Keywords: Once Upon A Forever, Prologue, Free Web Novel, Nigerian Story, Reincarnation, Doomed Love, Fated Love, David, Tony.
David
David walked into the kitchen. It was a large space. It could serve as a sitting room or even host a small party.
He ignored his mother and Anita, though he noticed them; they were talking over a glass of wine and a plate of cookies.
He could have rung for the maid to bring him a glass of water, but he didn’t trust that the women wouldn’t try to drug him.
Instead, he took a cup from the top cabinet, rinsed it with soap and water without saying a word to the maid, who had finally learned to stand silently and be invisible.
He headed for the dispenser, then changed his mind, went to the tap, and poured himself a glass, which he drank in two long pulls.
“Why would you do that, David? Do you want to fall sick?” His mother, who had been watching him the whole time, rushed over and reached for him.
David stepped back from her hands, a glare warning her to stay away.
Anita hurried over, positioning herself beside his mother. “Why do you keep treating your mother like this? All she does is care for you.”
David’s expression slid back to neutral, as if his earlier reaction had been an anomaly.
He picked up his phone and made a call.
“Where are my car keys?” he asked the person on the other line. “To the normal car.”
He kept walking, aware that engagement was all it took for the two women to cross his boundaries.
Anita had been circling his mother like a parasite waiting for a chance to latch onto him, and his mother hovered with a chain labeled “motherly love,” hoping to drape it over his neck.
“Did the mechanic service it?” he asked into the phone. “It’s fine. I just need to head out; I’ll be back real quick.”
He left the kitchen, passed the large dining hall that could seat fifty, crossed the living room, and climbed the staircase to his room. Once inside, he opened one of the safes on his table, took out a key, and then headed back downstairs.
His mother and Anita stood at the kitchen entrance, watching him leave.
Once outside, David drew in a deep breath, as though he had been holding it in. He switched his phone to speaker, then opened the security app for his room and activated the cameras. On the feed from the living room, he watched Anita and his mother settle on a sofa with their cookies and wine.
“Sir, do you need the guards to escort you?” the voice on the line asked.
“No, it’s fine. I just want to grab a pack of water from the store and maybe drive around a little. Stay on the line in case something comes up.”
David entered the garage and pressed a button. Among the fleet of high-end cars, the Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class 2024 blinked to life.
Moments later, he was on the road. “Tony, remember to stock my fridge with water. I don’t ever want to come out to buy it again.”
“Yes, sir,” Tony replied.
At the store, David parked and stepped out. He caught the stares; some at him, most at the car.
“Is this not the normal car?” he asked into the phone.
“Sir, it’s the most normal one you own,” Tony answered.
Inside, David set a pack of bottled water on the counter and slid his black card across. The cashier, a teenage girl with wide eyes, blurted:
“Wow… are you an actor?”
David tilted his head, studying her.
“No, I mean you look like a celebrity.”
David kept his head tilted.
He didn’t like it when people poked into his business, sometimes, they started with a compliment, just like the cashier was doing, but it always ended with probing.
“Sorry,” she stammered quickly, cheeks burning. “I just meant… you’re really handsome.”
He smiled, straightened his head, and pointed at the card and then the water.
Her blush deepened as she rushed through the scan, not taking her eyes away from him.
Th.. thanks for shopping with us.” She stammered, handing him his card.
David nodded, retrieved his card with a subtle smile, lifted the water, and walked out. He tossed the pack onto the passenger seat and slid behind the wheel.
“Tony, I never want to have to do that again.”
“I understand, sir.”
“What’s my schedule like this weekend?”
“Sir, you have a charity banquet this Saturday. Will you be going or cancelling?”
“I think I should go this time. The family’s been looking for reasons to push back against me as head. Not going might make them get too comfortable.” David’s voice was calm. “Plus, I might catch some motives while I’m there.”
“Are you heading back now, sir?” Tony asked.
David kept one hand on the wheel and, with the other, pulled a bottle of water from the pack, opened it, and drank. “Just taking a longer route.”
When he finished, he tossed the empty bottle to the foot of the passenger seat.
“The family trust meeting, when is that again?” he asked.
“That’s in three weeks’ time.”
David exhaled slowly as he turned onto a side street. The steering locked. He twisted the wheel harder; it didn’t budge. He slammed his foot on the brake — nothing. The pedal sank uselessly beneath him.
The car lurched and veered toward the curb. He pumped the brake and stabbed the accelerator in quick bursts, trying to wrest control back. The tyres screamed. The car skidded and slammed head-on into a light pole.
The airbag deployed, filling the cabin with a choking cloud of dust and burnt chemicals. After a stunned beat, David shoved the airbag aside, unbuckled, and climbed out, phone already in his hand. He sounded unnaturally steady. “Wasn’t it just an oil change? Did the mechanic do anything else?”
“No, it was just regular servicing and maintenance, sir,” Tony stammered, panic cutting through his voice. “Nothing should be wrong with the car. Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. Come pick me up. Bring some guards.”
David stared at the wreck, his fist beginning to tremble, as the anger made its way to his face.
David kicked the car. “Fuck!”
“Remember, David, reacting is pointless. You can have his family wiped out and not face any consequence. Calm down.”
“Damn it, I know! It’s annoying!” David snapped. “That fucking uncle! He’s lucky I promised grandfather not to harm him. And he just keeps testing me like this.”
“Calm down, David.” Tony said. “Take a deep breath. How do you want to handle this?”
David took in a breath, held it, then let it out before taking a step back to look at his car.
“Send me the mechanic’s wrists, the two of them, place them in a box. Place a call to my uncle, tell him that if I get to his place tomorrow and he is not there, he should forget about being let back into the family.” David walked to the passenger seat and took out his pack of water.
“Yes, Sir,” Tony said. “I’m close by.”
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So far, Are you enjoying Once Upon a Forever? Drop a reaction to let me know how you feel about it. I have other webnovels, but since this is my latest, i feel the writing and story telling on this is way better than my previous writing, and honestly, i hope my future projects will also be better than this.