The next day dragged on.
In the morning, I was exhausted and depressed; it was harder than ever even to fake any normalcy to Chisom. Fortunately, she had an early meeting and left right away, leaving me to breakfast and the newspaper on my own.
At work, I was feeling very unenergetic when my best friend Lanre came into my office and shut the door. “Kunle, how far? E be like say everything no dey okay with you these days. I don notice say you dey look somehow or you dey worry about something. Wetin dey happen?”
I sighed. Lanre and I had known each other for thirty years, he was my closest friend. His wife and mine were also best friends since secondary school. “Lanre, I no dey ready to yarn you everything. Make we just talk say Chisom and me dey get small problem.”
“Ah, omo! Adaora and I dey always admire una marriage o. Shey e go dey okay if Adaora call Chisom follow am talk?”
“No, Lanre, but thanks. I get feeling say I go soon need yarn you the whole story, but for now, I never ready. Thanks my guy, I appreciate you.”
“Oya now,” he responded, still looking worried. “Anything wey I fit do for you, just tell me.” I thanked him, and after he left, I managed to focus more on my work and temporarily stop thinking about my marriage issues.
I got home early, I brought a pizza and started getting things ready. When Chisom came in, I was already at the kitchen table with the pizza, two plates set out, and a bottle of wine waiting. “Hi sweetie, what a nice surprise!” she said happily, coming over to give me a quick kiss.
I smiled tiredly at her, opened the wine, and we enjoyed our meal together. I shared a somewhat interesting story about a challenging client I’ve been working with, and we quickly finished dinner. It was time to move forward, I thought.
“Chisom, I want to talk about something more important now.” She nodded, waiting for me to continue, but didn’t say anything.
“A few weeks ago, I told you I was worried that you might be having a secret relationship. You convinced me I was wrong, so I stopped worrying about it.”
Chisom was sitting quietly, but she was watching me closely.
“I admit it was silly of me to question you,” I said. “You’re my loving and trustworthy wife, and I know you wouldn’t lie to me about something as crucial as being faithful in our marriage.”
“Exactly, Kunle,” Chisom responded sharply, clearly bothered by my sarcastic tone. “Do I really need to keep explaining myself to you? I thought we already settled this.” She seemed a bit annoyed, or maybe concerned.
“Actually, darling, I understand everything you’ve said, and I agree completely. But there’s one thing I’m struggling to grasp. Could you assist me with it?” I walked over to the cassette recorder on the counter and pressed Play. We listened to Chisom talking to Chike from last Friday.
“Hello? … Hey, darling …. Yeah, I’m sure you have! (laughs) …. No, I explained that last Monday … Yes, Tom hasn’t brought it up again, but I can tell he’s still thinking about it. I need to wait a bit longer before I can see you again … Of course, I still want to! But you’ve always known that my marriage is my priority — haven’t I made that clear? … Yes … Mm-hmm … Yes, I think next Tuesday will work. But let’s not go to our usual spot, I want to be extra cautious. … Where? … You mean that place on Route 8, near the orchard? … Yeah, we’ve been there three times before, but it’s been a while. … Okay, darling, Tuesday at 11 …. (Laughs), Yes, I’m sure you’ll be ready! … Me too … Alright, bye.”
As Chisom listened to herself, she was surprised. She exclaimed, “Kunle! How did you…” and then fell silent. After we finished talking, I paused the recording and watched her. She looked pale, but surprisingly calm and collected.
“Baby, I need to explain this to you, but it’s not what you might be thinking.” (I couldn’t help but wonder what she was about to say next.)
“Chike is a new client at our firm. He’s a famous actor who’s facing charges because he spent the night in a hotel with someone who turned out to be only 15 years old. His manager hired us to help with his public image, but Chike is very paranoid right now.
We’ve been working with him secretly, meeting in hotel rooms. Apart from me and the MD, no one else in our firm knows he’s our client. It all feels overly secretive to me, but that’s what they want. I told Chike I’d go along with it, but I’m worried you might find out and think I’m having an affair.
I warned Chike that if that happened, I’d have to explain everything. I don’t know how you got that recording of my conversation with him, but now you know everything that’s going on. ”
I looked at my wife in disbelief. I couldn’t believe this was the same person I thought I knew, capable of lying so convincingly without hesitation. Part of me was almost impressed by her skill, even though I was furious that she still wouldn’t come clean with me.
I acted like I believed her story, and let my face show that I was starting to understand. “Alright, darling,” I said slowly. ‘I can see now that the conversation might have meant something completely different from what I thought. ”
She seemed relieved and said, “It’s my fault too, dear. I promised not to tell anyone about this project, but maybe I should have told you from the start and trusted you to keep it quiet. I’m sorry you got upset over nothing.” She looked at me with a loving smile, thinking she had handled the situation well.
“I understand now,” I said. “But can you explain what’s going on?” I pressed Play again, and the kitchen filled with Chisom and Chike’s voices from the hotel room. I had put together a short summary because I didn’t want to listen to the whole recording again. Just a few key parts were enough.
“Baby,” we heard Chisom’s voice. “I’m so wet, take your clothes off and come to bed!”
In the kitchen, Chisom suddenly gasped. She seemed about to leap up and stop the cassette player, but instead, she sat back down in her chair. Her face turned very pale as she stared at the table in front of her.
A moment later Chisom’s voice continued on the tape: “Wow, it’s so big and strong! I can see you missed me! Let me taste it.”
Next came Chike’s voice, addressing my wife by her pet name. “Oh, mami, I’m about to cum!” “Oh, oh, fuck, babyyyy, oh, ohhh fuck!” Then he sighed, and said, “Baby, you’re something else. That was so good!” After that, I stuck with Chisom, first with her orgasm while Chike was sucking her pussy.
“Oh, Chike, yes, right there! Yes, yes, I’m cumming!”……. “That’s it Chike—oh, right there! Right there! Yes, yes, Chikeeee!!” And after a moment,
“Oh, Chike, nobody makes me feel good like you do!” “Let me savour this moment, then I want you to fuck me,” For the final blow, I had chosen Chisom’s words as Chike was fucking her.
“That’s it, baby, keep going, fill my pussy up. Yes, I can feel you deep inside me. Cum inside me, Chike.”
When I paused the tape this time, Chisom was completely still and paler than I’d ever seen her. Listening to it again made me cry, but she didn’t shed a tear. The room was totally silent. I watched Chisom for several minutes before she finally looked up at me and spoke slowly.
Oh, baby. Oh my God. I’m really sorry. I never wanted this to happen. I never wanted to hurt you.
I couldn’t help being sarcastic. “Oh Chisom, what do you mean? Weren’t you just doing PR work with your important client?”
“Kunle, baby, please listen to me. I know I need to explain. Just let me tell the whole story without interrupting until I’m done. I can…”
“No,” I interrupted her, trying to keep my voice calm, but it likely sounded sharp and cold. I had never been this angry in my life.
No way. After breaking my heart, humiliating me, and lying to my face, you can’t expect me to just sit and listen to your stories. Two weeks ago, I asked for the truth. Did you think I believed that ridiculous story about the thong? We didn’t even do anything the night before I left! And even tonight, you had another chance to be honest, but you just fed me another lie.
“Kunle, please baby, there’s more to this than…”
I kept interrupting her, saying, “That’s my loyal wife, huh? ‘Oh Chike, you’re the best! Give me your wonderful dick!’ Meanwhile, he’s calling you ‘mami’ and sucking your pussy. You’re showering together and planning to meet again!”
“Kunle, if you’ll only…”
“No, Chisom!” I yelled. “You had your chance to be the loyal wife I believed I married. You could have told me the truth and explained why you’ve been cheating on me. But now, I don’t want to hear anything!”
“I got up, picked up a bag I had left by the door, and went out to my car. Behind me, I heard Chisom, her voice shaking, pleading, “Wait! Kunle, please! Just let me explain!”
I reversed out of the driveway and drove slowly and carefully away from my house, away from my marriage, and away from my life.
********
I went to a hotel nearby and took a room for three nights. That would get me to the weekend, then I could figure something else out. My adrenaline and rage had drained away, leaving me exhausted, empty and sad. It was still only 8:30 pm. I called Lanre at home. “How far Lanre, na Kunle. I been gass call you sharply, I need follow person yarn tonight.”
“No wahala, Kunle. Shey make I come your side, or you wan come my side?”
“Kunle, abeg, I dey Sofar Hotel for GRA, Room 417. You fit show face bring small beer? I get yarn wey long and na very sad story.”
“Give me like 20 minutes.”
I had a few more beers with Lanre and told him everything: from our anniversary night, to finding the thong panties, to showing him the video I had of Chisom and Chike in the hotel. When I finished, he simply looked at me with a mix of sadness and surprise.
“Chai, Kunle! Out of all the wives wey dey, Chisom na the last person wey I fit don imagine…” Embarrassed, he didn’t finish the sentence. Instead, he continued, “Na wahala be this o. You go like stay with us? Abi wetin you dey plan?”
“Thanks my gee. I never really sabi yet, I get this room till weekend, after that I fit find one apartment. As for plans, I get only two for now: I no wan see or talk to Chisom, and somehow I just wan maintain my cool head. Maybe you and Adaora fit join me for dinner for the hotel restaurant tomorrow, make I get company?”
“No o bro, you gass come our place tomorrow. I no dey hear anything.”
I thanked Lanre, and after he left, I turned off the light and fell asleep right away. It felt like a significant moment in my life had ended. Luckily, I was too tired to stay awake and think about it.
********
I woke up at 7am. I thought a fast shower would gas me up, but it turned into a long one. I ended up sitting on the floor, crying. After a while, I composed myself and finished drying off. As I got dressed, I grimly thought, “Today marks the start of a new chapter, but it feels like a tough road ahead.”
After a fast breakfast at the hotel, I went to work and called my secretary, Mrs. Oladipo, to my office for a quick chat. She’s a quiet but friendly woman in her fifties, and we’ve always gotten along well. She’s always been like a big sister to me.
“Mrs. O, could I ask you a favor? If my wife calls, could you please take a note of it but let her know I’m either not at my desk or in a meeting? She can leave a message on my voicemail, but I’d prefer not to speak to her directly. Also, if she comes to the office, please ensure she’s informed that I’m not able to see her.”
Mrs. Oladipo glanced at me and nodded, looking somewhat sad. “I’m really sorry to hear that, sir. I’ll handle it for you. You can check with me every day to see if she’s called. Just tell me if there’s anything else I can do to help.” I thanked her, and as she turned to go, she paused at the door.
“Mr. Kunle, I’m truly sorry for what you’re going through. I really hope you and your wife can sort things out. I haven’t seen many men who have been as happily married as you have been until now.”
I was surprised to discover that I could still function at work. Confronting Chisom about her cheating somehow helped me move forward in handling the situation. It didn’t burden me as heavily any more. Even though I had no clue about the outcome, I found myself able to concentrate on the everyday challenges of my job.
At the end of the day, I went to Mrs. Oladipo’s desk. She smiled and said Chisom had called four times. When I got back to my office, I checked my voicemail and found two messages from Chisom.
“Kunle, baby, it’s me, Chisom.” Her voice trembled with tears. “Oh darling, I’m deeply sorry, truly sorry! I wish this hadn’t happened!” I thought angrily, how terrible, all she had to do was not fuck that fool!
“Please call me so we can talk. I know you’re upset, and I can’t imagine how angry you must be with me. Please let me explain and make things right between us!”
The second message was brief: “Sweetheart, it’s me again. Please give me a call. I can’t stop thinking about how upset you must be.”
I deleted the messages and drove to Lanre and Adaora’s for dinner. They were waiting for a full-course meal, some wine, and a lot of warm sympathy and friendship. Lanre had filled his wife in on at least the basics of my story, and she was nearly in tears when she told me how sorry she was.
“Kunle, I’m completely shocked by all of this. I’ve known Chisom for years, and she really loves you! I understand you must be incredibly upset but remember all the wonderful years you’ve had together in your marriage.”
“Thank you, Adaora,” I said, feeling a heavy sigh escape. “I understand logically that what you’re saying is true. But emotionally, I feel like a part of me has been ripped away. I feel empty and numb right now. Lanre may have told you how she lied to me twice when I confronted her about this. She only admitted the truth after I played her a recording of her and her boyfriend fucking in a hotel. It’s like she found a way to make her betrayal even worse.”
Adaora nodded silently, taking a moment before speaking. Then she asked Kunle, “What do you think about me talking to Adaora? I won’t be representing you, just reaching out to her during a difficult time. After all, she’s also my friend.”
“Feel free,” I answered. “I think she’ll appreciate having someone to talk to. Maybe she’d tell you the whole truth, which she didn’t feel comfortable telling me.”
During the next week, things stayed mostly the same. I went to work and deliberately didn’t respond to any of Chisom’s phone calls. On the weekend, I found a small furnished apartment close to my office, which I planned to stay in temporarily for a couple of months until I figured out my next steps.
I visited the house twice during the day, first checking to ensure Chisom wasn’t around, and grabbing some clothes, toiletries, and my computer.
One night after midnight, I decided to get the recorder from Chisom’s car to check if she was still talking to Chike. Since keeping the recorder there seemed pointless, I took it out of the trunk and drove back to the hotel. The recorder had captured 8-10 calls over a few days, mostly about Chisom’s work. However, there was one call recorded in the morning after I left, which was different.
“Chike? Hey, it’s Chisom … I know I don’t usually call you, but I had to this time. My husband found out about us, so we can’t see each other anymore. He recorded me talking in the car and us at the hotel on Tuesday. It’s pretty bad. He’s left me and wouldn’t even talk to me this morning.
Chike, you knew from the start my marriage comes first. I tried everything to keep this from happening, but I messed up. I don’t know what will happen now, but I want to fix things with my husband. Our time together was great for me too, but this has to end without hard feelings. I wish you the best. Take care. Bye.”
I felt calmer than before when I overheard her talking to him earlier. Now I could think more clearly. On one side, it was obvious Chisom still wanted to be married to me. She wasn’t planning to leave me for Chike. Every time she spoke with him, she made it clear that saving our marriage was her main concern. Her efforts to hide her affair from me showed how much she cared about our relationship.
However, seeing how close and affectionate she was with Chike really hurt me. A brief fling, even if it was just for a night or a couple of weeks, would have been easier to handle than imagining them together repeatedly for months, possibly longer.
I realized I still didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know what I wanted, except to wake up and discover that Chisom’s cheating was just a bad dream. It had been two weeks since I found her thong stained with someone else’s cum, and five days since I confronted her about the affair. I hadn’t spoken to her since, even though she tried calling my office more than twenty times.
I figured I would need to go one day at a time. When I felt ready to make a decision, in any direction, I would know. Until then, I planned to stay occupied and perform well at work. It was better than spending hours staring at walls, thinking about Chisom.
The next Tuesday, I was working on some spreadsheets in my office when Chisom suddenly came in, followed by Mrs. Oladipo. Mrs. Oladipo said, “Sorry, Mr. Kunle, I told her you were busy but she just rushed past me!” I reassured her, saying, “It’s alright, Mrs. O—I’ll take care of it. Thank you.”
After closing the office door, I looked at Chisom who was standing in front of my desk, still catching her breath from running down the hall. She looked stunning yet troubled. Despite her beauty and great figure that made any outfit look good, she seemed a bit messy. She had chosen one of her most flattering skirts, along with a sleeveless top that accentuated her arms and showed a bit of cleavage.
She looked tired and stressed. She was pale with eyebags (probably like me too). I could imagine her at home, alone, worrying about when she’d see me again, feeling guilty and blaming herself. Good, I thought. She deserves to feel that way!
“Chisom,” I said calmly, “you shouldn’t have come. I’m not ready to see you or talk to you at the moment.”
“Kunle, how much longer will you keep me waiting?” She was extremely worried, almost desperate. “I’ve been at home, thinking about it endlessly. I understand you’re upset, but I’m hurting too. Please, can we talk? Let’s try to move forward and put this behind us.”
“No, Chisom, not yet. I don’t know when I’ll be ready, but I’m not ready now. I’m not sure if I’ll ever move on from this, as you said. Please leave my office.” Part of me felt bad for being so harsh, but another part wanted to hurt her. I felt justified in being harsh.
Chisom sat firmly in a chair, with a determined expression. “Kunle, I’m not leaving until we talk. If you call security to take me out of here, I’ll make sure everyone here knows my husband left me without a word about where he’s gone!” She started crying, burying her face in her hands as her shoulders shook.
I quietly watched her for a moment, feeling conflicted between wanting to comfort her and wanting her to keep feeling sad. In the end, I picked up the tissue box and gently handed it to her.
Chisom, let’s find a middle ground. I’m in the middle of my workday right now. If you leave now, I’ll come to the house tonight, and we can talk then.
She looked up hopefully and said, “That’s wonderful! Why don’t you join me for dinner? I can cook…”
“Don’t waste your time. I’m not coming for dinner to have a romantic evening together. I’m giving you a chance to talk to me about what’s on your mind.”
“She seemed deeply hurt. She glanced down at her lap and quietly asked, ‘Okay, 8 o’clock?'”
“I’ll be there at 8:00,” I answered. “See you then.”
Written by Sixtie9ine
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