Blind Desire Episode 30

Aunt Chime was the first to recover from her shock. She pulled Ifepams into her arms and smiled broadly ‘Ifepams, your are too inquisitive for your age…’ she chuckled looking at me ‘how would your mother kill your dad? Is your mother a killer?’
Ifepams looked at me before shaking her head slowly.
‘then why would you think your mummy killed your daddy? Of course not!’
‘but i heard her say so herself!’ Ifepams retorted.
‘certainly not my baby. We…we were only acting a play. Am i not smiling now? I was looking sober before wasnt i?’
‘whats sober?’ Ifepams asked.
I chuckled grabbing her from her aunt’s arms ‘intelligent Ifepams! Come, lets go and get ice creams from the reception’
‘yeh!’ she shrieked excitedly.
I winked at aunt Chime who secretly gave me a thumbs up and we headed downstairs.
***
‘Chief, we can settle this amicably, please dont do this to me..’ i said. I was already on my knees with tears streaming down my eyes. Chief was behaving stubbornly. If i wasnt marrying him then i should be ready to start life from scratch…something i was not ready to do.
I came from a poor family. I refuse to put VERY because our poverty was somewhat on a low level. Sometimes, things were quite good for us, mama made good sales and papa got a contract…maybe supplying animals to the palace for preparation of meals for upcoming festivals…something that was not regular seeing that there were so many hunters in the village. But there were times when things were really bad..so bad that i had to stop going to school for almost a week so i could hawk for Dada’s school fees.
Speaking about Dada, i felt guilty for not calling him over the past few years. Aunt Chime had insisted i left everything about my past life and start life anew. She had forced me to forget about Dada and uncle Nonso. But i had plans for him too. I was waiting for the perfect time when i would be able to send him outside the country for studying then set up a multinational company for him. But i was waiting for the perfect time and now this.
I was a millionaire…at least having nothing less than a million naira in your account also makes you a millionaire. I had a million naira and some hundreds of thousands in my account, but its going to run out with time if i wasnt working…paying Ifepams’ schoolfees and of course renting an apartment for us and furnishing it to my taste, that was surely going to half my account coupled with feeding expenses, fuelling my car and general day to day expenses. Before three months if not less, my account was going to be red. I badly needed my job back and the house. I couldnt stand going back to poverty or a life of lack, no.
‘you little ingrate!’ Chief said gnashing his teeth ‘after everything i did for you and your money hungry aunt! I took care of your child, your ba.stard child! When you came to this town, you were penniless. I took all of you in, sent you abroad to school..and upon your return, gave you a job in my company as an assitant manager and now i’m asking you to be my wife and now you are telling me you cant marry an old man like me? You really think i’ll let one hungry boy who doesnt know about your history? You must be joking Ivyy!’ he said banging his fist hard on the table.
I could tell he was really angry. But i really couldnt stand him calling my daughter a bas.tard. But i just had to bear it.
I thought about my future. I was just 22 and i still had a long way ahead of me. I equally thought about my beautiful daughter’s life..marrying Chief could guarantee her future. He could give her the things that i wouldnt be able to give her.
I equally thought of Dada. My marriage with Chief would be the right time to send my brother abroad.
Maybe…just maybe…i could marry him…tears dropped from my eyes..i would never see my Ifeanyi again so maybe i should forget about him and start life anew.
‘yes Chief…’ i blinked ‘yes Chief, i’ll marry you’
TBC