Sifon ✓

CHAPTER SEVEN

"Ooh she's so pretty".

"Come look Naomi".

"No, you'll wake her Noah".

"Papa said not to the disturb her remember?".

"Come on let's go".

I had been listening to the hushed whispers of children, I continued to listen to their bickering before I lazily opened my eyes to see two little children standing beside my bed.

A girl in pigtails decorated with colourful beads and the other, a boy. They looked like they were about the age of five or six, I couldn't say.

I cleared my throat and they froze, slowly turning to face me wide eyed, they squeaked when they realized I was awake and scurried out of my bedroom. I moved to stop them but they were already gone.

Whose children were they anyway?

I made a mental note to ask dad later. Getting out of bed, I wasted no time in making the bed and went about with my morning routine.

Dressed in a casual outfit of blue jeans and a white t-shirt, I made my way down the stairs. I checked the time on my phone and it was already a few minutes past eight that morning.

When I walked into the living room I found the little boy running around and I smiled. When he noticed my presence he made to run away but I stopped him.

"Come here", I waved him over.

I could tell he was shy with the way he held his hands behind his back and walked slowly to me. When he finally stood in front of me, I knelt so I'd be eye level with him.

"What's your name, little one?". I asked, although I'd heard the other kid call his name.

"Noah", he mumbled with his eyes still glued to floor.

"That's a very nice name", I pinched his soft chubby cheeks and that's when he grinned widely and I noticed both his front teeth were missing.

"I see you've used your teeth to buy Akara", he giggled and covered his face with his chubby baby hands.

"What's your name?", he asked tilting his head to the side. I chuckled and replied.

"I'm Sifon, it's a pleasure to meet you sir!", I exaggerated a mock salute and he burst out in a fit of giggles.

"So you're aunty SiSi papa told us about?", he asked.

"Huh, papa?", I was lost.

"Who's your papa?", he opened his mouth to answer when I heard dad's voice.

"I see you've met your little brother already", I stood immediately and turned to face him. He was standing with a little girl practically glued to his side, her tiny fists wrapped tightly around his pinky finger watching me.

Oh, things just keeps getting better and better. Note the sarcasm...

"Brother?, but how come I didn't see them last night at dinner", the children looked nothing like him.

You think I'd be surprised he had kids in my absence?. Ha!

"Oh, the twins were over at their Aunt's place", that explains it.

"This is Naomi", he tried pulling her forward but she squeaked and hugged his legs tightly.

"Oh, we've met", I smiled wryly in her direction.

"What did I tell both of you about waking her", he scolded, looking between the two small figures. It had been so long since I'd seen that side of him, it dug up old memories I had chosen to bury. I looked away.

At least the kids would have a better father...

"It's alright dad, I don't mind",

"Okay then, come on let's have breakfast", he smiled and turned to leave. I felt a soft squishy hand grip my pinky and I looked down to see Noah looking up at him.

"Does this mean you're my big sister now?", he asked innocently.

"Of course Noah", he jumped excitedly, I couldn't help but laugh.

"How old are you?", we walked hand in hand towards the dining room.

"I'm six!",

"You're a smart boy", I smiled down at him.

When we got to the dining room, there were two maids setting the table up. I pulled a seat out for Noah and then myself, once we were seated, that was when I noticed that my stepmom was missing. Dad may have noticed that I'd been staring at the empty seat when he said something urgent came up and she had to go.

The next two days was more or less uneventful, I'd spent most of my time with the twins, they very bubbly children and Naomi was surprisingly warming up to me. My stepmom was seldom home and no she didn't own any business, she was a full time housewife, it got me wondering what she spends most her time doing.

It didn't matter to me, the twins had a nanny and my father, he wasn't complaining.

I was having a mental countdown of my stay in the house, the only positive thing about it were the twins.

Dad had informed me that he already contacted the person that would help with my redeployment, since there was an ample amount of time there was nothing to worry about.

His words, not mine...

It was around midnight that day, dad had arrived from work roughly about thirty minutes prior to that time. I was thirsty and I'd forgotten to refill the pitcher of water I always kept on my nightstand, considering I often thirst for water during the night.

I'd taken the glass pitcher with me to the kitchen with the intention of quenching my thirst and refilling it. Just as I was leaving the kitchen with the already refilled pitcher in hand, I saw a faint yellow glow filtering from a slightly ajar door in the corridor.

Considering it was dark and everyone was asleep, I'd assumed someone left the door open by mistake because I knew for a fact that everyone's bedroom was upstairs.

I sauntered towards the door, just across the living room, my feet barely making a sound on the marble floors. Just as my fingers grazed the knob, I heard a voice, my stepmom's.

"Tell me na, how did it go?, did he agree?"

I halted mid-action, taking a step back, I was just about to leave and return to my bedroom when I heard a sigh, then dad's voice.

"One question at a time Stella"

I realized then that it was his home office.

Then her voice;

"Fine. Tell me everything"

That was when I shuffled closer, I knew eavesdropping was wrong but I couldn't help it.

"Well, when I got to Lagos, we had a meeting as planned. At first he declined our offer, but when I revealed that I could help him with his marital wahala, he was shocked and reluctant to agree but I persuaded him and even went as far as showing him a picture of Sifon",

Hold up, marital problem, a picture of me, this shouldn't be what I'm thinking it is, I thought to myself.

Just then, my stepmom cackled.

"You cunning man"

"Of course, it's business, information is power", he replied.

"So what happens next?", I unconsciously leaned closer to the door.

"Our lawyers have started working on the merger contract and once he's married to Sifon, the contracts will be signed".

A startled gasp escaped my lips and the glass pitcher unknowingly slipped from my shaking hands. The sound of glass shattering resounded in the otherwise silent corridor.

I stood rooted to the spot unable to move, then I heard the shuffling of feet and then he appeared by the door, his eyes widening a fraction when he found my gaze.