Chapter 5: Truth and Thunder

"I just wan ask you one thing—go marry her or you no go marry?"

Big brother face tight, voice strong.

I come back to myself, cold sweat dey my back, I just look ground.

For my last life, for this moment, I don already step in, collect all the insult, try patch everything.

Because many people dey there, men join—this kind matter suppose settle for inside.

Later, elders from both family swap my engagement with Tunde give Ifeoma.

I think say Tunde no get choice.

Sometimes, when our eyes meet, both of us just dey carry the same pain. We fated, but e no reach.

But truth be say, everything na their plan.

Between me and Ifeoma, he choose Ifeoma.

Ha. Na joke.

Tunde press him lips.

Struggle dey for him face as he keep quiet. Big brother, vex, raise hand to beat am.

"No, no blame am, big brother." Ifeoma talk suddenly, her voice low. "I too drink, na wrong road I follow, na so I jam Young Lord Tunde. If we dey talk who do wrong, I join too."

"You still dey defend am?"

Chibuzor grind teeth, pain and confusion full him face. "Sister, why you dey disgrace yourself like this?"

Ifeoma just smile small, raise her head, pretend say e no pain her. She talk: "Worst case, I go enter convent, spend my life with prayer and candle. Na my destiny..."

Tunde turn look am sharp.

His eyes full of disagreement and pity.

Ifeoma bite her lip, stubbornly look back.

Two of them just dey look each other—one no wan gree, the other eyes full of love and pity.

Finally, Tunde look her, like say he dey swear, talk strong: "Na me wrong Miss Ifeoma. I, Tunde Ayeni, go marry Ifeoma as my wife."

I just dey look, my heart no pain again.

Because once I know the truth, I don already give up on Tunde.

Funny enough, I do nothing, still become everybody wahala.

"I hope say you remember wetin you talk today."

Chibuzor hiss, drop Tunde collar with force, then pet Ifeoma:

"Ifeoma, no blame yourself. The real bad person na another person."

He shift eye to me, talk cold: "Rong, as elder sister, na so you dey look your small sister?"

"You allow her, small girl, drink anyhow, waka alone go man room? Wetin be your plan?"

Ifeoma follow look me, her eyes dodge.

[I swear, big brother, you finally see the main thing!]

[The side babe get caught, so shameless, she just wan disgrace the girl.]

[She no know say second guy go help main babe. She fall big this time.]

People dey whisper:

"Still, na Miss Ifeoma cause wahala."

"She even join with her own sister’s fiancé. I even pity Miss Rong."

Chibuzor hear am, his face just dey dark, the way he look me get anger and small disgust.

For his mind, I suppose just bow head and collect blame.

But this time, I no go just kneel—I go stand for myself, even if e break my back.