I wake up to the smell of chicken stew invading my nostrils. I hear my tummy growl. I’m ravenous. I follow my nose to the kitchen. “Morning,” I say sleepily.

“Morning sleepy head,” Blessing greets me. His hair is wet and he’s only wearing his jeans. I peep at the clock and note that it’s 9:20. “You were sleeping so soundly that I didn’t have the heart to wake you,” he explains when I frown at the clock. “Here’s a spoon.” I move to sit with him and we eat out of the same plate.

“Are you OK?” he asks doubtfully.

I nod slowly. “Under the circumstances, I’m good,” I tell him.

“About tonight…” he begins.

“I’m going,” I say adamantly. “Everything set?

“Yes. Now we wait.”

After we eat, I clear the table, rinse the dishes with water and go and take a shower. Blessing and I are both quiet, most probably because we’re thinking about tonight.

“I think I will send the files to the media just before the meeting tonight, just to be certain that Luxurious Group pays for their crimes,” Blessing tells me. I nod in agreement, because I know that the media are not biased. All they care about is the story.

“What exactly is in the files?” I ask.

“Everything you can imagine really,” says Blessing. “Mr CEO has been a busy boy. We have evidence of him bribing officials, and a lot of blackmail material. In fact, he’s blackmailing your Mayor. The Mayor is seeing his secretary. We have emails between the CEO and JB, a known hired killer: he’s the one who killed the accountant. We have enough evidence to prove that they deliberately used cheap building material and when the building did collapse, they covered it up. There’s pictures of him with several state officials, those he probably paid to do his dirty work. There are even images of the goons who were shooting at us.”

Blessing sounds proud. He joins me on the couch. “I never thought a protest would cost me this much,” I say with a grimace.

“You’re very brave,” he tells me, tapping my shoulder lightly with his index finger. “I knew that the first time I saw you in that boardroom.”

“I thought you were a snob when I saw your manicured nails,” I tease him. We both snicker.

“I had to play the part,” Blessing explains.

Speaking of playing parts, a sudden thought crosses my mind.

“That day you called for a meeting, what was that about?” I ask.

“You were in danger,” says Blessing. “I was going to reveal my identity to you so that we could work together. Of course, I had to inform LG, but I told them I had a way to make you back off. Instead, they thought that abduction would be a better plan. I pretended to go along with it, but I called you to cancel and, for once, I’m glad you listened.”

“If it weren’t for Mark, I probably would have come anyway,” I admit. Mark’s nonchalant reaction pops into my mind. “Did Mark know you were going to cancel the meeting?”

Blessing’s eyes widen, and he takes a sharp breath. “How would he know? I was communicating with you,” he says. I notice that he’s avoiding eye contact with me.

“So who was calling and threatening me and my friends? Sending those dead animals?” I ask.

He smiles. “That was Ms Tight Dress. She had it in for you since that first meeting. But you weren’t intimidated at all.” He shakes his head in disbelief.

“I can be very stubborn when I want to be,” I say with a smirk. “Then you started tailing me?”

“As soon as the black Sedan was dispatched to tail you, I began following you to make sure you were safe.” He looks at me questioningly. “On the day that you were attacked, why didn’t you go with the group in the morning, like you usually did?”

I flush at the memory. “It was our anniversary. Mark and I spent the morning at my house.” I look away, just in case my face gives away what we were doing.

“Oh,” Blessing says, sounding resigned. I can feel him pulling away promptly.

“You asked,” I mutter.

“Of course,” he replies. “What you and your boyfriend do behind closed doors is your business.” His voice is suddenly very snappy.

“Why are you angry then?” I ask with a low voice.

“I’m not,” he says through gritted teeth, a clear sign that he’s trying to reign in his temper. “I’m not angry.” His voice is low now, but I can detect the anger in it.

“Lifa, I’m sorry,” I murmur. I don’t know what I’m apologising for exactly. Part of me can understand why he feels like that. We’ve gotten really close, but he should also understand that Mark and I were together. This whole situation is not ideal in any way, shape or form. “I understand…the conflict, I get it.” His eyes widen with a hint of doubt. “What’s been happening between us and…?” My voice trails off.

“It shouldn’t have happened. I shouldn’t have allowed it to happen,” he says with vexation.

I recoil instantly. Why is he trying to hurt me?

“Well it did happen, Lifa,” I say, raising my voice at him.

“Stop using that name,” he spits.

“Stop telling me what to do!” I snap.

“I should, because you never listen anyway,” he retorts. I’m confused now. What the hell is this actually about?

“What the hell is your problem, Lifa?” I say, purposely emphasising his name. He narrows his eyes at me. “I don’t get why you’re mad about Mark and me. He was there way before you. I shouldn’t even be explaining this to you, and you know what else? I am sick and tired of your tantrums.”

We are now up on our feet and glaring at each other. “Tonight can’t come soon enough, that way I won’t have to see you again!” I say, with the last strength I can muster. My voice is cool and resolved. I go outside for some fresh air.

The sun is up and the surroundings are still, except for the birds chirping at a distance. On any other occasion, it would be a beautiful day, but not today, not with this grizzly bear as company on the last day that you’re possibly alive. What the hell is his problem anyway?

I’m scared and nervous about tonight, but I don’t bitch about it. He should be in a better state. He’s done this countless number of times before. His sombre and hurt expression due to my last comment enters my mind. I regret it straightaway. Of course I’m not happy that I might not see him again after tonight, especially if we make it out alive. He’s done so much for me. He was there even when I was unconscious. Maybe I should go in and apologise.

“I should, because you never listen anyway.” His words replay in my mind and I decide that he too could come and apologise. I mean, he started this in the first place. Mark and I didn’t even go all the way that morning, which I regret. Suddenly the realisation hits me like thunder. I’m going to die a virgin. “Damn you, Mark!” I stomp on the ground. How pathetic can I be?

I take a stroll through the tall grass around the house, absentmindedly running it through my fingers. When I turn back, I realise that I’ve walked quite a distance.

***

Tell us what you think: Will Blessing and Alex be able to resolve this disagreement? Or are their feelings for one other becoming a little too complicated?