I didn't know where Richard was taking me to, so I decided to wear a simple lace black long sleeved cocktail dress. I paired the dress with a simple pair of YSL heels, one that I had gotten for myself not too long ago. I guess I subconsciously went with that pair to remind myself that I can now afford to provide for myself and my family, and that I no longer needed Richard —although I also know fully well that I wasn't with him for his money anymore, the reminder was helpful regardless.

Since I wasn't looking to impress him, I did very light make up that was nearly undetectable.

After getting dressed, I took a minute to stare at myself in the mirror and prep myself on what I want to tell Richard tonight. I fully intend on acting on Diana's advice and breaking things off with him even if it is for a little while.

The relationship wasn't going anywhere, it's something I subconsciously always was aware of but I guess now the signs were just too glaring to be ignored any longer. I was already in love with the man, it's better to break it off with him before he does and breaks my heart. At least now, I have the upper hand, I reasoned.

When I received his text that he was outside, I grabbed my purse, ready to leave the house. Diana slept peacefully in the living room, oblivious to what I was about to do. I had laid her properly on the couch and covered her up, deciding that it was better I not tell her I want to do this now, maybe later.

I walked out of the house fully expecting to see Richard's driver, as I don't think I had ever seen him step foot in my compound (one of our many rules put in place to remain discreet), but to my surprise, Richard stood there beside his car, his hands in his pocket and his muscular form in a black suit with no tie and a slight stubble, giving him a ruggedly sexy appearance.

I felt my steps slow as I took in the man before me, looking every bit as dashing as he was when we had first met. Most Nigerian men looked their age, some even older, but Richard was never one of those. Rather, he seemed to age backwards. At the age of fifty two, he didn't look a day older than 45 and that was something I loved about him.

No, I'm supposed to be breaking up with the man tonight not reminding myself why I fell in love with him in the first place, I caution myself. But it was hard to heed my own warnings with that enchanting smile on his face, which deeply affected me although I didn't return it. I couldn't allow myself to act like everything was fine after the tears I had shed for this man today.

As I approached him, he did the same, pulling me into his arms the minute I was at arms length from him. He inhaled my scent deeply while I tried to do the same without being obvious about it. I would surely miss the sweet scent of wood and pine that I associated with him.

He moved his head, trying to bring his lips up to meet mine but I immediately diverted my head to avoid them. Richard pulled away and stared at me, his expression confused as he tried to probably gauge how upset I am with him. I made sure my face was a tight mask of obvious boredom and avoided giving anything away.

A placating smile came over his face. "Hello, my love. You look stunning."

I gave him a cool look. "Thank you. So where are we going?" I asked as I moved away from him embrace and towards the car. He came forward and pulled the door open for me.

"It's a surprise, one I know you will love." He tells me with a grin.

I nod. "Okay." I say as I slip into the car, Richard doing the same beside me.

The car ride is silent for the most part. He tried to make conversation but I shut it before it could go anywhere. I knew that I had to do this, so I couldn't allow anything he would do to weaken my resolve. But it was hard. Richard, for as long as I knew him, has always known all the right buttons to push. He knew just what to say to get me talking, to get a reaction out of me. That much was obvious when we pulled up at Pasquini's.

He helped me out of the car and I turned to him with a questioning frown. He just had this pleased look plastered on his face, his grin unwavering as he pulled me in.

The place was void of its usual chatter and it took no time for me to realize that it was empty. I looked at Richard in confusion but he just led me to a table at the far left corner of the room, pulling out my chair for me.

We settled in and a man, who I identified as a waiter, immediately came out to us with menus. At this point, I was still confused.

No, I understood perfectly what was going on here but I almost couldn't believe it. I found myself flattered that he paid attention and actually did this for me despite the fact that it was outside his comfort zone. Why now though, was the question that plagued me suddenly. Why was it now when I was really ready to break up with him that he knows he will pull this romantic shit off?

The smile on Richard's face slowly diminished before disappearing all together as he studied my reaction, a serious look taking over his face. "I know I haven't been the best boyfriend lately and I apologize for that. Before I met you, I was certain nothing would ever diminish my love for Cassandra. Me joining that dating site wasn't even my doing, as you know, but I discovered later on that it was all fate when I met you." He paused. "I love you, Ada. And I don't ever want to make you feel like any less of a woman than you are. I don't want you to ever doubt how important you are to me, truly. And I'm sorry if I have made you feel that way lately." He said, sincerity dripping in his tone as he stretched his hand over the table to hold mine.

I found myself distressed but happy at the same time. Happy over his reassurance that I do mean something to him. Some part of me wondered, could I live with that? Really?

When I was younger I wanted to mean the world to someone one day, today wasn't that day. Will that day ever come with Richard? Will I ever mean everything to him when he had a wife and two children? I didn't think so. So I asked myself again, can I live with that?

I found myself deciding then that I can, and for him, I would. So I quickly wiped at the stray tears that had fallen from my eyes and gripped his left hand tighter with mine.

His right hand came up to my face, cupping it in his big palm as he stared into my eyes affectionately. It was obvious Richard loved me, but they say that sometimes, love isn't enough. Was it this time?

I decided to turn of my thoughts for now and just enjoy this night with the man that I love. "I love you too, Richard. And I'm sorry if I've made you feel, in recent times, that you aren't enough for me. It's just... sometimes, I wonder if this is all we will ever be, if this is how it will always be for us. Hiding, keeping us a secret, making sure no one knows about our relationship. I just don't know if that is what I want for myself." I voiced my concerns for once.

"I know, baby, I know. It won't always be this way. One day, the whole world will know that you are my lady, I promise you that." He tells me and I feel my heart almost skip a beat.

The implication of his words are that he could potentially leave his wife one day to pursue a real relationship with me and I almost can't believe I heard him say that for the first time ever. It's really all I ever wanted. I want to ask him when that would happen but I refrain from doing so. Him saying this is big enough for me and I don't want to push it right now, so I hid my excitement behind a cool facade as I nod my head and change the subject to a lighter topic.

He finally calls the waiter over once we decide what we want to order, and the rest of dinner is filled sweet smiles and stolen touches.

At the start of the night, I had seen myself returning home in a fowl mood, sulking and immediately heading to a bucket of ice cream and Netflix to make me feel better but then later on, I found something else making me feel better.

After dinner, Richard and I found ourselves making our way to The Wheatbaker, a luxury five star hotel in Ikoyi. Richard, in true Richard Bamidele fashion, booked the most expensive suite for us which was inconsequential in the long run as the elegance of the room was the last thing on our minds as we stumbled into the suite in a lustful tangle. Our bodies moved in sync with only one goal on both our minds.

That night, Richard made love to me and by the time he was done re-familiarizing himself with every inch of my body thoroughly, my earlier plans of breaking things off with him was a distant thought in my mind, as well as a certain someone.

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