Chapter 9: Old Flames and Obsession

I no really look well before, but now I see—after all these years, he don change.

No be small pikin face again—cheekbone sharp, jaw strong, beard dey scatter. Power dey ooze from body.

Him face don mature, sharp like carved wood, but the aura dark, full of wahala.

Even eye dey shine like person wey fit eat lion heart with eba.

All those years of work show for body.

Muscle dey where muscle suppose dey. No be only gym, na real life wahala build am.

Back then, when I dey control things, I dey wake early, sleep late.

For palace, na sleep be luxury. I dey count ceiling at night, dey plot move for morning.

Femi too go through am.

If I see am for corridor, na only stress dey show for face. Now, na peace mixed with silent anger.

To dey work so, resentment no fit no full body.

The grudge old, but na only time go tell if e go rest.

“My sister, you don dey lost again?”

Him voice soft, but na threat dey hide under. E dey catch me off guard.

Before I know, Femi stand for my front, him breath hot for my ear, drag me back to reality.

The closeness tight—like say we dey share one soul. Even the dust for air dey vibrate.

True talk, he dey fear person like this.

I dey sweat, but I no go show am. For palace, if you show fear, dem go dance on your head.

The way he look me, like wild animal, like say he wan swallow me.

If lion look gazelle, na so e dey be. My mind dey pray, "Abeg, make I survive this night."

I force myself look am for eye, keep up my act, talk coldly with one kain look,

If I blink, na defeat. So I hold eye contact, voice steady, "Wetin you want?"

Femi pull mouth for small smile, come near, grab my shoulder, almost press body join mine.

The grip no gentle. Na warning. "My sister," e say, "these three years, every moment I dey think of you…"

If na love, I for dey fear. But for Femi, thinking mean planning—how to finish me.

With the kind person wey Femi be, na every moment he dey plan how to catch me come chop me to pieces…

If to say e fit talk am plain, he go say, "I don dey calculate how I go pay you back."

But before he finish, door burst open again.

Door fly, wind enter, like film. Na so tension break small.

Halima shout, “Your Majesty!”

Her voice sharp, but carry respect. Even Femi pause.

But her voice get one strange tone, wey make Femi remember something.

Voice get cold edge—fear, warning, jealousy all mix inside.

His breathing come heavy as he look me, eyes dey burn.

He dey struggle—revenge, anger, and another thing wey I no fit name.

Na that time I realize—him eye don change… almost like obsession.

Dem say if man eye red for woman, even juju go fear.

For palace, if man look woman with that kain eye, elders go say, "Spirit dey involved."

Like say, if he no tear me finish, he no go rest for mind.

My heart dey drum like bata, but my face still dey form iron. For this life, na only strong face dey save person sometimes.