Dear Wife, I Hate You (by Josephine Mbanefo) novel Chapter 43

Lilith’s Pov

I opened my eyes slowly. The sun was shining right into my face. Who the fuck opened the curtains?

I didn’t remember doing that last night.

Still groggy, I blinked a few times, and just as I turned to the side, I saw a figure. My heart nearly jumped out of my chest.

I was about to scream my lungs out when I saw her face.

“Emily?” I breathed.

She ran to me and hugged me so tightly, it felt like I was being crushed by a teddy bear with a personal vendetta.

“Emily–Emily, I can’t breathe,” I muttered.

“Oh–oh my God, sorry!” she pulled back, laughing. “I was just so worried.”

I sat up, back to the headboard, still processing. “How did you get here? What are you doing here?”

“Nolan called me. Said something happened. I came as soon as I could.”

“That carly?”

“It’s 10 a.m.,” she said, checking her phone.

“What? Ten? I slept that long?”

“Yeah. You must’ve been exhausted.”

I rubbed my face. She wasn’t wrong.

“Is Nolan still around?”

Emily shook her head. “Nope. Even when I got here, he was gone. Did he even stay with you?”

That made my mood drop instantly.

I remembered last night.

The way he held me. The way I cried into him. The way I almost… almost kissed him.

I told Emily everything.

Every single thing.

When I finished, Emily was quiet for a beat, then-

“No fucking way. Seriously?”

I gave her a tired look. “It is what it is.”

“No. No, ma’am. That saying doesn’t work here. This is way beyond that. You need backup. I know what we have to do.”

I squinted at her. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m coming back with you.”

1 blinked. “Emily, I don’t think that’s-”

“It’s also your house,” she cut me off. “You can have your own people over. Case closed. When are we leaving?”

I sighed. “In a few hours, maybe.”

I checked my phone.

No calls. No texts. Nothing.

Killian hadn’t called. He hadn’t messaged.

Did he even care where I was?

What if I had died last night?

Or gotten in an accident?

Nothing?

I sighed.

Emily caught the look on my face. “You okay?”

“I’m fine. Just need to lie down for a bit. Maybe eat something.”

“Oh, already did that,” she said. “Let me go get your breakfast.”

“You’re the best.”

She left and returned minutes later with a tray.

Scrambled eggs. Toast. Just the way I liked it.

“Perfect,” I smiled.

We both ate, and when we were done, I told her I’d take a quick shower and then we’d leave.

She nodded and stepped out.

I sat on the edge of the bed for a while.

I didn’t want to leave.

I didn’t want to go back to that house.

To that silence. That coldness.

As I ran the brush through my hair, I kept thinking about Nolan.

That moment.

That almost kiss.

What the hell was that?

I messed up.

Maybe now he’d think I was someone who couldn’t control herself. Someone who couldn’t be trusted.

I didn’t want him to see me like that.

I needed to apologize.

I finished bathing and dressed up, something simple and light. Brushed my hair, packed my pyjamas and the little things I brought. Everything went into my tiny bag. I stepped out of the room.

Emily was in the sitting room, scrolling through her phone like she had no care in the world.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

She looked up. “Looking for a match. I’m going to fall in love.”

I smiled. “You’re going to find the one soon.”

She grinned. “Yeah, I know. Thank you.”

Then she stood up. “So, we’re going now, right?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

We went outside. She looked around. “Where’s the driver?”

“I drove myself here,” I said.

“Oh. Okay,” she replied, hopping into the passenger seat.

The drive was chill. Just random talks, a few laughs, nothing serious. Then we reached the mansion.

I stepped out. She followed. I locked the car. She slid her phone into her bag as we walked in.

The first person we saw was Killian’s mom.

She looked straight at me. “So much for a wife. Leaving all night without telling anybody where she went.”

Then she just huffed and walked away.

Emily was about to say something, but I shook my head. I didn’t want more drama. Not now.

Killian was nowhere in sight. I guessed he’d already gone to work.

We walked to my room.

We passed the living room. Maya was there, of course. Headphones on, scrolling like life was perfect.

Emily squinted. “Who’s that?”

“My brother’s sister,” I said. “Practically a bitch. Makes me cry on purpose.”

Emily stopped. “Want me to say something to her?”

I shook my head. “No need. I’ve let all that go.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. I’m sure.”

We kept walking upstairs. I was tired. Tired of pretending. Tired of keeping quiet.

I sighed. “I just don’t want to keep quiet anymore. I’m so done.”

Emily looked at me like I finally said something she’d been waiting to hear. “Even now? I’ve told you this before. You should’ve been bold from the start. Let them call it disrespect, who cares? But don’t ever let them look down on you.”

I smiled. “Pinky promise, clown. No one will ever look down on me again.”

“Pinky promise?” she asked, raising her finger.

I locked mine with hers. “Pinky promise.”

Then I told her I wanted to paint in the garden. Asked if she wanted to join.

She lit up. “Of course! What else would I be doing here? Chatting with imaginary girlfriends?”

I laughed. “Even if you had one, I’d still be your top priority.”

She held her chest dramatically. “But I don’t. So you win.”

We headed to the garden. Grabbed some of my painting stuff. Emily helped me carry everything. I was excited. I finally had a peaceful space for a while before Killian or his family started again.

We carried some equipment down. Then went back upstairs for the rest.

But when we came back down…

Everything was scattered. All the stuff we arranged. Thrown to the side like trash.

We froze.

Then we saw her.

Maya. Sitting there. Acting like she didn’t just mess everything up.

“What do you think you’re doing?” I asked.

She rolled her eyes. “I want to use the place.”

“What do you mean?” I snapped. “Didn’t you see I was trying to paint here?”

Emily stepped forward. “You must be a bitch to do this to your brother’s wife. What is wrong with you? You psycho.”

Maya stood. “And who the fuck are you to talk to me like that in my brother’s house? Anyways, I can see your friend brought another rat like her into the house.”

She sneered. “I want to have a picnic here with my friends. So yeah, I had to move your trash.”

“You could have asked politely,” I said. “Now you’ve even broken some of my stuff. Why would you do that?”

Maya raised her chin. “This is my brother’s house. I can do whatever I want.”

I moved closer. Emily tried to, but I held her back.

I walked right up to Maya. “Your brother married me. This is my house too. And what are you even doing here? Shouldn’t you be married or at least in a relationship? Or busy with your career? But here you are. Playing picnic planner like the bitch you are.”

Her face changed. She was furious.

She raised her hand to slap me.

But then a voice came from behind her.

“Don’t you dare raise your hand on my wife.”