Chapter 3: Chains, Mansion, and Secrets

Obinna lock me for him mansion inside bush. No neighbour, no keke, just bush and birds dey hail me. The mansion big reach one hill, every food na helicopter dey bring. All the plates na gold rim, even water taste rich.

First time I try run, Obinna lock main door. I halla:

"Old perv! You no get respect, you kidnap your nephew ex-wife—no fear say your ancestors go flog you for night?"

But truth be say, Obinna just 26, only six years senior me. Person go think say na him be sugar daddy, but na just face strong.

He just raise eye, smile small:

"You still dey think of that useless nephew of mine?"

Bronze key dey spin for him hand like say na woman skin he dey touch. I dey watch am, heart dey jump.

Obinna talk slow:

"Last week, he don propose to the real Adeyemi heiress. Say you deceive am before, now na only her he go marry."

I bone face, vex, that night chop two grilled turkey, one steak, one goat meat. Jollof rice scent mix with grilled turkey, my belle dey rumble even as my mind dey vex. Food sweet, but bitterness no let me enjoy am finish.

Lock me dey go (chop chop chop), make I no finish your food (chop chop chop). Na so my small revenge be that.

Third time I try escape, Obinna just dey look me with him brown eye, cold like stone:

"Ifeoma, you stubborn no be small, eh?"

The pure gold chain for my wrist dey shine, make my skin white well. The thing heavy, dey remind me say I no be free bird again.

I slap am, then see comments online. WhatsApp dey hot, all my friends dey drop gist for group chat.

[Yellow skin, pink cheek, big round eye—baby, you be ragdoll cat, I wan kiss kiss kiss.]

[Ah, baby, abeg no slap am. Him face thick, but if you injure your hand nko?]

[No see say the guy dey enjoy am, dey press him face for baby hand? You sef don win.] [Insert meme: “See as e dey do!”]

I blow cheek:

"I don see your medical report."

"You no fit use am again, so why you dey lock fine girl? Free me abeg."

Obinna laugh, him finger fine, rough from gun, pinch my cheek gentle:

"Who tell you say na only that one dey useful?"

As I reason the meaning, my face just red. E be like say generator dey hum for my body.

Some people shameless no get part two! I shake head, dey reason my life.

No fit slap am, fear say he go lick my hand. No fit kick am, fear say he go touch my leg. No even fit abuse am, make he no go enjoy am.

Who talk say na me wicked? Na me dey suffer pass. Only God know wetin my eye dey see for this mansion.

Weak, helpless, dey shake. I swallow spit, try form strong, but my voice no loud again.

I turn, vex:

"Obinna, you no suppose dey do business for abroad? Why you run come back?"

He look down at me. For one moment, I see small boy inside big man suit.

I notice say Obinna eyelash for glass behind him spec long, black, like crow feather. The thing fine, make me remember rainy season crow wey dey perch for church window.

As he look down, my heart just dey do gbim gbim. My mind dey race, I dey hope make breeze blow this tension comot.

"Na because of you."

The online comments just explain:

[Na because of you, mumu. If villain boss no come back, you for don die of hunger.]

[Baby, you remember when you do charity as pikin, that small boy for orphanage? Na villain boss as pikin.]

[He thin like stick, full of wound. You tie am, pet am, give am sweet—na only you show am love.]

[Boss story hard o. Him big bro turn bad, papa na perv, na so dem carry am from orphanage come house, all wahala land for him head.]

[He hustle, do wetin people dey do for years, just to no let family control am, make he fit be with you.]

[After he finally become Okafor family oga, come back see say him white moonlight dey follow nephew.]

[Villain boss just break, go war zone, almost die there join.]

[Now, as dem bully him baby, na so he rush come protect am.]

Na so all my years of forming na wetin connect us. I no fit believe say this kain destiny dey real life.

Me and Obinna get this kind connection?

I shock, eyelash dey shake, face red:

"You... like me?"

Obinna just dey look me. Him eye no blink, just dey shine like morning dew for farm.

Light dey shine for him eye, like calm water. E be like say if you throw stone, ripple go just spread enter my heart.

He smile, ripple just dey spread for inside:

"I don like you for sixteen years."

Heat just rush my face, ear dey burn:

"Then, then why, after you lock me, apart from my slap, you never even touch me?"

As I talk am finish, I sharply cover my mouth. Chei! My village people go dey laugh for shrine now.

But e don late. E don escape.

Obinna eye just darken. The thing get weight, like thundercloud for rainy season.

He hold my waist, press me for sofa. The touch gentle, but my leg dey shake like generator wey no get fuel.

He pull the chain for my wrist, I no fit move. My body stiff, chain cold for my skin.

He kiss me for mouth. The kiss soft, like puff-puff wey just comot from hot oil.

Gentle, dey shake, soft. No be rough play, na tender something wey fit melt cold garri.

Just small touch, nothing rough. If to say camera dey, audience go cry for African Magic.

No be the hard guy wey he dey form. This side of Obinna na only me dey see am.

My body dey shiver, heart dey race. I no fit breathe well, like say oxygen short for mansion.

Him kiss soft pass butterfly, my lip dey tingle, I lick am small. The taste sweet, my mind dey fly.

Obinna breath just rough. The sound near my ear, e be like saxophone for highlife band.

Next thing, na kiss just dey rain for my body. I lose count, na only my senses dey collect everything.

Everywhere just dey spin. I grab sofa, fear say I go float come ceiling.

I no know how long, before he free me. Time disappear, na only heartbeat I dey hear.

Him fine finger touch my lip, wipe the wetness, him voice low:

"You like am make e rough small, abi?"

I run, sharp. My leg dey touch ground, but I no sure say I dey waka or dey fly.

I dash enter my room, hide under duvet like ostrich, face dey burn. My heart dey hammer, pillow soak from my sweat.

Comments just dey roll for my eye.

[Villain finger long well, who go resist?]

[No think say him stomach don better, but medicine dey.]

[And villain really do peacekeeping—see pecs, abs, biceps, v-line, correct man.]

[Ahhh abeg, as mama-fan I no gree!]

My face burn more. I wan disappear, if I fit turn lizard under this blanket.

Wetin be all this, I no even understand. I dey reason if my head dey correct at all.

Besides, Obinna no fit use am. The medical report still dey my mind like curse.

At most, na kiss two times, wetin else? Na so I dey console myself.

With jingling, I remember say chain still dey my wrist. The gold chain just dey heavy, dey disturb me. Even mosquito no fit bite me with this kind wahala.

After I roll for bed for one hour, chain slap me for face three times, I just vex, stand up. My patience don finish.

I breathe deep, waka go Obinna room:

"Old perv, abeg, unlock this chain for me!"

Next thing, I see inside, freeze. My leg no gree move.

The air cold, like when PHCN take light for rainy season and everywhere just quiet. The air get that fresh after-rain smell, mix with small sandalwood, like shrine and bush dey hug. Calm but dangerous.

Obinna just finish cold bath, hair still wet, drop for back. He turn as I enter. Na movie scene.

He no even wear towel. My eye jump, na real wahala be this.

Water dey drop from him chest, pass him abs, slide him waist.

Down below... I no even fit look again, I use hand cover face, but finger dey leak small.

I nearly jump, face red, shout:

"No be say you no fit use am?"

But Obinna just laugh. The laugh deep, warm, e make my bone soft.

He waka come, fresh with sandalwood. E be like say bush dey follow am waka, as scent just dey enter my nose.

Him wet, fine finger just brush my face, tease me:

"I talk am—if I see person I like well, e go work."

I just stand, point at am, mouth dey shake, no fit talk. My tongue jam teeth, words hang for throat.

I snatch key from him hand, unlock the chain, dey shake. The key cold, my palm sweat as I turn am.

He just stand, dey smile, no touch me, no help me. Gentleman style, but wicked in style.

But the way him presence dey fill everywhere with sandalwood and cold air, e pass anybody own. Na real king for jungle.

With click, chain comot. The sound sweet me like winning betnaija ticket.

This time, I run from Obinna room faster than before. I nearly fall, but dignity still dey hold my leg. I wan dance azonto for corridor, but dignity still dey hold my leg.

My heart dey pound, mouth dry, I drink three cup cold malt before I calm. Even Fanta join, my hand still dey shake.

Only one thing dey my mind.

Thank God... thank God say Obinna no fit use am. If not, with the kind hardware wey he get...

I for don die. Person go just hear say "fake heiress collapse inside mansion."

Leaves outside window don full, cicada dey shout. The sound dey sweet me, like say bush dey do concert for night.

Before I know, I don dey mansion for one month. My skin don change colour, even mosquito dey respect me.

After that kiss wey make me blush, Obinna never touch me again. Na so I dey wonder, na jazz or na self-control?

Na summer holiday, no school. My brain dey rest from wahala, my spirit dey look for peace.

Obinna just dey carry my time. Every morning na breakfast in bed, night na soft jazz for balcony.

Mansion big—cinema, game room, gym, mat room for rolling. I don learn how to play table tennis, even ride horse small.

Backyard get big lawn for horse, tennis, golf. The grass green, even goats for village go envy.

If I wan go out, na helicopter carry me SKP, book whole mall, swipe card, carry bag come back. Life just dey sweet, but my mind still dey cautious.

Everyday food correct, sleep eight hours, do anything I like. Chef sabi cook — one day, I chop suya pizza, next day, ewa agoyin with caviar.

One month for mansion, my skin don fresh, body dey glow. I dey snap selfie, old friends dey ask which cream I dey use.

Nobody go believe say I be fake heiress wey dem pursue last month. Suffering no show for my face again.

So when I see the invite, I shock:

"Banquet to welcome real heiress back—why invite me?"

Obinna check invite:

"Na Amara call your name. She wan show herself."

Amara, the real heiress. That name dey ring bell for my head.

"You go?"

I think am, nod: "I go." Pride still dey my blood, I no go hide face.

Adeyemi family party still lavish as before. Table long reach fence, drinks plenty, laughter loud.

Plenty show, but the dessert no sweet at all. My tongue dey twist, even ice cream no cool my spirit.

I frown, chop three small cake before Amara waka enter. The way she waka, all the boys pause phone.

She wear latest Ankara, catwalk come, raise her finger, flash diamond ring:

"Ifeoma, Chijioke don propose to me."

She twist mouth, wicked smile:

"As for you, if nobody want you, maybe I fit beg my parents make you be my foot-washing maid."

I just blank. My mind off. Na so e easy to downgrade human being?

Only one month I stop to dey rich girl, now dem get new work as foot-washing maid? Life no balance at all.

One aunty for corner just shout, “Na only God know who born this one sef!”

Ex-fiancé Chijioke rush come, drag Amara go one side:

"No dey worry Ifeoma."

Amara face change fast:

"You still dey think of this witch, abi?"

Chijioke vex, carry her go calm down. Small quarrel dey scatter party, everybody dey look.

Twenty minutes, he come back. He look me, eye red:

"Sorry, Ifeoma, for all the bad thing I talk before."

"I just too vex. No be as I mean am."

He turn:

"I know, my uncle force you, lock you up."

"You don suffer."

Chijioke hold my hand, press one drug into it, whisper:

"Only you fit help me."

"Na strong medicine be this. Tonight, pour am inside my uncle wine—he go drop guard."

"I don arrange everything after."

"Even if he no really suffer, at least him name go spoil, I go fit collect Okafor family."

He look me well, talk serious:

"I know, you always like me."

"Just endure small. When I collect Okafor family, I go break up with Amara, free you."

I smile:

"Okay."

I carry the drug, go take champagne, give am:

"Na deal."

My hand dey shake small, but for Lagos, if you no sharp, dem go use you shine. I really drug person. But na inside the champagne wey Chijioke just drink. Na so smart girl dey do.

Chijioke, eye red, drink the champagne finish. He no even blink, na desperation dey worry am.

I smile, wave:

"Amara dey vex there—go pet her."

I watch Chijioke waka go meet Amara, still dey smile. Inside me, I dey thank God say sense dey my body.

Even if my brain no sharp, you no fit take me play mumu. Na Lagos I grow, I sabi all street trick.

Anything wey Chijioke plan, make e enjoy am. He no go see me finish.

I turn, happy. I dey tap myself for back, small win.

Next thing, I jam Obinna eye. The way he dey look me, I freeze like roasted fish.

My smile just freeze. No joy again.

Obinna, custom suit, lean for wall. Him cloth sharp, if you near am, you go smell money. Suit tailor na Baba Tunde from Surulere—if e sew for you, even governor go jealous.

Him fine finger dey turn champagne glass. Who know how long he don stand there? My heart skip.

He drop glass, then smile small, corner mouth up. The kind smile wey dey fear person more than shout.

He talk slow, soft, like hunter dey play with prey:

"Ifeoma, you wan drug me?"

He drag me, still dey shock, comot for party, enter Cullinan. The car cold, leather seat dey hug body, but my mind no settle.

For underground garage, everywhere quiet. Silence loud, I hear my own heartbeat for ear.

Na only my heart dey beat, I dey look down, guilt dey worry me. Shame dey my bone, I dey sweat for armpit.

Chei, Chijioke don put me for wahala!

I start to explain:

"No be you I wan drug, na Chijioke."

Obinna no even vex. Instead, he open the drug, check label:

"IWE-4, new formula, six hours."

He pick one, before I fit talk, I just see as he swallow am. My jaw drop, I no believe my eye.

I open eye:

"Wetin you dey do?"

He just reply soft:

"E dey take thirty minutes before e start work."

Like say invisible rope dey tie everywhere, dey drag prey. My mind dey race, my leg dey vibrate.

Obinna finger, rough from gun, pinch my ear, rub am soft, send shiver for my body. My neck dey weak, e be like goosebumps dey play football.

Him breath near my ear, sandalwood dey mix with danger:

"Car door no lock, baby. You get thirty minutes to run."

"If not, even if you shout tire, I no go let you go." I swallow spit, my body cold, but my blood dey hot. Tonight, na real wahala be this. Na God hand I dey.

As I dey look door, my leg no gree move. For this kind game, who go survive—Lagos babe or villain boss?