Surely, he couldn't mean what I thought I had heard, right? It's simply impossible.
I was on my way from church that fateful day, my spirit that has been lifted by the sermon, now lay in pieces, trampled by the lie and deceit I just discovered.
As I made my out of the church building, I was approached by an elder of the congregation, he wanted to speak with me, but nothing could have prepared me for what followed.
"Are you aware that Victor has a child?" The elder had asked me. For a moment I remained silent and motionless, not because I was at a loss for words but because I was struggling to understand what he really mean.
I managed a smile before adding "Yes sir, Victor and I are expecting a child"
My smile vanished as the elder continued
"No, Rosline, the child I speak of was born before you two met, Victor already had a child with another lady, who should be about 2 years old now"
The elder words hit my like a wave. My heart raced, my head spinning as I struggled to grasps the meaning of what he just said, searching for a rational explanation for what I was hearing.
Now, as I made my way home, the shock of discovering Victor's secret weighed on me. I was having a mix of emotions - anger, confusion, betrayal and self doubt. Perhaps, I was too hasty in getting married to Victor without knowing him well, but isn't eight months enough for Victor to let me about this child he has?
Five months after meeting Victor, he proposed, and a month later, I stood at the altar with him, certain this is the man with whom I wanted to share my life. While my friends and family had thought we were rushing things, I was sure of our love.
But it was at this moment, that I begin to realise the gaps in what we shared.
I married Victor without meeting his parents, his mother did attend the wedding, but that was the first and only time I had set my eyes on her. His father? I have never seen the man, and even though the man is still very much alive, Victor refused to show me even a single picture of him.
Now, 2 months into our marriage, I get to find out from another, that my husband had a child before he even met me.
Still lost in thoughts, I didn't notice Vera until she tapped me on the shoulder. Vera sells things near our house and I know her well. She's the local gossip queen.
"Rosline, you're just coming home, did you hear what happened?"
My Stomach twisted in knots as I imagined the worst - that the word about Victor's secret child has reached Vera's ears. Was my private life already the latest gossip in the street?
Without even letting me respond, vera kept going "A woman came to your house earlier, and she and your hubby got into an argument. Victor actually raised his hand on her, the lady left with a black eye and swollen face, and everyone on the street is talking about it. Can you believe it?"
Of course I don't believe. That's impossible. I thought, suppressing my rising panic. Victor couldn't even help me deal with a rat that has been scurrying our house. I refused to believe that he was capable of hitting someone, and a woman for that matter.
But still a deep-seated fear grew in the back of my mind. Maybe I didn't know my husband as well as I thought.
Keeping my thoughts to myself, I avoided engaging Vera any further. No need to fuel the gossip mill.
I have to talk to Victor.
Arriving home, I confronted Victor before he could utter a word. My emotions boiled over as I unleashed my pent-up anger, venting my frustration about discovering his hidden child and Vera's accusation. With fire in my voice, I demanded to know if Victor had indeed struck a woman.
And his response confirmed my fears, sending shockwaves through my heart.
In a cold, calculated tone, Victor said
"My love, yes, I have a child, a girl child, but I didn't say anything, because you never asked me if I already had a child. And what vera said is very true, the lady they saw is the mother of my child, she came here wanting to ruin our marriage, to get between us, but after what I did to her for everyone to watch, I'm sure she'll never show up here again. But all those does not matter, no one is going to come between us"
Surely he couldn't mean what I thought I had heard, could he? Its simply impossible. Victor didn't mean all what he just said, the Victor I know wouldn't.
What truly chilled me to the bone was his belief that his actions were justified, that this woman, the mother of his child, deserved what he did to her.
I was left reeling as I struggled to reconcile this new version of my husband, with the man I'd thought I had married.
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STOPThis was a gripping and emotional read! The slow unraveling of Victor's true nature was intense, and Rosline's growing realization was powerfully written. The suspense kept me hooked till the end. Well done!
Thanks 😊 🫂
Thank you 😊
this article. We ask writers not to cover topics of abuse and violence in stories in The Ink Well.@kristabel123, please be sure to familiarize yourself with our stance on violence by reading
We also have a reminder about this policy in our Treasure Trove of Tips and Reminders, which is pinned to the top of our community home page.
Yes @theinkwell , I just thought that, since my story does not contain a graphic detail of the violence and it was not described, that it would be allowed
But I'll be sure to follow the rules next time 😊😊
It's terrible to just meet someone, and in such a terrible way. All belief in that person collapses. This story happens a lot in real life, and it's unpleasant surprises.
Thanks for sharing your story with us.
Excellent Wednesday.