Chapter 19

"NOUN? What is that?" Sewa asked.

"National open university of Nigeria," Lanre replied.

"It's a university for workers and also for students. For workers who didn't get the opportunity to go into higher institutions when they were young, it's for them. You could also do masters there too. With time even teenagers attend now, it's easy to get into too," Lanre explained.

"That's nice and what does that have to do with me?" She asked him.

"Considering you don't want to go to the university, you could actually attend this one. The difference is just that, you can work and also school and all their lectures are done online," He said.

"You don't need to attend lectures too but you could catch up with other procedures while making money too," Lanre said.

"That's nice then, so?" She asked.

"Seriously, you don't get what I am trying to say?" He asked her.

"Not at all," she replied.

"Once we get married, while you work, you could also attend NOUN. You don't have to worry about the school fees, I'd be responsible for everything," he said.

Sewa frowned, she wasn't going to get married to him and he already had things planned. What does he take her for, someone who couldn't cater for herself or what.

Sewa heaved a sigh, "You don't have to do any of that. I will achieve all I want all by myself so don't bother," she said to him.

She feigned yawning as if she wanted to sleep to end this intense conversation.

"But..." Sewa cuts him off.

"Go to sleep Lanre, you have work tomorrow and besides, you are starting to spit foreign words. What can I say, you are definitely not speaking with a clear mind now. So go to sleep," she said to him.

"But I'm fine you know," he replied.

Sewa sighed, "I know you are fine and I'm not disputing that but to be honest with you," she backed him not wanting to see his face anymore.

"You don't know what you are saying. You have everything all planned out without knowing if I'd marry you at all," she muttered.

"But you will," he said.

Sewa chuckled, "How can you be so confident about something that you are not sure of within you?" She asked.

"That's because I know you love me," he said. Sewa clicked her tongue, she had never ever told him she loved him but here he was insinuating it.

"We are barely a year old and you sure have it all under control on your side, not on my side to be honest. You don't do things like this Lanre, you don't even know much about me, you know the basics of me but not the other side. There are parts about me when you find out, you'd come to hate me for eternity so..." He cuts her off.

"I'd never hate you, that is for sure. I don't want to know what you were involved with in the past but as long as you are with me now, nothing matters. Your past does not matter, you matter alone and making you happy is one of my biggest priorities," he said.

For a moment, Sewa felt warmth in her heart but she knew he was saying it because he knew nothing. Most times she was disgusted with herself but she was in too deep to redeem herself because of the oat she took.

He didn't know of her complicated life and most especially, he would be disheartened once he found out she slept with his brother.

"Tell me all of this word when you truly find out more about me," she said to him.

Lanre was confused, she was confusing him so much that he couldn't comprehend. He knew there were things he didn't know about her but Sewa let her guard so high that not just anybody could bring them down.

He thought he was starting to figure her out but at the same time he wasn't. They were not up to a year yet but does the amount of years matter for marriage to take place.

He wanted to know what she meant and even if she did things that were ugly, she was human and human were bound to make mistakes, he'd surely forgive her and hating her was an impossible mission as long as he was concerned.

He didn't know why he felt he needed to protect her and be there for her but if he was to be asked what he truly admired about Sewa, it would be the fact that she was unbreakable.

She was a strong woman who at age fifteen started taking things into her hands. She once told him she hawk stuff to send her sisters to secondary school and did many jobs to help with the treatment of her mother. Till date she has been relentless about giving her family the best.

What he admired most about her was how she didn't need any man's money to help herself. No matter how hard he tried to give her money for the upkeep of her family, she'd reject, the only time she accepted things from him was when he bought jewellery for her and other stuff but regarding money, she never collected from him.

That alone made him impressed, no lady would ever reject money from their boyfriend, not at all. He admired how strong she has been and how she doesn't let her pain affect her.

"Ola sleep! You have work and besides I'm tired," she said.

"Goodnight," he whispered, kissing her on her cheek.

"Goodnight," she replied and so they both slept off.

After having breakfast, Sewa escorted Lanre till he got into his car and drove to work. She wanted to surprise him before he came back but first she needed to hear from Denny.

After two rings, Denny picked her phone.

"I don't even know what to say to you now but Sewa, this time it's messed up!" Denny said as soon as she answered Sewa's call.

Sewa began to worry, she wondered if the task she gave to Denny was unaccomplished.

"What happened?" Sewa asked her with a calm tone trying not to overthink anything.

"The senator's son said, he'd only delete it if you meet him up and have some rounds with him," Denny said to Sewa.

Sewa closed her eyes trying to comprehend the situation. She wondered how she lost guard and let him video her while they were having sex and now he was going to blackmail her with it.

There was no way she'd sleep with that scumbag, he had done enough damage already, when she got to Port Harcourt, she'd make sure to rectify everything.

"It's fine, I'd take care of it myself," Sewa assured Denny.

"I'm more worried about you, Madam Sandra is waiting for you, I don't think it's gonna be fine. Sewa is what I'm thinking about to happen?" Denny asked with concern.

She knew sooner or later, things would turn out this way, and in as much as Sewa denied, she knew it would.

"Don't worry, I will make everything fine." Sewa was assuring herself more than she was assuring Denny, she knew it wasn't going to be easy and she knew what happened to the person who took the same step she was about to take.

"If you say so. Talk to you later," Denny said and ended the call.

Sewa took in a deep breath, she had other things to worry about and now it was as if the situation was adding up and crumbling her.

She sat down on the couch, trying to think through when she unconsciously fell asleep. When she woke up, it was past two in the afternoon, she wondered how she had slept that long.

She decided to go to the shopping mall and get some vegetables and groceries. Once she got back by past three, she started to prepare.

She wanted to make a feast, just to toast to her and Lanre.

While she parboiled the rice, the sound of the bell caught her attention. She walked to the door, to see who it was.

Just as she opened the door, her eyes widened in shock and her heart began to beat like the drum as she stared in front of her, Olatunji.