So Not Love

Chapter 3

On Sunday, we went to church as usual. Since my husband was a very wealthy man, we were always given a special seats at the front, along with some influential couples. He was the most sweetest creature in the church and almost everyone looked up to him. I would hear some girls tell him that our marriage was just the exact same thing they wanted because I was always radiating in my expensive clothes and accessories but no one knew that he was a porn addict, a sadist and a woman-beater. No one knew what I was going through except the pastors. I had run to them several times to complain about my plight but all they told me was to go back home and keep praying for my husband because God was against divorce. They never called him to order because they were scared to lose such a huge contributor to the finances of the church.

In public, I'll smile as wide as possible to mask my sorrow. I would apply enough makeup to hide a bruised face or cut lip yet other young girls in my peer group were dying to take my place. All they saw was the expensive cars and the house I lived in but they were never concerned about if I was really happy in my marriage. After service and all the pastors and other ranking members had exchanged pleasantries with him, we walked to the car in the hot sun and was soon soothed by the air conditioner in the car.

After waiting for close to three minutes and I noticed that he made no move to turn the key in the ignition, I gave him a puzzled look and asked, "What are we still waiting for?"

He was craning his neck to stare through the windshield and when I followed his gaze, his eyes were fixed on a fair girl who was chatting away with some friends in front of the church. "Do you know her?" He asked me without taking his eyes off the girl.

I took a cursory look at the girl and shook my head, "No, why?"

"She's very beautiful." He said and I frowned.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you should get down the car and go and talk to her." He said to me.

I drew back in shock. "What do you mean by I should go and talk to her? About what?"

He gave me a scornful look now. "Why are you so beautiful, yet daft? don't you understand what I'm insinuating? Must I spell it out to you before you know what you are supposed to do?"

I remained adamant then stammered, "I... I don't k..know what you want me to do o. All I know is that I don't know that girl. I have never even seen her before, so I don't understand what you want me to go and tell her."

"Alright..." He gave me an impatient look and leaned back. "Go and ask her where she's going to, I want to give her a ride."

"Are you indirectly asking me to go and woo a girl for you and bring her to this car?" I asked in disbelief.

"And so? Is it your father's car?" He snapped at me.

"How can you send me on such a demeaning errand! Have you forgotten that I'm your wife? You've no iota of respect for me!"

He scoffed. "I don't have time for your drama this afternoon. What good is a wife who's never fun and is always dry. You have never been wet in your whole life. You are too rigid and it feels like I'm married to a fellow man. Tell me, why the hell should I limit myself to you?!"

"Why speak like you are not already cheating on me with different girls already?" I fired back.

"And yet what can you do? Nothing! You know that you can never leave me because I made you what you are today! You are the first graduate in your family and you owe that to my generosity. If I had not come into your life when I did, you should probably be hawking bread by now or selling Okpa at the bus stop! You are a nobody, Victoria! Read my lips, a nobody! You had better get down this car and go bring that girl here or you won't like what you'll get when we get home!"