Forever Mine Chapter Seven: Fractured

Back to the present…

The manor,

Victoria island, Lagos state

Dawn hesitated, allowing darkness tarry longer. Jacob’s eyes were glued to the ceiling, his tears hidden in the shadows of the bleak morning. He lay in one of the guest bedrooms, the place he had moved into since he found out the truth. Three weeks had passed, but the pain in his heart remained fresh.

Depression held him in it’s long embrace, and he had hugged back. He didn’t speak much anymore, didn’t talk to anyone either. He avoided calls from his friends, and hardly showed up at work. Everyday started the same, with his eyes on the ceiling, and his heart bleeding.

Hours rolled by until the sky finally softened to a blue, forcing the night away. The warmth of the sun poured through the window blinds, caressing his skin. He sighed, wishing the darkness had stayed longer.

He pulled himself up, gently rubbing his forehead. It was another Sunday, but he wasn’t going to attend church. He had managed to stream service the week after the incident, and somehow the pastor had decided to preach a sermon titled, ‘Love Unrelenting.’

“…Love is patient, Love is faithful. It will be tested, it will be tried, but in the end, it will always show itself faithful, because Love is God…” Pastor Nathaniel had said.

Jacob had closed the laptop before the sermon went any further, unwilling to hear any other thing. Since then, prayer had become a stranger to his lips. He had shunned the Lord’s voice every time it came, choosing to hug his pain over the peace Adonai offered. His spirit was completely broken, his mind a hollow shell. Nothing mattered anymore.

He hardly ever left that room, but he decided to get out today. The room had become suffocating. He needed some air.

Putting on his jersey, he slid on his joggers and trainers. He was heading to the private beach his colleague owned in Lekki, craving the peaceful sound of the ocean. He pulled the door open, and Abigail fell over. He grimaced.

She had slept by the door, just like she did every night since that day. On many occasions, he’d hear a faint knock on the door, followed by routine sobs but he never opened.

Wiping her eyes, Abigail sat up, her water-logged gaze fixed on him. Jacob frowned even more, his broken gaze shifting away. He went around her, determined to avoid a conversation.

“Jacob…” she called, her voice hoarse from all the crying.

He paused, his wife’s broken tone piercing his heart. He couldn’t deny it. Somewhere within, he felt the nudge to turn and hold her. His heart yearned to pick her up, and hold her close to himself. He hated resenting her, but he couldn’t control it. The bitterness inside had eaten up his affection.

“Jacob, please… say something.” Abigail begged, feeling the strong emotions overwhelm her again. He hadn’t said a word to her in weeks. She preferred he screamed at her, yelled at her about how he felt, anything but the silence. Not hearing his voice stung deeper than she’d ever imagined.

Her husband didn’t respond. He just walked off, taking cold steps toward the front porch. She watched him disappear out of sight, along with a piece of her. Abigail buried her head in her palms, feeling the pain in her chest rise again. Her fears were coming true. Jacob was slowly slipping away, and it was her fault.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eden’s Harbour private beach

Lekki, Lagos Island

The ocean rippled softly like it was breathing, gently pushing itself towards the shoreline. The golden horizon painted the sky in hues of orange, and the clouds blushed like ripe fruit. Cormorants flew overhead, harassing the waters for their food. The air was filled with the smell of salt.

Jacob stood close to the tidal line with his hands in his pockets, feeling the waves wash against his feet. He gazed into the endless blue, toward where the sky and ocean kissed. It was peaceful. It was quiet.

He stooped to pick up some pebbles from the sand. One by one, he hurled them into the ocean, his mind finally stabilizing. He began to recall the strange dream he’d been having for over a week.

It would always start the same way, with him walking alone along the beach shore. Suddenly, he would hear someone crying out for help from the ocean. He could neither see their faces nor recognize their voice. Eventually, they would drown and he would wake up feeling a sharp sense of loss. He had no idea what the dream meant, but he was too emotionally exhausted to be bothered about it.

“It’s a beautiful view, isn’t it?” A voice said from behind. He turned, his eyes narrowing.

Rachael stood there, the wind ruffling her satin beach kimono. The loose swimsuit she wore within exposed her curvy frame perfectly. She wore her braided hair loose, allowing it fall on every side. Her light-skinned complexion glowed under the golden sunlight. She smiled at him, her bewitching brown eyes gleaming with affection.

Jacob’s lips twisted to the side, recognizing her from the gym. He turned away, unwilling to start any conversation. Company was the last thing he wanted.

“I recognized you from the gym, and I just wanted to say hello…” She said nervously, hoping he would respond.

“Well, you’ve said it…” Jacob said steely, hurling another stone into the ocean. Her presence was getting irritating.

“My name’s Rachael. My cousin owns the place…” She replied, shaking off the cold reply. She was determined to gain his attention.

Jacob paused, turning to face her again. He raised his eyebrow in disbelief.

“You’re Dante’s cousin?” He asked flatly.

She nodded, moving closer to him. Her jasmine-scented perfume seeped into his nose, her smile never leaving her face. She picked up a few stones, hurling them into the ocean as well.

“I usually come here early in the morning, when I want to feel close to someone I lost a while back.” She said, chucking another stone into the water.

“Yeah? Who?” Jacob asked grimly, feeling obliged to ask. He was half-wondering why the conversation had lasted this long.

“My sister…” She replied, her smile reducing. She hurled another stone, pursing her lips in a sad manner.

Jacob sighed, allowing the stone he was about to throw drop to the ground. He studied her face, noticing the pain her expression carried. He felt a little bad for the rude way he had responded at the beginning of their conversation.

“What happened?” He asked.

“Leukemia.” Rachel replied, hurling another stone into the ocean. She kept her gaze away, the sadness in her expression heightening.

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Jacob said, feeling the bleakness of the moment. She nodded, her gaze resting on the ocean.

They remained silent for a while, chucking stones into the ocean. Their shared gloom filled the air between them, making the silence bearable, and nearly comforting.

“We spent a lot of time together here, back when she was… still around. It’s been two years and I still haven’t gotten over the fact that she’s gone. To be honest, I don’t know if it’ll get any easier.” She finally said, her gaze dropping to the sand.

“I don’t think we ever get over the death of a loved one. We just learn to live with it. As long they remain in our hearts, we’ll always grieve the memories we could have made if they were around. We just have to take it one day at a time, and hold unto God.” Jacob said, remembering the death of his own father.

God. He hadn’t spoken to his Father in weeks. The mention of His name on his lips felt estranged. He sighed, throwing another stone.

Rachael looked up, giving him a tight-lipped smile.

“Thanks. What about you? What’s your reason for being here so early?” She asked.

Jacob felt the negative emotions he had kept at bay break loose again. His mood waned instantly, feeling the pain in his chest rise. He twisted his lips, launching another pebble far into the deep-blue blanket.

“I don’t really want to talk about it…” He said finally, exhaling sharply. Rachael nodded.

“I’m a little curious though. This doesn’t have anything to do with the way you went all Captain America on the punching bag a few weeks back, does it?”

Jacob grimaced, feeling slightly embarrassed. He pinched the bridge of his nose, cringing from the memory.

“You saw that?” He asked quietly.

“I think the people across the street saw that. It wasn’t exactly subtle.” She said with a small laugh.

Her laughter was light-hearted, soft yet contagious. Jacob felt a smile tug at the side of his lips. He turned to her, her funny expression forcing the smile out.

“I finally got you to smile. That’s a win in my book.” She said, turning to the ocean. She hurled another stone in.

Jacob nodded. “Fair enough.”

“I never still got your name though.” She said, moving closer to him.

“My bad. It’s Jacob.” He replied, finally easing into the conversation.

“Nice to meet you Jacob, officially.” She said, extending a hand.

Jacob studied her, half-trying to discern her intentions. He took the hand, unable to sense anything off.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile…

Abigail stood in-front of the bathroom mirror, staring at her broken reflection. Her eyes were puffy and sleep-deprived, with dark circles underneath. She ran her fingers through her unkempt kinky hair, the tangled dark curls resisting the motion. Her mind was tired. Her will to live had waned like a tea bag in hot water. She let out a bitter sigh and turned on the sink tap, cupping water to her face.

Her toes flinched when they made contact with the cold ceramic bathtub. She turned on the shower, allowing steam fill the room, reducing her frame to a foggy illusion. The dead silence of the house plagued her more than anything. She’d give anything to hear him laugh again, to see him smile.

The shower lasted longer than necessary, but she needed it. The steam was an escape from reality. The hot water felt like balm to her soul, partially silencing the darkness that plagued her mind. Dark thoughts of ending it all had lurked around the corners of her soul for days. It was a fight she was afraid she wouldn’t win.

Her phone started ringing, but she couldn’t be bothered. The only person she wanted to speak to, didn’t want to speak to her. Every other person was unnecessary. However, after the sixth ring, she hissed and got out of the bathtub.

She put on her bathrobe and wrapped her wet hair with a dry towel. The sound of the persistent ringing irritated her deeply. Whoever it was, they were going to get a piece of her mind. Reaching the bed, she grabbed the phone in anger. It was Nneoma. She sighed, reluctantly picking it up.

“Where have you been? I’ve been trying to reach you?” Nneoma said, her tone revealing slight vexation.

Abigail bit her lip, struggling to keep her temper in check. Nneoma didn’t know what she was going through. It wouldn’t be fair to pour all her frustrations on her friend. Breathing in, she shoved the negative feelings down.

“I was in the shower. What’s up?” She asked, her eyebrows narrowing in irritation.

“Go to your laptop and check your email. I sent you an encrypted file. I’ll call the key out so you can log in.” Nneoma said, her voice sounding serious.

“Look, I’m not really in the mood for work at the moment-”

“-it’s important, Abigail. Please…” Nneoma said impatiently.

Abigail reluctantly obliged. She sat on the bed and dragged her MacBook. Clicking away, she opened her email.

“What’s the code?” She asked grimly.

“555-921-VTR.” Nneoma replied.

Typing in the digits, the file opened. It was an update report on Vornex. Reading through, she found an image document she had to load.

“Nneoma, what’s all this?” She asked.

“I’ll give you the short version. French intelligence have identified one of the assailants in Araoluwa’s case. She was finally able to speak and gave a concrete description, and guess what? He’s Nigerian.” Nneoma said.

“What?”

“Yes. They ran it across facial recognition and they got a hit. Abigail, you’re not going to believe this, but he was also in Nigeria three weeks ago.”

Abigail’s eyes widened. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying he was in Lagos barely three weeks ago. One of our sources spotted someone with the same exact description overseeing a shipment from Singapore through the marina bay in Badagry. NDLEA were able to intercept the shipment but they couldn’t get a hold of him. He escaped.”

Abigail clicked the file, her heart racing in anticipation. The dots began to connect, but she wanted to be sure.

“Seen the picture yet? He’s tall and dark-skinned with hazel eyes. Quite an uncommon feature for a northerner but not impossible.” Nneoma continued.

Abigail’s heart was in her throat. It couldn’t be. It couldn’t. The image finally popped up on the screen and Abigail went numb. Her jaw fell open, the image on the screen scrambling her brain.

“His name is Zamani Ahmad. Apparently, he’s a well-known artist and sculptor in the country.” Nneoma added, half-wondering why her partner wasn’t saying anything.

Abigail’s jittery fingers moved the computer from her lap. Her breathing became heavy, reality knocking wind out of her.

“Hello? Are you there?” Nneoma asked.

“Uh… ummm… I’ll call you back.” Abigail stuttered.

“Abigial, wait-”

She ended the call, her eyes watering in disbelief. Zamani? A drug trafficker? A rapist? Was everything he said a lie?

Suddenly, her eyes widened. Something struck her. His words echoed in her ears like he was in the same room with her.

“There was a time, that the fire in these hazel eyes burned only for you.”

She exhaled sharply, connecting the dots. Araoluwa had said something similar.

“Eyes of fire. Oju inã.” She muttered.

Abigail got up instantly, holding the side of her head. She began to pace around, feeling the weight of the revelation. Araoluwa was describing his characteristic fiery hazel eyes. How could she have missed it? He had also been in Paris at the time. But then again, many people would have fit that description.

She paused, another thing striking her. If he had access to Vornex, then maybe he actually did drug her. Her face lit up, her eyes moving to her laptop. She picked it up and read through the effects of the drug again. It was a spitting depiction of her experience. After taking the glass of the wine, it was like she had lost control of herself, she had no restraint. It felt like her body was on overdrive.

She got up again, searching around for some decent clothes. If this was true, then maybe she could tell Jacob. It wasn’t her fault. Maybe, he would believe her. Her heart flooded with hope, her lips praying for Jacob’s understanding. She had to find her husband. There was no time to waste.

~~~~~~~~~

Eden’s Harbour private beach

Lekki, Lagos island

11:30am

The once tranquil environment now buzzed with light activity. More people had come in, chasing the silence that Jacob craved. He had moved into one of the large vintage huts that doubled as a small restaurant. It housed about twenty people, and it was fast filling up.

Rachael had joined him at his table, filling his ears with tales he couldn’t care less about. So far, he had gathered that her middle name was Tejiri, and she worked as a model for various beauty product brands. The rest had passed through his ears like gibberish.

However, he couldn’t say he didn’t enjoy the company. He wasn’t crazy about it, but he didn’t mind it either. Rachael talked with a lot of passion, and she was incredibly witty. She had succeeded in making him laugh twice. That was more than he had done in the past four weeks.

Nevertheless, he couldn’t help but wonder what her true intentions were. He couldn’t discern, his spirit was numb from lack of activity. She had made no sexual innuendos, and had kept a healthy distance. Maybe, she was just that honest. Besides, his mind was far from home. That’s all he wanted – a distraction.

Soon, his mood began to lighten up. He eased into the conversation, being more generous with his words rather than being a grumpy mute. She was telling him about her love for literature when a song came on in the hut. It was Rema’s ‘Calm down’ remix. He recognized the song from instagram, but never knew the lyrics.

“Oh my God! This is my jam!” She squealed, clapping excitedly. She jumped off her seat, smiling like a child.

Jacob was taken aback, half-wondering why she was that excited. He watched her bop and belly dance to the song with her drink in her hand. He started feeling uneasy, her dance movements an affront to his prude disposition.

“C’mon. Join me!” She squealed, offering him her hand. Jacob had a confused look on his face. His discomfort was visible.

“I’m sorry. I-I can’t…” He said, taking his eyes off her.

Rachael smiled, laughing at his innocence. He was so cute. She stopped dancing, shooting him a seductive smile. Placing her drink on the table, she moved toward him in a slow sensual gait.

“I have a confession, Jacob.” She said, her tone sounding naughty. She walked round his chair, tracing her fingers along the woodwork as she moved. Jacob’s head turned, trying to follow her movement.

“I have a feeling I know why you were so upset this morning. I kind of overheard it at the gym when you were talking with your friends…” she said softly, biting her lower lip. The wind ruffled her satin dress, forcing her cologne into Jacob’s nose.

She moved to his front, gently straddling unto his lap.

“What are you doing?” Jacob asked tersely, feeling his heart race. He looked into her brown eyes, her sensuous gaze holding his joints captive.

“You’re so uptight. I want to help you loosen up a bit. You know, make you forget about everything…” She breathed coyly, her soft hands now roaming around his broad chest.

“Get off…” He said, swallowing with difficulty. He wanted to shove her off, but for some reason his body didn’t listen. He could feel the tension rise within him, feeling the effect of her well-manicured nails. He hadn’t gotten any in months. His body craved what she was doing.

“Are you sure that’s what you really want?” She whispered into his ear innocently, softly tickling his sides. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her ample bosom against him. Her eyes held him, her desires clearly revealed in her bewitching gaze. Jacob gulped, tempted to give in. She closed her eyes, leaning in for the kiss.

Jacob stopped her, exhaling sharply. He shoved her to the side, rising from his chair. It took everything in him to stop her. He looked at her, his breathing starting to normalize. Her smile was still on her face, her gaze still inviting. He shook his head and walked away, moving toward the bathroom. He cursed himself under his breath for allowing her go that far.

Rachael smiled, knowing she had made a reasonable dent on his armor. He was going to be hers before long. She sat down on her chair, sipping her smoothie.

“Who the hell are you, and what were you doing to my husband?” An incensed voice called from behind.

Rachael turned her head to see the fiercest eyes she’d ever seen, glaring at her with fury. It was Abigail, fuming with rage.

She smiled, sipping her drink very calmly. Her nonchalance made Abigail’s blood boil even more. She had watched them from afar, watching how she straddled her husband. The image made her insides burn. It was a slight relief when her husband shoved her away, but it still stung.

“I asked you a question.” Abigail seethed, her nose nearly flaring.

Rachael got up, leveling her gaze. She folded her arms, a sardonic smile plastered on her face.

“Well, if it isn’t the slut of the century…” she quipped.

Abigail blinked, stunned by the insult. She tilted her head to the side, shooting her a small deranged smile.

“What did you just call me?” She asked, struggling to keep the raging emotions in check. It was a dare.

“You heard me. I mean, that’s what you are, right? I heard about what you did to your husband.” Rachael said, her stance getting more defiant.

Abigail’s face softened instantly. She felt her throat go dry. She averted her gaze, shock plastered on her face.

“What do you mean?” She asked nervously.

Rachel scoffed. “Oh, please. Don’t play dumb. It’s almost public knowledge now. The only thing that’s remaining is the usual scandalous sex tape to go along with it…”

Abigail moved back a bit, feeling overwhelmed. There was nothing on the media that suggested the public knew. Had Zamani uploaded the video already?

“I’m curious though. How do you bag a man like this, and manage to ruin it? Huh?” Rachael asked, raising a mocking eyebrow.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about…” Abigail managed to say.

“Oh, please. I don’t have to be a prophet to know you’re guilty. It’s written all over your face, honey.” Rachel said, laughing scornfully. She began to move round Abigail, sizing her up.

“You know how many people would kill to be in the spot you’re in? I mean, for months, your husband would come into the gym with you, and despite the futile attempts of every other woman in that gym, your husband only had eyes for you. How did you manage to ruin that?” Rachael asked, her tone dripping with venom.

“Shut up…” Abigail seethed, fighting the shame the words brought. Rachel scoffed, watching the woman get defensive. She moved closer to her, her face inches away.

“You know, for a moment, when I was on his lap, I saw something in his eyes. He wanted me.” Rachel whispered.

“I said, shut up…” Abigail warned again, her fist balling tight. Her countenance had gone dark, her insides quaking vehemently.

“Spare me your denial.” Rachael scoffed. “Face it, you’ve lost him. But don’t worry, I’ll make sure to take good care of him.”

Anger hissed through Abigail’s body like deadly poison. Her face started spasming, feeling the screws in her head loosen.

“What’s with the angry face, boo-boo? You want to beat me? Please, not in this lifetime. Now, go home. I’m sure you have a lot of time now to think about why whoredom isn’t exactly best line of work.” Rachael spat.

Abigail moved toward her, her body rigid with violent intentions. She allowed the bag on her shoulders slide down her arm.

“Choose your next words very carefully…”

Rachael raised a mocking eyebrow, accepting her challenge. She brought her mouth close to Abigail’s ears.

“I said what I said, you’re a whore and Jacob will leave you because of that. Perhaps, if your mother had trained you better-”

The punch flew quickly, landing on her lower lip. Rachael staggered backward, feeling her lip burst open.

She retaliated with a forceful push, shoving Abigail unto a nearby table. Abigail snatched a half-full cup of burning alcohol from the table and hurled it at Rachael’s face, blinding her temporarily. She lunged at her, tackling her to the ground while she was still flailing.

The entire hall erupted. A crowd of people had formed around them, cheering the fight on. Some had their cameras on, recording the entire thing. Faces filled the windows of the hut, eager to watch the two women brawl.

Rachael grabbed a fist full of Abigail’s hair, yanking her off her body. She got on top and raised her fists, but a strong hand grabbed her by the arm and yanked her off. Jacob seethed, glaring at the two of them in utter disbelief. He looked around, embarrassed by the crowd and videos they had made of his wife and him. Many jeered at him for breaking up the fight.

He hurriedly grabbed his wife by the arm and pulled her up. He moved toward the door, pulling his wife along. Rachael got up, watching them disappear out of sight. She growled, feeling utterly stupid. She pushed her way through the crowd, determined to go home.

The crowd was dismissed by the security that had just arrived. The tension in the building slowly died down.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at the manor…

Jacob dipped the towel into the bowl of warm water. He squeezed it and dabbed the scratches on his wife’s face. She winced sharply, feeling the sting of the wound.

“Sorry…” Jacob said, gently dabbing the wounds. His touch was delicate, almost laced with affection.

Abigail thought he was going to scream at her. She had braced herself for the yelling of a lifetime on the quiet ride home. She couldn’t believe she had gotten physical with someone. How much more embarrassment could she possibly bring to this man? Shame held her captive throughout the ride.

However, her husband never yelled. He was quiet, more concerned about the wounds she had sustained. He even carried her up the stairs. Was it guilt from what happened with Rachael? Or was he starting to forgive her?

He finished dressing the wounds and took the bowl away. He returned and leaned against the door to the balcony with folded arms. His face was grim, his eyes fixed on nothing in particular.

The deafening silence stretched for long. They could hear the song of the stormy wind, and the dance of the trees. The weather had turned gloomy, and so had the atmosphere in the room. The elephant in the room was massive, and it wasn’t going anywhere.

Abigail studied her husband’s face, noticing that the look of pain had returned. She pursed her lips, lowering her gaze to the floor. The silence in the room felt like the moment before a judge gave his verdict. It felt like the moment the jury was locked behind a closed room, deciding the fate of the one on the stand.

“I see you made a new friend…” she said sadly, breaking the silence. She kept her gaze on the ground, too ashamed to raise her head.

“She’s not my friend. She’s nothing to me…” Jacob replied, feeling guilt plague his heart. He knew he shouldn’t have let her go that far. His spirit had rebuked him all the way home.

“Nothing doesn’t necessarily climb on someone’s lap…” Abigail said, the brokenness in her voice increasing.

“At least, I had the decency to shove her off. I didn’t drive her home so I could sleep with her…” Jacob quipped, angered by her baiting.

Abigail nodded, injured by his response. She exhaled, feeling her eyes water.

“I guess, I deserve that…” She muttered.

Another uncomfortable silence ensued. Murmurs of thunder echoed in the distance. The sky got darker by the minute, flooding the room with wind.

After a while, Abigail decided to break the ice again.

“Jacob, I’m not accusing you of anything. I just came over to the beach because…” She started, her voice trailing off.

More silence. The words were there, but she couldn’t bring herself to say them. Her heart was plagued by doubt. Would he even listen? Would he understand? Who would?

“…Because what?” Jacob asked, his eyes still on the window.

Abigail’s lips twisted to the side, fighting to push the words out. This was it. If she could make him see, then things would probably go back to normal. They could put everything behind them. He would finally hold her again. He would finally love her again. She cleared her throat.

“Jacob, I was drugged…” she started, forcing her head up.

Jacob’s eyes moved to hers. He studied her eyes, unsure of her sincerity.

“You were drugged?” He asked, adjusting his posture to face her.

“Look, I know it sounds crazy, but that’s what happened. I swear to you. Zamani put this… there’s this drug called Vornex… and he’s a drug trafficker… and he put it in the wine we shared and… it made me go crazy…” she started rambling, her words stumbling out incoherently. Soon, she stopped, hearing how ridiculous her story sounded.

Jacob just looked at her, his eyes beginning to water.

“Even if you don’t love me anymore, the least you could do is stop lying…” He said, his vision beginning to blur.

“Jacob, I’m not lying. I swear to you. I was drugged…”

“And you’re just finding out now? That’s a little convenient, don’t you think?” Jacob seethed, the pain rising in his chest.

“Jacob-“

“I watched the video, Abigail!” He yelled, his jaw quivering with anger and pain. He pulled himself off the door he leaned on, facing her squarely. “I watched you take his shirt off! I watched it all!”

Abigail lowered her head again, the sobs breaking out. That was first time he had called her by her full name since they got married. It had always been Abby. It was clear to her that he was now out of her reach.

“Alright. Clear something up for me. At what point where you drugged? Was it when you went on a coffee date with him behind my back? Or was it when you drove to his house when you were supposed to be at work?” Jacob asked, his voice becoming shaky.

Abigail remained quiet. She felt her throat close up, the feeling of guilt and shame washing over her afresh.

“Talk to me. At what point?” Jacob asked, finally breaking. Tears started rolling down his cheeks, feeling the pent up emotions he’d stored for weeks rise to the surface.

He looked away, his jaw quivering intensely. His eyes moved to the ceiling, trying to slow his breathing.

“I’m sorry…” Abigail managed to say. It came out strained, like it felt bitter in her mouth. It wasn’t good enough. She knew, but she had to say it. What else could she say?

The couple fell silent. Their sobs became inaudible, yet their pain grew loud and palpable. After a while, Jacob moved toward her. He lowered himself to a squat, his body inches away from hers. He wanted to hold her, but his hand wouldn’t move. He sighed, his face contorting in pain again.

“What happened to us, Abby?” He breathed. “We were fine. We were doing so well. Why did you let him come between us?”

Abigail gulped hard against the strain in her throat. She sniffed, searching for the answer to his question. Her hands moved to her eyes, wiping the tears that poured effortlessly. Summoning courage, she raised her head up and looked into his eyes.

“Have you ever felt like, life was giving you a do-over? Like it was giving you a chance to correct a mistake you made? That’s what I felt when Zamani came back. I was so consumed by guilt because of how I treated him, that I didn’t stop to imagine how bad things could go.” She said breathlessly, his hurt gaze forcing more tears from her eyes.

“But I warned you, Abby. I warned you…” Jacob sobbed.

“I know, and I’m sorry…” she said. She could feel his pain. Flashbacks of how she had fought him unfairly because of Zamani poured into her mind, tightening the grip that guilt had on her heart. She almost couldn’t breathe.

Jacob raised himself and staggered away. He placed his hands on the wall, allowing his tears run free. He was in pain. He remembered the silent treatment. He remembered the times she would avoid him like the plague. He remembered the horrible words she threw at him because of another man. The memories nearly stole breath from his lungs.

After another long painful silence, Jacob spoke.

“You know, love is a really funny thing. You’ve hurt me in the worst possible way, and yet, all I can think about is how I want to hold you…” He said softly, his hands still on the wall.

Abigail raised her eyes. His words came out raw and genuine. She could feel it pour out of his heart like spring water from a rock. They were pure and honest. She hated herself for putting him through this.

“Not looking at you, or talking you, or holding you, has been the hardest thing I’ve had to experience since the death of my father.” He said, finally turning to face her.

“But every time I want to give in to those feelings, I remember everything again. I remember how you treated me because of him. I remember how you didn’t talk to me for days, just because I couldn’t let you be with him. That’s what hurts me. How easy it was for you to turn on me for his sake…” He said, his pained gaze resting on her.

Abigail pursed her lips, sniffing as the words came. She wished she could make his pain go away. She wished she could take it away and disappear. She willed time to roll backwards, so she could slap sense into herself.

“I’m sorry. It’s just… we had history… and it blinded me…” She sobbed, cursing herself.

“You had history. But we were supposed to be the future, Abby. Now, I don’t know what we are. I don’t know what we can become…” Jacob replied. His emotions heightened, his decision blaring clearly in his heart.

“Jacob, please don’t talk like that…” Abigail begged, sensing where he was going. She dropped to her knees, crying ugly tears.

Jacob turned away, the sight of his wife crawling on her knees shattering his core.

“I’m sorry, Abby. As long as this memory is in my head, I don’t think I can move on…” He said shakily.

Abigail crawled to him, her hands clinging to his shirt. She felt like her heart was about to be ripped from her chest.

“Jacob, look at me…” she begged.

Jacob kept his eyes away, trying to raise walls in his heart. There was no other way. He would miserable all his life if he didn’t do this.

“Jacob, please. Just look at me…” Abigail pleaded. Reluctantly, their eyes met. The world stopped, their pain holding time in place.

“Don’t do this, please…” She begged, her grip on the lower part of his shirt tightening.

“There’s no other way, Abby. I’m sorry, but I want a divorce…” He said finally.

It felt like an asteroid had hit the room. Time stopped. Abigail’s grip on his shirt loosened instantly, her eyes widening in shock. The words felt like a blade to her heart. She could feel an intense pain in her chest. She sat back on the ground, still watching him. He didn’t mean it. He didn’t. He was going to take it back. Jacob, take it back. You don’t mean it.

She shook her head, clinging to denial.

Jacob moved aside, his eyes fixed on the door. He began to move toward it, his legs moving with hesitancy.

“Jacob…” she called.

He kept moving, the sound of her voice struggling to anchor his moving legs.

“Jacob…” she called again.

Her broken tone tore his heart to shreds. He was an inch to the door, about to grab the door knob.

“Jacob!” She cried, desperation leaking from her tone.

“I’m sorry, Abby. But this is it. I’m leaving the house for now. The papers will be here in the morning. Goodbye, Abby…” He said finally. The words were the most bitter he had ever spoken in his life. He turned the doorknob, unwilling to look at her.

Abigail watched the door close, and the world collapsed. She felt obscurity hug her from behind. She surrendered to the dark, allowing despair be her captor. It was over. Zamani had won, and she was lost.

TO BE CONTINUED…

We’ve reached boiling point. I’d tell you to breathe but even me sef😅. What are your thoughts? What do you think will happen? Let me know in the comments😁

Stay tuned! Thank you for sharing this. I see you and I love you💙💙💙