Chapter Nineteen

"Have you seen it?" Ivy asked as soon as Vida picked her call.

"Seen what exactly?" Vida asked feeling bored.

"Guess who was caught on camera with JJ?" Ivy asked

The mention of JJ's name woke her up. She's been having trouble getting to him. He always ignored her and treated her like a nobody. He didn't like her at all. But she loved JJ. She would do anything to have him. Including fighting over him with anyone who tried to be with him. She was so crazily obsessed with him.

Ivy was not an exception. She was also secretly in love with him. She had befriended him at first before making advances to him. She worked in his company as the procurement officer. She would bring in files telling the secretary that she had things to discuss with her boss. Until one day JJ threatened to fire her if she didn't behave. All this happened without Vida knowing about it. She kept giving her false information that drove her crazy. Vida confronted most of the accused people picking fights in the name of love. So when she heard there was someone else her anger knew no limit.

"Who is the bitch this time?" She asked now dressing herself in readiness for a fight.

"You won't believe who it is!" Ivy chuckled

"Am running out of patience here Ivy. Spill it out!" She shouted furiously.

"It's Joy" Ivy simply blurted out.

"You saying it as if I know her. Who the hell is Joy?" Vida asked.

"One and only Joy from campus. The one we set up at the pageant" Ivy jogged Vida's memory.

Vida let out bouts of uncontrollable laughter. She laughed so hard that Ivy had to cover the mouthpiece of her phone.

"That's the lamest joke of all time. You almost gave me a heart attack. Don't you dare try such a joke again" Vida finally said before continuing the laughter.

"You think am joking?" Ivy lamented

"Of course you're joking. How can the two even happen? And besides, who dates a woman with a child born of rape? That's ridiculous." Vida still couldn't get it.

"Well then suit yourself." Ivy angrily ended the call.

With that, Vida decided to take a look just to go through the daily paparazzi gossip and to her shock there it was. Several pictures of Joy and JJ together having fun. They were already trending on social media at number one hottest topic.

There were pictures of them taken unaware. JJ having a protective arm around Joy. Something he would never do to her.

Maybe Joy is playing a game. Maybe JJ doesn't know that Joy has a baby born out of wedlock. She thought. I will definitely tell him. She grinned at the thought.

Before she could celebrate another photo came up. Joy's daughter was being held at both sides by Joy and JJ.

"Damn! He already knows!" Vida shouted as she threw a glass that was nearby striking the wall.

She paced left and center of her room. She couldn't believe it. Joy always stood on her way. She knew how to look for her trouble. She had to do something. By all means JJ belonged to her. Not anyone else. She put a call to Ivy. She was her partner in crime. And now she needs to brainstorm with her on containment measures.

"I can't believe you were telling the truth. Am sorry I didn't take you seriously Vida apologized as soon as Ivy picked her call.

"So what's the plan?" Ivy asked

"We need to produce the father to that baby." Vida told her plainly.

Ivy gave out a loud gasp. She didn't expect such an idea. Truth be told, they also had no idea who the father of the baby was among the four men who took Joy's innocence.

"How will we do that? I don't even know where those guys disappeared to." She replied

"We have to find them soon" Vida said without thinking.

"And how will they know if they fathered the kid? Considering that she doesn't look like anyone else apart from her wretched witch of a mother." Ivy added salt to injury.

"We will take their DNA samples and that of the kid. I don't think it will be hard to do so. We can bribe them if need be" Vida was pretty determined.

"I don't think it's a good idea" Ivy advised on a second thought.

"Why do you think so?" Vida asked.

"Remember that JJ is a powerful person. Things might get out of hand." Ivy explained

According to her, looking for the DNA would make everything worse. First, it would expose the people who violated Joy. Second, those people will be charged with rape and jailed, third the people will be forced to give them up because they were accomplices and their cover will be blown and probably sent to prison too.

After considering these, Vida felt defeated for the first time.

On the other hand, JJ and Joy were already getting comfortable with each other. However she was scared of falling in love. She had never been so fortunate before because she became a mother before she could learn to love. No one found her attractive. No one loved a woman with a child whose father was unknown.

"I gotta open my heart to you" JJ began one day.

Joy looked at him waiting to be told whatever was in store.

"First it's a confession. I have been your secret admirer for long now. Am the one who sent you flowers every other time. I sent gifts to your apartment, insane things. Because honestly, I am in love with you." He finally did it.

Joy was overwhelmed. She didn't know whether to rejoice or be sad. She felt like home to him and vice versa. But she was undecided. Something was holding her back. So she decided to walk away silently. She was breaking JJ'S heart.

"I know it's too soon to pour out my feelings to you. But I can't hide them anymore" he called her out

"You don't understand" Joy shouted, "I don't deserve such a pure heart like yours. And besides I don't want to ruin your reputation. I am bad for your image." She cried.

"My image doesn't matter, you matter to me more. I love you, can't you see it? I want to love what you love and hate what you hate." He begged.

"No one wants me. I have a child out of wedlock. No one loves a woman with a childless father" Joy turned to face him. Her eyes were full of unshed tears.

"I was raped. I don't know who mirabelle's father is. Don't you get it?" She asked as tears fell from her eyes.

He looked at her in shock. He now understood her life rotated around her little girl. He saw a vulnerable girl inside that strong woman. He saw a fighter, a lioness caring for her cub. And he loved her more.

"Please let me in. Let me take away your pain. Let me love you with your scars. Let me be a father to mirabelle. Let me be everything you need and much more" he begged, this time holding her in his embrace as she cried her heart out.

In the next few weeks Joy and JJ had told each other everything. They were ready to start a new chapter together. They introduced their families and soon exchanged their wedding vows in a simple but grand wedding.

Joy found love, JJ found a lifetime partner while mirabelle found a father. They traveled the world as people cheered them up. Vida and Ivy were banished from the company and exposed to the public. They walked the streets of shame wallowing in self pity for the rest of their lives.

THE END