MY WIFE, MY NEMESIS
CHAPTER 12
(Blessing’s POV)
I’d wiped off the heavy make-up on my face so the doctor could examine the bruises and cuts on my face and neck. My chest and back inclusive, but since they’re private areas, I didn’t bother to cake them with make-up. The heavy make-up was just a facade to confuse my mischievous husband. I needed him to know he’d never be able to break me, no matter what he’d do to me. He needed to know I was a strong woman who wouldn’t ever back down.
After the treatment, I was walking out of the hospital main entrance when someone who was rushing from outside bumped into me.
The black sunshade I used to cover up the bruises on my swollen cheekbones, fell to the ground. The stranger and I both bent down at the same time to pick it up. Our fingers brushed against one another and I looked up at the person.
“Lanre? Oh, Lanre…” I sang excitedly as I huffed and puffed.
“Blessing!!!” He was equally pleased to see me too. We stood up and he gave me a bear hug.
Lanre was a friend to Darlington and I from the rented large compound popularly known as Love compound, at where we all met. He’d been calling to always check on me since we left the compound two months ago when we were preparing for our marriage.
“I’m sorry for bumping into you abruptly like that. I’m actually rushing to go see one of my patients. I’d briefly stepped outside for fresh air as I’ve been cooped up in my office since yesterday.” He explained.
“Office? You’re a doctor now? You studied medicine?” I was surprised. The Lanre I knew at Love compound was jobless and carrying CV all around in search of a job. He wasn’t even looking like a doctor then.
“Yes Angel…I got employed a month ago. Please don’t tell me you’re in a hurry. Let’s go into my office and have a little chat. I will just go check on my patient and be back in five minutes.” He said to me and smiled warmly.
“There’s no problem. I will wait for you in your office. Take me there.” I informed him with a small smile. His smile got bigger and he led me to his office.
He got back to the office after fifteen minutes and apologized deeply for keeping me waiting. I shrugged it off. I actually didn’t want to go back to that house on time.
“So, what happened to you? How did you end up in this state? Don’t tell me that f.o.o.l did this to you? He hasn’t changed his ways yet?” He asked with utmost concern. I’d removed my sunshade and the vintage scarf I wrapped around my neck since we were alone. We were seated side by side on the sofa in his office so he could see the cuts and bruises. I could only give him a dry chuckle in response. He decoded the message and was infuriated.
“How long has he been doing this to you since your wedding?” He pressed further.
“Just yesterday. I’ve been able to keep him tamed all this while, I guess he’d had enough. He took his stuff and was high. I couldn’t escape from his grip.” I stated begrudgingly.
“And you’re just going to stay put and continue with him? You don’t deserve this treatment.” He spat out frustratedly. I smiled knowingly. Lanre had never supported my idea of getting myself tied down with him just to punish him for his wrongdoings.
“Well, I think I deserve this much from him. I mean, I’ve been punishing him too. I infected him, I tied him down, which means he can’t even move freely around or have the wild fun he has been used to. Well, at least, I’m glad that I’ve been able to stop him from following and damaging innocent women. I already know I can’t be left untouched in his house. I need to accept that much as my punishment too.” I explained to him with a sad smile. He shook his head disapprovingly.
“What did you do to be punished? We all know this man, he has been committing atrocities before you showed up in his life. He can’t just change overnight. You need to get out of his twisted life before he breaks you.” Lanre said firmly. I shook my disapprovingly.
“I’ve been broken before I met him. He can’t break me further. I need to remain with him, Lanre. He deserves me, I deserve him. He deserves me because of the atrocities he’d committed, I deserve him because I insisted on punishing him with my hands, so you see why we deserve each other?” I explained to him gently.
“I’m not seeing it. I can’t see it. Why must you get yourself k.il.led just because you want to stop someone from commiting atrocities?” He spat out. I could see he was getting worked up. I heaved a deep sigh.
“This man has been victimizing women because there’s nobody to stop him. I purposely approached him to tie him down with me so he could stop damaging innocent people. And look at me, I’m not innocent, I’ve been broken. I told you how the man whom I worked for while growing up, defiled me, abused and infected me with HIV. I’ve infected some guys in my quest for revenge. And I approached him because I feel like he deserves a broken person like me, for being a spoilt cruel ba.st.ard. So, don’t you think someone like me deserve him too? Which guy would I go and settle down with, like this?” I raised my voice slightly out of frustration.
“I’m that guy…I told you your condition isn’t a death sentence. I’m a doctor, I know how to protect myself from getting infected by you. You don’t have to abandon your life, when it’s not yet over.” He stated romantically. I could see his feelings for me were still intact. He’d always showed me affection while I chased after Darlington, not knowing I was on a mission. He’d showed interest in me even before Darlington started giving me green light. He’d no idea that I was protecting him from me, by giving him cold shoulders. I concluded he wasn’t from this planet when he insisted he’d still stay by my side even after I disclosed everything to him.
“No! I won’t allow you to do so. You do not deserve me. You’re too good for me. You deserve better. Don’t you understand?” My voice came out a bit harsher than I’d planned. He looked hurt and I felt sorry.
He opened his mouth to talk but closed it immediately. He kept quiet. I was silent too. The atmosphere was tense and awkward. He finally cleared his throat after some seconds to talk again.
“Angel, i really…” I cut him off before he could land. I knew what he wanted to say with those sad eyes of his. I knew I had to change the topic so the atmosphere would change.
“Didn’t you notice that I’m no longer getting angry at you for calling me angel?” I tried to shoot a shot at cracking jokes. I knew I sucked at that but I prayed inwardly he got the message. And God answered my prayer. He did. He laughed out loudly for a whole second. His laughter was like a healing song to my ears. It soothed my pained heart and body.
“Angel…angel…I told you that’s the best name for you. You’re such an angel.” He said and held my hands tenderly.
“Such a beautiful fragile angel that should be protected.” He added and I laughed wholeheartedly.
“Trust me, this angel is in no sense, fragile, at all. She has gotten so strong and is now indestructible.” I smirked at him. He nodded affirmatively.
“Well, the strong angel should bear in mind that there are broad shoulders here, waiting for her anytime, any day, for her to rest her strong body whenever she feels tired of carrying such heavy burden.” He declared sweetly. His declaration gave my hopeless, gloomy soul a ray of sunshine.
Then, we stared at each other affectionately for what felt like eternity.
TO BE CONTINUED
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