Despite it being the second smallest country in the world, Monaco is full of grandeur and awe. It rests on the alluring French Riviera and is led by the prince of Monaco. Monaco stretches over two hundred acres of land. Regardless of its size, it had made up for what it lacks in style. Monaco is the kind of place Lola loved to be. It's glamorous and sensational, just what she loved. It gave her the chance to mingle with rich and famous, enjoy the flamboyant lifestyle.

Lola arrived to Monaco during the early hours of the morning. Due to jet lag, she had slept immediately and woken up sometime in the afternoon. After getting something into her stomach, she began her tour.

The first place she visited was the Oceanographic Museum. It sat on the legendary Rock of Monaco, overlooking the ocean for more than hundred years. It was founded by Prince Albert I, great grandfather of H.S.H. Prince Albert II. Three aquariums are present. They are homes to creatures of the sea like sharks, turtles and shellfish. The aquarium in the basement house about four thousand species of fish. Lola took a picture of the museum from a distance and had enough photos of different species of fish she found fascinating. After an eventful tour at the museum, she visited Casino Square where she had dinner in one of the finest restaurants and shopped in one of its luxury stores for something to wear to Monte-Carlo Casino.

Monte-Carlo Casino is one of the world famous casino. It is situated in the centre of Monaco, watching over the famous Casino Square. Lola rented a Lamborghini which would serve her as a means of transportation during her stay in Monaco. She parked her car among other expensive cars which were an insinuation of the showiness in the grand building. In a midi black dress, she was stunning. Her voluminous hair framed her flawless face which she had carefully applied subtle makeup on. When she started to walk, her heels clicked, body swung from left to right, gently and sensual. She sauntered as graceful as a ballerina. When she stepped into the marble atrium, it's lavish style and art work blew her away. Twenty eight onyx columns welcomed her into the gaming room. There are different gaming rooms that are decorated in a variety of theme. Lola halted, exhaling hard as she wore her best smile. She looked at the glitz before her. It was where she belong, amidst the rich and famous. Everything glistened. The men dapper in suits and blazers and women in their best dresses of silk, lace and satin. She was not an exception either. She headed to the slot where she met a French guy. The moment they laid eyes on one another, marked the beginning of another exciting game.

The following day, she visited the Palais du Prince, the official dwelling of the prince of Monaco. It is known as the Prince's Palace in English. It started as a fortress in the twelfth century but fell into shambles over the centuries. She met the French guy again in the court yard made from three million pebbles that take shape of a symmetrical design. He was staring at her. Her eyes lingered on his for a while before she looked away. The night before, at the Casino, he had been stealing glances at her and she had caught him but no one spoke even when they sat on the same table, next to one another, gambling. When he won, which had shocked him because she had been the player, Lola had gotten up, threw a seductive smile over her shoulder then left. Now, she was outside the palace, watching the changing of the guards and he was there, looking at her. She saw him by the corners of her eyes, hidden behind dark Tom Ford shades, as she took pictures of the palace. He walked up to her when she toured the blue room of the palace, a pleasant merge of outstanding blue and gold. After striking a conversation with her, they headed for the throne room.

St. Nicholas Cathedral, Monaco's first cathedral was built in the thirteenth century and demolished in nineteenth century. Today, the church is known as the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. The cathedral is the final resting place of former princes of Monaco and also the resting place of Grace Kelly. The church is known as a quiet beautiful place. Lola's new fling, Arthur, had been there with her.

Together, they went for a ride in one of the yachts at Monte Carlo Harbour the following day. Yachts owned by the rich and famous are docked at the harbour. Visitors will find the royal vessel belonging to the prince of Monaco docked at Port Hercules, among the ships and yachts. About five hundred vessels can be accommodated at the port. While the sun set, they had shared their first kiss with a glass of champagne in their hands.

Later that day, Lola had visited Le Metropole Shopping Center. Inside the shopping center, there are different luxury stores, high end brands, boutique shops, cafes and high street stores that kept her entertained for hours. When she was hungry, she had dinner in one of the incredible restaurants in the mall. She was in a jewellery store when she found a bracelet that took her back in time.

It was the same bracelet that man had given to her. The same slim bracelet with two sapphires heart merged into one another. It had been among the bracelets in the show glass. She had lost her composure when she sighted it. Shock had washed over her face. The bracelet had been thrown into the river after that incident five years ago. She had thrown it into the ocean, knowing the waves will wash it away. By the way, it's customised. He had claimed he customised it. What is it doing here? Shaken, she lost balance, holding the show glass for support. Panic rose in her chest. Suddenly, she was sweaty all over. She felt the urge to run, to escape, to push back the memories that tried to surface. She did run away but one thing followed her, the ghost of the past.

-----

Damijo's secretary, Patrick, rushed up the flight of steps. The wrenching sobs of a grieving mother trailed after him. The madam, Cynthia, has been weeping since her daughter left home. It worries her that they have no idea where she had gone to. Her children had been doing the consolation for the past three days. And the grandmother had just sat still, lost in her own thoughts.

The family has so many problems. For the past twenty years he had worked with them, it was from one problem to another. This time, one of the children had ran away from home and is nowhere to be found. Patrick knew Lola to be a nuisance. She can be rude and she's arrogant. There's something about her that sort of made him not like her. She always had her nose in the air, barely acknowledge his greeting and she's just so full of herself. Telling her she's beautiful is just a waste of saliva because she knows she is. He headed for the south wing where the study was. A knock on the door had him going inside after a faint reply.

His boss, Damijo, sat on the sofa, his son on his left. They had been speaking in hush tones when the knock had come.

"Sir" Patrick greeted when he entered.

"What have you found out?" Damijo relaxed into his seat with a satisfied groan.

"She's in Monaco" He replied.

Richard jaw slackened. "Monaco?" Richard repeated as if he could not believe what his ears had heard.

"Yes, sir"

"That brat!" He bit out. "She left the country. What the hell is she doing in Monaco?" He balled his fist.

Only if Lola have any idea what she has done by running away before the wedding. Does she know what her disappearance has cost him? It's been three days. Three freaking days and he just received the news that his daughter has taken off to Monaco. Richard's lips were pressed into a firm line. He will rip her apart when he lays his hand on her.

Damijo ignored his son. "Get someone who will leave for Monaco with immediate effect. I want every move of hers reported including what she's doing"

"Then force her back to Nigeria!" Richard added through his teeth. He was reeking of anger.

"We won't do that" Damijo lifted a hand to dismiss what his son had said "Let her be. She will come home at her own will. She can't go away forever. When she is back home, we will know what to do"

-----

There was silence in the room. One that was almost sorrowful as if there was mourning in the air. Ibironke was seated on a sofa, her face drawn into a frown. She stared at the floor, shoulders tensed.

Lola had escaped few hours to the wedding humiliating her family. She had hurt her son, forgetting how much he liked her. She had wasted her time and resources, overlooking the fact that her family was not as rich as her. Ibironke felt the liquefied anger sprint through her veins. She bit down at her lips, teed off. Smoulders of dander emitted from her and were apparent in the way her shoulders were huddled and the rise and fall of her chest.

"She could have said she was not interested in the marriage" Ibironke spoke, breaking the silence. She rocked back and forth on her seat.

Sophia lifted her eyes from the sleeping toddler on her laps. She could feel the smile nearly forming on her lips. There was hate for Lola in Ibironke's eyes. She could see how much hate the woman had harboured in a span of forty eight hours for the runaway bride. Each passing day, the abhorrence grew because Ibironke feels humiliated. Sophia nearly chortled.

Joshua stood before his mother. There was understanding in his eyes and no tiny glow of vehemence or displeasure in his calm deep eyes. He understood how his mother felt. He feels the same way. There was disappointment then embarrassment and should he say dishonour. Lola Kola-Daisi had brought such upon his family. They had spent much, so much on the preparation of the wedding. Guests had arrived. It was not easy telling them the wedding would not hold. Some had been angry. Few sympathetic. Many displeased because they had just wasted money on the aso ebi they won't use. Some ladies had lamented on how much they spent on their makeup and clothes. Joshua held back a sigh. He sat down next to his mother.

It's worse when it's everywhere on the internet that Lola Kola-Daisi ran away few hours to her wedding. That had arose questions from people. Why had she run away? He tried not to close his eyes as the pain of being rejected deepened, sinking its claws into his skin. When the news of his escaped wife-to-be had reached him, realisation dawned him as if someone had poured chilled water on him. Lola really does not like him. She has no modicum of liking for him. He had not been blind to that but he had hope. Now, he saw and felt no optimism.

Joshua took his mother's hand. Ibironke glanced up at him, her eyes frozen like ice, void of any feeling except anger. "It's not an easy thing to say, maami" Joshua replied, his voice low. "It's hard to tell such thing when it's few hours to the wedding"

"She knew she was never interested. She could have spoken before then and not run away"

She did. She told me every time but I might have been too into her to give her up. "She did what she thought was best" His throat felt dry like sand paper. Joshua could see the rage in his mother's eyes grow like a fiery bonfire. It was red hot, that he could swear he felt it. Ibironke's lips were pressed into a thin line.

"She dumped you!" His mother spelt out what had happened.

Joshua closed his fist on his lap, trying to maintain that cool expression on his face. "No maami, she is undergoing a hard time that made it hard for her to make it to the wedding"

"Stop defending her, Olamiposi!" Ibironke jumped to her feet.

"What?" Joshua went back a bit, releasing his mother's hand. "I am not!"

"Do you think I do not understand what you are doing? You keep defending her! She has done wrong and you need to open your eyes to it. God knows where she is right now!"

"She is in Monaco" Joshua had wanted to say but he knew better. He pressed his lips, rubbed his index finger against the side of his head before looking at his mother. "I don't know" He said instead, with a shrug.

"That family of hers is so useless. I know they are rich but an apology won't kill them"

"They are grieving, maami. They can't find their daughter. "

"You should have read law and not accounting since you are good at defending people" Ibironke rebuffed, her tone sharp and curt. Joshua kept quiet. Sophia got up, placing the baby on her shoulder. Nate sighed in his sleep, turning his head to the other side. One last look at mother and son, Sophia left to put her son in bed. "I have never been humiliated in my life" Ibironke continued. "I am now a laughing stock among my friends"

"Those people are not your friends, maami" Joshua told her. Ibironke lifted her eyes from the floor to look at her son. "Friends do not laugh at each other. Real friends stay by their friend's side when they need them. They share their hard time with them and not take pleasure in them. God, maami! You are old enough to know that. I have warned you times without number that you have to change your friends but you won't listen. You think Iya Risi is the one that wishes you well? That Iya Tunde is worse. A hypocrite! But you won't listen to any advice Brother Olasupo and I give you"

"Now, you want to start insulting me"

"I am not insulting you. I am just opening your eyes to reality"

"Are you trying to say I am blind?"

"For God's sake maami, stop interpreting my words the wrong way" He groaned out. "I just want you to change your friends. Better still, have no friends. I will substitute them"

"Oh really? Are you ready to go to all the owambes with me? Are you ready to gossip and laugh with me?"

"I am very much ready"

Ibironke snorted. "You are ready to tie gele and do makeup for me"

"What? That's a woman's job"

"Olamiposi" Ibironke laughed. "You don't know what's doing you"

Joshua smiled. It was nice to see his mother laugh this hard after so many days.

-----

It was painful. She moaned in her sleep. She wanted it to stop. It hurts. She needed that pain that tore through her to end, wanted him to cease what he was doing. Lola's hands clutched the bed sheet, her grasp firm that the veins beneath her skin, rose against it. She arched, biting her lips. Her body stung hard from invisible injuries and beating. The side of her face throbbed. She could feel how swollen it was. There was pain in every part of her body. She felt like she was being ripped apart.

When she struggled, he hit her hard until she could barely breathe then pinned her to the chair. When she cried and begged, he laughed and said her screams were the best music he had ever listened to.

Lola trashed in her sleep. Her legs moved nonstop beneath the quilt. She was drowning in an ocean of darkness and struggling to fight the monster that held her in her sleep. The thick coverlet was interwoven around her sweaty body. She moaned out, throwing her head left to right, shaking from cold.

"Please stop" She whined out. Cold beads of sweat grazed her forehead, her skin hot like she had a fever.

She tried, she wrestled hard to rise from her slumber. Once she rose to the surface of consciousness, she's drawn back into the unfathomable briny of her petrifying vision. When she roused, she wakened with a start and a gasp.

Lola looked like she had fought a beast in her dream. There were lines of tiredness on her face and her hair was a tangle mess. She could feel the bang in her head and nausea in her throat. That nightmare had been one of the worst. She could feel every physical pain as if they were real. The wound on her face had felt real. That side of her face had stung and there was still a little throb there. The way he held her and carried out his evil act had almost felt so real to be a dream. It had been the past but it felt like the present.

Tired, Lola bent her head into the basin, opened the tap then splashed water on her face. Her nightmares had been frequent. It seems as if they will never cease. The worse is, she can't sleep without her pills. There's fear to sleep because of what will come next. Goosebumps pebbled her skin. She wrapped her hands around her body, fear rising in her eyes. The chiming sound of the carillon tore through her suite into the bathroom. She took one last look at herself in the mirror before going to get the door.

"Good morning beautiful" The tall man at the door greeted.

Lola looked up at her visitor. Light came into her eyes as her lips stretched into a pretty smile. The man, olive in complexion, and a brunette, leaned against the door frame as he gazed down at her. He wore a loop-sided smile. That smile was sexy but why was it not moving her in anyway?

"Arthur? Morning" She giggled, running a hand through her dishevelled hair.

"How was your night?" Arthur leaned in to peck her lips.

Her relationship with Arthur will be temporary. He could keep her company during her stay in Monaco. Once she leaves Monaco, everything would be history. No exchange of contact. No attempt to meet. No feelings attached. It would be like a night stand. Done and forgotten.

"Beautiful" Her mouth curved wider. Arthur dropped his eyes to the mellifluous pair. An instant want of passion swept over him. She saw it and knew better.

With a seductive smile and an invitation in her eyes, she said. "Come in" Her voice unexpectedly husky.

He slithered into the corner noiselessly and with confident steps, headed for the elevator. It's been a week since she left Nigeria, a week since he followed her without being noticed. She seemed not to care about anything. She was enjoying herself. He had never seen her use her phone to receive or make calls but her camera was always with her. She goes everywhere with it and never fail to take pictures of moments she finds unforgettable.

He follows her everywhere so he knew every single movement of hers. Where she goes to and what she does were known to him. From the spa, to expensive restaurants to the mall to the casino and clubs at night. She met the French guy and she seem to have some likeness for him. He can't say what sought of it had been but it hurt so bad and annoys him to watch her with another man. It drove him mad to see her laugh at another man's words. He had seen them when they kissed. Watching the scene felt like he had been stabbed in the chest.

He could still remember how those lips had tasted. How soft they felt. How sweet they were like nectar. He can't fail to recall the feeling he got when he locked his with hers. When he held her body to his. The moments had been surreal. Unforgettable. He sighed. There was a rush of desire through him. His blood grew hot with need.

Five days ago, she had seen that bracelet. He nearly laughed but a pleased smile caused his lips to curve. She had gone white and every joy she had had evaporated like smoke. He would never forget that look on her face. It gave him pleasure to know she still had their memories somewhere in her mind. He would do nothing. Not now. Not anytime soon. But he would enter her life when she least expects and when he does, he would make sure that he burns every fairy-tale of hers to ashes.