By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu
Dear Michael,
I am immensely grateful for your unconditional love towards me, as well as the opportunity to look into your captivating eyes, hold your hands and wear your ring. When I first fell in love with you my dreams were constantly filled with you. As time went by, I did not only see you in my dreams but saw you standing face to face with me. Honestly, you are the sweetest thing that has ever happened to me. You had never for once treated me like a stranger neither have you hurt me in anyway. You have always stepped down from your golden chair just to meet with a girl who lives in the slums, a girl that everyone had considered to be nobody, a girl born to walk on puddles of water. With you I felt what it was like to fall in love.
I know that you have a cold and aloof personality that made it difficult for others to get close, but you gave me the chance to feel your scented breath. Your authority in the business world instills fear in others, but you made me feel secured and you gave me the warmest embraces that were softer than blankets.
However, I am writing to inform you that today…I am leaving the city of Abuja with my family and officially ending this relationship. I don’t want to be yours anymore, for I can clearly see that somethings are not meant to be. I have also understood that no matter how we twist it, heaven will never come down to kiss the earth. So, please, I beg you not to be mad with this my decision to end our relationship and move away…please don’t look for me. I give you my blessing to give this ring that I am returning back to you to the woman that you will fall in love with...
Chioma quickly wrote the letter and finally stopped. She read her letter to confirm it had no errors and then glanced down at the empty space in the bottom right-hand corner, with her eyes filled with tears. She only needed to write Chioma for the letter to be complete. She held the pen for two to three minutes before writing her name on the space.
After writing the letter, Chioma caress the ring on her finger as she gazed with tear-filled eyes at the glittering ring. Thinking about how she would be giving back the ring, leaving the city, not seeing Michael’s handsome face, she could not help but feel sad for leaving. However, she really could not stay any longer, for this time her enemy might not come with the threat of forcibly demolition, it might be something horrible. Tears uncontrollably trickled down from the corners of her eyes.
Chioma wiped her tears, turned around and looked at Chisom. ‘Here, you have to give it to him…but don’t tell him exactly where we are going. I don’t want him to look for me; I might not be able to keep my promise to Jessica if that happens.’
Chisom nodded, and forced a smile.
Just then, Chioma and Chisom heard scream from outside, and they immediately rushed out to check what was going on. Stepping outside, they saw crowd had already gathered in front of their house. Louisa, Segun and Andrew were already outside. Louisa stood beside Andrew, and Andrew stood beside Segun. Both Chisom and Chioma were standing together. Some of the neighbours who heard the noise came over as well.
‘Chioma, now that you have accepted defeat, we are no longer enemies but the moment we see you getting back together with Michael, we’ll tear you apart.’
‘I hate you, Chioma Chima. You can bite me!’
‘Chioma, so many people dislike you because you’re a slutty boyfriend stealer. I think you should disappear from this city so that we can have peace of mind.’
‘We want to wipe Abuja clean, so hurry up and leave with your disgusting family.’
Chioma gave a faint smile, and then said under the flashes of the cameras the reporters had come with, ‘I just broke up with Michael, and you’re here to attack me and my family? Shouldn’t you all be celebrating with Jessica, after all many of you are pretending to like Michael for Jessica while deep down you’re secretly wishing to be the woman Michael loves…Anyway, since all of you are here, I will advice you to go Jessica’s house and celebrate. Her maids will serve you all bottles of expensive wine. Jessica, will definitely pour each of you a glass. But I don’t drink alcohol so I’d prefer watermelon juice or any delicious juice. But then, I will pass as I would love to rest. Jessica must be celebrating, please, go to her.’
‘I’m sure that your breaking up with Michael was an act to conceal your scheming.’
‘We hate you so much…Honestly, I want to personally tear off your mask and toss you into the river so that you would realise the terrifying power of the public.’
Andrew couldn’t take it anymore so he spoke furiously, ‘You hate my sister yet you followed her to her house? You hate her yet you all gathered in this slummy area just to see her face? Well, I think that my sister is now an international superstar, do you all agree with me?’ He looked at the crowd in disdain.
The sound of camera shutters still filled the air as Andrew spoke. All the reporters present wanted to get a scoop that will excite their audience, whether it was fake news or not, they never cared. They only wanted scoop!
‘Why not pose for pictures, and beg for her autograph? Everyone in Nigeria really wants to hear news about my sister,’Andrew smiled, and tilted his head towards Chioma. ‘Little sister, I think they are here for your autograph. What do you think?’
Chioma forced a smiled but didn’t say a word. In fact, her eyes were filled with tears. Andrew saw the tears in Chioma’s eyes and his heart ached. Then, he turned back to the crowd.
‘I’m sorry my sister is not in the mood to listen to your foolish nonsense…you all may leave now or maybe you want to be served expensive wine?’ Andrew could see that most of the reporters had notebooks in their hands, he scoffed and said, ‘Reporters always have a plethora of questions scribbled down, and with your hungry or rather angry faces, I feel you all want to hand your notebooks to my sister like an exercise book and force her to write down all her answers. All of you are fighting to be the first in line to reveal something new to the world, as well as help the public to slander and destroy my sister’s reputation, but I tell you that I won’t allow my sister to be ridiculed. We have better things to do today.’ With that, Andrew turned inside as well as the rest, thereby leaving the reporters and crowd with no other choice than to shamefully leave.
After entering inside, Chioma let her tears fall but yet she didn’t reveal to her neighbours the truth behind their sudden decision to move to Lagos State. She only told them that they wanted a fresh start, then, she ran into her room. Her tears fell uncontrollably. A moment later, Andrew walked into the room and hugged her from behind.
‘Please, stop crying,’ Andrew whispered.
‘It hurts,’ Chioma said in a low voice.
‘I am here for you,’Andrew said as he stroked the back of her head. Then, Chioma turned around, glancing at Chisom who stood at the door with tears in her own eyes; she smiled faintly at her before looking up at Andrew.
‘Thanks big brother for always being here for me.’
Andrew nodded and wrapped her again in a hug and Chioma felt strengthened.
On the other side, Michael was already heading back to the office after meeting with a client in a five star hotel, but when they reached a fork in the road, Michael suddenly said to the chauffeur, ‘Don’t take me to Moon Corporation anymore, head to Star Restaurant instead.’
Hearing Michael changed his mind to return to the office all of a sudden, the chauffeur jerked the steering wheel in the opposite direction and headed in the direction of Star Restaurant.
‘Sir, why do you want to go to Star Restaurant suddenly? Are you hungry? I could ask Robert to order delivery for you before you reach the office.’ The chauffeur was a little worried so he asked.
‘I miss my woman a lot,’ Michael said more to himself.
‘Sir, Chioma must be a lucky woman!’ The chauffeur praised.
Michael didn’t utter a word to him; he tilted his gaze to the window.
Shortly after, the car reached the entrance of Star Restaurant. Michael didn’t even wait for the chauffeur to open the door for him, he quickly pushed the door open and elegantly stepped out from the car, looking breathtaking in his white Versace suit, matching tie and shoes.
Michael had been busy today, and so didn’t have the chance to listen to the interview which was about Chioma ending their relationship.
Emeka was at the counter scrolling through his social media. When Michael walked inside, he became startled. Sensing Michael’s presence everyone looked towards his direction. Ignoring their gaze, Michael walked over to Emeka at the counter and then questioned, ‘Where is Chioma?’
Not waiting for Emeka’s reply, he pulled out his phone to dial her number, but the number wasn’t reachable. Michael furrowed his brows.
‘Chioma isn’t…’ Emeka began to speak but, thinking it was better for Chioma to tell him herself that she was leaving Abuja today, he immediately stopped speaking.
With his back towards Emeka, Michael continued to dial Chioma’s number. Just then, his phone began to ring. Seeing that it was not Chioma who had called made him feel sad. It was Robert calling. Michael answered it, ‘Hello, I’m inside Star Restaurant.’
‘Sir, you need to come to the office. It’s about Chioma.’
‘I’ll go there right away. Tell her to wait for me.’ Michael looked at Emeka and said, ‘Chioma is in my office to see me.’ Michael turned to leave.
Emeka watched Michael as he walked away. He could feel that Michael hadn’t heard the news. He wondered how he would react about the news.
When Michael reached his office it was almost six-thirty. As he was about sitting down, Chisom walked in, dressed in a simple blue dress. Chisom drew out a brown envelope from her bag and handed it to Michael. ‘Sir Michael, Chioma asked me to give this to you.’
Michael looked at Chisom with puzzlement. After taking the envelope, he opened it immediately in front of Chisom and took out a letter and a small box.
After reading the
letter, Michael’s expression became cold and even frightened. Chisom could feel
the pain which gripped his heart. He raised the letter up in his hand as though
he would reprimand Chioma for hurting him so much, but he couldn’t say a word.
Instead he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then he lowered his arm and
swallowed his words. He put the paper away. ‘I don’t accept this break-up!’Michael
said. Then he looked at Chisom. ‘Who compelled Chioma to do this?’
‘I…I’ Chisom opened her mouth, but
she could not speak. It was impossible for her to break her promise with
Chioma. She had known Michael to always be a strong, powerful, and regal man, a
man who was considered to do everything, but at this moment, his helpless voice
deeply touched Chisom’s heart, but then, she couldn’t still tell him where
Chioma was because she made her a promise not to say a word to Michael.
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