Chapter 11

"What was she doing here?" Jenifer nagged Buchi as soon as he returned.

"Nothing. I swear!" Buchi replied, exasperated that Jennifer was cornering him like some prey.

"Oh nothing? I'm gone for like how many days and you're already having extramarital affairs?" Jennifer accused him.

"Watch your mouth!"

"Or what?! You'll hit me?"

"Jennifer! You know I've never hit a woman. I wasn't raised that way." Buchi replied calmly, staring at Jennifer with sad eyes like some wounded animal.

"There's always a first time for everything" Jennifer retorted nonchalantly.

"Jennifer what have I done this time? Really what's it this time?" Buchi yelled at his wife, unable to suppress his rage.

"Don't you dare yell at me. You're the one who's cheating, not me" Jennifer retaliated, returning his glare.

"J-Jennifer" Buchi called her name through clenched teeth; his jaw muscles stiffening, due to the anger in him that threatened to explode. He closed his eyes for a few seconds and when he opened them again, he was now calm. "Jennifer. If I wanted to cheat on you, I'd have done it a long time. I don't like it when you sap my peace of mind, accusing me of something I didn't do and I've never done." He said in the calmest tone ever. "You know there shouldn't even be an us, if not for what you did."

"Oh here we go again."

"Of course! I would've never had to deal with you, if you didn't take advantage of a man mourning his wife, and then got yourself pregnant."

"Spare me that! You're always rubbing this on my face like you did me a favor, and I'm the villain here. We both know you only agreed to marry me because my dad promised to sponsor your political career and made you rich. If we're pointing fingers here, you're the opportunist — not me" Jennifer flared.

"Fuck, Jennifer! This is bullshit! I never needed him and you know it."

"Yeah, great! Now you're swearing at me."

Buchi closed his eyes again in exasperation, chanting a mantra in his head to calm him down. He spoke again when he finally did it. "Look, Jennifer. I don't know about you, but I don't enjoy us arguing all the time." He said softly, staring down at Jennifer with sad eyes.

"Do I look like I do?" She snapped.

"Please stop." He begged as he hugged her impulsively. Jennifer tried to push him away but he'd not let her. "For the love I have for you — or anything left of it, please stop. Stop, before our marriage crashes. Think about the kids." He pleaded, hugging Jennifer passionately till she succumbed and stopped struggling.

"I l-love you. I really do, but you're always hurting me. You're always making me feel insecure. It feels like you're mine and then you're not, all at the same time. Why?" Jennifer asked, bursting in tears. Buchi did not say anything in return, instead he pushed her back gently, holding her at arm's length. He stared down at her with affection and then wiped her tears away with passionate kisses.

A week later.

"It's been completely one week now and we've not gotten any feedback from him. Do you think his wife must've told him to ditch us because of the incident?" Edith asked Dera, tapping her feet anxiously on the floor.

"I'm not sure. Please just stop talking about the incident. It makes me uncomfortable. It was embarrassing." Dera pleaded.

"You can't just walk into a lion's den and not expect to see a lion!" Edith scolded her. "What were you even thinking?" She asked. Dera was about to reply, before her phone started ringing. She glanced at her phone and immediately her demeanor changed.

"Is him, isn't it?" Edith asked and Dera nodded in reply, moving away from her friend to a more private place.

"Hello?" Buchi called out from the other end.

"Yes, hello?"

"Ah Dera. Okay I'll be brief as possible here." Buchi began, paused for a moment then continued. "I've talked to the governor about your project. I'm not sure yet, but I think he'll consider it." He announced. "Whatever decision it is he makes, I know a way to corner him till he agrees to your demands."

"And what's that?"

"Well my wife..." he suddenly paused, realizing how awkward it felt to mention her. He waited a few seconds, as if expecting permission from an invisible person, before he continued. "Jennifer's hosting a party for her charity organization. Usually when you donate money in the occasion, you get a medium to address the guests. You could use the cue to make a subtle advert of your project. If the people like it, they'll definitely have the governor's balls for breakfast if he dares decline your project."

"Oh my! That was very thoughtful of you. Thank you so much." Dera thanked him excitedly. "So when's the party?"

"Tomorrow."