MY TREASURED DESIRE

CHAPTER ELEVEN: Richer By Two Hundred And Fifty Thousand Dollars!

You are Richer by $250,000=

Achaia Casinos Edifice, New Beijing, Achaia.

“Finally, you nailed the Trillionaire, Miss Merkel. Congratulations!” The Big Boss told me triumphantly, in a croaky, rumble voice. “Do check your Bank Details. You are richer by $250,000=”

“My friends assured me that the video will not be leaked... I hope that is correct?” I looked seriously at my host and said, to secure assurance: “He is now my fiancé. I am not waiting to terminate the relationship in 6 months, anymore. I would now marry him.”

The Big Boss pressed the table bell’s button beside the wasted cigar stubs... Two hefty men came beside the boss for instruction. “I just want you to hear her words... Kindly say that again, Miss Merkel?!”

“I was just telling the Big Boss that I want to marry the Prince of Achaia, hence I want you to stick to our assurance that the video would not be leaked,” I had boldly reiterated. The cosy office quaked with the laughter that followed.

The Big Boss' croaky voice thundered again: “Girl, you are too young to teach us the job we had been doing before you were born... I must sound a warning: For your safety, refrain from talking about the s*x video between The Emperor's Grandson and yourself. Your life is only safe when the matter does not backfire. When you cooperate, we have no reason for blackmailing the prince... based on your s*x acts. If you tell anyone, or the matter leaks through you, the next deal will be truncated, and we won't guarantee your safety when the video issue is traced to us! Is that right?”

I was dumbfounded... Now, I got really scared. The Big boss revealed the next deal: “Deliver a harmless letter tagged ‘ESPIONAGE’ that is on his table to us the same way you delivered the video... Your college girlfriends should not be aware, for your own safety. I repeat, trust your college girlfriends with our deals – henceforth - to your own peril. $500,000= will be yours! Any Salient Question?!”

“Is this a gamble, deal or blackmail?!” I said, puzzled.

“Is that all you need to know?”

“O Yeah?! I won’t sell my future husband for a few quids.”

“None of the above... However, we have no deal with your latter statement, we have a fixed price.” The Big Boss knocked the table softly. Whatever that meant, in the next minute, I found myself outside the complex Achaia Casinos' Dazzling Building as if I just stood up, bruised from the roadside.

***

24 Hours After the Casino Matter

The Imperial Palace Dome, Lagos, Achaia.

In front of a large expensive-looking marble table sat a spectacularly handsome gentleman with sparkling green eyes. He reminds someone of the impeccable Prince Reynold. Total identical twins’ resemblance… These two Princes have a lot of things in common, but the only difference is the colour of their eyeballs… His Yves Saint Laurent suit should be worth about $150,000= without his trendy shoes … These two Princes were born two days apart, Prince Reynold being the elder. The first cousins have the same dress sense, voice modulation, gestures in mannerism, and all… Behind him were two heavily built macho men in trendy suits – his orderlies. Behind the Executive table in the large office, is his big cousin – Prince Reynold Chang, who looked a little bit ruffled and puzzled.

“O Green Ray, General of the Special Secret Service of Achaia,” muttered the Crown Prince – looking through a wad of photographs – “How far have you gone with these spies' case?”

“My Lord, the Blue Rey, I only made the ‘Palace Counter-Terrorism Squad' to use The King’s Choice without her understanding... The crack intelligence team tactically retrieved information on the Casino Cartel that we need. The technology can only be detected by those who planted it!”

“The King” was Prince Reynold's father – his grandfather was the Emperor - while “the King's choice” refers to Miss Greta Merkel. The desperation of Greta Merkel to keep fueling her fiendish dreams to raise money for gambling vice and power, was the bait used to investigate her patrons. The little information that Reynold got from Ms. Greta had been immediately sent to Gen. Raymond Chang, for processing. General Raymond's Crack Team then set a tab on her movements. Candid Cameras – carefully sneaked in to cleave to Greta's clothes and used to take detailed pictures of anyone who mingled with Greta. The candid camera also recorded clips of the s*x-act videos with the Crown Prince, when Ms. Greta was made to watch “their performance” in the presence of the Big Boss. Every discussion with the Big Boss was video-recorded and simultaneously monitored at General Raymond’s SSSA Audio Room.

The file tagged ESPIONAGE was emptied into another storage and kept in a maximum security safe. The file’s original content was replaced with another information. It was a perfect job that gave out a genuine information on the Foreign Business Partner of the Casino Cartel and their plan to destabilize the Imperial Government of Achaia - instead of what the Casino Cartel was expecting: Achaia’s Top Secret Action Plan on The Special Joint Military Force that are equipped to wipe out some Secret Enemies of Achaia... That decision was taken so that the Casino Cartel would not know that their cover had been blown. On the other hand, there would be a need for the State to create a deep-rooted distrust been Casino Cartel and their most trusted foreign allies. Painstakingly, it was planned that Greta would make more money from the Casino Cartel as a blind mole of the Government. General Raymond Chang had also planted a mole amongst the topmost authorities of Casino Cartel to either corrupt the video of the s*x-act or stylishly vandalise the electronic safes that has the incriminating evidence connected to the Prince of Achaia.

***

Princess Reese - The Approval.

Reese’s Suite - Royal Guests Mansions, Nri City.

Meanwhile, at the same time, at Dr. Reese’s Mansion Room at the George-Orji’s–

There was a gentle tap at my Suite’s door. Without any enquiries, I opened the door from the inside… I was already fully dressed in the pink evening wear sent to me by Alex Junior. Behold, the visitor has a pair of beautiful brown eyes with the white part of the eyes being so clear. He was muscular, surprisingly youthful-looking and very fair for an African. But looking at his face, it was the same as Alex Junior… Just a little bit more mature. He has this aura of an essentially very classy and wealthy man. My third sense informed me that here appears my always so busy Father-in-law to be: Behold, the Ex-Governor of Oil-Palm Rich State, Sir Dr. Alex George-Orji.

I placed my right hand on my chest and brightened up my face: “Oh Welcome, Dad!” I tried to go on my knees as I have watched some African actors do on TV when welcoming a king or highly respected elder… But he gently took my hand and pulled me up. And I felt as if I had no weight at all as he picked me up effortlessly.

“It is my pleasure, Lovely Daughter… I almost thought you would not recognise me since my children may not have shared my pictures with you. How are you, and your father back home? I hope the King, my friend, is fine?”

“We are fine, Dad. Your friend – my dad - too… Do forgive my manners… Please honour me by coming in, Your Excellency.” I spoke like African Journalists do welcome people of his calibre. He entered and the door clicked close on its own.

We sat and discussed as if we had been well acquainted. The striking resemblance between my would-be husband and his father was more than prominent. I never expected that twin-like resemblance – though, the Architect and former Governor will always look older than his 25-year-old son. Same colour, physique, and courtesy. He apologised to me that he had never been around since I had been coming to Africa. It was his nature of business and his little responsibilities as one of the Elder Statesmen (of the State). He went ahead to discuss a few things about his First Son and heir… It was heart-warming, I tell you. This is a master communicator, and a very easy man to relate with. He was impressed with my growing understanding of African courtesies. Then, he shocked me with his reflections…

“I do hope my son will conclude proper steps to bring you home, before his 26th Birthday? You remind me of my wife’s homecoming… Then, my dad met Lucy alone during her visit to our own home in England… He looked into Lucy’s eyes and said… ‘I can’t miss this reality for once… You are the same lovely Princess I saw while I was praying… It happened that I fell into a deep trance and saw you sitting on a throne beside my son’s throne seat… You became his queen! I hope to welcome you home soon as the Queen-in-Waiting!’ I was so embarrassed when Lucy told me about her discussion with my dad… That is more so because few hours before they met, I had just proposed to Lucy… Thank God she had already agreed to marry me…” He sank back into the grand sofa and we laughed!

He realised that he had to go. So, I knelt beside him as I had seen in an African movie… He prayed heartily for me, in that surprising Alex Junior voice that made me open my eyes while I bowed… And like his son, he raised my head, then planted a kiss on my forehead. He helped me to get up and tried to leave. But he produced a small, wrapped gift and gave it to me…

“Would you want me to open this pleasant surprise, Now, Sir?” I asked, and he replied that it was so kind of me to ask. In Africa, some parental gifts are appreciated and kept for opening at another time. However, where the elder wishes, he could get you excited to open it in his presence. “I do feel so elated for being honoured to be in the same room discussing with you, dad,” I finally succumbed while making the courteous gesture of half-kneeling.

“Open it at your leisure - Maybe in the presence of your husband-to-be!” The Crown Prince said with a charming smile. Would he have known that his son had proposed? His own father also met Alex Junior’s Mom shortly after their proposal.

His Excellency, Sir Dr Alex George-Orji left after a Father-Daughter hug. I felt as if I got his acceptance already! Did he dream that I would be his son’s Queen too? I laughed happily.

Twenty minutes after Alex’s dad left, I was still happy about my luck, when I heard a similar tap at the door… Oh, I quickly looked around whether my Father-in-law to-be had forgotten something behind… I turned around and opened the door again, saying: “Oh, Dad…”

Alas, it was my Alex… Then, Ndidi… They brought themselves into the suite one after the other, patting me in the same place, by my waist, before responding to who I had mentioned while Alex knocked.

“Dad?” Alex repeated what I had said, in a surprised tone. And Ndidi nodded as if she wanted a bigger explanation… I broke the silence with the exciting information. And Alex turned to Ndidi and gave her an excited peck on the cheek.

“I did the right thing,” Alex said, victoriously, lifting his two arms - with his shining eyes dazzling.

“Welcome Home, Sister-in-law,” Ndidi said with a burst of emotion. Then, she said… “When will I be allowed to show my best friend my favourite spot at the Palace?”

The two siblings shouted, “Now Time!” I can only laugh heartily. Amazing duo!