CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX
All blended into a wall of noise as fireworks exploded in the sky above Wembley Stadium. Camera flashes flickered like strobe lights from every angle. Fans waved their banners, scarves, and flags with trembling hands. I looked to the side of the pitch where a giant LED screen flashed the words CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE.
Tonight has been an amazing night watching my husband and his team lift the UCL cup. The season has been intense, with all sorts of drama, and I am very glad it ended with a trophy. I watched the players on the confetti-covered pitch, which had become a playground for the champions—some lying on their backs looking up at the sky, enjoying the fireworks display, some with their families taking pictures with the trophy.
It was really an amazing night filled with overwhelming joy.
It is.
At least, for every other person in this stadium, it is an amazing night.
My gaze fell on my husband and his family on the pitch snapping pictures—and also Frances, who hasn’t left his side since the match was over. My eyes lingered on them from the VIP stand where I was. A slow-burning, twisting ache simmered in my chest as I watched the duo. I could see Kylian putting space between them, but she kept closing the gap.
I thought you are letting it go
Please, not again
That should be you.
Enough!
If you don’t want to talk, then why are you burdening me with your jealousy?
I am not jealous.
Yeah, sure you’re not.
It was my choice to remain secret, till I have the baby.
Okay.
I don’t want to be a scandal, don’t you get it?
Wait! Are you trying to convince me or yourself?
Damn it! I want you to understand me.
Even though it was my choice to keep my marriage to Kylian a secret until I have my baby, I couldn't stop the tight knot in my stomach as I saw Kylian and Frances.
A man told you he wants people to know about your relationship, but being the Ms. Dumbly Dumber that you are, you said to wait till you have the baby.
I am at the risk of pre-eclampsia. I don’t want to worry about people's opinion while I deal with that.
And since when do you care about what people think of you?
Is it a bad thing that I want to check what people think about me? I just want to control people’s narrative about my life.
Sorry, Ms. Narrative Control.
You are no fun.
Yes, I’m not, because I’m saying the truth.
Fuck off!
I left the VIP stand and wandered around inside the stadium. During the course of my wandering, I stumbled on the locker room for PSG. I had never been inside a locker room before, so I entered.
The first thing I laid my eyes on was Marcus, who sat bare-chested with his upper body bent over and his head hanging towards his legs.
Shouldn't he be celebrating?
“Hey, Marcus,” I called out to him in concern. He jogged out of his thoughts and looked at me in surprise.
“Bewa!”
“Are you okay?” I moved closer to him.
“Yeah. You shouldn’t be here,” he commented and stood up. He picked my hand and tried to pull me toward the door.
“Marcus, let me go,” I cried out. He stopped and looked at me in fright.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pulled you like that. Are you okay? Is the baby fine?” He looked over my body.
“I’m fine. Are you fine? Why are you not with your family?”
He sighed.
“They couldn’t be here. My brother has a thing.”
“A thing? A thing that is more important than this?” I asked with a furrowed expression. “This is your first Champions League trophy. They couldn’t skip your brother’s thing for this?”
“No, because it involves his life. He had a major heart surgery a few days ago.”
“What?” I exclaimed. “Is he okay?”
“Yeah, he’s recuperating. I’m going to see him tomorrow.”
“Ahh! Please send my regards to him. I wish him a speedy recovery.”
“I will. And why are you here and not out with Kylian on the pitch?” he inquired, and I looked away.
“Is he still keeping you a secret?”
“No!” I blurted out and let out a sigh. I sat down on the nearest chair as my feet were starting to kill me. “I want to hold off on letting people know about us.”
“Why?” he questioned, looking at me in disbelief.
“I’m not out of the woods yet, Marcus. My BP still fluctuates, and I’m starting another two weeks of bed rest tomorrow.”
His hard face softened, and he sat next to me.
“Is it that serious?”
“Yes. I have a nurse that lives with me now. My doctor declared my pregnancy a high-risk one,” I explained.
“But why didn’t you tell me?”
“Well, you asked me to give you space,” I said with an accusatory tone.
“Ah, I did.”
“With all of that, I didn’t want to add the stress of people’s opinions about my life and my marriage to my health.”
“I get where you’re coming from, but you’re already assuming that their opinions would be bad. It could be good.”
“It could also be very bad. I’m not risking my life and my baby's”
“You’re right,” he nodded. “People can be bitchy, especially to people like us.”
“But what about your other family?” I nudged him. “Where are they when you need them?”
“David and Joy has a work thing.”
“Of course,” I scoffed. “And what about Abdul and Fatima?”
“Fatima had her baby this morning.”
“What?” I retorted as I looked at Marcus in shock.
“What? You didn’t know?”
A heavy silence wrapped around my heart like a tightening rope, and no matter how I tried to breathe, it stayed tight.
“I guess I’ve been kicked out of the friend group.”
“I’m so sorry, Bewaji.”
“It’s fine,” I gave him a smile that said I’m fine even though my heart screamed otherwise. Their friendship meant so much to me, and I can’t believe they would just cut me off just because I’m married to Kylian Mbappé.
That is madness.... I’m so sorry.
I’ll be fine.
But when my composure started to slip, I lowered my gaze so that my eyes wouldn’t betray me.
I need to change the topic.
Ask him if he’s okay after the space he asked for.
“Are you okay? You asked me to give you space,” I asked with concern.
He gave me a soft smile.
“I was going to ask you to meet me before I left France tomorrow, but I guess now is okay too.”
“Oh really!” I gave him a bright smile. “What for? Are you surprising me with another Porsche?”
Are you serious?
He smiled.
“Or a baby stretcher?” I laughed out loud.
“No.”
Then I looked into his soft eyes, which lingered on me for reasons I didn’t know. There was no urgency in his stare—his gaze was calm, like he was taking in a sunrise.
Oh damn!
What is it?
“I know I shouldn’t tell you this, but for myself, I need to get it out.”
“Okay, now you’re scaring me.”
“I think... No—I’m in love with you, Bewaji,” he stated.
I knew it!
“From the very first day I saw you. So fierce, so brave,” his lips curved into a smile, the quiet kind that settled into his cheeks and stayed in the corners of his eyes. “That day was probably the worst day of your life, but it was the best day of mine because I got to meet you. Even though your world was crumbling around you, you still shone so bright—brighter than the sun.
“And then, I got to know you, and I found out that you are fun, funny, lovely, kind, benevolent, and a fighter. You mesmerize me, and when you smile, you brighten my world in every way possible.”
My face froze.
For a moment, I could swear that time stopped, and my mouth parted, but nothing came out. I was going to say something, but I guess I forgot. His words kept echoing in my head, rotating with no place to land.
My brows knitted together, my eyes darted, and I looked around, giving myself time to wake up from this unrealistic dream—or perhaps he would laugh at me and tell me it’s a joke, or a prank, or a mistake, or even a misunderstanding.
Clear. Open. Unguarded.
“What is happening here?” a voice interrupted, and I turned in the direction of the sound—
And there I found my husband, his teammates, and all the coaching staff of PSG.
TO BE CONTINUED NEXT SATURDAY 9.00 PM WAT
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