"So Mr Raph, I'll truly be honoured if you can take up this case for me. I've heard of your law expertise and truly no other barrister would fit in"the man's hoarse voice added.
Raphael sighed lightly and nodded his head with a plastic smile on his face. "I'll think about it"
The man was elated and he quickly handed Raphael his business card.
"Thank you barrister. It's a pleasure to meet you once again"
"And to you Mrs Raphael Justice. It's a pleasure meeting both of you"He added turning to face Nicole.
"The pleasure is all mine"Nicole replied gracefully. He baded them farewell before walking away.
"God..."Raphael groaned as his eyes trailed along with the man's walking steps.
"You are tired right?" Nicole asked knowing fully well what his reply would be.
"Of course I am. Let's leave here please"Raphael quickly said, taking her by the hand and wanting to get away from the hall before another person would approach them again.
"Ok hold on let me get my...."Nicole stopped herself, her face becoming pale.
"What is it my love?"
"My purse..."Nicole said as her eyes darted to the ground.
"It's gone"Nicole completed, her eyes facing Raphael.
"What? How?" Raphael asked concerned.
Nicole's agitated eyes stared at him. "I don't know Raph"she looked back at the seat they were seated on, her eyes roving around the table.
Her purse wasn't there. "It's not there"she looked back at Raphael with mortified eyes.
"You probably dropped it. Come on let's check around"Raphael suggested.
Nicole agreed with him and they both retraced their steps, searching for her purse but it was no where to be found.
Nicole remembered back in Nigeria when she purposely lied that her purse got missing to frame her sister, Amarachi, and now it was truly missing.
Her heart sank and she became doused in anxiety.
"It's no where to be found Raph"Nicole cried out.
She ran her hands through her braids and exhaled. "I didn't drop it anywhere. I truly can't fathom how it got missing"
"Calm down babe. Hold on ok. I'll get you your purse"Raphael voice echoed in her ears.
He quickly gestured for her to stay put on the spot. Nicole watched him go towards the centre of the room, where the instrumentalists were playing.
Raphael strode towards the instrumentalist, his hands tucked in his pockets. He was anxious to find Nicole's purse as quick as possible so he could leave the function before any body else approached him concerning some meeting they would want him to participate him in.
"Stop the music"He commanded. The music immedately came to sharp halt and everyone's attention was turned towards the centre of the hall, wondering why the music had been stopped.
Murmurings flew in the air, echoing through the walls with all eyes on Raphael.
"Sorry for disrupting your music but I have an issue" Raphael said.
His eyes browsed everybody like a hawk, checking if anyone would object.
Luckily for them, nobody dared to interrupt him.
He cleared his throat as he began his speech.
"My wife's purse is missing. It's a red purse with intricate gold designs by the side of the purse..."
Nicole watched Raphael give details about her purse, anxiety eating her up.
Series of murmuring could be heard around the room.
"Enough!"Raphael yelled making the hall as silent as a grave.
His eyes trailed and observed every body in the hall.
He was thinking. Everybody here was rich, they were all filthy rich.
Nobody would stoop so low as to steal a purse from Nicole.
None of them could have done that.
Though he knew they were all greedy for more wealth but stealing a purse was absurd.
It couldn't be from them.
"I need all the guards lined up right now!"Raphael barked his orders after much thought.
The awful silence was broken with Raphael's voice and the shuffling of feets towards the centre of the room.
More than a dozen guards were all lined up before Raphael. His frosty glare was on each of them, browsing their features.
"Are these all the guards?"Raphael asked no one in particular.
Nobody answered. Raphael's felt his blood boiling. He hated the silence and needed a direct reply.
"Will somebody answer me!"He yelled more like a raging bull startling everybody.
"W-well let me see"An elderly man butted in with mortified steps towards Raphael.
"What took you so long?"Raphael grimaced at the quivering man.
"I'm sorry Mr Justice. I'm truly sorry for any inconvenience faced" he quickly apologised.
His eyes trailed to the guards lined up, walking around them.
There was a brief silence before his eyes widened.
A guard was missing. This was truly bad as Raphael was a very important figure in the event.
"So!?"Raphael barked.
"A-a g-guard is not here"he announced in faltering tone turning to face Raphael.
Raphael's lips pulled to a smirk. He knew it. "What are you waiting for? Search every nook and cranny and bring that guard here!"
Every one watched in amazement as all the guards dispersed. Just one man was controlling everything just by the words that emitted from his mouth and everybody obeyed him.
A wave of uncertainty and panic soared in the air as every one awaited the arrival of the guards.
In no time, the doors of the hall flew open, the guards entering.
In their midst stood a lone guard, clutching on to Nicole's purse.
He was immedately pushed to the centre, giving everybody a good view of his face.
"My purse"Nicole gasped the moment she set her eyes on it.
Her eyes narrowed to the guard on the floor. He looked up at Raphael's blood shot stares.
Nicole gasped once more, covering her mouth with her palms. He was just a young boy.
"So you stole from my wife right?"Raphael rhetorically asked.
The young guard shivered.
What could he say?
"Where did you find him?"Raphael asked again, turning his head to the guards.
"He was found not too far from the vicinity. It seems he was trying to escape"one of the guards replied.
Raphael let out a hearty chuckle.
"P-please I'm sorry. I just wanted m-money. I didn't mean any harm"the young man pleaded for his life.
Nicole watched in horror and in fear, wondering what Raphael would do to the guard.
He certainly won't kill him, would he? She thought.
" You had the guts to steal from my wife!"Raphael thundered causing every one to flinch.
Nicole felt so scared. Raphael was becoming very angry.
"Not even from any body else but from my woman! Weren't you scared?!"
The guard crumbled under Raphael's feet. "I'm sorry capo. I just needed money"he cried.
Raphael immedately went over to one of the guards and yanked his gun away from him.
Coming over to the young man he pointed it at his head. "I'm being too lenient with you all. That is why you all are having the guts to double cross me" Raphael angrily spat which earned him gasps from everyone present.
The guard sweated luminous beads like bullets as perspiration covered his forehead. He shook like a leaf, knowing his death was imminent.
Nicole felt tears pool in her eyes. This guard was too young. He shouldn't be killed over this sort of issue.
Nicole couldn't watch this any more, she couldn't stand it.
Raphael tossed the gun away and gave a low laugh.
"Shoot him" he stated, pointing his finger to one of the guards.
"No!"Nicole screamed out, stopping the young man from being shot and running over to Raphael.
"What is the problem bella?"
"Please don't kill him. Please"Nicole begged Raphael, claspings her hands together with tears streaming down her cheeks.
The young guard looked at Nicole with thankful eyes. She was pleading for his life and he stole from her.
"He stole from you"Raphael reminded her.
"I know... but please he doesn't deserve to die"Nicole pleaded more in tears.
"If I keep on forgiving them, they will keep on misbehaving!"Raphael's acrimonious tone shot back at her making her almost jump out of her skin.
"Please Raphael. Don't do this"
Everyone was quiet, watching the scene unfold in silence.
"Shoot him"Raphael commanded in a gruff tone ignoring Nicole's plea.
"No don't touch him!"Nicole raised her voice this time, daring to challenge Raphael's authority.
Raphael stared at Nicole in astonishment, his lips parted.
She was making him look like he had no control over her in public which was something he didn't like.
Little murmurings slowly began making its way out of the audience.
Raphael felt his fist clench and unclench in anger.
Why was Nicole doing this?
"I said shoot him!"Raphael yelled once more.
"And I said don't!"Nicole cut in immedately.
The guard was confused on whose orders he was meant to follow.
His capo's or his capo's wife?
Raphael watched the guard who was unwilling to shoot and rubbed his temples. He was trying to help Nicole out and she made him seem like a weakling in front of everyone.
They would all think their capo ran his mafia based on his wife's demand.
"Fine. Let him go" he spat in anger, tired of the whole event.
The young guard was overwhelmed with joy. He thanked both Nicole and Raphael profusely.
"You are welcome. But please do not steal again ok.."Nicole's voice trailed off as she took a glance at Raphael.
He was brooding with raw anger. He stared at her, his baleful glare scaring the wits out of her.
Raphael immedately walked out of the hall which got Nicole suprised.
"Raphael"she called out to him but she got no reply. Her heart sank to her stomach and her breathing hitched.
Was he really angry with her?
She ran after him, ignoring the gossips and chattering that had taken over the atmosphere.
She cursed under her breath as she walked after Raphael, calling him.
When Armani visited, Raphael wasn't angry with her then but today he was. She saw how he stared at her before heading out of the hall.
It gave her goosebumps and shook her to the core.
"Raphael hold on. Are you really angry? Please wait for me.."Nicole frantically pleaded, catching up with Raphael.
She attempted to hold his hand but he yanked his hand away from her hold which scared her instantly.
Tears formed in her eyes once more as she watched Raphael stride onwards without even glancing back at her.
She cleaned the few traitorous tears that slipped past her eyelids and followed him towards their limousine.
They both got inside, Raphael going to sit away from her.
She stared at him in shock.
Why was he being so angry?
"Take us home now!"He ordered the driver who ignited the engine at once.
Nicole had her lips at agape as she focused her gaze on Raphael, tears threatening to spill down.
Today had turned out to be more worse than Armani's visit.