Chinwe and Olaedo shared a unique and intimate bond in their friendship. With her captivating beauty, Olaedo garnered the attention of numerous admirers who were eager to make her their bride. She confided in Chinwe about all the marriage proposals she got, seeking advice on the best decision to make. Chinwe who was not as conventionally beautiful as her friend, envied the attention Olaedo was getting and she became filled with a burning jealousy.
As Olaedo spoke of her suitors, Chinwe, battling with jealousy said in her mind, “So, she wants to marry before me?” She shrugged, “Never. It will not happen. What happened before will not happen again. It’s either I marry before her or both of us will remain single.”
With a feigned smile, she advised her friend to savor life’s adventures before settling down. “Why tie yourself to one man so soon?” Chinwe questioned, emphasizing the allure of freedom and the joy that came with uncharted paths. Olaedo, considering the advice, pondered the idea that marriage might indeed limit the vibrant experiences she could have.
Their friendship thrived on the contrast of perspectives—Olaedo, the embodiment of beauty and sought-after love, and Chinwe, the champion of the unrestricted lifestyle. Together, they navigated the delicate balance between tradition and the unexplored, their contrasting views adding layers to their shared journey in the tapestry of life.
In the shadows of their seemingly unbreakable bond, a subtle undercurrent of envy flowed within Chinwe. Unbeknownst to Olaedo, Chinwe’s counsel to avoid marriage concealed a hidden motive—jealousy. Chinwe, struggling with her own insecurities, masked her envy with words of liberation, urging Olaedo to forgo the path she herself yearned for.
As Olaedo continued to weave dreams of a future filled with love and commitment, Chinwe took silent pleasure in the illusion she was crafting. The façade of friendship concealed the bitter seed of jealousy, casting a complex web over their relationship. Little did Olaedo suspect the true nature of Chinwe’s intentions, as the threads of deception and envy wove a narrative far more intricate than the surface of their friendship suggested.
In an unexpected twist of fate, Chinwe, who once preached the virtues of freedom, found herself embracing marriage when a singular opportunity presented itself.
In the days leading up to her wedding, Chinwe, consumed by the excitement of her impending nuptials, chose to keep her blossoming relationship concealed from Olaedo. Unknown to her friend, Chinwe guarded the details of her romance with a veil of secrecy, relishing the anticipation of her approaching union.
It was a few days before the wedding that Olaedo stumbled upon the revelation. In the heart of town, she unexpectedly laid eyes on the wedding invitations, her gaze transfixed by the tangible evidence of Chinwe’s imminent journey into matrimony. Shock and hurt mingled as Olaedo battled with the realization that her closest friend had chosen to keep such a significant chapter of her life hidden.
The discovery added a layer of complexity to their friendship, injecting an element of betrayal into the mix. As Chinwe busily prepared for her celebration, unaware of the storm brewing in Olaedo’s heart, the dynamics between the two friends shifted irreversibly, setting the stage for the unmasking of hidden emotions and the impending destruction of their once inseparable bond.
The revelation of Chinwe’s concealed wedding plans left Olaedo grappling with a profound sense of regret. In the wake of the discovery, Olaedo couldn’t help but rue the trust she had placed in Chinwe, who had guarded her own secrets with meticulous care while being seemingly indifferent to the emotional impact on their friendship.
The regret weighed heavily on Olaedo’s heart as she reflected on the disparity between their levels of discretion. The once unbreakable bond then felt tainted by a sense of betrayal, leaving Olaedo to question the authenticity of their friendship. As the echoes of unspoken words lingered in the air, Olaedo oscillated between disappointment and regret, contemplating the repercussions of having shared her secret life with someone who had chosen to keep her own concealed.
As Chinwe walked down the aisle, she left behind the echoes of her earlier advice to Olaedo. Meanwhile, Olaedo, battling with the passage of time, remained single as her once alluring beauty began to fade. The tables turned, and Chinwe, now a married woman, couldn’t resist the temptation to mock her single friend. Olaedo, feeling the sting of Chinwe’s taunts, held her former confidante responsible for the solitude she now endured. The friendship that once thrived on shared secrets and dreams turned into a bitter rivalry fueled by resentment.
In the aftermath of her secret wedding, Chinwe, basking in the bliss of her newfound marital chapter, abruptly severed all ties with Olaedo. With a cold and decisive message, she declared that their paths had diverged, and they were no longer on the same page.
The bond that once seemed unbreakable shattered as Chinwe’s mockery intensified. In the wake of their fractured friendship, Olaedo, hardened by loneliness and betrayal, pointed accusing fingers at Chinwe for her solitary existence. The echoes of their once-shared laughter were replaced by the silence of severed ties, marking the transition of two friends into bitter enemies. As Chinwe celebrated the joy of her newlywed status, a cruel streak emerged in her interactions with Olaedo. Mockery dripped from her words as she taunted her former friend.
Olaedo, unable to bear the betrayal, decided to confront Chinwe when she visited her uninvited. “How did you locate my house?” Chinwe asked, frowning at her friend.
“You may hide your wedding from me, but there are certain things you cannot always hide no matter how cleaver you claim to be.” She looked at Chinwe, rage simmering through her eyes. A lump slowly formed in her throat, making it difficult for her to breathe.
“How do you mean?” Chinwe questioned.
“Don’t pretend as if you don’t know what I’m talking about.” Olaedo snarled.
Chinwe’s brow furrowed in feigned ignorance before she let out long derisive laugh and begun clapping her hands.
“Oh, is that why you are crying over spilled milk? For your information, we are not on the same page anymore. By the way, all those times I told you to enjoy your youth, Olaedo, I never said you couldn’t marry, but I guess some people just can’t grasp good advice,” Chinwe’s voice carried a condescending tone.
With a mocking smirk, she continued, “You’re old enough to make your own choices, right? Maybe you should have chosen better.” Each word seemed calculated to pierce through Olaedo’s emotions, a cruel reminder of the supposed wisdom that Chinwe had once imparted. The once-shared dreams then crumbled under the weight of Chinwe’s scornful words, leaving Olaedo to wrestle with the sting of both regret and betrayal.
Fury ignited in Olaedo’s eyes as she confronted Chinwe, the once serene depths now ablaze with a storm of emotions. Her brows knitted together in a fierce expression, and her clenched fists betrayed the intensity of the anger that coursed through her veins.
“You pretended to be my friend while plotting behind my back!” Olaedo’s voice quivered with a mix of betrayal and rage. The air crackled with the tension of shattered trust. “You gave me advice, all the while hiding your own secrets. How could you deceive me like this?”
The atmosphere seemed to vibrate with the force of Olaedo’s indignation. Her words cut through the air, each syllable a sharp rebuke. The weight of Chinwe’s betrayal fueled Olaedo’s fury, turning her usually composed demeanor into a tempest of wrath.
Olaedo, left in the wake of that sudden dismissal, grappled with the abruptness of the end to their friendship. The depth of betrayal and the swift departure of someone once considered a confidante left Olaedo navigating a sea of emotions, ranging from hurt to confusion. The fracture in their relationship served as a stark reminder that the bonds of friendship, seemingly unbreakable, could unravel with the same swiftness that they were formed.
Unable to withstand the intensity of Olaedo’s confrontation, Chinwe’s composure wavered. Anguish flickered across her face as she, unable to face the weight of Olaedo’s accusations, lashed out in a desperate attempt to regain control.
“Get out, Olaedo! I don’t need this drama in my house,” Chinwe’s voice trembled, the words a feeble defense against the storm of emotions swirling in the room.
Olaedo, wounded and betrayed, felt the crushing weight of dismissal. Tears threatened to drop in her eyes as she turned away, her footsteps heavy with the burden of a friendship shattered by deception. The door slammed shut behind her, echoing the finality of their once-unbreakable bond.
Alone on the doorstep, Olaedo wrestled with the raw ache of betrayal, the words of mockery and the sharp edges of Chinwe’s rejection etching wounds that ran deep. The pain of leaving resounded in every step she took away from Chinwe’s house, marking the end of a chapter in her life that she never anticipated closing with such profound heartache.
When Olaedo left, Chinwe burst into uncontrollable mocking laughter, celebrating her successful evil desire and plan as she recalled and replayed in her mind how her jealousy began.
Chinwe’s remembered when Olaedo got admission to university before her. It was the day an invisible crack formed in the unique bond they shared which seemed unbreakable. “Does it mean Olaedo will also eventually get married before me?’’ Chinwe nursed these questions within her as jealousy consumed her like the burning hell. “Olaedo, you may get admission before me, but I swear with the tomb of my late mother that I will not be alive and watch you get married before me,” She mumbled to herself.
Though she covered her jealousy with a façade of happiness for Olaedo’s success, deep within, Chinwe’s resentment for Olaedo simmered. Each congratulatory word she uttered concealed a pang of envy, and the joy she showed masked the flames of jealousy burning in her heart. The struggle between genuine happiness for her friend and the green-eyed monster within her added a complex layer to their once-uncomplicated friendship.
A year later, the tides shifted as Chinwe finally got admission to the same university. Olaedo, who had secretly prayed for her friend’s success, couldn’t contain her joy. She embraced Chinwe tightly, expressing genuine happiness for her triumph. However, beneath the surface, the remnants of jealousy still lingered, like a stubborn shadow refusing to dissipate.
Olaedo’s joy in Chinwe’s success was sincere, yet the hidden envy, deeply ingrained, continued to cast a subtle influence to their friendship. Despite the shared celebrations, the undercurrent of unresolved emotions added a bittersweet nuance to their reunion in school.
At school, Olaedo generously shared not only her possessions but also her deepest secrets with Chinwe. In contrast, Chinwe, burdened by her lingering envy, pretended to have nothing. Secretly, she would indulge in whatever little Olaedo had, masking her struggles with a guise of self-sufficiency.
Despite Chinwe’s hidden actions, Olaedo, unaware of the pretense, continued to share her limited resources willingly. She extended kindness without expecting anything in return, strengthening their friendship even as Chinwe swam in the internal conflict of pride and dependence.
As Olaedo’s life took a positive turn with the arrival of a supportive boyfriend who sent her financial assistance, she continued her generous nature, sharing the newfound blessings with Chinwe. Unknown to Olaedo, Chinwe’s envy had taken a darker turn. Secretly, she copied Olaedo’s boyfriend’s number and initiated a deceitful plot.
Chinwe, driven by resentment, began chatting with Olaedo’s boyfriend, weaving a web of lies about Olaedo’s fidelity. Fabricating a tale of infidelity, Chinwe misled him into believing Olaedo was cheating, ultimately leading to the painful end of their relationship. The unsuspecting Olaedo, struggling with the sudden heartbreak, remained oblivious to Chinwe’s deceptive role in the tragic turn of events. The intricate web of jealousy and betrayal cast a shadow over their friendship, unsettling the trust that once bound them together.
A brief pang of guilt passed through Chinwe’s heart as she recalled the genesis of her growing resentment towards Olaedo. She shook her head defiantly and placed her hand on her hip.
“No way, I can’t feel sorry for that girl. She has always had everything I ever wanted, it is now my turn at happiness also. Good riddance!”
Chinwe hissed and picked up her phone from the side stool, ready to go to the kitchen and begin preparing dinner for her husband.
