Chapter 3: Old Patterns, New Rivalries

Last life, my sister do everything to make sure say na she Adeyemi family go carry first, make she become Chisom Adeyemi.

She nearly burst vein for effort, dey try impress dem, dey clean shoes, dey speak English with fake accent. Her plan clear for face, na Adeyemi or nothing.

She think say na to start princess life be that.

She dey dream say na from dust to diamonds her own story go take turn. E dey sweet her mind.

Talk less of the fact say she go get Tobi Adeyemi—the Crown Prince of Palm Grove—as big brother.

All those romance wey dem dey read for novel, na the picture wey dey her head be that. She dey already imagine herself as belle of the ball.

You know as e dey be for romance novel: rich boy and adopted daughter under the same roof, feelings must develop.

Na so all those pink novel for supermarket dey sweet girls. Rich boy, poor girl, na so love go spark, dem go dance for moonlight.

But Chisom no expect say Tobi Adeyemi no just lack brotherly love, the guy even hate her well well.

From first day, na so Tobi dey form hard man. If she greet am, na back of head e go give her.

"The person wey dey pain me pass na those wey like money too much. No think say I no dey see you—you just dey plan how to chop our money, abi?"

Him voice always sharp, e fit cut person pride into pieces.

For house, Tobi Adeyemi dey always find Chisom trouble.

If she carry remote, e go collect. If she sit for front seat, e go chase am comot. E no let her drink water drop cup.

For school, him dey lead boys dem to dey make her life hard.

All those stubborn boys for class, once Tobi snap finger, na Chisom dem go face. Dem go hide her shoe, pour water for her chair.

Even if Papa and Mama Adeyemi hear, na small scolding with cold face dem go give.

Dem go just talk, "Behave," then return face. Their mind no dey her side.

Dem never like Chisom from beginning. Na only because native seer tell Papa Adeyemi say if him bring girl come house, e go bring ten years better luck.

Na Baba Ifa for Oke street dey always talk am. If not, nobody for even reason am.

Between adopted daughter and their real pikin, Papa and Mama Adeyemi go always choose their own.

No matter how Chisom try, she never reach their heart.

As Tobi Adeyemi dey bully Chisom, na me, the girl wey Okonkwo family adopt, him dey treat well.

E go dey smile for me, dey talk gently. For him mind, he dey pity me.

He see say I dey win scholarship, always carry first, go school during the day, help my mama clean in the night. My life no easy at all, but I no dey complain.

Even when my hand dey pain from carrying bucket, I still dey greet people for street. Tobi dey look me with one kind respect.

"Amara Okonkwo, this girl get sense."

E go always repeat am for him friends. Sometimes e go bring sweet come give me after school.

Just like all those idol drama, the stubborn rich boy fall for the strong, poor girl.

Na so e dey always be for film. Real life no too different sometimes.

Later, when Papa and Mama Adeyemi die, na time to share inheritance, Tobi Adeyemi carry lawyer come. Dem set Chisom up, she comot empty-handed—she no even see one kobo.

The will dey like puzzle; lawyer dey use English wey go confuse even WAEC examiner, e dey read will like pastor wey dey hide secret for Bible. Chisom dey cry, but no helper.

Few months after, Tobi Adeyemi marry me.

I no believe am at first, but na so life turn. Wedding wey people still dey talk about till today.

For the wedding, he even announce: "Amara Okonkwo, from today, everything wey I get, na your own."

All the women for hall shout, "Aww!"

But, unfortunately, I no enjoy the money reach anywhere.

Happiness no reach two weeks. As e be, money no fit save person from wahala wey dey spiritual.

Because few days later, Chisom, as she don mad from pain, use car jam me, kill me.

Na so my life take end, blood stain my white wedding gown. Chisom face cold as stone, her eyes empty like Lagos lagoon.

This life, my sister no even waste time, she choose Okonkwo family sharp-sharp.

No time for form. As dem call Okonkwo, na so she kneel down, hug mama leg.

No big money, but at least no wahala. She fit enjoy her parents’ love, grow for happy family.

Na so she believe, say suffering no dey for poor house if love dey.

With this background, the rich young master go pity and protect her, and at last, she go get that fairytale wedding.

She dey dream say na her destiny be to win Tobi heart this time.

She smile tell me:

"Sister, this time, na my turn to be the main character for the idol drama."

Her teeth white, her confidence dey shine like morning sun. She fit even do small catwalk as she dey talk.

"You too, make you taste all the suffer wey I face before."

Her eye sharp, na challenge she give me, as if na wrestling match we dey enter.