??Love and betrayal ??
?? ???????
??Episode 14??
❤❤❤❤❤❤
From U.S Bah ❤✌?
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Something happened behind the scenes
……………
CHRIS
Wow.
He turns away and begins to walk fast.
There are sudden tears in Effe’s eyes as
she looks at her fuming mother in
incomprehension.
EFFE
Wait, Chris, please wait!
Eyram, speaking to her husband, sees
and feels Effe’s distress just like some
twins do, and she is alarmed. She turns
and begins to move towards her sister.
Jonathan Afful grabs Eyram’s arm, angry
immediately.
AFFUL
D–n it, woman, I was talking to you. Get
the baby and let’s get out of here. I’ve
golf this afternoon with the boys.
Eyram drags her arm from her husband’s
grip.
EYRAM
Jon! Just a second. I have to know what
happened. Seems Effe is very upset.
AFFUL
Don’t make me angry! Get the baby and
let’s go!
EYRAM
(shouting now)
Good Lord, Jon! You can leave. I’ll come
later! My sister nee-ds me!
Jonathan is so furious that he hits Eyram
ha-rd in the face with his fist.
AFFUL
Don’t you dare raise your voice to me,
woman!
Eyram falls to the ground with a cry of
pain. Afful’s blow has split her upper li-p,
and she is bleeding badly.
Ken Kedem and Rupert approach Afful
angrily.
RUPERT
What’s the matter with you? How could
you hit your wife like that?
Afful looks at Rupert angrily,
and he balls up his fists.
AFFUL
You want some, white man? Come and
get it!
Ken Kedem reaches down to help the
weeping Eyram to her feet.
KEN KEDEM
You’re barbaric, Jonathan Afful! Are you
out of your mind?
AFFUL
You stay out of this, Ken. This is between
me and my wife!
KEN KEDEM
And she’s my daughter, d–n you! Is this
how you’ve been treating her?
Effe and her mother has reached the
scene.
MADAM IVY (angrily)
How could you, Jonathan?
EFFE
That’s what he’s been doing! He’s been
beating her and hurting her! She’s been
silent because Dad wants more capital from Eden,
and Jonathan threatens her
that if she talks he would call up all the
conditions on the first loan Dad took, and
make Dad lose his Company!
KEN KEDEM
And nobody has told me this?
EFFE
You’re sick, Jonathan! You d–n coward! If
you dare touch my sister again, I swear-
AFFUL
What? You swear what? What the hell
you gonna do?
You better keep your d–n mouth shut or
I’ll shut it for you, you
disrespectful little witch!
He is so furious that he is walking
towards Effe threateningly.
He looks up suddenly and sees Chris
behind Effe.
Afful sees the anger in Chris’ eyes,
and he smiles evilly.
This is a chance to beat up the taxi driver
who is messing up with Steve.
He raises his hand to strike Effe.
CHRIS
Don’t you dare!
His voice is filled with such venom that
Afful pauses and looks up, and he sees
the hu-ge fist travelling towards his face.
Chris hits Afful so ha-rd that it throws him
to the floor. Afful, throu-ghhis pain,
knows that he has finally bitten off
more than he can chew.
He feels a rattling in his mouth and
knows that one of his front teeth is out.
Blood pours from his nose and split
mouth.
With a roar of shame he struggles to
his feet and rushes at Chris.
He is short but has a very powerful body,
and it is his plan to grab the taxi driver
and smash him to the ground.
He crashes into Chris, and he feels the
ha-rdness of the man.
He tries to lift Chris, but the taxi driver is
like a piece of rock. He grips Afful around
the wai-st, lifts him up, and slams him to
the ground again.
The pain is so bad that Afful screams and
lies on the floor with fear.
He is scared his spine is damaged
because he cannot move for a moment.
Tears of anguish fall from his face.
Steve is suddenly by his side. He sees
the blood pouring from Afful’s mouth and
the tears in the man’s eyes,
and Steve looks up at Chris,
swallowing the words
that have sprung to his mouth.
Steve sees the satisfied gloating look on
Effe’s face as she looks down at Afful,
and the same look is on the faces of all
the people present.
Steve helps Afful to his feet.
Afful looks at Eyram with pain as Steve
cleans the blood from Afful’s face.
AFFUL
(bitterly)
You see what you have done, Eyram? You’re dead!
Your father is dead! He’s
losing his Company for sure!
CHRIS
He’s losing nothing! You’re rather losing
your job!
Afful looks at Chris with a mixture of fear and contempt.
AFFUL
Losing my job? Who’s making me lose
my job, you illiterate taxi driver?
Chris takes out his phone. He looks at
Afful with so much fury that for a
moment Effe fears he will strike the man again,
and she puts a hand on Chris’ arm.
CHRIS
You know a man named Mr. Albert Ntim?
The anger slowly ebbs from Afful’s face
at the mention of the name of the
President of the Eden Board. Suddenly
there is unease on his face.
Ken Kedem looks from Chris to Afful.
There is a sudden hush.
KEN KEDEM
Albert Ntim? The President of Eden Inc?
You know him, Chris?
CHRIS
Not personally. But the car I drive, the
taxi, is for his sister-in-law, Mrs. Akua
Ayeh, who is very, very close to her sister
and her husband.
What I’m going to do is call Mrs. Ayeh,
and tell her about this
stupid little wife-beater called Jonathan
Afful.
Believe me, Mr. Ntim hates violence
against women.
By this time tomorrow
this wife-beater will be sacked from
Eden.
Everybody sees the sudden fear on
Afful’s face now.
He tries to smile, to be
br@ve, but suddenly he feels a stony
weight in the pit of his stomach.
Effe is looking up at Chris with very bright
eyes.
AFFUL
(with a final br@vado)
You’re a filthy liar, you filthy b—–d!
Chris dials and puts the phone on
loudspeaker. They all hear the phone
ringing.
After a while it is picked up.
MRS. AYEH
(in an excited voice)
Ei, Chris? So I told you to come to my
sister’s birthday and you didn’t come?
What do you want now? We’re at her
residence. Are you coming?
CHRIS
(with a short laugh)
Sorry, Mrs Ayeh. I told you Effe nee-ded
me.
MRS. AYEH
(laughing) Ah, your mysterious girlfriend, eh?
When are you bringing her over?
CHRIS
(laughing)
Ah, very soon, Missus. I wanted a favour
from you, please.
You see, Effe’s father wanted some help
from your brother-in-law’s Company.
I was wondering if
maybe you could let your sister talk to her
husband about it. Please?
MRS. AYEH
(laughing again) Ei, Chris!
Now you want to score points,
right?
CHRIS
You see that thing? I want her father to
be on my side abi?
They both laugh.
MRS. AYEH
You see, you didn’t come for the party,
and now you want her help.
Hold on a bit!
There are some noises, some laughter,
and then a de-ep voice came on the line.
ALBERT NTIM
Hello? This is Mr. Albert Ntim. Chris,
right? My sister-in-law says you nee-d
help.
CHRIS
Yes, sir, boss. But not me. My friend’s
father.
He’s Mr. Ken Kedem. It seems-
ALBERT NTIM
(breaking in)
Ken Kedem? Of Kedem Imports and
Exports?
Chris looks blank and quickly he hands
the phone to Ken Kedem,
who looks at Chris with great wonder on his face.
He is absolutely dumb-founded.
KEN KEDEM
Hello. Hello, Mr. Ntim? This is Ken
Kedem, yes, of Kedem Imports and
Exports. You have my application.
I’ve been trying to meet you for a discussion
on it.
ALBERT NTIM
(sounding puzzled)
Are you not Jonathan Afful’s father-in-
law?
KEN KEDEM
Yes, yes. But-
ALBERT NTIM
We approved your loan two or three
months ago. I thought that was done?
Listen, I’m a bit busy right now.
I’ll deal with Jonathan on Monday.
I didn’t know that your application is still hanging.
I saw prospects in your Company. Please
call me on Monday.
Ken Kedem is shocked.
They all look at a shamefaced Afful
who is suddenly looking so lost.
KEN KEDEM
Thank you, Mr. Ntim. Much appreciated.
Ken Kedem hands the phone to Chris.
The woman’s voice comes on again.
MRS. AYEH
Chris, bad boy, are you there?
CHRIS
I’m here, Missus.
MRS. AYEH
When are you bringing my money?
CHRIS
Over the weekend, Missus.
MRS. AYEH
You better. Say hi to Effe for me. Bye.
Chris looks at Afful.
CHRIS
(in a very cold voice)
You touch just one hair on Eyram’s head,
just one hair, and you’ll find yourself out
of a job and in police custody, in that
order.
Afful cannot speak.
Chris turns and walks away.
Effe, smiling broadly, looks at Afful with scorn.
EFFE
Who’s smiling now, Jonathan? You know
something? I’m going to befriend this
Mrs. Ayeh, throu-ghmy taxi driver, and I’m
going to befriend her sister,
and I’m going to befriend Mr. Ntim, and you know
why? I’m going to make d–n sure you
lose your job for all the pains you’ve
given my sister!
And with that she swirls and runs after
Chris.
Steve watches her, and he feels sick to
his stomach.
His jealousy is so full he finds it ha-rd
breathing. Imagining Effe with that man,
his hands over hers, his li-ps on hers, is so
painful that he feels it like
daggers cutting throu-ghhis heart.
Eyram approaches Afful.
She sees the fear on his face, the sudden
apprehension.
Suddenly she is revolted by the sight of
him.
Years of having to swallow his abuse
and beatings spill to the fore, and
when she speaks it is with bitterness and
wrath.
EYRAM
You heard your boss, Jon? He approved
my father’s application!
And you have been sitting on it?
You b—–d!
She suddenly kicks Afful in the balls!
Afful screams with pain and collap-ses to
the ground, holding his balls in great
agony.
Steve screams with shock.
Ken Kedem and the others laugh.
KEN KEDEM
Yo!! That’s my girl!
Eyram points a finger at the agony-
stricken Afful.
EYRAM
It is over, Jon. I’m not coming to you
again.
You will hear from my lawyer, you
despicable b—–d!
She takes off her wedding ring and hurls
it at Afful’s head, and then she turns and
walks to her mother.
She takes her crying son from her
mother, and walks away.
Ken Kedem throws his arms into the air
and laughs.
KEN KEDEM
What a day! What a lovely, lovely day!
To be continued….