CHAPTER SEVENTY
Losing her
The port was alive with quiet elegance, nothing like the buzzing streets of Paris I had just driven through. Crew members moved swiftly, carrying out their various responsibilities. Tourists strolled lazily, pausing to admire the view of the Seine and take pictures. They all looked happy.
Why am I never happy?
My chest rose and fell in shaky breaths. Every now and then, I blinked back tears, trying to stop myself from crying. When that didn’t work, I pressed my hands to my mouth to trap the sob threatening to escape. The sting in my eyes grew unbearable, my vision blurred no matter how many times I tried to blink it back.
All I wanted to do was fall to the ground and sob my eyes out like there was no tomorrow—loudly, recklessly.... but I couldn’t.
My baby needs me strong.
You will be fine.
No, I won’t. I am falling apart, but I am not even allowed to.
Bewaji, you will do all your falling apart when you have your baby safely.
No, I can’t… because I will have a baby who will need me strong. I need to talk to someone.
Please, don’t call Marcus. You already closed that chapter.
I don’t care. I need him to help me process my feelings
I picked up my cell phone and searched for his contact. My finger hovered over Marcus’s name, torn between calling him for comfort and not.
What will I even tell him?
Finally, you’re thinking.
My phone rang, and I picked up immediately.
“Hey! Bewaji, where are you?” Alice’s worried voice came through.
“I’m on my way back.”
“Good, because the ambulance is here waiting.”
“Ambulance? What for?” I asked in confusion. A loud rumble sounded in the background. “Alice?”
“Hello, Ms. Bewaji. It’s Beatrice. Why are you not at home?” the young lady questioned sternly.
“I’m on my way back. I just needed some air.”
“Some air?” she yelped. “I don’t think you understand how serious your situation is. I came back with an ambulance because I didn’t want to take chances in case something happens on the way to the hospital. That’s how critical you are. What kind of air could be more important than having your baby safely?”
“I’m on my way… wait, what do you mean have my baby safely? I thought you just wanted to monitor the situation, maybe get my BP in check.”
“That was the plan, but when your doctor saw your stats, she recommended an emergency C-section immediately.”
“What?” I exclaimed. “Oh God! This is happening so fast.”
“I know, but that’s the situation. You are having your baby today. So, for the love of God, come home now,” she commanded loudly.
“No, please, there has to be somethin—” I groaned.
“Hey, Bewa, it’s Alice.”
“Where is she? Put her back on.”
“She left, she’s angry.... as she should be. I shouldn’t have let you go. Where are you? I’ll come pick you up.”
“I’m already at the port.”
“Okay then, hurry home. I’ll call Kylian and let him know the situation.”
“Don’t,” I muttered.
“What do you mean, don’t?”
“Don’t call Kylian. I don’t want to see him,” I gritted out, and silence followed.
“I know things are tense between you two right now, but it will pass.”
“I don’t think so, at least not for a while.”
“No matter how angry you are, Bewa, you can’t keep a man from his child,” Alice retorted.
I closed my eyes, a lone tear rolling down. “I know, Alice,” I said with trembling lips, fighting back the urge to break down. “I know about him and Frances.”
“What do you know?” she asked, rattled.
“Everything. The fact that they’ve been together for almost eight years, that Kylian married me for a green card. I know everything, Alice.”
“How did you even find... never mind, that’s not important right now. I have to come and pick you up now more than ever. Stay at the port, I’m coming.”
“No, don’t. It’s just a waste of time. But I promise, I’ll come back home in one piece.”
“Bewa, I know you’re mad about Kylian, but he didn’t—”
“Please, please, please, Alice, don’t defend him.”
“Bewaji, you need to know something—”
“I’m allowed to be angry, and Alice, I fucking am. I am really angry and I hate him. I really hate Kylian!” I interjected in despair. “Right now, I’m trying my best to pull myself together and not fall apart like you predicted I would when I found out the truth. So, please, don’t make it harder for me.”
“Okay,” she said, then cut the call.
I looked again at Marcus’s contact on my phone and sighed deeply. As much as I would love to hear his calming voice and advice, I couldn’t keep taking without giving anything in return. I dropped my phone into my purse and moved my car to the private port’s parking lot.
I walked hastily toward the dock, hoping to get home quickly, and spotted a young man untying my boat. He looked up, smiled warmly, then frowned and walked toward me.
“Ça va bien, Madame? (Are you okay, Madam?)” he asked with concern.
Is that how bad I look?
“Je ne suis pas très en forme, Frédérick, mais ça ira. (I’m not feeling very well, Frederick, but I’ll be fine.)”
“Je devrais peut-être vous ramener chez vous, Madame. (Maybe I should take you home, Madam.)”
“Non, je ne veux pas déranger. (No, I don’t want to be a bother.)”
“Croyez-moi, vous ne l’êtes pas. Et je vous le propose parce que vous n’avez pas bonne mine. J’aurais la conscience lourde s’il vous arrivait quelque chose en chemin. S’il vous plaît, laissez-moi vous aider. (Trust me, you’re not. I’m offering because you don’t look good. I would feel guilty if something happened to you on your way home. Please, let me help.)”
If he is offering, let him. He has a point.
“Merci, Frédérick. J’apprécie votre aide. (Thank you, Frederick, I appreciate your help.)” I agreed.
The young man beamed. “Je vais prévenir mon superviseur et je reviens. (I’ll just inform my supervisor and be right back.)”
On my way home, I watched Paris disappear before me. For weeks, I had lived with questions gnawing at me, fear twisting every thought, paranoia closing in. Now that I knew the truth, it stung, and I am heartbroken. But at the same time, I felt relief. I didn’t have to wonder anymore what my husband was hiding. All I had to do now was focus on having a healthy baby.
Frédérick parked my boat and helped me out. I rummaged my purse as he tied the boat to the dock. I handed him a wad of cash, but he stepped back.
“Allez, prends-le. (Come on, take it),” I urged, stretching out my hand.
“Je ne l’ai pas fait pour l’argent. (I didn’t do it for the money.)”
“Je sais, tu voulais m’aider. (I know, you just wanted to help me.)”
He gave me a wry smile. “Ne vous inquiétez pas, Madame. Je voulais seulement vous ramener chez vous en sécurité. (Don’t worry, Madam. I only wanted to get you home safe.)”
“J’espère que tu sais que tu rentres à Paris en passant par la ville d’Eureka. (I hope you know you’re going back to Paris through Eureka City),” I said, and he nodded.
“Au moins, laissez-moi vous donner vos frais de transport. On m’a dit que le prix du bus de la ville d’Eureka à Paris est cher. (At least let me give you your transport fare. I heard the bus fee from Eureka City to Paris is expensive.)” I pressed
I took a few steps toward him, and this time he didn’t move away. “Je ne serais pas tranquille si je vous laissais assumer toutes ces dépenses. (It would trouble me if I let you shoulder all the expenses.)” I took the boat key from his hand and replaced it with the cash.
“Merci pour ton aide aujourd’hui, Frédérick. Tu m’as sauvé la vie. (Thank you for your help today, Frederick. You’re a lifesaver),” I told him before walking up the stairs, grateful he didn’t refuse the money this time.
I headed toward the back door instead of the front as I have been doing with the intention to avoid the Clouders but I was too tired to care about appearances today. As I moved to open the door, a loud bang came from the kitchen.
“Tu dois partir! (You need to leave!)” Alice shouted angrily.
“Je ne pars pas. J’ai un travail à faire et je dois l’achever! (I’m not leaving. I have a job to do, and I have to finish it!)” Maria retorted, equally furious.
“NON! Tu ne dois pas! Plus maintenant. Elle sait! (NO! You don’t, not anymore. She knows!)” Alice exclaimed.
“Prépare tes affaires et pars. Tu as une semaine. Quand elle sortira de l’hôpital, tu ferais mieux d’avoir disparu. (Pack your things and leave. You have one week. When she comes back from the hospital, you better be gone.)” She commanded
“Comment ça, elle sait?! C’est impossible… elle ne peut pas savoir! (What do you mean, she knows? She can’t know!)” Maria argued.
“Si tu doutes de moi, téléphone à ta fille et tu verras. (If you don’t believe me, call your daughter and find out),” Alice huffed.
“She was so eager to tell Bewaji about her relationship with Kylian, and if I recall what Kylian said, she gloated in Bewaji’s face during her misery, knowing fully well her health was critical.”
I froze. My heart dropped, weakness spread through my knees.
What are they talking about? Frances is her daughter?
That can’t be true. It can’t be.
I opened the door, ready to confront them. Alice turned at the sound, stiffening, her lips parted in horror but no sound coming out. Finally, she gasped through trembling lips. “Bewaji!”
I looked at Maria, who wore the same expression. “What are you two talking about?” Silence. Too shocked to speak. “What do you mean, call her daughter?”
“Ahhh!” Alice yelped, covering her mouth as if that could erase what I’d heard.
“Please, tell me it’s not what I’m thinking,” I begged. The air turned thick, heavy, suffocating. I blinked once, then twice, but my mind refused to believe it. The room blurred, sounds dulled, as though the world had slipped underwater.
“It can’t be true. Frances can’t be your daughter.” No one spoke, and their silence drove me mad. “Somebody, please say something. Frances can’t—” my voice cracked. I looked into their eyes, desperately searching for a lie, a smirk, anything to disprove what I’d just heard. Instead, I saw apologetic faces, their silence a confession.
Frances is her daughter. Really?
“No… That can’t be. It can’t be!” I yelled. My eyes shifted to Jude, Esaias, and Isa, huddled together at the kitchen entrance. I stumbled toward them. “Jude, tell me it’s not true. You taught me how to drive. Isa, you helped me with my hair and makeup. Esaias, we played video games together. Maria, you cooked for me.... terrible food—but I ate it because I saw you as family!”
The guilt on their faces was nerve-wracking. My heart shattered.
“We partied together, we ate together, we lived together. Adjusting to France was hard, but I got through because you were all with me. You made this cruel country feel like home. When Kylian wouldn’t come to see me, you stayed with me deep into the night, consoling me. Would you do that if Frances was your family? No! You wouldn’t betray me like this!”
Oh my god, how did I forget this? Their first's daughter name is Frances and she lives in Paris. Why didn't I think of this? That was why they were at Ibiza. They weren't lying about going to see their daughter then, Frances is their daughter!
“Oh my God! She is your daughter!” My jaw dropped. “That’s why you were at Ibiza, and....” I turned to Maria, clutching my bump. “Why you defended her at the penthouse after New Year!”
Suddenly, my chest tightened. A sharp, crushing pain shot beneath my ribs. I gasped, but each breath came shallow, ragged, painful. My vision swam, the room tilted, lights flickered.
“So all along, I’ve been living with a pack of wolves,” I whispered, temples pounding like war drums.
“Oh my God, Bewaji!” Alice screamed in agony, rushing to me. “You’re bleeding!”
I looked down. The bright floor was smeared red. Thick, hot blood streamed down, soaking my dress.
“No, no, no!” I cried.
“Beatrice!” Alice screamed at the top of her lungs.
My heart raced wildly, then stuttered. A crushing tightness gripped my chest. I clutched at it, eyes wide in horror. “My… ch-chest… hurts… it… hurts…” My words broke. My knees buckled. The world dimmed.
Beatrice’s terrified face swam before me, her shaky hands pressing on my chest. My eyes rolled upward, lids fluttering weakly before slipping shut.
From somewhere distant, I heard her shouting, “Hurry! We’re losing her!”
I think… we are dying.
And then...
Silence.
TO BE CONTINUED NEXT SATURDAY, 9.00 PM WAT
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