Charles was still as a statue when I ended the call with Onyi, he must have suspected that I sensed something a while ago.

The other day it was Crazy Grace his partner, today it was Grace my friend.
Life has become tricky all of a sudden, a routine clandestine to the eyes of others but plain for me to see, is being played out here.

Charles messes up
A memory pops in
I forgive him, then another mess up begins

This was way too tricky, life was making me forgive him, was it?
One thing was for sure, I'm definitely going to see Mr. Ajayi and I am damn well going to that get together, also when I get there, I am going to speak to this Grace. Who happened to be my friend and also happened to cheat on her husband with my husband. Oh it was very clear to me what was going on.

His reaction when I mentioned my boss, an even worse reaction at the mention of Grace Maduka.

I could slowly feel the rage rise from my pits and spread to my face. He cheated on me with my friend, made Jude break up with his wife.

Does Charles even deserve to be angry with Jude?

Except, wait a minute
Grace Maduka was my friend even though I could remember very little about her, and the little involved my pointing a gun to my head and a big revelation about sleeping with my husband. Then the revelation about being in love with my husband

She loves Charles!!
Where does that even place Jude?
What the heck was even happening?

Jude was not shocked because i came back to work that day,He was not nice because he was usually nice to his employees. He knew quite well who I was, he also knew that I didn't recognize him.

All thanks to my messed up mind that failed to reveal Grace's spouse. Well ex-spouse.

Jude probably knew who his wife had an affair with, why else would Charles be afraid?

Jude was trying to get revenge on Charles, with me. Does that even make sense?

My head felt like a computer as I processed everything that happened. Charles deserved a hard kick to his groin.

Kicking him would make him feel that I have remembered more, probably more than he suspects.

My hand found it's way to the drawer and I dropped my phone on top of it.

Charles was just staring at me like he wanted to say something and I was probably staring at him like I wanted to break his face.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you babe"

Between gritted teeth I managed to say "okay"

"Victoria, you do know that whenever you say okay, it means it's definitely not okay"

"What do you want me to say Charles? I tell you something about work, then you go all "authoritative and what was that? Were you trying to make me understand your role in the family? He is the head of the family, I am supposed to listen to his commands "
I scoffed, trying to suppress my anger, not for his yelling but his infidelity

"Victoria it's not like that, we are partners in this, we have been partners, I don't want to be that husband who is like a boss to his wife. It's just I don't want you to go out with this boss of yours"

"Are you even listening to yourself, you don't want me to go out with him, did I tell you that I was going out with him? I nukwa m. It's even pointless to be having this conversation with you.
I am going there Charles"

He laughed then stood up
"You know I thought you had changed Victoria, I actually thought that there was something different about you this time. But I just realized that you are still the same stubborn and cold person that you used to be"

His words stung my heart and I almost yelled at him, he was the one who cheated on me and I am termed cold and stubborn. Who was this man in front of me?

"I am done having this conversation with you Charles"

"Are you? Why? Victoria because I called you cold and stubborn. Don't you ever wonder how we were before the accident, we were distant. God you were so cold and distant towards me that it made me angry. I didn't even know why. You'd defy my orders,
spoke few words to me, and when I tried talking you'd only say"Okay"
Suit yourself darling wife, defy me! Go to the get together or party or whatever you call it"

"Defy you, your orders did you even hear yourself?I can't remember what happened to us then, but Charles a woman does not ruin her relationship with her husband for no reason. Don't try to pin anything on me to make me feel guilty or make you feel better about yourself. What you should be asking yourself is "what did I do that made my wife cold?
I guess the accident fixed our marriage by making me forget, because Dear husband, I really want to remember what you did"

His face paled a bit and he became suddenly aware that there was a possibility that I could remember.

"Vicky I'm sorry, I didn't mean what I said, I'm very sorry. I love you so much and I hate fighting with you. Nne m, biko Zie nu please don't go, I'm begging you"

Charles knew I was going to meet Grace there so it was best for him, if I stayed behind.

"Charles I am going "

I watched him pace around the room like a confused teenager, at a point I wanted to give in to his request, but it was high time I faced this tramp of a friend I had. There was no going back on that.
"I'll come with you, please let me just come with you biko"

"Fine, but you're not going into this shower with me, I am very much angry with you "

Christy was surprised that we were going out, but thankfully Christian was on his way to our house. So Christy would have company till we got back.

The car ride was very awkward, we didn't say a word to each other and when got to the place, he snaked his arms around me.
Onyi spotted us immediately and dragged me off my husband almost immediately. And I was delighted that she did, because Charles was irritating me at that moment

We went to get food because Onyi could not hold her craving for fried rice and chicken with salad.
"Who did you leave your children with onyi?
"My neighbors daughter Ngozi, she's an angel. She's always helping me out with the kids. Ezigbo nwa"

"How old is she? "I inquired

"She's Twenty two, She's good with kids and my husband is comfortable with her handling them"

" Comfortable with her kwa , I do hope your husband is not cheating on you with the baby sitter. I prefer younger girls for this kind of job. Now that husbands are on cheating spree, " I paused and then continued"wives too" after all Grace cheated on her husband

"Nawa for you oo, you wan make I dey fear abi, not all of us are as lucky as you are, your husband even came here with you"

Even only she knew why

"Speaking of your husband, who's the lady he's taking to? "

I turned to see Grace holding Charles and speaking with him, his eyes trailed all over and I could tell he was uncomfortable. When his eyes finally found me, he just kept looking at me, till she turned and let go of his hands.
She nodded to him and started walking towards me

"I can't wait to see that tramp who cheated on the boss, it's women like her that ruin people's lives. I'm just waiting for that akwuna,Grace"

Onyi's words would have amused me considering the fact that she was just against Grace because of the boss's kind gesture. But I was too angry to smile
Besides Grace was already in front of us and there was no going back. I am going to face her tonight

"I heard she has slept with so many married men, that Jude was just a victim of betrayal that's why he is so mean, Grace Maduka onye akwuna"

Grace cleared her throat which made Onyi shut up, She never really knows what the Grace she was talking about looks like.

I tore my gaze from Onyi and rested it on her face.

"Good evening Patricia my dear friend "She began

At that point all I could think of was how annoying my middle name sounded , coming from her mouth.

"We have a lot to discuss, you and I"

************************************

A/N: Thanks everyone for following up with this story so far. We are slowly getting there aren't we? 😉