"I'm ready to backmail Steve…but, I have no evidence"
"No worries. Let's meet on Saturday"
"Okay"
I laid on the bed and fell asleep gradually.
I woke up early, ready for another day but Sandra was still sleeping. "Wasn't she going to school?" I asked myself.
I really wish I had the opportunity to go to college, but I couldn't bring myself to do what she did. But if I blackmail Steve, maybe I will have enough money to go to school" I thought.
I went to work and apologized for not coming to for the past two days, saying that I had an accident. I was believed because one my colleagues testified that he saw me the other day with bruises and tattered clothes.
Then Saturday came. I would finally be able to get this thought off my head. I woke up early and I wore a blue jean trousers and a black sweater with a black face cap and sunglasses. I got to the selected venue and I met her there.
I don't know why she chose an open space, but I respected her decision. I sat next to her on a bench, "Hi" I greeted.
She passed a bag to me " That's the package, where is mine?"
I gave her the money that I already prepared in my hand "It was nice doing business with you" she muttered to me.
After a while, she turned to me, and asked with sympathy, "Do you need anything?" she asked me and I shook my head negatively. "Do you have any evidence? Like your chats, pictures, videos and so on"
"I still have our chats; and I took a picture of the blood stain when I was in the room but he never allowed me for once to take pictures of the both of us" I answered her questions honestly.
She thought for some while "Hmm…there's a CCTV camera in both the sitting room and his room, which only him controls so that he can have the tapes of all sex that he has"
"What?"
"He uses them to masturbate" She shrugged her shoulders. " So all we have to do is to take ALL the videos and delete yours only from the footage" she said stressing the word 'all'.
Feeling a little confused, I questioned "What do I need the sex videos of others? Do you want me to start watching porn?"
She laughed "Silly girl, It will be better to blackmail him with several videos" She answered. "Okay, how do we get the videos and also delete mine?"
"Leave that to me, he trusts me a lot so it will be easy"
"I think you will need to get another phone because you can't keep the videos on your phone, right?"
Why does she keep saying things that I don't understand "Why did you say that?" I asked confusedly.
"He's very smart, he will easily send someone to steal your phone or even hack it because he has your phone number. He has done that before" She said. "Okay I will get it. When should I expect the videos?" I asked.
"Monday" she said as she stood up and left.
I stared at her back as she left. "I guess I'm really doing this"
I went to a phone shop and bought a new phone, and I promised to pay on installment.
I went back home to get some rest, because this blackmailing whatsoever was taking a toll on me. I was as scared as fuck. When I woke up around 1am, I found out that Sandra wasn't still at home "She isn't still home?"
I remember when I came home the afternoon before; she wasn't home yet, but I wasn't worried because it was still early. I picked up my phone from my bag, and called her, but she wasn't picking up. "Why isn't she picking up?"
I kept on calling until she picked up, but I was surprised to hear her moaning "Sandra, are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm having fun" She was breathing heavily "Byeee" she said before cutting the phone.
She just called s*x, fun? How is it fun? I still feel sour all over my body because of the s*x I had with Steve.
On Monday morning, I met Sandra sleeping on the ground with only her underwear on with her bag and phone next to her.
I walked up to her "Sandra, go sleep on the bed" I pulled her up.
She removed my hands from hers, then went to the bed. I knew that she ignored me because she didn't want me to ask questions.
Steve didn't come to the coffee shop anymore and I was happy about that. After work at the coffee shop I met with the maid and collected the videos before going to the hotel.
She asked us to meet around 2am, after work at the hotel to kick-start our plans. So, we met at the hotel I worked.
"Are you sure that you want to do this?" She asked, to be sure before proceeding with the plans. "I will make him pay for toying with me with money" Just remembering all I passed through made me cry.
She collected the new phone from me and sent two of his sex videos to his number, telling him that I was going to send it to his wife. After ten minutes, he called as expected and I picked it.
"Hello babe" I voiced with a hint of sarcasm. "How the heck did you get these videos?" he shouted. "If you do anything crazy, I will post your sex video online" he mocked.
"Go on darling, in fact do it now if you can find it" I mocked.
After few minutes he called back and started shouting on the phone.
"Babe calm down now, you are talking to your girlfriend" I jeered. "How did you get to delete it?" He questioned angrily.
I didn't answer his question, "Darling I have the video with me and I have the one where it shows your face to be precise" I grinned. For some reason, it was so fun to hear him sound scared.
"Okay, let's meet up. Let's negotiate" he decided to speak calmly.
"No baby, you have to pay to see me. I am a busy person" I rolled my eyes.
"Okay, how much?" he asked.
"Two hundred thousand naira should be enough to stand me up from my sit" I said and I cut the phone hurriedly.
I nervously asked the maid "What do we do? I'm so sure that he would try t harm me"
"Don't take the phone where the evidences are. Don't eat or drink anything he offers. Don't allow him to touch you, make sure to keep a distance and carry a weapon. Most importantly, save guard your heart because you are in love with him"
I shook my head "I'm no longer the weak Victoria, I'm sure i will do well. But I really don't know how to use a weapon and how will I keep it" I said.
"Just take a knife, wear something free and make sure to wear something that has a pocket inside" she explained.
"I don't know how to use a knife and I can't even injure a rat and now you are telling me to injure him with a knife"
"You don't need to injure you if he doesn't harm you first" she said. Then suddenly my phone beeped and I saw the alert of 200 thousand naira. I was so shocked and she advised me to send the address to him before he does.
He didn't reply but I knew that he was going to come. "He wouldn't waste his money right??" I asked myself.I stood up from my seat "I have to go now, it's already 3:30am and I need to get to work early"
She nooded. "By the way, my name is Anne" she informed. "I thought you were keeping it a secret from me" I laughed "Please send your account number via text message. I will send 50 thousand to you" I said and she thanked me gratefully and I left.
I got home and met Sandra and an aged man talking, but I just ignored and went to the bathroom to get changed and went outside for fresh air. I was really nervous to meet Steve, I knew I still loved him so much. I took a knife and started practicing with some movies I had on my phone. I later went inside and slept.