Helplessly Bound

Chapter 10

The worst kind of hurt is betrayal, because it means someone was willing to hurt you just to make themselves feel better. — Unknown

Where she was going Fola didn't know. All she knew was that she had to get out of there. If she stayed one more minute, then she would have lost her mind.

A strand of her black hair flew into her eye but she did nothing to remove it. Passerbys bumped her shoulders as they passed but she didn't care whether they apologized or not.

Her world was upside down and she had lost all sense of bearing. She would have shivered from the chilly air but she was too numb to feel. Everything was forgotten except the words of her husband.

★★Flashback★★

"Folake," Chief Naade shattered the silence with that one word.

Fola stiffened at the sound of her full name. A name she hated with all her guts. But Chief Naade made it a point to call her that. To remind her of the new identity he had given her.

She swallowed what was in her mouth before she slowly looked at him. A mixture of expressions shimmered in his eyes but she was too drained to decipher them.

He cleared his throat and folded his hands on the table. "I would like for you to meet some very important people."

Fola nodded in acknowledgment. It wasn't the first time she was hearing that. Everyone who could meet his selfish desires was important to him. There was a time she was important to him.

She pushed all thoughts of the past away and asked, "When shall I meet them?"

Of course, she wasn't interested in meeting any of his associates but that was the right thing to ask as a subservient wife.

"Right now. You are going to meet them now!" He grinned and his gold teeth sparkled under the light of the chandelier.

"Now?" Her eyes widened.

"Yes! He grinned and turned to the people sitting beside him. "They are our important guests," He gestured to them.

Fola's eyes traveled in their direction and she gazed at the guests. People she had refused to notice since she noticed their presence. Confusion welled within her as she stared at them. She expected to see men in expensive suits but opposite her sat a woman and two children.

A smirk played on the woman's lips while the children looked more nervous than she felt. Her eyes darted back to Chief Naade and she was surprised to see a wide smile on his face.

Her surprise increased as he grasped the lady's hand.

"Folake, I would like for you to meet my wife, Banke, and our children, Tobi and Olivia." His grin widened. "They shall be staying with us for an indefinite time."

Fola's breath hitched and dizziness overcame her. She clutched the edge of the table to stop herself from falling into unconsciousness.

His wife and children! She inwardly repeated as her heart twisted in pain.

Wife?

When?

How?

Various questions flooded her head and left her quaking in shock.

Suddenly, the chair seemed to scald her backside and she shot up. "Please excuse me," she managed to say before stumbling out of the room.

She groped around the house until she reached the front door and wobbled out of the house. The voices of the security guards tried to stop her. A hand grazed her arm but she shrugged it off and continued walking. She made her path on the sidewalk of the highway. The sounds of zooming vehicles and honks blared in her ears but she didn't react.

Nothing could gain her attention. Chief Naade's words repeatedly played in her head. The images of the woman and her children kept flashing in her mind, rendering her unable to think of anything else.

Chief Naade's last declaration attacked her existence. How was she going to survive living with his wife and children?

★★END★★

A cold gust of wind on her face brought Fola back to the present. She blinked rapidly to remove the sand that had blown into her eyes. Her feet shuffled and she transferred her weight from one foot to the other. A slight throb shot through her legs but she ignored it.

Her eyes roamed around and they widened as she realized she had strayed far from home. However, the revelation gave her some sort of peace. Her emotional turmoil was still at its peak and she couldn't be more glad to be away from the cause of her sorrow.

She squirmed in nervousness as weird looks were thrown her way. It was an unusual sight to see a disheveled woman standing at the side of the road. An embarrassed blush crept up her cheeks as she thought about the opinion of the passersby.

She wondered if her appearance could disguise the fact that she was the woman splashed on the covers of fashion magazines and local celebrity newspapers a few weeks ago. Her recent fashion show gave her the result she wanted. She was among the hot topics among the ladies of Lagos society.

Her head drifted up. She watched dark clouds move across the sky. The blue sky had changed to gray. Somewhere in the distance, a clap of thunder sounded.

A rainstorm was approaching. Fola's eyes darted around as panic filled her. The last thing she wanted was to be drenched by the rain. However, she was too far from home and she didn't want to request Chief Naade or Nora to send the car and driver.

Only one option remained. She had to find a temporary place to stay until the rain stopped. Terror surged through her as a flash of lightning struck a few meters away from her. She resumed walking at a faster pace. Her legs throbbed but she ignored it. At that moment, getting to safety was her priority.

People loitering around did the same thing. Roadside sellers packed up their wares and pedestrians walked briskly with the aim to get to their destinations.

Fola's heart pounded as she rushed forward. In her haste, she didn't notice the direction she was heading until something urged her to stop. She swung to the side and came face to face with a towering building. Her breath hitched as her eyes connected with the huge cross sitting on the roof of the building. Her eyes traveled to the signpost and a rock landed at the pit of her stomach.

She was standing in front of where she stood almost a month ago.

★★★★

Ooh, where do you all think Fola is?

I am sure the description made it clear but I would like to hear you confirm it 😁

And woohoo, we have hit ten chapters! 🎉

It feels surreal that we have gone so far in the story. XD

So I have some questions now that we have hit ten chapters.

One, what do you think of the story so far?

Two, who is your favorite character and your least favorite character?

Please give reasons for your answers.

I wait for your answers with bated breath 😂

Don't forget to press the little star⭐

Until next time, be happy 😘