It was Tuesday,
then Wednesday,
Thursday.
By Thursday, five forty p.m., Tade had wrapped up from work.
Anwana sat nervously at the hotel's bar, her yellow gown clinging to her skin as she shifted in her seat. Her hands wouldn't stop fidgeting. She kept adjusting the hem of the dress, her mind consumed with what she was about to say.
Across from her, Tade lifted a glass of fruit juice to his lips, his eyes never leaving her. He had already made up his mind, today, he was ready to right his wrongs, no matter how heavy the truth might feel.
"Are we going to keep staring at each other?" he asked gently.
She cleared her throat, her voice trembling. "I want you to be quiet immediately I start."
He nodded. "Ok. Anything you say."
She inhaled deeply, her chest rising and falling as though each breath hurt.
"About four years ago… you proposed to me," she said, her eyes searching his face.
He arched a brow, silently urging her to continue.
"A week before that proposal, your late father and mum arranged a meeting with me. Your father, especially him
pleaded with me to leave you. He said if he told you directly, you wouldn't listen. He wanted you to focus on the company, he said you were depressed, withdrawn… and at that time, it was true. You leaned on me for everything. He threatened me, Tade. Said if I didn't leave Lagos, he'd make sure I regretted it."
Tade's expression fell, disappointment and disbelief crashing into his heart.
She raised a hand quickly. "I told you not to say anything until I'm done."
"When you proposed, I said no because of his words. I didn't know how serious he was until later. About Kene when my parents died, I left Akwa Ibom to live with my older brother, Ekere. You know him. Kene is his best friend. My brother was fourteen years older, always busy, but Kene… Kene was the one who was there. When I went off to university, my brother rented a separate apartment for me. Kene had moved to Abuja by then, but he never stopped supporting me. He became like my second brother. Tade, he is not Victor's father. I don't know how Aisha fabricated those screenshots."
She paused, took a sip of juice, then pressed on.
"It was in my second year that I met you." Her voice softened. "You were everything I wanted, even though I tried to bury my feelings."
Tade's heart pounded. He knew where this was heading.
"About Victor…"
"I know," he cut her off sharply, unwilling to hear the words from her lips. "We never did anything. He's not my son."
Her throat tightened. "We… we once did."
The world around him froze. His grip on the glass faltered.
"The month before you proposed… you came to my house. You were soaked, drunk, broken. It happened so quickly, and when I woke up the next morning, you acted like nothing happened. You didn't remember, so I lied. I said you vomited on your clothes. I didn't want to add to your burdens. I was ashamed, scared you'd think I took advantage of you… so I kept quiet."
Tade's face burned with shock, guilt, longing. "Anwana… do you know how embarrassed I feel right now? Was I not worthy to know?"
Her eyes brimmed with tears. "I was only trying to protect you. The very next morning, I went to the hospital. The doctor prescribed some drugs. I took them, just to be safe. And for a whole month… nothing happened. No pregnancy. I was sure. Until…" Her voice broke, her fingers trembling against the glass. "…until that night."
Tade's pulse thudded in his ears. "What night?"
"The night you proposed." Her lips quivered. "I never made it home safely. Thugs broke into my apartment. They beat me, they…" she stopped, her chest heaving as if the words were blades cutting her throat.
His heart nearly tore out of his chest. "Anwana—"
"I was raped, Tade." The words left her lips like poison. "That was how I met Victor's father." Tears cascaded freely down her cheeks. "I've always believed your parents were behind it. That threat your father made… it haunted me. So when it happened, I thought it was their doing. That was why I left Lagos. Why I disappeared."
Silence.
Painful, suffocating silence.
Tade's hand trembled as his glass slipped, spilling fruit juice across the table. He fell to his knees beside her, clutching her hands desperately. His voice broke.
"Anwana… I'm sorry. I caused this. Punish me however you want. If you never want to see me again, I'll disappear. I swear. But don't carry this alone. Please." His face pressed against her palms, his tears soaking her skin. "I know my dad loved you. He died the very day after I proposed. He couldn't have done this. But if my mother had any hand in this…" his jaw clenched, fury mixing with grief, "…I swear, I'll take her to court."
Anwana's eyes widened, searching his face, broken yet softened by the rawness of his words.
"Tade…" her voice cracked, "…I'm sorry too."
He kissed her hand, trembling, his heart bleeding for her. "No, Anwana. Y
ou're the one who's suffered. From today, I'll carry it with you."