CHAPTER TEN: “Lola Breaks”
537 Words
CHAPTER TEN: “Lola Breaks”
POV: Lola Adebayo
Lola sat in the chair again.
Same room. Same inspector. Same questions—only this time, his stare was colder. Sharper. Like he already knew the truth and was just waiting for her to say it out loud.
Alabi didn’t waste time.
He pressed play on the video.
Adanna’s voice filled the room.
Lola’s hands started shaking by the second sentence.
By the end, she was staring at the wall like it could swallow her.
“You knew,” Alabi said calmly. “You knew what she had on Chuka. On you.”
Lola didn’t speak.
“I can charge you right now for obstruction. Lying during investigation. Tampering with evidence.”
Still nothing.
Then Alabi pulled out a photo.
It was one of the ones Ify found in Adanna’s desk.
A black car. License plate circled in red.
Lola blinked fast. Her lips parted.
“I didn’t… I didn’t kill her.”
“Then talk.”
Silence.
He slammed his hand on the table. “TALK!”
Lola jumped.
Then finally—finally—she spoke.
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“She was going to ruin me.”
Her voice was low. Flat.
“She knew everything. Not just about Chuka. About me too. I was helping move the money. The fake businesses. I let them use my company name to hide it. It started with one deal, then another. I thought it was harmless.”
She looked up.
“Then Nora disappeared.”
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Alabi leaned back.
“You were in love with Chuka.”
Lola nodded once.
“We dated in secret. Before he proposed to Adanna. Then he dropped me like I was nothing.”
“And you still stood next to her on her wedding day.”
“She begged me to. Said if I didn’t, she’d tell everyone about my part in the deals. My name would be finished.”
“So you went to her suite that morning.”
“Yes.”
“To do what?”
Lola looked down at her hands.
“She made me sign a confession. Handwritten. Said if I didn’t, she’d go live with the receipts right there in the ballroom. I signed it. Then I begged her. Told her to wait. Told her I’d help her leak Chuka’s part if she spared me.”
“Did she agree?”
“No.”
Alabi narrowed his eyes.
“What happened after?”
“She told me to leave. Said her final surprise was coming during the vows. A video. Something big.”
“Did you see anyone else on your way out?”
She paused.
“Yes.”
“Who?”
“…Her father.”
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Alabi’s pen stopped moving.
“Chief Okoye?”
Lola nodded.
“I didn’t think it was weird. He always checked on her. But now…”
Now her voice cracked.
“I left her alive. I swear. She was angry, but breathing. I didn’t hurt her.”
Alabi stood slowly.
“You’re not off the hook. But you just gave me something valuable.”
He walked to the board.
Crossed out Lola.
And circled the last name:
Chief Okoye.
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End of Chapter 10.
- Writer
