Chapter 6: Heart and Wahala

7

"You no suppose go that far with a small girl."

Before bed, Odogwu Nnamdi brought up the matter.

He stood leaning on the bedroom door, watching me with that quiet intensity that made my heart skip the first time I met him. "You fit just tell me first."

I sat at my vanity, brushing my hair, looking at his fine face in the mirror.

The bristles moved slowly through my hair, each stroke giving me small comfort. The reflection of his eyes met mine, both of us too stubborn to look away. "You know say I liked that necklace, but you gave it to another woman. Is it not normal for me to vex?"

I couldn’t imagine—if such a perfect person ever got stained—if I would still love him the same.

The thought sat heavy in my chest. My hands stilled in my hair, the room suddenly colder. Odogwu Nnamdi took his time, poured himself a glass of cold water at the bar.

The clink of ice against glass echoed in the silence. He leaned on the marble counter, his gaze fixed on the city lights outside our window. "She cried all night because of your misunderstanding. When I saw her swollen eyes, I just gave her the necklace as apology."

His tone was even, almost businesslike. He didn’t leave any loophole for me to catch.

I stared at him coldly for a long time.

My heart dey beat heavy, my mind dey play today’s wahala like old Nollywood film. Twenty million naira is nothing to us; giving it away isn’t the problem. The question is if the person deserves it.

The value is not the money—it is what it means. He tapped his finger on the marble counter, waiting for me to finish thinking.

His patience was both a comfort and a curse. This was the first time a third party came between us. Our upbringing and manners made us both tired of drama. We both cared about face.

'Odogwu Nnamdi, I love you.'

His hand paused. He probably didn’t expect me to say that so suddenly.

The words slipped out, raw and soft. It was like opening the door during rainy season and letting the cool breeze fill the room. 'Odogwu Nnamdi, I love the flawless you. That’s what makes you different. You never let women get close before, because you have emotional boundaries. You wanted a pure marriage. I wasn’t like this before, but your values changed me. Now, we want the same things in life.'

My voice wavered, but I kept going. 'I hope our marriage never reach junction.'

Odogwu Nnamdi sighed helplessly. "E no go happen."

He crossed the room in two long strides and held me close. In that moment, the world outside disappeared. We stood together, hearts beating, trusting that no crack would split us apart.