Chapter Thirty-five

Damian's P.O.V.

When I rolled up to Darin's mansion—well, actually it was just me—Dayo and my cousin Ryan unexpectedly showed up too. I had no clue they were headed the same way. I passed them on the highway, but I took a detour and was taken aback to find them already here.

Dayo was behind the wheel of his sleek black G-Wagon with Ryan, while I cruised in my black Lamborghini Veneta.

Ryan owns a mansion on the island but is staying with Dayo until he heads back to California.

"Tobi, my man!" Ryan and I shared a hearty man hug. "Brother Dayo," I greeted my elder brother with a fist bump.

We exchanged pleasantries outside before heading into the mansion. The butler welcomed us with a respectful nod, and the staff did the same as we walked by.

I was chatting with Dayo and Ryan about my latest project—a hot new venture I'm excited about. Actually, it's about a woman, so don't get it twisted. 

Hehehe. 

Ryan's eyes widened in surprise. "Wow bro," he said, his accent making it a bit tricky to follow, but I still loved it. He raised his hand theatrically. "I won't say you nailed it perfectly, but you're definitely a bad dude in a good way. You get me?"

His humor always gets me. "Ryan, it's not really bad. I just like her and want to keep and protect her."

I noticed Dayo standing a bit away, clearly uninterested in our conversation, especially when it came to matters of the heart. I get it; he's been hurting for years. I hope he heals soon so he can find happiness again, just like I did.

He's been alone for over seven to ten years now, while I've never felt bored since my breakup a decade ago, back in college.

Though he's keeping his distance, I understand he's maintaining his composure. 

As if reading my thoughts, Ryan noticed Dayo's distance and lowered his voice. "Man, I was shocked when I found out Dayo hasn't been with a woman for over seven years. Damn."

I'm tired of lecturing him too. "What can I do?" I replied in Nigerian pidgin. "Mom set him up on a blind date with one of her friends' daughter after things fell apart with Adira. She told him it was a business meeting he needs to attend on her behalf as she won't be in the country, so he agreed. But guess what?"

"What's up, man?"

I chuckled, recalling the amusing end. "You should've seen how Dayo publicly humiliated her when she tried to take advantage of him. It was hilarious."

I laughed.

"Wait, so he didn't touch her?"

"Touch?" You clearly don't know Dayo. "He's been loyal to his ex–Adira despite their issues. Neither of them is ready to move on."

"Then they should just reunite," Ryan suggested. Easier said than done. "That's the only solution."

I know Dayo still cares for Adira, just as she does for him. Even when he asked her to leave, it wasn't his choice—it was mom's persuasion. He was willing to forgive and endure the shame for her.

Dayo's not as cold-hearted as Darin or me.

Ryan looked at my 'single' brother from a distance, sympathy in his eyes. "His heart must be in pieces, especially when you're deeply in love and addicted to that person."

Is he speaking from experience? Because the Ryan I know can never fall in love too. Ryan's known for being a player and toying around with women. Only God can help him with that.

"A million pieces," I agreed. "So, how's Adira doing now? Did you visit her after she was discharged?"

"Not really, man. Except Dayo keeps sending her gifts, anonymously." 

I laughed. 

What's my brother running from? Or is it just his damn pride? "You know he still loves her, right? If he didn't, he wouldn't be sending those gifts." I knew it!

"Dude, he kissed her forehead when I left him alone in the ward. And she was still in a coma then! Thought no one was looking, but I saw it." What? You've got to be kidding me. "Now, tell me, what would you call th–––"

Our conversation was cut off by the sudden, unmistakable sound of a woman moaning from upstairs.

Even Dayo froze, caught off guard by the lewd noise.

It started soft and slow.

I already knew this was the handiwork of my younger brother.

Darin.

He better be taking it easy up there. That boy's a real bad one.

But hold on—he never brings women to his place. Maybe Nathaniel was onto something earlier. Still, I need hard proof.

Instead of the moans fading away, it sounded like they were doing choir practice up there—full-blown soprano style.

Did someone hit the damn alarm?

Holy hell.

We had to cover our ears to keep our eardrums from bursting as her pitch kept rising like a soprano hitting those impossible high notes, as if all the pleasure was lodged in the back of her throat.

Dayo covered his ears and bolted out.

And what are we still doing here? "Breakfast?" As soon as Ryan agreed, I drove all three of us, including Dayo, to a swanky, top-tier seafood restaurant.

*****

A few moments later, we arrived and found Darin playing 'Naija Whot' with a striking, unfamiliar woman.

He looked like the happiest man alive. I've never seen him this over the moon before. Maybe she discovered the secret to his happiness.

But then...

Oh, damn. Nathaniel was right.

She's wearing a ring. So it was true.

"Come on, babe. That's not fair—I gave you a card that means you pick two extras." He frowned playfully.

The woman smirked. "Nope, I'm defending my card." Her strong accent clearly wasn't Nigerian.

She dropped her last card triumphantly. "Tadah!" Darin lost the game. "Beat you again!" She teased, tugging his grumpy cheeks. And no woman has ever dared to play with him like that. Who is she? And why is she wearing Darin's black hoodie? No woman has ever touched his things; he never lets them. "So, remember your bet—I'm getting another round, loser."

"Another round?" Dayo nearly lost it.

It was like they hadn't even noticed us until now.

Darin quickly stood up, looking completely unbothered.

His face was still beaming.

What's going on with my little brother?

The woman adjusted her glasses and began packing up the cards.

"Brother Dayo, Ryan, Damian! What's up?" He grinned.

Seriously?

Anyway, I trust Dayo. He never compromises his position in the family. He acts like the elder brother. "Darin, are you out of your damn mind?" He started in Yoruba.

Darin glanced at the woman and then back at us, looking a bit confused.

Brother Dayo pressed on. "You're a spoilt brat, and yeah, Mom is a real pain, but she raised you way better than this."

Darin seemed tired of being confused. "What did I do now, Brother Dayo?" He sighed, one hand on his waist, the other scratching his head.

Oh, you're still playing dumb with all your guilt right in front of you?

Fine, I'll join in. "So, you're chasing after married women now? Not single ones anymore?"

He glanced at the woman as if questioning her, then looked back at us. "Damian, I'm sorry, but I don't get it. Who's chasing after married women?"

"Oh, please, cut the crap," Ryan jumped in. "You can't see the woman right next to you?" He turned to her, "Hey, young lady, how's your husband gonna feel when he finds out what you're doing in another man's house?"

As if he finally pieced it all together, Darin suddenly burst out laughing.

We all stared at him, perplexed.

What the hell was so funny?

"Guys, chill out. I get where all this mess is coming from." He leaned over to whisper something in the woman's ear, and just like that, she picked up the game board and went upstairs.

Darin watched the stairs for a moment, making sure she was out of sight. Then he turned to us. "Come, have a seat."

Sit? "Are you out of your damn mind?"

"Damian, calm down, okay?" He sighed, realizing we weren't playing around. In a lower tone, he said, "That was my wife—Thandeka Dlamini—and the mother of my five kids."

"Your what?!"

(⁠☉⁠｡⁠☉⁠)!

Did this guy smoke something? Because he's talking like he's high.

I'm tempted to call a doctor right now.

Emergency.

"Your what, Darin?" Dayo gasped. "You need serious therapy."

"Bro, I'm dead serious." Wait a minute, he actually seems like he's telling the truth.

Jesus, this room feels like it's shrinking and heating up.

I touched his neck with the back of my hand, just to check his temperature. "Darin, you feeling okay? Where's all this coming from?"

"It's coming from eight years ago." Eight what? I'm lost. "Let's head to the bar. I'll explain everything there."

We followed him to the poolside, taking seats around a table in the shade with four glasses of wine set in front of us. But no one was really in the mood to drink.

Under that shade, Darin started spilling everything that had gone down. From the day he left for South Africa to pursue his master's degree, to getting shot by some gunmen—a detail we had completely missed.

"It was then I knew something was off in this family," he went on. "Before one of them fired, he said Dad would have to fly all the way there to collect my corpse. It was a damn nightmare. I wanted to tell Mom and Brother Dayo because I don't trust Dad that much, but I kept it to myself. I didn't know who to trust back then. That's when I met my wife—she saved my life that night."

I never knew he'd been ambushed or that he kept all this to himself. Not a word about what he was going through.

"Look, I'm sorry for all of this. I didn't know you had your own battles," I said. "But what about the time you stayed out of the country for months after your master's?" I needed to know that too. Back then, he always had some ridiculous excuse for not coming back, showing up only twice a year.

He exhaled deeply. "There wasn't anything serious going on." Really? "All that time…" He waved his hand dismissively. "After my master's, I stayed in Paris with my wife. She'd finished college, and we got married. We decided to start fresh there. Had our kids—two sets of twins. Life was perfect until I realized someone in this family was sending a spy to track us down."

A spy? Who the hell is the rat in this family drama?

When is God going to expose this snake?

I'm already losing patience. "Are you serious?"

"Mhm-hmm." He sipped his wine.

I hadn't even touched mine. "I don't get it. Did you catch anyone, or maybe have someone in mind?"

He sighed, "I should have, but my priority was protecting my family first." He paused for a while, then continued. "We moved from Paris to Belgium, stayed two and a half years, then settled in Switzerland, where my wife and kids live now. Five months after my last baby, Rex, was born, my wife and I came up with an undercover plan. She warned me it could get dangerous, and it did. Adesua's gone now." He looked pained. "I knew the villain would be watching, thinking we were really involved in a real relationship back then."

So, even his 'Relationship' with Adesua was just a cover to smoke out the traitor in our family?

All this time, I thought he was actually in love with her. Not knowing it was a bad game all along.

How did my brother pull all this off over eight years?

"I was never into Adesua, not even a bit. Maybe she was into me, and I hope she forgives me." His eyes drifted skyward and back down. "I made sure her grandmother was taken care of and paid for the kidney transplant she needed, sending her to India for surgery."

This is insane.

He pulled out his phone and showed us dozens of photos—his kids, his wedding. Ryan, sitting between Dayo and me, took the phone, and we all leaned in, eyes wide.

"The first album is from our wedding in Greece, and the next is our honeymoon in Malibu." He pointed out, "You'll see my kids there too—my first twins, Henri and Anastasia, 7; my second set, Maverick and Eloisa, 5; and my baby Rex. He's eight months now." They were adorable. I couldn't look away.

I'll admit, my brother did a hell of a job having kids who look like little European models. 

They looked nothing like us. Especially his firstborn, Henri, holding a trophy during an award ceremony, two medals hanging from his neck.

His daughter Eloisa had knee-length red hair like Rapunzel and hazel eyes that seemed to change colors. The others had light brown hair and gray eyes.

"Are you sure you didn't adopt some white kids from Europe?" Dayo had to ask.

Darin chuckled. "My wife's great-grandfather was a white man—Marcus Xender Dlamini." He showed us a photo of an old man. "He passed last year at 100." Glorious exit!

"So," I said, taking a sip from my glass as if everything was fine, "when are you officially introducing your wife and kids to the family—or wait, does she have parents?"

"Of course," Darin nodded. "Her family's incredible. Never met such kind people. They're in Cape Town, where she's from. I'd love to bring them into our family, but it's too risky. So, my brother-in-law, Katlego Dlamini, took them with his family to London for the summer holiday. He has triplets, the same age as my second set of twins." Wow.

I'm glad to hear that.

It seems multiple babies run in her family.

He fell silent for a moment. "I'd rather keep my family's identity hidden until I finish my investigation. But before that... my wife will have to return. I don't want anyone coming into my territory to mess up with my family."

His whole demeanor shifted—cold and sharp.

I've never seen him like this before.

Then he added, "My research wasn't a waste. According to my secret investigator, there are only three people in this whole mess tearing our family apart." He held up two fingers on his right hand, "Two from this family…" Then, he raised one finger on his left. "And one outsider."

But…

Who are these people?

And why are they trying to rip our family apart?

Until he gets to the bottom of who's causing all this chaos, he won't bring his family back, and he won't back down. And me, I'm ready to stand by him 24/7 on this mission.

Whoever it is, I'm ready to take them down. Even if it means fighting to my last breath.

We quietly planned our next steps for the mission. I'm glad Ryan and Dayo are in this with us too.

First, we're going after the bastard who wrecked Dayo's marriage.

We'll start there, then seek justice for Adesua's death, and finally, deal with the gunmen who shot Darin eight years ago.

"Babe, babe, babe! Guess what? I got 3,000 likes and 478 comments on that TikTok video we did 45 minutes ago!" Darin's wife burst in, beaming.

She'd changed out of his black hoodie into a sleek, silver gown that showed off her cleavage and exposed back, revealing her smooth chocolate skin. The dress paired with diamond heels. Looks like she's dressed for a date, leaving her husband with us.

There's something undeniably striking about her. I hadn't noticed it before.

It's her backside—hey, hey, hey—don't get me wrong, I'm not drooling over my brother's wife, but facts are facts. With her hourglass figure, tiny waist, thick thighs, and wide curves, any man would lose his damn mind. I almost thought she might have had some work done, but nope, it's all natural.

Especially her hips—isn't this too much for one woman to carry alone?

Anyway, my brother clearly has great taste and a sharp eye. She's proof of that.

She dashed over to Darin, ignoring the rest of us, showing him something on her iPhone. "Baby," she said, dropping onto his lap with a smile.

Wait, does she not see us sitting here? This feels like a whole lot of disrespect. Did Darin not teach her any African manners?

"Baby, you won't believe it! I got 200 comments asking for another skit like the first one." She squealed, clearly ecstatic. "I'm going viral!"

"Okay, but at least say hello to my brothers first." Good on you, Darin.

She turned to us and gave a half-hearted wave. "Hi."

Seriously? No manners at all. 

But there's something striking about her eyes, golden like the sun—so bright, they almost seem like contact lenses. Although she wasn't wearing glasses now unlike earlier when we first saw her, and damn, those eyes stand out. 

No wonder my nieces and nephews ended up with those hazel and grey eyes. She's got it in her, and they just inherited the glow.

"Baby, there's not much time. Let's get started," she cooed, impatience lacing her voice.

"But I'm talking with my brothers—" Darin began.

"Sweetheart, they can wait." 

Wait? Seriously? Right in the middle of something? Has she charmed my brother so much that he can't even put some senses into her or walk her out? 

"Baby, come on..." She tugged on his wrist like she was ready to drag him out of here. "Just five minutes."

"Yeah, that's what you said last time, and we ended up making out," Darin mumbled inaudibly, just low enough that it was almost lost. Almost. But I caught every damn word with my sharp ears.

He tried to suggest, "Honey, why don't you use your ring-light stand? It's much better."

She pouted like a spoiled princess, "No way. Every time I use that thing, my videos turn out terrible. The last time, my phone almost fell off. Baby, you're the best videographer. Just five minutes, please." 

I wasn't expecting my brother to just get up and follow her like some enchanted puppy, but there he went. Seems her black magic worked wonders. "Sorry, guys. I'll be back soon," he apologized, already getting up to follow her lead.

Ryan, seeing Darin disappear after her, was quick to remark, "If she wasn't his wife, no woman could ever interrupt Darin like that."

I knew it too. "She really got him wrapped around her finger, didn't she?"

"She deserves it," Dayo stated calmly. "She saved his life." And on that, we all agreed.