Daughters

Episode 24

“Whoa Whoa….”,Richard cut in as they all turned to look at him “Pedro,let’s go talk outside, shall we?”
“What’s the problem?”,Pedro asked immediately they left the visiting room.
“She’s beautiful”
“What does beauty have to do with this?”,Pedro asked as they approached the counter
“Watch and learn”
“What the hell are you saying? None of wat you’re saying is making sense”
He had always known Richard to be a joker,he never takes anything serious, even his work but he was a damn good lawyer.
“Officers, I don’t like the condition my client is in”
“What condition?”,the first officer asked
“I want my client released this minute”,Richard spoke with final authority as he ignored the officer’s question
“It is not possible”
“My client can’t be locked up without a shred of evidence”
“Her sister will testify against her”
“Need I remind you that’s no evidence. The law requires my client be released until proven guilty. Now officer, would that be problem?”
Richard didn’t wait for the officer to speak,he continued “I thought as much. I’ll wait here until my client is released. Thank you”
“Wow”,Pedro said as a smile broke through his face.
“Why didn’t you do that earlier?”,Pedro asked
“I never thought of that”
“Silly brother of mine”. Both men laughed

Joshua paced round the sitting room. He was actually thinking what his father would like him to do; Break up with Fiona? Marry her?.
His phone rang disrupting his phone.
The phone call lasted no more than a minute
“Bullshi*t!”,he shouted, making Fiona run from the kitchen to the sitting room
“What’s wrong, my love?”
“Tiara got released”
“How?”
“If Tiara wants to play dirty,I am so ready and I promise to bring her down”

“The fight isn’t over yet”,Richard said
“How?”,Pedro asked
“Fiona could still testify”
“We could stop her”,the cold voice spoke up
“How?”,Liza asked
Richard excused himself because he didn’t want to take part in illegal activities
“Like this……”.
The three people began plotting

It was obvious Fiona was still blinded by her love for Joshua for she had vowed to stand by him against Tiara,her family. It had been a day since Tiara’s release and the court date was a week ahead. All she wanted was for Tiara to disappear from their lives. She had given them too much problem already and she could bet on her life that Tiara was bound to do more.

She still didn’t know if she had made a mistake by telling Joshua the whole secret or not. The question she’d been avoiding for days came up: Does Joshua loves her less?
Maybe they ought to have a heart-to-heart talk.
Yes that would be when he gets back from the police station or his lawyers firm.

Her phone beeped,she sighed and clicked the unread message to read it. It didn’t take long to figure it was Tiara,that she needs to have an urgent talk with her, that it was important.
Fiona didn’t think twice before honouring Tiara’s invitation. All she had in mind was that it was time Tiara and her had a good talk because she herself had so many things to say to that devil of a sister
She picked up her handbag and her car keys and was soon on her way out.

Tiara and Liza sat on upholstered white sofa waiting for Fiona whom they’ve just heard her car drive in.
It didn’t take for Fiona to walk into the sitting room and found it funny the way her sisters occupied the sofa. She made a visible smile because she was sure Tiara would plead to her not to testify but her mind was already made up and she has given Joshua her word.
She joined her sisters and sat but opposite them,waiting for the plea from Tiara

Minutes dragged by but Tiara wasn’t forthcoming
“You called me,Tiara,and please make whatever you have to say quick because I intend going back to work……soon”
“That’s precisely the problem. You’re relieved of all your duties effective immediately”
Not that she had expected that but she refused to let Tiara trample on her. Her feet turned cold and felt as it gradually got to her hands.
“You can’t do that. The paper company was bought in the name of family”
“Then you’re more silly than I thought if you think I bought the company using the family’s name. It’s in my name”
Fiona stood up and glared at Tiara “You did what!?”
“When we received the money from the fixed deposit,I gave you half and took the other half which Liza and I shared. I opened up a trust fund for her. The question is,what did you do with yours?”,Tiara smiled when she finished the statement.
“You’re are a……”,her phone rang,interrupting her.
She brought it out from handbag and without a proper glance on who the caller was,pressed the receive button
“Yes? what do you want?,she answered rudely
“What!? Jesus! What happened to Joshua!?”
Tiara watched her as the smile on her face grew wider. Seeing as the colour drained from Fiona’s face and knew it all came down to one thing; Their plan had worked.

Joshua left immediately he had gotten the call that informed him of Tiara’s sudden release and had driven to his lawyer’s office to know why it happened.
Gerald was the name of the renowned lawyer who had won more case that he had loosed count of.
Joshua had been too sure that with the help of Gerald ‘the bully’,as he was normally called by his colleagues, that he would win the case against Tiara and she’d be locked up behind bars for good and the good of everybody.

Joshua had thought of Fiona- maybe she truly loved him,she had turned her back against her sister and that was what got him worried. If Fiona had the heart of turning against her family,her blood, then what was the guarantee that she wouldn’t do the same to him. He loved her,yes but with the recent turn of events,he had to admit he didn’t trust her as he did before. Another issue; she was carrying his baby,his own baby. He would do what’s right and give his baby a family, a home and beside he wouldn’t let his child bear that cursed surname; Michaels

But if what Fiona had told him about his dad was the truth,then he had admit,his father was a shame. His father had done the exact opposite of what he had taught him when he was a child. It was as if Fiona had told him of a stranger, only that his father was that stranger. Or was Fiona lying? Was it all part of the baseless revenge?

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The meeting with his lawyer soon ended where he was assured by Gerald that the case was a sure win and he had left Gerald’s office full of hope and smiles.
He hadn’t driven up to three blocks when a car suddenly collided with his and he slowly blacked out.
The last thing he saw was his world crashing down

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Fiona grabbed her handbag, ready to dash out of the sitting room
“Sit down”,Tiara said with a voice that registered authority
Fiona whirled around, glaring at Tiara with bloodshed eyes
“You did this?”,Fiona asked, her voice unstable
“I did. What I’m going to say is simple; withdraw from testifying against me or Joshua ends up like his dad”