"Home sweet home "I thought to myself the moment I stepped out of the plane .
The first thing that hit my skin was the cool breeze ,it felt like it was a welcome back for me
Valerie walked through the airport as she dragged her traveling box with her .
She knew that a lot of things had changed when she had left but never had she thought that it was fun to change this much .
Australia had always been her home.
It was just one year ago after she got married to her beloved husband that she loved so much that she got the call for the program .
It was a year-long program and so she had to be away for that long .
All those while she kept in touch with her husband .
He called daily on video call and made sure that she was fine .
She knew that they hadn't consummated their marriage before she left ,the program was more important to her and Darren didn't waste any time in supporting her.
She had met Darren just some years ago when she went with her mom to the supermarket ,he had also come along to get something for his sister when they both bumped into each other .
That was about four years ago .
It didn't take long for them to start dating ,she didn't know why,but she loved this man so much ,she just could let him go .
When Darren popped the question she didn't bother to reject him ,she said yes with whole heart .
She was ready to spend eternity with him and also be the mother of her unborn kids.
Her parents were in big support of them getting married and so it happened .
Their marriage was the talk of the city for a very long time and for a moment she felt very lucky to have him.
He was a big CEO and was known all over the country. Their wedding was aired on the tv and it topped charts for months .
But one thing she never understood was why Darren never touched her after they got married
When they dated, he touched her and they did all sorts of stuff ,but the moment they got married he stopped it and Always claimed to be busy .
It was just three months after that marriage that the programs that she had been dreaming all about came .
She knew how much she had wanted to be a fashion designer and she got into one of the best fashion schools ,she knew she wasn't going to just let it go .
"ma "she heard someone call and eh eh she did ,she saw an old man inside a car talking to her .
The man had his gray hair and looking at him one could tell that he was in his late sixties .
"Your husband sent me to get you "he stated smiling .
"My husband "I replied, shocked .
I knew this wasn't the plan but Darren had promised to come pick me up the moment I returned but now why did he have to send a driver to get me.
Not my family or sister could come out to welcome me back home .
.I felt so lonely .
I placed a call to Darren , hoping he did pick up.
He didn't know how long I had missed him and wanted so badly to see him but yet he still didn't show up .
What was he doing at home?
"ma ,if you don't mind, you can go in ,Mr. Ceo is busy and he has asked me to take you to your parents house "the man said yet again .
I felt like I heard the worst thing's ,one he didn't come to pick me up and secondly he asked them to take me to my parents house .
That was just so weird.
"I took my stuff into the car and pulled out my sunglasses .
"Take me home to my husband's house "I said .
"But ma ,he strictly ordered me not to take you there "the man said .
The more the man said those words ,the more angered I became .
"You don't have to worry about you losing your job ,I have that covered "I told the man and he nodded and with that he drove off .
****
The moment I saw those brown beautiful gates and white fences ,I didn't need anyone to tell me that I was home .
This was where . I spent the last three months with my husband before leaving ,how much I had missed this place .
The decorations and the design were still the same , nothing had changed and I could see that .
The compound was calm and it was like no one was at home .
I got out of the car and walked into the hall before getting to the living room .
I could see the shocked look on most of the workers' faces and the house helped .
"welcome ma "
Welcome ma "
They all greeted me ,but I wasn't in the mood for that , something in me tells me that something was amiss and going on .
"Theresa's, where's my husband ?" I asked the head maid .
"his not ,his in his room "the maid starrmered, bowing her head.
I could see the new faces , I knew that most of the house help had been charged .
I took a step towards the corridor and I took an elevator to his room .
The moment I got out ,I saw two guard's at the front door .
"ma you can't go in "they said blocking my way as I tried to make it past them ..
I held myself from the anger I felt at that moment .
"Who made those orders I am his wife who had just returned and so if you don't mind get out of my way or I would have you fired "I yelled at them .
They both got out of the way looking at me .
Darren's room was just a few steps away ,for a moment I wondered what he was doing in there that made him instruct the guards to be on standby .
Each step I took towards our room made my heart beat increase .
I could hear the feminine moans coming out from our room and the groans of a man.
I tried my best not to think about what it was ,it could not be what I was thinking .
Darren would never hurt me this way .
I pulled myself together and pushed the door after getting there .
The sight in front of me almost made me throw up .
My so-called husband was being intimate with nobody but my elder sister Clara and the worst wad that they were doing it on our matrimonial bed .
I felt my breath seize looking at them .
.I could feel my heart breaking into many pieces .
I knew Clara and I didn't get along. She always blames me for her misfortune but never did I think that she would stoop so low to sleep with my husband .
"What's going on here "I yelled and they both pulled apart immediately .
My husband pulled away and stood up wrapping a towel over his waist while Clara just sat there wrapping the duvet over herself .
"How could you ,how could you Clara "I said with tears rushing down my cheeks.
"You should leave "my husband's cold but calm voice came out .
The man didn't feel remorseful ,he still had the guts to send me away .
Heartbroken by the scene in front of me ,I rushed out of the house with tears pouring down my checks .
I was going to meet my parents ,they had to know what their daughter had done .
My tears didn't stop as I sat in the taxi that I had stopped while going to my parent's home .
My heart held so many things ,I wondered what my parents would say about it .
I told them I hated her , it was clear that she never really liked me but they never listened ,all they did was try to cover her up all the time .
I had been the one doing all the work in the company all these years ,clara Couldn't do anything ,all she did was walk around .
I tried to think about what to do ,I need to calm down .
I knew that I couldn't go in there ,I had just returned home and I needed time to think .
For a second I wondered why my parents never really came to meet me at the airport even knowing that I was coming back after being away all this while .
I paid the cab man off and with that I walked into the familiar black gate that I grew up with .
Everywhere looked so calm and arranged and not even a thing had been changed and for a moment I wondered why it was still that way .
I knew that mom loved changing designs and I wondered why she hadn't done anything to the house .
Walking into the house that I had grown up in ,I got a bit nervous and I wondered why .
The moment I stepped into the living room ,I saw mom and dad sitting there .
Dad had a newspaper in his hands and mom had a magazine .
I knew she was going through some designs ,that was always what she did whenever she was less busy .
"mom"I called the moment I stepped into the house .
Mom raised up her head and looked at me and that sweet smile that I loved so much showed up on her face .
"Darling welcomed home "mom walking towards me and getting to where I was she hugged me tightly .
"Mom,''I called, pulling away .
"whatever the problem is dear ,why don't you let it slide ,you just returned,you know you shouldn't be looking like this "
"mom I can't let this go,I just can't and I thought that you all were going to welcome me back home but what did I get in return ,I met my so called sister Clara intimate with my husband ,they were having sex on my matrimonial bed mom "I said letting out all the tears I had in my eyes .
"About that ,I think you should just let Darren go,'' Dad said .
I watched dad stand up from where he sat ,he wasn't saying a thing ,he was asking me to let my husband go .
"Mom ,dad ,what's going on ,is this all you have to say "I yelled .
Mom looked at me and scoffed .
"you have always been stubborn ,you listen to your dad and let that man go ,let your sister have him ,after all they both love each other and if the so called Darren loved you so much ,then why would he be having sex with you sister ,that's just far from it .
"I see no reason why you should cry about it ,"mom told me and walked away .
I thought about all that my parents had to say and it was at that moment ,I knew that they had hands in whatever that was happening,how could they be saying this .
I knew they treated her nicely even after knowing that she lived a reckless life ,but I never believed that they were going to do this to me .
"It's a good thing that you are back ,I wanted to tell you this .
About the company ,since your sister is getting married to Darren ,I think it's a good thing that Darren rules the company .
We going to merge both companies together and you will work under them , hope I have made myself clear "Valerie
Dad's words stung deep into my heart ,he was giving the company away to another and he just said that Darren was getting married to my sister .
I felt a hand wrap around me and for a moment I knew who it was ,it was no other than Clara ,I knew her scent.
"Get off me "I yelled, pushing her off .
Clara stumped a little, hitting her back on the floor .
Smack
That's was the next I felt on my cheecks .
My dad slapped me .
His eyes held this fury ,I had never seen before in my 23 years of living with him and being his daughter .
"You bastard ,how dare you lay your filthy hands on my daughter ,how dare you "mom screamed at me angrily while she rushed to hold Clara up ,who had those pretentious tears in her eyes .
"I was just trying to be nice mom, I know Valerie hated me ,but I never thought that she would hate me this much .
Is it my fault that her husband chose me over her?
"Why does she hate me so much? " Clara cried and mom, held her hands. Calming her down
The sight in front of me almost made me puke .
I had never felt so sick to this moment .
My parents were treating me like I was a stranger .
I couldn't hold the tears in my eyes .
I am in pain .
"you would apologize to your sister , she's your elder sister and so you will show some respect ,now apologize to her "dad screamed at me grabbing my hair harshly .
"It hurts "I screamed with tears pouring out of my eyes as I tried to pull his grip away .
"Apologize you pest "dad yelled .
I pushed dad away from me and he staggered back but mom was quick to hold him .
The man held so much in his eyes .
I wondered why he hated me so ,why the sudden change ,I thought I was his favorite .
I had done literally everything to please him but yet he could treat me this way .
They were monsters .
"For what you have done ,I would cut off all your shares from my company. You stopped being my daughter at this moment and the moment you leave this house ,do not ever return ,I will make your life a living hell I promise you that "dad told me.
I had enough of the characters ,I was going to leave and never return ,that's what I was going to do .
I would make them pay for this .
They would cry out blood and beg for mercy but I would never forgive.
They would pay for ruining my life .
The moment I rushed out of the house ,I bumped into the Last person that I wanted to see .
His cologne and his walking steps said it all ,I knew that it was him .
I couldn't bring myself to look at him ,I was hurting so much .
Darren pulled away from me and for the first time in a year I raised up my head to look at him .
This was the man that I had loved and we had swormed in front of both God and man ,but how could he do this to me ,how could he change so quickly .
I thought he said he loved me .
If he had cheated on me with someone else ,I would have moved on but why did he have to do it with my sister even after knowing what I had gone through in the hands of that girl .
How could he suddenly turn to love the girl that caused me nothing but pain .
If he had loved her all along then why did he have to wait this long before he could tell me ,why did he have to do this to me .
I knew how much I had loved this man ,I had sacrificed so much to see that this relationship works and he just had to do this to me .
I had Been nothing but faithful to him ,never did I even dare to look at another man .
I got a lot of suitors and I turned them down but why couldn't he do the same ,wbt didn't protect the love we both had.
He had broken me into many pieces yet he still had the guts to ask me to leave ,like I was some kind of piece of shit .
When did Darren go out this way ,when did he start hating me this much?
"Watch where you go, and do not bump into me again ,that would be your last wish on earth, " he said, his voice coming out as cold as ever .
This was the first time Darren had ever spoken to me in such a manner ,he was so angry ,so mean ,his eyes held so much anger .
This wasn't the man that I loved ,he looked so different ,he looked hurt,he looked like he would kill me .
"How could you do this to me ,I thought you said you loved me and you would stand by me no matter the circumstances ,how could you forget the vows ,how could you just throw all of that so easily "I yelled at him letting out the tears .
I had never felt this frustrated my entire life .
"You shut your mouth ,shut your mouth and quit acting like a saint ,you dare to ask me a question when you were the one who cheated .
I loved you Valerie ,I loved you so much and I thought that you did too but why did you have to hurt me this much ,you broke my heart ,you broke it into different pieces ,it's a good thing that your sister was there to help me and now I love her so much .
Well I thought I loved you ,but that was all lies ,at first I never really loved you ,it was just a game I made with my friends to get you ,but slowly I fell for you but you ruined it all ,you bitch "he yelled at my face .
I watched him unable to say a word or grab onto anything that he was saying .
First he said I cheated and now he claims that he used me on a bet .
I thought he loved me from the beginning ,how could he hurt me this much .
"I never cheated on you "
"Shut your mouth you little snitch ,I know you were gonna try to cover up your useless lifestyle "mom yelled coming out .
Both Darren and I turned to their direction ,the moment he saw the tears in her eyes he rushed towards her and held her .
"Don't tell me she hurt you " Darren got all vexed ,but she just cried the more .
"How dare you witch'' Darren yelled at me rushing towards me but Clara held him .
"It's okay babe , she's my sister, don't hurt her "she begged crying .
I watched the scene and the more I felt disgusted .
Clara was one hell of a good actor ,a pretentious bitch at that .
"you sister loved you but all you did was hate her and you made me do same to her but not until knowing her and finding out that you are the real Denon "
"Stay away from her Valerie ,if you lay one more finger on her ,even if it's the scratch of your ,am going to make sure I cut that place off "
"Stay off our life ,you are not wanted you will never be wanted"
I couldn't control my tears at this moment .
I still found it so hard to believe that my husband was the one saying all of this to me ,it felt so unreal .
"You All would pay and as for you Darren ,I hope you don't regret your actions before it's too late .
"that's what a loser would always say ,don't worry you would get the divorce papers Tomorrow"he told me coldly and I could see my sister smirk and quickly replaced it with a sad look
"I hope you all live the miserable life that you all deserve " told them and with that I walked away without looking back .
Daren .
The moment Valerie left ,it felt like a part of me just left my life .
I wondered where she was going to stay after her parents had cut her off .
I could feel it .
I knew I loved her ,but she had just me to do much ,there was no need to have a second thought about this .
I was going through with the divorce and there was no going back on that .
I knew my parents were still contemplating this divorce but I was going through with this .
I loved her so much to let her go ,I don't care about what people would say about it ,but that was just their business .
"babe hope you are not mad at Me "
I looked at Clara,she had the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen and I must say that .
"It's okay babe ,you don't have to worry about anything .
"But where will she stay dad , you can't cut her off just like that ,I am sure she will come back to sense's " Clara begged looking at her parents .
"She dared to hit you and even push me,there's no going back on that ,she must pay "her dad stated .
"Let's go "I told her to pulling her away .
I felt free from Valerie