THE ILLUSION OF PERFECTION 26

 

Nadia folded a blouse carefully, smoothing the fabric with practiced precision before placing it into a bag. Just then, the quiet atmosphere of her apartment was broken by a sudden burst of laughter from Abby, her friend and newest neighbor, who had her eyes glued to her phone while sprawled across the couch in the living room area. 

It was a Saturday and their usual hangout day but Nadia's earlier encounter with Tayo had thrown her off schedule leaving her buried under a mountain of order deliveries. Abby had decided to stay and entertain herself by scrolling through her social media while Nadia did her thing.

“What's making you laugh like that?” Nadia asked, her brow furrowed. Her tone was curious but she didin't look up. Instead she continued counting, checking and folding the freshly sewn fabrics.

Abby waved her over, grinning widely. “You need to see this. It's blowing up the internet.”

Nadia hesitated, she had a deadline to meet up with and was not in the mood for mindless social media skits . But she knew Abby and refusing would only trigger an intense session of arguments and a speech about the importance of staying connected to the world. With a sigh, Nadia set the fabrics down and crossed the room. Wiping her hands on her gown, she leaned down while trying so hard to resist the urge to sit beside her friend and indulge. 

Abby tilted the phone toward her, the screen glowing with a video already halfway through and at that moment, the air seemed to leave Nadia's lungs. Abby instinctively increased the audio.

On the screen was a face she knew so well like hers—Tayo. His voice was raised, body tense as he argued heatedly with a vaguely familiar and sinister-looking man in a crowded bar. The footage was shaky, obviously captured with a phone camera, but the confrontation was clear. People in the background were recording, their phones raised like spectators at a fighting ring.

Above the video, bold letters screamed: “Grace to Grass: Trouble in Paradise.”

Nadia’s stomach tightened. The mocking almost cruel words felt like knives. She watched as Tayo’s face twisted in anger, his gestures sharp, his voice drowned by the noise of the crowd.

“Can you believe it?" Abby chuckled again, oblivious to Nadia’s silence and the impact the video was having on her.  "This guy...the one shouting, is always sharing videos of his exotic trips and luxury lifestyle on IG. People are saying that the other guy is his manager."

She shifted closer so Nadia could have a clearer view before continuing; "Nobody knows was transpired, but X is literally on fire right now. Going by his washed out looks, everyone’s talking about how fast he fell off his throne. From the big man to this mess.”

Nadia didn't respond. she couldn't. She stood frozen, her eyes locked on the screen,

He was upstairs few hours ago, she thought frantically. If she hadn't seen him earlier that day, she might have dismissed this as an old video. But that was Tayo and this wasn’t just "content"—it was a public display of his reality, laid bare for the world to consume and judge without mercy.

Nadia straightened slowly, her face unreadable as she tried to mask the sharp ache in her chest. She knew what the world saw: scandal, spectacle, failure. But she had seen the man behind it—the tired, broken Tayo who couldn’t meet her eyes, who needed all the love and help but was too proud to ask or reach out. 

Abby was still scrolling through comments, amused, when Nadia walked toward the balcony. 

The chill of the evening brushed against her skin as she dialed her second number, pressing the phone to her ear. It rang, but no answer. She tried again, her heart tightening with each unanswered ring.

Her eyes lifted instinctively toward his apartment. The windows were dark, lifeless. He wasn’t back. A knot of worry twisted in her chest and with trembling fingers she typed a message: Please, call me. Just let me know you’re okay. It was almost a plea, but pride had taken a back seat in the face of her fear.

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