Chapter 158:: A string from the past

Chapter 158:: A string from the past
Kali walked into the bustling restaurant, her heart racing as she spotted her mother and sister already seated at a table. They were mid-lunch, laughter escaping their lips like bubbles from a shaken soda bottle. 

"Sorry I’m late," she said, sliding into the chair across from them. Elaine, her sister, scowled, her eyebrows knitting together.

"You are paying for our dinner," Elaine declared, a sly smile creeping across her face. Kali nodded, already bracing herself for the discussions to come.

“Are you coming home for Christmas?” their mother asked, her tone hopeful. “Bring Ben; he seems like the only decent suitor for you.”

Kali felt a twinge of irritation. "Mom, I've been seeing someone recently. I hope you can trust me to choose my own path."

Elaine chuckled, the sound laced with sarcasm. “Christmas is only a week away! How do you plan to make that happen?”

“I don’t know, but I will. I promise, Mom,” Kali insisted, her voice firm, but her mother’s glare was unwavering.

“Your promises hold no weight to me any longer,” her mother retorted, dismissing her with a wave of her hand.

Elaine leaned in, a malicious glint in her eye. “Just marry Ben. He can take pity on you and marry you because he respects your friendship.”

Kali frowned, feeling the weight of her sister’s words. “I will find a suitor who doesn’t marry me out of pity. Stay out of this, Elaine. I’m still older than you.” 

Elaine smirked. “Yeah, but age doesn’t equal wisdom. Just marry Ben and save us from the shame of having an old spinster at home!”

“Marriage is not everything. I’d rather remain single than settle,” Kali shot back, her voice rising slightly.

At that moment, the waitress approached their table, her cheeks flushed. “Hi, my name is June, and I’ll be your server for the night.” 

Kali quickly glanced at the menu. “I’ll have the seafood pasta and a glass of water,” her mother ordered, and Elaine echoed her choice.

Kali’s gaze drifted away from the menu and landed on a familiar face — Jayden, sitting at a table with Zola, his laughter ringing through the air like music. She felt a mixture of excitement and dread.

“I’ll have the Tagliatelle langoustine with the Merluza, and please bring us your finest bottle of wine,” Kali ordered, ignoring her mother’s and sister’s comments about her appetite.

“Are you trying to eat everything on the menu? That’s why you can’t find a man,” her mother commented, but Kali chose silence, her thoughts swirling.

Later, while paying her bill, her mother approached her with a determined look in her eyes. “I’ll call Ben to the house and beg him to marry you,” she said, her voice raised slightly.

Kali felt her face flush with embarrassment as she noticed people nearby glancing at them. “Do you have to embarrass me like this wherever we go?” she snapped, turning away from her mother’s disappointed gaze.

As she stepped outside, she saw Jayden again, but this time he didn’t approach her. Instead, he held back, as if tethered by some invisible force.

Once in the car, Kali joined Zola, who was still chatting about business. “I was just about to call you,” Zola said, her tone brightening. “I’ll take that job with Mr. Scott.”

Zola’s expression shifted, and Kali noticed the sadness in her eyes. “He withdrew his offer. Said you acted unprofessional and fears your personal feelings might jeopardize his plans. He’s found someone else to play his wife in front of his family.”

Kali’s heart sank. “A wife?” she echoed, disbelief flooding her voice. “What’s the rush?”

Zola smiled sympathetically. “Well, you’re off the hook now. You can take that trip you’ve always talked about.”

Kali felt a spark of hope but quickly squashed it. “I need to think about it,” she replied, her tone quiet and disheartened.

Meanwhile, Jayden was wrestling with his own thoughts. He poured himself a drink, the whiskey burning down his throat as he replayed the day’s events in his mind. “How could she choose someone like him over me?” he mused, frustration bubbling beneath the surface.

“Maybe she doesn’t know what’s happening,” Andrew’s voice cut through the silence, startling Jayden.

“I thought you were dead!” Jayden exclaimed, his heart racing.

Andrew shook his head. “She’s being manipulated, and we need to figure this out fast.”

As the pieces began to fit together, Jayden realized he needed to protect Kali from whatever scheme was brewing around her.

Kali, feeling restless, tossed her bag to the ground when she entered her room. “Mr. Bakare, you’re not going to get away with this,” she muttered, her determination rising.

She sat at her desk, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she searched for the marriage registry in Lagos. If he must marry, then he should marry; she thought wickedly.

The next day, dressed in a short white dress, Kali found herself standing outside the courtroom, her heart racing. To her surprise, Jayden was there, looking equally startled.

“What are you doing here, stalking me?” he snapped, but his eyes betrayed his concern.

“I’m here to wish you a happy married life,” she said, handing him a wrapped box with a shaky smile.

“Can I give you a hug?” she asked, her voice softening. Jayden hesitated, caught off guard by her sudden kindness.

“Thank you, but you know why I’m doing this. Are you trying to spite me?” he asked, tension crackling between them.

Before she could respond, he pulled her back, his hands trembling. “My bride just canceled. Congratulations; you can fill in for me.”

Kali felt a rush of excitement, but it quickly faded. “What will happen to my feelings, Mr. Jayden?” she asked, vulnerability creeping into her voice.

“I can’t promise you anything, Kali,” he admitted, and a wave of adrenaline surged through her. 

“Okay,” she said, trying to keep her composure.

Andrew stepped forward, breaking the moment. “Let’s go inside,” he urged, guiding them both into the courtroom as a new chapter of their lives began to unfold.