“I’ll throw you into this well, and your mother will not know about it.” Adaeze said, spitefully looking at the four-month-old baby in her hands—the child that belonged to her best friend.

—

CHAPTER 3

The following morning, Amara sat quietly, still mourning her child. Dark circles had formed around her eyes because she had spent the entire night crying, even in her sleep.

Her phone suddenly started ringing beside her. She checked the caller ID. It was her husband, Stanley.

Her heart immediately skipped a beat.

She had still not told him what had happened.

What if he asked about their child?

What would she say?

“Hello, baby,” Amara said, trying to sound normal.

“Do not baby me!” Stanley’s angry voice blazed through the phone speaker.

“Where is my child?” he asked immediately.

Amara was shocked to hear that he already knew. She wondered how he had found out. Nervously, she stammered.

“I said, Amara. Where is my child?” Stanley roared again in anger.

“She…”

“She what?”

“She is… miss…ing,” Amara finally replied.

“So, it’s true, Amara. So, it’s true. You lost my child, Amara. Aah! Amara, what did I do to you? How could you do this to me and our child? How could you?” Stanley’s breaking voice sounded through the speaker.

“Baby, I’m sorry. Please forgive me. The whole thing is just too complicated,” she said, crying.

“What is too complicated? That my child was kidnapped while you just kept living your life?” he asked angrily.

Even though Amara did not understand what he meant by that, she just kept crying and begging him to forgive her.

“You know what? Before I come back to that house tomorrow, make sure you’ve packed your bags and left my house. Do you understand? I don’t ever want to see you again near my house or my life,” Stanley said before ending the call.

Immediately the call ended, Amara burst into tears.

“Adaeze, what am I going to do? Stanley wants to end our marriage. He said I should pack my things and leave his house,” she cried.

“Wait, what? Is he mad? Why would he say something like that? He didn’t even care to know the full story behind the whole thing? Instead of him coming back so that you both can put your heads together and know how to tackle the situation and find your child, he is busy putting all the blame on you? Who does that? What kind of husband is that? You see why I was warning you about this guy right from the first day? Now look at him. He is already showcasing his true colours,” Adaeze said while Amara cried even more.

…

The following morning, Stanley arrived home first thing in the morning.

When he arrived and discovered that Amara was still in the house, he drove her away without caring to hear anything from her.

He packed her belongings and threw them outside under the rain.

“Leave my house!” he thundered.

Amara cried throughout her journey to her best friend’s place.

When Adaeze saw her, she immediately ushered her in.

“Wait, he did this to you? He threw you out of your matrimonial home under this rain? How dare he do that?” Adaeze said, boiling with anger.

“He kept mentioning things like club and fun that I did not understand,” Amara said, crying in confusion.

“Don’t mind him. I’m sure he is just trying to give flimsy excuses so that he can have solid reasons to throw you out of his house. I always knew that guy did not truly love you. There was always something off about him. Don’t worry, my friend. You’ll get another man. A better man will come for you, and you’ll have more kids. Did you hear me?” Adaeze said as she consoled Amara.

…

When she was alone, she gave a devilish smirk.

“Very good, Amara. You’re back to square one just like me. You wanted to progress in life when I have not? Never! Over my dead body would such a thing happen. I’m glad we’re back now, bestie,” she said with a smile and drank her glass of wine satisfyingly.

…

To be continued…