2 Prologue: “The very beginning”

It all began when Eke entered the Metro hotel's elegantly decorated restaurant.

Michael was overcome by a tangle of feelings. You might call it passion, infatuation, or even lust, but he knew right then and there that if he ever let her walk out of the restaurant without him by her side, he'd end up regretting his life's decisions.

'Eke' who hadn't heard of her? The black beauty, the diamond in every man's eyes, the envy of women of all ages, the ideal blend of brains, beauty, and grace; and to top it all off, the daughter of a very wealthy business tycoon. Her admirers referred to her as "reaching for the unattainable skies." She was a force to be dealt with.

Michael was well aware of her intimidating characteristics, but he refused to let his racing heart or the never-ending discouraging appeals of his friends accompanying him at the restaurant stop him from completing the mission at hand. And, despite his many shortcomings as a roadside motorcycle mechanic, he was adamant about climbing the tough, but not impossible, mountain that lay ahead of him.

And so it came to pass that Michael made his move and the beautiful, difficult mountain known as Eke succumbed to his bravery, smooth charms, sweet talks, and his never-ending praise and worship of her.

Eke adamantly stated to her family that if it wasn't him, there could never be someone else, despite her family's petitions and fears about her future with a roadside motorcycle repairer, as well as giving her detailed accounts of her past mistakes. They eventually gave in to her tyrannical tantrums and overpowering theatrics and allowed her to marry Michael, which she so desperately desired.

*****

"Woman, one last time before I snap your neck in half, let go of my shirt!"

Five long years had passed since their marriage, and they now had two very beautiful children, Nellie and Peter Adeleke Michael, to show for it; one would have assumed they would be living the perfect life; after all, they had fought so earnestly for their love, but unfortunately, that wasn't the case for our-once-upon-a-time-lovers any longer; their love had quickly dwindled, and soon, it had become a thing of the past;

Maybe if Eke had known that her life would unexpectedly turn into a living nightmare after five years of hunger-sacrifices and mocked-marriage existence, she would have heeded her family and friends' relentless warnings to stay away from the ill-fated Michael Adeleke.

She'd had it with it all and couldn't bear it any longer.

The endless beatings from intoxication, the never-ending parade of his young, glamorous conquests, the never-ending starvation and abject poverty, or the utter lack of self-pride and integrity, all filled her glass of tolerance to the point that it cracked and shatter into a million pieces.

Eke packed her belongings and vanished from his world, never to be seen again, not even by her young daughter, who screamed and chased after her until fatigue overtook her little heart and legs. Life could sting no harsher than this.

With two years gone and Eke never thinking it was a good idea to return to Michael or at the very least, look for her children, Michael decided it was time to find a new bride, and besides, his seven-year-old daughter and three-year-old son needed a mother figure to look up to. As a result of that decision, Michael married Gift, a young woman in her late twenties who was one of his many conquests who stood out from the rest.

She had none of Eke's class or, more importantly, the charm that he respected in his first wife, and she wasn't even close to her elegance. Gift, on the other hand, possessed something Eke lacked: the willingness to put up with his numerous bad habits, which made her the ideal candidate for the title of 'Mrs. Adeleke.' As a result, life returned to normal: the children had a new mother, Gift had a roof over her head, and Michael had reasonable exploration independence.

Gift's life had become intolerable six years after the alliance. She couldn't combat the relentless hatred that was slowly eating away at her system like a termite-infested log. She needed an outlet for her frustrations, and her stepchildren, whom she had once loved as if they were her own, became just that.

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Hello there, it's me again! I just wanted to express my gratitude for taking the time to read this chapter; it means a lot to me.

If you enjoyed reading, I will be super grateful if you could cast a vote for me, thank you❤