My sweetheart Episode 21 & 22

21/22
My Sweet Heart💝
#Episode 21
 
 
… Valerie’s POV …
“Wow! This is beautiful… Vale.. You mean Iyke proposed to you??” Eva said happily.
“Yes girl.. Wow.. I was like.. Is this for real?” I laughed.
 
She was in my office, sitting at the edge of my table.
While I sat on the chair, my f!ngersstretched to her face as she admired my engagement ring.
“Babe, does it mean that Iyke had really changed?” She said.
 
“He has and you can’t believe how happy I am.” I laughed.
“I just hope he really is.. You know you deserve the best dear.” Eva said and I smiled.
“I love Iyke babe…and he loves me too.” I said.
She smiled.
 
I remembered, “Eva guess what??” I said.
She rolled her eyes.
“You don come again. Now what is it this time? cos Im sure I won’t guess right.” She said.
I laughed. “Joy’s birthday is today. Can you believe that?” I said.
She g@sped.
 
“Are you serious? How did you find out? He told you?”
“Yes.. You know mom called to remind me Michael travel d@t£ was on 14 december. Joy overheard and began crying.. I had to ask him the issue and he told me 14th is his birthday and also his teddy bear’s birthday. But Eva im thinking Stella isn’t really a teddy bear but someone who was really special to him. Maybe his girlfriend or his ‘Wi.fe.” I separated the ‘wife’, maybe cos I don’t think he’s married yet.
Such an adult-baby.
 
“Seriously babe, don’t you think we should celebr@te this guy’s birthday?” Eva asked.
“Im getting him somethings anyway.” I said.
“Somethings like?” She asked.
“Ohhh..Birthday cake, another Stella.. and the rest…clothes.” I said.
“Another Stella?” She asked.
 
I laughed, “I mean another Teddy bear.” I said.
She laughed.
“Im seriously coming with you. Like I’ve not seen Joy ever since that day. I still laugh when I recall how he reacted seeing lots of people in.” She laughed.
“He’s funny and weird.” I laughed along.
Eva’s phone rang…
“Emeka.” She said.
“Wow..” I smiled.
 
She picked the call and placed the phone on her right ear.
She was smiling..I noticed.
“Emeka..” She called.
I rolled my eyes.
Can’t she just call him a ro-mantic name huh?
“Huh? A d@t£ tonight? Well okay.” She said.
I watched her.
Emeka wants to take her out on a d@t£ tonight?
“Okay.. bye. See you.” She said and the call ended.”
 
“Emeka loves to give me headache. He’s begging for me to go with him to a friend’s p@rty tonight.” She said.
“Wow.. That’s great. You should go with him. He really nee-ds you.” I said.
She rolled her eyes.
“He worry me alot.” She said.
“Emeka loves you, just shut up girl.” I said.
She laughed.
“So tell me, what’s gonna be the colour of the day? When are we meeting your parents and his?” She asked, smiling..
I hit her pla-yfully on her arm.
“Soon.” I said and win-ked.
 
It was just few minutes to my work-over time, when a knock c@m£.
“Come in.” I answered and my office door opened.
Maureen.
“Goodevening doctor Valerie Orlando.” She greeted with a smile.
 
“Thanks Intern Maureen Graneson. Do you have a message for me?” I asked with a smile like hers.
She walked forward.
“Matron Juliet said you nee-ded my pres£nce.” She said.
Oh.. That was right.
 
“But that was hours ago.” I said.
“Im sorry Doctor. I totally forgot after helping her out in her office.” She said.
“It’s okay. I had the issue solved alre-ady.. Well..” I said and glanced at the quite unkept files on my desk.
I had nee-ded her to help me search for a file, but after waiting for a while for her, I searched it myself.
I found the file but arranging the heaps of other files back is quite an issue.
“…Could you help me in arranging those files?” I asked and she smiled.
 
“Yes doctor. Thank you.” She said and went over to them.
“..So Maureen, Are you an halfcaste. You so look like one.” I asked.
“My grandmother is an Isrealite. My dad took her resemblance.” She said.
“Oh.. your dad is an halfcaste and that means you took his resemblance as well.” I said.
“Yes.” She answered.
 
I smiled, “I have an halfcaste friend as well. He’s birthday is today. Im rushing this, so I could go get him something for his birthday.” I said.
She paused what she’s doing.
“An halfcaste friend who’s birthday is today?” She asked.
“Yeahh.. Actually we recently bec@m£ friends.” I said.
“Okay.” She said.
“Happy birthday to him.” She said.
 
Minutes later she was done.
“Anything else to do for you doctor?” She asked.
“No Maureen. Thanks for that.” I said.
She smiled, “Alright. Goodnight doctor. Im leaving.” She said.
“Bye Maureen.” I said.
She turned and walked out, closing the door gently.
I inhaled…
“Time to get going.” I breathed.
 
 
I drove straight to Shoprite mall.
It was kinda close..but not too close.
I nee-ded to suprise Joy for his birthday.
I wonder how old he is now.
Will he know just like he know his birthday?
I stepped down from my car and closed the door.
Hanging my little white chain purse on my shoulder, I walked into the mall..
It wasn’t crowded. I like that.
 
I will buy a blue creamed cake.
Buy a big blue teddy bear that would be named ‘Stella’
Buy him more clothes and a really nice shoes.
Drinks and popcorn, icecream and baloons.
I know he’ll love them.
I can buy a nice hairband and hair cream for his hair.
Ohh… that’s too much.
Thank God it’s just six o’clock.
 
 
I turned to the clothes rail first.
Five shi-ts….Three shorts…two trou-sers.
Two shoes.
A cute sli-ppers.
 
He look more good on shorts..
Really? haha.
Okay, bo-xers too. Hahaha
I could buy Iyke a nice watch and a n£¢klace.
He’ll love em.
But walking in, My eyes fell on something worst than I’ve ever saw!
Iyke…. That was Iyke over there.. His hand around a girl’s w@!ste.
They were searching throu-gh the rails of price tagged bags..
Their back was on me, but that was Iyke.
I bought that shi-t and trou-ser on him.
I stood perplexed as I watched the girl gr-ab a cream coloured channel bag, turned and k!$$£d him.
 
He responded by covering her as-s with his palms.
They walked away to another section of dresses..
I felt my world shattering..
I felt my skin peeling.
I was feeling so h0t with anger..
So cold with regret.
Isn’t this Iyke who just proposed to me?
I rushed out…. I held the tears, till I was in my car, then I shut the door and bur-sted into tears.
That was when I saw his car.
It was him!
Iyke was still cheating on me.
How could he use me.
Why did he make me believe he’s changed.
 
I spent long minutes there in my car crying… till I saw them.
Iyke and the bit-ch..
She had two filled up bags and they laughed as they walked towards his car.
I bur-sted into cries again..
He didn’t even notice my car.
Before they went in, He k!$$£d her.
He k!$$£d her three good times and squee-zed her as-s like forever.
I felt heartbroken.
I’ve beem fooled all this while..
I was loving a life time cheater.
A cheater who would never st©p cheating!
Eva was right.
Eva was so right..
 
 
They finally entered his car and he drove off.
Without still knowing this was my car.
He didnt even glance.
 
When I couldn’t cry more… I turned on my car engine and drove out..
Im going to his house.
To deal with both him and the fool with him..
Iyke can’t keep on ma-king me feel this way.
I dropped everything I wanted to get for Joy’s birthday.
Iyke had just shattered my happiness.
Iyke is still cheating on me!
After all I’ve done to him.
 
After all the promises he made never to hurt me again.
After engaging me with thisfu-cking ring!
“Do Iyke really love me?” I asked myself.
“What if Eva was right…Iyke had been using me.” I asked myself again.
I wiped the tears in my eyes.
I’ll find out the truth tonight.
 
 
I got to his house and drove in.
It has no gate, ma-king it easier.
I got down and scanned around.
His car isn’t here….
He didn’t come home with the bit-ch right?
Anyway, I walked to the door and pressed the doorbell.
I’ve cleaned up my tears, ma-king it apear like nothing’s wrong.
 
When it seem like no one was coming, I pressed the doorbell again.
Im sure there’s someone inside.
The interior lights are on.
Yeap, there is, cos at that minute, someone opened the door.
I g@sped.
Lizzy..
 
She smiled at me.
She had a blue singlet over a white bomshort.
“Hello Valerie.” She said and stretched forth her hand for a handshake.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
She chuckled.
I can’t believe Iyke had her in his house and also is out with someone else at the same time!!
“Miss Engaged.” She said and glanced at the ring on my f!nger.
 
“Get out of my way!” I seethe and she shrugged and did.
I walked in and stood at the centre of the sitting room with my hands on my h!ps, scanning around angrily.
She chuckled again, went over to a couch and sat down, crossed her legs and lighted a cigarette.
I breathed and walked towards the be-droom.
 
I saw her big box beside the his wardrobe.
So she’s been here all this while.
Her shoes… Her bags.. Her things.
Does this mean Iyke pla-yed games on me.
Does this mean.. Lizzy was the claimed Chioma?
I rushed out….
She was smoking.
“You were the Chioma right?” I asked.
She puffed hair and smiled.
“You are nothing but a fool.. Just like I was.” She said.
 
“What the hell do you mean by that?” I fired.
She chuckled.
“You don’t shout at Lizzy when you dey talk to her to avoid messing up your pretty face.” She warned.
“You don’t know who I am? do you?” I barked.
She scoffed, “You are nothing but a fool.” She scoffed and I breathed.
“Why are you here?” She asked.
What?
“How dare you ask me why im here. This is my fiancee’s house. I bought this house for him! I should be the one asking you why the hell you are in my fiancee’s house!” I fired.
She bur-sted into a weird laugh.
 
What’s funny.
“Financee…. Hahaha…Just answer the question. Im not dragging the house with you..” She said and smoked..
“Why the hell are you here?” I yelled.
She snapped up from the couch.
“Because he was my b©yfri£ndtoo!” She yelled back.
He was her b©yfri£nd?
 
#Episode 22
30mins Later:
… Valerie’s POV …
I was sitting on the floor, my tears poured endlessly as Lizzy told me everything.
I couldn’t believe it…
Iyke had been using me.
“He…never loved me… He made me do every bad thing to the extent of slee-ping with his friend, drug him and steal the guy’s money. He had S-x with me every single day that he gets so annoyed when I tell him im seeing my period..” Lizzy went on telling me as tears rolled out of both our eyes.
She had a bottle of Gin and she took a break and gulped down a little of it.
I blinked my eyes as more tears fell.
“…I had three ab-ortions for Iyke.. And still br@inwash me with love $h!ts and I kept falling like a fool.. I caught him every now and then cheating on me but he will come kneeling down and apologising in a way that even a stony heart would melt at his sorry words and forgive him. When I do, he’ll have S-x with me over and over again.” She sniffled and wiped her tears.
She shook her head.
 
“…I loved Iyke from the de-epest side of my heart.. I did everything for him.. I sleep with another guy just to get him money. It was like my life ended the day he broke the record, ‘Lizzy it’s over.’…It was four days after our graduation from school. I couldn’t help it..I had to travel to Adamawa, to stay with my Aunt. I suffered the pains… But thanks to my Aunty… She helped me alot to get throu-gh.”
“So why didn’t you act like you don’t know him that day at the restaurant? Why didn’t you?” I asked, my voice cracky.
“I don’t know. I guess I was bewitched. Maybe cos I once loved him. Or maybe you were the reason.” She said.
“I was the reason?” I looked at her, but my vision was blur cos of the too much tears.
“Yes. Maybe for you to know who truely Iyke is throu-gh me. Iyke never loved you.He wants this three million to fly out of the country with his friend and never return…I have the record… Listen.” She said and took out his phone..
Soon, Iyke voice c@m£ in.
 
“….I’ll have this three million in just a t©uçh of my f!ngerson her skin.. By the time I spin her dummiest br@in with my sweet lies… and the fake engagement. Wow.. Valerie is un-der my palm. She’s paralysed in my charm Lizzy, so nothing you fv¢king say to her is gonna make her believe you, who-re. I don’t wanna see you still here in my house by the time im back from work.”
Lizzy’s voice c@m£ after,
“….I told you im spending a month here.. And you will do nothing about you. I don tell you. Its final.”
 
Lizzy ended the audio record.
I was perplexed, bewildered.
I felt like crying a pool.
I had been a fool.
I had been a total idiot.
I have stupidly loved…
 
“You see.. I advise you babe, run from Iyke… End everything you have with Iyke. The engagement na fake.. The love na scam. He’s not what you think he is. Don’t let this guy get close to you again. Break up with him and get his selfish self out of your life for good Valerie. I see you as a really nice person. You don’t deserve him. Throw away that damn fake ring and get going..” She said.
I wiped my tears and stood up.
My feet wo-bbled but I managed to stand straight.
 
“Thank you so much Lizzy for letting me get to know who Iyke really is. I have been a fool foolishly inlove with a bastard like Iyke. I feel like endinging his …but its over. Even without listening to the records… All you said he did to you.. Every tears that rolled out of your eyes had made me believe he is really a monster.” I said and walked away.
Out the door, I glanced at the ring,
“Damn you!” I seethe before pu-lling it out and dropping it at his doorstep.
It’s over.
Forever…
I have loved the wrong person.
My was right… Eva was.
 
I cried as I drove straight home.
The gate was opened in few minutes and I drove in…
I got down and walked straight inside.
I slumped onto my be-d and cried so much that I felt myself shrinking..
My head hurts so much but my heart was in too much pain.
I cried out without minding if Joy’s gonna hear me…
The pillow soa-ked in my tears in just few minutes..
 
Remembering everything I had done for him.
Remembering the way I felt for him.
The love…
My b©dy that I gave to him..
My soul, my life!
Remembering last night, when he faked that proposal..
Remembering it was all a fake..
I couldn’t help it..
I bur-sted into a loud cry..
“Aunty Valerie..” I heard Joy’s voice.
He’s in.
 
I didn’t lock the door.
I didn’t bother to look at him.
My face was on the pillow.
I kept on with my loud heartbroken cry.
“Aunty Valerie. What. Is. It? You. Are. Crying.” He c@m£ forward.
I ignored him.
Iyke had shattered my heart.
The pains are so unbearable.
I have been a fool. A fool inlove with a heart piercer.
A love scammer.
Im now a victim of a heartbreak.
Funny how stupid I had been.
 
..
Joy bent and tapped my sboulder slightly.
I sniffled, “Joy, just go out. I want to be alone.” I said, and turned my face to the other side.
I didn’t hear his voice again…
I didn’t bother to turn my head to check.
I just closed my eyes and cried more..
I heard my phone ring, but I didn’t care.
 
… Joy’s POV …
I don’t know why Aunty Valerie is crying.
But im sad because of it…
Im going to cry too.
I thought she was going to come back with something for my birthday, I was happy.. Expecting new clothes and Icecream..
But im so sad…
She ended up coming back with tears..
She even told me to go out…. but Even though im in the sitting room. Im still hearing her cries..
 
I think im going to cry.. if she don’t st©p.
I think im going to cryyyy..
“Aunty. Valerie. plea-se. st©p. Crying.” I mumbled as tears rolled down my eyes..
But she don’t want to st©p.
I stood up and walked back to her room.
She is still crying….
I sat down on the edge of the be-d and folded my arms as I watched her cry.
… Valerie’s POV …
I know Joy c@m£ back..
He’s currently sitting on the edge of the be-d.
“Joy, why are you here again?” I asked, sniffling.. and without looking at him.
He ignored my question but instead, sniffled.
I turned to look at him and realized tears were rolling down his eyes.
 
“Why are you crying Joy?” I asked as I sat up and cleaned more of my tears.
His hands were crossed.
“I.Can’t. Be. Happy. When. You are. Sad. I. want to Cry. With. Youuu.” He said, crying more.
Even loudly.
“Joyyy.. What are you doinggg?” I said and went over to him.
placing my hands on his shoulder.
But I guess that made him cry even more.
“No.. I. will. Cry. With you… I. Will.cry. With you. I will. cry with youu.” He kept reapeating causing tears to begin rolling down my eyes again..
 
He’s so concerned about me.
“It’s okay Joy..” But he was really crying, loudly and I couldn’t help it..
I pu-ll-ed him into a hvg.
“Im not crying again.. Im.. im not gonna..” but I bur-sted into my own cry.
“He has been using me all this while… I loved him so much. I gave my everything to make him happy. I made him my everything. But he pla-yed me. Iyke pla-yed with my heart. I..can’t be…” I couldn’t talk anymore.
I cried instead..
 
Then I felt Joy’s hands on my back as he began patting me softly… Like im a slee-ping child and began singing a lullaby song for me..
Can you believe that?
I felt this act really tender… even though it was childish..
I kinda liked it.
I rested my head more comfortably on his shoulder, and cried more….
He kept singing… soon, my loud cry turned into a soft whimpering..
Maybe I sle-pt off on his shoulder but I woke up later, to see a duvet wra-pped over my b©dy…
I closed back my eyes but felt something t©uçh my skin.
I turned to see Joy, slee-ping soundly beside me.
What?
I sighed and stared at him….
Till I sle-pt off again
 
Tbc
The beat has changed….
And I think this is a new start for Vale and Joy.
Till then…