Lizzy kept crying.
Finally, Raymond spoke.
“Okay,” he said slowly. “This weekend, you can come to my house. We will talk.”
Lizzy’s eyes lifted quickly, full of hope. “Raymond, thank you. Thank you.”
Raymond raised his hand. “Stop. It is not a promise that I will take you back, and it is not a promise that I will get you a job. We will only talk. Do you understand?”
Lizzy nodded rapidly. “Yes. Yes, Raymond. I understand. Thank you.”
That night, Raymond slept, but not deeply. His body rested, yet his spirit remained alert.
In the middle of the night, that same voice came again, clear and serious.
“My son, be careful. Not everyone is happy that you have succeeded.”
Raymond opened his eyes sharply and sat up. His heart pounded. He looked around the room. Nobody was there. The house was silent except for the sound of his own breathing.
He whispered to himself, “This voice has saved me before. I will not joke with it.”
Then another thought came into his mind, strong like a warning:
If Lizzy brings me food when she comes, I will not eat anything from her.
He did not know why, but his heart told him to be careful.
When the weekend came, Lizzy arrived at Raymond’s house.
Raymond opened the door and paused. Lizzy looked different. She wore a short fitted dress. Her hair was beautifully done. Her makeup was flawless and expensive-looking. Her perfume filled the air. She did not look like a homeless, jobless woman at all.
Raymond’s eyes moved from her head to her shoes.
“Wow,” he said slowly. “Lizzy, you look beautiful. But I thought you said you were poor and jobless. How come?”
Lizzy smiled quickly and adjusted her hair like someone playing a role with confidence.
“Raymond,” she said softly, “I borrowed money from a friend to buy these things.”
Raymond frowned. “You didn’t have to do that. You should have come simple.”
Lizzy stepped closer and held his hand.
“All for you, my sweet husband,” she said in a sweet voice.
Raymond’s chest tightened. That word—husband—hit him in a strange place. He remembered pain, betrayal, and shame. But he also remembered the memories from when things had once been good.
He tried to keep his face hard, but Lizzy knew where to touch.
She moved closer, looked into his eyes, and kissed him.
Raymond wanted to push her away. He even told himself, Remember what she did. But emotions are stubborn things. Loneliness is dangerous too. His body remembered her before his anger could stop it.
Raymond held her.
And that was how the talking ended.
After that day, Lizzy began coming around often. She smiled. She acted gentle. She called him sweet names. Sometimes she cried and said she was sorry. She told him she had changed.
Raymond tried to stay strong, but every visit pulled him further in. Weeks passed. Before he realized it, Lizzy was no longer visiting. She was staying in his house.
And slowly, like a man walking back into deep water, Raymond found himself back with Lizzy.
A month later, Raymond was relaxing in the garden of his house. The weather was calm, and for the first time in a long time, he looked like a man at peace. Lizzy sat near him, smiling as if everything were perfect.
After a while, Lizzy cleared her throat and said, “Raymond, I have an idea.”
Raymond looked at her. “What idea?”
Lizzy leaned forward. “You have a lot of money now. You need a good investment. Start real estate. Real estate is the business now.”
Raymond nodded slowly. “I have thought about that before.”
Lizzy smiled quickly. “You see? We are one. We think the same way.”
Raymond smiled a little.
Lizzy continued. “I know someone who has a very good offer. Two hundred plots of land. Very good location. Expensive area. If you buy now, you will benefit.”
Raymond’s eyes showed interest. “Two hundred plots?”
“Yes,” Lizzy replied. “And it’s not just any place. It’s an area where rich people are already building. If you enter now, you will make serious profit.”
Raymond leaned back and nodded again. “That sounds good.”
Lizzy added, “By the weekend, we will go and inspect the land. I will arrange everything.”
Raymond felt happy. He laughed softly. “Lizzy, thank you for this idea. Honestly, what would I have done without you?”
Lizzy smiled proudly. “That is why we are partners.”
Raymond stood up. “Let me go and get something to drink for this great idea, my beautiful wife.”
He walked inside to the kitchen area. As he opened the fridge and reached for the wine, that voice came again, low and urgent.
“Be careful, my child. Not everyone is happy for you.”
Raymond paused, and his face tightened. He was tired of hearing it. He spoke out loud, angry and irritated.
“Thank you, but I have had enough. You disturb me every time. Just let me be. I have had enough of all this nonsense. You cannot keep commanding me like this. If you are real, show your face. If you are fake, stop it. This is getting too much.”
The house fell silent again. No answer. No sound.
Raymond hissed, took the wine, and walked back outside.
Lizzy was waiting, smiling. Raymond poured the drink and sat with her. He forced himself to relax and enjoy the moment. He drank slowly while Lizzy talked about the land, the profit, and the future.
The day finally came.
Raymond dressed up and came out smiling. “Let me call my assistant to join us,” he said.
Lizzy shook her head quickly. “No, baby. Let’s go alone. It’s just an inspection. We don’t even know if you’ll like it yet.”
Raymond hesitated.
Lizzy lifted her glass. “Cheers to a great deal ahead.”
Raymond lifted his glass too. They drank and walked toward the car.
As they were moving, Raymond suddenly felt dizzy. The ground seemed to tilt.
“Lizzy,” he said slowly, “I’m not feeling well. Let’s go tomorrow, honey.”
Lizzy gripped his hand tightly. “No. The people are already waiting for us. We don’t want to miss this opportunity. Remember, the land is very affordable.”
Raymond tried to think clearly, but his head was spinning.
Lizzy smiled and said, “Don’t worry. I’ll drive.”
Raymond nodded weakly. “Okay.”
Hours later, Raymond opened his eyes.
He felt cold.
He tried to move, but he could not. His hands and legs were tied. He looked around and saw a big river rushing beside him.
Fear entered his body like fire.
Then he saw them.
Lizzy was standing there.
Beside her was Matthew—the same friend who had taken him in when he was homeless.
Raymond shouted, shocked and confused. “Lizzy! Matthew! Why am I tied up? What is going on?”
Lizzy crossed her arms and looked at him without pity.
“You are asking questions now?” she said. “Matthew is the one who told me everything. He called me the day you ran away from his house. He told me you had won a huge amount of money.”
Raymond stared at Matthew. “You?”
Lizzy continued, “Matthew was my boyfriend in secondary school. We dated before. When Tony failed, Matthew was already waiting.”
Raymond’s heart broke all over again. “You mean you left Tony and came to Matthew? And Matthew—my friend—even you?”
Matthew shrugged. “Sorry, bro.”
Then Lizzy said coldly, “She is mine now, and your wealth is ours. Remember, you and I were never legally divorced.”
Raymond cried. Tears ran down his face. Inside his heart he screamed, I should have listened to that voice.
“God,” he whispered, “please help me.”
Lizzy laughed coldly. “I know you are praying. But it is too late, my friend. I never loved you. I only stayed for the money, and I will never love you.”
Matthew stepped forward, silenced Raymond, and pushed him hard.
Raymond fell into the river.
Lizzy and Matthew did not wait. They rushed into the car, started it, and drove off fast.
Seconds later, someone who had seen everything moved.
High up in a tall palm tree, a palm wine tapper had been quietly working. From that height, he had seen the whole scene. When Lizzy and Matthew drove away, the tapper did not waste a second. He climbed down quickly, trembling but forcing himself to be brave, and ran to the river.
By the time he reached it, Raymond was already drowning.
The river was pulling him down. Raymond’s mouth opened and closed as he fought for air, but he was losing strength.
The tapper jumped into the water.
The current was strong, but the man was used to hard work, and he knew how to swim. He fought through the water, grabbed Raymond, and pulled him toward the bank.
It was not easy. The river fought him, but he did not let go.
Finally, he dragged Raymond out, laid him on the ground, and untied him.
Raymond coughed up water. His body shook.
The tapper turned him onto his side and kept pressing his back until more water came out.
“Breathe,” the tapper said, panting. “Breathe.”
Raymond coughed again and finally managed a weak breath.
The tapper looked around quickly. The place was quiet. The killers were gone, but it still was not safe to remain there. If they came back, trouble would start again.
So the tapper carried Raymond away with great effort, taking narrow paths and avoiding the main road. He walked until he reached a small nearby community where he knew someone.
That night, Raymond was weak and half-conscious. They cleaned him up, covered him well, and laid him down. He slept like a man with one foot in death and one in life.
Later in the night, Raymond opened his eyes slowly. A dim light glowed in the room. His throat was dry. His body ached. His head still spun. He tried to sit up, but he was too weak.
Then he saw someone sitting nearby.
A very beautiful woman.
She was calm, neat, and watching him quietly as if she had been there a long time.
Raymond became confused and frightened. He looked around again.
“Where am I?” he asked in a weak voice. “Am I dead?”
The woman stood gently and moved closer.
“Calm down,” she said softly. “You are not dead. You are safe.”
Raymond swallowed. “Safe? How?”
She gave him a little water. “Don’t worry. My father will explain everything tomorrow. Rest now.”
Raymond blinked slowly. “Your father?”
She nodded. “Yes. Just rest.”
Raymond lay back, still confused, but the woman’s voice was peaceful. His eyes closed again, and he slept.
Meanwhile, that same night, Lizzy and Matthew were celebrating.
They sat inside a comfortable house, laughing like people who had just won a war. A bottle of drink stood on the table. Their minds were fixed on only one thing—Raymond’s money.
Lizzy leaned back on the sofa with a proud smile. “Baby, I can’t wait for us to take over that foolish Raymond Companies.”
Matthew laughed. “Relax. Everything is going according to plan.”
Lizzy shook her head and smiled harder. “Do you know how sweet this is? After everything, he still fell into my hands again. He thought I had changed. He thought I loved him. Poor man.”
Matthew nodded slowly. “He was too trusting.”
Lizzy leaned forward, her eyes shining with greed. “And the best part is this: as his legally married wife, I have a right to all his properties. Once he is gone, no one can question me.”
Matthew lifted his drink. “You are smart. Very smart.”
Lizzy smiled proudly. “I planned it well. I cleaned up. I dressed well. I cried. I begged. I acted like a broken woman. Raymond’s heart is soft. That is his weakness. Once I get in, I control him.”
Matthew laughed again. “And you gave him that drink?”
Lizzy nodded. “Yes. He was already dizzy before we entered the car. He even wanted to postpone the trip, but I pushed him. He didn’t suspect anything. He was already weak.”
Matthew leaned closer. “So what next?”
Lizzy’s face turned serious. “Next is simple. Tomorrow we start moving. We act like worried people. We start asking questions. We call his phone and pretend we can’t reach him. Then we report him missing.”
Matthew nodded. “And later?”
Lizzy smiled slowly. “Later, we control the story. We control the papers. We control the company. We control everything. Raymond is finished.”
They clinked glasses and laughed softly, like people who thought God was asleep.
The next day, Raymond woke up slowly. His body still felt weak, but at least he could breathe properly. He sat up and looked around. It was a simple, clean room.
A middle-aged farmer entered. He had a calm face and strong hands—the kind of hands that work every day.
“Good morning, my son,” the man said gently.
Raymond’s eyes widened. “Good morning, sir. Where am I?”
The farmer pulled a chair and sat down.
“My name is Papa Peter,” he said. “You are in my house. You almost died yesterday.”
Raymond looked at Papa Peter with grateful eyes. “Sir, thank you for saving me.”
Papa Peter shook his head. “It wasn’t me, my son. I only helped after they brought you here.”
Raymond swallowed hard. “Who saved me?”
Papa Peter sighed. “The man who brought you here told me he is a palm wine tapper from the neighboring town. He said he saw what happened at the river. He said he waited because he was afraid to confront them, but after they left, he came down quickly and saved you. My son, I have never met him before. I do not even know his name properly.”
Raymond shook his head slowly, still shocked. “So a stranger saved me.”
Papa Peter nodded. “Yes. God used him.”
Raymond’s eyes filled with tears. “I can’t believe it. My own wife and my own friend did that to me. Lizzy wanted me dead. I should have listened to the voice.”
Papa Peter looked at him with pity. “Thank God you are alive, my son. Many people do not get a second chance.”
Raymond nodded slowly. “Thank you, sir. Thank you for helping me.”
Just then, the door opened softly, and the beautiful young woman Raymond had seen the night before entered with a tray. She looked neat, calm, and gentle. When she saw Raymond awake, she smiled a little.
Papa Peter turned to Raymond. “This is my only child,” he said proudly. “Her mother died years ago. Her name is Rosemary.”
Raymond smiled. “Rosemary,” he repeated. “Sir, you have a very beautiful daughter.”
Papa Peter laughed lightly. Rosemary looked down shyly.
Raymond turned to her. “Thank you, Rose, for taking care of me. My name is Raymond.”
Rosemary smiled again, still shy. “You’re welcome.”
Then she asked, “What would you like to eat?”
Raymond exhaled and tried to smile. “Anything is fine. I’m just grateful to be alive.”
Meanwhile, in the city, Lizzy went straight to the police station.
She wore a sad face and forced tears into her eyes. She walked in like a worried wife.
“Officer, please help me,” she cried. “My husband is missing.”
The policeman looked up. “Missing? Since when?”
Lizzy sniffed and wiped her face. “For two days now. He left the house and never came back. His phone is not going through. I’ve been calling and calling. I’m afraid something bad has happened to him.”
The police officer asked for Raymond’s full name and description. Lizzy answered quickly, acting weak and broken. She even put a hand on her chest as if she could not breathe properly.
The officer wrote everything down and nodded.
“Madam, calm down,” he said. “We will look into the matter. We will open a case and begin searching. If we find anything, we will contact you.”
Lizzy nodded, still crying. “Please, please find him. He is my beloved husband.”
The officer replied, “Don’t worry. We will do our job.”
Lizzy thanked them again and walked out of the station, still wiping tears.
But as soon as she stepped outside, the crying faded from her face. Her expression became quiet and serious, like someone who had been acting from the start.
After leaving the police station, Lizzy did not go home to pray or search like a worried wife. She went straight to Raymond’s company with Matthew. They walked into the building as if they owned it.
Matthew walked beside her like a bodyguard. They went straight to the office area and met the company staff.
Lizzy brought out forged documents and spoke boldly.
“My husband is missing,” she announced. “As his legal wife, I will take over for now until he returns. Business must continue.”
Some workers looked at one another in confusion, but Lizzy did not give them time to question anything. Matthew supported her words, acting serious and composed.
That very first day, Lizzy and Matthew moved a huge amount of money. They signed papers quickly, made transfers, and pushed things through under pressure. In their hearts, they were delighted. It was as if they were already celebrating Raymond’s death.
Hours later, Raymond’s assistant entered the office. She was a young woman—respectful, but brave.
She stood in front of Lizzy and spoke carefully.
“Ma, with all due respect, this is wrong. Your husband is missing and you are already doing all this. You do not even seem worried. You are acting as if you were waiting for this.”
Lizzy’s face changed instantly.
“How dare you speak to me like that?” she shouted.
The assistant kept her voice calm. “Ma, I’m not trying to insult you. I’m only saying—”
Lizzy frowned. “Shut up!” she screamed. “The next time you try me, I will make sure you are gone forever, you useless girl.”
The assistant stepped back in shock.
Lizzy leaned forward, angry and suspicious. “Or is there something you are not telling me? Were you sleeping with Raymond?”
The assistant’s eyes widened. “No, Ma! It’s not like that. I never—”
Lizzy cut her off. “Shut your mouth. Don’t ever stand in front of me and act like you care more than I do. If you want to keep your job, learn to respect me.”
The assistant lowered her head, fighting back tears. But deep in her heart, she knew something was very wrong.
Lizzy was not merely taking over.
She was covering her tracks.
Later that evening, at the police station, a palm wine tapper walked in quietly.
He went to the front desk and said politely, “I want to see the DPO.”
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