uchesmith14:
Nice one..... thumbs up.

Thanks dear.

ekwuemeuzo:
Kimberlywest is back, a masterpiece in the making.

My head want to burst.

Thanks dear

Silensa:


You dry oo like Bone.
must you put mouth in Everything? The way Ann2012 and I run our package shouldn't concern you.

Ma'am Kim Keep the good work up. I will comment when I wake up from dreamland

Better do and wake up o.

KimberlyWest:


Tell her again o

I'm glad she got the message already, or maybe you told her on my behalf Hence her plan B

Temmuizza:
Thanks for the update ma am,really appreciate this,my heart was already doing gbim gbim,tot shade gonna b gullible enuf to gv DAT chameleon her body,buh dis update calmed me Ali tu,buh d storm is nt ova ,thumbs up kim,and ave sweet dream

Thanks dear.

Biko, your heart should stop doing gbim gbim o.

Thobiy:
Well Done Op, Nice Story You've Got Here


This Will Be Interesting
Let Me Pitch My Tent Here. Op Hope I Will Not Be Dissappointed

I pray you will not be disappointed Amen!

KimberlyWest:

My head want to burst.
Thanks dear

I lost your WhatsApp contact

Kaycee9242:
nice one Kimberly keep it coming dear

Thanks a lot

perfect25:
shade better be fast before its too late....thanks for d update

You're welcome dear.

Divineroyalty:
Weldone ma'am.
Nice story you've got here.
Keenly following.

Thanks sweetheart. I appreciate.

CHAPTER 11

Three weeks had gone by already, so quickly.
Shade was having troubles making up her mind over certain things.

Despite all her effort towards making her marriage work, she could still feel them drifting apart on daily basis. As the distance between them increased, the distance between she and Ayomide decreased. They were getting scarily close and closer and he's told her he still had feelings for her. She was gradually finding it hard to get her mind off him.

As if on cue, her phone started to ring. It's him.
He called every now and then, when he's sure she's alone.

"Hi," she murmured.

"Shade, are you free this evening?"

He had asked her that particular question so many times but each time she kept on giving him a negative answer.

"I don't think..."

"It's important."

She had never heard him say 'it's important' and if he said it, then it must really be important.

"What time?" she found herself asking.

"5?"

"It's Saturday and Daniel usually goes out in the evening, so I should be."

Daniel? What happened to calling him my husband?

She started to feel guilty. It was no longer my husband but Daniel.

"See you at Drumstixs" he ended the call without waiting for her reply.

Frankly, if he had waited she won't be able to reply. Her conscience was already on her case.

The confusion that she was starting to feel every now and then, set in again.

In times like this, she usually talked to her mum but she couldn't afford to bring this particular issue before her mum. The poor woman would die of heart attack.

Shade momentarily wondered how her mum would react, if she found it she had a child in the university and managed to hide it from her. Would she ever talk to her again?

Her thought strayed to Daniel, how would he feel because definitely, he's bound to find out one day or another. Either through her or another person. If Alex had found out about it so easily. Who knew who else has found out about it?.

Her heart started to beat faster than normal. Surely, he would throw her out. Would he make it public or do it discreetly, that was what mattered to her. She had always known Daniel to be discreet and quiet but you can never judge a man by his past actions and the thought of letting him know was beginning to bite deep into her heart.

Not to talk of how guilty she felt whenever she looked into his beautiful eyes.

A knock on the door distracted her from her thoughts.
She watched as a domestic help ran to get the door.

"Mr. Alex, Good afternoon sir." she heard the young lady say.

What's he doing here?

Her breathing quickened, since their encounter three weeks ago, they've both stayed away from each other's path.

She focused her gaze on the TV, trying to avoid his eyes, she could tell he was looking at her, the hair on her body proved it.

"My husband is not here," she said, a little too loud without turning to look at him.

She heard him laugh and before she could turn, he was already standing before her. "I know, your husband is with his ex-wife."

The sound of that really got to her and she glared at Alex. "If you really want to embarrass yourself, please do it somewhere else, as you can see. I don't have time for jobless nympho's"

She stood up and turned to go.

He walked to her and held her back.
Twisting her hand a little bit, for the satisfaction it brought and so she could face him. "You're not the only one with secrets." he smiled, tight lipped. "in fact the very foundation of this marriage has been based on lies. Lying husband and lying wife."

She pressed her lips together and the next sound that was heard was the sound of her free hand as it connected with Alex cheeks. "How dare you?"

He released her and rubbed his cheeks. "Truth is always bitter."

"What stupid truth? Ingrate. How can you turn around to bite the hand that feed you?"

"I'm only helping you."

"Help yourself first," she shouted. "psycho."

Her anger was now visible. How dare he walk into her home and accuse her husband of such nonsense?

"Her name is Amanda," Alex said, sitting comfortably on the couch. "they were married for two years. She cheated and they separated..."

She closed her eyes and all her senses, shutting his voice out. "Alex before I count to three, live my house or else, you will wake up in the hospital. You underestimated me once, don't try me again." she warned.

The memory of that was still fresh in their minds.

Alex scowled. He was still hurting from that incident.

"Lioness," he held up his hand with a mischievous smile. "I will go but do well to ask your innocent husband who Amanda is."

"You don't tell me what to do, demon." she shouted. She frowned with her hands folded across her chest as he walked out.

Alex walked out smiling to himself.

Mission number one accomplished.

"That was easy," he murmured. He walked straight to the car he came in.

"How did it go?"

"Very fine Naomi, just like you said it will."

"That's it," she winked at him. "Now let's go straight to Daniel."

"Shouldn't you be the one to do that one, since he's with Amanda, in her house?" he asked, rubbing his fingers all over her thighs.

"You know the game Alex. You're the best friend who's always looking out for his friend."

"Of course I am."

Shade was gradually loosing her mind, as she walked to and fro the length of her bedroom.

She walked to the mirror and stood, her eyes red from crying.

"Alex is kidding, right?" she asked her reflection.
She grabbed her hair almost running mad with the thought. Nobody has ever mentioned anything about him being married to her and he had no immediate family members she could relate with or ask. From all she knew, Daniel didn't know his parents and his adopted parents both died in that crash leaving all they had to Daniel.

She picked up her phone and called the only person she could think of.

"Can we meet...D'kings garden. No, now. I'm almost losing my mind. Great. No need to pick me. I can drive. I will meet you there in ten minutes."

She picked up her car keys without bothering to change the bum short and tank top she was wearing.
She hurried to her car and drive out like she was being pursued. Good thing she did not hit the gate keeper who opened the gate reluntantly.

As soon as she parked her car properly, she searched briefly with her eyes.

Where's he?

She alighted carefully and turned behind her. Their eyes met and she walked briskly to where he stood, with his hands in his pocket, looking so handsome, as usual. But she wouldn't dare dwell on that, she had far more important things bothering her.

"I'm doomed." she said dryly, running into his open arms.

He held her, running his hands soothingly over her back. "Calm down," that was all he could manage.

She kept on crying. He was touched to the bones. He's never seen her cry like that before.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked quietly, like he was talking to a kid.

She nodded affirmatively.

"Fine, let's go over there," he pointed to a lonely area in the garden.

She held unto him like her life depended on it as they slowly walked there.

********

Amanda and Daniel were deep in conversation when Alex and Amanda barged in.

They both looked up, very surprised.

"Dan, your friend has something to tell you," Amanda started, pointing to Alex who stood fixed to a point looking like a criminal.

Daniel and Amanda both directed their gaze to him.

Daniel could sense that something wasn't right. "Alex, any problem?" he asked, hoping for a negative answer.
"Shade had a child before she married you!"

It hit him like a hard rock against his chest. "A chil...a child?"

ekwuemeuzo:
I lost your WhatsApp contact

Sorry about that dear.
08120912480

KimberlyWest:


Thanks dear. Just so you know I never forget my cake o.

lol, I won't mind to come and meet you with the cake so that u can tell me the rest, it's just like It shouldn't finish, my phone was low and I was still reading...

It's is finished, I think I support the motion that husband and wife must tell each other everything before they married, look at how this devil his playing Daniel and shade's life with their past? Men someone people are heartless and wicked
God bless you with more wisdom, knowledge and understanding amen

Thanks for the update it a bombbbb!!!

izaray:
I'm glad she got the message already, or maybe you told her on my behalf Hence her plan B

You know I'm a very nice person. But next time, I won't do it for free.

Hmmm

Thanks for the update

thanks for the update

Well...that was the most shocking news he's heard since he turned 18.

He half walked and half staggered to the front door. If the road was busy when he was driving home, another story would have been the case, he wouldn't have made it home...in one piece.

"Ma, he's back." a domestic help shouted to get Shade's attention. They've never seen him that way...drunk and so angry.

"Baby...are you okay...where have you been?" she asked, helping him to the sitting room.

"Get your hands off me." he screamed at her.

Two can play that game.

"you can as well go back to where you spent the night."

He gave her a stern look.


"Yes." she took few steps away from him and placed her hands on her hips. "you can go crying to your ex wife. I don't mind but when you come back, do well to tell me why you didn't tell me about your inability to father a child."

A domestic help whom she had asked to get water, ran to her with a glass of water. She took it and nodded at her to go.

Daniel finally recovered from the shock of her statement. He had expected her to come crying and begging but her attitude surprised and scared him at the same time.

She's not even sorry.

"I want you out of my house before tomorrow." he muttered drunkily and staggered to the stairs.

She ran ahead of him with the cup of water.

"If you want to thrash out any issue with someone especially the woman you married and claims to love, do it like a real man." that said, she splashed the water on his face and ran to the bedroom.

Crying was not part of the things she intended doing. The previous day, she had almost died from crying, thanks to Ayomide and his kind words, she pulled through and she swore never to cry over the issue again.

She was heart broken...very heartbroken, but she wasn't going to cry over spilt milk. It has happened, it has happened, no point crying. It wasn't like crying till the next year could undo anything.

Daniel sat on the stairs, thinking and crying inwardly since it wasn't considered manly to been seen crying.

He remembered, Amanda's words the previous day.

"...Go home to your wife and thrash out everything like two adults..."

He hadn't heeded her advice instead he went to a hotel and drank himself to stupor, woke up and continued from where he stopped.

He almost had a heart attack when Alex showed him those pictures of Shade's son to back up his claim
Initially he doubted it, but with the pictures and Naomi's confirmation, he doubted no more. To say he was shocked would be an understatement. 'shock' wouldn't even describe how he felt.
He wished for death, how did he not know and how could she be so heartless not to tell him, so many thoughts fought for supremacy in his mind. He was still recovering from the shock of it when Amanda reminded him that he had his own skeletons too.

He almost ran mad from the thoughts. He couldn't bear to face Shade, what would he tell her. Which of the open secret would they discuss first. would he even be able to look her in the eye. Yeah, it wasn't a clean start, he never bothered to know about her past, since he was struggling to forget his past and erase everything from his memory. From his biological parents hatred towards him, the hatred that made them dump a few weeks old baby by the road side to the death of his adopted parents both on the same day, in the same car and to think he was in that car with them that day and not even a scratch was found on his body.

"...I will just forget that the past few years of my life ever existed and move on. I'm more about the present and future." he had said to Alex, the day he was doing his best to dissuade him from marrying Shade.

Now, he wish he listened to Alex, maybe his heart would have been in better condition.

He gingerly stood up and half staggered to the room. He met Shade dressing up.

He laid back quietly on the bed, watching her and wondering why things never go the way he wanted. He loved and cherished her...or so he thought...and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her but look where they are just barely two years after marriage.

"Why didn't she tell me she had a child?" he brooded. "was she also trying to forget her past?"

She watched as she finished dressing and took up her bag and walked out of the room. He could clearly see she was hurting inside even though she put up a strong face. He knew he owe her an apology or even apologies but damn...she also owe him one and how could he even bring himself to apologise when she's acting like nothing happened.

Then came the big question. How did she find out about his problem and his past?

Chimezie, his other friend's words came to him again. Chimezie had totally been against the idea of keeping his past from Shade according to him, there's nothing like past cuz the ghost of the past will always come haunting.

"...Tell her about it, yesterday's mistakes can never be changed or corrected, we can only work towards a better tomorrow, the deed has been done. Don't let the ghost of the past haunt you later ..."

He started to wish he listened to Chimezie, if he had, he wouldn't be in this situation if at all they made it to the altar and maybe...just maybe it would have prompted her to reveal her own secret.

He laid there wishing and wondering what would have been if...until sleep won him over.

Shade couldn't stop shedding tears.

She had finally mustered enough courage and drove shakily to her mum's house and poured out her heart and secrets to her.

But the pain only worsened as her mum sat before her without uttering a word.

Since she told her about her son, her mum had refused to utter a word despite all her pleading.

"Mum, please say something." she begged.

No answer.

"Mummy, please I'm sorry. Talk to me please."

Her mum still refused to say a word. She just sat with her hand supporting her jaw.

Shade went on her knees. "Mummy, please I'm sorry for disappointing you."

Her mum finally shifted in her seat.

"Mummy, I'm sorry. Please say something." she cried. "say something, tell me how disappointed you are in me. Say something. Anything, please mummy."

He mum stood up and walked out of the sitting room.
She quickly stood up from the floor and followed her, still crying and pleading with her to say something.

Her mum's next move spoke volume.

She entered and shut the door, leaving her out there crying her eyes out.

Sensing that her mum would never answer nor even bother to open the door. She took her bag and left while dialing Ayomide's number.

'Please, I need to see you now please.'

Alex and his accomplice couldn't stop drinking and grinning over their latest achievement. It had been so easy just as anticipated.

"I'm getting so close to Daniel, I can't believe this!" Naomi laughed.

"And I'm so close to ruining him. He won't know what hit him when I strike."

"That," she turned to him. "was so fast. In no time. You will get what you want and I will appear as the saviour and he will be all mine."

Alex smiled slightly without showing his teeth. "you always seem to forget about Amanda. Those two are still so much in love"

"Leave that to me. In no time, she would be engaged or even married to her rich and handsome boss. I know how to easily manipulate that one, her case is moimoi. Let deal with the important ones now."

"Miss smart." he acknowledged. "where have you been all my life?"

She smiled slyly and catwalked to the center table. "So close Alex. We make a perfect team."

He equally smiled, revealing his gaped front tooth. "perfect in bed also." He winked.

Everything had gone just as planned. Daniel and Shade believed all they said without bothering to know if it's true or not. They already had their next plan in mind and that too they believe would go as planned.

nyc one
thanks for d update

better late than never not to read your story @kimberlywest,i really love it & i enjoyed it with my bea,expecting chap 12 plz,Which i knw will b the last chap
Kudos @kimberlywest
My bea really enjoyed your story to the extent she's telling me nw that she hv sumtin to reveal to me later,,,waw
What else to u want me to expect,,,,,,,(secret),,,,,,,hmmm
I love that
I'm jst getting another 1 good step from @kimberlywest
Keep it up dear,U 4 MUCH

Thanks for the update

KimberlyWest:

I pray you will not be disappointed Amen!

This Does Not Sound As An Assurance From Op
Person Gat To Dae Pray Make ASUU No Call Off Strike Be That

Be careful of your enemies for once and of your friends a million times because our foes is in our household. Thanks for the masterpiece.

Interesting. Thanks Kim.

zyzxx:
lol, I won't mind to come and meet you with the cake so that u can tell me the rest, it's just like It shouldn't finish, my phone was low and I was still reading...

It's is finished, I think I support the motion that husband and wife must tell each other everything before they married, look at how this devil his playing Daniel and shade's life with their past? Men someone people are heartless and wicked
God bless you with more wisdom, knowledge and understanding amen

Thanks for the update it a bombbbb!!!

Please come. Just come to UNN and look for okpara hostel, you will see me there.

I support that motion too cuz even jealous friends especially girls use that same technique when they like their friend's boyfriend.

Amen dear. Bless you too.

perfect25:
nyc one

thanks for d update

You're welcome dear.

izaray:
Hmmm

Thanks for the update

You're welcome dear. Thanks for reading.

rubenson:
better late than never not to read your story @kimberlywest,i really love it & i enjoyed it with my bea,expecting chap 12 plz,Which i knw will b the last chap
Kudos @kimberlywest
My bea really enjoyed your story to the extent she's telling me nw that she hv sumtin to reveal to me later,,,waw
What else to u want me to expect,,,,,,,(secret),,,,,,,hmmm
I love that
I'm jst getting another 1 good step from @kimberlywest
Keep it up dear,U 4 MUCH

I would have blushed if not that you're somebody's boyfriend.

You read it with your bea? Wow. That's something we don't get to see everyday.

I'm honoured.

Thobiy:

This Does Not Sound As An Assurance From Op

Person Gat To Dae Pray Make ASUU No Call Off Strike Be That

Don't play with me o. ASUU should call off that strike.

Ann2012:
Thanks for the update

You're welcome dear.

aprilwise:
Be careful of your enemies for once and of your friends a million times because our foes is in our household. Thanks for the masterpiece.

You're welcome dear.

Our foes is in our household, I like the sound of that.

Treasure17:
Interesting. Thanks Kim.

You're welcome dear.

Chapter 12

Shade could no bear the pain anymore. It's been over a week since Daniel last spoke to her. Since the saga he made it a point of duty to only come home when it pleased him. He had just returned home since he left three days before.

"Baby..."

He raised his hand at her, signalling for her to stop. "don't baby me."

"We need to talk."

Silence. He continued undressing without minding her.
"I'm sorry."

"I've heard. You can now go."

"Dan, you can just say it's over and I will go." she said, painfully.

He turned to her with a deep frown. "A child? You could have just told me."

"I was scared. I'm sorry."

"Sit, let's thrash this once and for all."

He remembered he had his own role in the whole issue and she deserve an apology also.

She obeyed and sat on the bed, opposite him.
"I'm sorry." she murmured again.

"I'm also sorry." he said, this time with a sober expression. "I should have told you a long time ago. I was so scared that you would leave me. I had fallen head over heels for you and I didn't want to lose you. I had already lost Amanda and I was not willing to let it happen again that's why I didn't tell you.


He paused a bit to see how she was taking the news and when he was sure that everything he had said had sunk in, he continued.

...I dated Amanda when she was in the University, she was a young charming girl, full of knowledge. I had met her friend at a wedding ceremony and we got talking. I was so young and lonely and a bit depressed at that point due to everything that's been happening in my life. I was looking to settle down at that time too at least that would provide the needed company, so I thought her friend was the one, I didn't really like her at first sight but she was beautiful and witty and I thought, with time, I will grow to love her, we started to hang out as friends, I never really asked her out, I was waiting for the perfect time and then one day she introduced her friend to me and the moment I saw her, it was love at first sight. That was how it begun. We got married after her youth service. Two years after marriage, no sign of pregnancy, we had to go to the hospital and they said...they said it's low sperm count and they mentioned some other stuffs which I know nothing about but the conclusion was that I will never be able to father a child. I was devastated. Amanda was furious, she said I knew but refused to tell her. I tried telling her that I had no idea but she wouldn't listen and before you know it, she started seeing other men. I don't know if it was frustration or depression or whatever but she went from the gentle Amanda I married to something else that I couldn't tell. She got pregnant and that was when I knew it was time to end everything and forget she ever existed. That was it."

"I'm sorry for what you went through. It was devastating to hear it from Alex. I was furious but then, I remembered my own secret."

"It's okay. I would have accepted the child anyway, if you accept me the way I am." he replied, bitterly.

Shade was shocked to hear that. But then, from the quiet and unpredictable Daniel you could expect anything. "I'm sorry. I didn't think it was right. Even my mum had no idea about him until last week."

"Seriously?" that came as a shock to Daniel also. How was that even possible?

"Yes. When I got pregnant. My roommate and I attempted to abort the baby. I don't know why but I'm grateful, it didn't work, it's either the pills I took were fake or God wanted it that way. When abortion failed, I decided to keep the pregnancy and we got girdle and everything we needed to hide the pregnancy. Luckily and unfortunately, my mother trusted me so much and never bothered to ask why I didn't come home during the holidays. My roommate knew someone in charge of motherless babies home and she also confided in her mum about the pregnancy. He mum, a nurse helped me deliver and after two weeks, we took him to a motherless babies home."

"Is he still there?" having been in a similar situation when he was just born; no parental love, he was concerned.

"No, he's not. He's with a family now. They are helping me take care of him. I send money for his upkeep to them and I visit him there some times."

"Does he know you're his mother?"

"Yes,"

"What about his father?"

Shade narrated how they met again after those years and the relationship between them now, without leaving out any detail, she figured it wasn't the right time to hide anything.

Daniel kept on nodding as she explained everything, he understood everything perfectly and no longer blamed her.

"...one more thing, be careful with Alex."

"Any particular reason why?"

Shade nodded in affirmation, stood up and walked to the table to get her phone.

She brought and played the audio she recorded in the hotel room.

Daniel sat quietly, while he listened to the audio. Shade also narrated how the audio came about. Some how, he wasn't surprised.

"Thank you so much for this. I had the feeling that everything wasn't quite alright but I had no idea that Alex was jealous of my success. I always made sure he lacked nothing good, cars, clothes and houses. I provide everything for him, his kids and baby mamas."

"Just be careful."

"Thanks dear."

Shade felt relieved after the talk and for the fact that they didn't yell nor tore each others clothes, she was grateful.

They talked, great but was she willing to continue in the marriage knowing that he could never father a child. That was what mattered most and that gave her great concern.

"What's the way forward?" Ayomide asked the same question she's been asking herself for days.

"I really don't know." she murmured, wryly.

With her expression, even heaven knew she was being sincere.

"Shade, I usually don't swear because God asked us not to but I can swear with my life that I've loved you since I first set my eyes on you and I still love you and whatever decision you make, I promise to be there for you."

She wasn't shocked at his words, he had made it known to her even before now that there was no love lost between them and frankly, she felt the same way. What bothered her was the fact that unlike Daniel, he left her once, he could leave again and probably never come back. Daniel was cool headed and kind hearted and would never do such a thing.

"My love, I think I can guess what you're thinking. I'm sorry I left before. I'm so sorry for what you went through, I'm sorry I wasn't there for and with you through those tough times." he said, as if he read her mind.

"Mide, I don't think I'm willing to leave Dan. He has really done a lot for me."

"Sha..."

"Don't," she stood and carried her bag. "I'm sorry."

She left before he could even utter another word.

The her that doesn't reason before acting would have just carried her bags and ran to Ayomide, right after she and Daniel had that long talk about the issue at hand but the mature her knew Daniel was the reason why her mum was still alive and very healthy. No counting how much he already spent just to make sure her mum lived very well and lacked nothing. After all those kindness, she wasn't about to leave him at the slightest sign of trouble.

Daniel couldn't concentrate on the paperworks before him. There was so much on his mind and he had no solution or answer to any.

Yes, he and Shade had sat down and had the long talk about 'them' but he still hadn't figured out the way forward.

To stay or to let go?

And then, there was also his growing feelings for Amanda.

Would the same thing happen if he went back to her.
Once was a mistake but twice would be foolishness
If he left Shade and went back to Amanda, would she still cheat on him. The thought of it alone was killing.

Was the love still there even?


He was still bothered, seriously bothered about how long Shade was willing to stay before she got tired. From all he knew, every woman crave for the moment they would hold their baby.

All that plus Alex issue got him worked up. At a point, he could no longer concentrate and resolved to go home.

He entered his car and drove home.

Shade had just woken up when Daniel walked in.

They exchanged pleasantries just like before.

"...have you talked to your mum since then?" Daniel asked, concern lacing his voice.

"No, I haven't. I'm just giving her space for now. She wouldn't talk to me."

"What if I went with you?"

"I really don't know. Even if she doesn't talk to me, at least she would talk to you, she has nothing against you?"

"You didn't tell her?"

He didn't need to complete his sentence, Shade already knew what he was talking about.

"No, I didn't. There's no need."

"Sure?"

"Sure."

"Let's go and see her."

"Wha...why?"

"Let's just go."

He went to her and helped her up. If she covered up for him then helping her make peace with her mum would be nothing and again, it would help solve one problem.

They quickly got dressed and set out for Shade's mum house.