Nothing But The Truth

19: Lost

I had won finally, so, why did I feel like a loser?

This thought had plagued my mind as I flew back to Lagos. The white fluffy clouds floating across the sky couldn't console me like they once used to.

I was so high up above the ground and everything beneath looked like nothing but a spec of dust in the vast universe. The view that once gave me hope seemed to be depressing this time around. Why? It was all because I had lost everything.

I had lost my family, I had lost a right to my name and I had lost my inheritance. I had given up a lot to be free from my father and the consequences had seemed bearable at first but as the hours went by and more investors pulled out from my restaurant, I had began to see just how powerful my father was.

He had promised to cut off all ties with me when I walked through that door and that meant all the benefits I had enjoyed from being my father's son had been stripped from me. My father had made sure no investor would come with a five foot radius from me. He had even threatened my family not to be in contact with me unless they wanted to be disowned just like I was. I had hit rock bottom completely and I wasn't sure how I could make my way back up.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport. The local time is—"

I gave a sigh as I glanced out the window once again. I couldn't wait to feel the warm Nigerian breeze. There was just something about this country that made me feel at home. I had never felt this comfortable in London although I had lived there my whole life.

A small smile pulled on my lips as an image of Tiara smiling crossed my mind. I had longed to see her and hold her in my arms. During these long, grueling three weeks, the thought of her was the only thing that made me smile. She was like a calming pill to my mind, like the sound of the waves of the sea or the pitter patter of the rain on the ground. Tiara was everything I could ever want and need and although we'd only been together for a short while, I was certain that I wanted her in my life for a long, long time.

As soon as I collected my luggage, I took an airport taxi straight to Tiara's home. I had arrived a few days early so I was certain she wasn't expecting me to see me. I couldn't wait to see the look of surprise on her face. The thought of it made my heart swell.

"It's another beautiful Sunday morning!" Came a feminine voice from the car's radio. "To my fellow Christians out there, I surely do hope you're making your way to the house of God to bask in his wonderful presence—"

"Sunday?" My eyes widened in surprise. I took my phone out of my pocket to confirm what day of the week it was and it was indeed Sunday. How had that skipped my mind?

Tiara must have been in church at this time. I had been so eager to see her that I hadn't even considered the fact that she might not have been home.

Determined to keep my presence a surprise, I dialed Benjamin's number. I could find out the details from him to know when to surprise Tiara.

"Derrek, been a while, bruv?" Benjamin answered at the third ring.

"Ben, how's it going?"

"I've been good. Tiara, on the other hand, not so great." He replied. "She says you've been impossible to reach these past few weeks, man. What's that about?"

"It's a long story but I'm back now and I really want to see Tiara. Are you all at church?" I asked as I glanced out of the window, watching the familiar buildings blur by.

"Tiara didn't come home last night." Benjamin informed with a sigh. "She went off to the wedding after party of our mom's friend's daughter or something. Haven't heard from her since."