Seven

KELILAH'S POV 

I gripped my bag tightly as I walked down the bustling sidewalk, each step heavy with heartbreak. The day was still bright, but it felt like dusk in my mind. I could sense curious stares from people passing by, perhaps noticing my swollen eyes and tear-streaked face, but I kept my gaze fixed on the ground, unwilling to meet anyone’s eyes.

My phone vibrated again, a persistent buzz from inside my bag, but I ignored it. I wasn’t ready to face anyone—not yet. Today, everything that once made sense had fallen apart in a single blow. My life, my happiness, my sense of peace—all of it shattered by a revelation I could never have prepared for.

For two years, I’d believed I was living a fairytale. Although, in the last few months, doubts had begun to fester. The late-night phone calls, the excuses, the unexpected disappearances... my instincts had been screaming at me that something was wrong. But each time, I’d silenced them, convincing myself I was paranoid. I’d wanted so desperately to believe in Jackson, in us. Now, it felt like I’d been living in a fool’s paradise.

I could feel the weight of strangers’ gazes on me, so I hurried into a nearby restaurant, scanning the tables until I spotted an empty one tucked into a quiet corner. I sank into the seat, resting my bag beside me, and pulled out my phone. Tyra’s name flashed on the screen. I hesitated, but finally pressed ‘accept.’

“Hello?” I managed, my voice breaking as I spoke.

“Oh my God, Kelilah! Where have you been? I’ve been calling you for hours!” Tyra’s voice was laced with worry, but all I could do was choke back another wave of tears.

“I… I’m sorry,” I stammered. My throat tightened as tears threatened to spill again. How could I explain this nightmare to her? How could I even begin?

“Are you okay?” Her tone softened instantly, but I couldn’t answer, so I nodded before realizing she couldn’t see me.

“Yes,” I whispered, though we both knew it was a lie.

“Kelilah, you know I can tell you’re not okay. Where are you? I’m coming to you right now.”

“I’m... at La Brise, the café we like,” I replied, my voice barely a whisper.

“Stay there. I’m on my way,” she said before hanging up.

A waitress approached just as I ended the call, her eyes kind as she asked, “Would you like to order something, ma’am?”

“Just water, please,” I replied, forcing a weak smile.

She gave me a look that told me she saw through my attempt to appear fine, but she didn’t press further. Instead, she returned a few moments later with a bottle of water and a glass, setting them down with a gentle nod.

“Thank you,” I muttered, turning my attention back to my phone. Another message from Jackson lit up the screen, and I couldn’t help but read it once more. He wanted to talk. Of course, he did—he probably realized I’d discovered everything.

Sighing, I powered off my phone and pushed it back into my bag. No more distractions. All I needed right now was Tyra, and thankfully, I didn’t have to wait long. Not ten minutes later, she walked in, scanning the room before spotting me and rushing over.

“Oh, honey,” she breathed, pulling me into a hug the moment she reached me. “You look terrible.”

Despite everything, I let out a bitter laugh. “Trust me, I feel worse than I look.”

“What happened?” she asked, settling into the seat across from me, her eyes filled with worry.

I took a deep, trembling breath. “I was right all along, Tyra. Jackson... he’s been lying to me. He has another woman”

Her expression shifted from shock to anger in an instant. “That bastard! I always had a bad feeling about him. How did you find out?”

I swallowed, feeling the sting of fresh tears. “I went to his house this morning. I thought I’d make it up to him for not visiting him all this while. He even gave me a late birthday gift, and for a moment, I thought maybe my doubts were just my insecurities. But when I went to his room to drop off the gift, I found…”

My voice cracked, and Tyra reached across the table to squeeze my hand, her touch grounding me. “Take your time,” she urged.

I took a shaky breath, trying to steady myself. 

“I had once found women’s clothing… makeup… things that weren’t mine. I wanted to believe there was some explanation, something that made sense. But deep down, I knew.”

Tyra’s eyes flashed with fury. “Kelilah, I’m so sorry. And you never thought to tell me what you were feeling before?”

“I didn’t want to jump to conclusions. I thought I was just being insecure. I didn’t want to seem paranoid.” The words tumbled out, each one bringing with it another pang of regret.

“But you had every right to question it! You already had enough evidence,” she insisted.

My tears were flowing freely now. “I didn’t want to believe it, Tyra. I loved him too much. I thought maybe if I ignored it, it would go away.”

She shook her head, exasperated yet gentle. “Kelilah, love should never make you feel like you have to turn a blind eye to the truth.”

I took a long sip of water, trying to compose myself. “Last week, I found a message on his phone—from a gynecologist. I think he was... he was trying to have a baby with her.” I choked on the last word, my entire body trembling as the weight of that betrayal sank in.

Tyra’s jaw clenched. “Wait, so he was planning a family… with someone else?”

I nodded slowly, wiping away a tear. “And I was still holding onto some shred of hope that it wasn’t what it looked like.”

“Kelilah, you should have confronted him the moment you saw those messages,” she said, her voice low with anger.

“I know. But I didn’t want to see the truth.”

She let out a sigh, her grip on my hand tightening. “So, what finally made you believe he had another woman?”

I hesitated, feeling my stomach churn as I remembered. “A woman called me Five days ago. She said she wanted to meet. I almost didn’t go, thinking it might be dangerous. But… I was curious.”

Tyra’s eyes widened. “And? Did you meet her?”

I nodded. “She told me everything. She said Jackson belonged to her, Tyra. I was sharing Jackson with another woman.” The word left a bitter taste in my mouth. “I was so blind, Tyra. I convinced myself he was my future, my happily ever after. When I met with her, she kept saying things that seemed unreal to me, so I concluded that she must be one of the ladies that has a crush on Jackson”,

Tears streamed down my face again. My whole world had crumbled this morning.  

"Are you serious?!" Lisa’s voice was laced with fury. 

"So if you didn't believe all the signs and evidences that was presented to you. What now suddenly made you believe that he had another side chick by his corner?"  

Hearing the word side chick, I couldn't help the mirth laughter that escaped my lips.

“Theirs no side Chick, Tyra. But their is a mistress. I, princess Kelilah was the mistress flirting with a married man”, I said in a whisper and let the oceans build up in my eyes all over again.

Her eyes went wide.

"Jackson is married!!?", She asked and I nodded weakly, already tired of crying.

She pulled me into another hug, her voice choked as she whispered, 

“I'm so sorry, Kelilah. You are not to blame. He deceived you. He’s the one at fault.”

I finally let the tears come, no longer fighting them. In Tyra’s arms, I allowed myself to grieve not just for the loss of him, but for the years of trust I had invested, for the dreams I’d built, and the woman I had been before I met him.