Edward almost pitied him. “Maybe she didn‘t, but she knows what happened. You should ask her.”
Chief‘s voice was down to a mutter. “I can‘t believe this. She couldn‘t have…”
The room was wrapped in silence for the next few moments. Edward hardened his heart and waded back in. “Whether she could‘ve done it is not the issue here. You tried to take my company!”
“I‘m a businessman Edward, your company was ripe for the picking. I know that, you know that…”
“I doubt you go acquiring other companies in the manner you did here. What you did in obtaining your Bestman shares was illegal.” Aunt Isioma interjected tapping the music player. “You took my niece‘s shares, and your wife told Gladys she had no facts to back her up. Well, how is this tape for proof?”
“They did what?” Edward was shocked. “You mean Mrs. Okrika has also been putting pressure on Gladys?” He rounded on Chief Okrika. “Don‘t tell me you didn‘t know about this too?”
Chief Okrika shrugged with a sullen face. “I found out about it after the fact. For me it was nothing personal…”
“Not personal?” Edward was almost shouting. “You steal shares from my fiancée in order to lay your greedy hands on my company and you say it‘s nothing personal?”
“Mind your language; I paid good money for those shares…”
“But under what circumstances? You also tied up the money in the bank; tell me what you call that.” Aunt Isioma added.
“I call it business. I‘m sorry but as you know, this is what I do.”
“Edward, there‘s no need to quarrel further.” Aunt Isioma turned to him. “You have more than enough evidence to have him prosecuted for fraud. Do you want to go ahead?
He thought about it. Chief Okrika had once been the only father he knew. He‘d treated him better than any other person he‘d known then except maybe Principal Akintuyi. When the Okrikas left him in that cell, he had wished all kinds of evil on them, but now that he had the chance to deal his own medicine to Chief Okrika, Edward hesitated.
Finally, he shook his head. They say revenge was a dinner best served cold, but cold food could be so unappetizing. “I won‘t do it. I don‘t want to.”