Chapter 1: Vanishing and Return

After I managed to reform the male lead of this redemption novel—a man so dangerously possessive he fit scatter the whole world—I planned to leave this world for good.

But deep down, my spirit no gree settle. My mind flash back to when Jide and I dey play ten-ten under mango tree, or that time my mama pray for me: "If love go find you, make e no be wahala boy." But see as I land here. The way Jide dey look me, like say if I disappear now, him fit burn everywhere. Na real wahala love, the kind wey dey sweet and dey bite. Sometimes I wonder if I no go just lock myself for shrine, pray make this boy calm down for my sake.

Jide eye red like say pepper enter am, he hold me tight—no gree let breeze pass. I hugged him and coaxed, “Abeg, relax, I dey go buy you strawberries.”

Na lie wey carry weight, o. That time, as I hug am, my chest dey tight. Jide strong pass, but that moment, he just dey soft like person wey dem soak for rain. Even when I talk am, I dey shiver inside. I never see man wey fit look me with that kind hunger for eyes before.

Then, I disappear.

Like film trick, I just vanish. If to say na Yoruba movie, dem go talk say, "She don enter another realm." E pain me, but wetin I go do? Mission complete—so I think.

I no expect say three years later, I go return.

No be small thing. As I land back, my mind dey jump. Wetin I for do? The world don move. Or so I reason am, but I no sabi say my own wahala still dey wait.

The once pitiful small Jide Nwachukwu don turn big oga, fit control all the big men for Abuja just by snapping him finger.

If dem say na jazz, people go believe. The kind power wey dey follow am now, nobody fit argue. Some people dey even whisper say he get one old woman for village wey dey pray for am steady.

His face cold as he grab my wrist, fling me hard for bed. He wrap him tie around his hand, voice low and rough:

For the first time, I feel like aboki cow wey dem dey drag for Sallah. My whole body just dey shake as he cage me for bed.

“Behave. The strawberries wey you owe me three years ago—make I put them for your neck or your waist tonight?”

Na that moment I know say, wahala dey. Jide voice get one kind deepness, as if thunder and rain dey hide inside. My heart beat double, but my mouth still dey sharp.