Kanye drove the couple to the Garki High Court. Michael sat in the backseat with his partner, while a guard occupied the front seat next to Kanye. Michael wore a meticulously cleaned, lint-rolled, and ironed black wool suit. His hair was neatly combed, and he sported a red tie against his crisp white shirt as he hastened.
Walking behind him to catch up on his steps, Susanne’s diamond encrusted necklace was one that glittered in people’s eyes, except for Micheal who seemed to be in a hurry. She had a velvet red dress that hugged her figure, but she quietly followed him. Getting to Barrister Isah Kosiso’s office, Micheal knocked on the aluminum door.
“Come in,” a masculine voice came from the office.
Micheal pulled the door open and as they went in.
The lawyer, a man in his fifties, who strived in a professional, polished look grey trousers and navy blue blazers, welcomed them in. The couple look a seat and after exchanging some pleasantries.
“My wife.” He said, introducing Susanne.
Barrister Isah placed a file before them.
Micheal brought it closer to Susanne as a chill froze her to the spot. A prickling sensation shot up her spine once eyes met his. Micheal didn’t seem moved.
“Micheal!” Susanne jolted. “Was this why you brought me here?”Hard knot constricted her dried throat, making it hard to breathe.
Micheal shot a glare at her and signalled she read through it.
Susanne sat motionless in the stark silence of the lawyer’s office. Her hands trembled as she clutched the divorce papers that represent the shattered remnants of her hopes and dreams. Tears filled her eyes as she nodded and blinked twice, lost for words.
“God! Did I say something wrong on Friday?” Her eyes misted over as she turned away to whimper. With a hand on her face, tears tricked from Susanne’s eye. The sudden redness of her eyes revealed the weight of the pain that overwhelmed her. “But you still love me, don’t you?”
“Maybe and maybe not.” He sounded rather boastful as his shoulders leaned back and his fingers crossed on the rectangular marble table. Just sign the letter."
“I can’t do that. You can’t divorce me, Micheal!” She flinched it back to him. “Not after everything I’ve gone through with you.”
Micheal’s lips pursed; his forehead wrinkled thoughtfully as he turned his head to Susanne, pained. “You cried to me and I remember clearly. You held my hands and asked me for an explanation. That I was responsible for you and my silence has caused you nothing but pains and regret. I don’t mean to put you through so much, Susanne. If you can’t endure this marriage, I think it’s best you leave.”
Tears gathered in her eyes like raindrops from a stormy sky. Each drop carried the weight of a shattered heart. The pain of his words crumbled Susanne beneath her sorrow, as she felt to silence again.
“You’re so impossible, Susanne. I expected you to be excited, but here you are.” A tired sighed escaped his breath, and he nodded. “There’s no need to cry over it. I’ll give you whatever you want. Micheal urged. He grabbed the file and handed it to her. Go through this and sign it. Another tear drop rolled down, linking to the other tears dropped.
“Don’t be like this, Susanne. Just so you know, I’ll have over to you one percent of shares in my name. My family won’t know about it. I’ll protect you from any shame, but please sign this and gain your freedom today. Relieve me of any grudge you have. Before Micheal could place it on the table, Susanne grabbed it and flung it into the air. It slapped the barrister’s face and landed on his lap. The papers then scattered on the floor but, who cares?
“You got it wrong, Micheal! I never expected or wanted you to divorce me. You promised that I’ll always be Mrs. Balogun, and now this? You really filed a divorce. Do we even discussed this?” Her voice echoed in the office.
With tears glistening in her downcast eyes, Susanne held back the flood of emotions that threatened to consume her fragile composure. The weight of her husband’s decision to end their marriage hung heavy in the air. It wasn’t the first time in their 5 years of marriage that Susanne raised her voice. So it wasn’t a surprise for Micheal. Micheal calmed his attitude because they were in public.
“Look here, no matter what happens, I’m never getting divorced, so forget about that stupid letter! I’m not signing it! Why don’t you involve your dad if you want to dit h me so bad? Let’s see if he agrees.”
Micheal adjusted his flying suit and just heaved. Susanne was a blabbermouth, and she pissed him off. In his mind, a painful reminder of the love that once bound them together. But that love died the night he married her in front of the world. As if he saw a nightmare or something. That realization changed everything. And the endurance of the regretful union had to end.
The lawyer, watching their argument like a movie, arranged the scattered documents and placed it between them. The situation tormented him too, but he kept calm.
After a moment of awkward silence, Micheal placed the document before Susanne and slipped through its first page. “Sign it!”
“I hate you, you know. But that’s not enough reason we’d divorce!” Susanne spat and grabbed her bag with trembling hands.
Susanne couldn’t sign the papers that would end their union, despite the pain in her heart and the betrayal in his words. With a mixture of defiance and despair, she gasped shaky breaths and stormed out of the office, her steps echoed the hollow emptiness of her soul. Alone and abandoned, she carries the burden of her broken marriage, a faint glimmer of hope flickering within her tear-stained gaze.
Thinking about her attitude, Micheal couldn’t understand why she wouldn’t let go.
“Just astounding!” His eyes rolled inwardly
“Is everything alright?” Barrister Isah asked, interested. But in annoyance, Micheal fled out of his office to meet with Susanne before she goes home. She was crying profusely, waiting for the lift to open. “Meet me downstairs!” Micheal ordered his bodyguard and rushed to join her before the empty lift closes.
“What’s wrong with you?” He said hoarsely and grabbed her arm, but she jerked off. “There’s no love between us and you want children? What do you want from me exactly? Can’t you see I’m doing this to make you secure?”
He was unaware when she leaned in and planted her lips on his, stealing a kiss. Michael’s vision blurred as he observed Susanne closing her eyes, pressing her moist, eager lips against his. Her arousal faded when he nuzzled her against the wall, wiping his lips with his sleeve as if he had just finished a hearty meal.
“What... What is this all about?”
“It’s love.” Susanne suggested, with a sardonic lift of her slim dark brows. But Micheal’s rejection suddenly killed her smirk. Pushing her to the fragile vessel adrift in an ocean of anguish, with no shore in sight to offer solace. Susanne was once again close to tears.
Micheal looked around, hoping there was no planted camera watching them, but the lift was indeed empty.
“I told you I don’t want! I will give you any amount you want, don’t you get?” The lift opened, and they were already on the first floor. Micheal’s chest heaved like he couldn’t get enough air into his lungs as the couple stepped out, walking side by of side each other. Susanne sniffed, holding back her tears from pooling out. But her eyes smokey eyes were red. It was oblivious.
“I’m traveling to America tomorrow for an urgent meeting, just so you know.” He continued. “I hope you calm down and sign it before my arrival.” He showed her the document in his grip. With an exasperated sigh, she paused.
“I thought I could sink into your world and become your reality, but it seems you hated me from the beginning. All you wanted was to use and dump me and to make me miserable.” Susanne professed. On her lips was an uncertain grin, accompanied by trembling lips, which betrayed her underlying discomfort. “If that’s what you want, fine. I’ll just take a break, not a divorce.”
Once they got to the parking lot, outside. Micheal sashayed into his Ford Explorer while she stood, watching him. “I see you’re going to meet your ex in America.” Micheal’s head dropped back as his eyes skinned at her words.
“Can’t you be interested in my work for once? Are you that scared of me cheating on you?”
“I know cheating on me is your hubby, and I’ve been scared since the day we got married. Now you want to divorce me to be date her? Not in your wildest dreams.”
“I’m not dating Camilla, trust me.” He assured.
“Then why do you go out with her every now and then? You can barely stay one month without Camilla. Why do you need her now?” Mortified, Micheal froze clueless of what to reply her with.
“I told you I’m having a meeting with the board members at America tomorrow.”
“Why should I sign the divorce papers before you arrive? So you move in with her? Why can’t I ask?”
Tormented by her endless questions, Micheal signalled Kanye who silently watched the couples, to wind up his Ford Explorer windows and move on. With shut eyes, he squirmed from her view as if her quirks ached his head. And he hated it.
Micheal’s jeep steered cleanly as Kanye turned on the engine ignition. Without delay, he stepped on the accelerator, leaving Susanne alone in her grief.
Gaining velocity, the vehicle swiftly overtook its stationary counterparts as it gained momentum on the road.
“You married me before you realized that you didn’t want children. Then why marry me in such a hurry? Now you’re complaining about my whining?” Susanne wiped off her lingering tears and put on her shades. She sniffled in a white hanky and hushed. “You haven’t seen anything Micheal! I’ll fight you till my least breath. This is just the beginning.”
A weird silence reigned in the Ford Explorer car as they drove. Micheal’s mind was literally unstable. He couldn’t think of business or family. He really needed a break.
“Are you going to transfer one percent of Bella Holdings Shares to Susanne?” Mr. Kanye brought up to ease the gloomy atmosphere. He quietly watched his boss’s expression in the rearview mirror. “How do you explain to your dad if he finds out? It’s not as if he signed the divorce.”
His fingers clenched as he rested his chin slightly on his palm. With droopy eyelids and lost focused on the buildings, they zoomed passed. Recognizing the consequences of his actions, Michael appeared composed, yet melancholic.
For the sake of our 20 years of friendship, I’ll advise you. Mr. Kanye swerved the vehicle left, taking another turn. If you regret marrying Susanne, then divorce her without making much noise. Follow her rules... You know, money makes a lot of noise, not only women. And if you can’t divorce her for her stubbornness." He turned back to look at Micheal. “Then have a baby with her”. He applied pressure, then redirected his attention upwards, focusing on his driving.
Michael’s somber expression transformed into one of indignation as he pondered his friend’s proposition.
“It won’t require a cost much. You’re not incompetent, right?” Observing Michael’s silence, Kanye shrugged and proceeded. He stared at the busy road as they got stuck in traffic. Kanye paused, then added, “And there are ways to get a woman pregnant. Perhaps she could be your baby mama.”
It felt weird hearing that from Kanye, but Michael grimaced and clenched his jaw in discomfort.
“If parents don’t love each other, it’s only the children who suffer. That was my experience with my own parents, and I refuse to bring a child into this world unless I find the right partner,” Michael murmured quietly. “The woman I’d be willing to give up everything for.”
“I thought you were already married to that woman,” Kanye interjected, his gaze sharp with interest.
“Obviously, she’s not the one,” Michael replied in a hushed tone. “I’ve already invested my energy, time, and marriage. It would be foolish of me to sacrifice having a child.” With nothing more to say, Kanye drove on in silence.
As Michael’s mind wandered, he couldn’t shake the memory of the girl he encountered five years ago during a rainstorm. He recalled how she swiftly fired at two police officers, despite her nerves. She was the epitome of fierceness and boldness, unlike Susanne, who he considered weak and cunning.
“Why?” Michael muttered to himself, puzzled by the contrast between the two women... “If you’re not Susanne, then why haven’t we met?”