Duped

revelation

"come on, you've got to be joking, let's go eat please" David chuckled resting by the door frame.

"Do I look like I'm joking?". He had stopped typing now, he close the laptop and looks directly at David.

"Well....why all of a sudden? We have never discussed it before. Why do you want the share of your property?" David asked still confused about the whole topic. He didn't quite get it, Nat sudden need for his property was suspicious. What was he up to?

"Stop asking question please" he sighs in annoyance. It was just a simple request so why so many questions?. He could see the resistance in his face, he thought of what Bella said and wondered if it was true. Did he want all the property for himself?.

"Help me out here, I'm still lost" David said frustrated. What is going on?

"What is it you can't get into your thick skull? I don't want this joint business anymore, I want my share so I can be on my own and do what I want. Jeez.... it's a very clear and simple request. Why are you so hesitant about it?" Nat raised his voice a little higher at David.

David goes speechless at Nat's openness and audacity. It felt like it was another Nat speaking, not his own Nathaniel...not his own brother. What's is really going on?

"I have called the family lawyer already. Be at home by 3 tomorrow with all the required documents" He added. He takes some files and heads to the typing office leaving confused David by the door.

Throughout work, David couldn't concentrate, the scene Nat created earlier wouldn't leave his mind. What happened while he was gone?

He closed early and decided to pick up Bella along the way, he desperately needed someone to talk to. He drives to the catering shop and parks at the parking lot. The place has people flooding in and out. He walks in to the receptionist and ask of Bella.

"Sorry sir, she left a while ago with somebody" the young girl answered politely. She was new so she couldn't tell who was but she could have sworn she had seen him in the news twice or thrice.

Bella left with somebody? Who?, He was able leaving when a girl greeted him. He turned around and greeted back. It was grace.

"Sir, are you looking for Bella? I think your brother came to pick her up" she said

"My brother? Nat?" David asked skeptical. "You know my brother?"

"Why not Sir, you both are popular on the news and I saw him at the grand opening party" she replied.

"Oh.. okay, thanks anyway" He said with a smile and leaves. He drives out of the parking lot and headed home. Nat came to pick up Bella? He didn't know they were that close, he has only seen them exchange greetings but nothing more than that. He did miss a lot during his trip.

He reaches home and goes inside. He climbs the stairs and just has he was about to take his last step to the top, he sees Nat leaving Bella's room ( Bella's room is the first room after the stairs). What was he doing there? He take the last step when he was sure Nat was in his room and heads to Bella's room. The door was slightly ajar, he peeped in quietly and looked around, no one seems to be there. He knocks gently on the door and no one responded. He pushes the door open fully and enters. He looks around and everything looks normal except for the unmade bed. He was still eye assessing it when the bathroom door knob turns and Belle steps out in only a towel.

"You know you could alwa..." She was saying when she sees David and jumps in fear and surprise.

"Gosh .....You scared me. What's are doing just sitting there and how long have you been here?... You are back from work early" she says walking to her wardrobe.

"Sorry for startling you, I just came in" he said still assessing her.

"Hmmm" she draws a short gown over her head and wears it still with a towel around her body. "So...are was work?"

He sighs at the question, he didn't know how to answer, he was planning on talking to her about it but this new mystery about Nat and Bella needed explanation before he losses his mind. He asked her what he had been confused about half an hour ago, "I went to your work to pick you up, but you weren't there, your worker said you followed Nat out" he said with a scrutinizing gaze.

"Yeah, I was having a little headache and planning to go home, when Nat walked in. He said he was craving some "flour goodness" she chuckled. "So I followed him home"

He breathe a breath of relief. It wasn't what his mind was already driving at. But then why was Nat leaving her room? He was about asking when she spoke instead.

"You didn't answer me...I said how was work?" She asked and sits on the bed with David.

He sighs again and narrates everything to Belle.

"Wow..I don't know what to say" she exclaimed.

"Giving him his share isn't a problem, but why does he suddenly want it, why does he suddenly want to stop and do something else? We have been doing business together for the past 10 years, so why now? What changed?" He asked falling face down on the bed.

"Like they say... The only constant thing is change. Maybe he doesn't feel like being partners anymore"

David sighs helplessly for the umpteenth time, he seemed to be doing that a lot.

"I'll go freshen up and come down for dinner" David says as he gets up from the bed. He leaves and goes to his room falling on bed. He felt something on his left arm, it was a gold button. It must be from Bella's room and must have stuck to his left arm when he laid there. He took a look at the button, it wasn't his cause he wasn't on her shirt that has gold buttons and none of his shirt buttons was missing. It must have been Nat's. Yes... He was on a shirt with gold buttons at work. That means he lied on the bed and must have been tackling something to make his button fall off. Something felt fishy and he was going to find out.

He takes off his clothes, takes a bath and walks down to the dining room for dinner. He greets his parents and sits. Nat and Bella join them a few minutes later. While they wait to be served, David clears his throat...

"Mum and.. Dad, Nat told me today that he wanted his share of the property and that he don't want a joint business anymore" He lets out.

All eyes turned to Nat who didn't falter in his blank facial expression. Mrs omotola was the most surprised, in all her years as a mother, she has never expected this. David and Nat flowed very well more than a friend and a brother and the issue of property and shares has never been brought up. This was not her son...No.

"Is that true Nat?" She questioned.

"Yes" he answered calmly.

"And what are your reasons for such decision?"

"Do I have to give a reason for wanting my own money and property again? Please spare me all this questions. When the lawyer comes tomorrow everything will be done with so I can leave. Why is this creating such a ruckus anyway? Is it that hard to hand over what belongs to me?"

"You both have been working together for 10 years Nathaniel. 10 good years and suddenly you come up to say you don't want anymore. What is it that you want to do next since you don't want to partner with your brother anymore"

"That's my own problem, you don't need to bother about it. Do your part and I'll do mine" He replied sharply.

Everywhere went silent and no one knew what to say. Mrs omotola was almost in the verge of tears, her family was falling apart again. Her sons were getting divided, something was terribly wrong.

The helps walked in with the food. It was coconut rice for everyone. The big bowl was placed in the middle of the table while a jug of pineapple juice was placed beside it. They proceeded to serving but Mrs omotola stopped them and waved them to leave.

Nat hisses, gets up and serves himself and began eating almost immediately. Belle gets up and takes Mrs omotola's plate and serves her.

"Ma, please eat even if it's little so you can take your medication" she said concerned.

"Yes my dear, please eat something. We will talk about this in the morning" Mr omotola agrees.

He has been seeing the drama unfolding. He was disappointed in Nat to say the least.

Bella takes her own food and urges David to do same. Few minutes later, everyone was done eating, Nat leaves for his room.. David and Bella were about to do same when Mr David tells David to stay behind and that he wanted to talk to him. Bella leaves.

***

"You were so bold out there, for a second I didn't think you would be able to face your mom about it" she said caressing his toned chest.

He smiled as he looked into her eyes, "I guess you were proven wrong"

"Indeed"

Belle was in Nat's room, she stopped by to see him since David was downstairs with his parents.

"And for that, you deserve a long kiss"

Nat smiled wider, they were both standing in the middle of the room, with Nat's hands round Belle's waist and hers around his neck. She pulled his head closer and crashed her lips into his.

***

David climbed the stairs and headed for Nat's room. His dad had called him back to give him an advice... He said maybe Nat was pissed at something he (David ) did. Probably treated him unfairly about something at work even though David denied doing that. He told him to talk one on one to Nat and see if he can get through to him and know why he made such a decision. David thought of giving it a shot. He was not happy about it and he knows his mum is not happy at all. She hated when David and Nat fought about something and divided. For the sake of his mum and maybe Dad, he was going to speak to him. He walked passed Bella's room, his and arrived at Nats. He was about to knock on the door when he hears someone moaning. He pushes the door open and what he saw was probably the shock of his life.

There they were, eating each other's faces...

His brother and his girlfriend

His wife to be.

He felt betrayal, confusion, anger, sadness and hurt. Questions twirled in his head and his face fumed with anger.

He walked up to them, spun Nat around and landed a blow on his face.

And then it began....

★★★———————————————————★★★

Yello.

Guess whose book has just been officially signed. Mine. I'm so happy. Thank you Dreame and stary writing. Thank you everyone.

And also with this chapter... Duped has clicked 30,000 word count. It now qualifies for the romance suspense contest that expires a few hours from now. I made it even with all the distractions, work and all.

Let's see if I make it to the finals...

I am going to be introducing my second book for the rebirth contest in my next update.... I hope you love it cause I'm pretty excited to start.

#7 Nigeria facts

I forgot yesterday to add that it's like an unwritten tradition to have church weddings on Saturdays. I guess it's because of most people being free at weekends. I have never seen a church wedding held at any day apart from Saturday.

Electricity is one of the issues in Nigeria. Light isn't constant. Off course there rich areas where light are 24/7 but most places are not like that. Some places don't have light for months, years. In where I live, they have a time schedule. There's power around 12am to 2am, 8am to 12pm and 4pm to 6pm. In Nigeria, having that schedule is manageable, very manageable. There are sometimes this schedule is disobeyed, they miss a few days. Their reasons are not always known, but we usually come to our own conclusions. In rainy seasons, electricity are usually scarce, it's like light and rain don't agree. If there's is as much as a little rain, then there's no power for days. Rare occasions when it's raining and there's power, you end up praying they take it, you literally wonder if they made a mistake of bringing power....lol.

And then there are regular times where the transformer has a fault and needs to be repaired. It is first ignored, everyone acts like everything is okay and mind their business but when it has been faulty for weeks then people speak up and repairs it. It's frustrating really. Any house that puts on a generator (a small power source like a substitute that runs on fuel), I run there and plead to charge my phone. That's even less annoying. What about when we are out of water? I gather gallons (25 l****s) and put them in a wheelbarrow and drive them up to where water are sold and fill them up. Then drive them back home. They are freaking heavy and I fill up to 6 of them every two days. My arms are usually sour after that but I have no choice.

We hope things don't continue this way though.

What's the situation in where you stay? Any problems similar to this or is it just me :-(?

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~precious~