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The car stopped at the gates of the islanders estate and a moment later there was a loud buzz. Remi watched as the large family crest on the gate parted as it opened electronically. She remembered her first day at the gate that led to her being face to face with Tobi again.
The car drove along the brightly lit drive way until the large estate became obvious in the skyline the closer they got. They drove Over the bridge with the river that led to the sea that surrounded grandfathers private estate and Remi braved herself to walk across the room full of Islanders.
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'Get the car ready you fucking idiot' he yelled as he stormed past 'get my bags out'
'You need to calm down'
'Shut the fuck us' he turned to face her before turning around to walk into his office
'God!' She exclaimed as she rolled her eyes and rearranged her hair
He opened the door 'shes fucking in here' he yelled before trying to rush out
Ophelia shot her gun and the bullet brushed his cheeks as she intended, the bullet scraped his cheek and left a line of blood before going through the door.
They heard the thumping of someone's body to the floor. And Goke swallowed hard, The guard he had told to stand by his door and not let anyone get in, he planned to kill him anyway.
'SIT. DOWN. Goke' she said as she watched him contemplate his next move as he stared her down taking his seat in the process' you too Evelyn'
Evelyn paused in her stride to quietly sneak out of the room during their stare down, she grumbled silently before turning around to face Ophelia with a smile on her face. She planned to talk herself into safety.
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'Tobi, congratulations' yet another person said in passing before introducing their date to him.
Tobi looked at his watch before turning to the door. He had hoped she would be here by now. He was starting to feel lonely. A feeling he wasn't familiar with when he was around the people he knew.
'My brother is the lucky one...'Timi said pulling his attention back into the small group they've made.
Demola, Ola's husband laughed before drinking from his glass. 'We should finalise business before he gets luckier'
'Cheers to that' Kareem, the current presidents son said and their small group raised their glass
It was time to dance. Everyone who has potentially made a connection now had their opportunity to let it be known and others who didn't had a last chance to find a potential partner or wait till the next engagement ball held by the family.
It was a way of networking for their social class through marriage.
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Remi stood outside the double doors and took in a deep breathe as she tried to brace herself for what may come.
She summoned courage and confidence from God as she bowed her head down to say a little prayer.
'Ma'am' she head someone say in her prayer and she raised a finger to stop them.
She finished her prayer and raised her head up slowly, she held her head high before commanding 'open the doors'
They slowly pushed open the double doors that led to the ball room. They were large and high enough for people to notice every time the both of them were opened.
Everyone had to line up at the start to get in when the double doors are opened which meant everyone with an invite had to arrive on time or be refused entry.
The Double doors are then opened for members of the family to enter at once lined up in rolls according to their position in the family. Families could exist early or for a call from grandfather through a guarded door. Afterwards the doors were closed till the very end of the evening when they would be opened till everyone left.
As the door slowly revealed Remi who now stood alone as the maid backed away into the shadows.
She stood tall with a straight face. She wasn't suppose to smile. Her smile shouldn't be given out freely they said, it should be a sign of approval to does socially lesser than you.
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'She's here...' Kareem said drawing the groups attention to the doors that was opening as people moved to the sides to create a path that led to the center of the room.
The people that were around Tobi started to stand to the sides as well until they revealed her.
Her face mocked that of their family, she didn't quite get it but it was enough to strike fear.
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Remi tried not to break a smile as each face smiled at her. She kept looking forward and remembered not to look at someone for more than a second and not to look back to look at anyone or anything twice.
She saw her siblings and smiled softly towards them and kept going till her eyes met his.
Tobi gave his drink to Timi absentmindedly as he made his way towards Remi.
Suddenly he realised, she was the woman of dreams he never had.
They paused as they stood merely steps away from each-other. Tobi reached out for her hand and she placed hers in his.
They turned and he led her to the centre of the room and the orchestra started to play softly.
'How has your day been' Remi asked with a smile as they Waltz from side to side, looking into each others eyes.
'I slept more, snuck away, found Timi in the drive way and was shipped off to grandfathers cellar, I snuck back in to write you a letter and got ready and left.....I can see you've been up to a lot. You look magnificent. Aren't I the luckiest man'
After a few minutes of dancing, they stopped and were cheered by everyone in the room. Tobi led her to the members of his small gathering who now had their partners with them. They had all moved to the floor above the ball room where they could look down to see the entire ball room.
'We snuck up here to drink a lot... we owe grandfather so much...' Ola said almost lost in thought of how young they use to be and how far they've come .
She leaned on the beam and signalled for the photographer to come upstairs and take a picture.
Ola reached out to a space under a bench and brought out a wrapped up file. She soon revealed some polaroid pictures they took in the same boot they stood in. Some from when they were in high school and some from other events as the year went by. They weren't all in everyone but as time went on it wasn't just Timi, Tobi and Ola anymore.
There were more or less sometimes. But the booth itself didn't change much.
They raised their glasses slightly for the picture.
The photographer disappeared and came back an hour later with several copies, handing one to each family and the last copy Ola pushed into the file and placed it back where she took it from under the bench.
Tobi walked up to her as she looked below at everyone chatting away or dancing.
He stood partly beside her, with the other half of his body behind her.
she asked him the question that had been at the back of her mind all day
'what did you tell grandfather'
'about'
'Ophelia, that made him let you save her'
His jaw tightened as he removed his body from her and stood on his own. He surveyed the crowd before standing up right.
He tugged at his tie as his face changed. He looked like the Tobi she knew before them.
His eyes were suddenly filled with ruthlessness like he was angry but not at her.
looking above her head. He whispered
'she told you'
'yes'
'how much'
'as much as you should have told me'
'everything'
'i dont..'
'I threatened to take everything from him
'Everything?'
'Me' he said finally which made Remi turn too quickly.
She didn't hide the expression on her face and whoever was looking at them at that moment knew he had informed her of a great piece of information that would come in handy
She knew what he meant. He was everything. He was grandfathers legacy. Everything continued or ended with him.