Do You Finally Plead Guilty Mrs Damini?

Chapter 1

I can't help it, whenever I lay on my bed, alone in my cell, the pain I feel, coupled with thoughts of the wonderful memories with Sebastian, fills me. Occasionally, I'd break into hot tears.

Revelved in my rumpled sheets... I recalled the past. My happy past!

*********

"How your life can change in a second." The lady being interviewed on TV said amidst tears, she wiped her face with a small face towel, sniffed, then sighed.

I wasn't paying attention until now, probably Sebastian was. Momentarily I'd look at him stealthily, he was so focused on the reality show. It's titled, 'Story of our lives'.

He smiled broadly at the big screen, his arms wrapped around me and once in a while he'd look back at me.

I just laid still curled up in his embrace, we had our nighties on. A duvet over our stretched legs, a big bowl of popcorn, an untouched champagne in a bucket of ice, we had only coke.

I wasn't in the mood for champagne, probably had enough of it, you know the feeling... Sebastian doesn't like it either.

I stretched my arms for the remote control, and turned down the cold breeze coming from the air conditioner. The room was fucking freezing.

With my messy bun against his wide chest, I adjusted my head. He made a little sound, looked at me then back to the screen. I'm not a reality show lover and I recently got to know my man likes stuff like this. Who knew a guy who always held his chin high with a stern look always watched such dramatic films? I giggled silently

This got his attention again. He took a quick glance at me and smiled, showing off his perfect white set of teeth. My heart skipped and I swallowed hard.

The smiles he's been giving off, it's rare, he doesn't even smile this much in the presence of his biological mother or brother, not even at work. His cold aura and devilish demeanor get the workers terrified. But with me, it's different.

He enjoyed watching the show, I enjoyed watching him. His broad smile, his perfect teeth shone in the dimly lit room which served as our home movie theater. This made my heart skip many times.

This very moment brought waves of untold satisfaction. I just wished we could stay like this forever, wrapped in each other's arms.

Like every other Friday we had date night, last week was at a fancy restaurant in Buda. Sebastian had us flown in his private jet Northeast side of the capital.

We landed at the rooftop of the magnificent hotel. I've always enjoyed my evenings, every weekend... like this for the past months we've been together.

He previously had his secretary book us a private reservation at the top most floor.

Sebastian really gets me, before the dinner he had a gown from Gucci sent to my apartment in school, earlier on, on thursday.

The very design in the picture I screenshotted from Gucci's official page on Instagram, in one of their recent posts. I only spoke about ordering it to Madam Kate, the old cook last week.

That woman, she's something else.

This time he said we'd do whatever I want and I chose a movie date.

The home movie theater, according to Sebastian, since he bought the house, has never been used.

And I was like, why even buy what you won't use?

But since it's never been used, it was just perfect.

I had the maids clean it up yesterday. Had Madam Kate make us popcorn, went down to the cellar to get champagne and two bottles of coke from the freezer in the kitchen.

By 6:00pm as promised, Sebastian was home from work. Our date night kicked off at 8. We chose a trending horror movie which lasted one hour thirty minutes.

Sebastian was such a cry baby tightening his arms at any horrific scenes, the reverse was our case.

While I watched the movie unmoved, Sebastian made silent cries. Awkward as it is, he chose the movie, now he was acting all scared. I held my phone up to record him chickened out but was struck hard with laughter and couldn't do it. My cheeks got red, and I choked from laughter.

After the movie ended, Sebastian begged me to join him and watch his favorite reality show which aired at exactly 10 pm.

That's how we ended up wrapped in each other's arms, again.

"Babe." he called me out of my little world of fantasy.

"Hm?" I blinked, recollecting myself.

He just smiled back, kissed me lightly on my lips. What started off as a light brush, intensified. He went deep, hungrily devouring my lips and I kissed him back, responding accordingly.

Heated, he savored my whole lips. I let him take control, let his masculinity overrule my femininity.

Suddenly he pulled away, his eyes still fixed on my face, filled with satisfaction and some sought of accomplishment.

"I love you." I mustered courage to say, it felt kind of uncomfortable, but not weird, we were married. We were a couple. My head sang.

I could see how his eyes lit in the dark, he must have been astonished cause he never heard such words come out of my mouth. I never told him the words 'I love you', even after months of marriage. He smiled sheepishly, but kept mute. His little angel is all grown up.

"I love you, I really do." I drew closer for another kiss, closing my eyes.

He just wiped my lips lightly with his thumbs, as if trying to clean a stain.

I opened my eyes disappointed. I bit my lips and eyed him. He smirked at me.

"Took you long, Hun." He said, his voice sounding cracked, like someone who was amidst tears.

"Babe! Are you...?" I moved closer to him, I could see his teary eyes, I didn't understand why he was being so emotional, not his usual stern look or broad smile. These emotions gave off happiness mixed with sadness.

"Don't tell me you're crying, you're actually..." I wiped off a tear with the back of my hand.

"I love you too Mrs. Damini Sebastian Damini, you mean the world to me." He said, embracing me.

"Hehe...Mr Damini, this is too much, you added your name?" I rolled my googly eyes, trying to hold the blush forming on my cheeks. His eloquent speech got me cracking up.

I laughed it off resting my head on his broad shoulders still in his embrace.

"My king." I muttered, my eyes heavy and I fell asleep in his strong arms.

Morning, the next day...

My cell door opened the officer on duty, a man in his late thirties appeared at the entrance, he greeted me.

"Good morning madam"

I just muttered a response weakly, my mouth sour filled with spit. His presence was what woke me up from a short nap, I had woken up this morning hours ago.

"How are you?" He asked, he looked at me, his eyes filled with great concern and sympathy. I just nodded affirmative, and forced a smile, he smiled back.

Holding my hands, he led me out of the apartment-like cell.

I was moved out of the last cell with other inmates last week. The constant bullying attracted the concerns of the prison management. I got moved out of cells weekly due to the molestation from women stronger than I am.

The incidence last week made the management move me to a private cell room, like a small apartment. This was also possible, thanks to complaints by my lawyer who came visiting weekly, she saw my condition, the bruises and swollen nymphs.

I was beaten mercilessly by bullies, this time by one of the big names, Tonia, the 'Lord of the bars' as she was called by other inmates. Rumors had it that she had killed inmates like herself due to her brutal treatment. She used her physical strength to exert authority over weaker women.

She's been here for quite some time, almost ten years now.

She has a manly built physique, many said it was all thanks to her workout sections, every morning, although she wasn't this masculine before.

'Lord of the bars', her story earned her that name, she was a wanted notorious assassin, the operation to kill the ex president on his seventieth birthday was when she was caught by security and she got locked up here after trial in court of which she was charged guilty. She succeed in killing the invincible President then, like how she had succeeded in her other infamous escapades.

She became an orpahn at a very young age, lived in the slumps with her nine brothers. Started pushing drugs at an early age of eight. Her oldest brother was the mafai lord, a street lord. He handled each and everyone of he's sibling with an iron fist, according to stories, he bullied his only sister and molested her, having his way with her at will. Tonia led a very hard life, she became a hardened criminal at an early. She knew nothing about compassion, that's why she was always furious and aggressive.

At eighteen, she broke out of the family cartel and got a job with some other high ranked gang. An infamous gang in the country, she worked as an assassin, was sent on extremely dangerous missions. As a kid, I was told stories about her, her success in every mission, the thing with her was that she never got caught.

When I was brought into the same cell room with her, there was about eight other women/girls in there. The ritual in the room was that every morning, we all had to take turns in bathing her, as a new joiner I was given my date. On that cold morning, coupled with the morning sickness every woman in my condition experience and injuries from previous beatings, I was stormed out of my little cell bed by Rachel, a skinny girl of twenty one.

"Hey! Missy!" She spat on my face, eyeing me.

I opened my eyes in shock, "good morning" I greeted terrified.

"Keep that to your pitiful self, it's time for her highness (that was how the Lord of the bars was addressed) to have her bath, it's your turn today, remember???"

She walked away annoyed by reasons best known to her.

Too weak to sit up, I laid for sometime, my head pounding, body aching all over. I tried sitting up but was restrained by the sharp pains in my abdomen.

I sensed a presence in the room, before I could raise my eyes to see who it was standing there a hand landed on my delicate face.

"Why do you make me wait? Huh?"

The owner of the voice used her manly hands to drag me out of the bed, before I could comprehend what was going on, my face was in the toilet. The hands pulled my face in the messy toilet, forcefully making me inhale the rubbish, swallow the dirty water in it, dragging my long hair, kicking me all over. It all happened in seconds, the noise from my helpless cries was what drew the attention of the officers on duty. Before any one could come to my rescue, I'd already fainted in the pool of my blood.

How I survived? A mystery. How the human inside of me survived? Another mystery. All I remember was waking up in a new cell room, clean unlike the others, a private one. I had drip fixed and a nurse tending my injured body. She smiled pitifully at me, the look I hate but had to get used to.

This private cell room was meant for only delegates, like for the rich who undergo trail, they receive treatment unlike us who are second class citizens, they were given well cooked food, allowed to take calls, they enjoyed certain privileges, even had clean baths with warm water. I've been here for three days now.

This is the city's central cell, how I got here is...

The officer led me through the hall way, down to the room where my visitor was. He didn't tell me who it was, my instinct suggested my Lawyer, from her frequent visits these days, I'm certain she's the one.

The officer, Manseh opened the door to the well lit room, it made a creaking sound alerting those inside of our arrival.

"Mom!" I exclaimed, shocked to see my mom, she stood up immediately from her seat and rushed to hug me. She held me tight, tears flowing freely from her eyes sad.

My mom has been busy with work, she told me over the phone once on a Saturday, she's been out of the state but had promised to come see me as soon as she got back. My lawyer sat across us. She smiled at me.

"I had to take the next flight when I was told of your condition" my mum said amidst tears, the officer had for long left us alone.

She lessened her grip, held my hands, led me to sit and sat next to me.

"How are you?" She said, looking me over, touching my bandages.

I nodded.

"It's all about timing, you'll be out of here soon" she added not waiting for my response, she turned to look at my lawyer who nodded in affirmative.

"Most certainly" Karlyn chipped in, most confident.

"Don't worry, I'm really sorry it's taking too long, we are on the case, Karlyn will take care of your case. She'll get you out of here, just have hope and keep praying" my mum's face was already red with tears.

She held my face, "ma" I muttered.

"Hmm"

"How's everything?" I managed to ask.

"Fine, we're very fine, your Dad sends he's regards, you know he's refused to come see you, he warned you..." she stopped talking, swallowed hard, assessing me like some project.

"It's ok" my mom smiled, hugged me again.

"The system is rotten, how will they treat a woman in your condition this way?? Leaving you with those hardened criminals? The system is fucked up!" My lawyer exhaled. The twenty-eight year old who is a human activist hated the condition here at the central prison.

"I'll make sure you get compensated for the things you suffered during your stay here" she assured me.

The officer popped his head through the door which he opened half way.

"Sorry ladies but your time is up. Time to go back madam Nika" the officer announced. My mother sighed in frustration.

"One more minute, officer" she pleaded, palms crested together, her purse dangling down from her wrist.

"Ok, one minute" Officer Manseh rolled his eyes.

"Your trial is next tomorrow and we are yet to gain access to your matrimonial home, the crime scene " My lawyer, Karlyn spoke up, brows arched, she seemed to be in deep thoughts.

"The prosecution department at the ministry of justice has refused us access. There's something fishy" She said and sighed.

"How can we present our case with no good evidence? How can we defend our case?" She hissed softly, leaning on the desk and sat directly opposite me while my mum sat beside me.

What followed was silence, the room went dead. All faces drawn down by sadness.

The little window at the top left corner of the rectangular shaped room, filtered in rays from the scorching sun outside. I miss the great outdoors.

I only got to see the sun on short rides to the court of appeal, some miles away from the central prison, games time, and on other occasions, but not at will.

The little things we take for granted. How my freedom has been snatched away.

I looked on in no definite direction, lost in my own thoughts. My lazy gaze fixed. I could feel my mother's hawk eyes over me.

"Times up" the creaking opening of the room door accompanied the voice, that familiar manly voice, officer Manseh's voice.

My mother hugged me lightly and this time I just stood, tired, eyes weary.

I walked through the door, Sir Manseh closely behind me.

Strolling down the dimly lit hallway, I had the opportunity to look around as we passed my old cell.

I had the chance to peep through at Cecilia, a friend, a lady in her mid thirties. We bonded few days after I got locked up.

*******

My first day at the central prison.

6:30 am, Wednesday, weeks ago.

The officers let me walk in front of them, one leading the way. My handcuffed hands together in front of me. I walked solemnly.

I just knew they'd come for me. Sebastian's mother promised me that.

On that day...

I was made to change from the pair of jeans trousers and polo I had on when the police came to arrest me at my parents.

They made a stop at a turn in the hallway, in front of one of the cells. I also stopped like an obedient lamb.

One of the officers brought out a bunch of keys from his pocket and after a little search amongst the keys, he settled for one and unlocked the door.

They were gentle with me, the men, but one of them a female officer looked at me with disdain.

The door of the cell made of thick metal bars was opened.

"Go in" she commanded. I was about making a move when I felt her hands push me in instead.

"Ouch!" I made a sound, staggering, trying my best not to fall. A hand held me from behind, making sure to support me.

"Sorry dear." the owner of the hand said to me, her hands still holding my back. She had the most angelic voice, it reminded me of Madam Kate.

I turned back to know who it was and what I saw got me stunned.

What hit me first was the bad smell emanating from the room, my nostrils chunk.

I looked at the petite figure standing before me, this angelic voice didn't match the face.

She had the face of an old man. On other days, I'd break into a heartfelt laughter holding my tummy, but not today. So much has been going on. I just stood before her with lazy eyes.

Everyone wore their prison uniform, it was like an overall. I'd seen Sebaz wear something like it at work. Ours blue, Cecilia, as I later learnt her name was, had her overall zipped down to her waistline, she had wide hips, one of the biggest, I'd seen my whole life. She wore a black singlet. I admired the tattoos all over her body, to her neck area, her dreadlocks looked so unkept. She smelled of cigarette, eyes red like volcano.

She had this scary outlook, but I wasn't afraid for some reasons. I feared Tonia but not Cecilia, it was different.

"Thank you" I said, almost in a whisper.

"No probs, young lady" she looked me over, sizing me. She giggled because my prison wear was oversized. I literally swam in it.

"Come" spreading her arms,she instructed me. Holding my hands, she led me to a bed in the corner.

The cell had four bunks, with two beds each, a double decker, there's a total of eight inmates including myself inclusive. In the cubicle-like room, was a window, at the top almost to the ceiling, with iron bars as protector. That was the only source of light.

Walking towards the bed, I surveyed the whole place. Two ladies sat on the floor playing cards. They casually looked over at me and without saying a word they continued, minding their business. The rest of them were sleeping.

I was familiar with the cell environment, before I got transferred here, I was first kept in detention at the state.

"What brings you here?" the lady finally broke the silence as we settled down to sit on her bed at the dead end.

I kept mute, shrugged a bit, as if uncomfortable trying to adjust on the six ring bed covered with a white bed sheet already turning brown.

"Shy?" She scoffed, "Ok, ok, I know your type." she laughed it off. "I'll let you be today. Only for today." she seemed bubbly and happy to see me. Was she expecting me?

I was overthinking right now. But she kind of made me feel comfortable.

The handcuffs were removed by the police officers before locking me in so I could move my arms freely. I just had them folded.

I still need to settle down, process everything that has happened in my life these past few months. I just haved a sigh of relief, yawning tired. My eyes looked tired, I didn't sleep throughout the drive to the central prison.

"Hey, you can rest on my bed, you seem tired, we'll talk later, you'll sleep up as from tomorrow" She smiled at me, stood up and walked two strides over to the other ladies.

"Wanna play, can I?" I heard her voice, faintly saying to them as I fell into deep sleep.