“Yes.”
“In five years of marriage, you never found one evening to mention that?”
“There was nothing between us anymore.”
“Then why hide it?”
Tobe’s voice rose.
“Because I knew exactly how this would sound.”
Nkiru’s eyes filled.
“No.”
She shook her head.
“You knew how it would feel.”
He went silent.
“Did you sign that payment because procurement cleared it?”
“No.”
“Because you independently verified it?”
“No.”
“Because you trusted Tami?”
“At the time, yes.”
Nkiru laughed without humor.
“So when you told me a company destroyed you, what you meant was that you broke finance procedure for a woman you once planned to marry.”
“I made a professional mistake.”
“You did.”
“I did not steal.”
“I believe that.”
Tobe looked at her.
The answer surprised him.
Nkiru continued.
“But you also made a marital decision every single day you kept this from me.”
Her phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
Tobe stared at it.
“Who is that?”
“I don’t know.”
“Open it.”
She did.
Video attachment.
Hotel security footage.
Abuja.
Six months after their wedding.
Tobe entering a hotel suite.
Nkiru recognized Tami opening the door.
Her face drained.
“That’s Tami.”
Tobe said nothing.
Nkiru looked at the date again.
“Six months after our wedding.”
“Nkiru.”
“You said I had all of it.”
“Nothing happened.”
“You entered her suite.”
“Yes.”
“Alone?”
“Yes.”
“After marrying me?”
“Yes.”
“And honesty arrives five years later.”
Tobe sat.
“She called me because there was something she needed to tell me privately.”
“About what?”
He covered his face.
“Tobe.”
Nothing.
“About what?”
He finally looked up.
“Her son.”
Nkiru stared.
“Kede?”
“Yes.”
“He was little then.”
“Yes.”
“What does her son have to do with you?”
Tobe’s voice almost disappeared.
“Tami and I were still together around the period she became pregnant.”
Nkiru stood very still.
“Say what you’re trying not to say.”
“She believed Kede might be mine.”
For several seconds Nkiru seemed unable to breathe.
“Might.”
“Yes.”
“That’s why you went to Abuja.”
“Yes.”
“To see your former fiancée.”
“Yes.”
“Because she told you she might have given birth to your son.”
“Yes.”
Nkiru turned away.
Then back.
“You came home to me afterward.”
“Yes.”
“You slept beside me that night?”
Tobe closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
“There was a DNA test,” he said quickly.
Nkiru laughed bitterly.
“Of course there was.”
“It said I wasn’t his father.”
“Show me.”
Tobe frowned.
“What?”
“The result.”