ENDLESS TEARS
Endless Tears - Episode 4&5
Subtle: I just wanna make you Smile again
Genres: Billionaire, Deceit
Tags: Deceit,love, jealousy,hatred, marriage
Written by Adeola Nissi
(MARRIAGE FOR MONEY)
I stare at my fragile self in the massive full length mirror and I almost start crying again but I sternly steel myself against it. I have just spent the longest one week of my life, mostly crying myself to sleep. I have not eating enough to keep an infant alive and as I stared at the mirror, I looked ghostly and spent. I knew that I was not an exceedingly fair girl but I looked white and pale, with my eyes deep in their sockets. Ever since I accepted marriage to Corper Bello, I have
not set my eyes on him, and I can only be grateful for that miracle.
Though, we were made to stay in one of the boys quarters in the mansion by the Senator, I wished I was back in my peaceful and
happy village, either going off to the stream or fetching fire woods. I should actually be writing my WAEC. Fresh tears coerced down my cheeks as yet another dream died; the dream to get married to a man happily; a man who I loved and who loved me in return.
As fate would have it, I am not only getting married to a man who loathed me and saw me as nothing more than a dirty village slut, I am also marrying a man who was not ready to accept or father my unborn
child. The time ticked and my heart beat accelerated, moving at the same pace as the seconds-hand of the clock.
In a few minutes, I would no longer be Amara Peters, I would be Amara Bello. This filled me with so much pain and I had to grab a nearby table to keep my weightless form from falling. I had imagined marriage to Corper Bello over and over again in the past, while he
wooed me and made me feel like the most special woman on earth in the village. I had imagined us living happily ever after like those fairy tales stories. Never did I think that we would be getting married
for all the wrong reasons, with so much hatred and pain.
The door opened and I quickly dried my eyes as my mum entered. “Ama, you need to get dressed my dear” she said softly.
I nodded vigorously. All I want to do is flee, run as fast as I can until the world looked normal again. As I stood, I noticed my mum holding a white silky satin material in her hand.
“I was able to get you this” she explained shakily. “It is not a proper wedding gown but it would serve. It was all I could afford” she said softly.
I blinked. After staring for some seconds, I shook my head.
“I am not getting married mama, I am being sentenced to life in prison” tears dropped.
“I can‟t wear this. It should only be worn for a happy
occasion; this is not a happy event. I don‟t think I am destined to be happy"
Mum pulled me into her arms and hugged me tight and I felt her tears.
“Oh, my daughter. If it were up to me, you won't marry
that useless boy. I hate seeing you sad, I want you to be happy Ama” she said tearfully and pain sliced through me again.
I pulled out of her embrace and without looking at her, went to my sack of clothes, the one I smuggled out of the village. I removed the only gown I had and shook it. I looked faded but I didn‟t give a
damn, after all, it is a sitting room wedding, which only had our two parents in attendance as witnesses. I slipped the gown over my head
and the once firm and fitted gown fell loosely around me, due to the
fact that I was not eating.
“You should eat something Ama, if not for yourself but for the
baby‟s sake, please” she pleaded. For the past few days, the only way
she was able to persuade me into eating was by using the „baby‟
tactic. I have done all I possibly could to avoid my dad all week long,
and I have managed thus far, because I was not ready for another
level of insults.
I heaved a sigh and walked out of my room, for the first time,
all week. Mum forced me to eat something but I couldn‟t manage
more than five spoons of rice because my appetite was definitely on
zero level and I was exceedingly nervous.
I walked beside my mum towards the mansion at the exact
time that we were supposed to be there. I felt nothing at all. I was
almost like a zombie on display. I saw the small altar setting in the
large sitting room and my heart raced when I saw someone that
looked like a pastor in suit, standing by the altar. I saw the Senator
and his wife as they climbed down the stairs. There was no sign of
Corper Bello and I silently prayed that he would not appear. My dad
was already seated and I quickly took my eyes from him. I sat down with my mum squeezing my hand.
After waiting for twenty minutes, Corper Bello finally showed up and I swallowed hard immediately he entered. It would have helped if I was not so awfully aware of him and stupidly in love with
him. But despite all, when he entered, I felt the sudden change in the atmosphere as his perfume drifted to my nostrils. He looked very angry and tense because his veins were pronounced; even more
pronounced and visible than they were a week ago. He looked as though he had spent hours running.
Corper Bello did not spare me more than a glance which did not last for even a second. He marched towards the altar like a sacrificial lamb.
“Make it as fast as possible Pastor, I need to be out of
this place in five minutes” he said authoritatively.
Mum urged me to my feet and my legs almost gave way as I looked ahead like someone who was about to face the firing squad. I walked on stiff legs until I was beside Corper Bello who was completely still, glaring at the pastor. The pastor moved
uncomfortably, staring at us in horror and sympathy.
“Do you Alex Bello, take this woman Amara Peters, as your lawfully wedded wife, to love and to cherish, in good times and bad times, in sickness and in health, in lack and in plenty, till death do you part?” the pastor asked unceremoniously.
“Yes, I do” Corper Bello answered instantly, without wasting time.
“Do you Amara Peters, take Alex Bello, as your lawfully
wedded husband, to have and to hold, in good times and bad times, in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in comfort, till death do you part?” the pastor asked me.
The word 'sorrow' stuck to my head as the world crashed around me, and I knew deep down that I was totally destroyed, about to face a life full of sorrow. Tears of pain slipped down my dry cheeks. My mum squeezed my shoulder, reminding me that I needed
to respond. I swallowed. “Yes” I squeak.
“Where is the ring?” the pastor demanded.
“What ring? Is it necessary?” he growled.
“Here it is” the Senator‟s wife declared, magically producing two rings. The pastor gave one to Corper Bello and said, “Repeat after me…”
“Is that necessary? Can‟t she just put it in her fingers?” his voice rose a notch and I stood stock still. Without waiting for the pastor‟s approval, he took my left hand forcefully and slipped the ring into my fourth finger. He took the other ring from the pastor and
put it on his own finger. “Is that all?” he growled.
The pastor‟s face showed disgust and total disapproval. “By the power vested in me, I hereby pronounce you husband and wife” he
said. “You may now kiss the bride"
“That is irrelevant,” Corper Bello hissed in annoyance and left the makeshift altar. “What do I sign” he asked impatiently. The pastor brought some documents to be signed and he signed
hurriedly, while I scaled through shakily. When everything was duly
signed, he straightened and looked at me with fully blown anger.
“Satisfied now?” he growled. “Someone would bring you to my house in the evening. I hope you can handle being my wife” he said and marched out of the room without a backward glance. Lowering my head in shame and total defeat, I placed one stiff leg in front of another until I got to my room where I cried myself to sleep. Before sleep enveloped me, it occurred to me that this was just the beginning of my tears and sorrow.
I opened my eyes to the tap of my Mother‟s hand. I felt a bit hot
and feverish, having to swallow hard before uttering a word.
“Mama” I croaked.
“Amara, your husband has sent someone to pick you up” she
said.
My heart beat escalated and she touched my hand, coming
instantly to touch my neck. “My God, your temperature is so high,
are you sick my dear?” she asked, jumping up at once.
“I am fine mama” I murmured.
“You are not. You are as hot as a boiling kettle. You can‟t go
anywhere today. Let me get you some drugs, I will tell the guy to
come for you tomorrow” she said hurriedly.
I shook my head, “No mama, I would leave this place today” I
said.
She frowned. “You are not well Amara, let me take care of you,
I know that that useless husband of yours would not do anything”
she said with obvious anger.
Her anger was starting to irritate me. “Whether you like it or
not, I am leaving this place now. I have signed the contract of this
marriage, it is high time I stopped postponing the inevitable and start
living the life I signed up for” I tried to get up, hiding my slight
discomfort. My tummy hadn‟t started protruding because I was just
two months gone but as I sat up, I could not escape the sudden wave
of dizziness that gripped me. I shut my eyes tight for several seconds
until I felt it safe to open them.
“Please be reasonable Amarachi” Mum pleaded as I pushed off
the bed and slipped on my slippers.
“I am the only one being reasonable here mama” I stopped.
“Wait, what am I saying? I am the most unreasonable and senseless
person on earth, but I knew mama, I knew marriage to Corper Bello
was a terrible idea.” I turned hurt eyes at her. “Mama, I made a
mistake, even God knows that I made the worst mistake of my life,
but don‟t I deserve forgiveness? Do I have to spend my whole life
paying for this one mistake that I made?” I cried. “When I discovered that Corper was a wicked man, I was ready to take care of my child
alone, I wanted to, I only needed the support of my parents, even if it was only you” I swallowed and shook my head. “But you did not
support me mama, you could not stand up to your husband; you never could, even if it was for your only child” I exhaled. “Now, I
have done what papa wants me to do; please don‟t try to stop me because I would not listen to you”
I opened the door and walked out, leaving my mum white-
faced, with tears streaming down her cheeks. I knew I was
transferring the aggression I was feeling but I really could not help
myself. I had blamed myself too much for my misfortunes and I felt it
might ease my burden and guilt if I blamed someone else. As I
walked, I discovered that it did not work, if anything, what I just did
was making me feel guiltier for making my mum sad.
My dad stood up and approached me immediately I entered
the sitting room and I wished I could have escaped him somehow.
Anger took over me again as I wondered what the hell he was about
to say to me. No doubt, he would insult the living daylight out of me
again, and I obviously deserve it.
Immediately he reached me, his face lit up in a broad smile. I
was momentarily stunned. Ever since this drama started, I don‟t
think my dad has ever smiled. He placed his hands on my shoulders
and I was forced to look up into his eyes.
“My sweet daughter, you have no idea how much I am proud
of you” he breathed out. What? I blinked. This is definitely
something you don‟t see every day! If not for the fact that I could not
perceive the smell of beer, I could have sworn that my father was
drunk. “Oh my dear, I know that I have been hard on you since this
started, but it is for a good cause”. He continued, completely robbing
me of my power of speech. “You know, I am so lucky that I have a
daughter who uses her head properly. Now, stop beating yourself
over this pregnancy issue, it is a gift from the most high. It is
definitely the key to our breakthrough. Look my girl, you are rich” he
declared. “Very rich! You always wanted to lift the poverty in our
family, now; God has just answered your prayers. Unknowingly, you
have taken our family out of the gutter and you have placed us right inside the palace.”
“What are you saying papa?” I croaked out.
T.b.c
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