Chapter 5: Shattered Illusions

My mind run go three years back—

Memory flood me: wedding day, old house full of people, Mama smile. First time he call me ‘wife,’ my heart swell with hope. But those days don fade, like ankara wey sun wash.

When we marry, e no bad like this.

Sometimes I think maybe happiness go reach us. We share joke, laugh small. But moments rare, silence dey swallow am.

Sometimes we go old house together, or eat for Christmas, Sallah.

Olayemi mansion dey full of laugh, uncle gist, auntie dey brag about pikin. We go sit side by side, pretend perfect couple, hand go touch by mistake.

On wedding night, as things heat up, we kiss, hug, enter bed.

I remember lace rustle, my hand dey shake as I reach am. Room warm, coconut oil smell dey air. Body dey tremble with hope and fear.

Na my first time, I dey fear, pain dey, I just dey cry.

I try brave, but every touch dey burn. I sob, pain sharp, no hide. Cry loud, fill the room.

Voice don break already.

I press pillow for mouth, but he hear all. Shame full ground, dream don break for darkness.

After try small, Yinka Olayemi lose interest, get up halfway.

He sigh, roll away, sit for bed edge. No talk, no comfort. Silence cold like wall.

After that night, he never touch me again.

Day turn month, distance grow. I tell myself na phase, e go pass, but nothing change. Loneliness turn to my skin.

I turn away, start dress up, plan sleep for pet shop.

I wear jeans, faded T-shirt, tie hair rough. Carry overnight bag, hand steady for first time in days. The smell of dog food and old newspapers hit me as I entered—small comfort, but better than that cold mansion.

Now my head clear—love after marriage no dey work. Na so Nkechi warn me that year—marriage no be beans.

I wipe eye, laugh small at my foolishness. Pet shop small, but na my own. Animal no dey pretend.

I no fit disgrace myself again, dey use body hold man.

I face mirror, stare my reflection. Mama voice echo: "Body no dey hold man, na respect and love." I don learn lesson.

“Why?” Yinka Olayemi block wardrobe, face dark.

He lean for door, frame full space. Jaw tight, eye cold, accusing.

He laugh bitter: “You always dey obey.”

He shake head, voice sharp. “Na today you dey form stubborn?”

“And now, just because of one carpet?”

He point at rug, disbelief. I stand strong, no look away.

I steady voice: “Because of Kemi.”

Voice clear, hand still dey shake. Truth hang for air.

I look up, face am: “Since you and her fit better, you for tell me since.”

Shoulder square, I stand. Heart dey beat, but chin up. I want make he see my pain.

“I for let you go.”

I swallow, blink away new tears. Word feel like freedom, but pain dey follow.

Why waste my youth? I no just understand.

I shake head, anger dey rise. “You for talk true, Yinka. Na so people dey do?”

For the first time, I get boldness to face am: “Today na our wedding anniversary—you even remember?”

Voice crack, but I force am. “You forget, abi? While I dey cook, you dey sleep with Kemi inside study. You really think say I be mumu?”

Yinka Olayemi face change, but he no lose cool. He press lips, try explain.

He rub temple, search words. Guilt flash, hide quick. Raise hand, wan justify.

“I be thirty-one this year. Before I marry you, I dey solve my own wahala.”

Tone flat, like business report. No remorse.

“Kemi don dey with me since she be twenty—just my bed partner, nothing else.”

He shrug, as if e no mean anything. My belle turn.

When he call her ‘bed partner’, e be like he dey introduce ‘just a friend’—so casual.

He look me, no send. Clear say he see nothing wrong.

I stagger, laugh painful: “So una don dey sleep together for eight years.”

Bitter voice. Hand shake, eye blur.

I do the math. “Even on our wedding day, while she dey run up and down for us, you still dey mess with her?”

I stare am, pain and anger full ground.

Him eyes flick, first time he look away. My word hit, but he refuse beg.

Yinka Olayemi no sabi beg. He just stand, try hug me.

He reach out, I step back, arm cross. I no want comfort.

“People for our circle dey get plenty women.”

He talk like proverb, as if e make sense. I almost laugh.

“Me, na only Kemi I get as bed partner—just to clear body.”

Voice soft, like say I suppose thank am. I clench fist.

“No love, no feelings, na just business. She give me her body, I give her money and connection. And you…”

He stop, wait make I talk. But I no get anything left.

[Slap]

My palm land for him cheek, sound sharp for quiet room. Body dey shake, anger, pain overflow.

I dey shake from vex.

Tears dey rush. Breath ragged. I feel light, like I go fall.

I no believe how he talk about sex like nothing.

Word echo for head, mix with all the lesson of love, trust, respect. I tire for pretending.

Hand shake. I no even pack, just grab phone, push pass am, waka out.

Footstep echo, fast, rough. I barely hear him voice call my name.

“Yinka Olayemi, you dey make me sick.”

Word hang for air, heavy, final. I no look back.