The Rise of Damola

Chapter 33- Forging Alliances

~Habiba~

It was a cold December night, and I found myself wrapped up in my blanket, the warmth providing some solace from the chilling cold outside. Just as I was about to drift off into a peaceful slumber, a notification jolted me awake. Curious, I glanced at my phone to see that an unknown number had added me to a group called "824".

I did not know who it was, but next to the number it read, " THE BOSS."

Initially puzzled by the unfamiliar number and group, I hesitated to engage, merely observing the messages that flooded the chat. The conversations hinted at a sinister motive targeting someone.

Intrigued, I continued to silently observe, trying to piece together the puzzle. "Was I added by mistake or was it some sort of prank?"

As dawn broke, the purpose of the group became clear—it was a collective effort aimed at orchestrating the downfall of Damola.

I was shocked at first because it made no sense to me. Why add his wife's best friend?, Was 'THE BOSS' not scared that I would snitch to Bunmi?

What struck me as particularly unsettling was the distinctive texting style I recognized from a previous encounter. I knew only one person that signed off her messages with "xx," it was only Bunmi's sister, Mirabel.

As I watched, I became more certain that it was none other than her.

The group admin, THE BOSS, wasted no time in delegating tasks to the members of the group. We were four in number; Mirabel, one Alhaji, Sji and I.

Alhaji remained in the dark, while the instructions given to the others were cloaked with a ring of mystery. Mirabel was assigned to Bunmi, while Sji- was entrusted with delivering the final blow- whatever that meant.

My instructions were straightforward—accept the invitation to Cory V's concert and suite. Ensure that Bunmi consumes a drink while alone with Cory V. Also, pay a potter at the hotel.
Honestly, my instruction was the only straight forward one.

Despite the ambiguity surrounding my task, one thing was crystal clear; my disdain for Damola had only deepened over time and whoever this "THE BOSS" person was, knew about it.

From the moment Damola entered my best friend's life, he had brought nothing but heartache and despair. Witnessing her suffer at his hands was unbearable, and I was determined to put an end to it once and for all. I had no idea what the exact plan was but it looked very sketchy.

As the group chat buzzed, I wrestled with conflicting emotions. Although I hated Damola, I couldn't ignore the overwhelming desire to protect my best friend from any harm. The plan unfolding before me seemed like a necessary means to that end, albeit one shrouded in darkness and it did not look like I had an option to back out.

Despite my reservations, I carried out my assigned tasks diligently but with a heavy heart. The weight of my actions bore down on me, and somehow, I found solace in the belief that it was all for the greater good.

Damola was never good enough for her. He thought his money could shield us from seeing the kind of man he was, but I saw him for who he truly was.

As the day of reckoning loomed closer, THE BOSS issued a stark warning- failure to fulfill our roles would result in dire consequences. With a sense of foreboding weighing heavily on my mind, I braced myself for what was to come.

THE BOSS also emphasized that we; participants of the group were not to contact each other under any circumstance, with feedback for the errands we were told to run being the only exception.
We could only reply with Done, Almost or X- signifying that the task could not be completed.
It was made explicitly clear that 'X' was unacceptable and that anyone who did not fulfill his part of the bargain, would suffer miserably. I knew I did not want to anger the person.