It was my greed that made her heart bleed

Rain lashed against the corrugated metal roof of my shack, the rhythm a relentless counterpoint to the storm raging in my chest. A single kerosene lamp flickered on the rickety table, casting long, accusing shadows that danced with the memories assaulting my mind.

It all started with the whispers. Tales of a hidden valley, nestled deep within the lush Nigerian rainforest, shimmering with alluvial diamonds. Greed, a serpent cold and alluring, slithered into my heart. I, Amadi, a simple fisherman, dreamt of a life beyond the salty sting of the sea, a life that glittered like the diamonds I craved.

Then came Ebele. Eyes the warm brown of fertile earth, a smile as radiant as the morning sun, she was the melody that soothed the storm within me. We met at the bustling marketplace, her laughter a beacon amidst the cacophony of bartering. Love bloomed, fragile yet persistent, like a wildflower pushing through cracked pavement.

Ebele, unlike me, saw the beauty in our simple life. The way the sun painted the sky in fiery hues as we set sail, the shared laughter as we hauled in the day's catch, the comfort of her hand in mine as we watched the stars emerge, like diamonds scattered across black velvet. But my heart, corrupted by greed, remained deaf to her whispers of contentment.

One rain-soaked night, under the dim glow of the kerosene lamp, I spilled my secret. The valley, the diamonds, the life of luxury I envisioned. Ebele's smile faltered, replaced by a frown etched with concern. "Amadi," she said, her voice soft, "what of the life we have? Is it not enough?"

My response, fueled by ambition, was cruel. "Enough for you, maybe. But I deserve more." Shame burns me even now, a searing brand on my soul, at the hurt that flickered in her eyes before they steeled with resolve.
"Then go," she said, her voice surprisingly steady. "But remember, Amadi, some things are more precious than diamonds."

The journey into the rainforest was treacherous. The air hung thick and heavy, the silence broken only by the screech of unseen birds and the rustle of unseen creatures. Days blurred into nights, each step forward fueled by a desperate hope and a gnawing guilt.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, I stumbled upon it – the hidden valley. Sunlight glinted off a carpet of shimmering stones, a sight that would have taken anyone's breath away. But for me, it held no joy, only a hollow emptiness. The echo of Ebele's words reverberated in the stillness – "some things are more precious than diamonds."

Greed, once a serpent, now coiled around me, a suffocating python. I filled my pockets with the stones, their weight a constant reminder of my folly. The return journey was a blur of self-loathing. Every rustle of leaves sounded like Ebele's disappointed sigh, every flicker of sunlight a reflection of her warm smile.

Reaching the village, I was met with a silence heavier than the rainforest's canopy. Ebele was gone. Her hut, stripped bare, held only the lingering scent of her jasmine perfume, a final, heartbreaking note.

Days turned into weeks, weeks into months. The diamonds, once my obsession, now lay tarnished in a woven basket, a monument to my greed. Villagers whispered, their eyes full of pity. Ebele, they said, had left, heartbroken and disillusioned.

The life I craved turned to dust in my mouth. The absence of Ebele's laughter, the warmth of her hand in mine, was a constant ache. The sea, once a source of livelihood, now mocked me with its vast indifference.

One evening, under a sky ablaze with stars, I sat by the shore, the basket of diamonds at my feet. Tears, hot and stinging, traced paths down my dirt-streaked cheeks. "Ebele," I whispered, the name a plea lost on the wind.

A twig snapped behind me. I turned, heart pounding, to see a familiar figure emerge from the shadows. Ebele. But there was a weariness in her eyes, a hollowness that mirrored the emptiness in my own soul.

She didn't speak, just held out her hand. In it, nestled amongst a handful of seashells, was a single, perfect diamond, as clear and brilliant as her love had once been. Shame washed over me, a tidal wave threatening to drown me.
"It wasn't the diamonds you needed, Amadi," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "It was me."
With trembling hands, I returned the diamond, the weight of it insignificant compared to the weight of my regret. Ebele's eyes searched mine, a flicker of the love I yearned for still fighting for life. "Can you ever forgive me?" I choked out, the words scraping raw against my throat.