When I arrive at my parents place, I don't even bother to park my car in the driveway. I park by the lawn and alight from the car and take long strides to the door where I type the security code and walk in.
When I get into the living room, I am not surprised at all to see my mum, Sophia and her mum seated on a couch, drinking and chatting like they just conquered the world.
Nothing can convince me that they did not orchestrate this whole charade. They think they have finally accomplished their mission but I am here to burst their bubbles.
I will give them the shock of their lives.
"Mother!" I call in rage as I approach them. They all put their glasses down in silence and turn to look at me.
"Hello babe" Sophia greets with a sickening smile.
"Shut up, I will get back to you" I scold.
"You don't talk to your fiancé like that" My mother warns and I look at her in disgust.
"Mother what do you think you just did?"
"The right thing. That girl had to be put in her place"
"Mother what makes you think that you have the right to meddle in my affairs?, let alone take it to the media" I ask with a creased brow as I stand straight tall with my legs slightly apart and my left hand shoved in my left trouser pocket.
"I didn't go there myself, I was just stepping out if the shopping mall when the paparazzi came bombarding me with very embarrassing questions about you and Luna"
"And you had to lie?"
"Was I supposed to say yes?, that my son is engaged but expecting an illegitimate child with some opportunistic gold digger?. I am only trying to protect your reputation"
"Reputation be damned mother!" I shout angrily and I feel all my nerves in my body tense up. "And stop calling Luna names, stop making matters worse for me. Mother you have to stop messing my life for me, you have no right to make decisions for me!"
"Point of correction, I am not messing up your life. On the contrary, I am trying to clean up the mess you made and for the record I have every right to make decisions for you because I am your mother and I know what suites you best. I know exactly what is good for you. It is my duty to correct whatever mistake you make and get you on the right track. I am only doing what a good mother should do" She explains firmly and just stare at her in awe.
Kyle was right, I have been nothing but a Mama's boy all this while. I have just realized how badly my mother has influenced me and if I don't take back my rights from her, if I don't detach myself from her, if I don't make it clear to her that I am grown up enough to make decisions for myself, she will destroy everything for me.
"Mother" I call gently, quietly but firmly. "That's enough, all of this is enough. You have had me wrapped up around your finger for too long and now that has to end. I'm a grown up man and I can very well make decisions for myself. So I will ask you very nicely to stop meddling in my affairs and I want you to make a public announcement, I don't know how you are going to do it but I want you to take back all those words you said and clear this mess. You have to put out the fire you started" I instruct calmly but firmly and she looks at me in total disbelieve.
She is shocked.
"And if I don't?" She dares.
"Then I will call of the wedding" I spit out and she gasps in shock, so does Sophia and her mother.
"Baby!"
"I said shut up, Sophia"
"You're bluffing" My mother says and I stretch out my right palm to her.
"Bet" I instruct as I look at her straight eyeball without batting an eyelid and she goes speechless. I turn around to Sophia and her mother with my outstretched palm towards them. "Anyone wants to bet?" I ask and they both look at each other and stay still.
I turn back to my mother. "Mother, I said bet if you think I'm bluffing" I insist and she turns her head away. "I thought as much. You have until Six pm today to get this matter dissolved. I want you to make a live video saying you lied about me not being responsible for Luna's pregnancy. I want you to clear Luna's name. Failure to do so before six pm mother, I will make sure to post on my IG, Twitter, and Facebook pages about the wedding being annulled. I will even go as far as making a tick tock video and I will send it to press to release and even show it in the news. Mind you, I'm not bluffing. You stepped on the wrong nerve this time around" I announce and there is dead silence in the living room. Mother looks like she has seen a ghost and Sophia is already in tears. I take calculated steps towards her and when I am close enough, she bows down her head in shame. I use my index finger to lift up her chin. Her face is completely drenched and her makes up is completely ruined.
I don't feel sorry for her.
"Planning all this behind my back?, seriously?"
"Ace admit it, you are falling for her. The way you look at her, the way you defend her, you cannot convince me otherwise. You have fallen in love with her "
"But you are the one I am going to get married to. You are the one I am engaged to"
"What essence does it make when your heart and mind is with someone else"
"I need you to trust me, not to around orchestrating ridiculous drama here and there"
"Ace you have fallen in love with another woman, how do you expect me to trust you?"
"You think I don't feel guilty for that? Guilt stabs me in the heart every time I think of it but I don't expect you to join forces with my mother to make Luna bad, to completely damage her reputation as a woman. Sophia I haven't stopped loving you. Yes, I admit that I have feelings for Luna, that doesn't mean I don't love you anymore. I love you Sophia and I a sure that I want to marry you but if this matter is not settled, if by six pm Luna's name is not cleared, I will call off the wedding without a second thought. So if you really want us to get married, make sure mum does the right. Excuse me"
I bolt out if the living room feeling victorious like never before. Even if mother hesitates to do as I have instructed, Sophia will nag her all day until she finally gives in and I swear if my mother doesn't do it and Luna leaves, I will call off the wedding and dedicate my life to finding Luna and my unborn child.
I am more than excited to walk into my office and meet Alaric. My ass has been on hot coals since morning and I really need to cool it off my talking to someone who will not judge me.
"Your mother went way overboard" He remarks as I walk in and lazily slump on the sofa.
"You know my mother has always loved to cause drama, but not worry, I've got everything under control"
"Really?, What did you do?" He asks surprised.
"Let me explain chronologically. After I watched online what my mother said, I hurried over to Asher's house so I could talk to Luna"
"Wait... Asher the badass Attorney?" He asks surprised.
"Yeah"
"What was Luna doing at Asher's house?"
"They have this complicated one sided love relationship"
"So... who loves who?"
"Asher loves Luna and they are good friends so Luna spends some nights at his place"
"That...is dangerous"
"Don't even make me think about it. So I went over to Asher's place to talk to her but he wouldn't let me in and at that same moment Kyle, Luna's elder brother showed up and took her away. I was on my way to my mother's house to talk to her when I got an anonymous call with the person instructing me to meet him at All Class Suites else come tomorrow, I will never see Luna again"
"The hell! Who the fuck has the temerity to threaten you?"
"It wasn't an empty, it was for real. It got all my emotions in action. I have never driven with such speed the way I did to that suite and when I got there, guess who I met"
"No, don't do this to me. Just tell me already!"
"Kyle Ramel Angelis"
"No way!"
"Yeah, he told me all about his father's plans to send Luna out of the country until further notice and that the only thing that can change his mind is if my mother revokes her statement and clears Luna's name on social media"
"Knowing the kind of person is, that will be nothing but a missing impossible. She will never lower her pride to do that"
"Not when I have the perfect leverage to use against her" I say as I shoot him a sly smile and he creases his brows.
"And what could that thing be?"
"The wedding. I threatened to cancel the wedding if she doesn't do a live video saying the truth about who is responsible for Luna's pregnancy"
"Man you are wicked!"
"No I'm not, and as if the entire universe was on my side, Sophia was present so even if my mother hesitates to do as I have instructed, Sophia will make sure she does it"
"You got them bro, well done!" He says as he gives me a gentle tap on the shoulder.
"You know, my mother went too far, she actually stepped on the wrong nerve this time around, I had to put her in her place and above all make her understand that I am mature enough to make decisions for myself"
"And you nailed it bro, I'm proud of you"
"Thank you"
"I will be on my way now, I have some work to round off with at the office. I just came to see how you were holding up and you seem perfect so, I best be in my way"
"Thanks a lot for the concern" I say as I engulf him in a bro hug "I'll walk you to your car"
Today has been a blast!