Chapter 24

When Mike left the Hotel, Pat sat Olivia down and asked her if she loved Mike, Olivia was taken aback by that question. She wasn't expecting such question from her friend. Yes of a truth, she was beginning to develope interest in Mike, but not to forget that he was her best friends husband. Pat told her not to misunderstand her. She then began her story;

" I got married to Mike, not because I loved him, I have never loved any man. My interest had always been on women, which you had also experienced. My family pressure was becoming much and unbearable for me, hence my decision to marry. Mike came handy and became my alibi not a husband. I used him to cover up so that my parents would let me be. I miss admit that Mike is a good and kind man. He deserved more than he is getting from me. I have suffered him even though he doesn't know, probably because of his good heart and nature. He has never suspected me, rather he takes everything I say as truth. I have been cheating on him from say one, which includes you, but because they were all women, he wouldn't suspect. The issue of our childlessness, I manipulated it. The said Doctor had been my friend and she has been helpful in covering up for me. The lady I was dating had wanted marriage but I couldn't divorce Mike just like that, because I know he might not survive it. I tried managing the relationship, for sometime but she got tired of my excuses and moved on. The one I am recently dating is ready to tie the knot with me as we speak...

I can't believe this, Olivia shouted. You can't be serious she added

Hear me out please Olivia just hear me out Pat begged.

Olivia could not help but sit down once again, she had stood up with anger to walk out of the room.

...Your presence in the house has been helpful, I have been trying to see the best possible way to ask you for a favour dear to me, but I was afraid how you would react. It was while you danced with Mike and I saw you Kiss, that my heart leaped with joy.

Olivia flinched with surprise, she was beginning to apologize with tears rolling down her eyes, but Pat shouted at her to stop and listen to her first.

I planned the entire thing, I had always left you and Mike at home most times thinking I could come back to watch the camera I planted and see you guys making out, but each time I looked, there wasn't anything like that. Then came the anniversary, 

Olivia had listened all these while, she then spoke;

You manipulated Mike to book one room for all of us, you allowed us to dance so we could kiss and you got us drunk and pushed me close to him so we could...

Yes, yes, I did Pat said, she didn't allow Olivia to finish up.. Help me, I can see you both love each other, it was glaring the way you held each other while dancing and the kiss. I need your help, you are my best friend, you are my only hope. Please don't deny this, you love him tell me.

Olivia was in tears, she couldn't understand why this is happening, yes it's true she loved Mike but how could she possibly look her friend in the face and admit it. She felt some how happy too, of her friend was that serious, Mike would be the best that would happen to her, and she saw the way he was looking at her, that wasn't the first time, from the first day they met in that elevator, each time he see her, he would be carried away. She remembered Brains, the man she came to see, could this be fate she thought, she has seen this in divers movies, she might need someone to wake her up cos it's looks too unreal, it seems she was either watching a movie or dreaming. She hesitated a while;

Pat you have been my best friend ever since, for many years. I have had a lot of things to do with you and shared a lot of secrets. I knew you are bisexual, but I never knew it has got to this point. Mike your husband is a good man and I am happy you acknowledged that. I have stayed in your house for some weeks now, and I respect him so much. Asking if I love him, I would say yes but not as you think, cos I noticed he was always lonely and I develope pity for him. I have also tried to avoid closeness with him for our friendship sake. He is every womans dream man, I would like to apologize for kissing him, please do not hold it against me, I was influenced by the drinks I had taken. As for your question, what do you mean help you, how do you want me to help you?

Pat told her to seduce Mike, fall for him or even get pregnant for him, in that way, he would have no option than to marry her. She would have to do all this without letting him know they planned it. Her role would be to feign ignorance. Olivia accepted to help but she asked that Pat remove every camera she had kept in the house. She also asked her how she planned leaving if all things worked out. Pat told her that the news other pregnancy would help her to walk out easily. They hugged each other with tears long out on their eyes. Mike came back and they picked their things and left the hotel, only this time on a cab to the house.

Meanwhile Chase, Capone and Bruno had selected few men and positioned them according to the mapped out plan. They were positioned in a way that if one fails, the other will get him. They had decided to take out the young man who was sent to take Olivia. Capone had initiated a plan with the young girl who the man comes to visit and she had told them that day would be his day. They had monitored his movement and realized he was not always coming their alone, two other men guards him. Capone and his boys were to handle the two guys while Bruno and his would take the target and bring him to Chase. It was to be a sllent and neatly carried out plan without a gun shot. The men Capone chose were taekwondo experts. Chase was to wait in his car close by, he would then proceed with the target to abhide out where they would question him and gather information. 

A car pulled in and parked by the roadside at the brothel and the young man came down with two of his guards. They were all dressed in black. Bruno's spy was the first to spot him. He called Bruno and told him, it was quite unusual, he had never visited in a car. May be he was planning taking her out that would mean change of plan. Bruno reached Capone and they adviced the spy on what to do. He waited till they got in, so he crawled down to the car, brought out a nail and punctured two tires, he left one nail in one of the tires and carefully left the scene. After a long wait, the two guards came out first, they saw the tires flat. They went back inside ans told their boss. The three of them came out together and looked at it all round. It was getting darker and late, they went back inside and came out with the young girl, after a little chat, he hugged the young girl, gave her a kiss and handed over the car key to her. The spy who was watching sent a message to Bruno to be at alert. The three young men took off, they were to trek down to the underground bus stop to catch a bus back to the city. That was how the three of them were picked according to plans at each point. The two guards were disarmed by the taekwondo guys, tied with ropes and pushed into the Hilux van. The main target was held behind by two men while the third gave him a punch on the head while closing his mouth with a handkerchief so that he would not let out a cry. The punch took him out as his body slumped. They carried him to Bruno's car. And all retired to the agreed hideout for interrogation.

Mira was still in shock, she wondered why such a coincidence. A man had waited for a full week to see her, and on the faithful day, he went into Coma caused by accident. A lot of things were going in her mind, she called the PA and told her to get the driver ready as they were going to the hospital. She rounded up what she was doing and went down with her PA to the car, the driver didn't find it difficult to locate the hospital. Mira stepped out of the car, while the PA followed behind. They got to the reception where as usual the lady nurse told them to see the Director. Mira got in alone while the PA waited at the reception. She introduced herself to the Director and told him she came to see Brains. The director asked her who she was to Brains, she replied that she was the CEO MIRAS PLACE. The Director without further questions greeted her properly and appreciated her kind gesture as regards her visit. She told him the young man has waited for one week to see her and that she wondered why such bad luck. She told the Director she would like to see hs face at least. The director took her to the emergency unit and the state of the art ward where Brains was placed in a private room. The room was exclusively reserved for the family members of the big shots in the society. Mira marvelled at the sight of Brains. What a handsome young man she thought to herself. The director told her he was still on Coma, but that they believe he will come back to life. They left the room back to the Directors office, Mira begged the director to make sure he does everything within his power to revive Brains. She called her PA to drop her number to the director and they left. As they were leaving, Lucy was coming in, she went straight to the Director who told her that Mira just left. He told her she came to see Brains. He was actually telling her as Brains girlfriend. Lucy thanked him and asked him to make sure Brains is kept safe. She felt bad that he was still in Coma and asked the Director how long it will take. The director adviced him to be patient, some people stay long, but from the way he looked, he might pull through in days, he responds to Lucy. While Lucy was thanking him to leave, Agent K came in.

Chase had just dropped the young man in the make shift cell, he told his men to take care of him while he went out to make a phone call. He took out his phone and called Agent K, he picked once and Chase asked him to tell him his findings. K told him how he had followed up on Brains up to the point of his appointment at MIRAS PLACE, he now asked him if he hasn't heard about the accident. Chase as diverstated, he enquired if he died, and K told him, he heard  he was in Coma, though he hadn't seen him. Chase asked him to go see him as he need first hand information. He dropped the call and wondered if it was wise telling Olivia, he decided otherwise. He went back to his teammates, and asked them the best method to get what they wanted from the guys the held. There were many tools in the house, and they were meant to crack the hardened criminals. He told them to question them differently without using any hard way. He had decided to allow them try, parhaps they might make it easier. So he left the camp and drove home.

Olivia, Mike and Pat got home tired, they had taken their bath in the hotel, so they all went into their different rooms. Olivia lay on the bed full of thoughts. Some of the thoughts good and exciting, while some were fearful. She would love to see all these play out fine, she wouldn't mind marrying Mike, she had already forgotten about Brains, infact she was planning to tell Chas to stop the trail, but she told herself not to be too fast, she wouldn't know how she would handle this if things went bad. Although she was convinced that Mike loved her, but he wasn't too sure he would want to let Pat go. He might want her to be his side chic while still with Pat. Her being pregnant would be another advantage she thought, what if he decides to settle her and another way without involving marriage. Pat had better get this right she thought. She recalled the last night event and smiled. She also remembered her friend and thought of how she went that far to plan this. She knew Pat to act weird sometimes but never thought it could go this far as regards a serious issue like marriage. Anyways, she was and would still be her best friend, if and when everything works out, she would have time for more of her explanations. 

Pat called Nelly and informed her that the plan was working out perfectly and that very soon they would be together. She told her to begin the arrangement on their trip and make sure she she handled her end of the plan accordingly. She dropped the call and though about the whole thing. At first she couldn't believe she would be able to convince Olivia, but here she was successfully executing her plans. What if she changes her mind she thought, what would she do. She decided never to think negative, she saw them kiss passionately, the way they held each other, nothing would make her change her mind. She thought of Mike, and laughed. How exciting and funny it would be watching him play hide and seek. All she needed was to keep to the terms of the engagement. She would have to convince Olivia that she had removed all the cameras and make sure she followed her closely so as to encourage her in case she felt discouraged anytime. She went to the sitting room, took a bottle of Amarula cream and went straight to Olivias room, knocked on the door, Olivia opened and she entered. She asked her jokingly;

Were you expecting your boyfriend?