Scandalous Twists (Entangled Love: Seduced Into Forbidden Passion Book 2)

by Boadi, Lilly

  “Will you stop cursing yourself?!” Chad felt he should say something to him. “Why will you say all these about yourself all because of Haida?!”

  “I don’t want to hear that name, ok!” snapped Mellis with all resentment

  “It’s Haida we are talking about here, Mellis! The woman you’ve ever truly loved your whole life!”

  “Enough Chad!” snapped Mellis once more. “It’s over ok?! Haida is history now! So stop trying to make her a present and even future! Don’t you see what is happening or should I say what the phenomenon is?” shouted Mellis “It’s over now!” Chad realized his voice was choked with inward cry as he said this. He knew Mellis was right. His pain and bitterness was understandable.

  Kiara was shocked when Haida informed her about Alex and Mellis “How come it never crossed your mind that they could be brothers? I thought you said Alex told you everything about his family? And you did sound like you knew so much about his siblings!” she said with upset, as they sat in her large living room. “Didn’t you ever see Mellis’ picture anywhere around him?”

  Haida shook her head slowly

  “Alex told me all that there was to know about his family, but never mentioned the names of his siblings” she said softly “I actually only got the chance to see only his pictures. Yes, he told me his elder brother was in the country, but how was I supposed to know Mellis was the one he was referring to, and how was I supposed to know Alex was the brother Mellis said was doing Entrepreneurship for masters at Wisconsin University? For goodness sake, there could be many Alex’s and Mellis’ in this situation!” said Haida, more upset

  “So, what are you gonna do now? Will you break up with Alex?” asked Kiara

  “No! Why should I? Just because Mellis is his brother?! I had a relationship with him, yes, but it’s all in the past! Alex is my present, and I believe nothing stops me from being with him, only to think he is a brother to my ex?”

  “Don’t you care about what people would say; that you broke up with Mellis and went after his brother?”

  “What I care about is my happiness; Alex loves me and makes me happy. It would only be a stupid bloomer if I give up on him, just because of what people would say!”

  “Do you believe in incest?”

  “I haven’t slept with anyone!” snapped Haida

  “You are yet to know Mellis actually slept with you that day, and you will definitely make love with Alex when you two get married – unless you both agree to have a sexless marriage – and then the idea of incest would make some sense to you”

  “Then I pray Mellis really didn’t make love to me!” snapped Haida once more

  “Or that you don’t get married to Alex because Mellis is the one you love!” retorted Kiara. Haida sighed. “Don’t tell me you felt nothing when you saw Mellis” snapped Kiara and Haida was apt “With me, you don’t have to be dishonest about your feelings. Tell me, don’t you still love Mellis; didn’t your heart jump out with love when you saw him?”

  “Whatever I felt when I saw him was only what I used to have for him in the past – guess it was only the sight of him that brought back past sensations and nothing more. Now that I’ve seen him after a long time, you can be sure I’m not gonna feel this way for the second time!” said Haida jauntily. Suddenly, her phone rang “Hello angel” she chorused when she picked through, as if to tease her friend, and Kiara glanced at her

  “How are you darling?” asked Alex

  “I’m well” said Haida

  “Where are you?”

  “At Kiara’s. Just came back from shopping”

  “Ooh, I’m dying to see you; I miss you so much” he said sweetly

  “You saw me only yesterday?”

  “The more I see you, the more I miss you” he said, and then immediately “Don’t tell me I shouldn’t see you then, because I would still miss you terribly. I only wish I could see you everyday; in fact, to have you by my side always. I’m actually thinking of getting married to you soon” he said, and she giggled “Marriage?” Haida’s face beamed with surprise “Are you serious?” she asked

  “I couldn’t be serious about anything more than getting married to you soon, darling” he said, and she realized he was serious

  “But…you are not even known to my parents as my boyfriend?”

  “I’m thinking of getting that done very soon; I really want to be a part of your wonderful family” he said and she was tongue-tied “Why don’t we meet this evening and talk about us?”

  “Err…this evening?”

  “Yes. At somewhere quiet and where we can be alone…or better still, at my house, if you prefer that”

  “Your house?!”

  “Yes, my house; you’ve not been there before have you? I could pick you up and take you there” he said

  “Oh no; your brother would be there, right, and we wouldn’t be alone then” she stammered

  “He’d understand and would excuse us; he’s no problem. Besides, I think it would be a good opportunity for you two to get to know each other better; you don’t know him that much personally, do you?”

  “Of course I don’t know him”

  “Yeah! And I promise you, you’d be pleased to get to know him; he’s really a wonderful person”

  “Err…but…” she was short of words “…but you said you would visit at my house?”

  “Yes, I plan doing that on the Boxing Day, and I wouldn’t like to frequent my visits there, so not to get your dad suspicious; you understand, don’t you?”

  “Yes I do. But I…I don’t think I’d be allowed to come to your house that time of the day, even if they knew you were my boyfriend; my dad especially would not be happy about that” she stammered through

  “Would they have to know you are coming to my house? Anyway, I understand you. So then, do we meet somewhere quiet outside the house?”

  Haida wanted to say her dad especially wouldn’t allow, for she wouldn’t even know what to say to that effect – to go out at that time of the day with a man who wasn’t her boyfriend? The vicar wouldn’t like the idea. For Mellis, he had shown he didn’t mind, but she wasn’t sure about Alex; he would not object to that in plain words, his actions would say so, and it would make her feel uncomfortable. Yet, saying no to Alex might create the impression she was shunning him; she wouldn’t have to put up any attitude which would make him feel unwanted. So, it was that, she agreed to meet with him later on in the evening. He’d pick her up, somewhere around her house, making sure no one saw them.

  “You want to avoid seeing Mellis, isn’t it?” said Kiara “You’d have to start accepting that that isn’t possible – so long as you are going out with Alex, you’d be seeing him more often. If you keep giving excuses to Alex, so not to see Mellis, you would make things obvious, and then he would start reading in between the lines”. Haida sighed deeply. Kiara glanced at her and saw the worry on her face “Haida, Mellis loves you so much, and I know you love him too”

  “Is that the lie he told you to convince me into a comeback with him?” asked Haida “Ok, you said you were going to tell me what you guys talked about when you met on Saturday; tell me then. Or is it all about his hypocritical profess of love for me, just to get me back into his arms so that he can use me? If that, then you wouldn’t have to waste your energy for I wouldn’t even listen!”

  “Stop being so proud!” said Kiara sternly “Haida listen…” she said softly “…Kelly was up to her lies again when she said she was managing one of her mother’s chain of shops in the country; she actually resides and works in a construction firm in the UK. According to Mellis, he was with her before he met you. He tried calling it quits with her when he fell in love with you, but it wasn’t easy for him, with his mom who happens to like her so much playing a role in this. He was doing anything possible to see to this anyway, but you gave him reasons not to”

  “Mellis was with that woman all through the time I was with him, even before he met me?” asked a bewildered Haidar />
  “He hadn’t broken up with her, but it wasn’t like he was with her – after all he has been in the country whiles Kelly was in the UK” defended Kiara

  “Kiara, whatever he says, the fact is he never told me about her! What about that? Why wouldn’t he let me know about that woman if he really was done with her?! And do you really believe the story about his mom being a reason he found it difficult to break up with her?”

  “I think Mellis is being truthful, Haida”

  “Ho, ho!” exclaimed Haida

  “Did you ever receive any text messages from Carlos?” asked Kiara

  “Yes; about three times”

  “What was in the text?”

  “Good day wishes; why do you ask?”

  “Mellis read a text message that came to your line the last time you fell asleep in his room. The content was about the beautiful time you had with the sender the previous day, and something about you promising to be at his end that day to continue your love fun and pleasure, and that he was waiting; you get what I mean? It happened that that message came from Carlos”

  “What?” said Haida, chuckling; she was too surprised “And why didn’t Mellis tell me anything about that? How come I never saw that message on my phone?”

  “Guess. He deleted it because he didn’t want you to know he read your text message”

  “Or better still, he did that to save for himself a case he could use against me because he didn’t trust me!”

  ‘How right!’ thought Kiara. “Would you have listened to him and told him the truth anyway, should he have asked you about it? I think all you wanted to do at the moment, like you said, was to say whatever could hurt him, even if it weren’t true”.

  Kiara had a point, and Haida thought at least, if she knew about that text message, it could have told her about Kelly’s real intentions concerning her, and who knows, it could have stopped her from believing certain things and taking certain actions. In all, her relationship with Mellis could have been saved from collapsing. She actually found herself wishing she had known that earlier, and that things had not gone that bad, yet, it was all too late now, or so she thought. But what about that kiss she saw him give to that girl; how could that also be a plan? How could Kelly go about that one? It wasn’t so convincing that that was also planned. Should she even believe all that Kiara was saying? Yet, one thing was sure – that she hadn’t stopped thinking about Mellis, her beautiful man, ever since she saw him yesterday. Was it only the yearning of good old days, or that she was still in love with him?

  FIFTEEN

  The evening was offensively humid. It was odd to experience such weather on Christmas Eve which normally bragged a friendly cold breeze at such a time as this. Haida felt her own hot flashes deeply beneath her skin as she struggled with unpermitted paranoia that has refused to evacuate from her soul since she found out that Alex and Mellis were brothers. She came downstairs, looking all dressed up, and met her mom and sister in the living room “Are you going out?” asked Mrs. Morgan

  “Yes mom” said Haida

  “Where to this time of the day?” asked her mom

  “To Kiara’s. I wouldn’t keep long; I’ll be back soon”

  “What is it that can’t wait till tomorrow?”

  “Mom, it’s something for tomorrow, and it can’t wait. I’ve to get it today and immediately”

  “Phoebe what is it that you can’t tell me?”

  “Ooh mom! It’s supposed to be a surprise” said Haida, getting tensed, and Mrs. Morgan sighed. Jolly giggled and her mom got offended “What’s with you?!” snapped Mrs. Morgan

  “I know what Phoebe is talking about” said Jolly, and Haida gave her a hard look ‘what was she talking about?’ she thought “It’s a Christmas present, isn’t it?” asked Jolly

  “Err…yes…err…”

  “It’s the truth, stop hiding it” said Jolly

  “Oh you’ve ruined everything! You mutt!” snapped Haida wittingly and Jolly giggled loudly “I forgetfully left some items with Kiara after the shopping; I’d go straightaway and get them before it gets late” said Haida and ran out of the hall “Oh thanks Jolly” she soliloquized, soon as she was outside the hall. She walked off towards the junction, a mile away, and saw Mellis’ car packed under the mango tree. ‘What if Mellis was the one behind the wheel?’ she thought in rapture. But Alex stepped out of the car and hugged her tightly “You look great” he said, looking her over

  “You look good too” she said, and he smiled into her eyes. Hugging her again, he took her hand and led her towards the front seat. Then suddenly, memories ran through her mind; it was a similar scene, the evening Mellis came over and took her out for the first time.

  “Did anyone see you coming here?” he asked, when he sat next to her behind the wheel

  “I don’t think so; my mom and Jolly are in the living room and they couldn’t have seen me” she said

  “And your dad?”

  “He isn’t home yet”

  “So, they have no idea you went out without your car?”

  “They would later when they check the garage”

  “Wont that make them suspicious about something?”

  “Like what?”

  “Like, urr, that I’m taking you out for a date”

  “What’s wrong with that? Friends do that, isn’t it? I don’t think all the people who go out on a date are lovers or in relationships of some sort?” she said, getting his point.

  “Is that what you told your people; that you were having a date with me, or just a casual outing like we planned?” asked Alex

  “Err…no…. I…I told them I was going to Kiara’s” she stammered

  “You lied about me? But why?” asked Alex, offended

  “Em, Alex I…the truth is my dad won’t be happy if he gets to know I went out with a guy friend at this time of the day” she said uneasily

  “But we’re not going to my house. I thought you said…”

  “Yes but he is also concerned about having his daughters go out with guys at this time of the day!”

  “That is why I need to be introduced to your family as your boyfriend. He wouldn’t have had a problem if he knew I was your boyfriend, would he?”

  “Even with that, there is some kind of restrictions you know”

  “Huh! Your dad is too strict then, more than I had imagined!” he said sardonically “Was that how it was with your ex?” he asked out of the blue

  “Huh?!” she was taken aback “Err…initially yes, but later when he became very familiar with the family, it wasn’t so much so” she managed to say

  “You see, this is just what I’m saying. That it’s of necessity that you introduce me to them as early as possible, so that I can start visiting often so that I will also get familiar with them. Can you do that when I come over during the Boxing Day?” he asked, and Haida gasped with nerve and swallowed hard “Alex, it’s undue” she said, getting too tensed at this moment “I need to get them used to the idea that I’m no more with my ex and that I’m getting into another relationship before I do that” she said, feeling uncomfortable

  “How long do you need to do that?” he asked softly

  “As long as they would be convinced I’m really done with my ex and that it’s alright for me to be in another relationship” she said quite impulsively, and he remained silent. Truly, she knew it would be difficult, making her people, especially the vicar, know that Mellis was history, and that she had found someone else – to suddenly lay before them the issue of having broken up with Mellis and simultaneously, declaring she was already in another relationship? It would raise a whole lot of questions, and her main fear was that her father might not accept Alex that easily. She had thought about this after she had accepted to go out with Alex, but then, she knew she could justify her actions thoroughly. Yet, knowing about another of Kelly’s hypocritical acts earlier on in the day, she knew her case against Mellis was getting weak, if not void. Yet, the truth of the matter
was, Kelly’s issue had suddenly rid her of any interest of introducing Alex at all to her family. She had uncontrollably started thinking of Mellis again and even loving him. Maybe she truly never stopped loving him after all.

  “How long did it take you to introduce your ex to your family as your boyfriend, and what reasons did you have to delay?” he asked moodily. She shuddered. Of course, it was silly of her to have said what she just said; she could have framed that statement in a better way “Err…” she was confused “I, em…I…”

  “Did it take you more than a year?!” he snapped, and she was apt, “Why can’t you answer me?!” he snapped once more, and she felt pressured “Or is it because it really didn’t take you anytime at all, for you didn’t really have any reasons to delay?” his tone has never been this unfriendly towards her.

  “Alex, you cannot compare my situation with you to that of my ex. I met you both at different circumstances. For instance, I met you in the US where we were away from my family for close to a year; so you should understand if it has taken me almost a year to introduce you to them” she said, her hackles rising.

  “Haida, may I know at what circumstance you met that guy?” he asked calmly, but he didn’t wait for her to respond “And why do you need time to convince your people that you are really done with him; a man who hurt you like you made me know, even more than I know? What else would your people need to know to be convinced you are really through with him? Even, shouldn’t they be the ones to see to it that you don’t have anything to do with him, especially your dad knowing him the way you make me know him?!” she saw completely another side of him as his voice kept raising. “Are you still in love with your ex?!” he asked blatantly

  “What?!”

  “Oh, you need me to repeat myself?! Are you still in love with your ex?!” she was silent. “Why can’t you answer me?!” Again, she was silent. “Is your silence supposed to mean yes?!”