The next morning, in Damian's bedroom, Bummi woke up early to the sound of a phone ringing and vibrating on the cupboard beside the bed.
Damian, however, remained fast asleep, completely unaware of the noise.
Curious, Bummi stretched out to grab the phone. For a brief moment, she paused when she saw the caller ID—an unfamiliar number with no name or location.
She debated answering it, but the thought crossed her mind that it might seem rude or intrusive.
After a moment's hesitation, she decided to resist—but when the phone rang again, she couldn't ignore it. With a reluctant sigh, she answered.
Before she could even say "Hello?", a woman's voice came through, as though she had been waiting for Bummi to pick up.
"Hi, Dammy. Long time no see," the voice said warmly. "It's Charlotte. What's up? Just a quick one—I'm sure you're in the middle of a meeting as usual, always so busy. I totally understand. I'm at the airport now and will be heading to your place soon. Bye, love you, baby. Kisses, muah muah."
The call ended abruptly, leaving Bummi frozen. She stared at the phone in her hand, struggling to process the words she had just heard.
Her thoughts raced. Who was this woman? How was she connected to Damian? And why did it sound like there was something more than just a professional relationship between them?
Bummi was consumed by questions, each one louder than the last. She clutched the phone tightly, her mind spinning with disbelief and curiosity.
Just as Bummi was wrestling with her doubts, Damian stirred awake, rubbing his eyes like a newborn adjusting to the world.
A gentle smile crept onto his lips when he saw her, his beautiful damsel. But that smile quickly faded when he noticed the unhappy expression on her face.
He was bothered by it, though. "What's got my baby in such a mood this glorious morning?" he asked, sitting up to kiss her on the lips. But when she pulled away, something shifted in him. He knew something was wrong.
"Who the hell is Charlotte?"
"Char—"
Before he could respond, she shot back, "Don't even think about lying to me, Damian. The last thing I need to hear right now is that you, Damian Coker Ayomide, is cheating on me. And that... I won't stand for it."
"Babe, slow down. I don't even understand a thing you're saying."
"You—" She feigned a laugh then became too serious after. "You're such a veteran actor, you know that right? You stay here and lie to my face about not cheating? Even if you wanted to cheat on me, Damian, should it have been one of these dirty, stupid, nasty, good for nothing lagos gir—"
"Enough!" He snapped, frustration boiling over as she refused to let him explain. "Why would I stoop so low as to cheat on you—my wife? Am I that irresponsible?"
Bummi's eyes narrowed, her voice sharp. "Exactly what I thought before. But maybe I've been fooling myself. You're clearly cheating on me with some cheap coward, Damian."
"Whoever gave you this information, got it wrong," he said calmly.
"No one told me, Damian. I figured it out myself."
"Pearl, you have to stop this drama. Am not ready for this. It's too early." He was going to leave the bed but she caught his arm, pulling him back. Obviously requesting for a big fight. As a tolerant man that knows how to maintain his composure, he remained calm. "Pearl, I am not cheating on you, I swear on my grandparents grave."
Bummi wasn't buying it. "Damian, I'm not stupid. You're cheating on me with a woman named Charlotte. She called you to say she's at the airport and on her way to your place."
"What?" He sat up, furious and irritated. "If Charlotte comes to my house, I swear I'll roast her alive."
That serves Bummi's question right. She cross her arms and raised her brow. "So of a truth, you're having an affair with Char—"
"No." He quickly interfered before she proves something wrongly. "Listen," He inch closer, hoping to cage her eyes with his. And in a low, calm tone, he justify. "Charlotte is my ex—and before you'll add anything—we already broke up ten years ago when I found out she was sleeping with my cousin Christopher."
"Huh?"
"Yes, babe. I swear, I have nothing to do with her. I can't even remember the last time we spoke. I don't know how she got my new number."
Bummi fell silent for a moment, studying him closely. Then, with a pointed look, she asked, "She's your ex?"
"Yes, babe."
Bummi sighed in relief but couldn't help pressing further. "But... Damian, you're every woman's dream. Why would she cheat on you with someone in your own house? Don't you think you might have done something to push her to that point?"
For a moment, Damian didn't respond. He felt uncomfortable discussing his past, especially with his wife.
When Bummi noticed his silence, she realized she might have crossed a line. "I'm sorry for bringing it up," she said, her voice softer. "It's okay if you don't want to talk about it—"
Damian sighed, clearly weighed down by the memories. "I was consumed by my work. My responsibilities, my career, my ambitions—they all came first. I didn't make time for her. One day, I had a flight to catch for an urgent appointment in China. The same day, Christopher showed up at my place, wanting to visit. The meeting got canceled, and so did my flight. When I got home, I found the two of them together."
Bummi was swallowed by a heavy silence, her mind racing. Finally, the only words that escaped her were, "I'm so sorry."
"Come here." Damian pulled her into his arms, holding her close as he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.
She rested her face against his chest, barely holding back tears. "I'm sorry I overreacted. I was just so afraid of losing you." She wanted to add 'again', but the words stuck in her throat. If she said it, she might reveal something she wasn't ready to.
"Shh..." He whispered, running his fingers through her hair. "You won't lose me. Every part of me is yours."
**************
Later that afternoon, a sleek black sports car pulled into the compound. A striking woman in her early thirties stepped out, her every movement exuding confidence.
Several staff members rushed to help with her luggage.
She removed her dark sunglasses with a sly smirk, surveying the surroundings. "Wow. He still has great taste. Tsk, hasn't changed a bit."
Her eyes then flicked over the array of luxury cars parked in the garage, and she tilted her head in feigned disapproval. "When will he stop wasting money on new versions and start saving for our future?" She hissed before walking purposefully toward the mansion.
As she entered, several staff members who recognized her exchanged wary glances. They'd never held her in high regard, even when she was with Damian. Now that she was back, they couldn't help but wonder what kind of chaos she was about to stir.
Just as she was heading toward the stairs with her luggage, she froze, her eyes widening in confusion. A familiar figure was descending the stairs.
She yanked off her dark sunglasses, her voice laced with disbelief. "Pearl?!"
Bummi came to an abrupt stop, her confusion evident. "What are you doing here?"
Charlotte and Bummi had known each other for years, their history fraught with uncomfortable memories. Years ago, Charlotte's mother, Mrs. Eniola, had been Bummi's father's girlfriend. That connection had always left a bitter taste between the two women, making any interaction between them charged with unspoken animosity.
Charlotte's eyes narrowed, her tone biting. "I should be asking you that. What are you doing in my man's house? And wearing his T-shirt?"
Bummi stood her ground, crossing her arms and locking eyes with Charlotte. "Charlotte, I don't know who you're calling 'your man,' but there's only one man's woman here—and that's me. So why don't you take your petty drama and get out?"
"Pearl, you're on my floor so you better watch how you talk to me. It won't take me two minutes to get your filthy things out of here."
Bummi let out a wry laugh. "Look at this good for nothing cheap shegoat for sale. You think you still have authority here? Oh wait, come to think of it, you're the animal in human form that actually called my husband this morning, right? I see."
"How dare you insult me you—fool!" She raised her hand to slap Bummi but the latter was too quick to allow it happen.
Instead, Bummi quickly returned the slap that was aimed at her.
The sound of the slap rang out, and chaos erupted. The two women clashed fiercely, their fight shaking the whole house. The noise reached Damian, and he hurried downstairs, his voice sharp with authority.
"Stop!" he commanded, standing at the top of the stairs.
Both women froze at his shout, their eyes immediately locking onto him.
Charlotte, eager to play the victim, stepped forward, her expression shifting to one of feigned innocence. "Damian, you need to stop her," she said, her voice dripping with faux sympathy. "I don't know who she is, but I came in peace, and she attacked me first."
Bummi wasn't surprised. She had long known Charlotte as the queen of lies. Instead of responding, she stood silently, waiting for Damian to handle it.
Damian's gaze locked onto Charlotte, his disgust so palpable that it nearly made him sick. "Why did you even bother to show up, Charlotte? Are you trying to embarrass yourself? Do you want me to end this for you once and for all? Leave. Now. This is me being nice—take it or leave it."
Charlotte sneered, her anger flaring. "You want me to leave, just like that?" She snapped, her voice dripping with venom. "Damian, it's been ten years since we broke up. I'm back now, trying to reconcile. Is that too much to ask? And you want to throw me out because of... her?" She jabbed a finger in Bummi's direction, her face twisted in contempt.
Bummi slapped her finger off. "Don't you dare point at me, cheap."
Meanwhile, Sofia was hanging around behind the walls in a distance, watching every scene of the show.
Charlotte smirk devilishly and raised an eyebrow, wanting to threaten Bummi with the words coming. "Talk to me rudely one more time and he will find out about your story."
As if understanding her point, Bummi tried to coordinate herself. She didn't want to push her forward because Charlotte won't hesitate to speak out. Especially knowing her as a woman of her words.
When Bummi sensed that Damian was growing suspicious, she stepped closer to Charlotte, her tone cold and resolute. "Charlotte, don't push me. I'm warning you."
Charlotte, never one to shy away from drama, let out a soft chuckle. "Or what? You think it's not time for him to know the truth? He's standing right here, after all."
"Charlotte!" Bummi snapped, her patience wearing thin.
Charlotte raised her hands in mock innocence, a sly smile tugging at her lips. "Alright, alright. I'll back off... but only if you agree to one thing. End whatever you've got going with him, right now. Do that, and your little secret will stay between us—forever."
"Over my living body will I allow that!" Bummi dejected. "He is my husband and am not sharing him with anyone—"
"Am not asking you to share anything, fool—"
Bummi stepped closer, "Say anything and I'll kill you."
"Is that a threat? Or a warning?" Charlotte pushed her. Testing her patience.
Meanwhile, Damian stood patiently, watching not interfering. There's something he's expecting and very soon, he'll hear it.
"You think am scared of you? Huh?" Charlotte continued. "Well, wait until I tell him how you reckon your life at a very tender age of thirteen. Wait until I tell him all about your bad histories." She faced Damian. "You neglect me because of her, isn't it? Maybe when you find out that she's a cheap single mother, you won't think twice before throwing her out." She ran her eyes at Bummi, disgustingly. "Especially when she goes around with the rumour that her son is her younger brother."
In an instant, Bummi's world collapsed around her. She felt as if the earth should swallow her whole. Her deepest, most guarded secret—revealed.
All she could think of now was that the next words Damian would say would be a cold decree for a divorce, her belongings thrown out into the streets.
Her hands gripped the hem of her shirt, trembling. Her heart pounded as fear and humiliation overwhelmed her. She couldn't bear to meet Damian's or Charlotte's eyes.
Tears blurred her vision, falling down her cheeks as the reality sank in—her marriage, the one thing she cherished most, was about to unravel in the most painful way.
But then, as though the universe had heard her silent prayer, a voice broke the tense silence.
"I know," Damian's voice cut through the chaos, firm and unwavering. "He is my biological son."
In that moment, time seemed to stand still. The room fell into a stunned silence, the weight of his words settling over everyone, leaving them frozen in shock.
Especially Bummi. Her heart sank as she lifted her head, slowly meeting Damian's eyes. The cold, bitter expression on his face spoke louder than any words ever could. It was clear he was crushed—betrayed by the one person he trusted most.
The air felt heavy, suffocating, as the truth settled between them. Bummi had kept the biggest secret of her life, and now, the weight of it hung in the room like a thousand-pound burden. If Charlotte hadn't exposed it, she would have never found the courage to tell him herself.
"What?!" Charlotte finally managed to stammer, her voice trembling with a mixture of shock and disbelief. She glanced at Bummi, then back at Damian, trying to make sense of it. "How is that... good for nothing boy related to you? What is going on here?"
Damian's anger flared instantly. He stepped toward Charlotte, his voice low but filled with menace. "You do not speak about my son like that. Not in my presence. If you want to keep breathing, I suggest you shut your mouth." He warned. "Now, get out."
"I'm not leaving until you explain to me what's going on!" Charlotte's voice was filled with stubborn defiance as she crossed her arms, refusing to back down.
Damian didn't respond. Instead, he turned and walked up the stairs with a quiet determination, leaving Charlotte and Bummi in tense silence. A few moments passed before Damian returned, his footsteps heavy with purpose.
Without saying a word, he stepped into the room, and the unmistakable sound of a gunshot echoed through the house—three sharp cracks, one after the other, rattling the walls. The silence that followed was deafening.
Bummi dropped to her knees in sheer terror, her body wracked with sobs. Her heart pounded in her chest, her breath shallow as fear consumed her. The weight of the moment was unbearable.
Charlotte, her face drained of color, bolted for the door without hesitation, her luggage forgotten in the chaos. Within seconds, she was gone—leaving behind nothing but the echoes of her hurried exit.
Damian stood still for a moment, his eyes fixed on the spot where Charlotte had stood. The silence that followed spoke volumes.
Damian shoved Charlotte's luggage aside, his eyes dark with fury as he turned to head upstairs. But before he could take another step, Bummi lunged at him, grabbing hold of his leg, her fingers trembling with desperation.
"Damian, please... just listen to me!" she begged, her voice breaking as tears filled her eyes.
He pulled his leg away sharply, his anger barely contained, but she clung to him once more, her grip tight.
"I'm sorry, Damian," she sobbed, her voice barely above a whisper. "Please, forgive me."
He froze, his back stiffening, trying to hold back the flood of emotions threatening to spill over. When he finally spoke, his words were like ice. "Forgiveness? You didn't think about forgiveness when you told my son I was dead. You didn't think about forgiveness when you took him from me and robbed him of his father for seventeen years—all for your own selfish reasons."
Bummi's heart squeezed painfully as the weight of his words hit her. She choked on her tears, unable to form a coherent thought. "I wanted to, Damian," she whispered, voice shaking. "I wanted to so badly, but I was scared."
"When?" he roared, his voice echoing through the house, thick with bitterness. "When did you want to, Pearl? You ran off with my son for seventeen years! You think there's a time frame where it was?!" His voice cracked with raw pain, his hands balling into fists as he turned to face her. "Seventeen years! How could you do that to me? How could you do that to him?"
The room fell silent, the tension so thick it was suffocating. Damian stood there, seething with anger, while Bummi, broken and trembling, could only watch, knowing there was nothing she could say to undo the years of hurt she had caused.
"You don't get to blame me like this!" Bummi stood up, her tears mingling with her frustration as her voice trembled. "What did you expect from me, Damian? Huh? I was young, scared, and alone. My own father disowned me when he found out. The world turned its back on me. Mom was the only one who stood by me. I was only thirteen! If I had come to you, you would've just denied it!"
Damian's chest tightened, his anger building. "That's not an excuse, Pearl!" His voice was low, but filled with raw emotion. "If I was going to run from my responsibility, why the hell did I leave my calling card for you? Why didn't you reach out to me then?"
"Damian—"
"Don't," he interrupted, his voice cutting through the air. "I was eighteen, just a teenager myself. I knew what it would cost me if anyone found out, but I was ready to take responsibility. I would have, but you made me look like a fool. You made me look like an irresponsible father to our son." His voice shook as he continued, the weight of the years he'd lost crushing him. "You took away the chance for him to know me. You knew all along that he was my son, and you didn't tell me. Why?!" His face twisted with hurt. "Why, Pearl? What was so wrong with telling me the truth?"
Bummi's heart cracked as the truth hit her. She couldn't look him in the eye, the weight of all the years they'd lost settling over her like a heavy blanket.
"Damian, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, please." Bummi dropped to her knees again, her voice cracking. "I was scared... I thought you would take him away from me. I was terrified. Please, forgive me."
Damian's eyes narrowed in frustration, his voice biting with anger. "Another excuse, or should I call it a lie? You knew I was the guy from that night, didn't you?" He stepped closer, his words like daggers. "You've been playing this game from the very beginning — from those online dates to everything that followed. Don't pretend you didn't know who I was. You knew, and you kept the truth from me."
His words hit her like a punch to the gut, but he wasn't finished.
"You have no idea how many years I spent searching for you, Pearl," he continued, his voice shaking with the weight of his pain. "I was almost ready to give up. I thought I found some healing when I met Charlotte, but I was wrong. And now, after seventeen years, you stand here, throwing excuses and lies in my face. Do you have any idea how much that hurts? You've made a fool out of me."
Bummi's heart shattered as his words pierced through her, leaving her paralyzed with guilt. She wanted to explain, to say something — anything — but the shame and regret overwhelmed her, leaving her silent.
"Damian, please—" Bummi's voice trembled, her hands reaching out as if she could stop the storm of emotions.
"Nathaniel!" Damian called out sharply. In an instant, Nathaniel appeared at his side. "Prepare my private jet. I'm leaving for London."
"Right away, boss."
Once Nathaniel left to carry out the order, Damian turned to Bummi. His eyes softened, though his voice remained firm. "This is for the sake of our son," he said simply, his gaze briefly meeting hers before he turned and ascended the stairs without another word.
Bummi stood frozen, her mind reeling from his words. For the sake of our son? Her heart pounded in confusion. Was he planning to divorce her, yet forgiving her only because of Nifemi? The uncertainty gnawed at her, leaving her with more questions than answers.