"You've not answered my question. Are you and James Abbey dating?" Alex demanded.
"I've told you it's not true. It's all lies, a figment of the journalist's fertile mind," Muna explained.
"Are you sure about that? " he stated sceptically.
"What do you mean by that? Am I a child that I don't know whom I'm dating again? Besides, we shouldn't even be having this conversation.Afterall, it's not as if you are my boyfriend!" she said, becoming pissed off by his attitude.
"Is that all you can say?" he queried. "So, what am I then?" he added.
"Look, Alex, I told you to wait and with time, we might be together. So..."
But he cut in stating:
"For how long? And while I'm waiting, I see you running all over town with that actor and you expect me to be happy about it?" he noted.
"Whether you like it or not is not my problem. Infact, you are beginning to stress me with all this nagging. If you don't like the situation, you can leave," Muna said.
"Muna, are you telling me to leave your house?" he asked her in an incredulous voice.
"Yes. I'm getting sick and tired of your complaints about James. Anyway, I need to rest as I have to be on location early tomorrow morning. So..." and picking up her phone from the centre table, she went to her bedroom.
Alex sat alone in the living-room for a few minutes, thinking she would come back. After a while, with no sign of her, he went home.
The following day when he called her, she was busy on set at Badagry and could not speak with him.
"She's shooting some scenes right now. I'll tell her you called," stated an assistant on set who
had her phone.
It was nearly a week later when he was able to speak with her.
"It's like one needs a visa before one can see or even speak with you these days," he stated wryly.
"I've been busy. I've just finished with one production and will be starting on another one soon," she explained coolly.
"So, when can I see you? Should I come and pick you up this Saturday so we can go out?" he asked.
"I'll be busy with rehearsals. Maybe some other time," she said vaguely. Actually, she had been invited to the birthday party of a popular actress whom she had worked together in a few movies and had become friendly with. She was going with Debi and James, who had offered to be her date for the evening.
She enjoyed the party but it was Debi who seemed to have the most fun.
"I can't believe my eyes! So many of my favorite actors under one roof! This is paradise! My colleagues at work will be so jealous when I tell them what I've seen today!" she declared.
Muna laughed at her high spirits. Taking her by the hand, she led her to the celebrant and did the introductions.
Later, she left with James for another bash on Victoria Island. They were there till the early hours of the morning before leaving for James' residence at Ikoyi, a posh suburb of the city.
Later that morning, Debi called to find out where she was.
"I'm at James' house," she said.
"What? What are you doing there? Aren't you coming home?" she enquired.
"I will. See you later," she stated, before hanging up.
It was two days later before Muna returned home. James had dropped her off and after he had gone, Debi said:
"Muna, what's going on? Where have you been?"
"Are you that daft? Can't you see that I've been with James?" she countered, stretching on the couch in the parlor.
"I know. But why? Don't tell me you two..." she stated.
"Yes. We are dating. So what?"
"Muna! What has come over you? Just some months ago, you hated the guy and couldn't stand him. Now, you are going out with him. What will Alex say?" she said.
"How's that my problem? Alex is a big boy. He will get over it," Muna said.
Debi shook her head.
"I don't know what has come over you but this doesn't seem right. Anyway, I hope you know what you are doing. You know that James Abbey has a bad boy reputation with the ladies. I don't want to see you get hurt," Debi said, sitting at an armchair nearby.
"He's not as bad as people think. He got that image because of some of the roles he plays in the movies. He's quite nice and I think I love him," she stated firmly.
"Love ke! Hmm. Just take it easy with this your new found love," Debi said, picking up the remote to put on the TV.
New love
While they tried to keep their affair secret because of their status as popular artistes, it wasn't long before the press got wind of it. Soon their pictures with stories were all over the magazines and papers.
'Their on-screen 'romance' goes off-screen! Has playboy James Abbey been hooked at last?' was one of the screaming headlines, with the accompanying story stating how 'screen bad boy James had 'fallen madly' in love with sexy actress Muna...
"At least, they used the right words to describe you," James stated, taking the magazine from Muna's hand and flinging it on the floor. They were at her house where he had come visiting some hours earlier. They had been rehearsing their roles for a new movie they were doing together in a week's time when Kel, Muna's younger sister who lived with her had brought the magazine and showed the story to them.
"What are you talking about?" she asked, going over to sit on his lap.
"Sexy actress. You are one sexy lady, you know. Any time I see you, I feel warm all over as I have taken some sweet wine," he said, smiling.
"Like now?" she asked, playfully pinching his nose.
"Yes, sweetheart," he said, his eyes fixed on her breasts and curves, enhanced by the short, body hugging dress she wore.
Just then, Kel came into the room and whispered something into Muna's ears. Shortly after, the front door opened and Alex entered the room. He stared transfixed at the scene before him, at Muna sitting cosily on James' lap acting as if they were in a scene in one of their movies. But this was no film but reality.
Muna looked at him warily, not saying anything.
"So, it's true then. All the rumors and stories which you kept denying. I never knew you were such a liar!" Alex said with some bitterness.
"Hey, look here, man. You don't talk to my babe like that!" James stated, getting up from the chair.
"I'm not talking to you so stay out of this," Alex retorted.
"Alex, take it easy. Let me explain," Muna stated.
"Explain what? That while I was waiting for you to make up your mind about me, this guy here comes and takes over? I'm really disappointed in you," he said angrily.
"Dude, better accept the fact that she's mine now. So, keep off!" James said.
Muna spoke up then.
"Please just go, Alex. We will talk later."
He glared at her before stating:
"I've nothing more to say to you. You've made your choice. Hope you won't regret it."
Then he left. Though Muna felt bad about the way things had turned out between her and Alex, there was nothing she could do about it. She was in love with James and he was the one she wanted to be with. She hoped he would understand and they could remain good friends as before.
With time, her relationship with James waxed stronger. He treated her well and she was quite happy. The only problem was his relationship with other women especially his fans. Because of his fame, they were always hanging around him wherever he went. This was besides all the calls and text messages they kept sending. He tried to make her understand that it was part of being a star.
"You shouldn't bother your head about them. They keep calling, begging to be with me. Do you know some even offer to pay money, any amount I want so they can spend time with me? There are some crazy women out there!" he stated, laughing. "But it's you I want to be with. So, don't worry your pretty head about them," he added, hugging her close.
She believed him until she began to hear rumours about him with other ladies including some in their industry. But whenever she confronted him about it, he would deny it.
"Will you rather believe in rumours or me? There's no need for you to be jealous.You should learn to trust me, ok?" he said.
Despite his reassuring words, she still had her doubts.
Perhaps that informed her reaction when she visited him two weeks later at his home and found a group of ladies there. They were about six young ladies, all gorgeously dressed and were sitting in the small visitors' room downstairs, waiting to see James.
"What are they doing here?" she asked Michael, his P.A. He explained that they were some of his fans from townwho had come to invite him for a youth programme they were organizing.
"Then why are they here? Why didn't they go to his manager's office? This is his house not his office!" she said.
Michael shrugged and left.
"Oh, Muna, you are here," James said when he came downstairs.
He kissed her lightly on the cheek but she responded to him in a cold way.
"I need to attend to some visitors. Just give me a few minutes and I will be with you," he stated as he made for the visitors' room.
"James I need to see you," she said, holding his hand.
"Not now, honey. Later," he said and left.
Join us tomorrow for the concluding part of Muna's story and how her jealousy causes problems in her relationship with James.
To be continued...
Names have been changed to protect the identity of the narrator and other individuals in the story.
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