Chapter 1: Shame and Betrayal

My house girl pretend say she be me, begin run love with Ifedike—wey dey stay for Chief compound for some time—come carry belle.

Ehn, wahala land. For this village, na heavy shame if your house help fit carry belle for another man under your nose, especially the person wey suppose marry you. People go use your matter finish their palm-wine, turn you to evening gist. My own, the shame enter bone. Even goat for backyard dey look me like say I no fit control my house.

Ifedike come be the WAEC champion, then show for Chief compound to propose marriage. My papa gree sharp-sharp.

When the news break, e fly like harmattan fire. From market square reach church compound, everybody dey hail Ifedike as the boy wey go make our village reach Abuja. Papa, with him proud style, just gree like say na him plan am.

Out of wahala, the house girl jump inside village well. Two lives disappear, just like that.

Omo, for that early morning, shout scatter for compound, some people dey pray, some dey curse well. Even Mama Ejima faint, dem pour garri water for her body. Villagers gather, some dey wail, elders dey talk say water spirit don vex. As for me, my heart tear into pieces. Ngozi, the girl wey dey help me since, gone just like that. Her unborn pikin too.

On our wedding night, Ifedike discover say I no be the woman wey e love. Even though e face calm, e start dey investigate, sure say na me jealous the house girl and push am to die.

That night, cold breeze blow enter my window. I notice as Ifedike dey look me with one kind eye, like say I be masquerade wey wear wrong mask. E dey do like everything soft, but for inside, I sabi say him mind dey turn. E begin question house girls, dey peep my waka. Any small thing I do, e go twist am for him mind.

For the next ten years, he use Chief family power climb. E dey act gentle, dey form caring for me, but when our family enter treason wahala, he kick us when we fall. My papa die for nothing, whole family drive comot.

You go think say na blessing to marry man wey get connection. Lie! Ifedike use us like ladder. E dey greet my papa with respect for front, but for back, e dey plan. When politics wahala land, e turn Judas. Chief house wey dey bubble, turn graveyard. When dem shout treason, elders just bend head, nobody fit help us. My papa, innocent like goat, carry the punishment. Our family, respected before, banish like thief.

After all the torment, dem drag me enter freezing pond, drown me for harmattan cold.

Dem drag me—no mercy, no pity. Pond water cold like Egede ice block. Harmattan dey bite my skin. Before I close eye, na star I dey see. Last thought, na my mama prayer.

When I open my eyes again, I dey back on the day Ifedike come propose for Chief compound.

Oluwa! E be like film. I pinch myself, fear say maybe na ghost I don turn. But sun dey warm my face, real as e get. Chicken dey scratch ground. I hear Ifedike laugh from far. I grab my chest. Second chance? I swear for my papa grave, this time, Ifedike go know say person get sense for this house.