17| Praising a cheating man.

Toby.

I woke up with a banging headache and great body pain. Taking too much of alcohol and having too much of sex definitely did that to me. I picked up my phone to see thirty four missed calls and twenty one messages. It was 12pm already???? I slept through the whole morning.

What the hell was up with all the messages and phone calls?
I clicked on the messages first and that was a great mistake.

Dad🙄
'TOBY!!! PICK UP MY CALLS THIS INSTANT!'
9:29am

Dad🙄
'YOU ARE NO LONGER MY SON!!!'
9:40am

Best Mom Ever❤️
'Baby, where are you? You are not at your house, We checked on you already, pick up your calls, your dad is already threatening to cut you off. Just pick the calls up and apologize to him.'
10:34am

Yele👊🏻
'Hey man! Have you seen the news?'
10:47am

Yele👊🏻
'Pick up your calls! Your mom won't stop blowing up my phone. She thinks you're with me!'
11.01am

Yele👊🏻
'Please, don't tell me that you already eloped with Yasmin!'
11:22am

My previously sleepy eyes became as clear as anything within a twinkle of an eye. I rushed through my apps and quickly clicked on Safari, I entered my name under the news section and what popped up made me curse them for exaggerating the little issue.

"Married Toby Daniels seen kissing Actress, Yasmin Blake right in his wife's presence."
I scoffed.

Where's the proof, you idiots!

I spoke too soon, right below the news was a very clear picture of me French kissing Yasmin like my life depended on it and Ruby watching us.
Who shot this shit? I strictly made it a no Press party!

I tapped Yasmin who was still snoring peacefully beside me.
"Good morning, honey bunny. Did you have a good sleep?" She asked as she stretched lazily.

"No! Have you seen this shit?!" I snapped as I passed the phone to her.

"Oh my God! Shit! This is bad, this is bad! This is bad for me! They'll tag me a home wrecker now! Oh my God!" She exclaimed as she scurried off the bed and started to dress up.

"This is bad for you?! Do you know how bad it is for me? For my family?! Are you kidding me? You're an actress, your lives revolves around stupid scandals like this, it won't even affect you."

"Really? Seriously, Toby? You know what, I don't have your time for your insensitivity this morning! My manager have been calling."

~•~

Ruby.

I skimmed through the comments under the popular blogs post about Toby's scandal. I didn't really foresee the comments I saw, some people still supported him and they were mostly women. I was so disappointed.

'Well, all men cheat, even the most ugly and poorest ones. How do y'all expect a handsome and very rich guy like him not to do it?'

'I don't blame him, Yasmin is such a sexy woman! That ass of hers can make any man go Gaga.'

'If I had married a sack of potatoes as wife, I'd definitely want to get a side chic.' Ouch.

'Yasmin Blake is a home wrecker, a bitch and a gold digger and that's it!'

'Honestly, why do men get praised for cheating and women gets blamed for their man cheating? Are y'all kidding me?'

'He's rich and handsome, such a man ain't for just one woman alone. Ten women can share, I don't mind joining too.'

'I'm sure that he's already tired of that wife of his. I knew something was fishy with that so called marriage.

When they say women are their own worst enemies, they shout. Look at this! Praising a cheating man and castigating the wife?
I'm so done with this society, I'm done with the whole world.

"Where is that useless boy!" Chief Daniels voice boomed at the entrance.
I stood up in fear.

He walked in dressed in his usual white agbada attire and a red bead on his neck signifying his chieftaincy title.
His wife, Mrs Clara Daniels followed suit trying to calm her husband.

"Ruby! Where is your husband?" He snapped at me while I started to fidget.

"He.... he's not yet here sir." I stuttered.

"You mean he didn't even sleep in this house overnight?! Clara, have you seen the idiot you gave birth to? Does that boy want to just ruin me? And he knows about my huge ambitions! Where did you get that bastard son from?!" I tried not to show how irritated I felt at him shouting at his wife.

'Look at the pot calling kettle black?! Is that not how Toby shouts at you and you look at him like a fool?' My subconscious taunted.

Toby rushed in at that exact moment.
The next thing I heard was a loud slap and it landed on Toby's cheek, he staggered at the impact.

I resisted the urge to laugh.
Jeez, why would I want to laugh at such a crucial situation?
Toby glared at me like I was the one who slapped him while I simply avoided his gaze.

"Do you remember all the warnings I gave you? Do you think they are jokes? I would cut you off if you don't do as I expect you to! What is your problem? Why have you decided to make my life a living hell? Why would you still keep seeing that lowlife actress? Drama revolves around their lives and they bring anyone involved with them into that drama, don't you get it? When will you have sense for God's sake? Are you not smart? Even if you want to have another woman, can't you use your brain and make sure it doesn't leak out?!"

"Bankole, he's sorry." Mrs Daniels pleaded on her knees as she held her husband's left leg.

"Shut up, woman! Let me talk to my son!" He kicked her away from him, I winced on her behalf.

None of the men in this family respects their women. None! Like father like son. I didn't know whether to beg on his behalf also or just remain seated and keep my mouth shut like I've been doing. I didn't want to receive a thunderous slap.

Why was he suddenly so gentle and mute in his father's presence? This heir thing must really be so important to him that he wouldn't want to jeopardize it in any way.
"I was planning on retiring and making you the new Chairman of the conglomerate but thank you for proving just how irresponsible and incapable you are once again! I'll give the position to your cousin instead, you wimp!" Chief Daniels threatened again.

At that, Toby went on his knees.

I gasped.

"Daddy, I'm sorry! It won't repeat itself, I promise to be of good behaviour henceforth, I promise. Please, don't give my rightful position to that dimwit. What does he even know about business, he studied dietary or something in school!"

"Shut up! He knows more about the business than you'll ever know! Listen, you guys have to be careful, I have political ambitions and I'm not going to let anyone of you ruin it for me! Be careful and clean up this mess!" With that conclusion and warning, he stormed out of our house banging the door with absolute force.

"Toby! My son, don't be so reckless. You know your father don't make empty threats, if he should hand over the company to that cousin of yours, then we are done for. The humiliation and everything." His mom said calmly as if trying not to anger her son.

"And you! Why couldn't you join us in pleading for your husband? Are you too big to beg?" She directed at me.

"Plead for him? He told me to always mind my business and never cross his path. I was simply doing just that." I replied as politely as I could.
She looked at me with disbelief before she reluctantly left, her son trailing behind her.

I wonder why her maids and bodyguards didn't follow her this time.

My phone chimed signifying that I had a message.

"Self respect, Self worth and Self love all start with Self. Stop looking outside of yourself for your value.
A."

I was confused, whose number was this?
I spent enough time looking through my contact list for a name that starts with A and couldn't find one. I didn't even have so much contacts anyways.

I heard foot steps and didn't bother to look up knowing that it was no one other than Toby.

"What is that mockery drama that you performed today?" I heard him calmly ask while I looked up at him as he hovered above me.

"What do you mean?"

"What do you think I mean? Oh! You think I don't know your tactics? You got a jounalist into my party, made them click a perfect shot of you looking at Me kissing another woman and then you circulated it all by yourself? Uh, a way to get back at me? Is that it?" He accused while I stared at him in confusion.

"Why would I even do that? What makes you think I'd do that? Journalists can sneak into anywhere, you should know that."

"Are you saying I'm stupid?"

"Did you hear the word stupid come out of my mouth? Toby, please, don't start this again." I pleaded as I attempted to leave and go into my room but he pushed me right back into the sofa.

"Oh, like I'm mad? I'm crazy? I shouldn't start my madness? Uh!" With that, he landed a slap on my cheek.
I cried out.

"Shhhhh! Shut it! Just shut it! All these issues I'm having is because of you! You! You! You! I'm having issues because of an ugly fat duck!"

"I'm sorry." I pleaded while avoiding his painful slaps on my face and body.

"Yes! That is what you should be! Sorry! You'll forever be sorry! Forever! Do you know what you'd also be forever? You'd be fat, ugly, stupid, foolish and you'll even be a dummy forever! You'll be a fool and an idiot forever!" He concluded and then spat at me dramatically before he left.

I felt like trash.

"Why did he always transfer all his aggression on me? Was I his father who said he'd disown him? Why didn't he slap his father?" I whispered to myself.

'You should have said that while he was here.' My subconscious mocked yet again while I sighed.