Lisa’s Request
Why would Lisa request to see me again? This time I wasn’t ready to meet with her. In fact, I was tempted to immediately decline but thought against it.
I would rather ignore.
I needed to get away from everything, the last thing I need right now is allowing Lisa cause me any further complications. It was bad enough that Jeremiah wasn’t speaking to me because of her and she could also be the reason he has gone away, she has caused enough damage as it is.
I got into my apartment, surprised that Missy didn’t run to the door. She usually would come to welcome me whenever I opened the door.
Curious, I went in search of her but I was stopped midway to the vibration coming from my handbag. I had dropped my phone back into my handbag after reading Lisa’s text.
As the phone rang, I was tempted to ignore the call and continue the search for my cat but a part of me wanted to know who the caller was. I wished it was Jeremiah as I searched vigorously into my bag, not wanting the call to miss.
At the nick of time, just before the call missed I saw it wasn’t Jeremiah but Lisa.
Hissing, I tossed the phone on the sofa, but I hadn’t moved an inch before she called back. I rolled my eyes and saw missy strolling in, she must have slept deep. She stopped in her tracks, looked at me with no enthusiasm in her eyes but only began to lick her paws.
Meanwhile my phone was ringing the third time. It was obvious my desperate caller wasn’t ready to give up. Against my better judgment, I picked up her call.
She didn’t even wait for my hello.
“Bella, we need to see. It’s about Jeremiah and the company” Lisa Momoh said in one breath.
“What about Jeremiah and the company” I said trying so hard not to sound anxious. Apparently, she knew how to get my attention.
“It’s not a phone matter, at this rate, our phones may even be bugged” She said impatiently.
I waited, knowing that being the bossy woman she is, she would give the instruction as to when and where to meet, I wasn’t wrong.
“Meet the me the same place you met me the last time in an hour” She waited for my response.
“Okay” I muttered. She purposely was coding, not wanting to mention the location.
Who was bugging our phones, why is everything getting messy? Where is Jeremiah, what was happening to Edgewood besides what I already knew?
One hour met me sitting face to face with Lisa.
She seemed stressed out and unlike her, had no makeup on. It was obvious she had rushed down from wherever she was to come and meet me which didn’t seem like the office in her tight fitted sleeveless turtle neck top and jeans trousers.
“Why is everyone avoiding Edgewood, including me.” I thought to myself guiltily.
“Do you know where Jeremiah is?” She asked interupting my thought and searching my eyes.
“No” I replied
Sighing, she sipped her water. I simply looked on.
“I was hoping you did. We had a bit of a misunderstanding and he walked out.” She paused
“Okay…” I said waiting for her to continue.
“Somehow, he got to know about my affair with Patrick”. She said, her eyes sad.
“I am not accusing you of anything.” She quickly added and continued, “I think he has some detective working for him” She said, biting her lower lip.
“If that was the only issue, that won’t have been much of a big deal. He found out a number of other things about my dad’s involvement with Pentagon House.
Apparently my dad has been involved with Patrick to buy off shares from Edgewood and after acquiring enough power, remove Jeremiah as CEO, vote me in as CEO and then merge with Pentagon House thereafter.”
I couldn’t hide my expression as my eyes went wide open.
“I didn’t know a thing about this until yesterday. I didn’t even know that Patrick has been working secretly with my father because apparently he was promised a stake. And I think since my dad knows that my engagement to Jeremiah has been called off, there was no easy access to Jeremiah personally anymore, guess this is his plan B.
I always knew patrick had something to gain from me because he kept using me to get information from Jeremiah who never really trusted me anyway. I just didn’t know the gravity of what Patrick was planning.”
She paused and sipped her water again. I kept looking on.
“See, I am not that much of a bad person. The relationship I have with Jeremiah was arranged, we never really loved each other, yes… but I care about him a great deal.
I would never want to hurt him. He doesn’t deserve what my dad and Patrick are planning and that’s why I asked to see you.” She paused, I guess she was waiting for my response but when she got none, she continued.
“You are one person he trusts and you are also the company’s legal head, you deserve to be in the know. And I know you are the only one that can convince Jeremiah to come back and ensure that he isn’t swept off his father’s sweat. Besides, I know how much he is in love with you.” She said eyeing me.
I glared and she smiled. “That shouldn’t come as a surprise to you, Bella. I am sure you see how he looks at you. We have had heated arguments about you in the past and he has been very defensive.
He shook everything and everyone to put you in the position you are in Edgewood. A woman always knows when her man is in love with another woman.” She finished.
I said nothing, what was there to say? Even if Jeremiah loved me, it was too late. I betrayed his trust.
“The sad thing is that, nobody knows where he is” I said sipping my own water now.
“I may know where he is” Lisa said, paused and continued,
“Once he took me to a cottage in Lekki, that was many years ago. I am sure he has forgotten he took me there because he mentioned that whenever he needs to clear his head, that’s where he goes.
My mind tells me that’s where he is now. I can try to locate the place and drive you down there. It’s a bit late now, so we can go tomorrow. Once I take you there, I would leave.” She said, waiting for my response.
I had mixed feelings. I was happy that Jeremiah could eventually have a known location, at least he was likely to be fine. However, a part of me wasn’t sure if I should go or if I was needed there. I was sure I was the last person he wanted to see.
Then, I thought about all Lisa had said. If Edgewood and Jeremiah’s father’s legacy was facing so much risk, then I have to go in search of Jeremiah, take him out of that cottage and bring him back to where he should be.
It isn’t easy when a man is faced with so much betrayal. It can be crippling but he needs to snap out of it. And if I have to risk everything to help him snap out, then so be it.
“Okay” I found myself saying. “You can pick me up tomorrow at my place by 8am. I will text my house address to you”
She nodded and said, “That’s fine”
I got up.
“If you would excuse me, I have to be on my way now”. I said.
She nodded again.
I started to walk away when she called my name. I turned back and as if to whisper…she said,
“Please, take care of him. You are the only one that can save him now… and pls, help me tell him I am sorry. It was never my intention to hurt him”
I nodded.
For the first time, I had respect for Lisa. Respect mixed with pity. She seemed to blame herself for all of these and she was ready to do all she could to right her wrong.
Maybe Lisa wasn’t so bad after all.
Written By:
Oluwatoyosi Adesuyi
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