19/10/2025
Title: The Pretence of Favour
Favour was the kind of woman everyone in the neighborhood envied. To outsiders, she was the perfect wife — respectful, soft-spoken, and always quick to praise her husband in public. Her friends often said, “Maxy is lucky to have you.” But only Favour and her mirror knew the truth. Behind that innocent smile was a woman who had mastered the art of deception.
Whenever Maxy stepped out, she would transform from the gentle housewife into someone entirely different. She had her routine — wait until the sound of his car faded, then rush to the mirror. Her wrapper would drop to the floor, her simple face turned into a glam look with bold lipstick and perfume strong enough to announce her arrival before she spoke.
That day, everything seemed like a usual afternoon. Maxy told her he was stepping out to meet a client. Favour smiled sweetly, waved goodbye, and the moment he left, she went straight to her room. She tied her black mini gown tight, adjusted it in front of the mirror, and checked herself from every angle. She was already smiling, thinking of the man she was about to meet.
But what she didn’t know was that Maxy never left. Something about her behavior lately had made him suspicious, so he decided to test her. Quietly, he locked the main door from the inside and hid behind the curtain.
As Favour hummed and applied her makeup, Maxy’s heart pounded — anger mixing with disbelief. He watched his “virtuous” wife slowly transform before his eyes, touching her necklace, admiring her reflection, and even practicing a seductive smile.
When she finally picked her bag and turned to leave, she froze. Maxy was standing right behind her, arms folded, with a slow sarcastic clap.
“Well done, Madam Good Wife,” he said, his voice calm but heavy with pain. “You forgot your wedding ring — or is it not part of the outfit today?”
Favour’s eyes widened in shock. She tried to cover herself with the wrapper, stammering, “Baby, it’s not what you think…” But Maxy only smiled bitterly and picked up the wrapper to hand it to her.
“No need to explain,” he said. “You can finish dressing outside. My house is no longer your dressing room.”
She dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her face, begging for forgiveness, but Maxy’s mind was already made up. The man who once loved her deeply had just watched his love shatter into pieces.
As she cried and pleaded, he opened the door and pointed outside. “Favour,” he said quietly, “you’ve been living in my house, but your heart has been living in the streets. Now, go and join it.”
And with that, he shut the door — not just on her face, but on everything they once shared.
The neighbours never stopped talking about it, but Maxy didn’t care. Sometimes, the truth hurts, but it’s better than living with a beautiful lie.
