chapter 5

"Why did you do that?" Christine asked after dragging her out of the restaurant.

"Do what?" Ella asked with confusion written all over her.

"Did you lie to him?" She asked as she widened her eyes.

"Yes, I did." She responded and had her face glued on the floor as she couldn't look straight into Ella's face.

"What happened Christine? Why are you doing all this? You even abandoned your family. Your dad will always call me almost every day to ask if you have reached out to me. He is worried about you. What is all this and what are you doing here?" Ella let out but Christine

"But I told you everything Ella and I'm sorry I did not tell you that I was going to leave. I just couldn't hold it down anymore. I tried to talk to you about it, trust me." Christine let out with pain written all over her.

"Yes, I understand but you don't know anyone here, what the hell are you doing here?" Ella asked again and Christine kept mute.

"How did you even get here?" She added but this time Christine shocked her she smiled and walked back into the restaurant after warning her not to mention anything about her past.

Before Ella could process it all and walk back inside the restaurant to meet them, Christine and James were already on their way out; they all hugged each other and left.

The car was driving slowly with soothing music and different sounds of cars passing by. James was still bothered about what Ella was talking about and he decided to ask Christine.

"Turn it off!" James half yelled and the driver silenced the music almost immediately.

"Christine," James called out.

"Yes?" She answered and glared at him with a grim expression as she already knew he was about to talk about something important.

"What was your friend talking about? Your family?" He asked with a stern voice.

"What happened to your father and what is she talking about?" He added.

"Oh please you don't need to be worked up about that. Ella was drunk and she was not herself." Christine let out.

"I already told you what happened and how I got here," said James, nodding at her with a smile on his face.

She denied everything and made sure she took the thought of her having any family out of his head and their conversations afterward.

Two weeks later the relationship between Ella and James was growing stronger and they were meeting regularly and of course, it was all behind Christine's consent.

The relationship with Christine too was grooming well and they had already started the preparation for her wedding with James even though Ann was totally against it James was still going to go ahead with his plans to marry Christine.

James has been trying to persuade Christine to follow him and start working with him at his office because she is very good with negotiation. Anytime she follows him to his company or works with him it is always fruitful and more profitable for him.

The wedding date was fixed and held. When they got back home after the wedding celebration, Christine made sure everything was in order and night and she called James to talk to him.

"I'm sorry this is coming out late. I was just scared and was not sure about your intention. I am pregnant." Christine announced.

"What? Wow!" James yelled as he jumped up and hugged her.

"Than…" Before he could complete his statement his phone began to ring and it was Ella, he immediately grabbed his phone before she could look as the phone was beside Christine.

He walked out of the room and answered the call. "I need to see you tonight," Ella announced over the phone.

"But you understand that it is my wedding night and I need to be with her," James responded with a confused look on his face.

"I need to tell you something very important." She added and James was silent for a moment.

"Alright, I will come and see you now but you need to understand that I can't stay too long."

"Alright I just need to talk to you and that's it." She insisted.

They decided to meet in a hotel. And James told Christine that he needed to be somewhere very important and he left even before she could persuade him not to go.

"I have been guilty consciously for knowing the truth and not telling you," Ella said looking very serious.

"Really?" James asked with full concentration.

"Christine did something very bad and the shame of being called out and embarrassed by her family was the reason why she moved out."

"What?" James was becoming furious with what he heard about his newly wedded wife already.

"She was a sex worker and she did steal. She was caught stealing and almost penalized but her father came through for her with his influence." She added.

James was pissed and he did not care to ask or discuss anything with Christine instead he believed everything Ella told him about Christine.

Even though Christine told him about her pregnancy he was happy about it but the thought of what he heard about her was already eating him up.

Four months later the pregnancy was becoming obvious to everyone and that was when Ann came to visit them at home.

"You forced yourself on my son and even bewitched him to marry you." She said instead of responding to Christine when she greeted her.

"Ma'am I am sorry for whatever it is that I have done wrong to offend you please let's leave together in peace now that I am already married to your son." Christine pleaded.

"If you want me to forgive you, move out of here. I don't want you in my son's house or his life, you are a witch." She yelled at her.

"Mum, that's enough, please, what do you want to eat and drink?" James asked, breaking his long-time silence.

Christine, who was already on her knees, held Ann's leg to beg her to accept her, and she was pushed away with force. Christine staggered and she was unable to balance well after the push.

She hit her stomach on the edge of one of the chairs and went down immediately. She was growling in pain and rolling on the floor as blood began to flow from her private part.

James rushed towards her and picked her up as he looked at his mother with anger.

"What have you done?" He roared.

"Is that all necessary? Why will you push her like that?" His voice was very stern and fearful as he hurled words at his mother with gall.

"You better take her to the hospital before she dies there," Ann said nonchalantly.

James couldn't withstand his mother's heartlessness and he carried Christine out, placed her inside his car, and zoomed off.

He had already called the doctor, but it was an urgent situation and immediately he got to the hospital. Nurses were waiting outside with a stretcher. They took her inside and accessed her.

James was not allowed to enter the inside ward and he stood outside the room wandering around restlessly.

After a few minutes, one of the doctors came out and asked James to follow him to this office, and after settling down the doctor broke the silence and pierced his heart again.

"I am sorry Mr. James but the stress Mrs. Christine has passed through too much and it was told on her body."

"She is fine and healthy but the baby did not survive. She had a miscarriage I am sorry." The doctor added and James almost exploded.

"What did you just say now?" He asked as he grabbed the doctor's hand.

"Please tell me if there is a remedy for this please!" James pleaded and he was already shivering he couldn't control the tears rolling down his cheek.

"I am sorry about this Mr. James but you just have to be strong and you need to talk to her please she needs your support and love this time please." The doctor said.

James staggered out of the doctor's office and found his way into the ward where Christine was. Immediately Christine sighted him she turned her back at him and there were more tears in her eyes.

James moved closer to her but she did not allow him to touch her.

"Go away!" She yelled.