Hidden Passion
Chapter 12

Her father was surprised to hear that from her. That was not the first time she had told him that. The first time, he had overlooked it because he thought she was joking, but now that she mentioned it again, he could not help being surprised. "Only Nath?" He knew who Nath was. She had told him about him several times. He knew every story behind the two of them till the present moment. "That boy that is now going out with your friend?"

"Do you have to remind me of that, dad? Of course, I know he is going out with my friend. Do you have to punch me on my wounds?" She rolled her eyes.

"My dear," he called as he stood up from his seat and started walking to the living room while his daughter cleared the dishes and put them in the sink to be washed later.

He settled on a chair and reduced the volume of the plasma TV in his room. Everything in his rented apartment had been bought by her daughter and he would be forever grateful for that. Not in his wildest imagination had he thought of her daughter accepting him back into her life despite how he failed in his responsibilities as a father.

"Why are you still holding onto this man?" he asked her daughter who had joined him on the chair.

She made no response.

He looked at her and repeated his question. "I want you to give me an answer."

"See, dad, I don't know. I am not holding onto him. It's just that I really wish for him to remember me. How could he not-? Never mind, dad. I will get over him soon," she promised cynically. She was not sure she could fulfill that promise. It was so hard to forget about him when he always showed up from nowhere. It was so hard to let go of him when he was always popping up in her thoughts.

Her father sighed. "I have a question that has been bothering me for quite some time now."

She gave her full attention, urging him to go on.

"How sure are you that he is truly going out with your friend? What if he isn't? Just what if?"

That made Lillian laugh. She laughed so hard that his father started wondering what was so funny in his assumption. "Come on, dad. What are you talking about? Dorcas is my best friend and I trusted her. She would have never lied about such a thing," she announced.

"Point of correction, Lillian. You do not trust Dorcas," he pointed out and she became confused.

"What do you mean? Of course, I trust her," she argued with a smile.

"No, you don't," her father countered.

Knowing the kind of man her father was, she gave up and let him explain. He was always right.

"Let's say you trust her as you said, why did you not tell her about you and Nath?" he threw his question.

Lillian's shoulders fell. His father was right. Why didn't she tell her about Nathaniel long ago? She couldn't form the right answer to give, so she kept mute.

"Best friends don't keep secrets, do they?" He asked, but still, she said nothing. "You don't trust Dorcas. Or should I say, you don't trust her enough to tell her that."

"Okay, fine. I'm at fault..."

"No, darling. You're not at fault at all. I understand you," he assured.

She sniffed. A tear had escaped from one eye. She was beginning to hate herself for loving her best friend's boyfriend. It was really a big shame on her. "Dad, I really want to forget Nath. I want to stop loving him, but it's hard. Very hard," she admitted to her father. She had never told anyone about that. Not even her mother.

Her father shifted close to her and gathered her in a warm embrace. "Believe me, Lillian, I understand you. And it's not your fault for loving him. It is not your fault at all. Let's leave everything into God's hands and see how things will turn out," he consoled her, and she nodded against his chest.

Dorcas entered Lillian's office to retrieve the purse she had left at Nath's house. She had called him to ask for it and he had told him it had been given to her friend for a while now. She saw a pile of files on her desk to be worked on, but she knew her friend, all those files would be finished in less than an hour. That was Lillian for you. Very hard working but could also be the laziest ass sometimes.

"Sweetheart, why haven't you returned the purse Nathaniel gave you?" she questioned as she took her seat before her.

Lillian looked up and sighed before bursting into laughter. "I am so sorry, love. I have forgotten. Totally forgotten, you won't believe," she replied as she opened her locker and brought out the purse and handed it over to her.

"I thought you wanted to steal my cheap but precious little purse despite your expensive ones," she joked and laughed.

Lillian laughed, too. "Come on, Dorc. You wanna tell me this bag is cheap? You must be kidding me," she said within her laughter.

"Of course, it's just ten thousand naira and you don't use bags less than twenty thousand," she informed.

"Come on, babe. This bag cost me just fifteen," she argued.

"Just fifteen? Just? Lillian, you're really something for referring to that amount as just," she laughed.

"Sweet, jokes apart now. You did not tell me you have started sleeping over at Nath's house," Lillian began. It was not as if it was her business if she was actually sleeping there, but curiosity would not let her be. She just couldn't let it slide without asking her about it.

"Babe, it was just a few sleep overs," she lied. She didn't dare to go back to his house after that night, though she had been there during the daytime to say hello and then take her leave.

Nathaniel had stopped being harsh on her. He had become more friendly, and she was glad about that. That could be a good start for her. She did not want to lose such a wealthy man who could give her anything she wanted.

She must admit that she had an eye for the waiter that had served them that day and couldn't stop thinking about him. She would try her best with him, too, the next time she visited the restaurant. There was nothing wrong with trying your luck.

But she would not tell Lillian about her plans of duping Nath and toying with the waiter. If she did, she would fume and convince her against it. Her plan would be a way of getting revenge on all the men who had broken her heart countless times. Just that she was taking out her anger on innocent men, but who cares?

She loved Nath, but he was always pushing her away when she made advances. That was not right. It was not right to her. If Nath could change his mind, she would consider changing her plan. Not that she had totally given up on being together with him, if she did not, how would she be able to gather herself wealth from him.

"Hmm..." Lillian said and fanned herself with her hands jokingly. "Oops! Am I burning with jealousy?" she exclaimed and at the same time rolled her eyes.

Dorcas laughed. "You better don't. Who told you not to get yourself a man?"

Lillian gave a stern expression. "Shut up!"

"Maybe you will consider having one after turning forty in your mother's house," her best friend mocked and laughed hard.

Lillian laughed in anger, too. She could not help it. She reached down and unbuckled her shoe, then raised it up. "Fuck you, Dorcas! How could you say that?"

Before swinging the shoe back and forth to hit her friend, Dorcas was already out of the office, laughing so hard as she made her way outside.

"Oh, my God! Forty? Dorcas are you kidding?" she asked no one as she rose to her feet, still laughing, and walked to the door to retrieve her shoe. "Gosh! Wait... Did she say forty? I'm not even thirty yet." She complained to no one and laughed, going back to her desk to continue her work.