Dear Wife, I Hate You (by Josephine Mbanefo) novel Chapter 30

Killian’s Pov

I couldn’t believe what I saw. I really stood there and watched my wife act like some cheap cheat and then try to spin the story by dragging Zoey into it. How low can she get. Manipulative, Cunning. That’s what she’s always been. Plays the victim, cries when things don’t go her way. But tonight made everything clear. Lilith doesn’t need love. She doesn’t need care. She’s not worthy of it.

I was too tired to argue more. It was late. I just needed the day to end. So I went to bed.

But lying there in the dark, sleep didn’t come.

All I could see was what could’ve happened if I hadn’t walked in. She would’ve been with that man while I stayed out working, thinking I had a wife. I’ve always known she wasn’t the type to sit still, the type to stay where she’s supposed to be. I thought marriage would calm her. But I was wrong.

I didn’t do what I usually did that night. I couldn’t. I was too angry. It takes a lot to get to me but this got to me deep. Not because I loved her. No. I don’t. But it’s the shame. That she could still stoop that low after all this. With everything she has. She still chose to cheat with someone beneath her.

I turned away from the thought and forced myself to sleep. I didn’t want to think anymore.

****

Morning came. Nothing had changed. The anger was still sitting in my chest, hot and heavy. But I wasn’t going to let it ruin my day. I didn’t plan to speak to her. I didn’t want to see her. If she wants to mess around, fine. That’s her choice. I’m done trying.

I got up, took a hot shower, dressed up, clean shirt, black pants, shoes on. I walked down for breakfast. The table was quiet. It was just me, like before she ever entered my life. That silence used to be lonely. Today, it felt like peace.

I finished my food and was about to head out when Zoey appeared.

“Killian, I want to talk to you,” she said.

I stopped. Looked at her.

“If this is about Lilith, whatever she’s told you to say won’t work. I know the truth.”

“You don’t know the truth,” Zoey said quickly. “Please. I won’t take much of your time. Just hear what she was trying to say.”

I didn’t want to. I really didn’t. But what harm would it do to listen for one minute. I nodded once. That was  all.

We walked to the sitting room. I sat down. She sat across from me.

She wasn’t saying anything yet. My patience was wearing thin.

“I have to go to work, Zoey,” I said flatly. “Start talking.”

She still wasn’t talking and it was getting on my nerves. She kept fumbling with her fingers, her lips parting and closing again like she didn’t know how to form words.

“Um… um… the thing is that…”

That’s what she kept saying. I leaned back and exhaled slowly, feeling the heat rise to my head. I was about to stand up. I didn’t have time for this.

“Wait, wait, wait,” she rushed out. “Let me just tell you the truth. Please,”

I sat back down but my eyes stayed cold.

“Lilith didn’t do anything,” she said.

I narrowed my eyes. “What?”

“What happened… I’ve been blackmailed,” she whispered.

“Blackmailed?” My voice dropped low. “What do you mean blackmailed?”

She looked like she didn’t want to say it. But then she did.

“There’s this guy, my ex. We made a tape together… a sex tape. It was a mistake, I was young and stupid. Now that I’m with Nolan, he’s threatening to leak it. He said he’ll ruin me. If it gets out, it’s over for me, my job, my name, everything.”

I clenched my jaw. “And what does this have to do with Lilith?”

Zoey looked down. “We made a plan. I told her everything. She offered to help. She said we’d go in there, try to seduce him. She would put sleeping pills in his drink. Once he’s out, we take his laptop and phone, delete everything. That’s it. Nothing else.”

I stared at her for a second. “So this is the story you both cooked up to make her look innocent? If this is your way of making me feel better about her, then I’m honestly not interested.”

“It’s not a story, Killian,” her voice cracked. “I’m being blackmailed and she was just trying to help. She did it for me. She didn’t do anything wrong. Nothing happened with that man.”

I rubbed my temple. My head was spinning.

“Then why didn’t you tell me yesterday? And where were you?”

“I was scared. I didn’t know what to say. But now I can’t keep quiet and let her take the blame. She doesn’t deserve this. She did nothing to him.”

Silence fell again. My chest was tight. I didn’t know if I was supposed to feel relieved or just more pissed.

“So how do we fix this?” I asked, voice low. “How do we clear the blackmail?”

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