“Hmmm. Naphtali, are you really sure about this?”

“Papa, I am very sure. My mind is made up.”

“Hmmm. I… I don’t know what to say. I’m surprised, I really am.”

“Me too ooo, me wura, me too. I never knew Natalie was like that. So all this time, she had that greedy, materialistic trait in her? Ei! How could she be so selfish, expecting you to bankrupt yourself for her whims?”

“Hmmm. I tried to reason with her, Maame, I really did. But she wouldn’t listen. She just kept insisting on her extravagant dreams. Young banker like me, she wanted me to foot a bill from Glorious Day Events.”

“Hmph! I still can’t understand that one. Na those people, aren’t they more suited for those enjoying the national cake? We the modest ones can’t afford them.”

“Papa, I said it all. I said all I had to say. We even went to see Mr. Dolphyne about it. The man tried to get us all to try and negotiate. She said no way. Even walked out on Mr. Dolphyne, saying he’s ganged up with me against her. Papa, Maame, it was at that point I decided enough is enough.”

“Ah well, there’s little we can say. We didn’t expect this, but… you are the one who made the choice. And if you’ve seen it’s not a good choice, then we have to support you. Because the girl is being completely unreasonable, expecting you to bankrupt yourself for one day of extravagance! What happens after the wedding? Coz she’ll be the same person disturbing you when you’re not providing as you should.”

“That’s true. Hmmm, as for me, I don’t understand. After all the advice that goes round about not killing your pocket for a wedding, Natalie did not hear? Eii! Some of the youth of today… so focused on the wrong things…”

The hum of computers and the rustling of papers may have filled the air in the busy banking hall, but as Naphtali sat behind his desk, engrossed in numbers and figures, the memories of that fateful day rang loud in his mind.

Weeks had gone by, and he couldn’t have felt more at peace about his decision to break things off with Natalie. It had not been easy, but it was the right thing to do, as far as he was concerned. Her cries and pleas for reconsideration had barely moved him in any way; she would have remained headstrong and uncompromising had he not taken this stance. And as he had told himself, if she was willing to take entrenched positions that affected him negatively now, only God knew what sort of untold misery she would bring him as a wife.

So now, he was back to the single life. He had blocked Natalie on all social platforms and informed his colleagues about all that transpired. There was no time to mourn anything, if anything at all, it was to be a celebration. A period of gratitude for pulling out of what would have been a terrible marriage.

As he busily did his work, a shadow fell across his desk, and Naphtali glanced up to see his colleague, Rosalie, standing there with a smile on her face.

“Hey, Naphtali, um, could I have a moment of your time?” she asked gently.

Naphtali nodded, setting aside his pen. “Of course, Rosa. What’s up?”

Rosalie took a seat opposite him, her eyes reflecting admiration. “So, I haven’t really spoken to you in a bit, since your announcement and all,” she began. “And I know a few weeks have gone by, so it’s almost old news at this stage. But I just wanted to say that… I admire your decision. Calling off the wedding must have been incredibly difficult for you, but you did what was best for you, and I really admire that.”

Naphtali’s expression softened, and he sighed and nodded, running a hand over his head. “Uhmm, thanks, Rosa. It was tough,” he admitted. “Really, really tough. After all that had been put in place, it was not easy making that choice and sticking to my guns. But… I couldn’t go through with it, not when it meant putting myself in financial jeopardy. I just couldn’t justify spending that much money on a single day, when we had the rest of our lives ahead of us.”

Rosalie nodded in understanding. “That’s true, and that’s why I really admire your stance, Naphtali,” she said sincerely. “It takes a whole lot of courage to prioritize your financial stability over all those other expectations, especially from the one you’re supposed to start a lifetime journey with. Not many people would have the strength to make such a tough decision.”

A small smile tugged at the corners of Naphtali’s lips, touched by Rosalie’s words. “Thank you, Rosa,” he replied, his voice filled with gratitude. “It hasn’t been easy, but at the end of the day, I know it was the right choice for me.”

Rosalie reached across the desk and patted Naphtali’s arm reassuringly. “You’re welcome, Naphtali. Just remember, sometimes the boldest decisions are the ones that lead to the greatest growth.”

Naphtali nodded, feeling a sense of peace wash over him. As she got up and left him to return to his work, he couldn’t help but feel grateful for those words.

Indeed, this was a very bold decision to take. Most would have caved under the fear of scrutiny from backing out and just walked in, hoping things would change. He knew that wasn’t going to happen, though; Natalie would have made his life miserable with her headstrong attitude, and that was not worth it.

He nodded, getting back to his work. “Yep. I made the right choice,” he muttered to himself. “Things didn’t pan out the way I expected they would, but hey, better to see it now than to see it too late. Now I’m free from that unreasonable woman. She can disturb whoever she wants with her materialistic nonsense. Life goes on, chale, life goes on.”

***

It was almost six-thirty when Natalie entered her apartment, exhausted from another day of work.

As she tossed her bag on the chair nearby and threw herself on the couch, she sighed. Another day, another step towards healing. It was still tough having to adjust to this new reality of being single once again, especially in light of how she had been weeks away from getting married. It wasn’t easy having to adapt to Naphtali cutting her off totally, but there was nothing else she could do. At least, she had life, and while there was life, there was hope.

Lying on the couch for a few minutes, she then got up to get some food from the kitchen. As she did, her phone buzzed.

She checked, and smiled at the caller ID.

It was Mr. Marty Amegbo.

She answered. “Good evening, Mr. Amegbo.”

“Hello, Natalie. How are you?”

“Oh, Mr Amegbo, I’m fine oo, by God’s grace. Just got home safely.”

“Good, good. Glad to hear that. So you know, just the usual. Checking up and seeing how you’re doing through all of this craziness in your life and all.”

“Thank you so much, Mr. Amegbo. I can’t express how grateful I am for your support during this tough time. It means the world to me, honestly. It means so much to me.”

“Oh, it’s nothing, Natalie. Just doing what I can. You’ve always been a good woman and… it was not pleasant seeing you go through all that, especially as I saw you by the roadside that morning. It’s only natural that I’d want to offer a helping hand when needed.”

“Yes, I understand, Mr. Amegbo. But still, your kindness and understanding have been so soothing for me. I’ve really been feeling so low after everything that’s happened, but… knowing that you’re there for me and just comforting me through it all, it’s just a little shining ray that has helped me to keep going.”

“Awww, I’m really touched to hear that, Natalie. You know, life throws curveballs at us sometimes, and it’s during these moments that we discover the people who truly care for us. And I want you to know that I’m here for you, no matter what.”

“Thank you so much, Mr. Amegbo. I’ll never forget this. You’ve shown me what true compassion and support looks like, and I’ll always be grateful for that.”

“Anytime, Natalie. Remember, you’re not alone in this journey. If you ever need someone to talk to, I’m just a phone call away. I’ll always have time for you.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you again, Mr. Amegbo. You’ve been a blessing in disguise during these tough times.”

“It’s my pleasure, Natalie. Take care of yourself, okay?”

“I will. Goodbye, Mr. Amegbo. And my greetings to your family.”

“Goodbye, Natalie. And I’ll certainly let them know. Later.”

She smiled as the call ended, and made her way into the kitchen. “Oh, God bless that man,” she said to herself. “Such a kind, caring soul with a heart of gold…”

***

As Marty Amegbo hung up the phone, a smirk danced across his face. He placed the phone on the table and shook his head in wonder.

“Hm! God really does mysterious things ooo. He really does,” he marveled to himself. “Coz who would have thought this girl would fall into my lap like this? With this wahala of her fiancé dumping her and all that? Herh! If anyone had told me this would happen, I never would have believed it. Never in a million years!”

Getting up from his desk and walking around his office for a moment, he nodded to himself. The plan he had been forming in his head for weeks now was looking ripe for execution.

“Yep, time to make my move on Natalie,” he declared in a low voice. “The way I’ve eyed her for years now, there’s no chance in hell I’m letting this opportunity slip. Never! This sweet chocolate girl diɛɛ, I for enjoy am before I die. No two ways about it.”

Hmph! We should have known. The man’s got ulterior motives for the girl…