TIES

CHAPTER 6

    For the first time in weeks, Emenike slept deeply, wrapped in Lara's arms. Her warmth was more comforting than his own bed, as if she were the only place he truly belonged. A soft grin crept onto his face at how childish the thought was, but he didn’t care. He turned to look at her, peacefully asleep beside him, her breath slow and steady, her face angelic in the morning light. His heart swelled just watching her. He couldn’t remember the last time he had felt this at peace.He slipped out of bed carefully, not wanting to disturb her, and tiptoed into the kitchen, hoping to surprise her with breakfast. As he flipped the eggs, he felt... different. Lighter, like maybe everything was finally falling into place.“Hey, what are you doing in my kitchen?” Lara’s voice jolted him, nearly causing him to drop the pan. He spun around, his heart racing, and there she stood at the doorway, hands on her hips, eyebrows raised in mock suspicion.He laughed nervously, still recovering from the shock. “Good morning to you too, love,” he said, trying to sound casual, but the sight of her made his chest tighten in a way that only she could. He walked over and pulled her into a kiss, and for a moment, everything else faded away.She peeked over his shoulder at the stove. “What’s cookin', chef?” she teased with a playful smile. He couldn’t help but smile back, his heart pounding at how effortlessly beautiful she looked.“I’m almost done,” he said, his voice shaky as he flipped the egg, hoping to impress her even with something as small as breakfast.“Take your time. I’ll go freshen up. Just... don’t poison me, okay?” she said with a wink. She picked up a pancake, took a bite, and wrinkled her nose. “A bit too sweet, don’t you think? I’m way too young for diabetes,” she joked as she headed back upstairs.He couldn’t stop smiling. He was in love, truly in love.She came back down after a while, fully dressed, and it was clear she was in a rush. “Nkem, I don’t think I have time for breakfast.”Emenike was ready for this. He walked out of the kitchen holding a food flask. “I knew you’d be late, so I packed it.”Her face lit up with that smile he loved so much. She hugged him tightly, and for a moment, he held her as if he didn’t want to let go. “Thank you. You’re amazing,” she whispered.“I know. That’s why you begged me to marry you,” he teased, his heart swelling with affection.“Seriously?” She laughed, shaking her head. But then he saw it—the ring. His ring. She was wearing it. His throat tightened, his vision blurred with tears. He reached for her hand, holding it gently, almost afraid that if he gripped too tightly, the moment would shatter.“You don’t know what this means to me,” he whispered, his voice trembling. She tried to brush it off, her eyes soft but knowing. "Emenike, please don’t start—"“Thank you,” he interrupted, unable to hold back the tears. “Thank you for choosing me.”He pulled her into a kiss, desperate to show her what words couldn’t express. Her lips felt like home, grounding him in a world that felt chaotic most days. When she pulled back, she laughed softly, wiping her smeared lipstick. “You’re ruining my makeup. And if we keep this up, I might not make it to work.”“Maybe you shouldn’t go,” he whispered, half-joking, half-wishing she’d stay.She smacked his arm playfully. “You’re impossible,” she said, grabbing her bag and the flask. As she reached the door, he felt a wave of uncertainty.“I’ll see you later?” he asked, hoping she’d say yes.She turned, her face serious. “I have to handle things at home. I... might not be here when you get back.”He swallowed hard, nodding. He knew what that meant. “Just know... my door’s always open,” he said softly. He gave her a peck on the cheek, trying to hide the fear rising in his chest. She smiled weakly and walked out, leaving him standing there, his heart heavy with what felt like a thousand unspoken words.Chioma couldn’t sleep. How could she? Her mind kept racing, knowing that today would be the day everything fell apart. There was a knot in her stomach, tightening with every passing minute. She tossed and turned, trying to shake the dread that had taken root in her chest, but it was no use. The morning light only made it worse. It was coming. She could feel it.She got up, feeling the exhaustion in her bones. After getting the kids ready for school, she tried to keep busy, doing anything to stop herself from spiraling. She started cleaning the guest room, anticipating Nne Adaego’s arrival. If there was one thing she was sure of, it was that she would come. She just didn’t know how bad things would get once she did.Around noon, she heard Emenike’s car pull into the driveway. Her heart dropped. Emenike was home. She peered out the window, watching as Nne Agnes rushed out to meet him. They spoke quietly, and though Chioma couldn’t hear their conversation, she could see Nne Agnes’ apologetic expression. Whatever she said must have worked, because soon after, Emenike smiled and hugged her. It was the first time Chioma had seen him smile in days. It made her sick.She greeted him when he walked in, but he didn’t even look at her. She told herself not to care, that his coldness shouldn’t hurt anymore, but it did. It still stung like the first time. She watched him disappear into the dining room without a word, and she stayed back, pretending she had things to do. She wasn’t ready for what was coming next. She didn’t know how to be.Not long after, Nne called her to the dining table. She took a deep breath, steeling herself for whatever was about to happen. When she entered, Emenike was already seated, looking exhausted and distant. His mother sat across from him, her face a mask of calm.“I asked Nne to call you,” he began, his voice low and controlled. “I wanted to apologize... for raising my voice the other day.”Apologize? Now? After everything? Chioma felt the anger rising inside her, but she forced herself to stay calm. “It’s fine,” she said coldly, masking the pain with indifference. “I also apologize... for going to Lara’s office.” The words tasted bitter on her tongue. She hated that she had to say them.He nodded, his expression unreadable, and then he said the words that shattered everything. “Lara accepted my proposal. We’re getting married. The preparations will begin soon.”Her world stopped. She felt like she had been punched in the stomach, the air sucked out of her lungs. Married? She knew it was coming, but hearing it—hearing it—was a different kind of pain. It felt like someone was twisting a knife in her chest, slowly, cruelly. She tried to breathe, but each breath felt heavier than the last.Somehow, she managed to force a smile. "Congratulations," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. But the second the words left her mouth, she couldn’t stay there any longer. She needed to get out. She needed air.“I need to get something from upstairs,” she mumbled, pushing away from the table before he or Nne could respond. Her legs felt like they might give out as she hurried up the stairs, but she didn’t care. She just needed to be alone, where no one could see her fall apart.Chioma slammed the door to her room and collapsed onto the bed, her whole body trembling. She grabbed her phone, frantically dialing Nne Adaego’s number. She needed someone—anyone—to help her through this. But the number wouldn’t connect. Again and again, she tried, but nothing. The call wouldn’t go through.In a fit of frustration, she threw her phone across the room, watching as it bounced off the bed and hit the floor with a dull thud. She buried her face in her hands, trying to stifle the sobs that were clawing their way up her throat. She didn’t want to cry. She wanted to be strong, but she felt like she was breaking apart, piece by piece.She was alone. Truly, deeply alone.Everything she had feared, everything she had tried to deny—it was all crashing down around her, and there was no one to catch her.