Ana's POV

HOMEWRECKER

That's my new name, it's what I'm labelled as everywhere. On the TV, radio stations, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, all social media platforms, I'm the homewrecker, the slut who destroyed what they see as a loving relationship.

Ike is not able to control the sleezy tabloids, no matter how he tries, or how many accounts has been reported, newspaper houses sanctioned, radio stations warned. It all comes out as if nothing is being done to shut the lips of the press.

Everywhere I go I'm being stared at like a criminal, murmurs follow me around, every corner there's someone eagerly dishing out the latest gossip to their friends or the next person.

"How is the sales department?" I ask Glory who walks in through the ajar door of my office.

"Not good," she sighs, looking sullen.

"It's Friday and nothing yet?" I quiz, gliding my artificial glass nails into my weaves as I peep at her, my elbows mounted on the desk.

"I'm sorry Ana," she breathes, pushing out the chair opposite me to reduce her weight in the furniture, her body covered in an off shoulder white jumpsuit decorated with black splotches on the top area, the lower part left bare.

"It's fine," I acknowledge, kneading the cuffs of the long armed wraparound blouse I'm wearing on top of a red flair skirt. My comfy black flats on the tiled floor below me.

"You know that's a lie," she chastises, gawking at me with pity in her dark orbs. "We haven't had a decent sale in two weeks and the recent products we made are rotting away in the fridge with no hope of being purchased."

"Glory?" I call, noting her get panicky. "I said it's fine."

"Ana we've worked hard for this. Things can't just go downhill this fast. We don't even deserve this," she continues, not listening to my utterances.

"It's all my fault," I hiss, admitting the curse of the situation.

"Hey," she warns, sitting up to tap her finger on the table to channel my attention to her. "Look at me Ana. I won't allow you do that."

"Do what Glory?" I inquire, ogling her.

"Apologize for falling in love. I won't let you." She asserts, her tone severe.

"But if I hadn't, we won't be in this mess." I exhale, not discerning how she can be against my theory on this.

"Love happens in the craziest ways. It's not your fault you fell in love with Ike, there's a reason for everything my girl," she defends.

"What can be the reason for this then?To put me to shame? To have e ridiculed?" I interrogate, shaking my head at the absurdity of it all.

"To make you strong. To put you to the test. To see how God can turn situations around for good," she responds.

"How can this situation be turned around for good?" I implore. "The damage is already done. Whoever showed those pictures to the press must be having a laughing fit at my expense."

"Oh ye of little faith," she announces, disappointment directed at me through her facial expression.

"Don't start Glory," I groan, cradling my head in my hands.

"Oh I will surely start, I'm your friend so I can talk to you however I feel like," she scolds, glaring at me.

"Okay, tell me, what are you driving at?" I question, peeking at her from below my lids.

"I'm driving at being strong in times like this," she declares. "Haven't you heard of diamond in the rough? Or that the gold goes through fire before it becomes what we see is being sold?"

"It's very difficult to remain positive Glory," I contest. "Can't you see how the company is loosing money before your very eyes?"

"My eyes aren't for decoration purposes Ana, I see it too, but do you see me loosing my cool over it? No," she retorts, reclining to her previous posture.

"You aren't the manager!" I bellow, my palms meeting the table in a loud noise as I heave myself to a standing position. "So I can't expect you to see things the way I do!"

"Now I understand where all this is coming from," she mumbles getting of her seat to gape at me in anger and sadness, her voice caked in hurt. "I should leave you to suffer then, dear manager."

"Glory wait," I call realizing my mistake, rather she doesn't heed me and walks out the door, banging it behind her.

"Shit!" I exclaim, pushing my chair back and following in her footsteps to catch her before I find out she's left.

"Glory please wait," I plead when I reach her cubicle, the entrance to my office open as I don't care to push it closed after I exit the room.

"Glory I'm sorry," I plead as she doesn't respond, her hands busy as she packs her stuff into her wide Gucci bag. "I didn't mean to sound that way please."

"But you did," she contests, pausing in her task.

"I know and I apologize," I speak, not allowing her say more. "You are the best assistant someone can ever ask for and I didn't mean to belittle you."

"Things are just messed up and the stress happens to be catching up with me. I'm currently seven months pregnant, our job is going down the drain, my love relationship is nothing to write home about and to top that we are loosing funds," I rant, my mood one of frustration.

"I'm not using this as as an excuse, no I'm not." I exhale, striding an inch to her desk. "Will you forgive me please?"

"You had me at 'best assistant'." She laughs, her outlook of rage immediately changing to one of mischief.

"So you let me grovel for nothing?" I query in shock.

"Meeh, I wanted to see you shake a bit," she shrugs.

"With all I'm going through? You could have simply put me out of my misery,"I snort, not comprehending that she was pretending all this while.

"I'm weird," she giggles, unloading her bag.

"Yeah, I forgot you are the cat lady," I scoff, remembering she has a cat. "What about Travis by the way?"

"Been a while you asked about him," she muses.

"Have you seen my life? I rarely care for myself." I chuckle, leaning on the furniture as my lower limbs are getting tired.

"Yeah, anyway, he's fine," she replies. In case you are confused. Travis is the name of her cat.

"We still have an appointment with Nonye today right?" I question, recalling our appointment for the day.

"The wedding vow lady and her fiance?" Glory asks in noticeable confusion.

"Yes," I voice, gaping at her wierdly. "How could you have forgotten about Nonye?"

"You said it yourself, things have been crazy," she answers in a smirk. "Do you think it will still hold?"

"What? The appointment?" I investigate.

"Yeah, with all that's going on?" She asks, bending on the table to face me, hand in cheek.

"There's only one way to find out I suppose," I speak, internally praying it works out.

"What's the venue again?" She asks, picking up her notepad to glide through the pages. "It says here, 'Mr Biggs."

"We move," I say, standing and making my way back to my office, glancing at the clock on the wall. "We'll be leaving in an hour,"

"Yes boss," she mock salutes, and I halt at the door.

"Glory?" I invite.

"Yes," she answers, smiling at me.

"I'm deeply sorry about today." I repeat.

"Don't worry about it, I understand," she mumbles, waving me off.

"Thank you," I appreciate, hand on the doorknob.

"It's okay, now shoo," she declares. " Go have some rest."

I smile in return and walk into my office, shutting the door and doing as I'm told by getting comfortable in my sit and resting my head.

*********

"Hello," I greet, as I arrive at her table located at the center of the fast food restaurant. "Where is Mezu?

"He's absent," Nonye who's dressed in a bodycon single strapped black gown responds curtly.

"Why?" Glory inquires, at my side as she too observes the empty seats surrounding our clients table, no sign of her fiancee.

"He just didn't come," she mutters in the same grim attitude as before, her lashes fluttering in an unwelcoming manner.

"I hope all is well?" I ask, aiming to understand the reason for his absence.

"All is well with us." she blinks, slanting her position to peer at us directly.

"Okay," I nod, gawking at her suspiciously due to her current behaviour as I swerve a plastic chair to my side so I can sit. "I'm curious because as you know, we are done with yours so far, so we simply need to work on his."

"That won't be necessary, we'll manage," she blurts, stretching her arm to retrieve her bag.

"Your choice," I shrug, though not comfortable with the decision but I don't oppose it hence it's not in my duty to do so.

"If that's the case, let's finalize yours," I say, collecting my notebook which Glory hands out to me from her purse. "By crosschecking for errors and any line or sentence you want to be erased before it's printed."

"I said, that won't be necessary," she repeats, clutching her bag as she stands.

"I don't understand," I blurt out my thoughts as I gaze at her, perplexed.

"Ana, I'm sorry, I can't continue with this arrangement." she announces, peeking down at me.

"Kindly explain to us what you are insinuating," Glory voices, probably as confused as me.

"It is exactly what I'm saying, I can't continue with this, and hereby terminate the contract. Don't worry I won't be asking for a refund," she lets out.

"Why all this?" I request, my voice about breaking in hurt.

"Because of what's going on Ana, don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about," she goes on to say.

"Oh I see," I bob my head in understanding.

"Don't be hurt," she strives to console, instead her tone comes off as mocking as she says, "I'm just taking precautionary measures, I don't want what happened to Emily to happen to me. I love Mezu so much and I can't stand to lose him."

"You know, this is funny," Glory laughs, but it doesn't reach her eyes.

"How?" Nonye implores.

"It is because you don't know the full story, and it appears you don't even want to know or see things from another POV," she continues.

"What else is there to see?" Nonye taunts, hanging her bag on the crook of her arm.

"Nothing," Glory smirks. "Because you are not even looking. You are just like the rest of them. Believing what you are told and shown without proper research, not recalling there's two sides to every story."

"How can there be another story when all the media houses are saying the same thing?" She implores, while I'm silent all this time as I bemoan my fate at the consequences of my actions.

"It's as I said, you are like the rest of them," Glory retorts, giving a sinister grin. "It was nice doing business with you Nonye. I thought you were different, I guess circumstances reveal what people really are. I pray too that you have a marriage. Goodbye."

"Ana, it's time we depart," Glory turns to me.

"Have a nice life Nonye," I say as I follow Glory out of the restaurant, the eyes of Nonye and every other person present trained at us, some whispering, others pointing fingers, such that I bow my head in embarrassment, aiming to shield my face from the crowd.

Imagine being called a homewrecker.

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