SHADOWS OF DECEIT
Final Episode
The next three weeks had been tough for Chidi. He had been begging Grace for forgiveness, but she had been ignoring him, not even acknowledging his presence. He was losing his mind, consumed by guilt and regret. He loved Grace so much, but he had messed things up by keeping something so huge from her. He didn’t blame her at all for her reactions; in fact, he felt she had every right to be angry.
One morning, he visited his friend Obinna, hoping to find some solace in their conversation. But Obinna wasn’t happy with him either. “Guy, I warned you about this, but you refused to listen,” Obinna said, shaking his head. “It’s a miracle Grace is still in your house. Who knows what the poor woman is passing through right now?”
Chidi bowed his head in shame, his heart heavy with remorse. Obinna looked at his friend in pity; Chidi had lost weight over the past few weeks, and his eyes were sunken with sorrow.
“Obinna, I don’t know what to do,” Chidi said, his voice cracking with emotion. “My selfishness is causing me so much pain right now. My mum found out the truth and left in shame; she didn’t even have the nerves to face Grace. We have caused Grace so much pain; I don’t deserve her.”
He sobbed, overcome with grief, and Obinna put a hand on his shoulder. “Chidi, pull yourself together. You are a man. You just need to keep asking her for forgiveness. That woman really loves you; I’m sure she will forgive you.”
Chidi nodded, taking a deep breath. He stood up, his eyes red from crying. “I need to go now,” he said and turned towards the door. Obinna nodded, watching his friend leave with a heavy heart.
As Chidi walked away from Obinna’s house, he felt a sense of determination wash over him. He would do whatever it took to win Grace back, to make her forgive him. He knew it wouldn’t be easy, but he was willing to try.
Back at home, Grace sat down in the sitting room, shedding tears as she stared at the test strip in her hands. She had just discovered that morning that she was three weeks pregnant, and her mind was racing with thoughts of what to do next. She had made up her mind before, and there was no going back. Just then, Chidi entered the sitting room, his eyes scanning the room until they landed on his wife. He moved slowly towards her, noticing the test strip in her hand, and his eyes widened in shock.
He knelt in front of her, his eyes darting from the test strip to her face, and she nodded positively, still crying. Chidi dropped to the floor, speechless, his mind reeling with emotions. It was supposed to be a happy moment for them, but now it was tainted by his mistakes. He covered his face with his hands and sobbed quietly, his body shaking with grief.
Slowly, Grace stood up, her eyes red and puffy from crying. “I’m leaving, Chidi,” she dropped the bombshell, her voice firm and resolute. Chidi was shocked to the bones, his eyes wide with fear. He stood up quickly and held her, his hands shaking with desperation.
“No, no, no, Grace, please don’t do this to me. I beg you, I messed up, yes, but it hasn’t gotten to this. Please, baby,” he pleaded, his voice cracking with emotion. But Grace remained adamant, her eyes flashing with anger.
“I have thought about it, and I can’t stay here. You broke me, you and your mom dealt with me. You knew it was your fault, yet you watched me suffer. You couldn’t even confide in me, so we can find a solution together. But no, you didn’t trust me that much. You’re so wicked, Chidi. No wonder your first wife left you. You don’t deserve any of us,” she broke down in tears, her body shaking with sobs.
Chidi tried to defend himself, his voice shaking with emotion. “No, baby, I wanted to tell you, but I was scared you would leave me.” But Grace cut him off, her voice firm.
“If you thought about that, then you never really knew me, Chidi. I have already made up my mind, and you can’t change that.” She made an attempt to go upstairs, but Chidi held her back, his eyes wild with fear.
“What about our baby? Are you really going without considering our child?” he asked, his voice desperate. Grace looked at him, her eyes cold and detached.
“Oh, yes, I thought of it. I will keep the baby, but I won’t stay married to you anymore. We will co-parent. I won’t keep your child away from you. You will come see your child when you want, and your child will come visit you when he or she comes of age. That’s my decision, and I trust you will respect it,” she said, her voice firm and resolute. And with that, she walked upstairs, leaving Chidi to his own thoughts, his heart shattered into a million pieces.
As Chidi sat on the floor, lost in his thoughts, Grace came downstairs, dragging her luggage behind her. The sound of the wheels scraping against the floor echoed through the silent room, a stark reminder of the impending separation. Chidi saw her and immediately stood up, his eyes pleading with desperation. He rushed to her side, his hands grasping for hers.
“Grace, please, I beg you, in the name of everything you hold dear, please don’t leave me. Forgive me, I know I wronged you. I was selfish and acted foolishly, but please, baby, forgive me. I will be a better husband now. I will treat you right. I have learned my lesson now,” he implored, his voice cracking with emotion.
Grace looked at him, her eyes filled with pity, but still, she couldn’t bring herself to stay back. The memories of this house, the pain and the tears, were still fresh in her head. She couldn’t bear the thought of staying in this place, surrounded by the reminders of his betrayal.
“I can’t stay back, Chidi. I need to move out of here to clear my head. I will think about it, but for now, my mind is made up,” she said, her voice firm, but her eyes betraying a hint of sadness.
With that, she dragged her luggage out of the house, out of his life. Chidi watched her leave, the same scene with his first wife repeating itself again. He felt like he was stuck in a never-ending nightmare, reliving the same mistakes over and over.
He screamed loudly, falling to the ground, his body wracked with sobs. His life was now shattered into pieces, the fragments of his heart scattered all over the floor. He cried, his body shaking uncontrollably, his mind reeling with thoughts of what could have been.
As the door closed behind Grace, Chidi felt a part of him die. He knew he had lost her, and this time, it was forever. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks, crushing him beneath its weight. He lay there, broken and defeated, his life in tatters….
THE END.
Moral Lesson:
“Trust and communication are the foundation of any successful relationship. Don’t let fear, pride, or selfishness get in the way of being honest with your partner. Remember, secrets and lies can destroy even the strongest bonds. Be brave enough to share your truth, and work together to build a relationship based on mutual respect, trust, and open communication.”.
Thank you for reading 🙏
Story by Vivi
I like the story but Mrs Grace didn’t try at all.