LIVING WITH A DEVIL - EPISODE 75 AND 76

“Sonia, surprised?” Karen smiled but it was short. The smile vanished from her face and got replaced with a hard frown.

“I’m back, to take over what’s mine” she said.

Everyone stood, watching in awe.

” Are you a ghost?, If you’re here to haunt me then you came to the wrong place so get out!” Sonia shouted.

Karen grabbed her hair and pulled her out of her seat, pushing her down at the center afterwards.

“Guards!” Sonia screamed and they rushed in, even the guards are overly confused.

*How can two people be same with no single difference?*

Seth and Nora watched in shock while Petra sat on the ground, watching everything like a movie.

“Come in” Karen said and the press rushed in, over thirty of them.

“She’s a criminal!” Sonia screamed, standing up, pointing at Karen.

“I’m the real Sophia Langford whom you killed eight years ago” Karen said confidently and Nora gasped.

“Mum” she whispered.

“What’s this” Seth muttered.

Right now he’s the most disoriented being on Earth. Whatever is happening, he doesn’t understand.

“This impersonator right here is my twin sister” Karen said.

” She’s lying!, I never had a twin sister, get her arrested!, She’s trying to ruin this engagement, call the cops Petra!” Sonia shouted but Petra was too shocked to hear.

“We’re twin sisters, we both grew up in Zack’s orphanage but when we turned eighteen, she ran away from the orphanage, leaving me to myself, I spent two more years in the orphanage, I left there when I was twenty, I started working part time and one night, I mistakenly got hit by a car driven by Jake Langford…he took me to the hospital for treatment and our love story started from there, he fell in love with me just the way I did, we got married a year after and I gave him two kids, my handsome Michael and pretty Nora, unknown to me, my husband Jake has been suffering with cancer which he refused to let anyone know about…

I was so devastated when he died and my kids were so sad, Jake was a loving husband to me and a caring dad to them.

But some days after his death, Sonia called, I didn’t want to believe till she video called and told me she’s in The Philippines, I was so excited… yunno, for the fact that she’s my long lost sis whom I missed so much, I left home without Carlos, Carlos was my chief guard then who follows me everywhere, I left for The Philippines alone and truly I met Sonia, she was cheerful and warm. Unknown to me, it was a trap.

I spent the night with her in her house but that night was the most terrifying night of my life, you won’t know what I’m talking about till you witness a twin sis you love so much…. stabbing you.

She suddenly drew a knife at night and succeeded in stabbing me six times in the stomach, after which she threw me into a river.

I woke up three years ago in the house of a rich grandpa in Dublin who told me I’ve been in coma for five years, I narrowly escaped death after I was saved from the river.

I cried for days, feeling betrayed and bitter, a week after that… grandpa Martin Chad died after handing over his wealth to me.

I managed everything and took care of it, it kept growing and as it kept growing, my hatred, bitterness and the need to revenge and make Sonia cry kept growing too, I kept gathering information about her and I learnt she took over the conglomerates, acting like me.

I lived as Karen Chad and used mask to cover my face everywhere since we’re too identical, I never wanted to reveal myself till an opportunity comes up, and it came up when this b*tch came to invite me as a special guest…to my own son’s forced engagement

It was hard waiting till today but I endured it all… and here I am” Sophia said, wiping the tears on her face.

” It’s all bunch of lies!, Don’t believe her she’s lying!” Sonia screamed again.

“Are you still gonna be acting tough when you’re screwed already?” A woman said, coming out of the crowd.

” Susan” Sonia said, getting more shocked.

“Yes it’s me, your only neighbor back then in The Philippines, I was the one who gave Carlos that video, I made a video of you that night cos I heard struggling sounds from your room and when I came to check out of curiousness, I saw the disheartening scene and filmed it, I secretly followed you to the river where you disposed her body at, I filmed you too Sonia, how could you be so wicked to the point of murdering Carlos too” Susan said.

” I met Susan last year in Dublin, I recognized her first cos you introduced me to her as your only neighbor that fateful day, what have I ever done to you!!!!!” Sophia yelled, walking closer to Sonia who kept shifting back.

“I’m the victim here, arrest her!, I dunno what she’s talking about!” She shouted in defense but everyone seems to be getting it right now

Nora and Seth are already in hot tears.

Nora suddenly rushed to the stage and got a laptop which she inserted the flashdrive in.

She came back and showed everyone.

“Carlos gave me this before his murder” she said before playing it.

The press came closer to snap and record with their cameras while the others only watched in horror.

*How can someone be so callous?

The video ended and Sonia tried to escape but Seth pulled her back and slapped her hard on the face, she fell roughly.

“You’re not even my mother… and yet you’re planning to ruin my life?” He said, bending beside her.

” Michael I love you like my son, I’ve always treated you like…

That was interrupted with a punch on her face.

“Michael stop!” Nora said as if she’s trying to stop him.

He looked up at her and she bend over to Sonia, she pulled her hair and attached her teeth to Sonia’s forehead.

“Aarrggghhh!!!” She screamed in pains till Nora was forcefully taken away from her.

Sonia quickly stood, not minding her bleeding head, she pulled up her gown and brought out a gun, Sophia did the same immediately and they pointed their guns at each other.

The guards surrounded them immediately.

Everyone rushed to a corner except Nora and Michael.

“Drop the gun” the new chief guard ordered but Sonia only smiled.

“So what if I took what’s yours?, Are the good things in the world meant for only you?” She said.

” Coming to the world as a human was a mistake, you’d be better as a snake” Sophia said, holding her gun tighter.

” I want wealth too!, I wanna become rich!, it has always been my dream and that’s why i ran away from the orphanage in search of it but instead of wealth, a bastard got me pregnant and rejected me, I had the baby and left it at an orphanage, I continued my search for wealth but no matter how much I search, I never got it, then people started mistaking me for Sophia Langford everywhere I went, I found it strange at first but when I saw your picture, I knew it that you’re my twin, more like my doppelganger, I started making plans on how to snatch it all away from you and that’s why I searched for your number like crazy, I knew you loved me and wouldn’t be able to resist seeing me again after a long time, luckily you fell into my trap and I snatched it all, what’s so wrong in that” Sonia said

” So you see nothing wrong in that?” Sophia said

” Yes, I just did what I had to do to achieve my dreams” Sonia replied and clutched her hands tighter on the gun.

” It’s your last day in wealth, drop the gun” Sophia said.

” I don’t hold a gun without shooting” Sonia replied and smiled wickedly

” Drop the gun right now Sonia” the guards said again, ready to fire.

“I don’t want to” she replied and pretended like she wants to shoot Sophia…

Sophia pulled the trigger too but instead of shooting Sophia, Sonia shot at Seth.

“Michael!!” Nora screamed as he fell on her arms, his stomach is bleeding so much, he was shot there.

Sophia’s bullet hit Sonia on the leg and she fell with a bleeding leg.

Sophia’s eyes widened and she shot Sonia for the second time on the thigh before dropping her gun.

“Michael!!” Sophia shouted , rushing to him too.

The cops rushed in that instantly.

“Michael please open your eyes” Sophia said fearfully. Micheal is gasping for breath and his eyes are closing.

“Stay with me please, I missed you so much you need to fight to stay Michael” Sophia cried, taking him from Nora.

” M…m…mum” he said, crying too.

“I want to continue hearing you call me like this please stay with me, stay with me and Nora” Sophia replied

Michael held her hand tightly and smiled faintly before letting his long lashes hug each other.

“Michael!, Michael!!” Sophia screamed fearfully.

” Get him into the ambulance, it’s here” Susan said and some of the guards quickly took him from Sophia, he was rushed out where he was placed on the stretcher.

He was pushed to the ambulance on the stretcher and it moved immediately.

******

Washington**

” Sapphire you need to open the door, you skipped meals throughout yesterday and you’ve not been eating healthily since the incident, you need to eat” Julia said, standing by Sapphire’s door with a tray of food.

“I’m not hungry” she replied weakly from inside.

“Do you want to starve till you die?, Sweetheart I can’t lose you, mummy loves you so much and you know that, please I’ll feed you baby, just eat three spoons from me and I’ll be ok” Julia replied.

Sapphire gave no answer.

” Sapphire please, I have no one besides you, I want to see your face please open up” she said.

” I don’t want to” Sapphire sobbed.

It’s obvious in her voice that she’s crying.

Julia continued standing there till Ivy rushed in..

“Julia!” She called loudly.

“Ivy what?’ she asked, going to the living room to meet her, dropping the tray.

“Did you see the news?” Ivy asked

“Ion have time for that” Julia replied

Ivy grabbed the remote and put on the TV.

” Look, it’s all-over everywhere” she said and Julia shifted her gaze to the TV.

Her eyes widened when she saw the news and she covered her mouth with her palms in shock

“Everyone who heard the news was shocked and like I heard, Micheal got shot” Ivy said

” What!” Julia shouted

The Michael part was what pulled Sapphire out of her room.

She rushed out and Julia blocked the TV but she pulled her away just at the time when Micheal getting shot was read.

She fell on the ground and continued crying.

“Why won’t my tears stop flowing?, He’s hurt, I’m hurt, my baby” she cried, her body shaking so badly.

Julia bent beside her and hugged her.

“It’s all over now, the hidden secret is out, I’m sure he’s coming back and he’d surely be fine, nothing will happen to your boyfriend trust me” she said, rubbing her back pacifically.

*****

New York, a private hospital**

Nora hasn’t left Sophia’s side since they got to the hospital, she has been following her everywhere as Sophia paced around

Michael is undergoing a surgery presently, the bullet needs to be removed.

“Mum?” She called suddenly and Sophia faced her swiftly.

“Yes angel” she smiled, touching her hair.

” Thanks for surviving” Nora said.

“Thanks for surviving too, it ain’t easy surviving under Sonia, she’s a wild animal” Sophia replied.

” She won’t let me have friends or move freely, but I’m glad my real mum is now back, I just hope you’ll stay forever this time, thanks for coming back mum, I love you so much” Nora said, shedding slow tears.

” I love you more angel” Sophia replied and hugged her tightly, crying too.

” I was wondering why you stopped calling me angel not knowing it wasn’t you, now I can resume hearing you call me that” Nora cried.

” You’ll forever be my pretty angel, I missed you so much” Sophia replied, rubbing her hair.

” Mrs Langford” the doctor said, coming out of the theater with the others.

Sophia slowly disengaged and faced him.

“How’s my son doing?” She asked.

“His condition is still critical though we removed the bullet, you should keep being optimistic madam” he replied.

” Will Michael be ok?” Nora asked anxiously.

” I can’t promise, the bullet hit a fragile place inside him” the doctor replied

” So?” Sophia asked.

” Prepare for anything madam, anything” the doctor replied.

*****

Same day, 8pm at night**

Sophia walked gallantly into a room in the company of her guards and suddenly stopped.

“Just like you asked, she’d be spending the night here before she’d be shifted to court tommorow, her leg wasn’t treated, the bullets weren’t removed either” the chief guard said.

” You guys can go” she replied and they bowed before leaving.

Sophia walked into the only room in the room where Sonia was sitting, her blood was surrounding her, the blood from get shot leg.

“Enjoying the fruits of your labor?” Sophia said.

“I just felt like having fun, and it payed off, I had fun for eight years” Sonia said weakly…

Sophia bent in front of her and smiled dryly, she held Sonia’s chin.

“Do you know what I hate most in this world?, The fact that we look so much like each other without a single difference” she said hatefully.

“I hope I die soon, I’m tired of it all” Sonia said.

“You won’t die easily I promise you that, not after you did that to my Micheal” Sophia said.

” I’m sorry, I just wanted to see you in pains just like now, your eyes are so full of pains” Sonia said.

” Witch!” Sophia said and punched her face.

“You can’t walk again for the rest of your life anyways, I planted two bullets on your legs knowingly” Sophia further said.

” Wanna know another secret?” Sonia said, spitting out blood.

Sophia waited patiently.

“The baby I had and left at the orphanage, was Petra” she said

” Stop the trash!” Sophia slapped her.

“It was her, tell Mr and Mrs Brooke…they adopted her from same orphanage we grew up at cos I dropped her there. Zack’s orphanage” Sonia said.

Sophia stared unbelievably.

” Yeah, I wanted to have it all to myself and my daughter” Sonia said

Sophia made to talk but her phone rang and she picked, it’s from Nora.

“Angel are you fine?” She asked.

“Michael woke up mum, come fast! ” Nora said.

Sophia rushed out of the room and her driver drove her fast to the hospital.

She ran all the way into the ward

Nora is sitting beside him, holding his hand, he’s really awake.

“Michael!” Sophia said loudly, rushing to him

She held his second hand and stroked his hair like a baby.

“Honey” she said and Michael smiled.

“I should have suspected when you stopped calling me that,I never knew it wasn’t you” he said slowly, holding her hand instead.

“You were eleven when I almost got killed eight years ago, you’ll be nineteen already” she said, still stroking his hair.

” Yes mum, and that look in your eyes, I should have been able to differentiate it, there was greed in Sonia’s eyes but yours is filled with love and affection as usual” he said

” I missed you so much” Sophia said, bending over to kiss his cheeks.

” I missed you more mum, damn much, thanks for coming back to your honey and angel” he replied, rubbing her hand.

“I love you both so much” Sophia said, hugging Nora too.

” I got a girlfriend” he said

“Really?” Sophia said

“Yes, I call her pretty but her name is Sapphire, she’s so cute, she stays in Washington” he said.

” Get well soon, can’t wait to meet the girl who captured your heart” Sophia said and tears fell from Seth’s eyes.

” I’m so sorry mum, but it hurts so much, my tummy” he said

“I’ll get the doctor” Sophia said and made to go but he held her.

” You can’t leave Nora again please, and I’m glad I saw you before I’d go” he said , shedding more tears.

” What is he saying” Sophia said fearfully.

He faced Nora.

” Grow up fast and when you turn eighteen, you can date Clark” he said.

” Stop scaring me” she cried.

” Tell my pretty that I love her so much, it’s just so sad that I didn’t get to kiss her” he hiccuped and let go of Sophia’s hand

” Michael…” Sophia whispered and the monitor started sounding.

Michael closed his eyes and his neck went sidewards..

Sophia climbed the bed and shake him.

“Michael?, Michael not now are you joking?, Michael!!!!, Michael!!!” She screamed.

Nora fainted immediately

” Oh no…. someone help … Help please!!!!” Sophia screamed in tears.

The doctors rushed in, like five of them.

Nora was checked and was placed on a a bed too, she’s barely breathing so the defibrillators was used on her , same as Micheal.

Sophia cried in the hallway as she waited.

“Not now when I’m back, honey please come back to me” she lamented sorrowfully.

The doctors came out quietly and she rushed into the ward without waiting.

Nora’s monitor is reading perfectly though she’s unconscious but…

Micheal’s monitor is off and…his face has been covered with a blue clothe.

She walked slowly to the bed and gently pulled off the clothe, it’s really Micheal, his body is pale and is changing colour already.

Sophia laughed loudly like a mad woman at first before facing the doctors.

“Does this look funny right now?” She said.

“Madam Sophia…

“It’s not funny!!, Bring back my honey, right now!!!” She screamed, grabbing the collars of two doctors at once.

Sad tears are flowing freely down her cheeks.

“Wake him up!!!!!!!” She cried.