Rejection

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Sarah's pov

"When is father coming mom," I said in excitement. This was the first day I will finally get to meet the man that mother said is my father. I couldn't wait anymore and I know that he loves me very much, mother said so and I believe her.

"Later today, honey." Mother replied. But the look in her eyes was wary as if she wasn't sure anymore. But I disregarded it anyway after all it was my father coming over and not a monster.

"Does he love me, mum," I asked for the umpteenth time. Excitement written all over my face, I felt awash with a sense of pride. My classmates had always taunted me by calling me a bastard but now I will show them my father, and all the beautiful gifts he would get for me.

"Yes, he does and very much so. Now go take a nap, I will wake you up once he comes." My mother said and cajoled me to sleep.

"Okay mother," I replied happily, I couldn't wait to tell father how much I loved him and missed him. Maybe he would even teach me my homework today.

******

"I told you to abort that thing…, that brat, Helen; but you disobeyed me."

The voices in the sitting room were low but strained, I could hear my mother sob softly as she pleaded with the man she was talking to.

"I have a wife and kids for goodness sakes, I don't need any more children. Especially not from you." He shouted in anger 

"Don't say that Donald, you are hurting me with your words."

"Where is she?." The thick voice asked

"In her room, should I get her?" I heard my mother say that to him.

I felt a thrill rush down my spine. That could only mean one thing, Father is here. I rushed towards the sitting room maybe if he sees me just once he wouldn't be so angry at mum anymore. After all, my mother said I was an angel and brought light into her dark world.

"I don't want to see her." The voice 

Yelled and I froze in place.

"I told you to abort the baby, it could have saved us all this stress."

"She is still your child Donald, just see her once for my sake please." Mother continued pleading with him.

"I don't have any other children except the ones my wife beget for me. You are on your own Helen." The angry voice said and stormed out.

I hid at the back of the door when I heard footsteps coming towards me, he must have noticed me there because he stopped and glanced over me for a second before leaving and banging the door as he left. 

Mother just sat at the sitting room crying, silent deep sobs that made her fragile body shake between sobs. 

I just watched her helplessly, I didn't know what to do. What can a seven years old girl do especially when you know the whole problem resulted from your being born. I felt the sting of burning tears in my eyes and a realization that left a bitter taste in my mouth. "My father doesn't love me and from all indications doesn't want me either." This thought killed me softly, I crouched at the back of the door and held my doll tightly and that was where my mother found me hours after my so-called father left.

********

Donald was Sarah's biological father and a well known respected man in Nigeria. He was the CEO of the leading textile industry in Nigeria and a philanthropist. His story was that of grass to grace, as he left his village and rural life in the village in search of greener pastures when he was just 12 years, from working as an apprentice his diligence and business sense made his boss offer him a partnership position and as he got of age and with hard work, diligence and strategic planning he was able to buy over the business on his 35th birthday before then he was already married with a son and three daughters.

He was in his mid-forties when he met Helen at an event, he was immediately captured by her slender frame and beauty. Her kinky brown hair was held in a ponytail which made her face look slim and chiseled, she had laughing eyes that spoke to his soul and her lips were to die for. Though he was married he had wooed her till she fell for his charm and they started dating. Unknown to her he was already married with children. She only got to know about his marital status 3 years into their affair and by then she had fallen deeply in love with him. 

"I'm sorry Helen, I didn't mean to hurt you." He had begged her the first time she confronted him. " We can end things now, I don't want your future to be halted or ruined because of me. You know I can't marry you."

"No!, I love you so much. I rather remain your mistress." She said between sobs

However Helen had other plans, she would get pregnant for him, if he loves her he would love her child too she had reasoned. 

Helens pov 8 years ago

I had fallen helplessly and hopelessly in love with Donald before I discovered that he was a married man. He had hidden this fact from me or else I wouldn't have dated him in the first place talkless of falling in love with him. My heart broke into a thousand pieces when I got to know of his marital status but I still wasn't able to leave him. Instead, I decided to get pregnant and bear him a child thinking it would make things better and probably get him to marry me.

"I'm pregnant," I said to Donald when he visited me and after we had our usual round of sex.

"You are joking right." He replied, lifting his body up the bed with his elbow as support.

"Why, should I lie about a thing like this. I love you Donald and we are going to be a parent together." I said smiling, my heart filled with immense joy.

"Get rid of it." He said and walked out of the room into the bathroom. In the past, he would have invited me to shower with him but he didn't do that today.

I sat on the bed wondering if he was serious, would he seriously want me to kill his own flesh and blood.

"I want the baby Donald, it will be a part of you that I have. I'm not saying you should marry me against your will, maybe not now but I deserve something from you after spending 4 years of my life with you."

"Are you saying that you got pregnant on purpose because I know you were on some birthing pills." He glared at me, my heart flipped a little from fear but I stood my ground.

"Not really, I missed some days on the pills." I lied, his eyes were so cold and angry.

He hurriedly dressed up and I watched him, his belly was not toned with abs it had a little flesh here and there and his waistline was a bit thick. His hair finely cropped and fitted his round face and button nose with wide thick lips, his brown skin shone from good moisturizing. There was nothing I didn't love about the man standing in front of me.

"Are you leaving already. You just got here and I thought you would spend the night here with me." I stood up and went to him, caressing his thick arm.

He shot me a quick glance and brought out a bundle of one thousand Naira notes and handed it to me. "Use this to get rid of  ...that, you know what I mean." With that, he left me gawking at his back as he walked away from me.

I felt the tears spill down through the trails of my oval face, throwing the money on the desk near me I went to the bathroom to shower, hoping to watch away any negativity affecting me today, the first thing I sighted when I came out of the bathroom was the bundle of money on my desk but I ignored it like a plague and went into the kitchen to make myself some food. 

I heated the vegetable stew I had in my fridge and boiled some yam to go with it before devouring the food right there in my kitchen. I ate more than I usually did possibly because of my pregnancy which was already 3 months, Donald didn't know how far along I had gone which was even better considering how he acted when I told him.

The thought on my mind now was how to convince him to accept the baby.

For almost 2 months Donald didn't visit me, we only talked on the phone but he always sent me money for my upkeep. 

"Hope you have terminated the pregnancy," he asked me again when he called "I would be coming over to your apartment next week and I don't want surprises okay." He hung up on me

"What should I do," I asked myself as I  paced my apartment, the baby bump was already showing and I won't be able to hide it if we made love. "Maybe seeing me glow with the baby would not anger him but endear me to him." This thought pleased me so much and I derived comfort from it which made me show off the bump by wearing a light pink silk gown that highlighted my curves.

"I told you to get rid of the baby." He fumed immediately as he walked into her apartment "I'm married for goodness sakes and you know that I am a well-known philanthropist in Nigeria, this would be scandalous for me." He was really angry now and I tried to pacify him, I hated seeing him this way and afraid that he would leave me after this.

"Don't worry Donald, it would be our secret," I said weakly, I had never been able to challenge him and he always had the upper hand in our relationship. 

"How far along are you."

"Five months," I replied, my voice lower than it used to.

"That means you were almost 3 months gone before you told me." His voice was accusing I felt like crying my eyes out 

"I'm really sorry," I said tears spilling down my eyes, fear gripped at my heart and I felt a sudden regret wash over me. "Was I about to lose Donald because of my stubbornness and it was too late for an abortion." I wondered how I would come out of this situation.

"You will regret this." He said and walked out banging the door behind him.

I didn't hear from Donald throughout the last four months of my pregnancy, it was as if he shut me out of his life completely. I loved him way too much to let him go that was why I made the decision to give my baby up for adoption after birth.

With the help of an NGO, I was able to find adoptive parents for my child. I tried not to connect with the baby but it's little kicks and flutters always left me breathless with joy.

A week to my due date Donald called me, he had probably been counting the day of delivery too. I felt happy maybe he had changed his mind and wanted us after all.

"Hello, Donald." I said into the phone "I've missed you terribly."

"What have you decided." He asked me.

I felt anger growing within me, he wasn't even sympathetic to my plight, and considering I gave up my prime years for him. But I was too vulnerable to shout at him, I couldn't imagine life without him so I kept quiet.

"I will give the child up for adoption," I replied, the words choked me but I said it believing it to be the best.

"Good, I will send some money to you now. Will get back to you once the deed is done." He hung up and 2 minutes later I got an SMS text on my phone, it was from my bank a sum of  5,000,000 Nigerian Naira had been deposited into my account. I used to be over-excited when he sent me money, especially huge sums but today it left a bitter bile taste in my mouth.