"You can walk?!"
Sophie stood shell shocked, looking him up and down, not quite believing her eyes. For a moment, she thought maybe she was hallucinating. She blinked and pinched her cheeks. Nope, not dreaming. He really was standing next to her.
"Yes, I can walk and you don't have to make a big deal out of it," he replied, his voice as calm and devoid of emotion as ever.
Was this some sort of joke?
"No big deal?" she asked incredulously. "You don't think it's a big deal that you're lying to everyone that you have a broken leg when you're perfectly fine?"
He ignored her, attempting to go back to the dining but she pulled him back.
"You don't get to walk away until you give me an answer."
He glared at the hand that was holding on to him. "Get your hands off me."
She pulled her hands off hastily.
He faced her then. "And do not ever touch me again. Please, know your place in this house. I don't owe you any explanations."
Sophie felt as though she'd been slapped, she nodded, managing to keep her voice as calm as his although she was livid. "Fine. Explain to your brother when he gets back then."
He moved so he was standing right in front of her, towering over her. "You wouldn't speak a word about this to my brother or anyone else."
She'd been right about his height. At about six two, he was much taller than she was and she felt very intimidated but she chose to hold her stand.
"Don't be so sure about that."
He glared at her for so long but then realized she wasn't about to back down. He looked away, his jaw clenching. "You won't gain anything by telling my brother. Once he realizes I am fine, your services here will no longer be needed. I'll make sure of that."
Sophie almost rolled her eyes. She was getting used to him threatening her job already but she knew he had a point this time around.
He continued, "Don't tell my brother and you can keep your job."
Sophie's eyes narrowed, "Why? Why are you pretending you can't walk when you can? Are you even sick at all? What are those drugs for?"
"It's none of your business what my reasons are," he replied sharply. "Except for the fact that I can walk, I assure you everything else is true."
Were they though? They'd gone to the hospital just last week...
Her eyes widened, "Does the doctor know about this too? Did you plan it together?"
"I already told you it's not your business."
But Sophie knew the answer to her question already. There was no way the doctor didn't know. Somehow, they'd planned this together but the question was why?
"What do you say? Keep my secret and keep your job?" he asked impatiently.
Sophie chewed on her lip, thinking. Keeping something so huge from Raymond didn't sit well with her but she had her job to consider. She didn't know what reason Alex had for what he was doing but she knew she could lose her job if the truth got out and she couldn't risk that, especially with what Raymond had said that morning.
She made her decision. Sighing, she answered, "Fine. I won't tell anyone. But in return, you won't make this job hard for me. You'll observe the total rest you've been asked to."
He raised his brows at her. She thought she saw something like admiration flash in his eyes but it was gone before she could place it and he'd regained his stoic, emotionless expression.
"Fair enough. But in return, you do not question me anymore about this."
Sophie had no intention of letting it go just like that. She was going to find out why he was doing what he was. She nodded anyway.
"Deal."
He nodded back and walked away.
It wasn't until later that Sophie realized she'd forgotten about the blood.
* * *
"You're joking, right?"
Sophie shook her head at her friend. Ama was staring at her, eyes wide and her jaw opened in disbelief.
"Wow," Ama said trying to absorb everything her friend just told her.
"Yes, wow," Sophie agreed. "I honestly don't know what to do. I can't afford to tell Raymond with the risk of losing my job but I feel bad about hiding this from him. He really cares about his brother."
"And you have absolutely no idea why he's doing this?"
Sophie shook her head, groaning. "I don't know, Ama. What do you think I should do?"
Ama was silent for a while then she shrugged. "There's nothing you can do except try to find out why he's doing this. In the mean time though, don't say anything to Raymond."
Sophie who had been lying on the bed sat up, "Do you think that's the right thing to do?"
Ama shook her head. "I honestly don't know if it's the right or wrong decision but right now, you have to think of yourself and why you're there in the first place. You need money for your sister's surgery and that's your only source of getting anything right now. So stay out of their complicated family drama and just do what you have to. Don't forget this all ends in three months and if necessary, you can tell Raymond then."
Sophie nodded, somewhat relieved. "You're right. I need to keep this job at all costs. That's what really matters."
Ama placed her hand on Sophie's back, patting her back reassuringly. "Yeah, that's the spirit right there. Don't worry babe, I assure you everything will turn out just fine."
Sophie smiled, pulling her friend into a hug. "What would I do without you?"
Ama chuckled, "We've been over this a million times already. Absolutely nothing."
Sophie rolled her eyes playfully, pushing her friend away, "What are you even feeling like?"
Ama gave her friend a blank look. "Your life support that I am."
"You wish."
"Well, that's one wish that has already come true, babe."
* * *
They say everything that happens in life happen for a reason and Sophie, at that moment agreed wholeheartedly. Now that she knew Alex's secret, she no longer felt as nervous around him. Not that she was blackmailing him, no. She only reminded him sometimes when he was proving stubborn which was like most of the time.
"You know, you've gotten considerably bolder."
That accusation came from Alex and he was glaring at her.
Sophie frowned at him. What'd she done?
They were in the living room after she'd refused him going into his study or his room alone and for some reason, he didn't want her coming with him. They had been watching TV, an animal documentary channel by the way which Sophie loathed. She'd had a feeling he only put it there to punish her 'cause he wasn't even watching it, he had been so carried away by whatever he'd been doing on his phone so she'd changed the channel. That was what had brought about the accusation.
She turned to him with an innocent look. "I don't understand?"
"I was watching that program," he said, pointing at the TV.
She feigned surprise, "Really? You were so engrossed with your phone so I thought you weren't watching it. Or wait, do you think I changed the channel just because I know you can actually walk when you're pretending you can't?"
He narrowed his eyes at the underlying meaning her words had. She smiled sweetly at him and he shook his head, turning his attention back to his phone.
She smiled triumphantly, turning her attention back to the TV. Oh, am I loving this?
* * *
"Hey, Angel."
"Hi," Angel replied shortly as she climbed up the stairs to her room.
Sophie grinned at her retreating form, that was an improvement. On any other day, she'd just blatantly ignore her greeting.
"Hi, Sophie."
Sophie turned her attention to Raymond and smiled as he sat beside her on the chair.
"Hi. How was work today?"
"Exhausting, as usual," he replied, returning her smile. "What about you? How's my brother doing?"
Sophie dreaded that question, her conscience pricked her and it was on the tip of her tongue to tell him the truth. She opted for shrugging instead, everything would be fine as long as she didn't open her mouth.
He sighed, taking her hands in his, "Look, Sophie. I want to apologize again for the way I snapped at you the other day. I know you are trying your best and my brother can be difficult."
Sophie almost chuckled, he had no idea. "Really, Raymond? You've apologized like a million times already. It's okay, seriously. We both know you were right and I was slacking. So we're cool, really."
"Yeah, well... I just want to be sure I'm forgiven."
She chuckled, "There's nothing to forgive but if that's what you want to hear then fine, you are forgiven."
He grinned. "Good, 'cause you're someone I really like, Sophie."
She audibly gulped. Okay, was that a confession or what? It was really confusing when he said it like that. "You're, um- you're someone I like too."
His smile grew wider if possible. "Good."
She smiled back and he squeezed her hand but didn't let it go. Sophie looked down at their joined hands then back at him to see he was staring at her, still smiling.
The sound of someone clearing their throat jerked them apart as they both turned to Alex who was almost behind their seat, his brows raised at them. Embarrassed, Sophie ducked her head, a feeling of deja vu running through her.
"Alex, man. What's up?" Raymond said, chuckling nervously.
Alex stared dully at his brother and his lame attempt at relieving the awkwardness.
Thankfully, Sophie's phone decided to ring at that moment. Saved by the phone, Sophie thought as she jumped to pick the call, not even checking to see who it was.
"Hello?"
"Omotilewa..."
Sophie tensed at the strangled tone of her mum's voice, she sounded like she'd been crying.
"Mummy? Mummy what is it?"
No response.
"Mummy, what is it? You're scaring me!"
"Tilewa..." her mum sobbed. "It's your sister..."
**********
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