Chapter Twenty-Six

Sophie felt flustered as she looked around the kitchen. The faces of her family were tense and distraught. Her mother was in tears, and everyone else in the room had tears streaming down their faces. Confused and alarmed, Sophie recalled the voices she had heard from the living room when she came in from the garden. She had stood there for a few moments, watching her mother angrily shout at her aunt. It shattered her to see the people she loved most in the world fighting; this was her birthday, and it wasn’t supposed to be like this.

Anna quickly rushed to her daughter. She tried desperately to wipe away her own tears, but all her strength seemed to fail her. She wasn’t sure what Sophie had overheard, but the fear in her daughter’s eyes broke her heart further.

“Mummy…” Sophie called out slowly, shivering with fear.

“Oh, baby…” Anna said, pulling her daughter into an embrace that lasted a few seconds. Then, she held Sophie’s hands and led her upstairs.

When they reached Sophie’s room, she closed the door and sat down beside her on the bed. Anna struggled to steady her breathing and calm the overwhelming emotions swelling in her chest. This was all their fault; they caused this and, worst of all, ruined their daughter’s day. She inhaled deeply and gently wiped the tears from her daughter’s face.

“I am so sorry,” Anna said softly to Sophie. “I’m sorry you had to see that.” She cupped Sophia’s cheeks in her hands.

Sophie covered her face and gulped down a sob. “I don’t like her,” she whimpered. “I hate her.”

“Who?” Anna asked gently.

“Aunt Amanda. She’s a bad person.”

Anna took hold of her wrists and gently squeezed. “Oh, my dear…” Tears began to well in her eyes. She pulled Sophia into her embrace. As much as she hated her sister right now, she didn’t want her daughter to develop hatred towards her or anyone else.

“Everything will be just fine,” Anna reassured her, inhaling deeply and patting her back gently.

“She said a lot of bad things about you,” Sophia whimpered.

Anna’s grip loosened as she turned her daughter’s face to look at her. “Sophie,” she said softly, “you have to forget everything you might have heard today—”

“Not just today,” she interrupted, tears streaming down her face. “I heard her one day through the baby monitor arguing with Daddy in your room. She was going to do something bad to you.” She held her mother’s hands tightly, trembling all over. “I don’t want anyone to hurt you, Mommy. Please… don’t let them make you go away.”

Anna felt her heart tighten at her daughter’s words, accompanied by a surge of overwhelming anger. The thought that Sophie had seen or heard them together infuriated her. She grasped her daughter’s hands and looked straight into her eyes. “No one is going to make me go away. No one,” she said firmly. “Things are just a little tough right now, but everything will be fine.” She forced a smile and gently caressed Sophie’s cheeks.

“Now, all your friends are downstairs waiting for the birthday girl,” Anna added, smiling again. “Why don’t we go back downstairs together?”

Sophie wiped the tears from her face. “I don’t want to go back there.”

“C’mon, girl, it’s your birthday!” Anna encouraged, offering another smile.

“No, Mommy…” Sophie groaned.

Anna couldn’t bear to see her daughter in tears any longer. She felt devastated by what had happened to her on this day of all days. Her heart ached as she watched Sophie curl up on her bed in sadness. Moments later, Anna joined her, curling up by her side and holding her tightly. Sophie was right; she didn’t want to go back downstairs, and she trusted that Pat would handle everything for them.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

It was fifteen minutes past eleven at night, and all their guests had all left atound nine, thanks to Pat. She had taken charge of the remainder of Sophie’s birthday celebration, claiming she wasn’t feeling well, which allowed the guests to enjoy a few more hours without interruption. Afterward, she cleaned and tidied up the entire place and took care of the twins.

Anna was alone in the living room, staring into the thin darkness. Her heart felt heavy and troubled. Although she had stopped crying, the turmoil of her emotions continued to rage within her; it felt as if her life was falling apart. She never would have believed that her own sister could betray her like this. As for Fred, she still couldn’t understand what had happened. He was a man who had repeatedly assured her throughout their marriage that he would never cheat on her or betray her trust, and now nothing made sense.

As she sat in the darkness, she heard someone coming down the staircase toward the living room. It was unlikely to be one of the kids, so it had to be either Fred or Amanda. Anna watched closely as the figure approached, but in the dim light, it was impossible to discern who it was. She turned on the table lamp and saw Amanda carrying her suitcases down the stairs.

Amanda shuddered upon seeing her sister, having thought Anna was still in the kids’ room. She stood there, flustered by her guilt.

Anna straightened in her seat and stared intensely at Amanda. She wanted her to feel the pain of guilt and held her silence for several seconds. Amanda made no attempt to move, trembling with shame and fear.

“The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy,” Anna said slowly, her tone filled with disappointment. “I never really understood that until today.”

“Which is worse: the devil or the thief who happens to be my own blood sister?” She looked directly into Amanda’s eyes, her fury evident. “Who came into my home and stole, killed, and destroyed it?” Carefully, she rose from her seat, her eyes smoldering with resentment.

Amanda swallowed hard, struggling to maintain eye contact as the weight of shame pressed down on her.

“Why, Amanda?” Her voice was barely a whisper. “Why…” she intently observed every expression on Amanda’s face.

Overwhelmed, Amanda dropped her bag onto the floor and bowed her head in shame.

“Just tell me why you did it,” Anna said, her tone firm despite her anger. With supreme effort, she kept her voice a sharp hiss.

Finally, Amanda lifted her head and looked straight at Anna. “You had it all,” she said slowly. “You had every good thing in life.” She bit her upper lip, then smirked. “The perfect husband, the perfect home, and the perfect career.”

Anna felt irritated by the arrogance in Amanda’s voice. “What?” she gasped in disbelief.

“You were the perfect child, the one who did no wrong,” Amanda jeered at her.

“God!” Anna whimpered. “I was also their daughter; I was their flesh and blood, and nothing I did mattered to them,” she shouted.

Anna stood there, gobsmacked, trying to understand what Amanda meant.

“They devoted everything to you,” Amanda continued. “Their money, until they had none left; their resources, their time, and their love. You exhausted them until they had nothing to give to me!” she cried out. “Then they said I wasn’t as good as you. I wasn’t the brilliant child; I was the one who struggled to stay in one grade.” She looked up at Anna with anger. “I was the one who disappointed them, the one they had nothing good to say about.” She chuckled in disgust.

Anna couldn’t bear to hear this. She couldn’t believe her sister felt this way after all the love and support their parents had shown her.

“You know,” Amanda forced a smile, “there was a time when you were sick—so sick that they thought you wouldn’t make it.” She grimaced. “Oh, I prayed so hard. I wished and prayed that you would die, that you would just go away so they could finally see me for who I am— their daughter.”

Anna felt her stomach twisted in disgust. She couldn’t believe her sister was consumed with this much hatred. “God!” She looked at her in disgust. “You make me sick!” She moved farther away from her. “To think I allowed you into my home with my children, my God!” She couldn’t bear to look at her.

“I just wanted what was mine; I just wanted life, to be loved.” Amanda cried out.

“They loved you,” Anna screamed out at her. “They loved you so much that they would do anything for their baby.” She said in tears. “Every time mum called me, all she did was talk about you; she was concerned about you; she prayed so hard for you…” Anna rubbed her chest to cease the pain forming there. “They loved you as any parent would love their daughter; they gave you everything you ever wanted, in fact, too much of what you ever needed.” She threw her hands up in the air in frustration.

“That’s not true.” Amanda cried out. “They never did; no one did.” She shouted. “Everyone just wanted a piece of me and then left me all to myself. They never showed me any love till they died; they died without giving me what I deserved.” She cried out.

“You are so ungrateful.” Anna roared out. “All you did while they were alive was disrespect them and make them worry so much about you. They tried to save you from yourself, they tried to discipline you, and you called it hatred; they loved you so much and ignored all you did, and then, you called you smouldering.  What else did you expect from them?” She challenged.

“Of course, I don’t expect you to understand,” she cried out. “Do you know what it feels like to try to make everything work out for me? To struggle to succeed in life?” She shot her an angry look. “Finally, I got what I wanted—a man who loved me and wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. I was finally going to be happy. And then, all of a sudden, he left me, just like everyone else did.” She clutched her chest tightly as she spoke. “We dated for four years, four good years. He promised to marry me; he promised to make everything better; he promised to love me. And then he left me, just like they all do. It was entirely your fault.” She pointed angrily at her.

“What?!” Anna gasped.

“I told you I wasn’t ready for any master’s program. I wasn’t you, the genius who wanted every degree in the world,” she said with a smirk. “But you argued that it was what our parents would have wanted for me; that it was good for a woman to have a good education—education, my foot!” she raged. “I lost him because I was so blinded by the desire to be like you. If I had stayed back in Nigeria, he would never have left me for another woman. Can’t you see what you did to me?” she cried out.

“What nonsense are you talking about?” Anna shouted in anger. “I gave you an opportunity to further your studies and explore life. Our parents are gone, and I had to take care of you. I took on that responsibility.” She shouted back at her.

“I didn’t want any opportunity. I never asked for it,” Amanda raged. “I didn’t ask you to pay for it; I just wanted to be myself.”

“You could have simply said no!” Anna screamed at her. “No was all you had to say.”

“No, I did what you wanted. I did what made you happy,” Amanda retorted, glaring at her. “I sacrificed my future with Mike because of it. I gave up a chance at happiness for once in my life.”

Anna shuddered in disbelief. “My God!” She was astounded by what she was hearing. “How old are you?” She stared straight at Amanda.

Amanda paused, unable to comprehend what age had to do with anything.

“You’re thirty-two years old and still blame everyone else for your life,” Anna continued. “You always have someone or something to blame when things go wrong. You’re consumed by so much hatred that you can’t see how much I loved you and wanted the best for you.” Tears streamed down Anna’s face.

“No, you loved yourself. You loved only what you wanted.” She said to her face. “I remembered what you said to me when Mike left me; ‘don’t worry sis, love will come. He doesn’t deserve you and you will find someone better.’” She sneered at her. “Well, I did! I got someone better who loved and cared for me, someone who appreciated me.” She walked slowly toward her. “Fred loves me, not you. For once, someone did love me instead of you! He told me things he never told you; he made love to me like he never did with you; he loves me!”

Amanda felt her heart twisted in dismay. She straightened and looked straight into her eyes. “You stand there and have the gut to say to my face that my own husband loves you.” Her face was taut. “So where is he now, why isn’t he going with you? Why is he not here packing his bags to go with you?” She shouted in her face.

Amanda was flustered; she folded her hands across her chest.

“You know why?” She looked straight into her eyes. “You were a mistake!”

Amanda jolted.

“What he had with you was a foolish mistake that he will so regret for the rest of his miserable life.”

Amanda wanted to speak, but when she opened her mouth, no words came out as shame made her lips tremble.

“Now, listen carefully,” Anna said, leaning in with exasperation. “I never want to see your face again! From now on, you are no longer my sister; you have no family—now or ever.” She glared into Amanda’s eyes, her fury palpable. After a few tense seconds, she turned and swung the front door open wide.

Amanda stood there, stunned. She couldn’t believe what her sister had just said. Throughout their tumultuous relationship, she had always considered herself the victim, but today she was confronted with a side of herself she had never recognized before—the villain.

With anguish, she watched Anna as she stood by the door, waiting for her to leave. Tears began to pour down Amanda’s cheeks; she felt shattered inside, grappling with the guilt and betrayal she had caused. She looked up at her sister, searching for a trace of compassion, but Anna’s face was rigid, leaving Amanda’s heart tight with regret.

In that moment, Amanda knew she had lost everything; the very fear she had held for so long was coming true—she was alone. Grieving the loss of her family, she reluctantly picked up her two suitcases and handbag, slowly making her way to the door. Her legs trembled beneath her, her heart ached with bitterness, and her eyes overflowed with tears.

Anna couldn’t wait for her sister to leave the house. As soon as she stepped a few inches away from the door, Anna closed it without a moment’s hesitation. At that moment, she broke into tears. Her heart sank in dismay, tightening its grip on her as she felt an overwhelming bitterness inside. She had just disowned the only sister and family she had, letting her walk out of her life. Her heart pounded so fast that she thought it might explode. Her legs trembled as she stood there, and suddenly she sank to the floor and wept even more.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

A few minutes later, Anna stood up in anger and walked towards the stairs leading to the bedroom. It was all Fred’s fault. He was the one who couldn’t control himself and stay away from her sister. He was the one who couldn’t resist the temptation of being with another woman. He was the one who slept with her sister and caused her to disown her. He was the true criminal in this situation. She opened the door and slammed it shut, her eyes blazing with fury.

Fred jolted at the sound of the door. He had been sitting on the edge of the bed, his head bowed in shame. He had overheard the conversation between Anna and her sister, and he felt guilty for what he had done.

“Are you happy now?” Anna raged at him. “You finally got what you always wanted, didn’t you?” Tears streamed down her face.

Fred rose from the bed, wanting to move towards her, but the fury in her eyes stopped him in his tracks.

“Why, Fred? What did I do wrong to deserve this? Where did I go wrong?” She searched his eyes for some glimmer of reason to justify his actions.

Fred felt his heart twist in dismay. “I…” he choked out. “I…” He stammered again, realizing that nothing he could say would ever justify what he had done.

“Did you find my sister so sexually appealing that you had to have her?” Her face was rigid. “Why did you do it? Why…?” Tears choked her voice. “Was it my job? Was it something I did wrong? Tell me!” she cried out.

Fred stood there, filled with shame and guilt. He wanted to apologize, but he knew that “sorry” wouldn’t be enough. Saying “sorry” would not change what he had done or make things better. He swallowed hard.

Anna watched him with anger as he struggled with his thoughts. She leaned against the door and slowly sat on the floor, becoming silent and staring at him for what felt like an eternity.

“When the doctors first told me I had ovarian cancer,” she said slowly, her voice cutting through the silence in the room, “I was so afraid; I was scared to death and deeply saddened.” She looked up at him. “I was afraid of what this would do to you. I was afraid it would make you lose heart… make you lose faith in God.” Tears began to trickle down her cheeks. “When your sister, Christiana, had cancer, it felt as if your world had collapsed. You spent hours and days praying for her healing. You did everything you could as a brother, and in the end, she died.” She wiped her hands across her face. “It was heartbreaking to watch you so distraught. I couldn’t do anything to help; you were lost and angry at everything. All you wanted was your sister back, and you couldn’t have her.”

Fred trembled at the memory; those months had been the hardest of his life. He was sad and heartbroken, and now, to think that the worst thing he had always feared was finally happening to him was overwhelming.

“I just wanted to spare you the pain and worry, so I decided to deal with it all by myself. I went for chemotherapy alone, endured the treatments alone; I faced the pain and agony all by myself.” She placed her hands on her chest. “All I did was care about you; I worried more about you than myself.” She cried brokenly, tears gathering in Fred’s eyes.

“Tell me,” she said, slowly standing up from the floor. “Who started it?” She looked straight into his eyes.

Fred met her gaze but didn’t understand what she meant.

“Did you approach my sister first, or did she approach you?” she asked, a stern look on her face.

Fred bowed his head in shame.

“Tell me!” Anna shouted.

“What does it matter now?” Fred shouted back, tears streaming down his face.

Anna shuddered at the tone of his voice.

He lifted his head, tears flowing freely down his cheeks. “What does it matter?” he whimpered. “I broke your heart.” He collapsed to his knees, bowing his head again. “I broke our vows; I betrayed you,” he cried brokenly. “You did nothing but love me; you did nothing to deserve this…”

Anna swallowed hard and wiped away her tears. “Did you go to her first?”

“It doesn’t matter, Anna. It doesn’t matter…” Tears clogged his throat. “I caused this. I did something terrible; I defied our marriage vows, I betrayed your trust, and I slept with your sister.” He cried out.

“And you got her pregnant,” Anna blurted through her tears.

“Oh God…” Fred whimpered.

“You got my sister pregnant, Fred,” she cried, her voice breaking. “What were you planning to do—run away with her?” She shouted through her sobs.

Fred jolted in surprise and raised his head. “No, I will never leave you. I am so sorry…” he said, weeping. “I am so sorry…” He broke down.

“You left me the day you laid your hand on her,” she said, looking at him squarely. “Where did I go wrong?”

“You did nothing wrong; it’s all my fault. I did this,” he cried out.

“Yes, it’s all on you,” she affirmed. “You ruined our lives because you couldn’t control your impulses and say no. You failed to appreciate the value and gravity of the commitment you made to me and our children.” She spoke firmly, staring into his eyes.

“But let me tell you something,” she said, facing him. “When you were cheating on me, you were also cheating on your children. Do you realize that you were putting their happiness, their peace, their harmony, and their future in jeopardy every time you slept with that woman?” She spoke with disgust. “You failed me, and you took something away from them.”

Fred crawled to her side to hold her legs. “Please, forgive me… I am so sorry, please…”

Anna wanted to push his hands away, but she felt completely immobilized.

“I am so sorry… please…” he whimpered, still holding her legs. “Please forgive me. I have hurt you so badly. I’ve done this terrible thing to you, please…” he cried out.

“Sorry!” she shouted. “You think sorry will make it matter?” She cried out in frustration.

“Please…” Fred wept bitterly.

“Just because you pity me—just because of the damn cancer—that’s why you are so grieved and feel guilty, not because you truly are sorry,” she cried out, bitterness in her voice.

“No, no, no, that’s not it; I am sorry… I am so sorry…” He looked up at her in distress. “I regret everything I did, please…”

Anna felt her heartbeat racing in her chest, and her heart twisted painfully. “You know, years ago, you asked me a question.” She swallowed hard and wiped the tears from her face.

“I told you then that there was nothing you could ever do that I wouldn’t forgive you for. I said I loved you more than life itself and that you were my world.” She shook her head, disappointment evident on her face. “I promised I would always love and forgive you, no matter what.” She paused, her expression hardening.

Fred felt his heart pounding in response.

“I was either ignorant then or I lied,” Anna said firmly. “You broke my heart, Fred. You caused me pain, and I will never forgive you for what you’ve done to me.”

Fred looked up at her in dismay, his eyes welling with tears.

Anna slowly turned away from him and walked out of the room. Fred made no attempt to move or stand up; tears flowed freely down his cheeks as agony overwhelmed him.