BENEATH THE CROWN
(AMANDA’S TALE)
Chapter 16
MIRABEL’S POV
It’s been a day since Ujunwa fell unconscious, and I really have no idea what the problem was and what led to her being unconscious. I couldn’t stand the sight of her pale face and walked out of her ward. Tears rolled down my eyes as I walked out of her room, thinking of my life.
I have been in tears as reality dawned on me. I lost everything I had while chasing shadows. Emeka was a sweet guy and the best I could ever ask for; he sincerely loved me and was ready to do anything I asked for. He sponsored my education at the university and spoiled me silly. I was the richest among the three of us because of Emeka, but I got gréédy and jeâlous when Ujunwa started dating Somadimma. I couldn’t stand how he lavished money on her. I let my jealousy get the better of me and resorted to doing hóokups to remain the richest in the group. I really regret my actions, but it is too late to cry; I have lost him, the one that really loved me.
I hate Amanda; she is just too good. She was the only one in our group who wasn’t after material things or money and rejected so many guys that asked her out, struggling to see herself through school. When she got the job in the hospital, I was really jealous because her job paid more than mine. But what broke the camel’s back was her date with Michael. This made jeálousy cloud my eyes. Ah! I really regret my actions.
Tears rolled down my eyes as I realized that things will never be the same. What will become of me now? Where will I go from here? All this clouded my mind that I didn’t notice when someone walked in.
“She has woken up,” the voice said. I turned to see who it was, and it was the nurse taking care of her. I raced to her room with questions running through my mind.
“Ujunwa, Ujunwa! Are you alright?” I asked as I entered the room. But I noticed tears in her eyes.
“Why, why am I alive? Why did you revive me? Why didn’t you just let me die?” she asked, throwing a serious tantrum.
“Ujunwa, calm down, what is going on? What is the problem?” I just couldn’t fathom what the problem could be.
“Mirabel! I am finished ooo, I am finished,” she repeated, shaking her head.
“Can you calm down and explain what is going on?” I shouted at her in a bid to calm her down.
“Mirabel, I have lost him, I have lost him too,” she said, shocking me. I hope it isn’t what I am thinking.
“Tell me, it is a joke, tell me you are lying,” I said, shaking her. This has to be a lie; she can’t lose him too. What is going on?
“I didn’t just lose him, I lost him to my sister; my kid sister that I trained in school. In fact, I want to go home, I want to ask what I did to deserve this kind of betrayal,” she stood up from the bed, removing all the drip from her hand. The nurse tried holding her but it proved abortive.
I stood in a corner with tears; what is going on? I am yet to get over my breakup with Emeka, now this. Could it be that Emeka has disclosed what happened in the village? No! it can’t be.
Ujunwa rushed outside not minding her appearance, and I followed. Oh God, let it not be true. I just want to wake up from this nightmare.
We got to Soma’s place in no time and met her sister Ugonma sitting close to Soma, holding hands.
“What is going on here? What is the meaning of this, Soma?” Ujunwa asked with anger coursing through her veins. I was expecting to see remorse or shock on their faces, but I saw none.
“Oh! You are here, good because I want to let you know ‘we are over,’ completely over and to also inform you that I am getting married to your sister,” he said without remorse.
Ujunwa lost her balance, and her knees gave way. Tears couldn’t stop rolling down her eyes.
“Why? Why did you do this to me? What did I do wrong? Please tell me, what was my offense?” she snapped.
“Ok! I will tell you. Do you think that I don’t know that you have been cheáting on me? I just loved you so much that I overlooked it. I thought you will change, but no, you refused and continued making a fóôl out of me. I became depressed because of the love I had for you. But you didn’t notice or should I say you were too busy to notice. I thought if I married you, maybe just maybe you will reconsider and love me back like before. I blamed myself for your change and made sure to satisfy your whims, but it wasn’t enough to stop you. I decided to build a house before our marriage, but you refused because you wanted a lavish wedding. I decided to give you what you want but fell ill and was still battling depression. You didn’t care; it was your sister who took care of me and nursed me back to health. I decided to explain to your parents the situation on the ground and wanted to break off the engagement, but they refused and decided to marry your sister to me. I just couldn’t take it anymore, so I agreed. What I want to ask you, what did I do to deserve this emotional torment from you, what exactly is my offense? Answer me,” he snapped, causing us to shiver.
“My love, I am sorry, I was too foolish to do all those things. I just wanted to have excess money and never be poór again. My love, I promise to never cheát on you again, and I will do everything to be a good wife to you. Please just forgive and accept me back. Please,” she pleaded, crawling towards him.
“Just remain where you are. Do you honestly think that I wouldn’t find out what you did to Amanda? Well, Emeka and I have been in contact, and he told me what you and Mirabel did to Amanda. What did she do to deserve such wîckedness from her friends? I can’t be with someone so wîcked to do this to her own friend,” he said.
“Ugonma, please beg him to come back to me; I promise to change all bad habits and be a good wife,” Ujunwa cried as she held her sister’s leg.
“Sister, all I want to ask is why. Why did you do this? After all, Uncle Soma has done for our family. It is because of him that you and I completed our degrees, it is because of him that our father and mother have a business that they are managing, it is because of him that we are no longer póór. But what did you pay him back with? You were busy cheáting on him without remorse. Sister, sorry to say, but you are wîcked. But I have decided to take your position; I don’t repay good with evîl,” Ugonma replied with a grin on her face.
I could feel the pain Ujunwa was going through. Just one singular act in the village had ruined a relationship that took years to build. Tears rolled down my face; I wished I could turn back the hands of time, I wish I never did what I did in the village.
Nothing was ever going to remain the same, and I don’t know what the future holds for me.