Carly drove on and her predator followed. She looks at the file that lay on the passenger seat. She wore her not so happy face; she couldn't wait to open the file.
If only Carly had known that the document was faked, she wouldn't have been so anxious. But because of the weakness humans suffered, she couldn't differentiate if the document was signed by her father or by Charlie. She was so upset that she couldn't concentrate in her driving; all her mind could afford was hatred, hatred not just for Charlie, but to all men out there.
"Dogs…!" she yelled again. Her eyes settled on the dash board, she reached out her hand and took out a bottle of champagne from a drawer.
As she sipped her champagne from the bottle, all she could think was justice. She needed to make a difference in the life of Charlie. If only fate will bring them together in a lonely place; she'd send ten bullets in his head at once. Carly continued to drink her wine, with her pale face turning red. Still with the bottle her phone rang, she dropped the bottle and slowly took the phone.
"What is it?"
"-where are you…?" a feminine voice spoke.
"On my way home..."
"Have you read the will?"
"I think it best to read it at home." Disgust clothed her voice, although not for the caller, but for somebody else.
"Where are you now?" the voice came up again.
"Still on the highway..."
"Where are you heading to?"
"The pizzeria…"
"-which…?"
"Pa-Bens." Carly gulped in a mouthful from the champagne.
"Okay." The feminine voice spoke. "Wait there."
Carly brought out the phone from her ear and starred at it, she could see the name of the caller, Barrister Christophine Drake. She gave out a complicated smile. She hadn't spoken to the female barrister ever since she got her number from Leonard, she was the one to call her, but now, the barrister had called all by herself. Carly was convinced that the barrister could be trusted, since she seems interested in her case.
Eddy drove on far behind Carly's vehicle; he can't afford to be seen by her. Although he saw some of Carly's actions, like when she struck the steering and sent out loud honk. He was a professional killer that had been hired by many; he just got his latest contract with Charlie to kill the one he adorns.
On the other hand, Carly held up a phone over her ear speaking mildly.
It seems she was speaking with a familiar person as she smiles often.
"Leonard!" She tented her hand over her mouth, to avoid making so much noise. "I have it now."
"Oh really...?"
"Yes!"
"Have you read it?"
"Not yet"
"What are you waiting for?"
Carly felt her pride rising a little bit, that's not a question to ask her.
"I will don't worry."
"Okay dear, be safe."
She hung up and smiled, she seems a bit alit and guilty too. She thought maybe the fellow that just called has a huge role to play in her life; so disposing him that way seems informal to her.
"-damn it…" she was guilty. Her eyes rolled towards her phone, she dialed a number and began to speak casually.
"Carly." A weak voice spoke.
"Yes ma'am, how are you?"
"I'm fine, just that I am missing you." The voice spoke.
"Oh, sorry ma'am, I just called to inform you that I've gotten the will."
"Have you read it?"
"Nope-" Carly snapped.
"What are you waiting for?"
The same question...? Her eyes turned from side to side searching for comfort. She seems lost, her words hung in her throat.
"Read it. There's no point waiting." The voice spoke after waiting for a reply but didn't get any.
"Okay ma'am..." Carly nodded.
She was right, there was no point waiting. She hung up and threw the phone on the other seat. It doesn't matter where she read it, all that mattered was the content of the file and that's what she just wanted to know. Again, she did not want to be ordered around by men, but Mrs. Pauline thinks it best she read it soon.
She halted her car in front of the famous Pa-Ben and suites. The place was grand; she walked in trying to stay focused. Inside the pizzeria, she sat calmly awaiting the waiter's arrival. After a while the waiter arrived and she made her request. All she wanted was to read the file, since everybody thinks it best that she read it outside her home. Her request arrived; she took it and began to savor it.
Christophine had gotten to the pizzeria and just at the same time as Eddy. The latter was the watch dog, he was in it and he will see to the very end.
Christophine walked past Eddy's car advancing into the pizzeria. As Eddy looks on, his phone chimed. He took his eyes off the latter and glared at the ringing phone. Without touching the phone, he took his hand close to his ear and pressed mildly against it.
He was wearing a wireless Bluetooth.
"Hello?"
"How's the job going?" Charlie's voice came in.
"Fine, I'm in the same place as she."
"That's great; good boy…" he chortled. "I just received a call that she had gotten the will. So once she reads it, she'll become hopeless. And once that happen, you take that as an advantage. Follow her to wherever and execute her."
"Consider it done sir…"
He hung up and dropped his hands on the steering.
Carly looked confused as she was not getting it.
"All his property...? All for him...?" That was what everyone in the pizzeria heard.
She focused her eyes on the file and flipped through, at least there should be a part spared for her. Her gaze tightened; glaring at the file. She could see her father's signature boldly signed and the one that seems Charlie's. She chortled and glared around.
"Nice joke, isn't it?" She inquired from the unknown and began to weep still laughing; her madness was in full display.
Just then, Christophine entered. She saw her eyes wide open, staring at the content of the will.
She ran at once and snatched the paper away from her hand but her gaze was still focused on the spot where the paper had once been.
Carly still sat like a moron, eyes fixed at the exact spot where the paper had once been.
The barrister sat opposite Carly, overlooking her. To begin a conversation was even harder than snatching the file out of her hands.
"-since we were good business associates, and he helped me acquire all my riches, I am pleased to give him all I ever own should in case anything happens to me…"
She heard those words again; she didn't want to believe them. But her father had said it all; all by himself.
She felt a weight in her chest, and her hands trembled. Still she was stiff and motionless.
"-and I am sorry to let you know that I adopted you, your father is unknown. Please take it easy on your self should in case you get to read my will…"
The last of it hunted her. She jerked to reality and peered at the barrister in front of her, she smiled with her eyes vicious.
"No…" she shook her head madly. "It's not true right?"
The barrister glared at her and smiled; reassuring her. She had been on the verge to help her ever since Leonard took her case to her office.
"Say something barrister!" Carly banged her fist on the table startling the innocent barrister.
Christophine watched her as tears dropped down her cheek carelessly. If only Carly would understand that everything was under control, she'd not be calling unwanted attentions.
"Say something!" She shook the table violently sending everything on it to the floor. "Tell me it's a lie, barrister!"
The latter took her gaze away and Carly peered on, trying to know what her reactions are. The barrister held Carly's hand and she withdrew it forcefully.
Only then did it dawn on Carly that it was true after all.
It became obvious to her that all her fight was in vein; she was the one who actually doesn't belong to the family. Why did her father tell her this way? He should have told her very early. So she'd be prepared for this. He should have sent her out early, perhaps; her life would've not been clothed with sorrow. He should not have picked her up from wherever she was. She could no longer comprehend the bitter truth, still shaking her head, she sought for the door. She tightened her gaze on the door ignoring all her belongings that lay scattered on the floor.
"Where are you going?" the barrister spoke standing.
She ignored her walking so determined towards the big exit.
The barrister picked all her belongings and dropped some naira notes on the table. She pursued Carly, walking very fast towards the big exit.
Outside, Carly walked blindly and the predator watched. The barrister closed in on her trying to direct her on the way to take, but she was too determined in walking alone. Everybody watched, the road users; all was beginning to take notice of Carly.
If only Carly knew the truth, the whole thing would have been easy for the barrister, she could not tell Carly the truth in the pizzeria because of the attentions she'd called, and now; she was beginning to gather much attention. The barrister's fear was that the press may arrive.
"Leave me alone!" She freed herself from the barrister's grip.
She struggled with her until she had succeeded in dragging her into the vehicle.
"Leave me alone!" she snarled. "Let me die!"
She shut the car door closed, Carly still didn't stop. She kept hitting her fist against the car's door. The barrister glared around, she was keeping an eye for the press. Without spotting any, she walked majestically to the other side of the car. She opened it, sat in gracefully beside Carly.
"We need to talk." the barrister spoke and locked the vehicle.
"-go on, talk...!" Carly yelled.
"Everything in that file was masterminded…" the barrister said and watched Carly's brow rise; glaring at her.
"What does that mean…?" Carly inquired slowly.
"Charlie forged the will."
Carly was lost glaring at the barrister.
"But I saw daddy's signature, how is that?"
"-he might have taken your father's bill and scanned the signature into the file."
"Of course, that dog. He deserves death!" Carly yelled and the barrister held her for attention.
"-your part is not done yet; give him a court summon…"
Carly smiled, her mind was at rest now, thanks to the barrister. She smiled and held the door. The barrister unlocked the vehicle and Carly opened it, she came down from the car and walked towards hers.
She opened the door and sat in, her face brightened but yet in sorrow. She started the car and drove off.
Eddy watched as she drove off, he waited for a while so that the barrister will also leave the spot. In no time, the barrister joined Carly and the predator rode behind them
∆∆∆
Charlie sat with two men; they all had glass of wine in their hands. Charlie was throwing a feast again. They were all in black suit; they sat at different couch overlooking each other.
"-soon we will be fully in charge of the Antonio's property, we are going to be victorious men…" it was Dexter who spoke.
"We are already victorious; can't you see?" Gordon chortled.
"She should be soaked in her own blood by now." Dexter spoke.
"In her next world, she wouldn't dare fight for a property." Charlie said and threw a piece of meat into his mouth.
"I'm going to be the secretary of Charlie in Pa-Ben and in Antonia Empire." Gordon said with much vibe.
Charlie dropped his wine and flipped his pipe over his mouth; he drew the tobacco deeply into his lungs. With the smoke still streaming out of his mouth, he took out his phone and dialed.
"Hello…?" came Eddy's voice.
"…is she dead already?" Charlie inquired.
"No-"
"What…!" Charlie barked.
"She was with someone."
"-so...? You should have killed them both…!"
"A lady from the law office interfered…"
"What?" He glared at Dexter. "Okay, I will speak with you soon..."
Charlie glared at the two men before him, he was not sure of what to utter. They waited for a word but got none.
"-what's the matter?" Gordon inquired.
"An intruder spotted." He said at last.
The two men glared at each other.
"What? That's not possible…" Dexter threw down his wine.
"Do you think of any female lawyer in your office that will intrude?" Charlie asked and leaned over in order to get clear what the latter will say.
"That's not possible, why ask?" Dexter frowned.
"The deed is still yet to be done because a female lawyer is intruding!" Charlie hollered.
"Well, I think it best we look into the lady-lawyer issue and if possible we kill her!" Gordon chortled and sipped his wine slowly.
"Kill her?" Dexter said with all seriousness.
"Yes, we kill her. Charlie joined, "remember no one is to stop the proceedings..."
Dexter glared at them confused, he didn't know much about the female lawyer, but because it was a case of a lawyer; he was slow with the decision.
The three men continued with their merry, although Dexter was less lively, he dares not to show it; on less he was ready to join his ancestors.