With a blank face, Camella walked over and mumbled some words that everyone believed to be an apology. The guests smiled and Jack tried to exchange glances with his parents. They simply focused on their meal and didn't give their son that chance.
Benson Wood was not impressed with his daughter's attitude and rudeness but didn't show it. If Kunle and his family didn't see it, why should he point it out to them. They've all hardly gone midway through the meal, when Jack said “my love, our parents would be happy with our decision for a quiet wedding…” he initiated.
“” Camella mumbled. His love, when did she earn that title? She'd now become his love?
“That isn't a bad idea you know, Camella? It's good to have your private lives, away from the scavenging eyes of this outside world. I will personally support you both on this” Clara squeaked.
“Whatever the kids have chosen, as parents, we'll just support them and give them our blessings,” Benson added. That Camella agreed to this union is a dream come true. So whether a private wedding or an elaborate one, he's more than happy to support her.
The adults kept talking and Camella was eating. Her mind and thoughts were only occupied by the thought of Andre. The company is losing a lot now, because he's not around. She's thinking of getting experts from abroad and having her own employees get trained,but she's not willing to.
She didn't know how long she was lost in her thoughts until she was brought back from her reverie by a gentle tap on her arm by Jack. She glanced at him sharply and as if his hand was an electrically charged object, she threw his hand off violently.
She stared at her hand, where he'd touched as if he'd robbed filth on it before letting her eyes linger upwards to glance at Jack's face. She didn't say anything, but her gaze and the sneer all over her face was enough to send the message to him.
Jack just shrugged and looked away. He lost appetite that instant on anything. He just wants to put her in her place and say a few lines of words to her, expressing a piece of his heart. How dare she treat him like filth, how dare she?
He would pay her back for her rudeness when they are married. He'll pay with interest and she would understand that her iron fist was as flexible and weightless like a feather before him.
Seeing the awkwardness in the air, Benson quickly diffuses the tension by saying “oh darling, we were all asking you what you think about the idea of getting married in a week's time…?” He said, smiling. Can't Camella just save his face by not showing her resentment for Jack before his parents?
“You're all asking me what I think, I have only been thinking about Andre Torello. My head and heart is filled with the thoughts of him and how to bring him back to my side. Nothing else is worth thinking about now than that” Camella snapped but she realised that she'd talked too much.
There was a grave silence that suddenly descended on the dining hall.
Benson Wood just glared at his daughter speechless. What on earth is wrong with her?
“Who is Andre Torello?” Kunle Johnson asked, his words sharp and distinct.
“Forgive Camella's outrageous outburst. He is an employee of the company and suddenly resigned at the peak of the company's greatest demands for him. It's affecting her job and sending her offshore, when she sees how much she needs him to return to the company…” Benson gave a hurried explanation.
“I know that feeling, but it's common when you stumble upon some irresponsible employees who are…” Kunle Johnson was saying when Camella interrupted him sharply.
“Andre is not an irresponsible employee. I haven't had such an honourable and genuine young man like him in my entire life. So I won't take it if anyone says unhealthy words about him”.
“Enough, Camella,” Benson ordered. There are limits to being insolent.
“It's nothing at all Mr Benson. Young women of this age are more intelligent and smarter than we were in our time. Her words are coming from the best knowledge of what she knows about the man Andre Torello. Let's forget about it and focus on the most important thing” Clara eased the tension and everyone smiled.
But in her heart, she wished she could pull this woman by her hair and drag her round the large sitting of her father. How dare she sing the attributes of another man before her husband to be and even lash at her husband rudely.
“As for the wedding, I'm preparing for it. As soon as I get Andre Torello back to the company, we'll get married. I don't want this wedding to cause a distraction” Camella declared and stood up “please excuse me”
Distraction? Those words rang in the ears of everyone present.
**********
In the courtroom of Ashanti Kingdom, King Bashmal continued his speech “...Prince Jamal had committed an offence, or to be rightly put, he'd sinned. In his words, he abducted the young prince of this kingdom and sent him far away from his royal family.
This is outrageous and inhuman. Jealousy had taken him so far and this kind of evil is never going to be condoned in this kingdom as long as I live and remain the reigning monarch seated on this throne” King Bashmal declared, his eyes fierce and his grey haired eye brow seemed to be standing erect.
There was a grave silence and many knew the doom of the crown prince was at hand. But whose son is the one abducted? Did anyone in the royal family just give birth?
Prince Clifford was fuming in rage but he had to suppress his fury before his highness. He wants to know what the punishment is, that Jamal is worthy of. He is dying but he deserves to be humiliated until his death.
“Sergeants-at-arms, read out the punishment for such offence” King Bashmal instructed. Prince Jamal is his son, the cast away prince is his grandson as well. They both are his blood, he will not be biased, justice needs to be met.