Fractured Truth

Shadows of the past

CHAPTER 2

Victor’s grasp on Kira’s slender waist tightened as Winston approached the couple, his imposing figure grabbing the attention of everyone in the room. The chatter eased down, and all eyes turned toward the man who exuded power with every step.

Kira’s body became stiff, her mind an abyss of panic. She could sense Victor’s suspicion sprouting as his eyes flew between her and Winston.

"Kira" “Do you know him?”, Victor uttered quietly, his voice woven with a quiet warning.

With her lips trembling slightly. Kira pasted her rehearsed smile once again on her face. “No,” she lied, her voice calm despite the storm inside. “But he seems... important.”

Winston finally reached the couple; his hazel eyes continued to gaze, never leaving hers. The world seemed to pause briefly, as if the room itself was holding its breath not to give away any details and secrets.

“Victor Bessaw,” Winston calmly greeted him, extending out a hand, his voice was low with a sultry tone, smooth as silk and an unspoken power. “It is a pleasure to finally meet the man I have heard so much about.”

Victor shook his hand; his confidence was polished, but he still had his guard up. "Winston Ofosuhene. I have heard of you as well. It is not every day one meets the man behind such... extensive ventures. As a billionaire, you have the potential to dominate high-end sectors like advanced agriculture, groundbreaking technology, luxury real estate, or even renewable energy."

“I will take your word for it; the pleasure is all mine, Winston said with a dry smile; though he did not look keen, he did respond.

Then, he turned to face Kira, his gaze softening ever so slightly. “And you must be Mrs. Bessaw.”

Winston took Kira's hand, sending an accelerated pulse through her body, his touch lingering just a second too long. His index finger gently scraped the palm of Kira, sending an electric jolt through her with her mind racing, "damn, he is still fine," and she remembered that very night six years ago, her face betrayed her as it turned pink, revealing a beautiful set of white teeth and sparkling eyes.

Her voice was almost a whisper. Yes, she answered. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ofosuhene.”

Winston answered while boring his eyes deeply into hers, "please call me Winston."

Winston’s appearance was breathtaking, and the unsaid force between them was palpable. Kira gulped down hard, her heart thumping in her bust.

Victor, sensing the energy shift, cleared his throat. “Shall we join the others?”

Winston’s gaze continuously lingered on Kira for a moment longer before he nodded. “Of course.”

Kira struggled to maintain her serenity as the threesome moved through the crowd. Winston’s presence was an explosive counter, and she knew it was only a matter of time before everything unraveled.

That same night, Kira searched for peace on the balcony. The gentle breeze coming over the land was a balm for her inner turmoil. She was by no means calm, but she had cooled down enough to think. Clutching the railing and still crazy with fear, she had turned over and over some of the hair-brained ideas in her mind, trying to make sense of them and come up with a plan. "What the hell, Winston! Why are you here?" she whispered, bursting with pent-up energy and dragging her fingers through the wild, unruly strands of her long hair.

As supposed, the old night swallowed her words. A deep baritone unfurled a second later with, "I could ask you the same thing." Kira turned toward the voice, feeling almost dizzy, a different kind of energy coursing through her as she faced the figure. Winston remained still, his hands tucked inside his pockets, but his eyes were fixed on Kira. How did you find me, she asked, in a high-pitched trembling voice?

"I did not," Winston declared, his eyes fixated on hers with forceful intensity. He took a step forward, his voice low, almost a whisper, but filled with a kind of fire that could scorch the earth if given half a chance.

"But now that I have you, I..." He took another step, almost invading her space. "I am not letting you slip through my fingers again." Kira's breath caught in her throat. Instinct urged her to back up, yet the metal railing of the balcony was against her. Trapped.

Her one-thought command center told her that her heart might be about to explode. It sounded like a drum throbbing in her chest as the warm air between her and him turned hot and heavy with tension. "You do not understand..." she stated, in the same way a soldier might begin an order to retreat. "I comprehend much more than you presume," he interrupted his voice a blend of low, firm, and frustrated undertones.

"Six years, Kira. Six years spent on inquiries that went nowhere, on futile searches for clues, and on nights when my eyes were wide open when they should have been shut. I do deserve an explanation."

The tears were threatening to fall, but for now, she was still seeing—as and as long as was necessary. "You really do not understand what you are asking of me, Winston," she said. "It is not just a demand. It is like this colossal Mount Everest thing you're trying to get me to climb."

The hand brushed against hers; the contact sent a familiar jolt of electricity through her body.

What she was touching was slightly more than alive. It had a warmth that was unmistakably his. But in so doing, she was trying to recall him...his face, hair, and memory tinged with warmth that descended from her brain and swirled suggestively around her heart.

She had missed him before; now, she was on the verge of saying that she missed him a lot. "Then tell me," he urged, his voice softening while his fingers grazed her arm.

"Just let me in, Kira. Let me aid you." The conviction in his voice nearly undid her. But just as she opened her mouth to respond, he shifted closer, and his breath hit her ear as if it were meant to be a secret. "Six years, Kira," he said. "Surely you remember."

Even if she had tried, she could not have forgotten. Her resolve had wavered enough that all she could do was remember. What else could she do? The nights spent tangled with him, the promises made in that darkness, the secrets they had sworn to keep...the man was as much a part of her as the falsehoods she was now living in. In a broken whisper, she admitted, "I never forgot," her gaze momentarily directed to his lips before she could help it.

Winston's eyes dimmed, and some flicker of the primitive crossed his face. He reached up and tenderly cupped her cheek, contradicting the brewing storm between them. Before the moment could develop any further, a voice cut through the tension like a knife. "Kira," came Victor's icy tone, slicing through the night. With her head turned sharply, she found Victor standing in the doorway.

His jaw was clenched, and his dark eyes were scanning Winston with the kind of disdain and wariness that made Winston feel like a lab rat under examination.

“Victor,” she stammered, retreating quickly from Winston. “It’s not what you think...” Taking in the sight of Victor, the sheer size and weight of him nearly eclipsing the doorway leading to the balcony, made my heart race. When he was like this, all quiet intensity and barely restrained power, I could convince myself, for a moment, that he was not also the person I had just seen, moments before, lying to a couple of recruits.

Winston didn’t flinch. Instead, he straightened, his shoulders squared, as he met Victor’s challenging stare directly. “She’s not going anywhere with you.” Kira felt the gut-wrenching churn of her stomach as the tension between the two men crackled like electricity.

"This isn't just about me anymore," she thought. "Deeper forces are at play here...forces my father and Winston aren't even aware of—that I can't let either of them face." "Stop," she said with a firmness she didn't really feel.

She stepped between them and raised her voice just a little. It was a strength she didn't really feel, but it managed to carry well enough for both men to hear. "This is not the time." “Winston began to speak, but his voice had become softer, almost pleading. ‘Kira,’ he said.”