Senator John Mwirigi's luxurious office, the one he had so carefully cultivated over years of maneuvering and strategic alliances, felt suffocating now. The tall glass windows no longer offered a view of opportunity; instead, they seemed like a barrier, trapping him in his own web of lies. His usual poise, the calm confidence he carried like armor, was beginning to crack.
The phone call had been unexpected. The voice on the other end had been cold, detached, almost mechanical. There had been no warning, no prelude to the message it carried.
"We know what you've done, Mwirigi. And we'll make you pay for it."
The line went dead before he could speak.
His hands shook as he set the phone down. The words hung in the air, a threat so precise, so pointed, that it cut through the fabric of his well-maintained world. The person who had called wasn't just an ordinary threat. They knew everything. They knew about Lucy Mumo, about Wendo, about his involvement. Whoever they were, they were no longer just a shadow in the background,they were a force, and that force was coming for him.
Mwirigi stood up from his desk, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. He paced the room, his footsteps echoing in the silence. Sweat beaded on his forehead, the coldness of his fear crawling under his skin. He had spent his entire career building an image, a façade of untouchability, of control. But now, that control was slipping through his fingers.
He could hear his breathing, shallow and quick, as his mind raced through every possible scenario. He'd been careful. He'd covered his tracks. How could anyone know? How could they prove anything? His thoughts spiraled, but each turn brought him back to one harsh, undeniable truth: someone was watching him. Someone who knew everything.
The fact that they had known about his connection to Wendo made his blood run cold. No one outside of his circle should have had that knowledge. Not unless someone from within had betrayed him. And that was something he couldn't afford to entertain,not yet.
Mwirigi stopped pacing and went to the bar cart in the corner of the room. His hands fumbled as he poured a glass of whiskey, the amber liquid trembling in the glass as it met the ice. He drank it in one gulp, the burn of the alcohol doing little to calm the storm inside his chest.
His mind turned to Stella Njoroge. That detective had been circling around the case with unrelenting persistence, but he had believed, for a time, that he could control the narrative. After all, what did a few lowly detectives mean when compared to the web of influence he had woven? But now, with the death threat hanging over his head, he couldn't help but wonder if she had something to do with it. Or if someone else had found a way to take advantage of her investigation.
The thought of his career unraveling, of his decades of power being reduced to ashes, terrified him. Mwirigi had never felt real fear before. His life had been a series of calculated moves,each one leading him to this pinnacle of influence. But now, it wasn't just about politics. It was about survival.
He slammed the glass down on the bar, shattering it into pieces. His breathing was erratic, his thoughts scattered.
The door to his office opened with a soft creak, and his assistant, Sylvia, stepped in. Her face was pale, her eyes wide with concern.
"Senator, are you alright?" she asked, her voice soft but edged with worry. "You've been pacing for hours. I... I don't know what's going on, but this isn't you."
He turned sharply to face her, the venom in his eyes startling even himself. "I'm fine," he hissed, though his voice was tight with tension. "I'm more than fine, Sylvia. Don't worry about me."
But Sylvia wasn't fooled. She stepped closer, cautiously, keeping her voice low. "You don't look fine. What happened? Who's threatening you?"
Mwirigi's heart skipped a beat. She couldn't know. He couldn't let anyone know. Especially not Sylvia, who had been with him through everything, who had seen the calm façade of power and control that he had maintained for so long.
"It's nothing," he said quickly, trying to steady himself. "Just a... a political rival. Trying to scare me. Nothing I can't handle."
But Sylvia didn't seem convinced. Her eyes narrowed, and she stepped forward, her tone softer now, almost pleading. "Senator, I've known you for years. If something's wrong, we need to face it. You don't have to go through this alone."
Her words pierced through him. She had always been loyal, always been there for him, but loyalty had its limits. If she knew what he was really involved in, she wouldn't be so quick to defend him. He knew what was at stake,what would happen if the truth came out.
"Just stay out of it, Sylvia," he snapped, his voice sharp. "This is my problem, not yours."
Sylvia recoiled slightly, hurt flashing in her eyes before she masked it. She nodded quietly and turned to leave, but not before casting one last look at him. "If you need help, you know where to find me," she said, her voice tinged with sadness.
Mwirigi watched her leave, his anger simmering just beneath the surface. As soon as the door clicked shut, he sank back into his chair, the weight of his fear pressing down on him. He ran a hand through his hair, gripping the strands in frustration.
He couldn't run from this. Whoever had sent that threat was serious. They knew everything about him, about the dirty little secrets he had buried. And now, they were coming for him.
The death threat was just the beginning. Mwirigi knew that. He had lived his life in the shadows, and he had always been able to manipulate people, to control situations. But this,this was different. This wasn't about getting ahead or staying in power. This was about survival.
He had to make sure no one could prove anything. He had to silence anyone who might know too much, and he had to find out who was behind this before it was too late.
His world had always been one of calculated risks and precise movements. But now, it felt like a chessboard, and every piece was closing in on him.
And the one question that kept echoing in his mind?
How long could he keep running before the game was up?