HIDDEN MOTIVES - Episode 18

She asked them all to sit down and they did quietly.
An officer set a chair for Maria in front of them, like that of a judge.
She was seated opposite, leaving little space in between and they were facing her.

Jerome too sat opposite Maria.
He kept staring at Lucinda and shaking his head unbelievably.
“This can’t be true…no it can’t be”

He said outloudly but no one looked at his end as they were all focused on Maria.

Lucinda and Silaz sat calmly like they were about to be nailed and was afraid of what will come after now.
Seeing Maria demeanor and strong action personality, plus the four officers hanging around her, their fear grew.

There’s no escaping, nothing can ever get better from now onwards
Rather is obvious that it can only be worst.

Jerome stomach made sound and he placed his hand on it. He couldn’t hide the fact that he was hungry anymore.

“Please Maria, I’m really famished…is like my stomach is at war with itself. I can drop dead if nothing is done soon. I’m really hungry please… please”

Maria looked at him for a while before asking the officers with her to order food for anyone hungry.

In no time the food delivery man arrived with a package for everyone.

They ate and she gave them time to settle down after eating.
Lucinda and Silaz picked at their food.
Looking at the scenario and the trouble they may be in, there was no appetite for any food.
It was only Jerome that cleared his plate of food in no time.
He gulped down the bottle water given to him and asked for another plate of food.

Maria told him that the one he ate is enough and he should be grateful for it.

Silaz and Lucinda dropped theirs on the floor.

“Except you care to eat the leftovers from your swindler Queen… Lucinda or her co worker, Silaz. I understand you got no respect for yourself or even shame, so eating their leftovers won’t really count to you…”

Jerome looked at Silaz and Lucinda and said “I will rather pass. I’m yet to understand who this two really are… because right now I must confess that I’m very confused. The food I ate is actually enough, I don’t have appetite for another… thanks Maria. At least this is the only kind, lovely thing you did for me ever since your returned back…”

Maria looked at him and said “you can say whatever you want now Jerome because few minutes from now you won’t have such right to speak except you are asked to do so. Use your freedom well…”

Jerome didn’t say another word.

Few minutes later after the food, everywhere went calm.
Maria resumed.
“I’m glad that we all are seated here finally, no one is missing and after today questions, answers and discussion it will determine what comes next for everyone of you. So I will start with you Mr Fidelix Simeon, your stage name or let me say fake name is Silaz…am I right?

Silaz blinked before replying Maria calmly ” is not really a fake name, is just my nickname ma. That’s what my friends call me but my real name is Fidelix.

Maria turned to Lucinda. ” Turula Cosmos is your real name, your own fake name or nickname is Lucinda? You and your lover Fidelix have been together for how long and when exactly do you both planned to become con artist or swindler? Let me use a more simple term “scammers…”

“I think there’s a mistake somewhere Maria? none of this is making any sense…” Jerome interrupted her,
Maria turned to him and said.

“Jerome, listen to me and listen well, I won’t repeat myself over this. You don’t speak except you’re spoken to, keep quiet and wait for your turn…”

She returned her attention to Lucinda “I asked a question that requires answer…”

“We have been together for four years and we never planned to become a scammer it just happened…”

“What just happened? just in case you don’t know, Nothing “just happened” you must have cooked it in your heart before executing it. Go on…” Maria ordered.

“It started two years ago, I came across a wealthy elderly man who as usual likes me and started showering me with good things. Money and everything nice. He said he wanted to marry me as his second wife but I told him that I have a man. He promised me alot of things if I can consider his offer. Silaz, my man was aware and asked me to agree and get more money out of him and we will use it and get married. I didn’t want to do it because the man seem sincere and very nice to me but Silaz encouraged me, he said that’s the only means we can gather money and get married and then live the kind of life we always wanted. I played it just like we planned but it didn’t go so well because his wife started threatening my life. I was able to gather enough money before relocating to another place. We had enough on us and I told Silaz let’s get married he said the money isn’t enough yet. He was able to get me an expensive engagement ring which I wore as a wedding ring instead of the fake wedding ring I used to wear. He promised that if we can gather More money then we can rent a big house and also get married and live as we please. After much convincing I agreed…”

Jerome suddenly started laughing sarcastically.
“This is unbelievable… Jesus Christ of Nazareth. So both of you are into the game…heyyyy! Kago warned me..I thought he was talking rubbish…”

The officers there caution Jerome and warned him to be quiet.
He held his two sweating palm together, later placed it on his head and brought it down again.
He was just uncomfortable as the whole thing was becoming clear..
“Was Jerome your second victim? Maria asked.

“No, he is third. The second person was rather a rich young man named Zinco, he was engaged to be married. He had to break the engagement with his wife to be because of me. She pleaded for him to reconsider everything but he couldn’t let go of me and That was how we started. I agreed to marry him if he can meet certain condition of which he did but not all… but almost. I told Silaz that I was tired of the game and since we have enough money to get married, then let’s do so but he refused and became angry…”

Silaz suddenly turned to Lucinda and said angrily
“Why not tell everyone the reason why I became angry? If you want to paint me bad in front of everyone also make sure you tell the whole story… I’m not the bad person here Turu, I have always been against this game of yours, you talk me into it and there was never a time I said we should go ahead with another but you wanted it and I just allowed you have your way and one thing I stood on and we both agreed on is that you won’t sleep with any of them. Anyway you want to do It do but don’t have intimacy with them… you said that you can’t appear convincing if you don’t do anything at all, Turu you told me that you will engaged in little romance but that’s all. I was against it at first but later agreed and said it shouldn’t be more than kissing but you went agreed and betray me by sleeping with Zinco…”

” I told you it was a mistake, I was tipsy after clubbing with him and passed a night at his house. I never meant for it to happen and I apologized to you and ended things right away with Zinco because sleeping with him was not in agreement. I loved you enough and refused other men, I stick to the plan and try to please you. Do you think is easy, you don’t understand what I have to go through just to convince them and make them believe whatever I say. You’re unappreciative and after then started suspecting my every move. If I don’t want you to know what I do with this men behind closed doors you will never know Silaz. But I give you every updates and Zinco was one out of many men I had come across. I only made one mistake and you will keep reminding me all the way….”Lucinda fired back at him.

“A mistake that you almost repeated with Jerome, if not that I was warning you not to try such again because of the oat we finally took, I’m sure you would have and then come to tell me that is another mistake but that would have been to your death. You should be thanking God that I was there sounding the warning to your ears. After he got you that expensive car I told you is time to call it off. We can sell the car and relocate to another country with the money we already saved up but you said I should hold on because the foolish Jerome who denied his family was stupidly ready to spend his wife’s hard earned money on another woman, who he believes was married. When you informed me that he got you a house, it was unbelievable because I never knew that he can go to such limit to please you. Oh Jerome was indeed very stupid…”

Jerome jumped from his seat like mosquitoe towards Silaz.
He hit Silaz angrily, cursing and fusing like an angry cat.
Silaz threw him off to the ground and was about giving him a hard blow when the officers separated them and warned them to behave.
Maria was just staring at them in disbelief.

“….Remember the beating I gave you back at the office, you can’t forget that day in a hurry, I will double It if you dare me again. We knew that you’re a married man and works for your wife and the money you were spending was hers too. We only played along with your foolishness. What kind of man denies his wife and daughter just because he wanted to sleep with another woman who he believes was married. Aren’t you the must foolish person on this planet. Atleast other men Lucinda had something with never denied their relationship or wife. It was your carelessness that brought us to this spot, and if my woman has listened to me, we would have been far gone leaving you to suffer the burn alone. The only person I’m concerned about is your wife because she doesn’t deserve this whole thing or deserve a senseless man like you…” Silaz kept talking.

“Officer please give him two strong slaps, I want the slap to shake this entire building…” Maria said ordering an officer to hit Silaz.
The officer did as she asked and a heavy scream left Silaz mouth as he held his cheek in pain.

Jerome knelt down and began to plead to Maria
“Maria…my love, please they both charmed me, I didn’t do any of that with clear eyes…I will never hurt you deliberately. I love you and our daughter…I can swear it. I didn’t know what I was doing untill now. I just realized myself my love… please this two scammers used jazz on me. My love… Maria, my heart beat… please…”

Lucinda spoke out loudly.
“Truly, Silaz is right… you’re just lustfully carried away Jerome and very foolish too. Nobody charmed or used anything on you. Is the lustful nature of some men that made them fall. But lying and denying your family shows that your own lustfulness was on a great level. I’m not saying what we did is right but You encouraged it..”

“You people are scammers, so many legal work to do in this country but you decided to choose scamming. You think you can get away with it… you don’t know who my wife is, she will deal with both of you. You won’t see road again to scam your next victim… I’m happy that the love of my life is back, I will watch her deal with you two…”
Jerome said to Lucinda.
He turned to Maria and said.

“…my love please, I was charmed, as you know that scammers don’t work without Charms. They were remoting me and I didn’t know what I was doing again… ask Kago my friend, he knows how I value and appreciate you for sacrificing so much for me and loving me despite my short comings. I never expected to fall cheaply to this swindlers, this foolish con artist. I am a decent man who loves and respect family and I works hard to keep the company running. I can’t possibly do any of those things with a clear eyes, they used black magic on me, Maria…I can swear it…. please. You know me as a person and we have been married for a while now, you know what I’m capable of doing… this is definitely not the kind of person that I am. Please listen to me my love. It was black magic at work… I’m telling you the truth…”

Maria stood up and said to the officers.
“Please make sure they shut up before I return. Do whatever you want to do with them, I don’t care but I want everywhere to be as quiet as a grave yard by the time I come back…then I will continue from where I stopped. I desperately need fresh air before I get choked in here…”

She walked away leaving the officers to do as she command.

While outside Maria kept thinking to herself, what if truly Jerome was charmed?
because which sane man will decide to run down a company that he was in charge, more like his own company too because it owns by his wife.

Denied his wife and daughter and was very arrogant in his words and actions.

He never appeared remorseful for all he did.
She never expected for today to go the way it was going but everything was making her emotional and she really wants to leave emotions aside and handle those criminals, her husband inclusive but she was deeply hurt from all the troubles Jerome brought upon their lives.

But saying it was all a black magic, he didn’t do any of that deliberately makes her wonder what exactly to believe.