STOLEN PARADISE

CHAPTER TWENTY

Days later, Antonio stormed out of the house and drove in the darkness of the night to his cottage where Sharon was already waiting for him. He made sure to cover his tracks well because he doesn't need any bad publicity. He worked hard to be where he was and nothing should finish him off at this point. He was fuming with anger when he got to the cottage because he gave divorce papers to Funmi and she refused to sign them.

Sharon kept him in a warm embrace to cool him down and so for about thirty minutes he was stretched on the sofa with his head on her lap as they watch a movie together. He had taken her hours earlier to Game stores for shopping then to a beauty parlour for a massage as well manicure and pedicure. She had shown him a copy of the Genevieve magazine with his wife's picture on the front page earlier and he had rolled his eyes. Now that he had stormed in and wouldn't speak, she decided Funmi's case must be finalised.

"Did you give her the divorce papers?"

Antonio sat up and kept his eyes on the screen but replied, "It would be hard now to separate from her." Sharon pulled him close to herself and asked,

"What do you mean?"

"She refused to sign the papers and said she was bound to me for life! To make things worse, Dad called me this afternoon after you left, thanking me for taking good care of his precious daughter in law. I bet he saw that magazine too." He looked frustrated as his plans were failing him. He stood up and paced around a bit.

"She has been playing the role of the good wife, cooking, cleaning, and checking up on me even at work! I had to control my anger and not humiliate her in front of my boss and secretary! The most annoying part right now is that no matter how much I insult her or mistreat her, she smiles like everything is okay."

Sharon sighed and finally said, "She wants you to accept her as your wife."

"That is impossible!" He cried in frustration and sat back on the sofa with his head bowed. His relationship with Sharon was getting strained and he knew she was not impressed becoming a mistress overnight.

By the time Antonio got home, it was past midnight and he found Funmi fast asleep on a sofa in the living room, obviously waiting for him. He felt terribly guilty and he hated that she brought the worst out of him. She was sleeping soundly and peacefully. She looked even more beautiful in her sleep. But he refuses to acknowledge his slowly changing emotions towards her. Unknown to him, his anger at her was a façade of his displeasure of his growing feelings for her.

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Few days later, on a Friday evening, Funmi received a visitor. She was about to leave for a night service at her church. She had packed her Bible, notepad and a 1litre bottle of water and was about to grab her car keys when she heard the main gate open. She looked at her wristwatch, it was just a little after 6 in the evening. Antonio had become an Owl and stayed away from home not only during the day time but night time as well. She heard footsteps instead of a car driving in. She walked to the door and behold her lovely visitor was none other than Sharon Otunba.

Funmi opened the door to the beauty and offered her a seat.

"Hello Sharon, what brings you here?" Funmi didn't waste time on formalities.

"Please sign the divorce papers so that you both can be free." Sharon was desperate to have her man back fully and begging her rival was not an option but a necessity.

Funmi looked at her and smiled in understanding. She too had once been in love only to be dumped for another all in the name of love.

"Sharon, I'm sorry but I cannot do that. I made a promise to God, our families and to Antonio himself to love and be with him till death do us part. I will not break that promise." Sharon jumped out of her seat and down on her knees she went, begging Funmi to let Antonio go.

"I love him, I really do love him so please set him free." Funmi stood up and went to the kitchen. She came back with a tray of chilled Coca-Cola and two glasses. She placed it on the table and poured the drink for them both.

"Have a drink." Funmi said warmly.

Sharon who was already seated folded her arms across her chest in defiance. All she wanted was the proof of Funmi handing over her man back for good.

"Sharon, I understand how you feel but Antonio became mine the moment he said "I do." He is mine just as I am his. Love is not everything and you should know too. What if you get marred tonight? What are the chances you will be together forever?"

Sharon refused to listen to such nonsense and stood up.

"Why are you so confident? You guys don't even share the same room! He can't even stand to be in the same room with you. You are a wicked soul! He will never love someone as selfish as you are! Why are you even insisting on keeping a man that doesn't know or care if you exist?"

Funmi stood up and looking Sharon straight in the eye replied, "I am beginning to like him."

Before Sharon could respond with some vile words, her phone began to ring. Her face lit up and she gave Funmi a sardonic smile.

"Hi babes," Funmi's heart broke immediately. She doesn't need an angel to whisper the name of the person on the other end.

"I will be home in about thirty minutes so come and pick me up as you always do." She blew air kisses and hung up. She turned to Funmi with a triumphant smile on her face,

"You might be his wife Funmi but I Sharon Otunba have his soul, heart, mind and body. Good night!"

She hissed at Funmi and left the house. If Funmi was affected by Sharon's so perfectly factual statement, she didn't show it. She picked the tray and walked to the kitchen.

She replayed Sharon's words like a broken tape and finally sat down on a stool in the kitchen to fully process it.

Antonio loves Sharon.

He married you because of his father.

His father is well.

You are no longer needed.

Can anyone explain what is happening right now?!!! Does Funmi have any right to fall in love with Antonio? You don't ask to fall in love with anyone in particular but who exactly is the victim here? Sharon or Funmi? I don't know whose ship to sail? Team Funmi or Team Sharon? Besides, it is not as if Antonio is a catch anyway, maybe he's not redeemable after all. Maybe we should just dump him for Sharon baby and find another sailor for Funmi's ship line!

Hope you like this chapter and the flow of the story. Good morning and God bless.