Chapter 17 #2
Jamila smirked, but didn’t say anything.
I placed the cake on the decorated table and removed it from the box.
Although Jamila had seen the cake already, it was only through pictures.
She gushed over it, as well as some of the parents and children nearby.
Just as I was done placing the empty box on the cart and ready to hightail it out of there, Jamila brushed past me and began shouting at someone.
It wasn’t her voice that had me almost breaking my neck to turn around, but it was the person’s voice that responded.
“Really, Jerome! Bad enough you didn’t call to wish your daughter a happy birthday this morning, but you show up late for her party!”
“I'm here, aren’t I?” Jerome responded nonchalantly.
My pulse picked up as I watched the scene before me. This can’t be happening. This had to be some type of full-circle, life-lessons bullshit.
The man I had a one-night stand with over a year ago, and was currently sleeping with for almost two months, was related to the woman who had an affair with my ex-husband. Jamilla, Samir’s sister, was the mother of Jerome’s child.
This can’t be life—my life.
My stomach was in knots. I prayed he wouldn’t look my way. Maybe I could just wheel this cart out quietly and pretend I never saw him. With my heart racing, I grabbed my cart and rolled it towards the entrance. As soon as I thought I was in the clear, Jerome’s dumb ass shouted out my name.
“Zanova? Wait!”
I turned around and locked eyes with Jerome. Jamila looked between us, trying to put together the connection.
“Y’all know each other?” Jamila asked.
The look on Jerome’s face was telling me to not blow up his spot, but it was too late. He should’ve just let me leave.
“Uh, yeah. Zanova is a… A friend of the family,” he lied, proving he was still a fuck nigga.
“A friend of the family, huh?” I had to laugh to myself. “I guess I wasn’t the only one you were hiding shit from. Friend?” I hauled off and slapped the shit out of Jerome. The impact was so loud, it echoed throughout the room. “Nigga! I was your fucking wife for ten years!”
“What! Huh?” The voice came from Jamila, loud and sharp enough to slice through the music.
Her eyes were wide and her mouth slightly open, like she couldn’t believe what she’d just heard. The room fell quiet, parents whispering, and kids staring. Jerome’s face went pale. He opened his mouth, but no words came out.
“Wait...” Jamila said, taking a step closer. “You’re the wife he told me about? The one he said cheated, and didn’t want to divorce him, three years ago?”
I laughed, a dry, humorless laugh. “That’s funny… Really funny. I could’ve sworn I was the one that he cheated on, and had a baby on, while he was still married to me.”
Jamila blinked fast, her face twisting between shock and anger. “Hold on… Zanova, I swear I didn’t know he was still married. I definitely wouldn’t have given him the time of day if I knew.”
“Figures. Jerome has always been a manipulator and a liar.”
“I guess that’s the only type of men you like to fuck,” Jerome said through clenched teeth as if he had the right to be upset.
I rolled my eyes. “What in the hell are you talking about?”
“Ask the nigga you are screwing…” Jerome smirked and looked past me to the door.
I turned around, just in time to see Samir walking into the venue. But he wasn’t alone. His ex-wife trailed behind him, smiling like she’d won the lottery.
What the hell was going on? And what was she doing here? Did he invite her?
So many questions were running through my head, and too much was going on at once, making my head feel light.
“What is she doing here?” Jamila asked the same question that I was thinking.
“Samir invited me,” his ex-wife said, looking at me, smirking.
This bitch had to know who I was from the way she kept staring at me. I’m sure she did since Samir and my pictures were floating all over the internet.
Before Samir could speak, I noticed Samir’s mother walking up. She was carrying Jamila and Jerome’s daughter, and I got stuck, staring at the cause of our divorce in human form.
“What’s going on?” Ms. Carter asked, looking confused.
“Mom, take Joya over to see her cake. I’ll explain later,” Jamila said to her mother.
Ms. Carter hovered for a bit before doing as her daughter requested.
“Nova baby. It’s not what it looks like. She’s—”
I cut Samir off. I didn’t give a fuck to hear any excuses right now.
“It doesn’t even matter. Stay away from me.
You ain’t no different from this nigga,” I said, pointing to Jerome.
“He showed me his hand long before he had a baby on me. But you?” I looked at Samir.
“You played your role perfectly. Had me thinking you were different, that you were solid.” My voice trembled, but I refused to let the tears fall.
“You knew exactly what you were doing, Samir. You let me fall for you just to embarrass me like this?”
“Nova baby, she’s lying. I didn’t invite this bitch here,” he said, stepping closer, his expression desperate. “I told you, me and her—”
“I don’t care!” I snapped, taking a step back. The hurt in my chest burned hot, like betrayal wrapped in fire. “Whatever y’all got going on, keep me out of it. I’m done being the fool in somebody’s story.”
His ex smirked, clearly enjoying every second of it. “Guess he forgot to tell you, sweetheart. Some bonds don’t break that easy.”
“Paige, shut the hell up! I should drop you for even showing up here.” Samir roared, but his performance wasn’t enough to fool me.
I let out a bitter laugh. “Yeah? Then you can have him, hunny. Both of y’all deserve each other.”
With that, I stormed out of the venue, my heart breaking with each step.
I could hear Samir calling out to me, but I wouldn’t look back at him.
If I did, I knew I’d break right there in front of everyone.
My vision blurred as I pushed through the doors, the cool air hitting my face like a slap.
My hands were shaking by the time I reached my car, fumbling to unlock my truck before finally yanking the door open.
Tears burned my eyes, but I blinked them away long enough to start the engine.
Samir’s voice carried across the parking lot, rough and pleading. “Nova!”
I was about to slam my door, but it was snatched back, and before I could even react, I was being pulled from my truck.
“Get the hell off me!” I screamed, twisting and trying to break free from Samir’s grasp. He used his broad chest to cage me in, pressing me against the truck so that I had nowhere to go.
“Nah, I’m not letting you go until we talk.”
He hovered over me, his jaw tight, eyes dark, and locked on mine. I hated that my heart still jumped at how close he was to me.
“There is nothing to talk about! You’re a fucking liar!” I snapped, shoving at his chest, but he didn’t budge.
“Nova… Baby, I never lied to you,” he said, voice low but firm.
“When I came out to meet you, Paige was already outside. She started causing a damn scene and wouldn’t leave, so I walked her to her car to make sure she was gone.
I guess she doubled back and followed me inside.
But before I could deal with her, I saw you going at it with that nigga, Jerome.
Of course, you were my first priority at that point. ”
“Whatever, nigga!” My voice cracked, anger mixing with hurt. “So you’re telling me you didn’t know Jerome and I used to be married? That you just happened to end up pursuing me at that bar? You expect me to believe you ain’t get with me just to get back at him for playing your sister?”
His face twisted in confusion. “Wait… what? Married? You and Jerome?”
I narrowed my eyes. “Don’t play dumb, Samir.”
“I’m so fucking serious, love,” he said, stepping back just enough for me to see the genuine shock in his expression. “I didn’t even know y’all knew each other until just now.”
I wanted to call bullshit, but the look in his eyes wasn’t one I’d ever seen before. He looked blindsided, like he was still piecing it all together in real time.
“You expect me to believe that?” I scoffed, though my voice didn’t sound as strong as I wanted it to.
“Believe what you want. I told you, I’m a real nigga. I don’t have to chase pussy to get it. I don’t move like that, love. I didn’t know you were tied to him, but I’m not about to let this shit come between us.”
For a second, neither of us said anything.
The air between us felt heavy as if we were both trying to decide whether to keep fighting or admit how deeply messy this really was.
I stared up at him, heart pounding in my chest, torn between wanting to believe him and being terrified that I already did.
“I can’t handle this right now. I don’t know what to believe. Samir, just give me some time to process this.”
Before he could say another word, I pushed past him and climbed back into my truck, slamming the door so hard it rattled. This time, he didn’t try to stop me.