Andrew wasn't shocked or surprised by the news that had spread like wildfire. In fact, he had anticipated that this day would come. As he worked on a customer's car, he overheard the other mechanics discussing the incident.
'I had no idea Andrew's sister was dating a multi-billionaire. It must be tough for a wealthy young man like Andrew to work as a mechanic here,' one mechanic remarked.
'Andrew isn't the wealthy one; the spotlight is on his sister, who is yet to marry the billionaire. So, until his sister marries into the Njemanze family, Andrew will still be like the rest of us,' another mechanic clarified.
Andrew didn't feel embarrassed as he responded, 'You can think of me as a handsome man who will be taken care of by my in-laws.'
His colleagues chuckled at Andrew's words. One of them joked, 'Andrew, your oily-dirty hands might prevent you from being accepted into that very, very rich family.'
'Chioma is a rare gem for two influential men to fight over her,' another mechanic added.
'Maybe the witches in your village finally left your sister,' someone teased.
As Andrew and his team bantered, he settled into the driver's seat of the black BMW he was working on, starting the car to ensure everything was in working order. With a grin, he turned to his team and said, 'I feel honoured to have such a beautiful sister.'
'Andrew, how do you plan to handle this situation?' one of his colleagues asked.
Andrew remained silent for a moment before responding, 'There's nothing I can do about it.'
'You won't try to remove the news?' another mechanic enquired.
'What's the point of trying to take down the news? I believe that after this experience, my sister will be strong enough to face the challenges ahead. Jessica will also face the consequences of her actions. Besides, how can I fight against these people? I'm just an ordinary person trying to survive. I will only fight back if my sister is hurt by her boyfriend. Felix isn't a bad person; he's just a supporting character in this story. The Njemanze brothers are good people. I'm only saddened that they unintentionally fell in love with the same woman.'
'Enough talking. Andrew, now that we know about your stroke of luck, could you treat us to a meal?' one mechanic suggested.
Exhausted, Andrew rubbed his forehead and replied, 'I'll do that tomorrow. I need to go home. My sister needs me now.'
'Tomorrow,' a scoffing voice interrupted.
Surprised, Andrew and his colleagues turned to see Jessica standing at the gate. She was dressed in a loose-fitting white button-up shirt tucked into green cargo shorts.
'You don't deserve to stand on the same ground as me!' Jessica yelled as she approached Andrew. 'If you love your sister, tell her to leave my man alone...' Her voice trailed off as she noticed the grime on Andrew's hands and clothes. A flicker of disgust crossed her features before she continued, 'I know you must be wondering how I found you and came straight to you without asking if you were Andrew. Well, I'm so rich and powerful that I can get whatever I want.'
'What a sweet talker. I never expected Miss Jessica to come here begging me for help to get her man,' Andrew scoffed. 'But how can I assist you? Didn't you say you can have whatever you want?'
Jessica shot him a disdainful look and coldly smiled. 'May I know how much you need for this small task?'
'Could it be that Miss Jessica wants to cry because Michael left her for my beautiful sister? I've always known that Michael never loved you. The rumours of his love for you were all created by hungry journalists in need of brown envelopes,' Andrew retorted, his voice laced with amusement.
Jessica's eyes were like a cold wind and a sharp knife, causing the other mechanics who were watching the scene to feel that the air temperature had dropped by a couple of degrees. They felt that with such anger in Jessica's eyes, she was capable of anything.
'Your sister's name is at the top of search rankings, and all the stories about her are negative. Aren't you ashamed of your sister's disgraceful behaviour?' Jessica sneered.
Andrew met her gaze unflinchingly. 'How can I be ashamed of my sister, who has the most handsome and wealthiest man as her partner? You lost to my sister, which means you should be ashamed of yourself. Yes, you are beautiful with unforgettable long, straight legs. You could even become Nigeria's top model with your beauty, tailored for the runway. But these attributes won't help you win Michael's love. When it comes to love, external appearances and public opinions don't matter. What matters is that the person you love also loves you deeply. For him, the world's perception of you is irrelevant.' He paused, a knowing glint in his eyes. 'From what I know, you've been pushed away from Michael's life for years. And now, it's clear that you're just trying to create a spectacle. Stop disturbing my sister's life. If Michael truly loves you, he will come back to you. But if he doesn't, don't force it, or you'll end up broken and ruined.'
'Your sister is truly despicable to the core,' Jessica seethed, her voice trembling with rage.
Andrew smirked. 'Miss Jessica, forgive me for being blunt, but you resemble the supporting characters in movies who lose everything.'
Jessica's face contorted in fury. 'I'll give you 24 hours to tell your sister to leave Michael alone, or I will make your lives a living hell!' Jessica stomped her feet, glared at Andrew, and stormed out of the garage.
Andrew's colleagues couldn't contain their laughter and remarked, 'You have a way with words.'
Andrew sighed, wiping a smudge of grease off his forehead. 'That woman was asking for it.' Grumbling under his breath, he muttered, 'Why did she come here to disturb me?'
'She came to beg you to tell your sister to leave her man,' they chuckled.
Andrew showered and changed into fresh clothes, the grime of the day washing away after the refreshing bath in the garage. Then, he headed home. As he pushed open the front door, the familiar scent of home mingled with the sweet, tropical aroma of papaya that filled the air. There, at the dining table, sat Chioma. A half-eaten papaya lay on a plate beside her, a bright orange stain colouring her fingertips. The juicy fruit, usually devoured with gusto, seemed to hold little appeal now. Despite the news likely swirling around her like a storm, she reached for another piece of papaya and began to eat, seemingly unfazed by the day's events.
'Chioma, how are you feeling?' Andrew asked, his voice tinged with concern as he approached the table. He studied her carefully, searching for any cracks in her facade.
Chioma's response was a question, not meeting his gaze. 'Are you ashamed of me?' It came out in a small voice, barely a whisper. Each word hung heavy in the air. She picked another slice of papaya.
'Never,' Andrew said warmly. He reached out and gently placed his hand over hers. 'I'm incredibly proud of you.'
Chioma let out a shaky sigh at his words. The half-raised papaya pausing mid-air for a fleeting moment before she resumed eating. She lifted her head slowly, a faint smile playing on her lips. It was a fragile thing, that smile, barely there and flickering like a candle in a draft. Then, just as quickly as it appeared, it vanished, replaced by a flicker of worry that darted into her eyes, a tiny shadow that betrayed the carefully constructed mask she wore.
'I know you must have seen the news,' she said, her voice barely above a whisper. 'I wish none of this had happened. I wish I had the courage to tell Felix that I had...'
Andrew squeezed her hand gently. 'It's not your fault,' he said firmly. 'You didn't ask for any of this. Felix never gave you the chance to tell him you were already in love with Michael, and you never led him on. He was the one forcing his love upon you. You didn't lie when you told Audrey that you didn't have a boyfriend. You spoke the truth because, at the moment of your first meeting with Audrey, you never had a boyfriend. Even though you love Michael deeply, he forcibly made you his girlfriend. I know you have no regrets accepting him. I know you love him so much... Felix wanted to do the same forcefully, but he was unlucky.'
'I love Michael more,' Chioma declared, pausing to meet her brother's tender gaze. 'Michael and I were about to announce our relationship...'
'I know all of that, little sister. I also know that he offered you a job, which would have propelled your career forward. But accepting it would have made others believe you were using Michael for personal gain. That's why you turned him down. As your elder brother, it's my duty to protect you. No matter what happens, I will stay by your side.' Andrew walked over and embraced Chioma, reassuring her that everything would be all right.
During dinner, the three of them gathered to enjoy a scrumptious meal of ofe ede with akpu. Chioma, still hungry after her earlier papaya, regretted not eating at the high-end restaurant Michael had taken her to. Nonetheless, she couldn't wait to dig into the food. She washed her hands in a small bowl at the centre of the table and eagerly devoured the meal.
'Chioma, you're all over the news now. You should be mindful of your image. You look like you haven't eaten since birth,' Louisa frowned at Chioma, expressing her concern.
Chioma chuckled. 'What image should I be mindful of? I come from a humble background. Only celebrities need to worry about their image. Image means nothing,' she replied, chewing a mouthful of meat.
'No matter how much Chioma eats, Michael will still love her. Michael loves my sister not because of her looks, whether beautiful or not. He loves her because she is Chioma Chima,' Andrew interjected.
Louisa glanced at Chioma but remained silent. She had heard the news but wasn't angry with Chioma. She knew Chioma was innocent of those accusations.
After finishing their meal, Chioma cleared the table. Andrew went to the living room to watch TV, while Louisa retired to her bedroom.