Amelia woke up and sat up on the couch. She looked around the living room and let out a heavy sigh.
Fred wanted her to sleep in one of his rooms but she refused. For some reason, she didn’t want to feel comfortable. Not after what she saw.
Soon, the aroma of scrambled eggs filled her filled the air and her nostrils. She knitted her brows and looked at the kitchen. She knew Fred was at it again.
She stood up and dragged her feets on the tiles to the kitchen door. She leaned on the door and stared at Fred as he cooked.
He didn’t realize she was watching him until he looked back to pick a plate. Then he saw her.
“Hey! You are awake.” He said with a bright smile. Amelia divulged a smile also and bounced her head.
“Yes, I am awake.” She responded, still leaning against the door.
“Did you sleep well? How are you feeling now?” Fred further asked, moving close to her.
“I’m fine, thank you.”
“Please wait at the dining table, breakfast will be ready in no time.” He said to her.
She nodded and kept looking at him. “Can I ask you something?”
“Yes, sure. What is it?” He asked, paying rapt attention to her.
“Are you like this all the time?” She asked, and Fred narrowed his gaze at her.
“Like how?”
“Nice, caring, always making breakfast…”
Fred let out a little laugh and Amelia giggled. “I’m serious, okay? You are so nice to me. Why?” She further asked.
“Because you don’t deserve to be treated badly, Amelia. You are a good woman, and you should be cherished.”
He smiled sweetly at her again and walked to the frying pan.
“If only Mr. James knows this.” She muttered sadly.
“What did you say?” Free asked and looked back.
“Nothing. I’ll wait at the dining table.” She responded and walked out of the kitchen.
She sat at the dining table and waited for Fred to show up. As she sat, she thought of James again.
She remembered how super excited she was to give him her virginity. How prepared she was to go to any length just to satisfy him.
‘And all you could do was make out with the woman that hurt me the most?! The woman you told me to stay away from?!’ She screamed in her head.
She lowered her head in sadness and began to weep.
‘I was so stupid to have thought you were beginning to feel something for me. I was so stupid to think you have fallen in love with me. I promise you, Mr. James, I’ll make you regret this. I will make sure you never hurt me again.’
*
Fred finished serving breakfast and sat directly opposite her. He noticed her eyes were red and she was crying before he came out of the kitchen.
“Are you alright?” He asked as they ate.
“I’m fine, thank you.” She responded, letting out a fake smile.
Fred nodded slowly and kept staring at her. He wanted to know what happened to her badly.
“Amelia…” He called, and she raised her head and looked at him.
“Yes.” She responded.
“Can you please tell me what happened last night?” He asked with hopes that she wouldn’t hide it from him anymore.
Amelia let out a sigh and nodded. “I met Mr. James making out with my worst enemy.” She responded coldly.
Fred clenched his jaw and exhaled softly. “I’m so sorry about that, Amelia. I understand how hurt you are.”
“No, you don’t, Fred. You have no idea how broken my heart is right now. I thought everything is going very good, he was beginning to care for me, we were even suppose to have sex…” Amelia let out a little laugh and shook her head.
“I am so stupid.” She added.
“No, you are not stupid, Amelia. You need to start saying awful things about yourself. You are not stupid. You just fell in love with the wrong person.”
Amelia kept mute as she listened to Fred. He was right after all, she fell in love with the wrong person.
“Listen, Amelia. You don’t have to stay with him if it is against your happiness. There are many men out there that would want a woman like you.”
“Many men?” Amelia scoffed and shook her head. “Where are they? All my life, where have they been? Mention one of them.”
“Me.” He responded almost immediately.
Amelia’s lips sealed after hearing his response. She exhaled heavily and lowered her head.
“Fred…”
“You don’t have to say anything. I understand that you are a married woman and you love your husband. I won’t bother you, okay? I mean well. I hope one day your husband loves you the way I do.”
Amelia bounced her head and kept eating. She wasn’t shocked that he liked her because she noticed how much he cared about her. What she didn’t understand was why?
“What do you see in me?”
“Everything. Everything I have always wanted. Everything a matured man would ever want, Amelia. There’s nothing wrong or odd about you. You are perfect.”
Amelia’s heart began to bleed as she heard his words. One part of her wanted to hear those words proceed from James’ mouth.
“Thank you so much, Fred. You are one of the few nicest people in my life. I’ll always say this.”
Fred bounced his head and picked up the jar of orange juice. He poured it into a glass and moved it to Amelia.
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