Chapter 4: Party of No Return

Everything run smooth.

Lawyer deliver agreement, assets dey move codedly, no noise. My friends dey help arrange escape like say na action film.

...

I even pick mermaid dress well well. No be anyhow. I pick colour wey match my skin, style wey fit my shape. My tailor adjust am last minute—omo, if you see the beadwork, e shine pass Lekki bridge for night.

With high heels, I enter the party hall, dey smile. The whole place dey shine, DJ dey play soft jazz. My friends rush greet me. One poke me. “No date? I fit borrow you my brother.”

Her brother dey there dey form fine boy, dey press phone. I think am. “No need. Me alone no dey shameful.”

We laugh. In this Naija, woman wey waka solo na real queen. “True talk! Man go just spoil our gist!” she laugh. She adjust my earring, help me hold purse, dab powder for my face—Naija girls dey always help each other shine before party wahala.

Suddenly, everywhere scatter. DJ scratch music, all head turn. Kamsiyochukwu, silver-grey suit, lazy but sharp, small smile for face. Song Ling dey hold him arm like glue.

Ah... Na movie scene. Light dey shine for their body, as if spotlight dey follow them. I think say when Kamsiyochukwu talk say him go follow Song Ling, na to go shop or something. Na party him carry am come.

My eye catch Song Ling dress. I blink, look again. Na the exact mermaid dress wey I wear.

When I buy am, dem tell me say only one dey for the whole country. I pay extra, collect receipt, tailor swear say no copy anywhere. Her own na from abroad dem rush bring?

Na so the story be. Kamsiyochukwu just wan disgrace me.

True true, as Song Ling see me, her face change. She bite lip, whisper to Kamsiyochukwu, wey come look my side. Na jealousy dey her eye. E show for her face like tribal mark. Song Ling waka come, eye dey red. “Na you send person go check wetin Kamsi buy for me, then copy am?”

She step close, her perfume strong, voice loud. Other guests begin gather. One guy for back shout, “Na who copy who? E go red today!” Women dey whisper, dey snap us side-eye, ready for amebo.

My friend shock. “No dey talk rubbish...” She defend me sharp sharp. For this Naija, real friends no dey carry last. Song Ling hiss. “You just dey jealous say Kamsi dey treat me well. All your tricks na rubbish, you no even fine reach me.”

My friend mumble, “She fine pass you.” The reply soft, but e land well. People for there dey nod. Song Ling vex, run back to Kamsiyochukwu, dey shake him arm. “Kamsi, see dem!”

She dey form pity, but her voice high. Kamsiyochukwu eye dark, just dey look me. After small time, he just smile. His smile get meaning. Na the kind smile wey dey say, "I sabi wetin I dey do."

Comments explode:

[“Ahh, Crown Prince don smile! He think say sis fine pass!”]

[“No be lie. Him eye no dey deceive. Crown Prince and sis forever—I fit bet my plantain!”]

[“But wait... Crown Prince dey do all this to make sis run come beg am, act soft, then...”]

Some aunty for my side dey murmur, "This kain drama na why I dey like come party." I still dey reason that last comment when mic sound.

The hall quiet, everybody dey wait. Kamsiyochukwu Group senior secretary carry mic and card: “Thank you for coming. I get important announcement—by decision of Mr. Kamsiyochukwu and the board, 2% of Kamsiyochukwu Group shares go to Miss Song Ling.”

People shout. The place scatter. Some dey clap, some dey hiss. The thing hit me like slap. Everywhere burst!

I look up, shock, no fit believe am. For my mind, na betrayal dey play full screen. My chest dey tight. Kamsiyochukwu hold plenty shares, but extra 2% dey always keep for future wife... Even if na just 2%, for big group like Kamsiyochukwu Group, the money heavy.

He dash am to Song Ling.

People dey snap picture, dey post online. Some dey whisper, "Na for real?"

And announce am for here. Na public disgrace. For Igbo land, na this kain thing dey pain woman pass. The comments go mad:

[“Na so! Crown Prince don show him craze! Sis go shame, beg am!”]

[“Yes o, then sis no go get choice but to stay with Crown Prince, make e dey spoil am... sweet die!”]

[“Wetin sis dey wait? Crown Prince love am! Make she slap Song Ling, go hold Crown Prince, act baby!”]

Everybody dey watch, dey wait for my reaction. I just adjust my dress, gather courage. As everybody dey look me, dey mock, I just waka reach Kamsiyochukwu. People clear road. All eyes on me. Him eye no leave me at all.

I reach him front. The hall quiet. The kind quiet wey dey follow big wahala. He look down, mouth bend small like say him dey enjoy drama.

I smile too, every word come out strong:

“The breakup agreement don dey your way. You go soon receive am. As for business with Amarachi Group—na your choice.”

I drop the words steady, voice no shake. For this life, na dignity remain when love and money run finish. As I waka go, all eyes dey my back. For this Naija, dignity na the last thing wey woman fit hold.