A Wife’s Threat

Blessing’s POV

For a moment, she didn’t turn around. She stood with her back to us, her shoulders stiff, as though she had just heard something she had been praying never to hear. Then she slowly turned.

Mrs Ethan was shocked to see her husband. It was obvious something was wrong. But she pretended like everything was fine.

“Baby, what are you doing here?” Zara asked her husband.

Mr Blackwell pointed at me. She turned and saw me sitting at the other side of the restaurant. Immediately, her countenance changed.

“What? You brought her out? Why? What?”

I wondered the exact question she wanted him to answer. I was angry because the victim was acting like a villain.

The way she changed everything left me speechless.

“What a manipulator!” I thought.

The husband tried to calm her down.

While she was busy questioning our outing, the young man she was with stood up and stretched his hand to shake Mr Ethan. “Mr Ethan, it is my pleasure to meet you.”

Mr Ethan being a kind man shook hands with him too.

“Babe, who is he?” He turned to his wife.

“Oh, babe. This is Mr James. He is in charge of importing and exporting my goods.” Obviously, she lied.

“But, why am I just meeting him?” He questioned his wife.

“Do I need your permission to have business partners?”

“That is not what I mean. I set you up for this business and I feel it is wise that you are accountable.”

She snapped. “Did you just call me foolish?”

“Babe, no. I mean accountability would have made me know who is in charge of your business.”

The man cleared his throat. “Look, I think I’ll leave you two to talk.”

He started walking away. “Not so fast.”

Mr Ethan’s voice stopped him. He turned around reluctantly.

“I don’t believe we’ve met.”

“No, we haven’t.”

“Then perhaps you should introduce yourself before leaving.”

He stared at Mr Ethan for a moment before extending his hand.

“My name is James. James Carter.”

Then he walked away.

“Zara, was he not the man we met at the hospital with a pregnant woman?”

“I can’t remember any man with a pregnant woman. You make mountains out of moles. Obviously, you don’t love me.”

“I don’t love you?”

“Yes, you don’t. Because if you do, trusting me shouldn’t be difficult.”

I sat down there observing them quietly. I knew there was more to all that just happened and I was ready to help Mr Ethan find out the truth.

He didn’t deserve a cheat. He deserved a loyal woman. But I was just a surrogate and it was none of my business. I was only bothered that a good man like Mr Ethan chose a manipulator as a wife.

Suddenly, Zara turned to me. “And you? You had the guts to go out with my husband?”

She moved closer to my seat.

“Zara! Leave her alone. I invited her.”

“Really? You invited her? On what ground?”

“On the grounds that she helped with the company’s presentation?”

“Really?” She yelled. She picked up her car key and left angrily.

“Zara!” Mr Ethan called her severally, but she refused to answer.

“I am sorry, Mr Ethan. I didn’t plan to cause a disagreement between you and your wife.” I apologized.

“It is fine, Blessing. Don’t mind Zara, she is just being dramatic.”

We headed to the car park and drove home immediately. The drive home was unusually silent.

“Thank you, sir, for the gifts.” I appreciated him when we got home and headed to my room.

A few hours later, Mrs Ethan arrived. She came to my room and opened my door without knocking.

“You husband snatcher. What game are you playing with me? Just because you are pregnant, you think you are better than me?”

I lowered my gaze.

“No, ma. I dare not snatch your husband away from you. “

“You better don’t. When next I see you with him alone, I will make sure you don’t live to see the next day.”

Then she left and slammed the door.

“Wait. What? What does that mean? I wouldn’t live to see the next day? Is that a threat?”

I wasn’t ready to die. I only came to carry their children and nothing more. I genuinely wanted to enjoy my money with my mother and Leo.

Then my phone rang. The ringtone pulled me out of my thoughts. I checked to see who was calling, it was my mother. I picked it up.

“Hello, mummy.”

“Hello, my daughter.” The sound of her voice made my heart leap for joy. She sounded very much better.

“Mummy, how are you?” I asked gladly.

“I am very fine.” She didn’t let me say much before she asked a question that left me speechless for a while.

“When am I seeing you?”

“Ermm..ermmm…” I stammered. I

didn’t want her to see me with a protruding stomach. Or how do I explain to her that I was carrying another family’s child.

“I will see you soon, mummy.”

“Soon? Is it until I die?”

“Death? God forbid. I will see you soon. I promise.”

“Alright, my dear. I am just a little bit worried. I don’t even know the kind of work you do. I don’t want to see your money. It is you I want to see. May God be with you.”

“Amen. Thank you, mummy. Bye.” Then I hung up.

I couldn’t sleep all night. Mrs Ethan’s threat kept ringing in my head and the urge to visit my mother was irresistible. But how do I explain surrogacy to her?

How long could I keep hiding the truth from her?

And when she finally discovered what I had done, would she understand?

I placed my hand on my stomach. There were two babies growing inside me. Two innocent children who had nothing to do with the circumstances that brought me into this house.

I had promised to carry them safely. I had promised not to claim them. But nobody had prepared me for the emotional burden of the arrangement.

Neither had anyone warned me that I might have to fight for my safety while fulfilling a contract.

I swallowed the lump in my throat.

I couldn’t go back now. Not when my family still needed me.

Not when their future depended on the money I was going to receive.

But one thing was certain. I needed to find a way to see my mother.

Even if it meant telling her the truth.

I tossed from one side of the bed to the other. It was past midnight, and sleep still hadn’t come.

I picked up my phone and checked the time.

12:47 a.m. I sighed.

Perhaps I should call Leo and ask him how things were going at home. But I didn’t want to wake him.

I dropped the phone beside me and stared at the ceiling.

My mind returned to the restaurant. To the man at the restaurant with Zara, to Zara’s strange behaviour and to Mr Ethan’s confused expression when his wife denied knowing the man they had seen at the hospital.

I wondered whether he was thinking about it too. Something was definitely wrong between them.

And somehow, I had become part of it. I closed my eyes again.

All I wanted was to carry these babies, receive my money and return to the simple life I had before.

I didn’t want a rich man’s marriage. I didn’t want a wealthy family’s secrets.

And I certainly didn’t want to become someone’s enemy.

I just wanted my family back.