MARRIED TO VICTOR STEPHEN💞
#EPISODE_7
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“I said I don’t have any money! You want me to turn myself into money?” I only hear him like that when he’s having an argument with his p@rtners, or some people I don’t know. I quietly closed the door which have slightly opened. I wanted to talk to him about the money for foodstuffs, and other things we nee-ded at home. And to also remind him of the money he promised me. I stepped back a little, not sure whether to go in or not.
“Victoria, I told you I just lost a contract worth fifty million. Dad is so furious with me, and I’m so angry at myself for being so stupid and not being able to do anything.” His voice c@m£ down a little, I guess trying not to let anyone hear about it.
I decided to give him space to let him talk while I waited outside the room. May be I should accept the fact that I wanted to hear what else he has to say. “Victoria,” he said. “Now he is showing his true colour after all you did for that family. Seriously,” he sounded very disappointed. “You nee-d to see his family, or tell Mom and Dad about everything.” He was finally calm.
Been long I saw or heard from any of my friends. Being a wife, a mom, work, home, and children has really taken everyone’s time especially me.
“Imbecile!” I heard him curse. After a little time, I slowly, and quietly turned the door handle. I walked in to find him sitting on the be-d with his two hands covering his face. I sat next to him. “Honey are you okay?” I couldn’t let him know I heard everything. So I decided to ask knowing he tells me anything that bothers him. He never hide things from me.
“I’m fine.” He gave a nonchalant shrug, and looked away from me. I moved closer to him, and t©uçhed his face. I wonder why he didn’t tell me alre-ady. My Victor never hide things from me. I moved my hand to his back, and ru-b it to calm him down. “Honey, you know you can talk to me.” I really wanted him to trust me, and share what was going on with me.
“Suzy, I just said I’m fine. I’m fine!” His voice was raised a little. The sweetness in his voice was gone. Those words c@m£ out cold. I was speechless. I didn’t know what else to say. I didn’t know how else to calm him down.
“Suzy, plea-se come down and serve me dinner. I’m so hungry,” he said and headed downstairs.
Not sweetheart..
Not baby…
Not even honey…
Why couldn’t he share it with me. He would always tell me whenever he wins a contract. I knew of it from the beginning. He alre-ady told me, and now that he lost, he couldn’t share that with me.
Suzy, it’s family matter…
It’s his family…
This is family business…
You can’t expect him sharing his sister’s problem
with you.
Yes. I guess I should have let him be.
I tried to help him with excuses. I tried to accept may be that was the reasons he couldn’t share his worries with me. I turned around to leave for downstairs when my phone ringing tune made me st©p. I decided not to run towards it, so I wouldn’t end up giving myself a quic-k running exercise. I’ve had enough of the Mtn calls. Just then, my phone buzz again. This time, I made my way towards the phone.
‘Suzy I nee-d your help. Victor must not know.’
It was Victoria.
“What’s that?” It was as if I was caught doing, or planning evil against someone. I felt like I was hiding something so big from Victor.
“Suzy, what are you staring at?” He asked again. I bec@m£ so nervous, praying he wouldn’t ask me to show him. Actually I would have given him to re-ad, but I just couldn’t. I demonstrated with my hands. “Just checking my missed calls.” I lied. He was staring like he could re-ad throu-gh me, but I kept to my act.
“What?” I asked him, keeping my phone in my pocket.
“Nothing,” he said. “I’m just hungry. Now plea-se come down and serve me,” he said, and went back downstairs.
I heaved a sigh, and quic-kly deleted Victoria’s message. I deleted her call which c@m£ in, and got rid of it all. I didn’t know why I lied. I felt bad knowing he couldn’t share his problems with me. I might have made up excuses for him. But what if
there are other things he’s been hiding?
______ _______________
I didn’t know who to talk to about what happened. After everything, I decided to share it with Mom. She told me not to bother him, and just let him be, because soon, or later, he would open up.
After a busy and hectic day at work, I called Victor I would get home late, and immediately used the opportunity to visit Victoria.
Their gateman allowed me in, and greeted me. I didn’t call Victoria that I was coming, but I was glad when Jasmin, her gateman told me she was at home.
“Don’t even try to leave this house without dropping what I asked for!” I couldn’t believe the voice I heard. She was yelling, and screaming at the t©p of her voice. Has it gotten to that?
“Fred just shut up! Quit talking nons-en-se. So you think my family has a tree that they pluck money from? You foolish, wretched man!” Her voice was really loud this time. May be because I was close to opening the door, which I did, and was faced with the most interesting, and intriguing sight.
“Victoria!” My voice c@m£ out so loud, that she immediately dropped her husband’s shi-t in shock. As soon as Victoria turned away from him, the poor man didn’t say a simple good evening has he took the chance to escape.
“Vicky what’s that?” It was so ha-rd for me to ask. I would never imagine Victoria acting that way. squee-zing your husband’s shi-t, and shouting at him. “Victoria, why the tears?”
“Because I’m tired! I. am. tired!” She stressed it, screaming the three words so loud that the whole community could hear.
“Suzy, I sold my three buses. And just recently, I closed down my boutique because I have no money to take to market.” The tears couldn’t allow her speak so fluently, but she kept on talking, as she couldn’t hold more tears that rolled down speedily. “I pay the house rent. I pay the children’s school fees, and stupid me. Stupid me!” She got up showing how angry she was.
“Suzy I’m pregnant again!” She bur-st into heavy tears. I felt really bad for her. I was so mad at her husband, but I couldn’t blame him. No responsible man would ever wish his wife becomes the bre-ad winner of the family. But sometimes, the case could turn out so bad. Victoria was staring at me trying to tell me a p@rticular thing, but she doesn’t know how to.
“I want a divorce.” She shocked me with those four words that c@m£ out of her mouth. I didn’t know when I got up on my feet.
“What did you just say?” I wanted to confirm. May be I actually heard something else. “plea-se can you come again?”
Victoria stared at me somehow because of the look I was giving her. “Suzy you can’t un-derstand.”
“Tell me what I can’t un-derstand!” I hope I wasn’t raising my voice, but it was loud enough so she could calm down, and not allow herself make such a hasty decision because she was trying to get out of the mess. “Is he cheating on you? Is he abusing you? Has he done something wrong ap@rt from the situation you’re both in right now?” Victoria could not talk. All she could do was cry, and allow the tears to roll down freely.
To me, Fred was a nice guy, except that he was one of those lazy guys who wants everything to turn out big without starting from the scratch. They’ve been dragging the case for more than two years, and he was there doing nothing. He could start with something, but no, he refused all the ideas given to him to start something small on its own.
“Suzy say something,” my friend said in tears. Her eyes had alre-ady swollen up, red, and still full of tears, re-ady to roll down. Tears never cared that Victoria’s face was too beautiful for a single tear to roll down. I moved closer to her, and hvgged her. I was de-eply careful of the advice to give her, because at this stage, one nee-ds to be careful of the advice you give to a friend or you get from a friend.
“It’s okay,” I wiped her tears away. “You’re just tired. You can’t break down now. Both of you nee-d to fight this together. Especially you, because no one can take care of your children like you would.” I told her the truth my mom tells me. Every marriage has its own share of challenges. ha-rd sh!p. And the only reason is to bring the family ap@rt.
She managed to look at me, and smiled a little. “You know, I just realized something. When it comes to being a mother, I can’t even think of myself alone,” she said. I couldn’t help but smile too. She was right. Before I could take a decision, I think about about my precious twins first. They come first.
I continued with what I was saying. “Well, Victoria my suggestion is that, since he does not want to start a small business, why don’t you talk to Victor or your Dad about giving him a job at the company.”
She responded with a look that made me feel as if I didn’t know what I was saying. “Suzy, it can’t work. Wait,” she said. “Do you even know Dad told Victor to step down?”
“Step down!” That I was not surprised would be a big lie. I was just hearing that from Victoria, and I was stunned because all Victor ever wanted for the company was the best. But as surprised as the news was, I didn’t express the shock, and how awful I felt. “Well, he didn’t tell me.” I was clearly honest with Victoria.
She held my hand, and spoke up. “You know it’s something not that easy to say. Dad was greatly furious when he found out that Victor’s accountant had been embezzling the company’s money. And just recently, the company lost a very hvge contract. All these Dad blamed Victor for,” she explained. “He’s feeling bad as well.”
I was quiet the whole time she was speaking. All these Victor never told me. And just because mom alre-ady warned me, I didn’t give a single comment. It was his family’s business. Family matters, and his family alone should get involved.
I was sure he would never conspire with the accountant to do such a disgraceful act. As much as I felt really bad for him, I hope with what just happened, he would finally realize you don’t depend on your family alone.
“Victor try this business. Try this out. Start something as well.” I scream whenever I see an open opportunity for him. But no, the company, his father’s company…was the only thing he put everything he had on. And now… He has nothing.
No Suzy he has you.
Yes. He has me.
💞💞💞💞💞
To be continued✔