Chapter 7: Undercover Love and Betrayal

I become Musa Okoye girlfriend. For street, dem dey hail me 'Musa Madam.' I dey wear better clothes, dey drive for convoy. But inside, my mission dey heavy for chest.

E carry me go secret club, underground game house. I see coded money, coded deals. For back, e go squeeze my hand, whisper things wey dey make me fear and laugh together. I dey pass police important info. Every midnight, I dey send code, dey risk my life. My hand dey sweat anytime phone vibrate.

My oga dey worry for my safety, dey beg make I quit. Musa Okoye too dangerous. E call me for meeting one night, voice dey heavy—'Ngozi, this thing wey you dey do go chop you.' But I dey stubborn.

Three days later, Musa Okoye say e wan carry me go big event—serious matter dey. I promise my oga, after this, I go quit. I dey pray say make this be the last. My mind dey fear, but duty dey push me.

As I hope, I get the big info. E no easy. I dey corner, dey watch, dey write everything for small notebook. I see the whole gun deal between Musa Okoye and foreign gang. For that moment, I know say I get evidence wey go scatter their network. My heart dey beat fast.

After the deal, Musa Okoye happy, drink small. E dey laugh, e teeth white for light. I dey smile, but my mind dey count exit plan. E look me, wild look for e eyes. I see danger. E eye red, hand dey shake. Na now e dey test my loyalty.

"Ngozi, your body na correct." E voice low, e dey size me. I dey pray say make e no force anything. I sense wahala. I dey plan escape, dey look window, door, any route.

After two months together, e never touch me. E no trust me finish. E dey act gentle, but e eye always dey watch my move. I dey always careful. But today, I follow am enter core operation. That mean say e trust me now. The tension for room heavy. Every move calculated.

Now, I need show loyalty. My spirit dey fight—duty or survival? I dey pray make God direct me.

E pull me for lap, dey unbutton my shirt. My heart dey race. My mind dey count seconds, my body dey stiff. I hold e hand. I look e eyes, dey beg make e understand. E eye sharp. E dey sense my fear. For one second, we freeze. E carry gun for table, press am for my head. "Remove am."

That moment, I know say survival pass shame. I do as e talk, my mind dey cry. After, I no fit look mirror again for weeks.

I wrap wrapper, dey waka inside rain. Rain dey soak my wrapper, my skin dey cold. I dey walk like person wey no get direction. Inspector Tunde call me—eight times. I finally pick. E voice dey beg, I no fit hold tears. But I know say I must finish this matter.

"Tunde, make we break up." My voice dey crack. I hear e silence, the pain travel through phone.

I submit all info about Palm Grove Boys and Musa Okoye to police, then resign, disappear. For that night, I dey pray make God protect Tunde. I dey hope say this sacrifice go give us peace at last.

Seven months later, when Inspector Tunde find me, belle don big. E surprise, joy and pain mix for e eyes. E no vex, e just hold my hand. Seven months. E count the months, e smile. The forgiveness for e face pure.

E hug me. "Ngozi, Palm Grove Boys don finish. You fit rest now. Marry me. Make I take care of you forever..." The promise steady, like river for rainy season.

We pick one bukka for another town, do simple wedding. No big show, just family and few friends. For my heart, na the happiest day since childhood. Most guests na Adebayo family people. Inspector Tunde oga be officiant. E pray for us, voice deep—say make our union last. I dey nod, dey try hide tears. Weather bad—clouds gather, rain begin for evening. For my mind, I see am as blessing. Rain dey wash sorrow commot.

"Inspector Tunde, you go take Ngozi as wife, love and protect am from today, for better, for worse, for hard and soft, to waka life together?" The words heavy, but e mean am. For this country, marriage vow na bond—nobody take am play.

"I do."

I whisper my own too, my voice dey shake. We hug, everybody dey clap. We chop jollof rice, pepper soup dey pepper my tongue, but na happiness full my chest.