The morning sun was on the cusp of rising, promising a beautiful day. Only Susanne competed with its beauty. She arrived at the serene mansion on the outskirts of her matrimonial home at Maitama, Abuja. Susanne zoomed through the white automatic gates and parked her black Highlander in the parking lot.

With a sense of anticipation, she unbuckled her seatbelts. Suzanne stepped out of her car with a rich leathery purse at hand, allowing the chilly morning air to embrace her. A diamond pin-earrings on her gave her a glimmer of royalty. The security officer bowed as she walked into the Balogun’s mansion. The palatial interior was equally breathtaking, with white-tiled walls, glass ceilings, and glass floors.

The moment Susanne furthered into the building, she was welcomed by Musimbi, an elderly maid who struggled her way from Kenya to Nigeria at a very young age. She worked with the Balogun Family for forty years and had been good at her cleaning and caregiving job. Musimbi collected Suzanne’s handbag with a bow and hurried upstairs into her boss’s room.

Scurrying into the first living room, a girl broke the silence in a crop top and ragged-jean bum shorts. Susanne’s eyes caught Crystabelle Balogun, the twenty-year-old sister of her husband, Micheal Balogun. Her legs crossed on the glass stool with designed golden stands. Her gaze focused on the fancy palm top in her hands as she played a candy-crush game.

“Cryst!” Susanne called on her pet name, but she turned a deaf ear because of the game she was playing.

Susanne walked up to her, a little pestered. “Can’t you stop parking your car at my spot? Can’t you be more understanding?”

“You’ll agree that this is my house too, sister-in-law. My father built this house and gifted it to my brother... So, you’re privileged to live with us, wifey!” Crystabelle replied to her in a flat tone, still focused on the game.

“Miss Cryst!” Musimbi, the maid who was in her mid-fifties, intervened. “That’s no way to talk to your brother’s wife.” She corrected. Because of her closeness to family, Musimbi treated Crystabelle as a daughter instead of her boss’s daughter. But she felt guilt anytime she came up with a suggestion or advice.

“Why do you like interrupting my conversations?” Crystabelle rolled her eyes and hissed at the maid in disgust. “Perhaps I wasn’t talking to you. Can you get something done? Please!” she threw her head back and looked up towards the ceiling.

In disappointment, Musimbi held onto her chest and walked to the kitchen, leaving Susanne and Cryst alone.

Once she left, Cryst dropped her palm top on the white leather sofa and walked up to her sister-in-law, who was in a navy blue jumpsuit. “You must be trying so hard to woo my brother. I see you’re coming from the gym.” she blushed in mockery.

“Am I not allowed to woo my husband?”

“Sure, you are. Why not?” Cryst chortled and leaned into Susanne with her arms on her shoulder. “You see... Once you left, my brother picked up some clothes and took off with his traveling bag. He told me that he won’t be back till the weekend.”

“What?” A small gasp escaped Susanne's lips. The hope in her eyes begged Cryst for an urgent reply. “Where did he go again? Did Micheal travel without telling me?”

“No, not outside the country, though. He went to see Camilla Adeleke.”

Rage burned in Susanne’s chest as she heard the name Camilla. Her stomach suddenly dropped at a feeling of nausea. A stab of hatred for Micheal struck through Susanne. ‘How long would I keep being the understanding wife? Just how long? Shouldn’t he get over with his ex? For goodness' sake, I am Micheal’s wife!’

She swallowed the lump of fear down her throat and shut her eyes for a moment. Tears collected from her eyelashes once she let open her gaze. The fear of murdering one of them haunted her mind but, she abandoned the thought. Susanne almost stumbled as her vision blurred, but Cryst held her firm enough not to fall.

“You try to be the perfect wife for Micheal, yet, he doesn’t even see you. No... Not that. He doesn’t know that you exist. You know, when you guys first married, I thought your love was pure, real, and non-fictitious. It made me hopeful, but now I wonder why you guys even got married. I mean, you married into our family for our name and fame. And my brother on the other can’t, lives in mystery with you by his side. You guys literally can’t breathe the same air. As for Camilla, I think she’s the real deal.” Susanne flinched at Cryst’s grip at once.

“How... How long? How long had he left?”

“You should have gotten used to this by now. Micheal never stays home.” Cryst nodded at Susanne in self-pity. “If your beauty has faded in Micheal’s eyes by now, and he’s flirting with his ex... I wonder how he’ll treat you when you get pregnant and fat. I mean, there’s no love in this marriage, but you’re still forcing it and you both promised to stay forever? Oh, jeez!” She tapped her forehead as if pained. “What a life?”

Susanne left the living room abruptly, got into her Highlander, and left the house. At once, her shivering hands turned on her GPS and opened the geolocation app on her phone. It tracked where Micheal was with Camilla. They were having fun on a ship at Jabi Lake.

Pulling over by the gates, Susanne rushed with her sneakers, hitting the tiled road as fast as she could. Thinking about Micheal spending time with his Ex-girlfriend was unbearable. She needed to catch him red-handed. If that happens, she’d take photographs and send them to the media house for publication. There would be a valid reason and evidence for their divorce, and who knows, it might come with compensation for the five years of physical and emotional pains he had put her through.

She kicked a gate open and searched for his ship. Micheal had a special ship at Jabi Lake. He usually uses it for personal use. Three other white yachts stood by his ship at the bank of the late. Some passengers sat in each of them, and Susanne didn’t notice. All on her mind was to confront Micheal and his whore.

“Micheal! Where are you?” She screamed out his name, at the top of her lungs. “Micheal!”

Camilla, who was having a nap in the inner room, gazed upwards. She wondered who it was. The area was silent and well-reserved.

“Where the hell are you, cheater? Micheal!” Susanne cried out his name once more.

Micheal stepped up from the inner room only to meet his frustrated wife on his ship.

“Wifey, why are you here?”

“You think I won’t find you? You can’t hide your ship from me?”

“What are you saying, Susanne?” he frowned at her words.

Her eyes swiftly lifted, and she spun around. “Where is she?”

“Who? Who are you talking about?”

“The bitch you’re flirting with on your ship! I know you’re in there, so come out!” Susanne demanded.

Camilla, who just woke from the inner room, stepped out. She had a white knee-length dress on. Her makeup was light on her radiant, caramel skin. Her slow steps annoyed Susanne even more. She looked like a mermaid, revealing her pairs of legs for the first time. For goodness' sake, this wasn’t a beauty pageant.

In shock, Camilla’s blooming lips parted as she walked up to the couple. On her was a pair of creamy pearls of jewelry Susanne instantly envied. They brought out Camilla’s magnificence. Susanne bet it would be worth a fortune, but she stuck to her plan of exposing the both of them. 

“Who are you?” Camilla asked with raised brows. Micheal never introduced them.

“I’m Mrs. Susanne Balogun, Micheal’s beloved wife. And you?” Susanne emphasized, still boiling inside.

“Uh!” Camilla sighed and turned to Micheal with an awkward smile. Micheal gasped and ran his right hand over his head, hazily. He couldn’t help but imagine what was playing in his wife’s mind.

Camilla briefly shut her eyes and nibbled on her lower lip. Then she turned to Micheal once more.

“Mike, I can’t do this right now. Take your wife home, okay? We would meet some other time.”

“Whore! Do you still want to meet my husband at my back? Don't you have any shame?”

“Thwack!” She whacked a hot slap across her face.

“Susanne! What was the need for that?” Micheal interjected.

“You’re simply crazy, and you need help!” Camilla cursed with hate in her eyes and voice. “I don’t want to lay curses on an ignorant woman like you because of the love I have for Micheal!”

"I’m sorry, dear. She’s just so-” Micheal pleaded to her as if they were married, and she was the other woman.

“Keep quiet, Mike!” Camilla abruptly cut in. “Let me talk some sense into her a little. Maybe she will break free from this inferiority complex that eating her up!” She spat at Micheal and he held her arm with imploring eyes.

“Despite my suggestion to go to the hotel, you were adamant about meeting here, Mike! You see what you’ve caused?” Her eyes misted over with pain in her voice. “I’ve wasted so much time here. Let’s meet for business after you’ve settled all of your family problems, okay?”

About to leave, Susanne grabbed Camilla by her hair to know if was a wig she had on.

“Husband snatcher, where do you think you’re going?” It surprised Susanne when it didn't come off initially, so she tightened her grip with her strong fingers.

“Take your hands off her right now!” Micheal demanded, pulling her away from Camilla. “You’ve done your worst, now go home!”

A door behind them suddenly opened. It was Kanye, Micheal’s manager who is also a close friend of his. “What’s going on here?”

“You’re so vexatious!” Micheal blurted to his wife.

Camilla picked up her diamond-laced purse on a marble table and walked out of the ship.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m leaving for America right away, Mike! You know where to find me!”

“Just leaving already, slut! He won’t come!”

“Cami! Cami!”

A wave of pain surged through Camilla as the consequences of her departure from Micheal hit her hard. She jumped into her Lamborghini and zoomed away.

“Did I miss something? ...What was that all about?”

Despite the emotional pain, Susanne maintained a defiant smile, relieved to have severed Camilla with her cup of tea.

Some on the other yacht who witnessed what just happened stood dumbfounded, while others took shots and records of the incident.

Silence settled over the ship, broken only by Micheal’s next words. “Leave right now. I don’t want to argue with you here.”

“Why? Are you shy to let the world know that you’re also a man-beater? Thank goodness I arrived here on time. That stupid ex of yours should go to hell for all I care!”

“What did you just say?” His heart thud at the back of his throat. Rage overtook Micheal, but he tried hard not to hit his wife.

“You heard me right, Micheal! Oh... Are you going to beat me up because of that lunatic? Or are you going to divorce me instead?”

“Mrs. Balogun.” Kanye rushed up to her. Why are you here? Shock laced his bulky eyes. “Mr Kanye?” Susanne almost stuttered at his presence. She just noticed his presence.

“Where’s Camilla?” Kanye directed his question at Micheal.

"She's gone?" Micheal faced Kanye and suddenly shut his eyes. As if shame pierced them.

"Where's the contract?"

"Still here!" Micheal hit the table.

“You don't mean it! The contract hasn't been signed yet? I left for the toilet a minute ago and she's gone? Kanye picked up the folder on the table and hurried out. I'll make sure she signs this, just settle down with your wife.”

“Oh, Camilla! Miss!” He stormed out of the ship climbed his jeep and went after her. Hopefully, he gets to her before reaching the airport.

“You see what you caused.  I am not a nasty man, Susanne! I can't cheat on you!”

“You caused it, Micheal. You never call me any pet names like you do call her. You never make me feel like your wife. When everything about you is kept secret and confidential, how do you expect me to trust you?”

“I'm working, here... She came all the way from America just to explain better what others couldn't do because yes, I trust Camilla. She wanted to get over jet lag and I didn't want to disturb her. Taking her home would make you furious and meeting at a hotel would get public that was why I brought her here! I accommodated her to lice here till we're through with the contract! You have no idea the business she runs for me.”

“Oh, I...  I never knew.” Susanne gasped. “I'm sorry, Micheal. I wasn't thinking for a moment.”

Micheal ribbed his head, pissed about it.

“Crystal told me that...  Never mind! I will find Camilla and apologize to her. You guys can both stay here to complete your business. I won't disturb you again.” Susanne's head dropped as guilt swallowed her. She could barely find words to apologize.

“Have you forgotten our wedding promise?”

“Of course, I haven't! You are the one who broke that promise. It's been five years now, and you are still a stranger to me. We're the worst couple in Nigeria! I don't plan thus for myself!”

Micheal grabbed her without listening. His firm hands grabbed her shoulders like a pot of soup.  “Do you think I planned this for myself, too?”

To her surprise, she noticed the threatening look in his widened eyes.

His breath intensified with every gust of word from his mouth. The hairs on Susanne's arm prickled as she watched him. “The first night we met, I saw you as an angel in human form.”

"That was because you were in love with me." she jerked off his hands from her shoulders and adjusted her cardigan. A sense of menace welled in her thread and she swallowed it down.

“Think of your past, Suzanne!” Micheal pressed, with hope in his eyes. “I can't even remember what you look like anymore.”

He grabbed his blazer on the chair and stormed out of the ship, hoping to reach Camilla.

***

Author's Note

Hello guys! I hope you loved this update. Was Micheal's meeting with Camilla justifiable? What would you do if you knew that your husband was still doing business with his ex? Leave a comment below and have a great week ahead. ❤️❤️❤️