Koruna

Mask Off

Chapter 92

Mask Off

Margaret looked at both of them suspiciously, “What is happening? Why are you staring at each other like that?”

“You look great for a kidnapped man.” Koruna smirked as her eyes twinkled dangerously. She had kept her findings regarding Shola to herself because of what it could do to the household but Shola had thought it would be a brilliant idea to turn everyone else against her. She had to agree that it was a good plan as it could also affect whatever she might say about him. It seemed like Shola knew that she knew about him.

“I don’t look like what I have been through.” Shola answered maintaining eye contact and ignoring everyone else.

Koruna chuckled and walked inside, “No, no you don’t. You do not look like what you are.” A pang of pain went through her chest, she had not known Shola long and she felt this way about his betrayal, she could not imagine how the others would feel about it.

Annie came downstairs, Margaret looked surprised by her presence, “I thought you were in…”

“Big brother Bernie… “ She shrugged. Annie made no reaction at the sight of Shola, she had known that he was around but she couldn’t muster the strength to face him. She had thought that their family was the reason why his life was in danger and she felt guilty about it, she was relieved to know that he was alive. “I am glad to see that you are okay. I heard your daughter’s fine too. That’s good… this family needed a win.”

“Koruna, you didn’t want to be a part of this family at first, I can make sure that you are free from sort of responsibilities from now. You can take your part of the inheritance and start your own life.” Shola proposed.

“That is very generous of you. Very very generous.” Koruna answered calmly.

“It’s the little I can do after everything you have done for us.” Shola eyed her knowingly.

“Koruna isn’t going anywhere.” Margaret had finally had it, “What are you two keeping from us?!”

“Should I tell her or will you?” Shola asked Koruna with a hidden sneer. “She is a spy, I tried to break it to you gently but there was no way around it. She has all of you wrapped around her finger and I will be damned if I see everything that Betsy has ever worked for burned to the grounds.” Shola looked at Koruna venomously.

Koruna narrowed her eyes suspiciously, she predicted what he was about to say but she was still dumbfounded after hearing it. The stunned silence that followed afterwards was followed with a high screeching piercing laughter that came from Koruna. She laughed so hard that she had to support herald with the couch. She stopped laughing for a second and looked at Shola then started another bout of laughter. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry… Hahahhahaahah….” She started laughing again, everyone was watching her with a mixture of surprise and worry. “it’s just I know what you were about to say but the idea just seemed so ludicrous. I am curious, please… how did you come by that conclusion?”

Shola scoffed, “The disrespect!!!”

“Calm down, your mask is beginning to fall. Remember that you are the tried and trusted personal assistant to Betsy who loves this family like his own. Don’t forget, your facial expressions can’t slip especially now that you are so close to your goal.” Koruna chuckled again.

“What is this?” Kelvin screamed at them for the first time.

“Think about it, everything started to get so wrong after she came into the house.” Shola said reiterating his first point.

“Let’s not forget that I am here because you suggested it.” Koruna relaxed into the couch.

Her relaxed demeanor irked Shola to no end but he started it and he was determined to see it through to the end, “I gave you a chance to leave. Take it now or you will spend the rest of your days in prison.”

“Potato Po-tah-to. Why do you think I am a spy? Was it something you saw or a hunch or did you have one of those kind of visions?” Koruna continued to play with him.

“Koruna… This is not one of your games.” Shola fumed.

“Awwwnnn, but I quite enjoy this sort of games. To be honest, when I first found out, it was difficult for me to imagine you like that. You were always so chill, calm and collected. I can’t believe I respected you, well… okay now I admire you. The dedication, time and talent it takes to fake your persona for years and years, it’s …. “ Koruna claps her hands in mock admiration.

“I do not understand what is going on with both of you so please answer me. What is happening?!” Margaret asked.

Koruna closed her eyes and sighed deeply, “What if I tell you that Shola is a spy for the council and has been for a very long time.”

Margaret looked at Koruna like she was crazy. “You are saying that Shola is a spy, and Shola is saying that you are a spy. Is this a prank? Or another one of your lessons? Did Betsy put you up to this before she died?”

Kelvin looked at both of them, “I don’t think they are kidding around. They are glaring at each other with death in their eyes. “

“This…. It’s impossible.” Annie whispered.

“I have proven my loyalty to this family again and again. My word should be worth more than a girl who has spent more than half of her life stealing, lying and scamming people.” Shola had regained his composure and spoke with his usual manner.

“Ouch!!! Good point but still mannn, that was low.” Koruna muttered. “He is right, it’s my word against his and I am painfully aware of what my word is worth compared to his and because of that I will not put you in a position to pick between us. Proof, I really have no physical proof and he doesn’t have any kind of proof either. He is just blowing through his perfect well rounded ass.” Koruna analyzed the situation out loud.

“Let’s hear it.” Annie said.

Koruna frowned, “What?”

“Let’s hear it. How you came to the conclusion that Shola is a spy?” Kelvin added.

“First time I heard of it was from Abriel.” Koruna started.

“Your friend who turned to Simi’s side? Same one who tortured me.” Shola scoffed.

“Nice details, pity you still have all your fingers. I can’t believe that a woman who had no qualms raping people, blackmailing and brainwashing people did not have it in her to actually cut your fingers. Just saying.” Koruna countered.

Margaret sat, whichever the way it played out. It meant that one of them had betrayed the family and that was a very bitter pill to swallow. Koruna had a point, Shola’s fingers were complete but Shola had raised her practically. She could not imagine him betraying Betsy, it was very unimaginable, “Maybe you two have some sort of misunderstanding. I… I trust the both of you.”

Koruna looked at Margaret and she could feel her heart breaking, she was sure then that they wouldn’t survive the truth. She sighed in resignation, “Maybe you are right. Maybe Abriel lied and maybe this was some elaborate game by Simi. I mean we did start getting suspicious of each other after Simi kidnapped us and so… it’s possible that this was a way to divide the family.”

Shola narrowed his eyes at Koruna, he could not understand what she was playing at. When Koruna put Simi on live, he had figured that Koruna knew of his role in the Council and his counter measure was to take away Koruna’s credibility. There was too short a time to come up with anything concrete and so he decided to play on the one thing that was certain to get through to Margaret. What he did not expect was how they had grown to become accustomed and maybe look up to Koruna.

Shola wasn’t certain why Koruna agreed so readily to Margaret’s idea but he wasn’t stupid enough to believe that Koruna believed that she was mistaken. “I know that this family troubles skyrocketed the minute you stepped it, it is way too much of a coincidence for me to let it go at that.”

“Oh… This is … what if one of you truly is a spy. This means that they are responsible for our parents death.” Kelvin thought out loud.

“That is such a leap. Don’t you think?” Margaret looked at Kelvin desperately. Even if one of them were a spy, she wasn’t sure she wanted to know the truth.

“Think about it, we know now that their death was no accident but murder. We also know that Simi refused to claim responsibility for that and we know that she isn’t shy of her work. Shola is in the right position to break the family and Koruna has the motive to do that. What if this was a part of her elaborate plan for revenge. There is no way to know if she wasn’t aware of their existence before she joined this family. Then again, greed is in human nature. Shola has the most to gain with our parents death, he is our guardian on paper and Betsy trusted him with her life. This is breaking my head.” Kelvin groaned.

“Koruna is our sister and Shola is like our father.” Annie murmured.

Koruna looked at all of them, if this were before she would not allow anyone put blames on her, as she thought about it the more, the more conflicted she felt. She shook her head as she came to a conclusion, “Oh… what the hell.”. Koruna raised a gun at Shola.

Shola raised his hands in surrender, “Look at her, now she wants me dead.”

“What are you doing?” Margaret shrieked.

“Making decisions. You will take his side at the end of the day but I can’t in good conscience leave him here when I know what he is capable of.” Koruna said non-challantly.

“Let’s think about it calmly. Please put down the gun.” Kelvin said to her.

“No, I don’t care anymore. I am exhausted and I am pissed.” She stood up as she loaded the gun then looked like she was going to shoot when one of the maids pointed a gun directly at her. Koruna looked stunned as she stared at Pelumi, her personal maid who had been nothing but sweet to her pointed a rifle with a straight face with no ounce of emotion. “I tell you this is a surprise.” Koruna chuckled.

Shola sighed as he dropped his hands, “Oh well….”

More of the guards and cleaners had all of them surrounded pointing guns at them. Margaret and Kelvin were shocked and surprised by the sudden ambush. It was taking time for their head to come to the conclusion.

Shola stretched his hands and yawned as he sat down and laughed at himself at first. “I knew that one of these days I would have to do this but I did not want it to come to this then the Flames girl had to point a gun at me. At me!!!” Shola grabbed the gun from Koruna’s hand.

“It’s empty. There’s no bullet.” Koruna shrugged.

Shola widened his eyes in realization as he understood that Koruna just played him. He had underestimated her when he brought her to the house and he still did even after seeing everything she was capable of. “Good… oh you are very smart. I am almost proud of you.”

“Thank you. I figured people tend to show their true colours in the face of death. Works all the time.” Koruna smirked.

“What are you smiling about? Now I will have to kill all of you now. This could have ended up very differently but you had to, didn’t you?!”

“No… tell me it’s not true.” Annie covered her mouth as understanding came.