Chapter 8: The Reckoning

I took Bola back to the Musa residence.

Chief Musa had been staying at the governor’s lodge lately, discussing matters with the governor.

So, I could spend more time with my parents.

Bola, tired from the day, went to bed early.

I lit a lantern and started sorting out the accounts.

The bride price and gifts left at the Tunde residence was a complicated matter.

I worked late into the night.

Early the next morning,

I brought several cars and dozens of house staff to the Tunde residence.

Openly, without hiding.

Morayo hurried over.

The Musa family’s old housekeeper held the list, checking off each item as it was carried out from the Tunde residence.

Morayo looked shocked, anxiously coming over to me.

"Has Aunty misunderstood something?"

"Husband hasn’t divorced you, yet you’re so eager to cut ties with the Tunde family."

I looked at her and suddenly smiled.

"I heard that when Tunde married you, there were all the traditional rites, and a grand wedding convoy."

Morayo was stunned for a moment, her face turning red.

"Yes."

I said, "You’re already his legally wedded wife. Our people don’t allow two wives of equal standing; since he married you, it has nothing to do with me."

Morayo lowered her head, her eyes flickering.

She raised her hand and grabbed my sleeve, her voice breaking, hands clutching at my wrapper as if about to kneel.

"So Aunty does mind this."

"Morayo is willing to become a junior wife, to give up the main wife’s position to Aunty."

I really didn’t understand.

She wanted Tunde to demote his wife to junior wife—wasn’t that just handing him power over her?

I felt disgusted and shook off her hand forcefully.

She fell back in embarrassment, looking at me with teary eyes from behind her messy hair, pitiful and heart-wrenching.

I knew Tunde had arrived.

But he didn’t come to her rescue, only walked over to stand in front of me.

Tunde’s face was haggard and pale, dark circles under his eyes like he hadn’t slept all night.

"I’ve investigated."

"The car you used to return to the city wasn’t from the Musa family. Its standard was very high, not something ordinary people can use. In Makurdi, you were a lone woman; such a car could only belong to..."

He paused, his eyes darkening.

"The husband you mentioned."

"But everyone of that status in Makurdi is already married. Did you lower yourself to become someone’s junior wife, or..."

I knew what he wanted to say.

A mistress.

Even to become a junior wife, you need to register; of course, he could check.

After knowing each other for more than ten years, he could still suspect me like this.

The anger in my heart exploded, and I grabbed the abacus the old housekeeper had set aside and threw it at him.

Tunde took the hit, grunting in pain.

He held his shoulder, cold sweat on his forehead.

Morayo cried out in shock, glaring at me, her eyes full of hatred.

"Husband is a government official—how dare you!"

I pointed at Tunde, my hand shaking with anger.

"He open mouth anyhow for my matter—should I just stand and watch?"

As we faced off, Dayo ran out from the crowd.

He looked up, staring straight at me, and shouted,

"Was Daddy wrong? Other than being a junior wife, where else could you go?"

I looked at him coldly, not feeling any motherly love for this son anymore.

"Dayo, kneel."

Ngozi stepped forward and forced him to his knees.

She wasn’t gentle; Dayo frowned in pain.

He was stubborn, still asking, "Why should I kneel to you?"

My voice was calm.

"First, I am your birth mother. You are my son; you should kneel to me."

"Second, I am Chief Musa’s wife; I am your elder, you are my junior. You should kneel to me."

The watching house staff murmured their approval, some shaking their heads, others whispering 'na so e suppose be.' In that moment, my authority—earned and inherited—stood like iron before them all.