CHAPTER THREE: HOW COULD YOU?

Naya stood in front of the mirror in the guest bathroom, trying to get herself together.

Daniel’s words pricked her skin each time she remembered them. When had her marriage gone to shambles? She asked herself, as she touched her face, wiping away the last traces of tears.

Naya touched up her makeup, smoothened down the creases in her dress, and amended her hair. She’d organized this party and it was mandatory for her to be there. 

Naya slipped out of the bathroom and made her way downstairs, the sound of music filling the air as she entered the living room. She searched subtly for Daniel, but he was nowhere to be found. 

She to everyone who greeted her, and complimented her, but everytime someone told her she was a wonderful wife, she thought about the divorce papers, and the fact that someone else was pregnant for him.

Then she caught sight of her best friend, Chloe, standing outside the house, near the patio behind the bushes. It was a hidden spot, but from Naya's position, she could see Chloe's outline. She was talking to someone, her back turned to her. 

Naya sighed a sigh of relief as she moved towards the patio. Her best friend was exactly who she needed to see. There was no way she could face this without level headed Chloe beside her.

As she neared the patio, she could hear her…

Moaning?

She pressed her ear to the sliding glass and shook her head. It is just like Chloe to hook up at her party.

Naya wanted to go back into the house, but she was scared of people catching Chloe. She decided instead to tell her to take it elsewhere. Not out there.

She stepped out of the sliding glass, closing it behind her softly. 

“Oh my..” 

She heard the moan, and stopped in her tracks. That was a familiar voice. Daniel's.

Then she heard a ripping sound, and then she heard Chloe softly moan and then the sound of sex. The clapping of cheeks and the slipping sounds.

Naya shook but somehow managed to stay standing. Chloe? Daniel?

Was she drunk or did she hit her head when she hit the floor?

Then she heard him moan again, and shudder then the sounds stopped. 

“I honestly don't know how you stayed with her for so long. Everything about her is so annoyingly irritating.” Chloe was saying, venom evident in her tone.

Naya arched an eyebrow. They were talking about her, right after having sex?  

“She’s so clueless. I can;t believe she actually made you that cake. Again. This year.” Chloe continued saying.

Naya’s ears perked up. Clueless? Cake? Naya reached out and held onto the sliding door to steady herself.

“She’s always been desperate for love. It’s been sad to watch over the years and the only reason I act like I love the cake and the birthday parties she throws is because you ask me to, Chloe” Daniel replied with a chuckle.

At the sound of Daniel’s voice, Naya forgot how to breathe. What? Her best friend and her husband?

“I think you did her enough favors. Being married to her for this long was enough.” Chloe said.

“I can’t wait to have you in my arms. You and our baby.” Daneil said, followed by the sound of kissing.

Naya suddenly felt sick. But she remained in that spot.

“It’s a good thing she found them herself. You’re too soft Daniel, I tell you this all the time. You should have left ehr ages ago.

A soft sob escaped her lips even though she tried to reel it in. Thankfully, they did not hear her. They didn’t know she was there, a few feet away.

“Let’s focus on the baby, Chloe.” Daniel kissed her again, and something inside Naya shattered.

“I still feel bad though. I never wanted her to find out like this. She’s my best friend, but…”

Naya was no longer listening. It took all she had not to crumble to the floor right there and draw attention. Friend?

Naya clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palm, but she didn’t care. The pain in her heart was more than the one in her palm.

She wanted to march over there to drag Chloe by the hair. Naya wanted to scream, to ask them why, but her feet and body refused to cooperate.

“I know babe.” Daniel said tenderly to Chloe. Naya pressed her lips together, as tears stung her eyes. 

Daniel had not spoken to her with such a tone in years.

“I’m doing this for us and our child. Naya has always been convenient. It was convenient to marry her to expand my business. Now, I don’t need her anymore. Chloe, it’s you. It’s always been you.”

It was a mystery that Naya had not collapsed to the floor yet. Her head spun, and a tear slid down her cheek. What had she done to be treated this way? 

Then her body began to move of its own accord. She entered the patio calmly, not bothering to wipe the tears away. She stood in front of them, saying nothing.

They looked back at her, shocked.

“What are you doing here, Naya?” Daniel asked, his voice taking on an angry tone. He was no longer wearing a shocked expression but a cold aloof one.

“How could you?” She asked, her voice deathly still. Inside, Naya wanted to claw out her heart, inside her head, she couldn’t stop screaming.

Chloe’s arm, which had been draped across Daniel’s neck, dropped to her side.

“Naya, I…” Chloe began, but trailed off, her face going pale. “I’m sorry. You were not meant to find out this way.”

“How else would I have found out? With divorce papers and an invitation card?” Naya asked, her voice still calm, but heavy. “You are my bestfriend Chloe, you knew everything about Danile and I, and you even gave me advise, while behind my back you’ve been fucking my husband?”

Naya was surprised at the curse word and fact that she was still calm in spite of the rage that ran through her blood. She didn't want to cause a scene with the guests inside.

Daniel yawned, then stepped forward, closing the distance between Naya and himself. “This sisn;t about what you feel or think, Naya. We were never in love with each other and you know it. This marriage was arranged by our parents, for a reason. That reason has been fulfilled now.”

Naya recoiled as if she;d been attacked. “What reason?”

“You were so desperate to get married to me, that you didn’t even read the terms of this marriage. You couldn’t even see what was right under your nose. All you’ve done for the amount of time we’ve been married is cook, and clean and repeat. You’re either buried in a pot of soup, or face down with some gardening.”

“Daniel, what?” Naya gasped, her voice cracking.

“You were so busy being the perfect housewife. This…” He gestured between himself and Chloe. “Has been going on for years, and under your nose and you had no idea. But I have a solution for you, don't worry.”

Naya watched him fish in his pockets for something, when he brought it out, she lost her will to fight. Everybit of restraint she’d been showing was no longer there. Her eyes fell to the divorce papers in his hands.

“This is my copy, and the one upstairs is yours. Sign them, Naya.” He thrusted the papers at her. “You’ll get nothing, of course.”

“Nothing? What do you mean by that?” Her voice was barely a whisper.

“You’re leaving this marriage with nothing. We signed a prenup, I made sure. You’ll walk away with no money, not the house, and not my cars.” His voice dropped to a sickening sweetness. “But if I were you, I would not worry about that. You have an accomodation already.”

Naya looked to Chloe, and then back at him, opening and closing her mouth like a fish out of water. “What do you mean by that? What accomodation?”

“Jail, of course.” Daniel’s smirk was mocking.

Naya’s blood ran cold, as she struggled to make sense of everything. Her life was falling to pieces so fast.

“Don;t look so surprised sweetheart. I’ve been preparing all these for a while now. A little bit of this and that, here and there. Soon, you’ll be facing charges for embezzlement, and laundering. We know you’ve been handling the finances, and there is evidence piled up against you.”

“I’ve never touched a dollar without your consent. I don’t even work. What do you mean?” Her voice was getting higher now.

“Please calm down Naya. you don;t want a scene do you? It won’t look good for you.” Chloe cut in.

Naya hissed at her angrily. “Stay out of this.” She turned to Daniel. “You're framing me?”

The tears were falling freely from her eyes now.

“Framing you? It’s all about perspective and how you see things. I just simply lightened my burden by passing it to you.”

Chloe looked away, clearly uncomfortable with how things were playing out, but she said nothing to defend or help Naya.

Daniel leaned in ever so slightly, so that his voice tickled her ear. It felt like poison to Naya.

“You should have seen this coming, but you were so busy being a maid than a partner. Happy birthday to me.”