Binary Hearts

34| Between Love and Duty 💘🏢

Adaora sat on the couch, her shoulders trembling as she tried to suppress the sobs that kept escaping her. Her face was flushed, her eyes swollen from crying. Each breath was a struggle, her emotions threatening to overwhelm her again. Chidi sat beside her, his hand resting gently on her back, rubbing small, comforting circles. His expression was a mix of concern and frustration as he looked at her tear-streaked face.

"Is it Tunde?" Chidi asked softly, his voice breaking the silence that had settled between them. His tone was gentle, but there was an undercurrent of irritation. He had a suspicion that it was, and it annoyed him more than he wanted to admit.

Adaora nodded, her voice shaky as she finally spoke. "He thinks… he thinks I'm cheating on him… with you." Her words came out in a rush, each one heavy with the weight of her emotions. "I tried to explain, but he didn't believe me. Not even when I told him… when I tried to make him see that it wasn't like that." She paused, her voice catching as fresh tears welled up in her eyes. "He saw us together, Chidi… in that interview, and now he's convinced."

Chidi's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Oh my God!" he exclaimed, his voice tinged with disbelief. He sat back, running a hand through his hair. "Just stop dating this guy, Ada. He's overprotective, and it's suffocating you. You can't even do what you want, what you like. Is it just because he helped you once? What did he even do for you?"

Adaora's tears flowed freely now as she shook her head, struggling to find the words. "He… he helped me when you turned me down," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "When my mom was sick… he paid for the surgery bills. But she… she still died."

Chidi's face paled, his expression shifting from frustration to genuine sorrow. "Your mom is dead?" His voice was thick with regret, the shock of the revelation hitting him hard. "Ada, I'm so sorry. I didn't know… I didn't know you then, and that's why I… I'm sorry."

Adaora looked up at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and gratitude. "But Tunde didn't know me either," she said, her voice still trembling, but there was a note of defiance in it now. "He didn't know me, yet he still helped."

Chidi was silent for a moment, his mind racing as he tried to process everything she had just told him. Finally, he took a deep breath and reached out to wipe the tears from her cheeks. "You just need to stop crying now and move on, please," he said softly. "You don't deserve to be treated like this, Ada."

He stood up, holding out his hand to her. "Come on, let's get something to eat. It'll help clear your head." Adaora hesitated for a moment before taking his hand, allowing him to lead her to the kitchen.

They moved about the small space, working together in silence as they prepared a simple meal. Chidi handed her ingredients, showing her what to do with a quiet efficiency that spoke volumes about his concern for her. Despite everything, there was a comfort in the mundane activity, a sense of normalcy that helped to calm her racing thoughts.

Once they had finished cooking, they sat down at the small table to eat. The food was warm and satisfying, the silence between them no longer heavy but companionable. Afterward, Chidi pulled out his iPad and started a romcom movie. It wasn't long before they were both laughing, the lightheartedness of the film a welcome distraction from the turmoil of the day.

Their laughter faded as they found themselves leaning closer to each other, the space between them growing smaller until their lips met in a tentative kiss. For a moment, Adaora didn't want to stop; she didn't want to think about the complications or the consequences. She just wanted to feel something other than the pain that had been consuming her.

But then Chidi pulled back, breaking the kiss with a soft apology. "I'm sorry," he murmured, his voice filled with regret.

Adaora looked at him, her heart aching with a new emotion. His restraint, his sense of responsibility, only made her feel more drawn to him. She could see the struggle in his eyes, the conflict between what he wanted and what he believed was right.