"I'm listening..Ry."

"We both know. I hardly mix business with pleasure, but with the situation of Beth currently I don't have a choice, Kelvin seems to like Dayo a lot, and his only condition to our partners.h.i.+p is that he spends time with her." What?, this is impossible. I was about to say something in reply when Ry put up his hand, gesturing that he wasn't finished yet.

"Beth is almost bankrupt considering the state my father and brothers left it, partnering with Kelvin on this project would bring back Beth on track. If his only and only condition is spending time with Dayo, I don't think that should be a problem. He's harmless." He said, strolling off to the bathroom with a towel tied to his waist, he wouldn't even give me the chance to talk.

"I know you do not like him so take your time and consider my gain, our gain in this. Just so you know he's funding the whole project." He said before shutting the bathroom door, leaving no room for arguments.

I was in a daze. When Kelvin said he would use other means to get to Dayo, I thought he was just bluffing, or that he was still in the planning phase. It turns out it wasn't a bluff, and he was way ahead of me. On one hand is my husband's happiness and on the other hand is Kelvin's evil plot, I knew deep down that nothing good would come out of it all, so I decided to tell Ry.

I waited for him to come out of the bathroom patiently. I took in a deep breath as he came out of the bathroom, fully dressed in his customary plain pyjamas. It's been almost 2 months since we last made love, and I dare say he was beginning to get boring.

"I've given what you said a thought Ry." I started as he made his way towards his desk, switching on his laptop. That could only mean one thing, he would be working up all night.

"I'm not allowing Kelvin near my daughter." I said calmly, he looked over at me casually before burying his head back to whatever he was doing.

"Why?" He asked and I turned away from him slowly to drop the bombsh.e.l.l.

"He's her real father." That was followed by what I presumed as a shocked silence.

"He is Kelvin, the guy you read about in my diary and the past I would never wish to dwell on, he's only back for one thing, and that's destruction. He only wants to end what he didn't manage to finish off 4 years ago. Giving him the permission to see Dayo is just like making things easier, I a.s.sure you that it's never going to end well. So we shouldn't allow Dayo anywhere near him." I gushed out quickly, and what I heard afterwards stunned me.

"OK." I frowned at the single word, he didn't even seem affected by everything I said. I was happy though that he agreed easily to not letting Kelvin near Dayo. I had mentally prepared for a full fledged verbal war. Sighing with grat.i.tude, I turned around to face him but I was even more shocked, he was on a video call with none other than Kelvin and he had headphones on.

I marched off to where he was seated and slammed the laptop shut. He looked up at me in surprise and anger.

"Hey, what was that for?, I'm busy OK?" He said, trying to move my hand from the closed screen.

"Didn't you hear what I just said?"

"You were talking?, I didn't notice." f.u.c.king great, I had used up all the courage in me to tell him the truth, but apparently, I was just rambling.

"What did you say?" He prompted, I was mute and emotionally drained. I shook my head and released the laptop, trying hard to fight off my tears.

"Nothing." I muttered, silently leaving the room without acknowledging his goodnight greetings.

I slept in Dayo's room that night.

My phone beeped the next day, I was in the kitchen of my restaurant when I got a text.

*Hey Vee, do you believe me now when I say you belong with me.....us?" Attached to it was a picture, my heart stopped beating when I saw the picture of Kelvin and Dayo at Dayo's school. He was holding Dayo and she was smiling fondly at him, oh my G.o.d!

I dashed out of LEE-VEE's like someone being chased by a rabid dog, I didn't even care about the curious glances thrown at me by the customers and staffs as I ran to my car.

I drove like crazy to Dayo's nursery, almost running over a number of pedestrians over and over and I didn't even slow down or stop to apologize, everything can wait till I a.s.sure that my daughter is safe, I didn't bother to switch off the engine of my car as I dashed towards the building like a mad woman, leaving the car door open and the keys in the ignition. The ignorant secretary or receptionist or teacher or whatever she was made things worse by stopping me and making me wait for over five minutes that seemed like five centuries before leading me to the waiting room where my daughter was already present.

I sighed in relief and hugged Dayo so tight that I now wonder how her frail figure didn't snap. I checked around for scars or marks from Kelvin but found none.

"I told you ma, your daughter is safe with us." The elderly woman that stopped me earlier said with a more gentle expression, I nodded gratefully at her kindness and turned to face Dayo.

"Don't you ever smile at strangers again, OK?" I instructed sternly and she nodded quickly, apparently confused and terrified of my reactions. Then she was lead back to her cla.s.sroom.

"The security said you left your car on, what was so urgent that you were such in a rush?" The aged woman with fluffy white hair asked and I turned around to face her with the picture of on my phone.

"Please I'm so sorry for my irrational behavior, and I have a favour to ask." I said and she nodded, then I showed her the picture Kelvin sent earlier.

"Please don't ever let this man near my daughter, he's planning to kidnap her." Maybe not then, at that period. But I knew it was eventually going to happen. The woman frowned slightly as she stared at the screen of the phone.

"Your husband came together with him this morning, he informed us that this guy would be the one taking Dayo from school from today as he's your elder brother or something, your husband himself took this picture earlier today, before they both left." I felt faint immediately, how could Ry do that without consulting me first?, He just made a fool out of me. I smiled awkwardly at the confused woman.

"It's kind of complicated ma'am, but please.... I'll be the one taking Dayo from school, don't give her to anyone else and I'll like to take her home now." The woman nodded like she understood what I was saying even if we both knew she didn't, I wouldn't have if I were in her shoes. She didn't have to anyways, it was Ry who needed understanding.

I collected Dayo's lunch bag and other stuff and carried my baby back to the car, it was ridiculous of me to insist on taking her home after the a.s.surance of her safety, but you can't really blame me, I'm a mother after all and I would do anything to a.s.sure the safety of my kid, even if it meant yelling senses into Ry and that was exactly what I planned to do, provided that he came home.