grandma was taking treatment.“Sorry, my bad. I missed the room." He told the nurse and ran out into the next room, and when he got there, the bed was empty. He saw the bag in which he had put his grandma's change of clothes and water, but she wasn't there, so he scurried out, just as he was half way out of the door. He met the doctor on duty.“Where is my grandma's? Where is Elizabeth?” He panicked with thick sweat on his face as he held the helm of the wedding dress."Thomas, we tried reaching you, but your number didn't connect at all.”“Save all the long talks; where is my grandm
Let us strike a deal.The next day, Thomas decided to go to school to see if he could have the expulsion waved off since he now had a fine placed on him by the school. He rode to school in his rugged bicycle, and the moment he got into the campus, the first sight that hit him was a photo of him pasted everywhere with a bold inscription that says "EXPELLED." He looked at it for a while and went straight to reading all that was stated in it. He didn't get any formal letters from the school about his expulsion, and why was his case different? He asked himself, and the only answer that came to his mind was that because he was born and raised in a poor home, he would forever be threatened badly. A small smile crept through his face as he pulled out the unlimited card from his pocket and traced a finger around the edges. He would definitely get his studies back. This was his final year as an accounting student, and he isn't going to let all the years of his study and labour go down the drai
HE STOLE THE CARD“What stupid deal are you talking about?: George asked with a scowl on his face.“You asked me to pay a fine of $300 million or apologize to the public for defending myself and putting you in this condition. Well, how about I pay you five hundred million dollars so you never get to bother me again and I get to be a student here?" Thomas suggested looking from Mr. Amos and back to George, who was looking at him with an arched brow.“What's the fool talking about? You've got no penny on you, and you think you can pay five hundred million dollars to redeem yourself from the pain you cost me?” George asked. He had a mocking look in his eyes, and he knew for sure that Thomas was just being crazy and desperate. "Boy, you do not have that kind of money, and I can bet my life." Mr. Amos mocked.“Try me. I just want to get my name back on the school list, and I promise not to cause any trouble. I will be as invisible as a ghost and as quiet as a rodent.” Thomas added.“Oh! Y
TROUBLE AT HOMEBefore Thomas could realise what was happening, Tricia ran forward and gripped him. She held the neck part of his already smacked shirt and ripped it in two.“That is what you deserve." Thomas was dumbfounded. That wasn't what he was expecting from Tricia and the school at large. It was a horrible experience for him, and to make things worse, Mr. Amos walks up to him and whispers in his ears. “Go return the card where you stole it; otherwise, I shall tell the entire world you are a criminal." He sighed and walked away, leaving Thomas at the centre of the chaos. George still had his broken hand and had learned his lesson never to get involved in a fight with Thomas.“I shall come back for you. This is just the beginning. Fool”. He spat at Thomas feet and wiped his nose with a finger. His assistants shadowed him and led him to the car. Thomas’ hands tremble as he is about to activate again to another level when he remembers Grandpa Al Thani's words.“You must remain cal
VISITING GRANDMAThe next day, Thomas hurried to see his grandmother at the hospital. Lucas had called him earlier to know where he was, so Thomas asked him to come meet him at home.The moment he parked the car. He stopped and looked at the environment for a moment. “You grew up here?” Lucas asked as he surveyed the environment. He looked at his shoes and made sure dust didn't touch his feet.“I grew up here with my grandparents. It's fun here, you know." Thomas tried to explain, but Lucas shook his head in disapproval. “No. I will pass." Lucas said, shrugging his shoulders.“We should get some coffee." Thomas said this and began to walk in front of you.“My car is just down the road. We should go see your grandma." Lucas suggested it and dangled his keys.“Can you drive?” Lucas asked as they walked."Yes, but not luxurious cars like yours." Thomas commented and scoffed. He was horribly bad at driving, but thank God for the little idea he had, and that was why he was able to take
Married to MAVEN TAYLORThey finished eating and headed to the hospital to see Grandma. Lucas was sweet enough to get her a few things on their way.“Hello, please. I am looking for my grandma; her name is Elizabeth; she was brought in here a few days ago." He told the nurse on duty, and she smiled at them beautifully, then set her system to look out for the name on her system. “Your grandma is in Ward 124. A private ward is in the other wing." The nurse said that and pointed to the wing with a smile. Her eyes never leave Lucas's face for one minute.“Thank you, ma'am." Thomas said, and he began to walk in that direction. Lucas followed by adjusting his suit. It didn't take long before they found the ward where his grandma was. He pushed the door open and found a doctor and a nurse checking grandma's vitals. They got into the room and stood by her side.“Hello gentlemen”. The doctor greeted me."Hello, Dr. Mark. I trust you are having a good day." Lucas said it with a smile.“We get
A NEW HOMEI fell to the ground, and the dogs ran up to me. They had their teeth directed to my face and ready to bite the hell out of his skin, but all of a sudden the dogs paused as the necklace on Thomas’ neck. He lay there in shock as the dogs retreated from their attack and began to bark loudly.“What just happened?” The security guard queried himself, as he did not understand what had just occurred with the dogs. Why didn’t they touch him since he had already given the dogs the go-ahead? Just then, the front door slammed open, and Maven came out of the building.The house was just a normal luxury building, unlike the mansion Thomas had envisioned in his heart. “Grayson! Grayson! What have you done? That’s my husband." Maven ran out the moment she saw Thomas on the floor.“Oh my goodness, what have you done?” She rushed forward to help him up.“Are you hurt?” she asked him as she examined his face."No, I am not." Thomas replied, faking a smile at her."Grayson, the next time you
THE INSTALLMENT The day of the great ceremony everyone was skeptical about had finally come. Maven and her family now lived in peace. Thomas was now great and known all over the city for his good deeds. George was still in the psychiatric care hospital while his father, the former governor, has lost his position and is still in prison. Thomas has always envisioned a day like this to come but he didn’t know it was this close. After signing the deal with the Lesotho group he had emerged as a leader and the date for his installment as the healer and Martial lord in all provinces had finally come. Maven raced the hallway of her family house trying to get herself ready without missing out on anything. Today was a big day for her as well. Thomas was crowned the Master Chief of the martial arts club and as the healer of the century. She on the other hand would be receiving a recognition award for the just concluded construction contract she had handled for the government. It’s a two in o
HOME AT LAST The moment they finished the duo got up and began to walk from the VIP lounge section to the main restaurant. Suddenly Thomas paused as a sense of danger hit him. His eyes shot a glowing green light and when Maven saw it she became very terrified. “What is wrong with you Thomas?Why are your eyes glowing?”she began to panic.From all she could see, Thomas looked like a demigod. “Is everything alright? The moment she shook him violently he came back to his original self. The green glow in his eyes died down immediately. “I think someone needs my help around here”. He said unbuttoning his suit as he began to walk faster. He increased his pace so much that Maven had to run along with him. “What do you mean someone needs your help?” she asked him but he gave her deaf ears and continued without stopping to say a single word. She called his name and ran after him till they got to the hall. “Call the ambulance”. Maven heard loud voices screaming while others tried to gi
A DATE The moment Maven got home her mom had done the decorations and a cake was placed on the table with candles. ‘What’s going on here? Maven asked as she walked into the living room. Lady Victoria had a smile on her face. “Happy birthday my child”. Lady Victoria said, handing the glass of wine to Maven. ‘Mom. You did all of this for me? Awn! Thank you so much”. Maven said smiling, she took the glass from her mom and sipped from the wine. “This is good.” She then cleared her throat and clasped her hands together. “Look what we have here”.She exclaimed and rushed off to sit close to the cake. I have a wish and I want to make it. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath for a second before blowing off the candle sticks. Lady Victoria and Abigail clapped their hands happily. “Happy birthday Ms.” Abigail said to her and handed her a small box. “You got me a gift too?’ Maven asked with her eyes watering. “Come here” she grabbed the lady and hugged her tightly. This h
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAVEN "What agreement are you talking about mom?"Maven asked her mother. “You know about it already and Grandma here knows too. It’s long overdue and I need to get my life together. A life outside of the Taylor’s roof”. Lady Victoria was determined to get her life back at least for the rest of her days. Having a companion and someone to share her burden with. “Grandma, what do you have to say to this proposal?’ Maven asked, looking at her grandma with knowing eyes. “Mom, what exactly are they talking about? What deal do you have with Victoria? Do you have any idea Derrick?’ Patrick turned to his brother and asked him. Derrick shook his head. “I have no damn idea anything like this ever took place. “Whoa! Mom, that's pure wickedness. I thought all these while she stayed back with us because she so loved her husband and wanted to keep the legacy going. I never knew you had some contract running right under our noses” Patrick said the words without filtrating an
WE ARE SORRY Since the incident Maven has just been minding her business until Grandma’ request for dinner came through. She had always known who grandma was when it came to having dinner or lunch or even breakfast at her place. With all that has gone on she just doesn’t want to get entangled with grandma and her boys, just focusing on her job and if need be quit if another chaos comes. All that mattered to her right now was her peace of mind and sanity. Maven walked down to meet her mother in the living room. “Mom, did Grandma Clara call you?’ She asked her mother if she had her eyes glued on the TV for her favorite show. The lady shook her head repeatedly without taking her eyes off the screen. “Well, I guess we would be having dinner at grandmas’ I suggest you go get dressed.” She informed her mother. Lady Victoria looked up at Maven with a frown on her face. “I am not going to Clara’s house for no dinner” she said rudely, grabbing the remote control on the table. “Why?Sh
SENTENCED It’s been three months since Sebastian has been in and out of court. His Lawyer Bryan knows well that Sebastian would never win the case against the government and the Al Thani’s. The biggest name in the society. He had his head bowed in the cubicle when his lawyer made the last statement. The presiding judge Albert Wilmore sat on his seat with the wig hanging stylishly on his head. An old man from the North. He is presumed to be the best and sincere judge in the entire city. “Get me out of here” he whispered to his lawyer in a very soft tone. “I am trying my best. The judge is a strict one but I will see what I can do. “What do you even mean by that? I don’t need you to try, I need you to get me out. What’s there to lie and convince the court that I didn’t do it? You can’t even lie. Shame on you”. He said and just then the judge hit the gavel to maintain order. The break was over. The judge cleared his throat. “After hearing from both parties, this honorable court
LET THEM GO The moment she saw the news she knew she had to do something to save her son. She had gone to the station to plead and try to bride David but the officers wouldn’t let her do that despite the fact that they know her too well. “I need my son out of here. No one is saying anything”, she began to cry. Just then Thomas drove in. She threw her bag on the floor and rushed to meet him. “I asked you to get your lawyers ready. David is appearing in court in a few days and there is nothing anyone will do about it. I will not let him treat my wife like that all because of envy”. Thomas was still pissed at what David did. But before he could say one more word, the old woman fell on her knees and began to plead. Everyone came out and began to look in surprise that the all mighty Lady Clara Taylor could go on her knees begging a small boy like Thomas all because she wants her son to come out of prison. At this point Thomas remembered his grandma and how she had gone to her k
CROWNED The morning after the whole incident Thomas’s assistant called in. Thomas was still in bed when his phone began to ring. “It’s too early for all the calls to start coming in”. He murmured as she reached out for the phone. Seeing Greg’s name made his heart churn a little bit. “Greg, what do we have this morning?’ he asked in a greasy voice. “Sir, you have a meeting with the Lesotho group at 9am”. His phone was calm and patient. “I will try not to be late. Put everything in other”. “Yes boss! Greg answered. They spoke on the phone for a while listing Thomas’ meetings and activities for the day after which they ended the call. Thomas got out of bed grudgingly. After the whole drama for the week he doesn’t see himself getting into any meeting or sit but he had to do it for the sake of the company. The company has to go one way or the other. Just as he got the tip of his bed a knock came on his door. He turned his head to look over. He knows his grandpa or Lucas, his co
MAVEN IS DISCHARGED Lady Victoria has never been this rude to grandma but since Grandma has decided to bite the finger that feeds her then she would have to face the dance and the music she had set for herself. Thomas left the prison that instance and he headed straight to the hospital to meet Maven. On his way he had asked Grace Maven’s assistant to watch over her while they await her discharge time. He hurried and drove the car to the hospital and when he arrived at the front gate the men he kept to safeguard the yard nodded at him. They were dressed in black suits and black face Masks different from the security men who work for the hospital. He raised up using the elevator to the fourth floor where Maven was. He waved at the nurse rashly and wafted past her like spoke ready to consume a whole bush. This was the moment he wished he could kill his enemies with his powers but that would not be very necessary at this point. He is not big enough to face David and Sebastian. Rath