(Bella stormed into the office)
“What did you think you were doing? How do you explain what happened yesterday?” she requested.
“Miss Zaynab, do you realize that you’re before me, the director? What effrontery have you got to dispense your words against me in that impertinent manner? Have you lost your sense of recognition and respect for my position?”
“Mark, my respect for you has immensely mitigated. You did that iniquitous and dirty act yesterday and you still think you can command my respect? You’re such a nefarious, depraved, sinister, villainous, …”
“Silence girl! How dare you? I wouldn’t just stay here and watch you fire such words at me in such insubordinate manner. And what exactly is the big deal about what happened yesterday? At least, I’ve also offered you some things from my possessions, so, what is the big deal if I also benefit from your possessions? Did I not spend on you? Did I not care for you? Did I not treat you fairly after you had your experience with John?” Mark said.
“You were not fair enough. What has happened to John? What actions have you taken against him for what he did?” Bella said.
“And what actions do you expect him to take against me?” a voice came from behind.
Bella looked back and to her surprise, it was John speaking.
“What is happening here?” (Bella was puzzled)
“Bella, you are such a fool. Anyways, in case you are wondering why we did what we did to you, I’m telling you that such experience was required of you to keep that office. Let me do you a favour by declaring unto you the requirements of that office as far as our company is concerned. If you want to remain in that office, you will have to be having sexual relations with me and the Director anytime we call you for it as long as you are still holding the office. Even if you get married and give birth to 6 children, it will still be like that. Listen, even if your husband is my best friend, it will still continue to be so. And for your information, you are already passing your test, even though you reluctantly and unwillingly did, and consequentially, we have regarded your case as better than the previous individuals who tried to secure that office. And that is because we couldn’t have our way with them, because they were wise and smart. You Bella, are just so foolish. A man invited you to a hotel, at 6:00 pm in the evening, and asked you to go wait for him in a hotel room, and you still had no idea about what he would likely do to you? But still, I would congratulate you for your foolishness, because it has earned you the chance to get to the stage where you are now. You are almost there Bella and I advise you don’t back out now. Just agree to the requirements I have presented to you, and you’ll get there.” John said.
“Both of you are wolves in sheep’s clothing. Why do I have to do this? Is it not my academic and official abilities that I want to exert in the office? Is that really an official requirement for the office? Why is it in the picture? I’m definitely not going to agree to that. Do you think I can ever consent to you having your way with me again? Definitely not. Keep your job to yourself and I will keep my body to myself” Bella said and she turned to leave.
“Before you go Bella, listen to me. I advise you not to deceive your heart. Listen to your heart, what does it want? What do you yearn for in your life? Don’t you want luxury? Don’t you want societal relevance? Don’t you want influence? Don’t you want to make money? Just listen to your heart, and perceive what it wants. And I’m telling you now that those things that your heart wants are staring at your face, and I advise you don’t just try to hide away from it. A saying goes that one man’s food is another man’s poison. Ask yourself what food your heart wants and I’m telling you if you don’t give it its desired food, you may end up giving it poison and that will hurt you bitterly. And there you are talking about your body, I’m asking, what body? No, you tell me, what body are you talking about? Is it the same one I and Mr. Mark have enjoyed? So what is so special about the body you are talking about? Look here, we are still giving you the chance, even though you’ve jeopardized your chances of having it with all the drama you’ve been putting up, but we still choose to consider you. Now finally, do you agree or not? said John.
Bella got so exasperated at that moment, her heart filled with vengeance. She just felt like doing something really severe to them, but her strength was no match compared to that of the both of them combined. Anyways, in zeal for revenge, Bella grabbed her two shoes and threw it at them as hard as she could, but that didn’t really have any efficacious effect. Consequentially, John moved towards her like he would hit or do something hurtful to her, and Bella dashed out of the office for safety. She still had the memories of what happened between her and John, so she had idea about what could happen if John got hold of her. John tried to chase Bella, but was intercepted by the command of Mark.
Bella ran down the stairs and outside the building, but before she exited the compound, she raised her voice and cursed them. She kept cursing them utterly and while that was going on, John threw her shoes at her and threatened to call for security officers to hold her. On hearing that, Bella picked her shoes and ran out of the compound through the gate as fast as she could, and she eventually exited the office premises. Bella cried as she headed home.
When Bella got home, she recounted her experienced to her roommates and they consoled her.
“But what do you intend to do now, since you’ve chosen not to go back to the company?” one of them asked.
“Right now, I have no other place to go. I think I will just try searching for job again to see if I can find one. But wait, I want to ask you girls. What are you people into? What jobs do you do? I just see that you guys talk on telephone like you’re securing appointments or doing business or anything of sort. I just see that you girls dress and go on outings and then you come back home. You daily schedule is not fixed in the sense that, there isn’t a particular period you go out or come in. so what are you girls doing? Please show me the way now. Help your girl.” said Bella.
“We? We are just hustlers oo. As in, we just go out to hustle, searching for different means that could come our way, searching for possible opportunities out there. So, we are just hustlers, you get?” Tracy replied her.
“Hustlers? So what type of hustle do you girls do? What type of opportunities do you search for out there?” Bella was curious to know.
“Ogbeni, Wa! Your own don dey too much oo. We be hustler be say we be hustler. Take am like that. Abi, wetin happen self?” Shandy said. Shandy was the most unrefined and aggressive one of the four. She often spoke local dialect.
“Girls, please now, help me. Show me the way. We’ve wined and dined together, we have lived together for quite some time and we have become one. Why are you hiding things from me?” Bella still demanded to know.
Three of them (Bella’s roommates) made some expressions to one another, signaling some messages across and reaching a conclusion.
“Ehn ehn! You wan know? Okay! Tracy oya yarn am opkata now make she know as e dey go” said Shandy.
“Bella, you’re asking about what we do. Are you ready to do what we do? You know what, if you are ready to do what we do, you wouldn’t have left your job at that company. As in, you wouldn’t have rejected offer to be retained there and fulfill their requirements.” said Tracy.
“I don’t understand. What do you mean?” said Bella.
“Bella, we are into runs. As in, we are runs girls.” said Tracy.
“Runs? What are you girls running for? What runs?” Bella didn’t get her message.
“Oh! You don’t understand. Okay, we are marketers. We market our personal goods. Do you get it now?” Tracy tried to elucidate a little further for her to get the message.
“Oh! Marketing is a good one. But I don’t really understand. What personal goods do you people market?” said Bella.
“Yeh! Na where there from carry this girl come self? Dem tell you runs, you no get? Dem tell you marketers, you know get? No be for this our country you take grow? Abeg, if she no get, make we close the case talk another one jare.” Shandy said.
“Ahn ahn! Please don’t do that. Tell me explicitly so I can understand.” said Bella.
“Okay! Bella, we are prostitutes! I hope you now get the meaning of the personal goods that we market now?” said Tracy
“What?! So you girls are prostitutes? Is that how you make you money?” asked Bella.
“Well, since you want us to help you, let me further help you by furthering the details. We are actually not doing this on our own. We belong to a society, an international one at that. So we would keep working for the society and when it gets to a stage, we will be transferred to another country as a promotion for us. We actually have some leaders, who are in charge of our country’s division of the society both at the federal level and the respective states level. So if you are wondering how our meeting with our clients work, let me disclose that to you as well. Clients who are interested in our services would contact the management and the required details about their personalities and their particular interests in our services would be recorded. After negotiations, if they are able to arrive at conclusions in our favour in the sense that the client is ready to pay and receive our services, the management would assigned people amongst us according the clients’ interests to go meet with them. After providing the services, they would pay us and we would return to the office with the money and will be given our share out of it. And that is how we make money. So when are you coming to our office so I can introduce you to the management?” Tracy said.
“Coming for what? It’s like something is wrong with your brain. I would never subscribe for the idea of selling my body to earn a living. Never!” Bella retorted.
“Ehn ehn! Ehn, dey there now dey look. But abeg, if you no just want wahala for inside this our domot, not just try beg me for money oo. If you beg me for money, na trailer go jam you.” Shandy said and she left the scene.
Bella’s roommates were prostitutes, and she did not know all these while. And Bella got disappointed again, she was not able to get any means through her roommates. Anyways, she was determined to move on. Days after, Bella called her mom to request for some money but did not relate anything about her experiences with John and Mark. She did not even tell her she no longer worked in the company. She just told her she needed the money for some important things. Eventually, her mother sent some money to her. Bella was relieved; at least the chances that she would beg for money from her roommates were reduced to some extent. She also had some of the money she got from Mark anyways. So all the money combined, she thought she was good to go for some days.
However, one of those days while she was living with her roommates, she went out on an outing with Tracy. Bella and Tracy do get along unlike Shandy, the unrefined girl, who would at many times act harsh on Bella. Janet, their fourth one, was a little better. Anyways, while Bella and Tracy were out, Tracy met a man who she recognized as one of their regular clients identified as Richard. They exchanged pleasantries and the eyes of Richard’s eyes caught Bella. Richard called Tracy aside and asked about Bella as he had developed interest in her. He was such a promiscuous man. He professed his interest in having her and asked Tracy to help him out. Tracy, quite aware of who Bella was, rejected going on such errand and tried to discourage Richard and asking him to desist from her. But Richard was adamant and he offered to award her with some nice cash if she would do the assignment successfully. On hearing that offer, Tracy agreed. This is money we are talking about. Richard even gave her some upfront payment and promised to give her the remaining pay if she succeeded.
Tracy agreed, but how was she going to do it. It would be quite difficult to relate such issue to Bella, knowing that she hated to hear such and Tracy also didn’t want to lose out on the rewards of the assignment. But, do you know what? She eventually did it. Yes, she did it. How did they do it? Marijuana? Codeine? Weed? Tramadol? Whatever! The message is that she was drugged. Tracy appeared to Bella like a good friend, so she did not see it coming. She was set up, drugged, and for the third time, it happened!
However, the drug she consumed this time was of a different kind. It didn’t take long before she regained consciousness after the sexual experience. Richard had not exited the room too. He was anticipating that she would become conscious so he could give her some money. That was what it meant for him, Richard the regular customer. Richard said some words to her, dropped the money, dropped his contact and left the room. Richard was a pretty rich guy, so he gave Bella some nice sum of money, higher than what he would pay for the services he received from Tracy’s society. It happened again to Bella. What a life! What an experience!
Bella felt shocked and disappointed at Tracy’s actions. She never expected such from Tracy. This time, Bella chose not to confront Tracy with the issue because she didn’t know the reaction she would get. She feared for the possible shock she could have if Tracy didn’t react to her confrontation in a remorseful manner. She recollected how Mark reacted to her confrontation after he did what he did. She was surprised at his reaction. So Bella didn’t talk about the issue while she was still in the house with them. And Tracy herself did not even say anything about it; she just acted like nothing happened. But the relation between them got estranged and they avoided each other. As they both tried to act like nothing happened, the memory of the incident was still in their minds. But Bella just pretended to be calm outwardly. Inwardly, she was boiling. A lot was going on in her mind. She felt like doing something to her situation. Her heart was just heavy with desperation and vengeance, and she felt the strong urge to satisfy it. Bella started to think of what to do. The desperate way she felt at that time coupled with the memories of her deplorable experiences influenced the direction at which she thought. And eventually, Bella made some despicable decisions. She was just all about satisfying the desperate feelings in her heart, and consequentially, her decisions were badly affected.
Bella was in possession of some money; remember Mark, her Mom, and Richard. She connected with some agents who dealt with house rent and accommodation and she was able to secure an accommodation with some of the money. Bella moved out of the house where she lived with Tracy and others without their knowledge and she packed into the newly gotten abode. While she was there, she started working out her plans. What were the plans anyway?
“Hello! Is that Richard?”
“Yes, and who am I speaking with?”
“This is Bella.”
“Oh Bella! I’m so delighted to hear from you. It’s been a while we saw and I’ve really missed you. The experience I had with you that day was so…”
(Cuts in) “Leave all that talk. I have an offer for you. I’m now willing to have an affair with you and be your partner. And you know what? I’m not going to be doing it for any pay. I don’t want any money in return. I just want to be going out and having fun with you.” said Bella.
“Are you serious?” Richard asked in delight.
“Yeah. I’m really serious. So when can we meet? I want it to be as soon as possible.” replied Bella.
“Really? Oh! This is great. We can see this night, if you don’t mind. I don’t know if that is okay by you.”
“It is fine by me. Just send me the appointed venue and time and other necessary details. I’ll be there.” and Bella hung up the phone.
After that call, Bella immediately contacted the medical practitioner who checked on her after her experience with John. After they met that night, Bella and Esther, the practitioner had been talking on some occasions and Bella had been updating her about some of her life experiences as time went on. So Esther knew about her experiences with John, Mark, Richard and Tracy. Prior to that time, Esther had agreed to provide Bella with some poison which Bella planned for it to serve a purpose in her plans. So Bella actually contacted Esther to request for the poison. Esther sent someone to her with the poison in response to her request. After she got the poison, Bella prepared for the night.
That night, Bella and Richard met according to their agreement, and Bella really offered her body to him willingly. It was in a hotel room. Although, she disliked to have such an affair but it was all about fulfilling her goals. After their sexual affair, Bella asked Richard if he cared for water which he responded to in the affirmative. He reached for the telephone to call customer service for the water, but Bella stopped him from that.
“Their customer service may be poor and it may take long a time before they bring the water. Let me help you go get it.” Bella said.
Richard reached for his wallet to give her some money to get them water and other drinks, but Bella refused. She offered to take care of that. To Richard, Bella was just been nice and amazing and she was going to make a good partner. Bella reached for her bag and brought out some money and of course, the poison and headed for the hotel bar. She bought two bottles of water and a bottle of wine and requested for two glasses. While heading back to the room, Bella injected one of the bottled water with poison which left a mark on it with which she could recognize it. Bella got back into the room, and offered the water to Richard which he consumed. Bella spent some time with him, chatting, drinking and “playing” so as not to arouse any suspicion in him about what was happening. Eventually, Bella declared her intentions to leave, and Richard declared that he was set to leave too. They both left the room, but Bella didn’t forget to pack the bottles which contained the water they drank. They both left the hotel and Richard offered to drop Bella off, but she declined the offer. And they departed. That was the nature of the poison. It would stay for sometime before it starts to act. This was to lessen the chances of the murder case being traced to Bella as her plan was to part with whoever she wished to poison before it starts working. Anyways, in the case of Richard, it was successful.
As Richard was driving home, he started feeling some pain in him and he packed the car to check on himself. Eventually, Richard died in his car. That was part of the plans Bella wished to accomplish and it didn’t end there. However, the bottom line is Bella killed Richard.