For the first time since he started hosting this charity, Kelvin wasn't enjoying it. He wished he didn't have to be the chairman of the event. Now he was stuck here while his wife was God knows where. He had to talk to her before she did something crazy.
The microphone almost slipped from his sweaty palms. His mind was on everything but this occasion. He made eye contact with Amara for the third time in one minute, he had given her his phone to call Leila.
Amara shook her head slowly and his heart sunk deeper. When she agreed to come with him instead of Amara, his heart had forgotten to function. When she told him they could try to have sex tonight, he had half expected her to burst out laughing and call it a prank. But she didn't. She was nervous but certain.
And Kelvin ruined it. It was a good thing his assistant insisted on coming. She would stay out of the way but he was glad for her presence. The only job he had given her tonight was dialling his wife until she picked. Kelvin would have gone after his wife himself but it was time for the chairman's speech, a toast, then an appreciation note to the donors before he made his donation.
Leila should have been the one to determine the amount and the charity today's donations would go to. It was his little surprise for the night. For trying so much over the past weeks to put his needs first.
A round of applause came after his speech but Kelvin couldn't remember a word he said to them. A toast should have come after an announcement of the organisation this year's proceedings would go to but he gave the cue for the MC to take over. A shocked gasp travelled around the hall but he didn't care so much anymore.
He needed Leila.
The MC was quick to salvage his mishap, the DJ played a song and the guests trooped to the dancefloor. Nazo was still at his table so he didn't go there. With a slight jerk of his head, he motioned for Amara to follow him. They stopped in one of the empty rooms.
"Any luck?"
"No," Amara said. He expected that but it still hurt hearing it from her. "None, sir but I asked security to look around."
Kelvin accepted his phone without a word. He loved every side of Leila but he didn't want to be at the receiving end of this side. Walking to the other end of the room, he dialled her number again. Same result.
Someone knocked. A man's head poked inside the room. Amara was the one who spoke up. "Did you find anything?"
"Yes. She left with another man."
It became incredibly difficult for Kelvin to swallow. He pushed away from the wall. Leila might be angry but she wouldn't do something as callous as that.
"What man?" he barked. The security tag on the man's shirt made him aware of his position. By God, he would lose his job if this was some sort of sick joke. "I hope for the sake of your job that you're telling a lie."
Amara winced. The big man muttered, "The CCTV footage showed her leaving with someone else, sir."
He didn't look but he felt his assistant's unsure gaze on him. "Lead the way," he heard her say and he found himself following behind them as they headed for the camera rooms.
The room was cooler than the rest of the building. Greetings flew around him, he wasn't sure he replied them because it felt like he wasn't present. Just an onlooker. Greg, the security man who brought them here, pointed at a screen showing the ongoing events at the hall.
On the large desk with different screens handled by two men, Kelvin wasn't sure what he was looking for.
Amara came to his rescue again, she spoke in hushed tones to one of them and the events of minutes ago played on the screen. At Kelvin's command, they paused the video. He didn't know what he would see but he was afraid.
In the middle of the room where everyone could see him, he muttered in a low voice, "Leave. Everyone."
The men removed their headphones, eyes filled with confusion as they left him alone in the room with his assistant.
Kelvin lowered himself into one of the seats and picked the headphone. "Including you, Amara. Please, leave."
Alone, he couldn't muster the strength to hit the play button. If only for a few more minutes, he wanted to remain in this blissful ignorance. His fingers hovered above the dial button to contact Leila one more time, he sighed and dropped the phone. Propping his elbows on the table, he clasped his hands behind his head. After a few words of encouragement to himself, he sent her a brief text.
Kelvin: Leila, please call me back. I'm so sorry. We can fix this. I know it's my fault.
His phone beeped immediately with her reply. It confirmed what he knew. His wife was deliberately missing his calls. If she could text him, then she could pick his calls. She chose not to. The ache in his chest tripled, he swiped up to view her reply and the little hope he had for them vanished.
Leila: Sorry doesn't change anything.
More than anyone, Kelvin knew that. But he also knew the actions that accompanied the apology was another way to tell if the sinner was truly contrite. And he was ready to do the work. To do anything to earn her forgiveness. This perfect night couldn't go to ruins.
Kelvin: At least pick your call, let's talk.
Leila: No. I don't want to talk to you. I don't want to see you. I don't want anything to do with you, Kelvin.
His heart thumped. She might as well have stabbed him because the text hurt more than all the times he scraped his knees as a little kid. He wanted his wife.
Kelvin: Leila.
Leila: I need a break from you.
Kelvin: Running won't solve the problem.
Leila: There's only one way to find out.
With his heart crushed to pieces, he managed to hit play on the video. A few scenes were scrambled but it didn't affect the quality. The first scene showed Leila coming out through the back door, he winced when she threw her shoes at the wall. He couldn't hear what she was saying but if the way her lips opened were any indication, she must have been screaming.
He hurt her. Hurting her meant hurting himself too.
Guilt curled his neck when the scene changed. Leila wasn't in view again but he knew she was somewhere close. It was hard to detect movements in the alley from the angle of the outside cameras. The lights from the other building beside theirs shone brightly against the hall they occupied, creating tall shadows that covered half the alley.
The camera barely picked up anything in the shadows, he strained his eyes to pick up any movements but got nothing. Leila stuck to the shadows and Kelvin wondered if she knew about the cameras. If she was trying as hard as she did earlier to confuse him before finally exiting the hall.
A chill ran down his arms when Charles showed up. For a moment, Leila stepped out of the shadow and they engaged in a conversation he couldn't tell the outcome. None of them were raising their voices, they even looked cozy. He fast forwarded those scenes until Charles left.
Another skip to future scenes and a bead of sweat rolled down his temples at the scene that played in front of him. Kelvin paused it, then replayed the video. It couldn't be possible. That couldn't be his wife. But each time he watched, the outcome was the same.
Leila was leaving with Charles.
Why? Kelvin didn't understand. He replayed that particular scene for the last time just to be sure. His eyes centred on Charles and his facial expression to catch any hint of maliciousness. Did he force Leila? How?
Kelvin massaged his temples. He must have missed something. What did he miss? He backwarded the footage by a few minutes, stopping right when Charles went up to talk to his wife. A weight settled in Kelvin's chest when Charles left and Leila returned to the shadows.
What was she doing there? Was she hiding? Waiting for Charles in the shadows so the camera wouldn't detect her? He thought she hated Charles. Was that tantrum inside the hall an act? Kelvin hit play on the video.
Seconds later, Charles was back to talk to Leila. In his hands were the shoes she tossed earlier.
Whatever happened in the minutes that followed, Kelvin didn't know but when they stepped out of the shadow, Leila's hand was tucked in the crook of Charles's elbow. She was wearing Charles's suit jacket and a hat. Leila never turned to the camera but Kelvin could recognise the gown he bought, the shoes she wore to match and her shiny hair cascading down her back.
A car stopped in front of them, Charles opened the door for her after placing a kiss on her neck. Before the door shut behind Charles, he winked at the camera and a crushing feeling of pain swept over Kelvin.
This could not be real.
This had to be a joke.
His hand shook as he reached for his phone. If he had to beg her, he would. She couldn't go back to Charles.
Kelvin: My heavenly flower, where are you? Please come home. Let's talk.
Leila: Too late.
The next few seconds that followed would forever be engraved in Kelvin's heart.
His phone lighted up with a media message from Leila. It was a picture of Leila kissing someone. The picture only showed half of her face but the birth mark on her jaw was all he needed to know it was his wife holding another man.
He was still processing the image when a short video entered. His broken heart cracked into tinier pieces as he watched Charles undress his woman.
The room was dim-lit but Kelvin recognised the figures moving in the dark. She moaned when Charles whispered her name and the remaining part of his heart hanging onto the hope the video was a hoax shattered.
Kelvin didn't know when he sent his phone flying to the wall but the sound of his phone falling echoed loudly in his ears. He stared at the pieces of his phone scattered all over the floor. It was exactly how he felt. Broken and irreparable.