Love At Last

CAYDEN’S INNOCENT

It’s been well over three months now since the ‘Cayden baby mama’ drama and things were going on as normal.

That very day, I was lying on the sofa watching some funny videos on YouTube just trying to relax when nana came in sounding and looking restless.

“Lily are you not watching the news?” She picked up the remote control and switched channels.

“What happened nana? Why are you sounding that way?” I asked

“Shhh… just listen,” she pointed to the TV

*The said girl, Brielle Elsher who worked with one of the biggest companies in the whole of the United States of America is said to have been arrested of impersonation and defamation of one Mr. Cayden Mc. Lou…*

On hearing the name Cayden Mc. Lou from the news reporter, my attention on the TV was tripled and I became more interested than before.

*for making false derogatory accusations about him…* the news reporter concluded her story after attaching a couple of pictures – whose faces were blurred – of which I recognized one of them to be Cayden and the other, Brielle.

I stood in front of the TV fixated on the screen even after the news update was over. “Lily” granny called my attention. ” I hope you’re not thinking of doing anything right now.”

“Anything like what, nana?”

“Anything like calling back Mr. Cayden and sorting things out,” she clarified.

I heaved a sigh and sat back down without saying anything. Of course I would have the thought in mind; Cayden was falsely accused, making us to call our relationship quits.

“Don’t do it, Lily. It’s been over three months now. Going back would be reopening old wounds unnecessarily. So let it be, okay?” she advised.

“Fine, nana. I’ll let it be,” I said resting my head on the sofa, facing the ceiling while I folded my arms.

“Let me fix something for you,” she walked out the living room.

I sat upright now nana was gone since I was hiding the guilt I felt over watching the news. Rather than ‘revisit old wounds unnecessarily’, I was going to dig in and find out the truth so technically, I won’t be going against my nana. I immediately picked up my phone and anonymously requested for a PI – on an investigation and crime scene blog I newly formed interest in and followed daily updates.

A few days later, someone replied my comment and told me he was a PI and he would happily work with me for the right amount. We immediately exchanged contacts after which I deleted the comment entirely to get rid of possible traces. I suggested the place of first meeting and of course it was away from my shop and house; we met at a zoo as one can never be too careful. I didn’t want to raise alarm or inform anyone of what I intended to do, I said to go in head on and alone

He described to me what clothes he wore and what part of the zoo he’d be at so without much said and done, I located him standing in front of an ostrich’s cage.

“Mr. PI?” I called out.

“It’s Mr. Liam, miss Lily,” he reminded me nicely and he beckoned for a handshake of which I yielded to.

“Right! Mr. Liam. So you’re the one who replied my comment?”

“Do I look weird?” he asked frantically then I giggled.

“Not really. Pardon my manners.”

“No problems.”

“So I’m going to make this quick. I heard all what you guys need are people’s pictures and full names to find whatever you want to, right?”

“Definitely. Sometimes, we don’t even need their names so if you don’t know the person’s name, fret not.”

“Alright. Here you go,” I opened my bag and brought out an envelope which I gave to him.

“Can I open it?”

“If you wish to.” ” In there, those are pictures of a lady I want you to do some digging into. She was recently accused of defamation against one Mr. Cayden and I want you to look into that for me,” I explained the task while he looked through the pictures meticulously. “You can do it, right?”

“Sure!” he affirmed.

“Great. So when you’ve found something, be sure to tell me, we could meet up back here.”

“Yes miss.”

“Confidentiality is your watchword, right?” I still had to make sure everything is done in secret.

“Definitely,” he nodded.

“Alright, see you then.”

“Sure. Have a great day!” he cried out as I was already a few centimeters away.

“And you too!” I responded and walked out of earshot.

The guy sure understood the part and played appropriately by putting on something to blend with the entire crowd – white shorts and blue tee-shirt with black sneakers – and not calling attention to himself. I on the other hand was the one who had more chances of jeopardizing our secret meeting by putting on something I thought would take attention away but it turned out that wasn’t the case. I wore an all-black attire with a black scarf covering my head and sixty percent of my face , with the only part exposed – which were my eyes – still covered with sunshades.

Despite my looking like an oddball, he didn’t speak about it; he was indeed professional so I trusted he’d do a good job and waited patiently for him to call me first.

Two weeks after I met with the PI and given him the job, he contacted me again asking for us to meet at the zoo since I proposed earlier that we met there to avoid poking eyes.

I got to the zoo and recognized him sitting at the sit-out under the trees lined up in front of the ostrich’s cage I met him before.

“Did you wait long?” I beside him casually.

“Not really. Here you go,” he handed me a file that lay by his side earlier.

“What did you find?” I asked while opening the file to check the contents.

“Miss Brielle in fact worked with Grey’s empire long before Mr. Cayden Mc. Lou came over to Nedford.”

“She did?” still going through the documents in the file, I asked.

“Yes. Inside the file I gave you is a comprehensive report on my findings. Turned out that this miss Brielle in question was involved in the ‘Mr. Cayden’s baby mama’ fiasco.”

“She was?” I looked at him this time.

“Yes. Apparently, she was Mr. Steve’s informant. She was the one who pulled the strings and made it look like Mr. Cayden intended to marry the said lady for the sake of his publicity,” he narrated further.

“What about the issue concerning his defamation?” I asked.

“If you look in the file, there’s a flash drive inside,” he pointed the file and had me ruffling through again to see it. “Inside the flash drive, are comprehensive reports Miss Brielle provided Mr. Steve. Those reports were made even before he came into Nedford but she kind of fabricated it to accuse Mr. Cayden wrongly,” he concluded and had me feeling deeply guilty for doubting Cayden as much as I did and wasn’t even willing to hear his side of the story. “When you get home, go through them,” he interrupted my thoughts, standing up to leave.

“Nice doing business with you,” I stretched forth my hand for a handshake.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

“Sure,” he shook my hand. “Anytime you have something else as this, be sure to inform me,” he winked, then smiled.

“I’ll have that in mind,” I reciprocated his friendly gesture and bade him farewell.

Walking out of the scene, I recounted everything he said earlier and I never felt more guilty and gullible as I did then. I was easily swayed by evidences against Cayden that placed him in a compromising situation. I felt deeply down in the dumps.