You know that feeling when you feel a tugging in your chest like the weight of your chest has been doubled which makes your body feel sore from carrying your heavy chest.

That's exactly how I feel. I can't explain how I'm feeling at the moment because different emotions are running through my mind.

I feel guilty and sad because I hurt Drake not knowing how he felt and I assumed something really bad about him, at the same time I feel angry because of the way he treated Mike even though he came to visit him at the hospital when he was sick.

I don't feel I owe Drake any explanation regarding Mike and I even if I'm not involved with Mike but I still feel sad and in debt to Drake.

I can't go to the office because Drake would be there and things would get out of hand now that he has told me how he feels and he's still mad at me.

I'm thinking of going to Mike's place to check up on him but I don't want any more drama from Drake and Mike would keep on asking me for my response to his proposal.

I would have gone to Becky's place but she's at work and she's still avoiding me, I'd give her sometime before I decide to see her again.

I laid down on my bed, juggling the thoughts from last night and where to go so I can escape these thoughts. I can't stay in this house any longer and I don't want Drake to meet me home maybe I'd go somewhere for a while and come home late when Drake is asleep.

I decided to go downstairs and spend some time with the twins, the tension in the house is not suitable for them and I can see it on their faces that they are not happy.

Walking down the stairs, I could hardly feel my head maybe it's because of the pounding headache I've been having since I woke up, I approached the living room and I saw the girls dressed up with their bags packed.

"Whoa, what's going on ?" I rushed to them with my eyes fixed on the bags.

The girls looked really sad and they had their faces down, I looked around and my eyes fell on James.

"James, what's happening ?" I asked as I narrowed my eyes in confusion.

"Dad is asking us to come home." Busayo said as she stepped forward.

"What ?! Why ?!" I threw questions at the girls while some of the guards took their bags away.

"Dad got to find out about the things that has been going on here." Busola explained as she held my hands.

"How ?! We made sure none of it went on the news or the media." I took Busayo's hands too as I looked into their faces. I really enjoy their company and I don't want them to leave.

"Drake told him, he asked us to leave but we didn't want to so he told Dad who would force us to leave." My eyes narrowed at what she said, I could feel anger rushing through my veins.

"Why is he sending you away ?! What's wrong with that human, he's always ...." I was cut short by James who cleared his throat.

"It was because of you Skai." I looked at him with a confused expression as he walked towards me.

"Drake thought you were in danger, he wanted to take active measures and he couldn't do all that with the twins around, he had to make sure they were safe but ..." He gestured his hands towards me reminding me of last night's drama.

I closed my eyes and took steps backwards and rested my body against the wall, I'm so frustrated right now. The twins were leaving sooner than expected because of me and Kelvin won't be happy with all the drama I'm causing his niece and we hid all of it from him.

"Skai, it's not your fault. Drake also wanted us to be safe." Busayo said as she paced towards me.

"Yeah, asides what happened yesterday we aren't safe here anymore since the bomb incident."Busola tried to calm me down. Even if the twins were trying to cover up for Drake, they were right.

I forced a smile and hugged them as the guard took the last bag from the living room. I would really miss them and I'm feeling really bad they are leaving because of my actions.

"It's alright. I'd call you as much as I can." I said with my arms around them as we walked out of the house.

"Skai,please be safe and take care of yourself. Don't let Andre win this game, end it before he does." Busola said as she and her sister detached their bodies from my arms.

I nodded and watched them enter into the car, James nodded at me as he entered into the driver's seat. My pain and anger couldn't let me smile as I wanted to but I managed to pull if off with a wave.

As the car left the gate, a black BMW rushed in, which made the guards rush after the car, the guards ordered the driver to come out of the car.

A familiar face walked out of the front seat as the guards tried to search the vehicle.

"Jason ?!" I wonder what Mr Orchard's son is doing here, I had a confused look on my face as I paced towards him.

"It's okay, I know him." I told the guards so they could stop harassing him.

He looked so distressed, his shirt was ruffled and his hair was messy. I could spot dried tears on his cheeks.

"What's wrong ?!" I asked as I looked at his face with concern.

"It's my dad, it's health is failing him."

His voice was so low, I strained my ears to hear what he said.

"Oh goodness! Where's he ? Is he okay ?!" I exclaimed as I put my hands over my mouth in shock.

"He's in a hospital, he asked for you. I've been looking for you until I was told you live with your boss." He looked around the house with his eyes squinted.

"That's enough, let's go !" I rinsed into the car with him, at once we drove out the gate.

#########

We were walking in the lobby, heading for Mr Orchard's ward. A lot of thoughts went through my mind,I hope nothing bad happens to him.

"This is it ." Jason said as he stopped in front of a door.

"Oh okay." I braced myself as I walked into the room.

The room was huge, it had a sofa with a coffee table at one side, the bathroom was at the other side of the room.

The hospital bed was in the middle of the room with Mr Orchard laying on it. Mr Orchard doesn't look the same anymore, he isn't chubby as he used to be.

He looked pale and lean, his eyes were bloodshot and his skin was so white. I hope this man doesn't die. His wife, Sarah was by his side with her hands linked with his.

"Skai."He said faintly as his gaze fell on me.

I rushed to him and took my place with his wife by his side as so rested my hands on the rail of the bed.

"I've been wanting to reach you, what happened to you ?" He struggled to speak, it was like he was using all his strength to speak.

"I ran into some issues in New York." I said with my eyes fixed on him.

"Oh sweety are you okay ?" Sarah said as she stretched her arms for a hug.

"I'm fine, how are you coping ?" I said as I wrapped my arms around her.

"All I can say is we'd be fine." Her smile faded as she ended her statement.

"Honey, please can I have some time alone with Skai." Mr Orchard told Sarah as he tried to sit up on his bed but that seemed impossible as he struggled.

I took his arms and put his pillow in a horizontal position at his back then I supported him by his arm and he sat up to rest his back if the pillow.

"Thanks sweety, you're a nice girl and thanks for coming." Sarah said as she pat me on the back.

She walked towards Jason who held out his hands for her. I watched them leave as I took a seat beside Mr Orchard.

"Skai, how are you ?" He asked me with his eyes peering into mine.

"Well not good but I believe I'm still yet to feel worse." I rolled my eyes as I relaxed into the seat.

"I know, I can see how stressed you are." He folded his hands around his abdomen.

"Whatever it is you're going through,you have to brace yourself and get over it soon." He tilted his head to his side with a smirk on his face.

"What do you mean by that ?" I asked in confusion as I sat upright.

"Come over." He gestured me to get up from my seat. I got up and stood close to his bed.

"Here I am." I smiled at him trying to ease the sadness in the room because it's obvious Mr Orchard is dying.

"Skai, I'm going. I can't make it out of this sickness alive." He had a smile on his face as he stretched his palm out for me to hold.

"No you can, you just need to take more drugs and ..." He stopped me as he took my hands.

"Skai, I've been fighting this for 8 years even the body is tired of the war, man's old."He chuckled as he squeezed my hand slightly. He's always smiling even on his death bed.

"No Mr Orchard,not you. You can't go, what about your family ?" My eyes wandered over his face with tears bubbling within my eyes.

"They're prepared for this, we've always known this day would come and here it is." He reached out to wide the tears on my face but I restricted him as I put his hands down.

"Skai, this isn't the time for you to cry or be sober. This is the time for you to take charge ." He said with so much conviction as he nodded his head.

"What are you talking about ?" I wiped my tears away with the back of my hand as I dropped his hands.

"The company, it's time." He had spark in his weak eyes as he spoke. His words came as a shock to me, I know I'd have to take over but now now and not like this.

"Yes I don't expect you to say anything. It's time Skai, you are going to run that company and put it in it's best shape." He said as he clenched his pale looking fists.

"Mr Orchard is this what you want to talk about now ?" I wanted to push aside the discussion because I wasn't ready for it.

"Oh darling, I've said all that needed to be said at the right time and now I have to say what I have to say to you." He now had a serious face as he linked his hands with mine.

"I know you're going through a lot of things and I don't know what they're about but you need to know something about life." He paused for a while as he looked into my eyes like he was searching for something.

"Life is rocky,there are so many rocks in life. These rocks would want to crush you and break you every time. Do you know what these rocks are ?"He asked me with a smile on his face.

"Uhmm... challenges ?" I have my answer in form of a question because I was unsure.

"Not just challenges,they are problems, troubles, worries, insecurities, disappointments and so many side effects of life. Everyone faces all of this everyday, some survive them while some give into them ." I took a sit on the bed and looked at him with keen interest as he spoke.

"I can proudly say I'm part of those who survived life." He chuckled as he shrugged.

"But you are dying ?" I have him an absurd look as I let go of his hands.

"Oh darling, you're wrong. Yes I'm dying but I'm dying a meaningful death. Look, I managed to take care if my family even when things got really bad, I was able to set my son up in what he loves doing despite his terrible dyslexia, I care for the needs of over 5000 workers even if the company is at loss and I was able to do most of this as I battled my sickness. Skai, nobody would believe I've had this terrible disease in me for all these years because I don't act like it, I smile,laugh and love as much as I can, I took all my problems by the horn and rode them." He paused for a while as he rested his hands on his abdomen.

"So what about the rocks ?" I asked him as I adjusted his pillow.

"Aha now Skai, you could choose to allow those rocks that is life's problem to hit you and crush you or you could take charge over them and make them into a path way for you to walk on as you head towards success, what am saying is this , Problems would always arise and we'd all face them differently but what matters is how we face them. I don't know what you're going through but what I do know is you can overcom....." He was cut short by his whooping cough, he coughed for a while and I reached our for a cup of water.

"Sorry have this, by the way why are you so sure I can overcome it ? What if I can't ?" I asked him as I gave him the cup of water.

"That's because I believe in you, I know you can do it and you would do it, so take your problems by the horns and ride it in your own way." He said with much difficulty as he took the cup from my hands.

His cough came back and it didn't let him drink the water because half of the water in the glass spilled on him.

I wanted to get down from the bed to get a napkin to clean him but he restrained me from doing so.

"Skai, there's no need, it'd dry off. Skai I need you to make me a promise." His hands felt so cold as he gripped my arm.

"Okay." I said as I settled myself back of the bed. He took my hands is his and held them so tight revealing his weak veins in his hands.

"Please promise me no matter what come your way you'd run the company and you'd never give up !" He looked so desperate and his eyes was peering deep into mine.

I became speechless, I couldn't move it blink, all I know is a dying old man his asking for his dying wish and I'm the only one he wants to fulfill his wish. I can't let him down, he's Ben so nice to me and this is my time to repay him.

"Yes, I promise you." I said with a stern look making him know that I'm convinced of what I'm promising him.

"Thank you." He smiled as he shook my hands that were still folded in his.

He began coughing and some sputum came out of his mouth which soiled his shirt.

"Can you get me some tissue ?" He asked me shyly looking at the mess he had done.

"Sure." I said as I jumped off the bead and walked into the bathroom. The bathroom was wide and it smelt really good. I paced towards the cabinet and grabbed a tissue roll.

As I was about heading out I saw my reflection in the mirror. I looked older than my age maybe that's because I'm handling things bigger than my age. I brushed off the thoughts from my mind and paced out of the bathroom.

My gaze fell on Mr Orchard who had his eyes closed, I thought he had fallen asleep but the realization that it was too sudden to fall asleep hit me.

I rushed towards him and grabbed him by the shoulders, I shook his body vigorously.

"Mr Orchard! Mr Orchard! Don't die yet,no wake up !" I shouted as I tried to wake him up but that's a useless because the old man is dead.

My constant shouting made Sarah and Jason rush into the room. Jason tried to pull me away from Mr Orchard's body but I refused.

Sarah came over to me and wrapped me in a hug, I cried on her shoulder profusely, the tears kept flowing freely without stopping.

"No, he just can't die ! He can't...." Sarah pacified me as she rubbed my back.

"Shhh... it's expected and now it has happened. We'd all be fine, I'm sorry Skai." He words didn't have any effect on me because I was pouring my eyes out.

I'm crying for so many reasons, I'm crying because I've lost my father figure, I'm crying because I'm taking over a huge company without him, I'm crying because I feel alone and lost and most importantly I'm crying because I feel strapped.