Poisoned love episode 22 – 24
Poisoned Love
(The Break-up)
Episode 22
Writer: Faith Lucky
Sophia walked around the vicinity, feeding her
eyes. Her mom had gone in with the rest of her
colleagues.
The venue was very big and was also very pretty
– radiant – looking.
The day had already gone dark, but the bright
fashionable lights around overcame the darkness.
Sophia continued walking around and at a
particular point, she ran into someone.
It was a boy, standing with his back turned
against her and he definitely looked familiar.
It was Steven.
Sophia was surprised. What was he doing there?”
she thought.
“Steven?” she called and he turned around,
patently surprised at seeing her.
“Wh… What’re you doing here?” she asked.
“I… Uh… accompanied my mom to the meeting”,
he stuttered, still trying to comprehend the
moment.
“uhm… How about you? What’re you doing here?”
he asked.
“I also came with my mom”, Sophia replied,
starring directly into his eyes.
Somehow, he couldn’t stare back at her.
They both stood still, probably searching for the
right thing to say. But they couldn’t search
deeper. Their hearts were too heavy.
Then Steven finally turned around to leave but
Sophia called him back.
“you don’t even show up at the hospital” she
said to his back as he halted. “I mean, we might
not be together again, but couldn’t you see it as
a friendly act?”
Steven remained silent. He didn’t want to turn
around to look at her. It was better she didn’t
see the look in his eyes – the look of what? The
look of penitence.
“what happened, Steven?” her voice was
beginning to waver. “I thought I meant something
to you?”
“I’m sorry, Sophia”. He replied. “it’s complicated
and I don’t expect you to understand.”
“well then, make me understand!” he said
ruefully. “what better explanation do you have for
using and dumping me? Tell me, Steven, what?”
At that point, Michelle came into the scene. She
had called Steven a while ago and he had told
her where he was with his mom.
“what’s going on, Steven?” she asked, looking
surprised. She couldn’t understand why Sophia
was there as well.
“you little bitch! What’re you doing with him
again?” she snapped and tried hitting Sophia but
was held back by Steven.
“Michelle, please. Let’s get out of here”, he said
as he forcefully took Michelle away.
Sophia remained there, weeping.
She watched them walking away, his hands
around her. And she couldn’t help but weep more
bitterly.
*
The car drove at a dizzying speed and pulled up
in front of Sophia’s apartment.
Oliver turned off the ignition and pressed the
unlock button for Sophia to get down. He had
been very quiet throughout the drive and Sophia
couldn’t help but ponder over his strange silence.
“thank for the ride”, she said as she alighted the
car with him.
Oliver didn’t say anything immediately as he
leaned on his car.
What was wrong with him?
“Michelle told me you were with Steven last
night”, he finally spoke out. “what were you
doing with him?”
Sophia was surprised knowing that was his
problem.
“I… It was just a coincidence. I accompanied my
mom to a conference meeting and met him
there”. She replied.
Oliver bent his head for a while.
“you’re still in love with him,, aren’t you?” he
asked, his voice sounding bittered.
“Oliver, I…”
“just give me an answer,, Sophia. You still love
Steven,, don’t you?”
There was a pause as Sophia became tearful
again.
“I… I guess you’re right”, she sniffles. “maybe I
still love him”.
“after everything he’s done? Are you this weak?”
Oliver said angrily and realized he had been a bit
raucous.
A tear had dripped down Sophia’s cheek.
He moved closer to her and held her hands.
“Sophia, I’m… I’m sorry. But, knowing you still
think about Steven hurts me a lot. Haven’t I been
a better friend to you? Sophia, I just want you to
know I’m always here for you and I can be
everything you want me to be, okay?”
He cleaned the years from her eyes with his
palm and embraced her.
Episode 23
Treasure was in the school eatery. She wasn’t
really eating, but she was reading and only kept
herself busy with a bottle of water.
Then, shortly, Lily walked up to her table and sat
with her.
“hello, Treasure. Mind if I joined you?” she asked
exurbantly.
“what do you want, Lily? I don’t need any
company”, replied Treasure.
“come on, Treasure. I’m not here for trouble. I
just want to spend some time with a friend”.
“a friend? I don’t seem to remember when we
became friends”.
Lily smiled and brought out two canned drinks
from her bag.
“here. Have a drink”, she said as she kept the
drink in front of Treasure.
“I don’t need it. Thanks.”
“Treasure, please. I don’t have any issues with
you or your friend, Sophia. The only person I
detest so much is Michelle and you know it”.
Treasure stared at the drink and starred at Lilly.
Well, she needed something cold and tasty.
She opened it and drank from it.
“by the way, Treasure”, Lily continued, also
sipping from her drink. “how’s your friend doing?
I heard she was ill”.
“yes. But she’s feeling better now. Soon, she’ll
be back in school.”
“hm. Poor Sophia. I really feel bad for her. You
know, I tried warning you guys. But at that time,
you had seen me as an enemy”.
Treasure sighed pathetically.
“I wish I had the slightest idea he was going to
act this stupid. It pains me a lot to know my
friend is one of his victims.”
“but, you know, I’m still curious. What really
transpired between both of them? Was there an
argument or something?”
“no, there wasn’t. He just showed up in school
and told her it was over between them”.
“hm. But that’s Strange. I can’t believe Steven
would use and dump Sophia the same way he
did to me. He… He did use her, right?”
Treasure starred keenly at her. Where was she
headed?
“uhm… Sorry, I have to go. I’m running late for a
lecture”, Treasure said and left in a brisk.
Lily looked at her with beady eyes.
It seemed she was running away from her
question.
“he did use her, right?” she spoke silently, to
herself. “of course, he did”.
**
Lily knocked on the gate of Steven’s apartment
and the gateman opened up.
The gateman, being dressed in his usual uniform
was holding a slice of bread. But immediately he
saw Lilly, he gulped down the last piece of it.
“hi, Timothy”, Lily said as she passed through the
gate, looking spiffy in her short high wa-ist skirt,,
tucked in with a blue shirt.
“welcome, ma’am Lily. Long time”, he replied,
starring at her from head to toe.
“you’re right, Timothy. It’s really been long. Well,
you should know it wasn’t my fault. Uhm… By
the way, is Steven at home?”
“yes, he’s in. But he warned me strictly not to be
disturbed by anyone, whomsoever.”
Lily moved further with him to stand properly
under a shade.
“hm”, she sighed. “I really wanted to talk to him.
He’s been acting strange lately in school”.
“not just in school, ma’am Lily, but also here at
home. He’s no longer cheerful, barely goes out
and even his mom has been complaining a lot
about it”.
“wow. Could you… Maybe, have any clue
regarding his changes in attitude?”
“well, I don’t really know much. But the much I
can say is that, it all started the day one of his
friends came over to the house…
Episode 24
Lily flinched. She was beginning to get
somewhere.
“his friend? Was it a lady?” she asked.
“yes. Her name is Sophia.”
“hm. So, could you recall what happened that
day?”
Timothy showed a sign of hesitation. He didn’t
want to talk any further.
“Timothy, come on. I’m not a stranger to you, am
I?” Lilly asked and dipped her hand into her bag.
She brought out some hærd currencies and fixed
it into his trouser pocket.
“I just want to know the truth”.
Timothy sighed as he felt the currencies in his
pocket.
“well,” he continued with more enthusiasm. “I
think that was the first time she was paying him
a visit. Seven’s parents were off to work and so,
they were the only ones at home. They spent
some time alone in the house until Steven took
her home later in the evening. Even the next
morning as he left for school, he was still looking
bright. But, it was when he returned that
everything changed.
First, he had asked me who came into the house
while Sophia was with him, but I told him no one.
And I told him there was a time I had left to buy
something and maybe, that could be when
someone had gone in. Believe me, when I had
told him all these, he had nearly punched me in
the face. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him that
angry before”, he concluded.
Lily was lost in thoughts. She was in a
ruminative mood.
“So… Steven suspects someone came into the
house while he was with Sophia? And then, the
next day, he uncannily broke up with her. I think
there’s a twist here.
And the Steven I know will never stay all alone in
a house with a lady without something
# extra_ordinary happening. So… What if
someone had seen them in the act and… and…
Oh, my God! What if Steven’s being
blackmailed?”
Timothy winked at her.
“yes! This must be it! I mean, this is the best
explanation to the wh0le twisted story. What if
Steven was forced and threatened into breaking
up with Sophia? Else, why would he suspect
someone came into the house? And why would
he become so sad after breaking up with her?
It’s all because he was framed into it!”
Timothy remained silent. He didn’t even know
what else to say.
“thank you so much, Timothy. I think I’ve gotten
what I want.” she said excitedly and hurried out
of the house.
*
Michele heard a knock on the door. She hurried
to open it, thinking it would be Patricia. But to
her surprise, it was Lily.
What was Lily doing at her apartment? That was
the first time she was paying her a visit.
“Lily, what’re you… ”
“cut it out, Michelle”, Lily snapped in. She was
still standing outside the door while Michelle was
standing in between.
“I should’ve suspected Steven was only being
forced back to you. I should’ve had the slightest
clue. How stupid of me”.
“and what’re you talking about?”
“come on, Michelle. You think I have no idea
you’re blackmailing Steven? I know perfectly well
that Steven would never dump Sophia and come
back to you in such a hurry. I carried out my
investigations and discovered the skeleton
hidden in your cupboard.”
Michelle finally released a gust of laughter –
although, a nervous one.
“I never knew you’ve gone crazy, Lily.” Michelle
said. “I think you’ve been having too much to
eat.”
“oh, really? Well, I guess we’ll find out about that
soon. I promise you, Michelle, you’ll never end up
with Steven. I’ll unveil your dirty secret and
shatter your plans”, Lily replied and turned
around to leave.
“and what makes you think you can ever find
out?” Michelle said to her back, making her
pause.
Lily turned around slightly to look at her.
“it took me less than a week to find out you
were blackmailing Steven. How long do you think
it’s going to take me to find out just what it is?”
she asked and finally walked away, Michelle
fuming with anger.
*
Michelle walked tho and fro, restlessly, almost
getting herself drunk.
Patricia who was sitting in front of her, was also
lost in thoughts. They had both been silent for a
while, trying to build up a reasonable solution.
“but, I’m still curious.” Patricia broke the silence.
“how did that bitch find out about your plans?”
“that’s because she’ll always be a fool!” Michelle
replied, angrily.
“calm down, Michelle. You don’t need to rack
your head over this. I doubt Lilly can find out the
means you’re using to blackmail Steven”
“are you kidding me, Pat?” Michelle asked and
scoffed. “it took her less than a week to find out
about my plans. How long do you think it’s going
to take her to unveil it?
What if… What if she finds out about everything
and… and exposes it? Then, I won’t have a hold
over Steven and he’d be gone again!
No, Patricia. This isn’t right. I’ve come a long
way already and I won’t let that crazy animal
ruin everything I’ve worked so hærd for!”
“wow, Michelle. So, what do you plan on doing,
then?”
Michelle emptied the last content in the
alcoholic bottle and sighed.
“I’m going to do what’s necessary to shut her
up.”
# To_be_continued .