HEARTBEATS

chapter 27

Chapter 27
Abuja

Alhaji Ahmed felt like a proud father, he was dumbfounded as he saw his son's composure and success. His son has really grown up , he wasn’t the same boy who throws tantrums . He is now a successful business man .
I am proud of you son, I am proud of the man you have become. I still can’t believe that my son is now grown up. He said patting his son’s shoulder.
Thank you pa, thanks for believing in me. Adam smiled taking a long sip from the glass he was holding.
You know, I want you to know that I will always be there for you, no matter what happens and I love you. I know I have never said this but you are my biggest achievement. Alhaji Ahmed stated hugging his son.
I love you too pa. He replied.
I want you to take good care of the company and your family . We have alot of greedy business men in the business world , so you have to be smart and use. “ come with me , I want to introduce you to some old business partners”.
And like his pa told him the are a lot of greedy business men in the business world, Adam noticed the disappointment on many faces while he was announced as the new CEO by his father company. He stood with almost six older business men as they throw ridiculous and annoying advises to him. They didn’t know who he was and what he was capable of and they were already underestimating him. He wanted so much to give them a remarkable reply but instead he kept nodding and saying thank you with a fake smile plastered on his lips.
“It’s such a shame alhaji  Ahmed that you are retiring , are you sure your son here can make it ?” a business man from a Kano asked
“ l know who my son is and what he is capable of doing , I am proud of him and I know he can make it”. Alhaji Ahmed replied with a proud smile on his lips.
As celebration went on and people talked in two and fours , Adam looked around the crowd looking for his wife, it’s been almost an hour since she told him that she was going to visit the restroom. His eyes searched every corner in the hall but he couldn’t spot the petite Fulani lady dressed in black, who had his heart caged.
“ Adam, what future plans do you have for DIkko constructions ? We can start a new project …” a man started.
“ Adam? Adam….”
His father tapped him a little on his shoulder making him turn instantly, Adam what’s wrong his pa asked.
Pa, he called in a low tone. Bahijah told me that she was going to restroom and it’s been almost an hour and she’s not yet back. He whispered.
What are you talking about , she might be somewhere around . Alhaji Ahmed replied.
“No pa, he murmured she’s not here I will go check the restroom.”
“Adam ,calm down nothing is going to happen to her the security here is very tight.”
I hope so. He replied in low pitch .
********

The sun rays from the slightly opened brown curtains hit bahijah’s eyes making a groan escape from her lips.
“ Ya Allah ”
The words came out of her mouth in a fast fluent motion , she quickly brought her hand up to her head . It felt like the were drummers showcasing their talent in her skull . She slowly opened her eyes , the sun rays from the curtain burning her eyeballs making her squeal in pain as she quickly shut her eyes close. She gently and slowly opened her eyes letting them get familiar with the lights. She looked around her surrounding as memories fly back to her when she saw the unfamiliar room.
“ She has been kidnapped by some unknown men”
Bahijah lifted her head up again gazing at the unknown room, she was laying on a small mattress . The green painting in the wall was very old and creepy with cobwebs and dust on the walls. It was a very small room with a small old wooden coffee table in the middle. It looked like an abandon space surrounded with cobwebs , dirt, dust.
“ Where was she?”
Bahijah stood up from the old mattress , she was still dressed in the black dress she wore for the party . She was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard a sound erupting from the door step, bahijah averted her gaze to the door as she watched the door been opened . She could see the shadow of a man and the light reflecting from the window helped her to see more. It was a familiar face and she squint into the darkness in utter confusion .
“ farouk” she gasped in shock.
He slowly step into the room dressed in a black trousers and a blue shirt with a wicked smirk plastered on his lips.
Hello sunshine, he whispered.
“ what the fuck is going on here and what am I doing here”
“ just calm down ” he said with no emotion shown on his face.
“ Can you please tell me what am I doing here and why did you kidnap me” she pleaded with tears strolling down her cheeks.
I don’t think I am the right person to explain that to you Sunshine . He grinned.
What do you mean. She asked.
Well I think it’s time for you to meet the boss he said walking towards her grabbing her arm.
Bahijah' s face turns into one of horror as she pulled her arm from his grip. “ don’t you dare touch ever again ” she warned .
Surprised by her sudden action farouk noticed the horror on her face and shaked his head. “ ok am sorry he exclaimed raising his hands up  , I won’t touch you again just follow me he said as he opened the door and led the way.”
Why , what are you going to do to me . She whispered tears brimming over as she fear for her life.
“ calm down , we won’t do anything to hurt you , you are just a pawn in the game.” He smiled “ and I like you too much to even think about hurting you” he smirked as they walked down the hallway , it looked like an abandon home with the blood-curdling walls that makes her want to throw up.
You will regret this, she laughed as they walked on the dark oak stairs which creaks with each steps.
Is that a threat  , farouk asked with a frown on his face
Nop, it’s a promise. She smirked
You know what sunshine, why don’t we make a deal , he started I will save you from all this wahala and make sure that nothing happens to you but in return when all this is over , you will be my wife . I mean we will make a great couple and then we can have a beautiful family together, I was serious when I said I like you. He snorts at the end as if repulsed by the thought. We are here , he smiled but paused with his hand on the door handle when he registered what she uttered next.
“ In your dreams , I will rather die than be with you.”
“ As you wish sunshine” he smirked and opened the door.
Another surprise sunshine , meet the Mastermind behind your kidnapping and also the boss , my mother HAJIYA ASMAU.
A horrifying feeling engulf bahijah’s mind when she saw the lady sitting in the dark gazing at her making her to feel petrified.
Hello bahijah ? Her voice was harsh and frightening making a fearsome look appear on bahijah’s face.
Why? Why did you kidnap me ? What do you want from me? She enquired all at once.
Well you see sweetheart , hajiya Asmau paused getting from her chair walking towards bahijah as she sat on the desk facing her . I actually don’t have any anything against you and I don’t want something from you , I mean I don’t know you that much , you are just a pawn in the game .
And you mean what exactly ? She said nonchalantly folding her arms.
Hajiya Asmau grinned and gestures to the chair next to the desk. “ please have a seat and then I will tell you all about my plans and why I kidnapped you .
Bahijah took her offer and sat on the chair, that gave her the opportunity to see her in a better light . She was dressed in a red Ankara blouse and wrapper with a white veil wrapped around her shoulder and she looked just as frightening as she looked in the dark.
“ I grew up in a very poor family in Borno , my father was a laborer who had two wives . My mother was the second wife , she had five children and we were all girls. My mother was always harassed by my stepmother because of that. We barely had anything to eat and that made me to despise poverty, I made up my mind that I will never marry a poor man . When I reached puberty , I had a lot of suitors but non of them were up to my standard, so I rejected them all because I wanted a rich husband. I met farouk's father at a wedding , he was one of the groom’s men he told me that he was a business man from bauchi. he liked me and wanted to marry me ,  I was very happy after all I got what I wanted I was finally going to marry a rich man.”  She  chuckled .
“ We got married after two months and he took me with him to bauchi ” and guess what sweetheart? She asked .
What? Bahijah asked in an annoying tone .
He lied to me , he was not a business man. he was just an ordinary security persona in a motor company and all the money he has been spending was actually stolen money . She uttered and bahijah swore she a saw some pain in her eyes.
One year later I gave birth to farouk , do you know how it feels to find out on your son’s naming ceremony that the ram your husband brought to be slaughtered was a stolen ram. I was disgraced in the presence of my family and guest . She chuckled folding her arms around her chest. After two years of hardship my husband finally decided to kick the bucket , I felt like celebrating on that day but I couldn’t after all I am a widow and I had to act like one. I started working in a restaurant because I had to cater for my son, my husband' s relatives were as useless as him. I worked hard day and night to take care of my son and one day a friend at the restaurant gave me a good advice “ why not get a rich man , marry him and give birth to some children when he’s dead you and your children will inherit his wealth.”
I met Alhaji Ahmed in a friend’s house , when I first saw him I knew I had to do anything to marry him. After we got married , I found out that I can’t have children anymore. I had tried every thing I could do but it didn’t work and there was no way  I could let Adam get all of his father’s wealth. I had to do something . She smirked.
So why did you fucking kidnap me. Bahijah groaned rolling her eyes , she was tired of listening to this stupid story , it’s not like she was the heir .
After another pause of silence , hajiya Asmau chuckled and lean closer , Adam loves his darling wife very much , so I am going to blackmail him and make him transfer his property to my name, I am going to make him choose between you and his luxurious life  and the next sentence she uttered made bahijah to shake in fear.
then I will kill him and my precious husband. Simple!

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