A Love Divided
971 Words
The days after the truth exploded became unbearable for everyone.
In Lagos, Bob moved through life like a man carrying invisible wounds. He stopped answering most phone calls. He ignored friends. Even simple conversations exhausted him.
At night, sleep refused to come.
Every memory tortured him.
His wedding vows.
Alicia’s smile at the airport.
The countless nights he prayed for God to reunite them.
And now all he could imagine was Alicia in his mother’s arms.
The thought alone nearly destroyed him.
Still…
Despite everything…
He could not stop loving her.
That was the worst part.
Meanwhile, inside Agnes’ apartment in Toronto, tension filled every room.
Alicia had become quieter.
More withdrawn.
The guilt inside her was growing heavier each day.
She still loved Bob.
She knew she did.
But what she felt for Agnes was no longer temporary confusion either.
It had become something real.
Something dangerous.
And the deeper her feelings grew, the more trapped she felt.
One evening, Alicia stood near the kitchen sink staring blankly at falling snow outside the window.
Agnes approached slowly from behind.
“You haven’t eaten all day.”
“I’m not hungry.”
Agnes touched her shoulder gently.
“You’re thinking about him.”
Alicia’s eyes filled immediately.
“I hurt him.”
Agnes remained silent.
“You should’ve seen his voice,” Alicia whispered painfully. “He sounded broken.”
Agnes looked away briefly.
For the first time since everything started, guilt touched her too.
But not enough to let Alicia go.
“He’ll survive,” Agnes said quietly.
Alicia turned sharply.
“How can you say that?”
“Because people survive heartbreak every day.”
“This isn’t ordinary heartbreak!”
Agnes’ expression hardened slightly.
“No. It isn’t.”
Alicia stared at her.
Then whispered the truth neither of them wanted to face.
“He trusted us.”
Silence filled the apartment immediately.
Because no matter how they tried justifying the relationship…
That truth could never disappear.
Later that night, Bob called again.
This time Alicia almost didn’t answer.
But eventually she did.
Neither spoke for several seconds.
Then Bob finally said quietly:
“Have you eaten?”
The question broke Alicia emotionally.
Even after betrayal…
He still cared about her.
“Yes,” she lied softly.
Bob nodded though she could not see him.
“How’s Canada?”
Alicia nearly cried at how normal he was trying to sound.
“Cold.”
Bob smiled weakly.
“You always complain about the weather.”
A painful silence followed.
Then Bob asked the question living inside him constantly now.
“Are you with her?”
Alicia closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
Bob inhaled sharply.
That single word hurt more than he expected.
In Nigeria, rain poured heavily outside Bob’s apartment while he sat alone in darkness holding the phone tightly.
“I keep asking myself where I failed,” he admitted quietly.
Alicia’s tears rolled silently down her face.
“You didn’t fail.”
“Then why did you leave me emotionally before I even arrived there?”
“I didn’t plan this.”
“You still stayed.”
The truth of that sentence pierced her deeply.
Bob continued softly:
“I fought for you every single day here.”
“I know.”
“I trusted my own mother with you.”
Alicia covered her face.
“I know…”
Bob’s voice cracked slightly.
“So why does it feel like I’m the only person who lost everything?”
Alicia couldn’t answer.
Because he was right.
Agnes still had her.
Alicia still had Agnes.
But Bob?
Bob was alone.
After the call ended, Alicia broke down completely.
Agnes rushed toward her immediately.
“He still loves me,” Alicia cried.
Agnes held her tightly.
“Of course he does.”
“I’m destroying him.”
Agnes closed her eyes briefly.
“You didn’t do this alone.”
Alicia looked up at her.
“But you don’t regret it.”
Agnes hesitated.
That hesitation said enough.
Alicia stepped away slowly.
“Oh my God…”
Agnes reached for her hand.
“Alicia”
“You really want me for yourself.”
“Yes.”
The honesty stunned her.
Agnes moved closer.
“I’ve spent years alone.”
“Agn”
“And then you came into my life.”
Alicia stared at her silently.
Agnes’ eyes softened.
“You made me feel alive again.”
The words were sincere.
Dangerously sincere.
And that sincerity confused Alicia even more.
Because Agnes was not pretending anymore.
This wasn’t manipulation alone.
It was love.
Twisted.
Forbidden.
Destructive.
But real.
Days later, Alicia made a decision that shocked even herself.
She called Bob late at night.
“I want to help you come here.”
Bob frowned slightly.
“What?”
“I can talk to Agnes.”
At the mention of his mother’s name, bitterness crossed his face instantly.
“For what?”
“She can divorce me legally.”
Bob sat upright slowly.
“You serious?”
“Yes.”
Silence.
Alicia continued carefully.
“If we end the immigration marriage officially, she can help sponsor you another way.”
Bob’s heart began racing.
After years of rejection…
Could this finally be the solution?
“But why would she agree?”
Alicia looked toward Agnes’ bedroom door quietly.
“Because she thinks when you arrive…”
Her voice weakened.
“…I’ll eventually come back to her.”
Bob’s expression darkened painfully.
“And will you?”
Alicia froze completely.
She had no answer.
And Bob noticed immediately.
Far away in Canada, Agnes stood silently behind the bedroom door listening to everything.
And despite the pain in her chest…
She smiled faintly.
Because deep inside herself, she believed one thing completely:
No matter what happened…
Alicia would always return to her.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD