Published by Lola Lois Raphael at Smashwords

BROKEN

LOLA LOIS RAPHAEL

BROKEN

Cover Design at 3 Dimensional Graphic Shop by Reducto17

Smashwords Edition License Notes

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Extract…

Without turning to look at her, Charles said, ‘’I don’t need your eyes boring into the back of my head while I am cooking. It’s distracting.’’

With Charles you can never do a good thing. There are times when Henrie wondered what Adanne found in him. She doesn’t know how to reply him so she kept quiet and tried to avoid looking at him.

‘’If you are not going to talk then why are you here Rita? I don’t need you playing dumb.’’ Charles complained again few minutes later.

Henrie knew he is baiting her. ’’What am I supposed to do Charles? You don’t need me boring holes in the back of your head and I’m sure you won’t have any interest in anything I have got to say either, so what am I supposed to do then?’’

The clattering of dishes in the sink is the only indication that he is angry. ‘’Whatever, I’m sure you don’t have anything to say that will interest me.’’

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Author’s Note

There are some things you do but believe they are insignificant but these things later prove to be important, more than you would have ever thought they could be. This is one of those for me. Writing is something I find natural and essential but of course I don’t want anyone to see or read what I have written but I came out of my comfort zone and my public writing started from a Fanfiction with over 2,000 Subscribers. Here I am with a Novel of my own, published here at Smashwords, it is really something to be proud of.

I am an avid reader and studying English in the University is one of the perks of being a good reader.

The two songs lyrics are culled from Passenger’s ‘Let her go’ and from the movie Joyful Noise, a song by Dolly Parton ‘From Here To The Moon And Back’

I will love to get feedbacks from readers and you can reach me on through my email addresses. You can email me at and

Dedication

This work is dedicated to GOD, my parents and siblings. I will also express my gratitude to Lillian Wheeler, Mamta Bishwas and Kanupriya Sharma, thanks a lot. And to every single reader and subscriber on AFF.

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter One

Henrie checked her wristwatch for the umpteenth time and she couldn’t help but see the disapproving eyes of the woman seated next to her in the taxi, she is actually the least of her problems so she can actually ignore her and her obvious disapproval. By the way what business of hers is this? 6:48pm. Henrie can’t help but start a silent prayer that she does not meet Richard at home, meeting Richard at home can only end one way.

She dropped from the taxi at Rahaman PategiRoad,GRA and finally she is free from the scowling woman. Thrusting the cab fare at the driver she rushed down the street, not exactly breaking up running, but hurrying along nonetheless. Henrie stepped into the gate of her home. It is not really her house but her boyfriend’s house and he inherited the house from his deceased Father. However, he wasn’t the sole inheritor of the house, his younger brother Charles is living with him. Henrie moved in with them almost two years ago and so far none of them seemed to mind.

Henrie knew Charles doesn’t really like hermuch butheispolite about it. He doesn’t behave rudely to her and he doesn’t warm up to her either. She respected herself whenitcomes to him he does treat herwith respect also by hispoliteness. There were times shefeels that he really doesn’t want her in the house, but so far he hasn’t said anything about it to her. Apart from the voluntary ‘Good morning’ and ‘Good night’ he rarely talks to her and she is always treated to a blank stare from him.

‘’Good evening Ma,’’ Henrie said to Big Mummy when she enters the compound and found her sitting outside her flat with her grandchildren.

‘’Welcome home dear.’’ Big Mummy replied. She is called Big Mummy by everyone in the area and her grandkids too even her married daughter calls her that. ‘’Rita I was hoping to talk to you when you come back.’’ Big Mummy stood up and walked tomeet her.

Henrie doesn’t like being called ‘Rita’,she really doesn’t like the name ‘Henrietta’ but she makes do with going by Henrie. Only Charles and Big Mummy call her Rita, Charles because he knew she hates it and Big Mummy because she really doesn’t know the difference between ‘Henrie’ and ‘Henry’. Not that she could blame the woman. Henrie stayed where she was and hoped she couldn’t keep her waiting for a long time, she really is running behind schedule today. ‘’Is there a problem Ma?’’ She asked politely.

Big Mummy wiped her hands on her wrapper continuously. ‘’Not a thing dear Rita, I was wondering if Charles has finally done the right thing.’’

Henrie was confused. Charles? Done the right thing? What right thing? ‘’I don’t understand you, what right thing?’’ Henrie is mentally calculating how soon Richard will get home and how dinner must be ready by then. She really doesn’t have time for small talks especially if it has to do with Charles.

Big Mummy shrugs. ’’I mean the Igbo girl Ada, has he proposed to her yet?’’

Henrie sighed. So this was what thisis all about? ‘’I don’t know anything about that Big Mummy, maybe you should ask Charles.’’ Of course she knew she could never ask Charles.

Big Mummy waved a hand dismissively, ‘’Never mind, I was just curious.’’

The thing about Big Mummy is that she is always curious, poking her nose where it is not needed. She puts on a blouse and wrapper every day, except she has to go out and gossip around the neighborhood.

Henrie excused herself and started praying that Richard comes home late tonight, that is the only way she could make dinner ready before he comes back from the office.

Their building is set back from the others,and the only four bedroom apartment, the other apartments which are rented out are two bedroom flat each, a total of 5 structures in the building , four structures for the flats, 2 flats each and the main building where Henrie lives with her boyfriend Richard and his brother Charles. Their father, the deceased Emmanuel Agbaje left all his properties to his sons and wife and this building is not the only house they have, she sometimes found it odd that both of them are living in the same apartment whereas each can have his own apartment. Richard and Charles split the rent equally between themselves, not really that they depended on it as each one of them has a decent job.

Henrie moved in with the Agbajes almost two years ago because Richard wanted her to.

She put her key in the door and was surprised to see it unlocked. That means Charles is home but she didn’t see his car anywhere, maybe he borrowed one of his friends again. Just the last person on earth she wanted to see right now, she can’t bear to see him see her flustered because she is in a hurry to please Richard. ‘’Hi,’’ she greets him as she entered, closing the door behind her. ‘’didn’t know you are in.’’ She added.

‘’Hmm,’’ Charlesgrunts before heading back to the kitchen where he came out from.

Henrie goes to the room she shares with Richard, dropped her bag on the sofa in a corner of the bedroom and changed her clothes. She did not have the time for a shower, so she just put on a jean knickers and a green tank top. Richard always gets those for her, saying he likes seeing her in it and since he doesn’t mind his younger brother seeing her in it. She put on slippers and heads to the kitchen; Charles is cooking. As if today could not get any more worse than it already is, now she will have to wait until he is done. ‘’You’re cooking.’’ She remarked lamely.

Charles who had his back to her gave her a look over his shoulder. ‘’Of course I am cooking Rita.’’

She probably deserves that. ‘’When you are done let me know please, I have to cook for Richard.’’ She hopes he can’t detect the emergence in her tone.

Charles turned to her. ’’It’s okay Rita, you don’t have to cook tonight. I have got it handled.’’

Henrie doesn’t know whether to be grateful or wary. Charles doesn’t cook dinner for them all. The only person he does cook for is Adanne and she is not here, except if she is coming tonight. ‘’Is Adanne coming tonight?’’ She has to ask.

Charles gave her a blank look. ‘’What is that supposed to mean?’’

Oops. ‘’Never mind. Thanks for the dinner.’’ Henrie said instead and pulled a stool to sit on. The least she could do is not to leave him alone.

Without turning to look at her, Charles said, ‘’I don’t need youreyes boring into the back ofmy head while I am cooking. It’s distracting.’’

With Charles you can never do a good thing. There are times when Henrie wondered what Adanne found in him. She doesn’t know how to reply him so she kept quiet and tried to avoid looking at him.

‘’If you are not going to talk then why are you here Rita? I don’t need you playing dumb.’’ Charles complained again few minutes later.

The clattering of dishes in the sink is the only indication that he is angry. ‘’Whatever, I’m sure you don’t have anything to say that will interest me.’’

Henrie found his behaviour somewhat odd, normally he would just ignore her or talk to her when it is absolutely necessary but today he seems to be in a good mood, so good a mood that he actually bothered to speak to her, and even helped with dinner.

For the next fifteen minutes there was uncomfortable silence in the kitchen and that was how they were when Richard pulled in. Henrie stood up abruptly and went to the door to welcome him home. ‘’Welcome home,’’ she greeted him with a hug.

‘’Is Charles back yet?’’ He asked.

‘’I am.’’ Charles said as he poked his head out of the kitchen. ‘’Just didn’t bring the car home.’’

‘’What are you doing in there?’’

Charles came out fully. ‘’Just checking the foodstuffs left in the kitchen. I was thinking I will drop by tomorrow to buy more foodstuffs.’’

Richard nodded. He turned to Henrie. ‘’Are you not supposed to be in the kitchen?’’

Henrie visibly jumped. ‘’Of course I should get back in there.’’ She went back to the kitchen and took over, just a few more minutes and she is done. At least Charles had been kind enough to cover for her. Richard wouldn’t have taken it lightly if he knew Charles was the one who cooked he will see it as her shirking her duties.

Minutes later Henrie served dinner and so far Adanne has not shown up, maybe she is not coming after all and something else is the cause of Charles’ enthusiasm. She is just glad he saved her from Richard’s anger tonight.

Dinner was quiet. After they were done she packed up the dishes and washed them and then wiped the counter until it is spotless, Richard would not like it if he sees any speck of dirt on it. Satisfied with her handiwork, she went back to the living room to find the two brothers talking about sports. Feeling left out she sat down on a single couch and started chatting online with her friend through WhatsApp.

Henrie always roll hereyesanytime any friend ofhers complimented her on how lucky she was to nail down an amazing guy as Richard, she wished they knew what she was going through with him and they wouldn’t be so quick to envy her.

Henrie has been with the two brothers for so long and she knew their behaviors as much as she knew herself. Charles might be surly and unfriendly; to her that is, but he is actually kind hearted. He is very good with his few friends and everybody seems to like him except herself. Richard on the other hand is the golden boy, everyone likes him and always claimed he is the better one of the two brothers but Henrie knew better. Richard is charming on the outside, but to her he is a beast. He calls it love but she calls it obsession. Sometimes she wondered what she had done wrong for two brothers to go extreme on her, Charles extremely doesn’t like her, she knew he is just putting on with her because of his brother, and Richard is extremely possessive and obsessive.

Richard snapped his fingers in front of her and that was when Henrie comprehendedthat he had stood up from where he was sitting earlier with Charles and was now in front of her. ‘’What are you thinking about?’’ He asked suspiciously, his eyes narrowing.

Now he also wanted to control her thoughts? ‘’I am just thinking about work, I have a lot to do tomorrow.’’ Henrie lied straight out of her teeth.

He regarded her in silence for a few seconds before he sat down beside her. The chair was too small for them both so she had to sit on its arm. ‘’I think you should quit that job, you shouldn’t have to do so much work.’’

Henrie gasped. No way is she going to quit her job. Richard was the one who got the job for her but he shouldn’t make her quit it, she wouldn’t. The job is her only form of escape, where she could really be herself and not what Richard molded her to be.

She shook her head gently. ‘’It’s okay, I like doing it and it is not entirely tiresome.’’ She gave him her best smile. He seemed to fall for it as he smiled and relaxed.

Charles watched the two of them and scoffed. He couldn’t believe how stupid Henrie was to stay put with his domineering brother. Their relationship is not healthy, he just wished she would see that and breakup with Richard, but so far the annoying girl seems to be okay with the Master and Servant thing they had going.

Annoyed, he stood up and stalked to his room and slammed the door. At least she had been able to keep her job tonight. He just wished she would come to her senses real soon. He is sick and tired of their stupid love.

Chapter Two

Richard hasn’t always been like this. When they started dating he was everything she could ever wish for in a guy, caring, charming, intelligent and carefree. She really believed she had met the man she would spend the rest of her life with, when that had suddenly changed she had no idea, she just knew he has changed from the man she fell in love with. She knew she shouldn’t still be with him but she was afraid of him, afraid of what he would do to her if she were to leave him. The last time she left him she knew what he did to get her back and what he did to her afterwards. She just intended to stay with a friend for a few days after he hit her over something as insignificant as spilling water accidentally on the floor and she had left, to hide but he charmed her back with profuse apologies and she had went back. Little does she know he have something planned for her. She had to stay home for two ways after he almost broke her arm.

She and her friends had agreed to meet tomorrow night and hang out. She briefly wondered how Richard would take that if she were to tell him. She cleared her throat, ‘’I just wanted to tell you that I will come home late tomorrow night, I am meeting with my friends after work.’’