Chapter 1: Fox Weh I Raise, Fox Weh I Lose

Sometimes, the way Chuka go just dey look me, e be like say I get pepper for body. The house dey full, but na only him shadow dey move around quietly, like small breeze wey just pass and disappear. Kerosene smell still dey air, plus distant generator noise from neighbor compound. Even when I bring new toys or try gist with am, na so e go just sidon, dey look me through corner eye.

I started to think maybe I was doing something wrong.

At night, as I dey turn for bed, na so I dey reason—wetin I fit do again? I try change the food, buy better mat, play gentle music, but e still dey act like say I be stranger for am. Sometimes, I go just dey look my phone, dey Google 'How to bond with fox beastman' like say internet get answer for everything. I even check Nairaland, but na so so joke dem dey crack—nobody serious.

But then I noticed—the fox beastman only ever warmed up to the nanny I hired to look after him.

E dey funny, because na me dey spend the money, but na Lin Shola him dey follow like say she be him mama. Even when she dey wash plate for kitchen, Chuka go just dey hover near door, dey peep dey wait for her to finish. When I pass, e no even raise head. As if, for this house, na only her dey matter.

The day I sacked the nanny, the fox beastman bit me.

I still remember that day—hot afternoon, NEPA take light, sweat dey my face, wahala just full everywhere. As I talk say make Shola dey go, na so Chuka vex, show him true wild side. Him teeth sharp—no be here o. E bite me for finger, I shout. My heart cut. Blood dey drip, pain dey knock, but na the shock hold me pass. For my mind, I dey shout—fox wey I feed, na me e bite? Even houseboy run come from backyard ask if I see snake.

As I dey feel the pain, na so comments just dey float for my eye:

[Even now, the supporting female still no fit abandon the male lead.]

[Who go believe say the male lead go ignore the rich and fine supporting female, dey follow only the nanny wey she hire for am?]

[Na because the male lead sabi—true true, the female lead na the real heiress of the Okoye family, lost and raised for outside.]

[Later, the female lead go return to the rich family, sack the supporting female, then collect the male lead. The face-slapping big heroine plot dey sweet no be small!]

My phone buzz, WhatsApp dey ping, but na the comments loud pass. The comments just dey ring for my ear, like radio wey no dey off, full of people wey dey judge person life from far. The kind gossip wey fit full WhatsApp group.

I work like donkey, hustle tire, finally gather money to raise pet.

How come I come be the supporting female wey dem go disgrace?

Sometimes, as I dey sweep or dey cook beans for kitchen, I go just dey wonder how person own story fit turn upside down like dis. After all the wahala, all the market runs, all the midnight work, na me come dey play second fiddle?

No wahala, then.

Make both of them—fox and human—waka.

I look my wounded finger, suck small blood, hiss. If na so life wan play me, make everybody waka. E no go better for wahala.