Behind The Gate of Lakeview

Twenty Two

Guys, I know it's very late but please accept this as my valentine's gift. Thank you for the love you've shown BTGOL. I'll never take this love for granted. Love you all ❤️💖💕💓♥️💋💞💙💜😘💖💖💖😍❤️❤️💕💓♥️

~Jade~

I felt like I just walked into a script.

I felt like I'm drowning.

I felt like I'm standing at the edge of the cliff.

I stared at the woman, digesting what she just said. Her icy cold tone sounded familiar, sounded like an older Zee's voice. I looked at Zee, she was looking at the woman as if she has grown two heads. I looked at Mom, she looked pale and she staggered at the woman's word and she gripped a chair's handle to support herself.

'What daughter?'

Mom asked again and she moved closer to the woman.

'You're delusional' She continued. 'Get out.'

The stranger stared back at mom, eyes unwavering.

'Am I?' She turned away from mom again to stare at Zee who has now moved to the center of the sitting room.

'You look so much like me.' She continued, her voice croaking. 'I'm so sorry I did not come for you all these years.'

She started walking towards Zee who put out a hand to stop. Then she turned to mum.

'Mum, who's this lunatic?'

Yeah, she is a lunatic. That's the only logical explanation for all these.

'I'm your biological mother. Can't you see? Can't you see the resemblance?'

Zee shook her head.

'We have a psychiatrist ward in our hospital. Please check-in. And please get out, you have the wrong house.'

The woman was about to say something else when Dad came out of his study. He did a double-take.

'What are you doing here?'

He asked the woman, his voice raised.

'I'm here for my daughter, the one you and your wife stole from me.'

Zee dragged a hiss and turned back.

'Brother, please throw this woman out.'

And she walked past me to her room. I noticed how her legs quiver on the stairs, how she gripped the railings for support. Someone opened the first door and our security guard walked in. Someone must have called him.

'Yes Sir?'

'Please throw this woman out'

Our security guard turned to the woman, who was shooting daggers at Dad.

'Iya, do you want me to carry you or usher you out?'

The woman paid him no attention as she said

'I'll leave myself but I'll back for my daughter and when I do, I won't allow you guys to use power and money to steal from me as you did 18 years ago.'

And she walked out of the sitting room.

After she left, everywhere became quiet and I watched mom slumped on the floor, her chest heaving. I glanced at Saheed, he seems to have an idea of what's going on.

'Can anyone tell me what's going?'

I asked but I was only answered by silence. I did not even know what to think, what to do, what to say. What on earth is going on? Who was the woman? And what the fuck does she mean by what she said? I turned away and walked to Zee's room. Once outside her door, I paused and heaved a sigh. Then I turned the knob and opened the door. When I stepped inside, Zee was lying on her bed, earpiece in her ears.