The haunted bride - Season 3 - Episode 13

4 years ago

The haunted bride - Season 3 - Episode 13

Tears gathered in her eyes as she realized she would have hurt an innocent girl for her faulty assumption. Elena was just like any other random person who made mistakes. She couldn’t be crucified for what she had done to Aniekan, even though the consequences of her post would’ve been lethal to his reputation. But knowing Aniekan very well, he would have gotten over it.

Elvis was equally stunned by her pronouncement. Everything within him melted, and he also felt horrible for the way he’d treated her the last time they met.
‘Tayo…’ he collected her arms gently, this time she didn’t resist him.

The princess quickly blinked away the tears that had gathered in her eyes. She couldn’t let him see her.

‘Look at me…’ Elvis understood the way he felt, but he could never mock her for what had happened. Her jealousy meant only one thing; she was attracted to him, even though she would deny it.

Tayo refused to look at his face.
‘I am also sorry for the way I treated you. You hurt my pride. I know I am not good for you. I am from the gutter, Tayo, but I am not ashamed of my background. From the day I was born, I have been fighting for existence.
You know who I am. You know that I am thug. I accept that I am not fit for a princess, but I never wanted us to end things on a bad note. I am sorry for what I did. You aren’t a toy. You are a queen…’

Tayo was touched by his words. They elated her spirit, and chased all the doubts she had away.

‘What if I didn’t find you here? I would’ve made your sister’s life a living hell. I don’t usually do this. I don’t get jealous or mad at a guy for cheating. I just…’ Tayo pulled her hand away and turned her back against him.
She was denying her true feelings. Elvis wasn’t the first man she’d been intimate with. But he was the first to evoke her amorous side.

‘You love me Tayo, but for reasons known to you, you’re not ready to pursue what you feel. I respect this. You will end up with someone from your class; a prince or a Governor’s son. I am attracted to you too. There’s no shame in love’.

Tayo closed her eyes to prevent more tears from rushing down her cheeks. Elvis was right about everything. He wasn’t from her class, and her brother would never sanction the union.

The only thing that could work between them was friendship and she was willing to consider this.

‘Can we be friends then’? She knew this would be difficult, but she was willing to try.
Elvis smiled, he was learning new things about her every day.
‘I don’t know if I can take my eyes of your beautiful face, but I am willing to try’.
His response tickled her, and this made her laugh.

‘I am so sorry for trying to ruin your sister’s life. To make amends for the way I have treated and spoken to you in the past, I will walk in there and talk to Aniekan to drop all the charges against her’.

Elvis was stunned at her new behavior.
‘Are you for real’? He also considered her entrance, as a good way to escape from his parents. He would give the princess a written note for them, but he couldn’t hang around the white house, longer than he’d already done.

Tayo shrugged, ‘try me.’
Elena knew she was in no place to argue with the billionaire. She had almost messed up his life, yet he had forgiven her. This singular act of kindness was one that she could never forget.

‘Thank you’, she whispered after eating the sandwiches he’d brought for her.
‘You’re welcome. You must come along now’. Aniekan reached for her hand and helped her to her feet.
Elena was hesitant, ‘where are you taking me’?

He shrugged,’ just so you know, your parents are already here. They came to negotiate with my lawyer, but we need to tell them about this new development’.

Elena was surprised. She guessed her mother had returned from her travels. She couldn’t wait to see her father, whom Ese’s thugs had harassed. She was free at last, but her freedom came with a price.

As they marched out of the dusty room into the dark corridor, Elena wondered what living in the white house would be like. Already, she was conscious about Aniekan around her, and she couldn’t explain what that feeling was.
She also thought about the arrogant lawyer, and Aniekan’s brother, Ese. How was she going to live in a house with two people that didn’t like her? These and many more thoughts ran through her head as they walked through the corridor.

Aniekan was also thinking. But he wasn’t thinking about the job he’d offered Elena. He still felt that strangeness of being watched by someone. If he wasn’t with her, he would’ve turned around to see if someone or something was stalking him.

He decided to start a conversation with Elena to ease the tension he felt.

‘Where did you get the idea that I copied Kate Haley’s work’? He was a bit curious to know the source of her false story about him.

If not for the darkness, Elena’s blush wouldn’t have appeared unnoticed by him, because she still felt embarrassed by what had taken place.

‘I love video games. I play a lot of games after a stressful day in school. Games help me relax, and take my mind off harsh realities’. She explained. It was her love for games that had drawn her to Luciferon. That was the moment she realized that Aniekan’s game shared a lot of similarities with Kate Hayley’s.

‘So, did you like it? Luciferon I mean…’ Aniekan smiled in the dark. He was interested in Elena; she wasn’t the boring type. And it seemed they had a lot of things in common.
Elena smiled, ‘of course I did. I never knew you were the original producer. You are incredible’. Elena said. Luciferon was a very challenging game for her. It was highly creative, and the picture quality was topnotch.
His insides rumbled at the sound of her praise. He’d been appreciated by a lot of fans and business partners for his creativity, but he’d never felt this satisfied and happy.
‘Well, I originally wrote the game plot for Haley. I didn’t have enough money to turn it into a game then. I was still learning how to climb the ropes’. He replied.
Elena sighed, ‘now you’re made. I’d love to be like you one day. I am really sorry for what I did. I thought I was doing the right thing, but I almost ruined your career and credibility’. Though Aniekan had forgiven her, she still felt bad for what she did.
He hadn’t planned for this, but an overwhelming desire to hold her hands and reassure her of his forgiveness possessed him. Aniekan quickly searched for her hands in the dark.

Elena’s tummy rumbled in anxiety as she felt his warm hands on her left wrist. What was he doing?

‘I have forgiven you Elena. We all make mistakes, but the most important thing is to learn from our mistakes’.
His words made her feel better, but she knew deep down that it would take more than just the warmth of his hands and beautiful words to totally absolve her from what she did.
‘Why are you being so nice to me sir’? Elena asked.

‘Don’t call me sir. My name is Aniekan’. He was irritated by her formal tone.
Elena felt slightly uncomfortable with his preference, but she couldn’t do anything to upset him now. He’d given her a second chance to make things right, and she was going to take it.
‘I don’t have any reason to be nice to you’.