CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE “CONVINCED”
© Opeyemi Akintunde
Inspired by the Holy One
Imade’s POV
We landed… but home felt like a strange land.
Nothing about the air felt familiar anymore. The ground beneath my feet felt firm, yet my spirit felt suspended…like I hadn’t fully returned with my body.
Beauty’s words echoed first.
Daniel’s followed closely.
Then the elderly woman on the plane… her voice sharp, uninvited, yet unsettlingly confident.
They all bubbled inside my head, clashing loudly, arguing over my conscience, fighting any remaining will I had to do what I once believed was right. I had boarded the plane with one simple resolution…to return and manage my half bread. Half love. Half peace. Half truth.
But somewhere between takeoff and landing, that resolve began to crack.
The voices I had heard over the past few days refused to stay silent. They followed me. Sat beside me. Whispered into my thoughts.
Reality did not wait for me to settle.
I walked into the hotel car park and got into a taxi, giving the driver the address of our honeymoon hotel. The words felt strange. Honeymoon. The word felt heavy… ironic… almost mocking.
My phone rang.
I didn’t need to look at the screen to know who it was.
My mum.
Of course.
I watched the phone vibrate, letting it ring until it stopped. I wasn’t ready to answer her questions. Not yet. I needed to see Teju first. I needed to stand in front of him before I could face anyone else.
The drive to the hotel was mercifully short. The city passed by my window, but I didn’t see them. My mind was busy replaying moments… conversations… decisions I wished I could rewind.
At the hotel entrance, the staff helped with my luggage, smiling warmly, welcoming me back like nothing had changed. They had no idea I was dragging confusion, guilt, and fear behind me like excess baggage.
We took the Elevator and as I walked down the corridor toward our room, something stopped me.
A scent…
Familiar…
Perfume…
I slowed my steps, trying to place it. It wasn’t mine. And yet, it tugged at something in my memory. I brushed the feeling aside. I was tired. Emotionally exhausted. My mind had been playing tricks on me for days.
I got to the door and knocked. The staff dropped my luggage and left.
From inside, I heard movement…hurried, uneasy. A sound that felt like a struggle, like someone caught off guard. I didn’t think much of it.
The door flung open.
Teju stood before me.
His first words came out fast… desperate…
.
“I can explain… things are not as it looks.”
The guilt on his face was undeniable. It sat on him like a confession he hadn’t planned to make yet.
For a moment, my mind refused to process what my eyes were seeing. I was still halfway in my thoughts, halfway in shock. But his words dragged me fully into the moment, forcing my vision to focus.
Teju’s shirt was slightly open. His breathing uneven. His eyes searching my face for mercy… or permission…or trust… or maybe understanding he hadn’t earned.
And then I saw it….Behind him.
On our honeymoon bed.
Beauty.
Sitting there.
Unmistakable.
Unavoidable.
The same Beauty whose words had haunted me.
The same Beauty whose advice had sounded like freedom.
The same Beauty whose perfume I had just perceived in the corridor.
Everything connected at once.
My chest tightened. My throat burned. My mind scrambled for logic… for explanation… for something that would make this scene less real.
But it was real.
Standing in front of me was my husband.
Behind him, on the bed meant for us…was Beauty.
How?
To be continued…
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I’m beginning to love Imade. But quote and unquote, not because she is willing to go throw herself at a man, but because she could be wise enough to walk out of that door with her heads high.
To be honest, an arranged marriage never births good things unless it’s grace! Marriage is a forever business, so it’s best wise to be calm before jumping in.
God abeg o!
More grace, ma, Mummy Akintunde
Wow. This is the beginning of a deep unraveling.
I suspect Beauty has always had eyes on Teju (he actually appears to be every normal girl’s dream man) and also knows Imade’s heart towards him. It made it super easy for Beauty to drop crazy suggestions for Imade since she never loved Teju.
However, this marriage is foing to be a serious hell if I imagine what’s foing on in Imade’s mind right now. A divorce would be way better but she would not grant him that grace.
@ Sister Ope, we dey here dey wait.
Make she no sha run mad, cos this is too much to bear
What you left unguarded, unprotected is at the mercy of cat? What you tagged not handsome enough, is what someone wants to take away from you .
You better wise up
It is well
Everything that is happening is because you left… Mitcheww!
God bless you mummy
I made rejected the “not beautiful enough”, shoes her mother bought for her. She went to sought for another, but couldn’t get one. Now someone else wants to try her rejected shoes.
Let’s wait and see her reactions.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Gbamm. Kasala!
There are certain people we shouldn’t listen to especially if what is been said does not correlate with the words of God. This is what is happening to Imade. Beauty stop being manipulative! It sucks!🙄Teju what really happened now?😟
Wait is this the storm imade’s mum talked about???
Gan gan
All these looks like a team work between beauty and that Daniel guy .
I believe beauty knows imade is on her way … Tor let see how it will unfold
Thank you ma’am
I think Beauty forced herself on Teju to implicate him, is possible Teju never touch her. This is a hard pill for Imade to swallow. It will make sense to her now
That half bread now go sweet pass jollof rice… chai!
I didn’t see this coming.
Like, what???!!!
Replying to @Glory Udoka
I suspected that Beauty had eyes for Teju but I did not know that she would move so fast. It’s good for Imade. I don’t feel sorry for her. At least, she can latch on this and end the marriage and go and throw herself on Daniel. Lol.
Replying to @
Me too, I don’t feel sorry for her. Forgive me, Lord. Who leaves a groom on his wedding night to travel to God-knows-where and have ridiculous conversations everywhere with all kinds of people?
She will realize that even bread is very scarce, and you have to value what you have.
Replying to @Sisi
Bread are scare indeed
Now her eyes will be open to reality thank God
Ahhhh, the twist is wild, I was even vouching for Teju 😭😭 Omo, men will stain your white oo. The storm is here now, let’s see
God bless you mummy ope
Replying to @
We can’t conclude yet . I know Teju didn’t do anything
Beauty is a manipulating person and I believe she knows that imade is on her way . It might even be a plan with that Daniel guy imade met
Beauty simply misadvised Imade in order to snatch the treasure she never valued.
Replying to @
Wahala be like what?
You go ask how tire 🤣
Replying to @Joy of God
Chai ! This is massive!
I laugh in Igbo…
Replying to @
I laugh in French, Spanish, Greek, Yoruba, and Hausa
I had always had that thought that Beauty wanted what Imade had, but Imade lack of sensitivity is costing her alot
Replying to @
The devils is bent on destroying that marriage.
I believe Teju didn’t do anything with beauty, though a starved man! I guessed that’s why the hotel staff were laughing
Replying to @
It’s a pity indeed!
Sebi you no dey hear advice, the storm gangan don land. May you not loose on both ends. I no even pity you.
Ahhhh e don dooo,🥺🥺🥺 God bless u ma🙏🙏