‘A bet with a friend made me lose the woman I love’

Melvin and I used to be best friends in the university. We met in our first year and remained bud-dies until our final year. Immediately we completed our one year compulsory National Youth Service Corps programme, he travelled out for his master’s programme and, somehow, we lost contact. 

About six months ago, I had gone to Shoprite with my cousin to buy some household items when I heard someone shout my name, “Bright, Bright”. When I turned back to see who it was, I saw my long lost friend, Melvin. I hurriedly went and hugged him. “Hello Bright, how have you been?” he asked. “Melvin, I am fine as you can see. Where have you been?” I asked. “I returned to the country about three months ago,” he replied. He told me he had plans to start working in his father’s company. We exchanged phone numbers and promised to see each other soon and catch up on old times. That same evening, he called me and we made arrangements to meet at my residence on Saturday.

Melvin was at my home before 11:00 a.m. and we talked about old times and also discussed our future. While we were chatting, he noticed a picture placed on the television and asked, “Is that your wife? You never told me you were married. Where is she?” “That is Kate, she is my fiancée. We will start our wedding plans soon but right now she is in Calabar on an official assignment and should be back next week. Then, I will introduce you to her,” I said. “Hmmm, she is pretty. Do you trust her?” Melvin asked. “I trust her with my life. Kate can and will never cheat on me,” I stressed.

“Well, I think I can lure her and make her fall for me,” he boasted. I reminded him that I know he is a handsome dude and rich as well but my woman will never fall for him no matter his tricks.  Before he left my house, he suggested that I think about all we have discussed. When Melvin left, different thoughts kept coming to my head and I asked myself, “Can Kate be really unfaithful to me? No, never,” I assured myself. However, I decided to have a bet with Melvin since Kate has never met him before neither have I mentioned his name to her.

Two days later, Melvin and I met and had a bet that Kate will never cheat on me with another man. We agreed that the only proof I need was to get the engagement ring I gave to her because I knew she never takes it off her finger. We also agreed only to communicate on phone, however, the day we eventually see each other he has to be with the proof and the time frame was three months. To get things rolling, I gave him all her itineraries and also told him the kind of woman she truly was. When she returned from her trip, I informed him and he promised to start the bet immediately. That morning, Kate called to inform me of how a young man bumped into her in front of her office, said sorry and told her he likes her. “Can you imagine that, dear,” Kate complained. “Hope you were not injured?” I asked.

“No, dear,” she said. “Hmmm, you said he likes you. Tell me the truth, do you like him too,” I asked. She told me although he was a handsome young man, however, he does not look any-thing like her Bright, and so, she does not like him. Melvin started trailing her where she goes and intentionally bumps into her until one day, she finally agreed to listen to him.

According to Melvin, they went to an eatery and had a long talk. But, Kate never failed to mention that she was engaged to be married. Melvin called that evening to inform me that Kate was a hard nut to crack because it was obvious she loves me so much. I suggested that we should end the bet but he reminded me that the time frame was three months and so shall it be. Kate on her part kept telling me about one Melvin who has been disturbing her for a serious relationship but I asked her to ignore him or date him if she likes him and that made her very angry. “How can you say I should date him if I like him?

Bright if I really wanted something serious with this guy, do you think I would tell you about him? No, dear,” she stressed. “I am sorry dear; it is just that I am tired of hearing about this guy. I am beginning to get jealous,” I emphasized. “What do you think I can do to get him off my back?” she asked.

“Kate, I don’t know. Just do what you think is right,” I admonished her. Just to get her into his bed, Melvin buys her gifts every-day and even promised to buy her any car of her choice if only she will accept to be his girlfriend but she refused.

However, when Melvin could not achieve this, he made me believe Kate had fallen for him with the engagement ring and an envelope of pictures of them half nude in bed as evidence. I did not know that I had not only been fooled, but he had gotten jealous of our relationship and wanted to make sure I ended it with Kate. When he brought the ring and pictures to my house, I was so disappointed. “God, all women are the same.

They tell you one thing but they do another. Kate, I curse the day I met you. I prayed you will not disappoint me but I am so wrong. You are not different at all,” I sobbed. Melvin sat close to me and said, “All women are the same. Never trust any of them with your life. She even told me she does not love you. Anyway, here is all the evidence you need. Kate does not deserve you,” he repeated.  “So, I would have married a loose woman,” I retorted. Melvin consoled me to take heart and look for a better woman to marry.

About 30 minutes after he left, Kate came over to see me. On seeing her, I was consumed with hatred for her. “What are you doing here?” I asked. “Bright, what kind of question is that? I came to see you,” she replied. “I thought you were different from other women but I guess I was wrong. You whore, get out of my house,” I ordered. “Bright, you call me a whore? What have I done?” she asked. I threw the envelope at her and ordered her to open it. She opened it and told me she does not understand what happened. “Are you not the one with a man almost naked in those pictures? Kate, why are you not wearing your ring today?” I asked. She told me she misplaced it. Before she lied any further, I threw it at her and she was surprised.

“Kate, so you can cheat on me? This relationship is over. Now, leave my house,” I ordered. She tried telling me that she does not understand nor know anything but I refused to listen. I stopped picking Kate’s call and took to women, drinking and smoking to forget about her. About three weeks later, Melvin informed me that he was going back to London to meet his fiancée.

Two months later, I received a shocking email from Melvin that made me curse the day I set my eyes on him again. Here is the mail:

“Dear Bright, I am sure this email will come to you as a surprise but I want to say I am very sorry for ending your relationship with Kate, that wonderful woman.

I hope this email is not too late. Kate was never unfaithful to you and will never be. The pictures I showed you were all a set up. Kate is a rare gem. No matter how I tried to seduce her, she was always talking about you. She loves you so much. I set her up. I drugged her, stripped her naked and took pictures of us together in bed. She is innocent.”

After reading Melvin’s mail, I went in search of Kate at her place of work and was reliably informed she was sacked because she lost concentration and made too many mistakes as a secretary. On getting to her apartment, Kate starred straight into my face and asked, “Bright, what do you want?” I explained everything to her and begged for her forgiveness. She told me she has forgiven, however, she has moved on with her life. “Bright, I have forgiven you but I can never come back to you even if you are the last man on earth. I have lost everything that means something to me. Goodbye and have a nice life,” she revealed.

I have lost the only woman I have truly loved in my entire life because of my stupidity. Kate, I love you and I am sorry. Having a bet with my friend is the worst mistake of my life. Guys please, do not follow in my foot step. I regret ever having a bet with my friend, Melvin. I want Kate back in my life but would she ever find a place in her heart to forgive me? I know I have wronged her but I feel so empty without her.