Chapter 4

So Vida had no idea I was there. She was smiling while operating her phone. Emily asked if I wasn't going to order anything. I thought to myself, "Jesus, what do I do now?" Then I remembered the loan I took from Quickloan. I ordered some pizza while we were conversing, but I was still sweating, thinking about what would happen if Vida saw me. Our eyes meeting would be like an eclipse of the sun. I didn't know how to escape this situation. My phone was vibrating, and it was Kings calling to say he had been discharged from the hospital and needed my help bringing his things home. I told Emily I had to leave, but leaving without drawing Vida's attention became a problem. Just then, Vida got up and was also about to leave. I pretended to drop my pen under the table and quickly retrieved it without attracting attention. I went to pay for the pizza and told Emily I'd catch her later. I left her and rushed to the hospital to meet Kings. He had lost weight and looked like a different person. We packed his things and left for the hostel. When we arrived, the guys were laughing and teasing Kings about how he wanted to enter a skirt, but now the skirt had entered him. We all laughed and then went to our rooms. When I turned on the light in my room, I was shocked to see Emily naked on my bed.

I was shocked when she stood up and walked towards me, asking how she got into my room. She didn't answer and just kissed me. I was already aroused, so I played along. She then knelt down and performed oral sex on me. I was amazed by her skills. We eventually had sex, and she left around midnight. I was furious when I discovered that she had recorded our encounter and leaked it online. I felt betrayed and enraged. The next day, I ran into Vida, who surprisingly hugged me and comforted me. She took me to her place and showed me the video on her laptop. I noticed that the video had been edited, and the actions didn't match mine. I realized I had been framed. But who could have done this to me? Even if I catch the person, my image has already been tarnished. How do I get out of this mess? What do I do?

I became confused about the situation. I was weak and hungry, but I didn't want to ruin my branding by eating. I leaned back in the chair and fell asleep. Vida woke me up, and my stomach started rumbling. She asked if I had eaten, and I said no. She gave me a look and walked away. I heard a noise in the kitchen and went to check. Vida was cooking Jollof Rice, my favorite. I didn't want to seem like I followed the aroma, so I walked away. Jeff called, but the line was noisy, so I hung up. Kings called, and we got disconnected. Vida came out wearing a short jeans and long sleeves. I was hungry, but I didn't ask if the food was ready. We started talking, and she asked me to tell her everything that happened. I started telling her the story, and she laughed when I got to the part about throwing the pen. The police barged in and asked if I was Anyam Collins. I said yes, and they told me I had the right to remain silent. I started screaming, "Help, Vida, I'm innocent!" The police grabbed me and took me away. They beat me, and my buttocks were sore.

Two days with the police was enough to make me turn to God. They beat me, and I was just praying that my parents wouldn't hear about my situation. My only hope was in God and Vida, but I wasn't sure if she could help me until I heard a police officer say, "Ah, mommy, you mean that rapist is your son?" I was shocked to hear "mommy" and wondered who told my mom. The police released me, and I was sad and shy when I walked out of the cell, only to meet Vida's mom. I exclaimed, "Mommy!" and fell unconscious.

When I woke up, I was in a comfortable bed, and Vida's mom was sitting beside me. I was confused and didn't know what to say. She told me to relax and said Vida had told her everything. She believed God would not look down on me. I wondered what Vida had told her. My stomach growled, and her mom asked if I was hungry. I couldn't resist food again, so I asked for some banku. She brought me hot banku with raw pepper and tilapia, and I ate two and a half balls as a starter. When she returned from a call, I had finished washing the plates. She showed me the guest room and washroom so I could freshen up. After showering, I came out to grab my towel, and Vida was sitting on my bed.

Happy Mother's Day to all

As Vida saw me, she looked shocked. I slipped on the smooth floor and landed on my backside. I didn't want to draw more attention, so I quietly got up and wrapped a towel around my waist. Vida started explaining what happened and why. She said I was caught in someone's crossfire of payback. I asked why me, and she said it was because I didn't keep my "weapon" to myself and was "firing" at everything in a skirt. She laughed and said it was a payback from Emily's ex-boyfriend.

Vida's mom came in and brought me some clothes. She sat me down and gave me a lecture about God. Then she asked Vida to escort me. When we got to the roadside, Vida stopped a cab, but I didn't have money. She gave me a hug and slipped some money into my back pocket. I was happy and entered the cab. When we arrived at the campus, I quickly entered my hostel to avoid being teased by my friends. But when I opened the door, I saw Ange and Emily waiting for me.

To be continued in the next chapter