Part twenty five

Monae's POV

Silence enveloped is as we sat together on the rugged floor with our knees touching. We shifted here after I broke down, the memories of what I had gone through at the hands of Mrs Winchester was just too much for me and I couldn't help but cry as hard as I tried stopping myself not to.

"I think you shouldn't go further if you aren't comfortable saying it." He said after sometime.

I sadly lifted my head that I had laid on top of my bent kneecap and looked him, "no it's fine, I will... I want to let it all out."

"But—"

"Shh, it all started like this......"

I was home alone and bored, everyone was out at work and I didn't have class so I had to stay behind and do nothing but listening to music and lasting around the house.

I was bored out of my mind and was thinking of what else to do when it occurred to me I could go over to the company. I have been there only once, that was the day I bought skirt for Imogen and sent it over and since she's always been bugging me together with Rex to pass there sometime, I decided to visit them today.

Currently, I just stepped out of the elevator on the floor of Imogen's office and waking straight ahead to the desk of her personal assistant. She saw me approaching and breaks into a smile, "welcome Miss Winchester."

"Thank you, is she in?"

"Yes please, do follow me."

"No don't worry, I know my way there.. thank you for your help."

"Okay."

With that, I left her desk and ambled to Imogen's door. I opened it and on entering, I was met with a smiling Imogen who immediately met my gaze and got up from her seat. She opened her arms and pulled me in for a hug, looking at me in surprise. "What happened?"

"Was bored at home and decided to come over, hope I'm not interrupting your work?"

"Oh no, not at all... I wasn't even working." She said, taking my hand in hers and dragged me to her desk where I took my seat after putting my bag down. "I needed a break and now that you're here, let's do something."

I rolled my eyes at Imo and snatched the juice on her desk, taking a sip from it. I think I'm dehydrated or it might just be my craziness. "Everyday is an adventure with you, what do you want us to do?" I asked her after chuckling and putting the glass down.

"Get the hell out of this office for an hour, I could use a non office environment."

I shook my head, I disagree with her. "Maybe you can show me around the office, it's my first official visit here."

"I'm no tour guide." She said in a bored tone and rolled her eyes.

"I know right but since you've been up my ass to come over, I think you owe me that."

"Yeah, yeah." She waved her hand dismissively and got off her chair.

Michy furrowed his brows, clearly confused as to why I was telling him this when I should be saying something else, little did he know this is where the conspiracy started.

"Nae?"

"Yup, surprise, surprise!"

"How come?"

"That was the same thing I was asking her."

"And I'll tell him what I told you, I was bored out of my mind at home and decided to come over, maybe it wasn't a good idea." I told them and dropped my smile as I turned my back to leave.

Rex pulled me back even before I could take steps further. He pulled me so hard, I fell on his hard chest with his hands wrapped around me. He spoke into my ears but was loud enough for Imo to hear, "far from that.. please don't leave..me." He whispered the last part to only my hearing.

I felt uncomfortable with our compromising position so I removed his hands from around me and backed away from him, making sure to maintain a reasonable space between us.

"Uhm..I was only kidding." I looked away from Rex and said. I didn't want to see how he was looking at me after what he just did.

We were however interrupted with a knock on the door. Rex told the person to come in, the person open the door but stocked his head inside and said to Imo. "Miss Winchester, there's someone waiting for you at the reception."

"Who?"

"I have no idea, sorry."

Imo turned to look at me apologetically, "I'm so sorry sis but I think I have to go see who, I'm expecting a client."

"Don't worry, I'll be uh.. in here with Rex."

"I'll be back very soon." She said and squeezed my hand. "Rex, make her feel at home and no funny business."

He smiled sheepishly, scratching the nape of his neck awkwardly and looked at me. "Heard you sis."

***********

I slumped my body on the bed. I had gotten back from the office a while ago and it was totally useless of me going there, Imo and Rex left me alone as more people came to whisk them away at the smallest break they had. I ended up sitting alone at Rex's office as he shuffled between that place and his meetings with clients at the lounge area.

To occupy myself, I went through the magazines in his office and didn't realize how quickly time flew by until Rex came back asking me out to lunch. I thought it was going to be uncomfortable after what ensued in his office but it was far from that, it went smoothly because we both pushed it aside and lived in the moment.

I was however feeling bad, Michy sent me a text while I was at the office but I couldn't  reply, I was having lunch then.

I took my phone from beside me on the bed and decided to reply him and apologize for the late reply.

Bang! Bang!

The loud knock on my door stopped me from doing so. I dragged my tired body off the bed and went to the door, I opened it, coming face to face with an angry Mrs Winchester.

I wasn't surprised at first because it was nothing new. She's never had any smiling face around me but when she grabbed my hand and forcefully dragged me out of my room, I knew something was up, something very bad and as always I was going to suffer.

She kept dragging me even when I fell down, she didn't let go off me but turned a deaf ear to my pleas until we got to the living room where she slumped me on the floor.

I dropped to the floor and fell on my waist. I gripped my waist in pain and started crying, it hurt so much. My cries prompted Imo to rush towards me and help me up from the floor but I was pushed back by Mrs Winchester.

I was aghast, has this woman no mercy!? Has she no heart!? Can't she see I'm in a lot of pain since she decided to treat me like an animal and not a human being?

"What have I done to you!?"

"No, what have you done to this family! This is what you should be asking and not this stupid question."

"Mother what is wrong with you!? Why are you treating her like an animal?"

"Rex tell her, tell them what this ungrateful bitch here has done!" She angrily dragged Rex to stand beside her.

I looked at him from the floor waiting to hear what I had allegedly done to warrant this inhumane treatment from her.

Rex run his fingers through his hair, contemplating on what to say as he struggled to get his words out.

"Tell them!"

"The diamonds we were supposed to deliver to the Agarwal Jewelry has gone missing and not just that, the pouch has been replaced with fake diamond studs. The company is under fire, the man is threatening to sue us for selling to him fake diamonds!"

"What!?"

"Oh yes! Your father called me, grilling me as if I was a common thief for something I have no idea of when in reality this girl here." She said and switched her gaze to me, her eyes were blazing intensively than ever before. "Stole those diamonds!"

"How sure are you? It could be you all along."

"Are you accusing me of being a thief?"

"No, I'm only accusing you of blaming her. This isn't new, you did this before and she was innocent. What guarantees you aren't pulling that card again?"

"I am not pulling any card. I'm not accusing anyone falsely." She stabbed Imo's chest angrily but turned quickly towards me. She knelt down beside me and roughly groped my chin, bringing my head to get leave so I look at her in the face. "Where are the diamonds!"

"I don't know where they are, I have no sea what you're talking about."

Wham! She slapped me and when I made an attempt to hold my cheek, she yanked my hand away and continued groping my chin tightly. I squirmed, her long nails and ring were bruising me. "Tell me where are the diamonds!?"

"I'm serious mother, I have no idea where they are. I didn't steal them, I am not capable of doing that."

"I know what you're capable of very well and I know those damn diamonds are with you so tell me where they are and I'll let you go unpunished."

"I swear on my late mother that I'm telling you the truth."

"Imogen!"

"Mother."

"Go and search her room thoroughly like you did sometime before and find me those diamonds."

"Okay."

"Mother leave the poor girl alone!"

"Oh shut up Rex, unlike you, I'm not deceived by this pretty face and body. I know who this girl really is." She still held my chin as she jabbed her son. He fell silent and stepped away from us but not after looking at me with pity and other emotions brimming his eyes.

I looked away the minute I saw that, he needn't feel pity for me because I'm innocent. I have no idea what is going on, all I know is I'm being framed.  Imogen won't find those diamonds because I don't have them.

But I was proved wrong. She came back holding in her hand, a pouch. A pouch that I didn't need anyone to tell me contains the diamonds that are supposedly missing.

Imogen looked at me and just like Rex, her eyes held many emotions—hurt, disappointment.

Mrs Winchester immediately let go off me and snatched the pouch from her. I cowered silently, knowing nothing I was going to say was ever going to vindicate me, all evidences pointed against me and looking at Imogen's face, I know I'm doomed.

No one's approval means so much to me than Imo's, Roxie's and daddy's and since they're not here, I am doomed!

"How is this even possible?" She asked her mother in confusion, staring at her for explanations.

"Everything should be clear enough. This girl knew about the diamonds and that was why she went over to the office today to steal it, luckily enough, I called the office to find out if she did go over there after your father called to grill me and I was told she did."

"Something doesn't add up, Rex was with her the whole time, right?"

"No, I left her alone in my office to attend to some clients."

"And she took that opportune time to steal them."

"Is that true, Nae?"

I shook my head vehemently as response but spoke up, "no, no, that's not true! I didn't steal them, I had no idea there were diamonds in his office. I only took magazines to browse through nothing else."

"The pouch was among the magazines." Rex added, "I had forgotten it there after father have it to me before he left for the trip."

"Wait, so you think I did steal them?"

"I didn't say anything like that, your words and the evidence have proven you guilty."

"I can't believe this!"

"I also can't but everything points at you. As hard as I try to refute it, it's true and I'm disappointed in you Nae. I never took you for a thief!"

"Because I am not." I shouted in defense, "Why are you people deciding my fate because of what someone said!?"

"The police will be here soon to pick her up, finally we can get rid of this ungrateful girl who couldn't keep her hands to herself and choose to disgrace the honor of this family."

I gasped, "What, po-po—lice?" I stuttered as I looked at her incredulously. The police is involved?

"No mother please, I don't believe she's innocent but getting her locked up is too much. Please let her go." Imo rushed to her mother, folded her hands in an imploring way and begged her.

"I'll have a criminal record?"

"You should have thought of that before stealing those diamonds!" She spat at me.

No, that can't happen! I can't go to jail. "Please have mercy on me, please! I don't want to go to jail for something I didn't do." I wound my hands round her legs and beseeched her with my head on her feet, I cried out.

"Please mother."

"Alright, fine!" She gave in, pushing me away from her but I clung onto her again. "I'm giving you an ultimatum, it's either she leaves from this house or goes to jail. Her destiny lies in her own hands and I won't be responsible for anything that happens afterwards."

I let go off her legs and fell to the floor in dejection as more tears spilled.

Right there and then, my fate was decided. Once again, life has successfully tossed me on a rough road that even if I look to my left and right, there seems to be no hope.

Once again, life has fucked me real hard.

Michy released a deep breath and surprise me afterwards. I expected him to look at me in disgust, I expected him to ridicule me with his stares and actions but he surprised me when he  got on his knees and pulled me to him as he engulfed me in a hug.

He stroked my hair before pulling away and lifted my chin so I look at him in the eyes. "I'm not a fool like they are to believe in a lie. It is true it hasn't been long since we got acquainted and I'm not one to trust people easily but with you it's different. There's something unique about you that I'll put my head in the fire just so I let you know how much I trust you. I know you were framed, even a toddler or dummy will know there are loopholes in what happened so don't worry I won't judge you or sack you from this house. I offered to let you stay here and I'm going to honor it, you can stay here and make this house as your own till you get fed which I doubt you will."

He ended and I let out a small smile. He looked at me in alarm and brought his fingers to my cheeks, wiping my tears. "Hey, don't cry. I didn't mean to make you cry."

I swallowed thickly, clasping our hands and stared at them before switching my gaze to him. "I'm crying because of your faith in me, even my family didn't have that much faith in me and chose to believe what someone said. It's really both surprising and good to know that there's still someone who believes in me. Thank you so much for everything without you, I wouldn't know where I would have been. I would have been starving or even murdered—"

"Shh, don't say that." He cut me off by placing his finger on my lip. He shook his head, "don't think about that, let's stay positive alright. Everything is fine now and it's going to stay like that because starting coming Monday, you're returning back to school."

I was about to say something but he shook his head, that silenced me. I resigned in my posture and allowed him continue. "You leaving that house doesn't mean your life and everything you had there has to cease, no. I have the money to look you through the university till you complete and even afterwards and I'm going to do just that. We're going to show them that your life doesn't revolve around them, show them you can be great and pursue your dreams without them and from today onwards, you aren't the Monae they used to know anymore."

"Why?"

"You've grown better and stronger. I don't expect you to cry just thinking about them, get over them and move forward."

"I promise you I will." I said and flung my hands around Michy and hugged him. He didn't resist but it took sometime before he wrapped his hands around me too and pulled me to himself, we stayed there without any space between us yet I didn't mind. I loved the hug though our position was quite compromising because I was on his laps.

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So now we know🙁 what really went on at the Winchester house that fateful day and we all agree with Michy when he said even a dummy will know there are loopholes.