Chapter 5
1374 Words
My eyes were swollen when I woke up. I had spent the entire night doing nothing but crying. I hated myself for not being able to think of a solution. Yes, I admit it—she’s beautiful, rich, intelligent. But when I remind myself that she’s a woman, and I am a woman too, I just can’t accept the idea of being in a relationship with someone of the same gender. The Bible says, “Man is for woman.” So how did I end up trapped in this ridiculous mess?
She slept on the sofa while I got to her bed. I had completely lost control last night, I refused to let her sleep beside me. She didn’t look like someone used to sleeping on a couch. She tried to talk to me, probably because she could sense that I was crying, but I wouldn’t let her touch me.
I woke up feeling someone’s presence.
I wasn’t wrong.
She was standing in front of me.
“You’re awake,” she said softly, smiling before kissing my forehead. “Good morning. Your breakfast is ready.”
My eyes fluttered open. Sunlight spilled through the massive curtain wall, and for the first time, I saw her clearly—Veronica, in the morning light, her hair slightly tousled, dressed casually but elegantly, moving around the penthouse like she owned every inch of it. It was my first morning seeing her here, fully herself, awake, and so real, and it was overwhelming. Now, seeing her in the morning, in her own space, I realized just how impossibly intimidating she could be.
“What do you want?” I asked dully.
“Nothing.”
“What do you mean nothing?” My voice cracked. “So all of this was just for fun?”
“Angel,” she murmured.
“Don’t call me that.”
“Okay. But at least let me do things as your girlfriend.”
“When did I ever become your girlfriend? Don’t you feel disgusted?”
“Why would I?”
“We’re both women!” I snapped.
“And?”
“And it’s—”
“A sin?” she cut in calmly. “Shameful? Disgusting? Or you just can’t imagine yourself having s*x with me?”
“That’s not what I meant.” I stammered.
“It’s fine,” she said lightly. “People always say things like that about us. That we’re disgusting. That we’re cursed. That we’ll burn in hell. Haven’t you heard it all before?”
“That’s not what I meant,” I insisted. “I just… I don’t know how to process this. I can't explain myself well.”
“It’s okay. It’s true anyway,” she continued, her voice steady but sharp. “People say being gay is disgusting. A disease. A stain on society. That we’ll burn in hell. Haven’t you heard all of that before?”
“That’s not what I meant,” I repeated. “If you don’t want to believe me, I can’t force you. I’m just not someone who explains herself easily.”
We ate in silence.
Her penthouse was massive. But my favorite place was her bedroom—because once you opened the curtains, a full curtain wall revealed the entire city below. The view was breathtaking. She has a library too. Maybe she liked reading. A music room and maybe she could sing. I mean, I can sing. (Yes, I’m bragging.) There was even a mini pool. Everything about this place screamed luxury.
“Mind sharing what’s on your mind?” she suddenly asked while slicing mangoes.
“Why don’t you have servants here?” I asked instead. “Your place is huge. You don’t seem like someone used to being without assistance.”
“I only call them when I need cleaning or help,” she replied. “I’m rarely here because of business.” She placed a plate of sliced mangoes in front of me. “Finish that. It tastes good.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t worry, it’s not poisoned,” she added.
Guilt washed over me. I didn’t know how to apologize. I’ve always been terrible at apologizing.
I finished the mangoes and offered to wash the dishes. It was the only way I knew how to show remorse.
As I washed, my thoughts wandered. What if I gave her a chance? What if loving another woman wasn’t wrong?
Should I try… or should I stop this before it goes any further?
I froze when arms wrapped around my waist.
She hugged me from behind. “Looks like my wife is thinking deeply,” she teased.
I laughed at myself. I felt… comfortable. Safe.
“How rich are you, really?” I asked.
“I could buy you an island.”
“You’re not that rich.”
“I could buy you a planet.”
“Still not convinced.”
“What do you want from me?” she laughed.
“Nothing. I just wanted to know how rich the woman I’m marrying is.”
“I honestly don’t know,” she shrugged.
“You think money is what I want from you?” I said seriously. “I don’t care about your wealth. So please… stop forcing yourself into my life.”
I turned to face her.
She kissed me.
Right on the lips.
I froze.
Her lips were soft—softer than I expected. My heart raced wildly. It wasn’t my first kiss… but it was my first time kissing a woman. And it felt different. My first moment where everything became confusing, intoxicating, impossible.
“You’re blushing,” she smiled. Out of shock, I slapped her.
After that, I didn’t see her for the rest of the day. Was she angry? Hurt? Maybe she left so she could finally kick me out. Fine. Maybe that was for the best.
I grabbed my phone and messaged Abcde.
Me: Hey
Abcde: Why did you only reply now?! You didn’t even answer my texts!
Me: Sorry. So much happened.
Abcde: Yeah. I was shocked. You’re getting married. To a woman?!
Me: I know. I think my dad’s lost his mind. Help me.
Abcde: Marry me.
Me: What?
Abcde: I said marry me. If you marry me first, they can’t force you to marry her.
I froze. My fingers trembled as I read it again. Marry me? My first thought was sheer disbelief. How could he even say that? Marry me? But… he was my friend, my closest friend for years. Someone I trusted more than anyone else in the world. And now he was saying this, as if he could suddenly change everything.
A swirl of thoughts hit me all at once. Is this really a solution? Can I trust him? What if it’s a mistake? I could already hear my father’s voice in my head, his anger, his disappointment if he ever found out. But if I refused… I’d be trapped, forced into a life I didn’t want.
And yet… my heart betrayed me. Abcde had always been there for me, a constant I could depend on. He’d saved me countless times from awkward, dangerous, or humiliating situations. Could I really deny him now, when everything felt like it was falling apart?
If I say yes… can he really save me from this nightmare? Will he understand? Will he fight for me the way I’ve always wanted someone to fight for me? The thought was tempting. Terrifying. And somehow… thrilling.
And yet… guilt gnawed at me. Dad. My father will hate me. He’ll see this as rebellion.
And Veronica… what about her? My chest tightened at the thought of hurting her, though I hadn’t even fully processed my feelings.
A deep sigh escaped me. I wasn’t ready. I wasn’t sure I would ever be ready. But Abcde had given me a choice. For the first time in days, I felt a flicker of control over my own life. And maybe… just maybe… this was my chance to reclaim it.
I typed back slowly, my hands shaking. “Okay. Text me the details.”
Even as I hit send, my mind raced with questions, doubts, fears… and a tiny, forbidden spark of hope.
- Writer
