Chapter eleven 011: FEAR

*We live to experience different situations in life and we all approach or choose to react to them differently *

~•~

Asachi knocked on the window of the car feeling worried, Adria turned seeing him she opened her car and stepped out.

"Are you ok." he asked curiously.

"I....I'm fine what's wrong." She asked oblivious of what would have happened to her.

"What do you mean by what's wrong you almost got into an accident." He said.

Adria looked at him and looked at her car "oh."

He stared at her for a while "are you ok?."

"Ye..yes." She replied still thinking about her family.

"Is someone wrong." He asked worriedly

"No I'm ok." She replied.

"Let me drive you home, you don't look good, you seem out of shape probably you were shocked due to the accident." he offered his help.

"Hmm." Adria didn't argue.

"Alright get in." he said, they both sat in the car as he drove off.

"Seems the workers really don't like." you he said.

"Huh? oh maybe."She was lost.

"Please direct me." He asked her.

They drove together and when they got to her house he parked and stepped out. Adria thanked him.

"How would you go back now." she asked worriedly.

"Don't worry I don't live far from here." He replied.

"Oh but what about your car." She asked.

"I might get it later it's actually safe there."He assured.

"Ok." she said as she turned to leave.

"I'm sorry I insulted you earlier." He said.

"What!." She turned immediately.

"Yes when you judge our meals." he grinned

"It's fine." she replied as she said bye and they parted ways.

She got to her apartment, when she entered she saw the baby and the driver together the baby looked like he was going to cry till he saw Adria, she approached him and carried him.

"Thanks for taking care of him." she said to the driver

"No problem ma'am." he said as he left.

She stared at the baby and hugged him "I really missed you." she said as the baby played with her hair she immediately took him to the kitchen as they made food together and ate, she kept trying her sister's line but it didn't go through.

She was really scared but she tried to think straight nothing can ever harm Berlina she has always been the brain like their dad.

They are gonna be ok she assured herself.

She turned to the little kid who was already asleep "where are your parents it's night already." She said to herself.

Adria sat close to her baby as she dosed off. After few minutes she heard a knock in her door she looked at the time it was 11 at night she picked up the glass vase from her table as she approached her door,

She opened the door and saw the lady from the last time she sighed in relief.

"What's going on with you are you so careless or heartless that you don't care about your son." Adria said.

"Please can I atleast come in and see my boy." the lady said

When she stepped inside adria caught a glimpse of bruises on her neck which she covered with her hair.

"Why did you come to ge-." Adria was interrupted by the lady.

"Can we both sleep here tonight please ." The lady pleaded

Adria stared at her for a while and then nodded her head, her house was way too big for her alone and there were lots of room.

She showed them to there room the woman looked around "your place is way better than ours that means the rumors are true."

"What rumors." Adria asked curiously, its not been too long she moved here so why would they be a rumor about her and she doesn't even know anyone here.

"That you own the place." She said simply.

"What! that's not true." Adria said.

"It is we were informed before your arrival." She insisted

Wow Adria was surprised Berlina went out of her way to get a house in her name, I'll have to ask her.

After that silence filled the room as Adria watched the woman take care of her child.

"So what's your name." Adria asked.

"I'm Lin Chen." The lady replied.

"And the baby,what's his name." She asked.

"His English name is clover and Japanese name Akio."

Adria stared at him his such a smart boy

"Thanks for taking care of him I'm really grateful." The lady sincerely said.

"Can you tell me why you always let him move around every time." Adria said.

"He doesn't move around, I send him out to go stay at my neighbors place but he ends up coming here." she said as she stared at him and then back to Adria "he likes you."

"Oh does he. What's wrong why do you send him out don't you think is too dangerous for a child this young what if he leaves this place." She said irritated by the mother's word.

"He won't, he's a weird kid he barely plays with his peers." she said.

"What's wrong Lin Chen." Adria asked patiently waiting for her to explain.

"Hmmm that's a story I would like to tell another time." The woman said.

"It's fine you can take your time if you ever need anything just know I'm her for him and you too." she said as she stood up to leave, she already had an idea of what was going on.

"Wait, what's your name." The woman asked.

Adria stopped and answered "I am Adria, Adria aliz." She said as she walked out

"Thanks Adria." Lin Chen said.

Lin Chen close her eyes as she cleaned her eyes this few years has been her hardest she thought.

Adria got to her room and began to think about akio's mom what's wrong why did she look very scared when she saw the vase in her hand and why was her eyes wet when she asked what was wrong I really hate this. I hope it's not what I'm thinking, She took her bath and went to bed.

THE NEXT MORNING

Adria woke up and tried Berlina's line it went through but no answers she breathed and said few prayers after the prayer she went down stairs to make coffee there she met Lin Chen and her son

"Good morning ma." Lin Chen said

"Don't call me that." Adria wasn't really in a good mood she needs to hear from her sister.

"I'm sorry." Lin Chen said.

"It's fine." Adria said while heading to her kitchen.

"I was waiting for you I would be leaving now thanks a lot for everything I really appreciate." She said

"It's fine." Adria said immediately Adria's phone beeped it was a message from Berlina saying she was fine

She tried calling her, it rang for a while before it was answered

"Hey little pumpkin." Berlina voice sounded from the phone

"Hey sis." Adria really sad.

"What wrong." Berlina asked worriedly.

"I was worried why didn't you give me a heads up." Adria complained

"We need you to focus on yourself I and mom are cool." Berlina said

"I hope nightmare didn't do anything stupid." Adria asked.

"No he didn't." Berlina lied

"Your lying I have a feeling he did." Adria said

"Well.....he tried to use the law to access me but reverse was the case, he was put in jail but it's gonna be for some months so I and mom left Nigeria because I got a business to attend to in New York." Berlina summarized everything.

"Wow he's in jail?." Adria asked.

"Yup just for now." Berlina said

"Umm alright, about this house I'm staying in there a rumor spreading and it says I own the whole estate." Adria said

Berlina laughed out loud "Took you long enough to know, we'll you need an asset there to be able to stay peacefully honey." Berlina said.

"Oh thanks a lot sis what about mom?."Adria asked.

"She's fine she would call you later." Berlina replied.

"Ok these people that live here are the-." She was interrupted by Berlina

Berlina interrupted "They are all very wealthy Adria so don't lend anyone money."

"No no not that." Adria said

"Then what." Berlina asked

"Forget about it." Adria said after thinking for a while.

"Alright then I need to attend to something talk to you later." Berlina said as she ended the call immediately.

BERLINA's PLACE

Berlina turned to her assistant who has been standing there for a while now.

"Ensure the whole flight reports are cleared cause he would still be able to get access to those things while in jail." Berlina ordered.

"Yes ma'am." The assistant replied.

"And while at that change the acting president in Adria's company, he works for nightmare infact fire everyone apart from her assistant and the Ova's." Berlina said.

"But ma what about the people in the factory they would be hard to find if fired." He said.

"Give me time to think about that you can leave." Berlina said.

Berlina turned to the glass window at her office that shows the streets of New York she looked worried,

She was worried about Adria, she could break down at anytime or run into depression.

A scene from the past flashed through her brown eyes.....

THE PAST

Adria came back from college and realized her parents had another fight, she already had a bad day at school all her friends were all fake and annoying she has had enough of everything and everyone.

"What's wrong Adria." Berlina said as she entered her room.

"I feel like a bad luck I feel it's all my fault mom and dad are not cool whenever my friends at school talk about there family I just smile but deep down I feel so sad I feel like I'll explode any moment I'm tired sis I feel a lot of pain! a lot of pain!! I just wanna die." Adria said as she tried to stabilize her breathing.

Berlina dragged Adria in her arms "Don't cry Adria I'm here and I'll always be, your not the cause of anything it's not your fault that life happened life is pain itself we don't control what happens to us but what we do control is how we choose to learn from our life lessons." Berlina said.

"Is dad ever going to put us into consideration, like ever he just keeps making things hard this minute his an amazing man and the next his the worst person on earth." Adria said.

"Skip those are you supposed to be worried about that please they are better things to worry about." Berlina scoffed.

"Your never gonna understand, it's not like you ever did you got cool friends and your good with people but I'm not Do you know what pain is? Huh

Have you seen someone you care about go through hard times or go through unbearable pain huh if you haven't felt pain and you can't relate the worse feeling is being the cause of someone's pain." Adria screams as she cried loudly.

"What rubbish are you saying Adria do you think I feel less pain than you do life is fucking unfair, today may bring joy but what about tomorrow you think I'm less of a human cause I don't break down like you do." Berlina said angrily as she stood up and left Adria's room.

Arriving to her room she shut the door and went straight to her bed she rolled herself up and began to sob gently it hadn't been easy for her too why don't they see her own struggles she's trying to be strong but she's human too.

Immediately she heard a knock on the door she looked up and saw Adria's head popped out of the side of the door.

"Can I come in." Adria said as she felt remorseful over her previous actions she said earlier.

"No go away." Berlina said as she turned to the other side of her bed.

Adria ignored Berlina's word and came right in. She came on the bed and looked at her sis "I'm sorry I didn't mean it that way, I was just angry and that's all."

"It's fine your always going to think I don't have hard times too but I do." Berlina said as tears slipped down her eyes.

Adria looked at her sister "I'm sincerely sorry I just felt like you needed to let out some steam if you keep holding things in your gonna explode and that won't be nice."

Berlina scoffed as she cleaned her eyes Adria smiled sheepishly and said "Take a look at this."

"What's that." Berlina said as she sniffed in.

"I got these jewelry on my way back, I remembered you said you liked them."Adria said.

Berlina stared at her little sister as she smiled softly "thanks but I'm still angry at you even if you wanted me to cool off steam or whatever, they were other ways around not say those hurtful words."

"I'm sorry sis I'll be more careful next time." Adria said.

"There will be no next time. I hope you know, I'm always here for you." Berlina said

"Yes I do." Adria smiled.

"But you always tell me your alone, I've always been here for you and I will always be here to put a smile on your face the fact mom and dad always have misconceptions doesn't mean they don't love us too, sometimes that's just life." Berlina said feeling better.

Adria hugged Berlina saying "I'm sorry I just felt alone." Berlina raised her head up "your never alone I will ensure you live a peaceful and happy life no matter what. You,I and our parents

THE PRESENT

Berlina looked down on her hand and smiled

"I'll always be here my little pumpkin' she thought to herself

I had to make it even with the odds in place and so will you be able to attain happiness, I know your bad at relationships because of what dad did but trust me things will be different someday Berlina thought to her self.