Chapter 3

• “Dante Henchman!”
• Her Iyke was Dante Henchman, he was a fricking Henchman. Ugo kept repeating to herself as anger propelled her towards the black gate that led to the back side of the house. Instead of sitting at the gazebo as she planned, she walked farther down and stood under the mango tree. How could he pretend that he did not recognize her, yet he could not pretend not to recognize the ring? Throughout the meal, he was unable to take his eyes off the ring even while he asked things about her as if he was meeting her for the first time.
• For the past seven years, not once could she have imagined that her Iyke is the same man as this Dante Henchman. The Henchmans were widely known in the country and beyond. They have so many businesses but mostly known for their electronic gadgets. She couldn’t get her mind around it. Could they be different people, maybe related? Yes, that was possible. Her Iyke was not a suit man. He has worn jeans and t-shirt throughput the two weeks they spent together but this Dante was wearing a suit, a suit that probably cost more than everything she will ever worth in life.
• Her Iyke wasn’t cynical as Dante’s has proven to be during the brief moment they have known and he wasn’t arrogant. During the meal, he hadn’t made it a secret that Alfred would be happy to have connections with the Henchman. Alfred and Kenny weren’t offended by his innuendos and snide remarks but Sarah was disgusted by it.
• What kind of a man takes cheap shots at his prospective father in-law’s financial status? Her Iyke will never do it. Yes, Iyke was a humble person but this Dante thinks the world revolved around him, he probably believed so since he was the only heir to Henchman empire.
• But could two different people sound exactly the same? And that tiny scar, yes, he couldn’t be. The features are the same but Iyke had no scar on his forehead. Yes, yes, he’s not her Iyke. But, that eye, his eye was the first thing she had noticed seven years ago. She remembered thinking that his was the darkest eyes she had ever seen.
• “But he recognized the ring?’
• Yes, let’s not forgot that important fact. Could the ring be a family heirloom, is that why he recognized it? God, why was she trying to convince herself he was not the same man when she already knew he is? Ugo, noticed a movement behind her and turned. She was not surprised to see him. She had expected him to seek her out
• ‘You are a difficult lady to track down”
• “Track down?” she asked suspicious. Did he used Kenny to track her down?
• “I mean, I have searched every nook and cranny of this compound looking for you?”
• “And why is that Mr. Dante? Why do you need to track me down?”
• She couldn’t be serious could she? She has his ring yet she asked why he needed to track her down? Well, since Kenny said she was her best friend so he would thread carefully but God help him because he was already pissed. Throughout the entire meal which took close to two hours, all this lady did was glare at him and drop insulting innuendos as if he was a criminal. He is Dante Henchman for goodness sake and no one dare cross a Henchman how much more him. People feared him yet this lady treated him as if he was nothing as if he was disgusted to be in his presence.
• He could crush her if he chose to, however, for the sake of his fiancée, he will call up every self control he has to get done with this. She probably wants money which he planned to give her but not before she explained how she came to have his ring.
• “I heard that you prepared the sumptuous meal we ate; I just wanted to thank you.”
• He saw anger flash on her face and wondered why she seemed to be angry with him. If anyone should be angry, it was him but since he didn’t know how she came to be with his ring, he would reserve his judgment until he finds out.
• “Tell me Mr. Dante, when you were coming to this town, did you expect to reconnect with the past?”
• Sarcasm, nothing she has ever said to him this evening that was not coated with sarcasm. He didn’t know why and he was not in the mood for female drama. To reconnect with his past? What past is she talking about? He had not met her, he was sure he will remember if he had.
• “I don’t know what you mean.” He saw the anger again, but ignored it.
• “Where did you get that ring?” he asked instead. It was why he sought her out.
• The faster he got the answers he sought and recovered his ring, the better. He needs to be done with this before his future in-laws and his best friend Gerald started wondering where he went. Not that he was afraid of any of them seeing him with this lady but he would prefer not to explain anything to any of them about the ring. Dante is a man who values his privacy, he owed no one explanation so the least people know about his business, the better. Besides, there was always someone willing to sell secrets to paparazzi, so he’ll rather conduct this business quietly and swiftly.