Chapter 4: Friends, Prenups, and Paper Walls

Those three na his childhood friends.

Them tight well, like bread and butter. Dem no dey play with each other.

One na Chuka, who took over his family business after school and dey do well.

Chuka dey always dey sharp, wear correct agbada, shoe wey dey shine, voice loud like election MC.

One na Musa, from artist family, and him sef be famous painter.

Musa dey quiet, dey always dey draw. If you see him sketchbook, na masterpiece dey inside.

The last one na Timi, from political and business family, now top lawyer.

Timi na big man, voice deep, dressing always on point. People dey call am SAN for street.

“Ah Dike, na this girlfriend you date for three years for school?”

Chuka dey look me with one kain eye, as if na him dey do background check for FBI.

“She look like person wey no get money—how you sure say she no dey after your money?”

That na Chuka talking.

Chuka no dey fear anybody. If e wan talk, e go talk full ground, even if elders dey there.

Ifedike pause small before he answer, “Ah Chuka, abeg no talk that kind thing.”

He voice soft, but you fit see say him dey think am small for mind.

“You know say my parents only dey give me ₦20,000 every month for school. How she wan take chop my money?”

He dey try defend me, but e dey sound like excuse.

At that point, Musa talk quietly.

“Ifedike, no be once or twice you enter newspaper? Wetin if she know who you be and come near you on purpose?”

Musa voice dey calm, but na true he talk. All these big name families, wahala no dey finish.

“Ah Musa, why you dey follow Chuka dey talk rubbish? Ifunanya no be that kind person.”

He dey try stand for me, but e no reach. Even me dey hear, my heart dey beat.

Musa just smile, no talk again.

You know those kind people wey go just look you, smile, but for mind, dem don conclude.

“Ifedike, you need to shine your eye. You know say for our kind family, na property wahala dey fear us pass.”

“If after two years of marriage you find say e no work, she fit carry half your property.”

“My advice, sign prenup, control her money.”

“You know as my papa take lose millions before because of this kind matter...”

Timi the lawyer talk am calm and calculated.

As e talk am, I just dey squeeze my palm under table, dey bite my tongue make I no answer dem anyhow.

I no listen again after that.

My mind begin dey fly, e be like say breeze dey blow for my ear.

As his friends, I fit understand say dem dey warn am.

No be today friends dey form protective. But make person know where e belong.

But I believed Ifedike know the kind person I be.

Three years together no be beans.

Yet the next day, Ifedike bring prenup agreement give me.

My body cold. See trust!