To Survive

15: PRESENT BERNA

The following morning, breakfast at the Ampate
residence was plentiful because of the additional
members. When Sabella and her daughters got to the
dining room, Therod stood and introduced them to the
new guards.
"So these are Rhian and Cara. Rhian would be Ally
Halle's guard and Cara will be Alessia's guard."
"Nice meeting the both of you." Sabella smiled as she
shook the two. Ally Halle and Alessia greeted them too
before the guards left and the Amoyaws moved forward to
go and have breakfast.
"Thanks for everything, Therod."
"This is the little I can do, Sabella. I thought Kay was
going to move here too."
"No. He's still back at our place."
"He needs protection too."
"He's too confident being a man. I'd have to go to
KAS Food today and then I'll visit Gyebi's home later in the
day. The boy was like a son to me. He was the ring-bearer
at my wedding and his mother left him under my care so
everything about his burial is now in the hands of me and
an aunt of his."
"The policeman that pushed us away when someone
shot at us, he's the one in charge of Gyebi's case."
"Who is he? I have to thank him."
"He said he'll pass by KAS Food today," Ally Halle
added.
*
KAS Food looked different when Nicole arrived.
Sedem's desk was empty as well as Gyebi's desk. Kay
walked out of his office to the sight of Nicole. "Sedem
couldn't make it."
"Who would come to work after what we found out?
She's literally an accomplice to the crime for keeping it
away this long but I know Sabella won't file any charges
against her."
"Things just keep changing from bad to worse and
it's hard to determine who to trust nowadays. Do you know where Sabella got that evidence from?"
"Someone dropped it at the security post and the
CCTV shows that it was a man in a black van. It didn't
capture the man's face neither did it capture the car plate
number. The men knew what he was doing."
"I'm surprised you know all this."
"I wanted to find out too."
"Why?"
"Out of curiosity," he replied. The Bequin brothers
arrived soon as well as Noah.
"I'm sorry, Kay, but yesterday I still went on to inform
Sabella about Richmond's request." Benjamin informed.
"That was not necessary," Kay said coldly, and then
rushed into his office.
"What did Richmond request for?"
"He wants to see Sabella. There was someone else
involved and he wants Sabella to be the first to know."
"Interesting, who could it be?"

*
Sabella knew that to an extent Benjamin was right.
She needed to put an end to Kofi's issue once and for all
so that her dead husband would be able to rest in peace
knowing that justice had been sought for his death. She didn't
inform her daughters of her plan to go and see Richmond
she just moved straight there during the lunch break and
Julius was the one driving. He parked at the station but
there was an ambulance there and a stretcher being
rushed into the station. She stood from the car with Julius
as they headed towards the station. The stretcher was
rushed out quickly and laying on top of it was Richmond.
One of the policemen stood outside looking at it all.
"What happened to him?" she asked the officer.
"Some of the inmates stabbed him about four times
in the stomach. I doubt he'll survive."
*
Adel returned to his work at the St Michael's Hospital.
The working week had begun and he was starting it off
peacefully at work and away from her and Kira Halle
decided to pay her father a visit at work. Kerron wasn't
surprised to see her.
"You've still not done it."
"My guys will be making another attempt today."
"That means they tried and failed."
"Something like that."
"I want results, Papa, and not something like that."
*
Surprisingly, Manuel still had his thoughts on Sabella.
Analyzing every single word she had spilled out a day
before. What had she done to him?

BERNA @ 20

"He kissed you!"
"Stop screaming, Sedem. Someone might hear you."
Sabella warned. They sat on one of the benches in the
the large compound of the school waiting for their next lecture
which was in thirty minutes.
"Compare his kiss to that of Richmond's, which was
better?" Sabella turned to her with her eyes almost
popping out, "Pretend that I didn't ask that question."
"I'm doing just that."
"O gosh, you seem to be in a tough spot. Manuel
kissed you but now your heart is beating stupidly for Kofi
Amoyaw and there is Trina who thinks you have something
to do with Manuel because she saw the both of you kiss. I
thought you agreed to less drama after you left Richmond
but this drama looks even more interesting."
"Don't you have anything better to say otherwise I'll
slap you the next time you say something stupid."
"I do have something to say. I heard that Trina
was taking into her walls the second gentleman of
Emmanuel Bequin."
"Am I supposed to understand that?"
"Yes," she laughed, "That gentleman that produces a
blast of white generations. That is the gentleman I'm talking about specifically the one that belongs to
Emmanuel."
"She must have a thick wall to accept that
gentleman because I've heard a lot about it. An amazing
length I hear."
"I've seen it before."
"On your expedition to the boy's bathroom. They will
catch you and rape you one day if they find out what you
do in their bathroom."
"It's a fun process. I've seen the gentlemen of
Richmond, Sonkor, Eugene, Pious, and Paul, and Paul has
the longest gentleman."
"You're such a dirty young girl."
"Your understanding makes you dirtier." Sabella
laughed. Macey and Berna spotted them and got closer.
"Hello, bitches. What are you talking about?"
"Gentlemen," Sedem replied and Sabella laughed out
loud knowing what Sedem meant.
"Speaking of gentlemen how do you see McDonald
Louis." Berna said. She had her eyes on the gent who was
walking towards the male block.
"Not my type but I'll give him a 7 out of 10." Macey
said.
"A hunk of a man. He deserves all 10." Sedem added.
"Not my type too but a real definition of a man,
physically. He got the money too but he's not a man you can cheat on and that can be deadly for me," they all
laughed. Manuel walked over to their side and they all
stopped laughing abruptly to stare at him.
"Hello,'' she said softly.
"Hello," they replied with Berna's voice being the
loudest.
"Can I speak to you, Sabella? Alone." she stood up
and walked a little distance away from the other ladies.
"What new catch is this?"
"He's Manuel Awudi, owner of the Sea Hotel and Sea
Hotel Supplies. International Business student at the
business department."
"How does Sabella do this? She always spots wealth
plus beauty. It's rare to find that combo. The handsome
men are not rich and the rich men are not handsome but
Sabella finds the two together."
"More like they find her." Sedem corrected.
*
"What do you want, Trina? The way you jump
from one man to the other is scary." Andrews said frankly.
"Let me be."
"It's now Emmanuel Bequin, who would it be next?"
"How does that concern you? Let me be. It's my life
and you're not living it for me."
"I'm just there as a friend to advise you from turning
towards a wrong direction, you would regret."
*
"Now you're always with Jana Wilson. What's up with
the both of you?" Kerron questioned Pious.
"She's a friend of mine."
"Three to five hours of talking is a friend of yours.
You can date any woman, Pious, but she shouldn't be from
the Bons Geng. Those ladies are not any man's type."
"You've not met the right one yet."
"I doubt I will." he laughed.

PRESENT BERNA

Pious and Jana had gone for lunch together and
decided to go straight to Face Textiles after their lunch.
They walked out of the car holding hands like the couple
they were. Pious got a phone call and he let go of Jana so
that he could answer the call. A motorcycle came from
the other direction and shot at Pious but Pious's guards
were fast enough to shoot the cyclist down. The bullet hit
Pious and he fell and dropped the phone. Blood oozed out
of his mouth soon. He looked at Jana and held her face.
"Don't leave me Pious...someone call an ambulance!"
she screamed.
"I love you," he uttered softly and shut his eyes.
*
Sabella followed after the ambulance and got to the
St Michael's Hospital too. The doctors had their attention
on Richmond doing everything they could to make sure he
survived. Adel and Dayana passed by and saw Sabella.
"Aunt Sabella." Adel called out first and Dayana
moved to Sabella's side, "What brings you here?" she didn't
know what response to give. She was in the hospital
because of the man that killed her husband. He also
deserved to die but why did she care?
"A friend was stabbed and I came to see him."
"Who is that?" Dayana questioned.
"You don't know him," she replied. Berna had come to
visit Kenneth and was leaving when she spotted Sabella
too. She got closer.
"Who is now in danger?" Sabella looked away for
sometime before she replied.
"It's Richmond."
"You're here because of a man who had a hand in
your husband's death. This is a stupid form of care. Let's
go home."
"Richmond wanted to tell me something and then he
was stabbed."
"One of his lies. Aren't you tired? We did everything to
make you find out...I mean you found out about the true
cause of your husband's death and everything points to
Richmond. Let's go and try to live what we have left of our
lives." Berna said. A patient was rushed quickly to the
emergency ward and Trina was there too in tears. Sabella
noticed him to be Pious.
"What happened?"
"Someone shot him. I don't want to lose my husband too. I'll go mad," Jana cried out and Berna hugged her.
"Everything will be alright."
*
Ally Halle had finished her lunch at the Asofan branch
of KAS Food and was already stepping out with Rhian
when Eli rushed to the entrance. "I missed you. I had a
long meeting otherwise I'd have made it in time to see
you."
"I drank milk today it would have been all over
you...and since when did you start making sure that your
lunchtime met with mine?"
"I dunno. Is it a sin?"
"To others no but to me yes. Are you stalking me?"
"No, I can't do that. My schedule is too busy to allow
that but I thought you'd rest today after everything that
went on yesterday."
"You're not my doctor, Mr Duncan."
"Yesterday it was Mother," he said under his breath.
"I heard that," she replied. ''If you have nothing more
to do apart from annoying me then let me leave. I also
have a meeting to attend and it's more important than
staring into your office." she moved away.
"This face is golden."
"Tell that to the wall," she replied. Rhian took the lead
to open the door for Ally Halle and then a saloon car
moved by quickly. The same one from the police station a day before. They pulled out a gun and shot in Ally Halle's
direction. Rhian pushed her down and the bullet hit the
glass. Eli rushed over to Ally Halle's side while Rhian tried
to shoot the car but they managed to escape once again.
Ally Halle was petrified. Her mother was right, she was
their target.
"Are you alright? Did anything happen to you?" Eli
checked to see if she was bleeding or hurt in any form and
then hugged Ally Halle. Rhian stood aside with her senses
heightened.
"We need to get out of here. It's not safe," she said
quickly.
*
After Alessia's university lecture, she got closer to
her car and noticed that Cara had company in the person
of Padi. He stood without the crotch now and it made
Alessia smile. She moved to him and kissed him. He felt
so happy after that kiss.
"That is for this recovery," she smiled.
"I'll be recovering every day to be kissed that
way." he smiled at her.
"Looks like everything is going well."
"My mum moved out yesterday."
"Oh, does it have something to do with Aunt Sedem?"
"Yeah, I heard about her affair with my father too, and
the fact that they hid the truth about your father's
murderer. News flies fast. How is your mother taking this?"
"It wasn't good but we are helping her. She needs us
more now just like your mother needs you. I think you guys
should try to convince her to come back home."
"She's tired of the life was living and she wants her
freedom now."
"The only person that can convince her to come back
is my father and she's not going to hear him out."
"Peace is all we wish for."
*
Benjamin rushed to the Ampates with Nicole after
they found out what had happened to their goddaughter.
Ally Halle was still in shock and Eli sat beside her.
"What happened?" Benjamin asked.
"Someone tried to shoot Ma'am Ally Halle but then
we prevented that from happening. I suggest it's best she
stays here till we find out who it is that wants to harm her."
Rhian said.
"It was the same person from yesterday."
"Are you sure?"
"It was the same car. I recognized it," she said.
"Does Sabella know?"
"I just informed her," Juanita replied from behind
them.
*
They'd gone for a lunch break in school and when
Clifford walked to the cafeteria, Edmund made one of his
stupid loud noise drawing attention to his table.
"Who would have imagined that after all the punches
that Clifford was throwing for Saffron they were using it to
practice what their parents do in secret," Clifford paused,
"Saffron's father and Clifford's mother are lovers and they
are so good at it that they pass it on to their children.
Such beautiful romance." people began to laugh.
"This is not necessary," Ananda said as she stood
from her table.
"Look who we have here. The friend of daddy lover's
child. Is your father too someone's lover?" he teased.
"Stop it." Ricky came in and it was surprising to hear
that from him.
"Since when did you start defending these people?"
Camila questioned as she got closer to her boyfriend,
Edmund.
"These people as you call them are just like us and
we do not have to blame them for the mistakes of others
or their parents. Clifford is Clifford and he doesn't need his
mother to be Clifford. It's high time you got that right."
"Sticking with idiots ain't part of my dictionary. Sorry
for you, missing soul." Camila said to Ricky and they
laughed again. Saffron dropped her metal tray on the floor
and everyone turned to her and watched as she walked
from her table to where Edmund and Camila stood.
"I tried to respect myself this semester since it's our final one but that doesn't mean I'll stoop low to allow a
low-life like you call me an idiot."
"How dare you?"
"No, Camila...How dare you? My father is not perfect
but at least I have him. Where is your father?" that came
like a hard blow to Camila and she didn't know what to say
next, "The next time you try or even dream of insulting me,
check your flaws first." she walked out of the cafeteria and
Ananda followed after her.
*
"When do you plan on killing Aaron?" Macey turned to
Matilda who had asked the question.
"I have no plans of doing that."
"If he doesn't go before Saturday, your daughter will
go. Instructions from my boss."
"Don't you dare touch my daughter?"
"Then kill him. The Don has bought you so you'll do
everything he asks you to do whether you like it or not.
Your life is now his." it was the way that Matilda spoke
that scared Macey.
*
"Birgitta is gone out of the country. A friend of
mine at the airport said that she took the next flight back
to Dabbor. I'm sure she's going to Medellin." Gerald said to
his best friend, William.
"She wants a break."
"What do you want?"
"Do I have a choice? I've broken her several times and
if she wants to go, I can't stop her."
"I won't lie to you, I'm also disappointed in you but the
decision to make things right is still in your hands. She
loves you even though you don't love her."
*
Sabella walked into Adel's office and Dayana couldn't
stop her. She instead helped the patient that Adel was
attending to out as Sabella stood in the office with Adel.
"What is going on Aunt Sabella?"
"Someone tried to shoot my daughter yesterday and
the attempt was made again today by the same person."
"Who is that?" he asked with concern written all over
his face.
"I know you love Ally Halle but you should let go of
that love if you want her to be happy. I'm facing
enough problems of mine and I can't add my daughter's
own to it. Adel, Ally Halle is so fragile that she doesn't
know. She sees herself as the toughest even though she's
the weakest and I don't want your stupid love for her to
break her down."
"I love your daughter."
"But you're married and my daughter's life is in
danger because of you..."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Your wife and her family are the only people that can
hire people to shoot my daughter down because she has
no enemies."
"This is a strong accusation."
"You don't know the woman you have married. I know
her more than you do. She's from the roots of a man I
know so well."
"I won't watch you accuse my wife and her family for
what is going on with Ally Halle."
"At this point, you're to choose between Kira Halle and
Ally Halle and your choice should be Kira Halle so that we
can all live in peace. This has happened before and the
the result wasn't pleasing." she walked out of his office before
he could respond.
*
The doctor who was attending to Pious walked out to
them with his face looking dull and his facial expression
made Jana's heart beat faster for the fear of hearing what
she didn't want to hear.
"Mr Gyan is stable. We took out the bullet and we
managed to stop the bleeding. His body is willing to fight
whatever it is going through. He's quite a survivor because
the bullet hit a very wrong place but he's good now." Jana
cried as she hugged Berna before turning to the doctor.
"Thank you very much."
*
"They managed to shoot down the guard we sent to kill Pious Gyan but by now he must be dead. Sabella's
assistant was killed too now all we have to do is kidnap
her brother-in-law as you requested. Why don't we kidnap
her brother too? It would be fun." Patrick suggested.
"Doesn't sound like a bad idea. Do just that." Nutifafa
replied and laughed.
*
"They've hired a guard for her and it makes it more
difficult now."
"You are stupid!" Kerron yelled out, "All you have to do
is kill her. How hard can that be?" he questioned and
someone opened the door to his office.
"Ma'am, you can't get in like that!" Kerron heard his
assistant scream. He turned to the presence of Sabella
Amoyaw and hung up the call.
"What do you want here?"
"I miss your sarcasm," she replied.
"Go," she said to the secretary, "and shut the door
when you leave." he did just that and Sabella got closer.
"What brings you here?" Kerron asked with a smile as
he sat.
"I'll advise that you stop sending people to my
daughter."
"What are you saying?"
"The only person that will have a reason to plan an
attack on my daughter is your daughter and she can do that only through you."
"Your beauty increases with time but I think it's
affecting your wisdom."
"I'm wiser than you'd expect me to be, Kerron. That
is what everyone doesn't understand."
"Flatter yourself."
"Adel loves Ally Halle more than he loves his wife and
that is why he stammered during the exchange of vows
and Kira Halle will inform you and order you to kill my
daughter so that Adel can love her and as her darling
Father, you have no choice but to do that for your pregnant
daughter."
"Impressive," he laughed and she leaned on the table
so that she looked right into his eyes.
"Should I give you another instance where I can
flatter my wisdom?"
"I'd love to hear it."
"The fact that the person you're ordering to be killed
is your first daughter." Kerron stood.
"What joke is that?"
"Michael knew that Ally Halle wasn't Kofi's daughter
so he thought that it was William's but the truth of the
matter is that Ally Halle is your daughter. We had sex
without protection a night before my wedding and that is a
secret I'm sending to the grave. If you kill Ally Halle, you've
killed your blood."