The Ink Trap - S01 E03

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The Ink Trap - S01 E03

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 3

Episode 3: The Ink Trap

Could the wicked plan of Lola get any worse than this today?

The sun rose over the city, but inside the home of Bisi and Tunde, the light felt dim. The trust that once held them together was cracking, and Lola was the one holding the hammer. She arrived at their front door early in the morning, carrying a tray of breakfast as if she were a saint coming to help. Bisi, still confused and hurting from the day before, let her in with a heavy heart. She was too sad to notice the sharp, calculating gleam in the eyes of her best friend.

Lola moved through the house with a grace that felt like a snake sliding through grass. She saw Tunde sitting in the living room. He was trying to read a book, but his eyes were not moving across the pages. He was staring at the wall, thinking about the cold way Bisi had treated him. He missed the warmth of their love, and he did not understand why things had gone wrong so fast.

Lola saw her chance. She waited until Bisi went into the kitchen to start the coffee. She made sure there was enough noise from the pots and pans to hide her voice. She walked up to Tunde, who was slumped in his chair. She sighed very loudly, a long and shaky sound that made Tunde look up. She shook her head with fake pity, her face twisted into a mask of sadness.

"Oh, Tunde," Lola said in a soft, gentle voice. She leaned in closer so that Bisi would not hear them. "I feel so bad for you. You are such a good man. You work so hard every single day just to build a beautiful life for your wife. It is not fair that you have to come home to this sadness."

Tunde looked up from his book, his eyes wide with confusion. "What do you mean, Lola? What is going on?"

Lola bit her lip, acting as if it was very hard for her to speak the truth. "I have been watching, Tunde. I have been watching it all. Bisi is not the woman you think she is. She is spending all your money on expensive clothes and designer things. She does not love you at all. She only loves your big bank account. She is just waiting for the right moment to take everything you have worked for and leave you with nothing."

Tunde looked up from his book, feeling very hurt and shocked. The words hit him like a stone. He always gave Bisi whatever she wanted because he loved her. He loved to see her smile when she wore new things. He thought it was a way to show his care. But hearing this from her best friend made him very angry. His hands shook as he gripped the arm of his chair.

"Are you sure, Lola?" Tunde asked, his voice low and raspy. "Are you sure she is just using me?"

Lola nodded, her eyes filled with fake tears. "I would not tell you if I was not sure. I love Bisi, but I love the truth more. She talks about your money when you are not around. She says you are just a tool for her to get the life she wants. I am only telling you because I cannot bear to see you being treated this way."

Tunde felt a fire burning in his belly. The anger started to take the place of his sadness. He stood up, his face red. He looked toward the kitchen, and for the first time, he did not see his beautiful wife. He saw someone who had been lying to him for a long time.

In the kitchen, Bisi was humming a song, completely unaware that her world was being set on fire. She was thinking about how she could make things right with Tunde. She wanted to plan a surprise dinner. She wanted to show him how much she cared. She had no idea that Tunde was standing just a few feet away, listening to lies that would tear their hearts apart.

Lola walked away from Tunde, her job done. She went into the kitchen and patted Bisi on the shoulder. "He is just tired, Bisi. Give him some space. Men can be very complicated when they are stressed."

Bisi smiled at her, still trusting the friend who was acting like a guardian angel. "You are right, Lola. Thank you for always being here."

Lola smiled back, but it did not reach her eyes. She was waiting for the explosion.

That night, the house was loud with shouting. It was not a quiet conversation. It was a war of words. Tunde came into the room where Bisi was sitting and threw his book on the table.

"How much did you spend today, Bisi?" he asked, his voice booming.

Bisi jumped, startled by his tone. "What? What are you talking about, Tunde?"

"The money!" Tunde yelled. "I work hard every day! I give you everything, and all you care about is your own luxury! You don't care about me, do you? You just care about the bank account!"

Bisi stood up, her face pale. "Who told you that? Tunde, that is not true! I love you! Who has been filling your head with these lies?"

"It does not matter who told me!" Tunde shouted back. "It is the truth! I see it now. Everything I have, you have been waiting to take it!"

Bisi and Tunde had their very first big fight. It was a terrible, ugly thing. They argued until they were both tired and crying. Words were thrown like knives, cutting deep into their hearts. Things that could never be taken back were said in the heat of the moment. The love that once filled the rooms felt like it was dying.

Lola had long since left. She had gone back home to sleep with a huge grin on her face. She sat on her bed and imagined the shouting. She imagined the tears. She imagined the way their faces must have looked as they hurt each other. It was the most beautiful music she had ever heard.

She felt like a winner. She was the one who had started it. She was the one who had controlled it. And she was the one who was going to watch it finish.

The house where Bisi and Tunde lived was now a place of sorrow. Tunde lay on the couch, staring at the ceiling, wondering if he ever really knew his wife. Bisi cried herself to sleep in the bedroom, wondering why the man she loved had turned into a stranger.

Lola slept peacefully. She had no bad dreams. She had no regrets. She was already planning for the next day.

What terrible thing will the wicked Lola bring into the house tomorrow to make things much worse for them?

She knew she had to keep the fire burning. She could not let them talk it out. She could not let them find their way back to each other. She had to put more fuel on the flames.

She thought about the neighbors. Maybe she could tell them that Tunde was being mean to Bisi? That would make Tunde look even worse. Maybe she could tell Bisi’s family that Tunde was planning to leave her? That would bring more people into the fight.

The possibilities were endless. She was a master of disaster. She was the one who held the ink, and she was going to write a tragedy that would be remembered forever.

She woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and ready to go. She looked at her mirror and fixed her hair. She looked like a sweet, innocent young woman. No one would ever guess that she was the one pulling all the strings.

She decided to make a stop at the market on her way to their house. She needed to buy some things to look like she was helping. Maybe some fruit? Maybe some bread? It was all part of the act.

As she walked to her car, she saw a neighbor walking their dog. The neighbor waved at her.

"Good morning, Lola! How are Bisi and Tunde?" the neighbor asked.

Lola put on a worried face. "Oh, it has been a very rough time. I am so worried about them. I don't know what is going on, but it looks like their marriage is falling apart. It is so sad to see."

The neighbor’s eyes went wide. "Really? Oh no, I thought they were perfect!"

"That is what everyone thought," Lola said, shaking her head. "But you never really know what happens behind closed doors, do you?"

She left the neighbor standing there, shocked and ready to spread the news. That was another piece of her plan. Gossip was a powerful tool. Once everyone in the neighborhood thought the marriage was failing, it would be even harder for Bisi and Tunde to fix it.

She drove to their house, a song playing on the radio. She felt light and happy. She was doing good work, she told herself. She was 'helping' them see the reality, even if that reality was a lie she had created.

She parked her car and saw Tunde’s car in the driveway. She walked to the front door and knocked.

And the trap was ready to snap.

Do you think Tunde will find the fake letter? What will happen if he does? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!