“Ada, I never said I don’t love you,” Chidi said, his voice sharp but restless.

“Ada, I never said I don’t love you,” Chidi said, his voice sharp but restless.

“Ada, I never said I don’t love you,” Chidi said, his voice sharp but restless.

“Then what are you saying? Don’t you know this is our chance to get married?” Ada asked, smiling faintly, searching his eyes for sincerity.

But Chidi’s face was hard. He grabbed her arm suddenly. “Ada, you need to leave, please. I will come and see you when I’m ready.” He picked up her bag and dragged her toward the gate.

“Chidi, let me go! I am not leaving. You got me pregnant and now you don’t want to take responsibility for your actions!” Ada cried, forcing herself back, but Chidi held her tightly.

“Ada, if you don’t leave this moment, I will do something you will not like. Now get out and never show your ugly face here again!” he barked, trying to push her out of the house. But Ada struggled against him.

Their shouting drew Mr. Collins and his wife out. “Chidi, let her be. Let’s hear her out first,” Mr. Collins said.

“No, Dad, she’s a mad woman!” Chidi shouted, still trying to push her away. But Ada slipped from his grip and ran straight toward his parents. Just then, Sandra came out. Chidi scratched his head, panic all over his face. Ada was about to expose him. Sandra rushed and gave him a hug of welcome.

“Good evening ma, good evening sir,” Ada greeted, breathing heavily.

“Don’t come close when you talk. You stink,” Mrs. Collins hissed with disgust.

“What is your problem, young woman? How can we help you?” Mr. Collins asked, sternly.

“Sir, your son, Chidi got me pregnant,” Ada said. The whole compound went silent. Mr. and Mrs. Collins’ eyes widened. Sandra froze, still holding on to Chidi, her mouth open in shock.

“How? When? Where?” Mr. Collins demanded.

“We dated while he was serving in the village. He promised to marry me and bring me to the city. But he used me and dumped me.” Ada’s voice cracked as tears ran down her cheeks. “Since then, people in the village mocked me. My mates laughed at me.”

Sandra pulled away from Chidi instantly.

“You mean you’re pregnant for my son?” Mr. Collins asked again.

“Yes, sir,” Ada answered quietly.

Mr. Collins laughed not with joy, but with disbelief.

“Dad, don’t believe her. I don’t even know who she is. She’s just a mad woman,” Chidi snapped.

“I’m not mad, Chidi. You know what you did. You got me pregnant and” Ada tried to speak, but Mrs. Collins cut her off sharply.

“Enough! Enough of these lies! That’s how you village girls behave, moving around accusing men falsely,” Mrs. Collins spat.

“I’m not accusing him, ma. He knows the truth,” Ada said, trembling.

“Shut up, shameless girl! You don’t talk when I’m still talking. Are you mad?” Mrs. Collins barked.

“I’m sorry, ma,” Ada whispered.

“Mum, Dad, believe me,” Chidi said quickly. “I don’t know this girl. I never met her. This is all a setup!” He turned to Sandra. “Babe, please believe me.” He tried to touch her, but she pushed his hand away.

Sandra’s eyes were blazing. “She said you got her pregnant, you are saying you don’t know her. Somebody is lying here. But one thing is sure,she doesn’t sound mad.”

“You know what?” Mr. Collins finally said. “We will run a DNA test. That will prove if Chidi is the father of the child or not.”

Sandra couldn’t take it anymore. She rushed inside, tears in her eyes.

Chidi glared at his father. “Well, I’m not surprised dad. You’ve never trusted me. But hear this even if the test comes out true, I will never marry her!” He said and stormed inside after Sandra.

“Chidi will take responsibility for what he has done. I won’t allow otherwise in this house,” Mr. Collins said firmly. He turned to Ada. “You’re free to come in.” Mr Collins said and stormed inside.

Ada tried to step forward, but Mrs. Collins’ eyes burned like fire. “And where does she think she’s going?” she hissed. “If you know what’s good for you, leave this house before you will be forced to.” She stormed inside, leaving Ada at the door.

Ada stood, her bag in hand, tears rolling. “Chidi denied me… Chidi denied me…” she muttered, walking away slowly, her heart breaking.

Later, in Sandra’s room, Chidi begged on his knees. “Babe, please, you can’t leave me because of her lies. Please, don’t do this to me.”

Sandra kept packing her things, ignoring him.

“Mum, help me beg her,” Chidi cried as Mrs. Collins walked in.

“Sandra, don’t go because of this,” Mrs. Collins said softly, holding her hand. “If you leave, that girl has won. Stay. We will make her life a living hell until she runs away herself.”

Sandra burst into tears, nodded slowly.

Two days later, on a sunday morning, Ada was still in bed, weak from stress and heartbreak. At 10am, Mrs. Collins, returned from church still on her church attire, entered her room to know what she was doing and found her still sleeping. Her face twisted with disgust. She fetched a bucket of cold water and splashed it on Ada.

“Mama!” Ada screamed, jumping up, soaked.

“Who is mama? Who are you calling mama you village girl?” Mrs. Collins barked. “Look at the time you’re still sleeping like a lazy pig! Your mates are outside hustling for their future while you’re here sleeping away your destiny.”

“Mama, I’m not feeling too well. My whole body is paining me,” Ada said weakly.

“Oh, your body is paining you?” Mrs. Collins slapped her hard across the face. “So you think because you claimed my son got you pregnant, we’ll pamper you here? Never! You must work!”

She dragged Ada out of the bed, covering her nose. “See how you stink. You’ve even spoiled the whole room with your smell.”

She shoved a broom into Ada’s hands. “Go outside and sweep the compound! Lazy girl. If you think I’ll let you sit here and eat for free, you’re dreaming.”

Ada, still shivering from the cold water and weak from hunger, staggered outside with the broom. She bent down and began sweeping slowly, her tears mixing with the dust.

Mrs. Collins followed her out and stood with her hands folded, watching closely. Every corner Ada touched, she would complain.

“Look at how you’re sweeping are you blind? Sweep that place again!” she barked.

Ada forced herself to re-sweep the same spot, her hands trembling, her body weak, and mrs. Collins purposely raised her voice to shame her.

“See this one that came from the village to trap my son with pregnancy. Lazy and useless. Sweep well, or there won’t be any food for you today”

Ada’s heart sank. She kept sweeping, praying silently for strength, while Mrs. Collins stood there, making sure to frustrate her until she broke down completely.

Suddenly, Ada staggered and dropped the broom. She held her stomach and leaned on the wall for support.

“Ehh, look at her pretending now! You think you will deceive me with fake sickness? Pick up that broom now!” Mrs. Collins barked.

Just then, Chidi came out of the house. Ada’s eyes lit up for a moment, hoping he would defend her.

But instead, he folded his arms and looked at her with disgust. “Mum, don’t mind her. That’s how she behaves. She’s just pretending so you’ll pity her.”

Ada’s lips trembled. “Chidi… please… you know I’m not lying. I’m weak… please believe me,” she whispered.

“Believe you?” Chidi laughed coldly. “You think I will fall for this your village drama? Better pick up that broom before I punish you myself.”

Ada broke down in tears, her whole body shaking. Mrs. Collins smiled in satisfaction and clapped her hands. “Good, my son. Don’t let her deceive you. We will frustrate her until she runs back to that her village!”

Ada looked at both of them Chidi, the man who once promised her love, and his mother who hated her existence. She realized she was all alone in that house.

She bent down, picked up the broom again with shaky hands, and continued sweeping, while mother and son stood together, watching her suffer.

Later that day in the afternoon, Ada dragged herself into the kitchen. Her head was heavy, but she tried to prepare lunch. She placed a pot of rice on the gas cooker, praying she would not make any mistake.

Not long after, Mrs. Collins stormed in. “So you’re still on this rice since morning? What kind of snail-speed cooking is this?”

Ada quickly wiped her tears with the back of her hand. “I’m sorry ma, the gas went off. I had to fix the cylinder again”

Mrs. Collins cut her short with a sharp hiss. “Shut up! Excuses! That is all you know. You think this house runs on excuses? Lazy girl like you. If you were fast to open your legs for my son, why can’t you be fast in the kitchen?”

Ada bowed her head, her heart breaking at every word. She stirred the pot quietly, praying it would come out well.

Mrs. Collins stepped closer, dipped a spoon into the pot, and tasted the rice. She spat it out immediately. “Nonsense! Tasteless food! You want to poison us with your rubbish cooking? Who taught you how to cook, eh?”

“Mama… please, just give me time, it will be ready soon,” Ada said softly.

Mrs. Collins suddenly dragged the pot off the gas and emptied it into the sink. “If you cannot cook ordinary rice, then you don’t belong in this house. You are here to disgrace me, but I will never allow it!”

Ada froze, staring at the wasted food. Her chest tightened with pain.

Chidi walked in, already dressed to go out with sandra. Ada looked at him, her eyes begging for help.

But Chidi only glanced at the empty pot and hissed. “Mum, don’t waste your strength on her. That’s how she does. She can’t cook, she can’t clean, she can’t do anything. Useless girl.”

Ada’s tears fell freely. “Chidi… you know I can cook… you’ve eaten my food before… why are you saying this?”

The earlier you leave this house the better for you…he turned to his mother. We are off mom see you soon. He stormed off.

Please take good care of her oo buy her whatever she wants and bring back my own for me…Mrs Collins said loudly behind him and turned to ada who was sobbing silently.

Foolish village girl….. ordinary rice you cannot cook but you know how to open leg for all the men in your village,come out of my way let me cook joor…..better go and look for something to keep yourself busy I don’t want to come out and meet you doing nothing….she said and ada quietly left the kitchen with tears.

To be continued….

WHEN LOVE BLINDS EPISODE 15.