“My younger brother, Ife Adrian Ige.”
“So you are the heir to the throne?” She swallowed and watched him.
The expression on her face was innocent, and perfectly alluring to an egomaniac like him. He loved to the subject of worship, and Ifunanya was slowly bending to his will. She was desperate to know more about him, this is the place he wanted her to be.
“Yes I am.”
“Think about my proposal.” He mumbled while working on his buttons. When he was finished, he fetched a card from his wallet and dropped it on the table.
“Call me.” The prince gestured with his hands before strolling out, leaving her staring in shock and wonder. It felt like a dream. Never in her life had she come across a man of such grand standing. Her body rippled with anxiety and excitement. Ifunanya did not know how to react or what to think. Gently she returned to the bed and continued to stare at the picture; her eyes were focused on Ife the whole time. What if God was leading her to the second prince through the first? But being with Olulade seemed best since he was the heir of the throne, and by tradition could be allowed to marry more wives.
“I need to speak to Ella by all means.” She tossed the picture on the bed and fetched her phone. Since her sister would not speak to her, she would go through Ime. Hurriedly, she sent a message to Ime apologizing for her past behavior and hoping Ime could speak to Ella for her.
Ten seconds later, Ime responded that she would be glad to help, but not failing to mention that she had now moved to Lagos. This excited Ella more. She sent another text: Can we meet to talk about my sister?

***


The clock was ticking; her eyes darted from one end of her office to another. She had to prepare for her niece’s birthday, but the last client she had for the day was yet to show up. Princess Lola had not wanted to leave, because the person who had booked an appointment had sounded very desperate, and she hated to let people down. She would wait for fifteen minutes, and if there was no sign of Ella or her friend, she would leave for the party. Apart from loving her children, she adored Mayowa greatly. Olulade was her favorite sibling, like him, she was pompous and filled with arrogance towards her other siblings. If Kari or Teni’s child had been the one celebrating, she wouldn’t have been too bothered. This sibling rivalry ran deep, though their parents had noticed it, they couldn’t do much to change the situation. Lola felt she should give a call to Bose, to ask how preparations for the party were ongoing, but she changed her mind. She would speak with Olulade first. She fetched her phone and dialed his number. Coincidentally, Olulade had wanted to call his sister and tell her what had transpired between himself and Bose. So without any form of hesitation, he’d taken the call.
“Hello my future king,” she started her salute.
Olulade couldn’t control his laughter.
“Oh please, our dad would live for many years!” He teased.
“How are you? I called to ask about Mayowa’s party.” Lola returned. There was silence at the other end as he was confused on where to start. He was still enraged about Bose’s attitude towards him. How dare she compare him to Ife?
“I hit Bose today.” He announced, not to earn her praise but to set the pace for the conversation which would be about Ife.
“What? Why would you do something like that?” Lola rose to her feet.
She but her lip and asked, “Did she hit you first? Why would you even do something like that?”
He sighed, “She told me that I would never be half the man that Ife is. Can you imagine that? She belittled me because of that fool. I am starting to believe that she may have feelings for him.”
When Lola took in his explanation, she relaxed. Bose deserved what she had gotten. How could she compare her beloved brother to that vermin?
“Then you don’t have a problem. I would speak to her when I return. If she says a word to anyone in the palace about it, she would be in trouble with me. Don’t just worry your sweet head about Bose, I can handle her.” Lola calmed his fears. If the king heard about the occurrence, he would be mad and disappointed at his first son. But Lola knew how to take care of her brother’s mess, because he had taken care of hers when she had snuck out of the palace to meet with one of her lovers. She had an unplanned pregnancy from that affair, but her brother had arranged a doctor and she had an abortion. If her other siblings had known, they would’ve judged her, but Olulade showed her loyalty. That single action had strengthened the bond that they shared.
“I encouraged you to marry her, I brought her into this palace and I can take her out. It seems that she has forgotten where she is!” Lola was embittered by the comparison, just as Olulade.
“We will talk about it when you return; I am almost at the palace.” The prince replied.
“Good. Just wear a smile on your face and pretend like everything is okay.” She advised, before ending the connection. She gritted her teeth and stared at the clock, ten more minutes was left from the time she had set aside for waiting. Calmly, she returned to the chair like the majesty that she was. Ife had stolen the love and admiration of their parents, they needed to join forces and fight their greatest fear: him taking the throne from Olulade. Although the position was hereditary, specifically for the first male child, there were instances that the King could choose whom to give his throne too.
Lola drummed her fingers on the glass table and sighed, “I will do everything to keep that throne for my Olulade. I have to teach Bose a lesson.”

***
Luckily for Ime she had found her way around town and had been able to shop for household essentials. Now she was a proud of owner of a gas cylinder, a refrigerator, some cooking utensils and new sets of bed covers. She didn’t need a television for now, because she was still avoiding things that would trigger the pain she desperately tried to mask. Victor had broken her spirit and made her feel like a worthless person. As she stared at bright and warm colored bed covers, she hoped that her life could have such radiance again. She was prepared to meet with the therapist, but Ella was yet to show up.
A soft smile spread across her face as she remembered her conversation with Ifunanya, Ella’s troublesome sister. She and Ifunanya had never seen eye to eye. Ime wondered what was so urgent that caused Ifunanya to contact her after so many years. She couldn’t wait to meet with Ifunanya later in the week. Something else excited her about the day; Adrian had asked her to meet with him at the canteen. She was yet to tell Ella about it, but she could swear that her friend would be very excited for her. Ten minutes after, a knock sounded on her door. Ime sighed with relief and moved towards it; she didn’t need a soothsayer to tell her that her friend had come to take her to see the therapist. When she pulled back the door, she noticed an angry look in Ella’s face. At first, she had assumed it was stress. Bank jobs were extremely stressful, and what made things worse was that some bosses could be so ungrateful. A closer look at Ella’s face revealed that her anger wasn’t from work. Something else had happened.
“What is it?” Ime asked directly. She had been friends with Ella, long enough to know when something wasn’t right. Ella was still infuriated by her sister’s call. Ifunanya had the nerves to call her, without any show of true remorse.
“We’ll talk about it later. Can we go now?” Ella eyed the room. She noticed that Ime had gotten new things for her house that made her feel happy. This was a sign that she was gradually adjusting to her new life. Ella decided to keep the prince out of the conversation, she didn’t want Ime to feel any sadness or anxiety, as that could affect the session with Dr. Lola. Once they were finished, she would think of the best time to bring the topic up.
On the other hand, Ime struggled to keep her promise to Ifunanya whom she had invited over. She knew how Ella disliked her sister’s arrogance; it would be surprising to her, if she realized that she was meeting up with Ifunanya. Ime decided to keep her meeting a secret. Once Ifunanya revealed her intentions, she would then be free to share them with Ella. She was already dressed for the session, so she only reached out for her bag which was on the floor.
“Good to go.” Ime announced gleefully, fighting down every anxiety that welled up within her. As they stepped out of te house and ascended the stairs, Ime quickly recalled that she had not told her friend about Adrian’s date. This was the best time, as she hated keeping things from Ella.
“Guess what?” She began with a smile.
Ella’s features softened, her anger faded as she stared at Ime. It was only her best friend that could help her feel better. She wished she didn’t have to face Ifunanya again. But deep down, she had a feeling that her sister would do anything to locate her in Lagos.
“What?” Ella prepared her ears.
Ime explained that she and Adrian had bumped into each other, and they had a date later in the evening. Ella had already known this, but she pretended to hear it for the first time. Her heart raced as she thought of Prince Ife. He was yet to tell Ime about his royalty. Ime was still fragile, after her abusive marriage to Victor, finding out about the prince could hurt her deeply. Ella was not comfortable about their date, but Ime was eager for it, so she couldn’t say out her mind.
“That would be fine. I hope you have a nice time too.” Ella smiled.
“I hope he is fun.” Ime wondered what the handsome Adrian would be like in a casual setting.
They waved down a taxi and got in. Ella gave the driver directions to the office. After what seemed like forever to the two ladies, the taxi was able to meander its way through the congested city of Lagos, stopping in front of a white building with gleaming black gate. They walked past the gate gingerly, luckily for them the security were polite and willing to guide them to the office of Dr. Lola. When they reached the second floor of the high building, they were taken to the secretary’s office; it was the job of the secretary to confirm appointments. When she had confirmed Ime’s session from her computer, she put a call through to the doctor who made it clear that she was ready to meet with them. With the new direction they’d gotten, Ella and Ime moved to the second room at the right. Boldly written on the door was her name.
“Are you ready for this?” Ella whispered to Ime.
Ime could see all her panic attacks, anxiety and fear leaving her. She believed strongly that all her problems would be solved, and she would come out a different woman.
“Let’s do this,” she affirmed with a nod. Ella was satisfied by her response. She really wanted Ime to regain her confidence and pride, those things that Victor had stolen from her. Together, they walked into the doctor’s office, after knocking twice and receiving permission.
The princess was fatigued from multiple sessions throughout the day, but she was ready to see her latest client. She slipped on her glasses and stared at the ladies that had just walked in, she wondered who had booked an appointment and who would be her patient. Ella could read the doctor’s thoughts across her face.
“Good evening doctor, it was I that booked for the session. My friend needs your help. Please do all that you can for her.” Ella started a conversation.
Lola’s gaze softened as she stared at Ime. She was drawn to her aura, Lola was equally curious as to what could trouble such a pretty lady.
“You’re both welcome. What would you like to have?” Lola moved towards her fridge, trying to set a more relaxed atmosphere.
Ella wasn’t in the mood for refreshment, she just wanted all attention to be on her friend.
“I am fine. I’d like to wait outside.” She pointed at the door.
The princess accepted with a nod.
“What about you?” She turned to her patient.
Ime flashed a smile, “I am good, thank you.” She gestured with a shrug.
Lola equally shrugged, “I guess we are all set for the session then.” She watched as Ella tiptoed out of the office. It made her wonder the nature of relationship the two women had, as Ella seemed to be very interested in the affairs of the other woman. She was curious, but not enough to question. Her job was to help Ime navigate her mind for a balanced mental health, she would respect her restrictions.
“So let’s begin with this…” Lola found a fresh sheet on her paper and a pencil. She loved to take important notes on the observations drawn from her patients’ physical behavior and attitudes towards questions.
“I am Dr. Lola, what is your name?” She leaned back on her swivel chair and stared at Ime.
As one who was well versed in the subject of mental health, she perceived Ime to be an easygoing person; though appearance wasn’t the best judgment of character, she could sense it. Women like Ime whose smile could brighten other people’s days were easy targets for narcissistic personalities. Toxic people tended to draw from the spring of positive people like Ime, draining them of their natural happiness to feel better about themselves. She couldn’t wait to hear Ime’s story.
“Ime…Victor…sorry Ime.” She stuttered.
“Take a deep breath and relax. I am here for you. Please be honest with me. Being truthful about your feelings is the fastest way to heal.” The princess carefully explained. As instructed, Ime’s nostrils dilated to take in some air to calm her nerves. She took her mind off the session and focused on the woman’s office. The walls were painted with calming light blue which reminded her of the clouds, a symbol of hope. The doctor had many pictures and calendars on her wall, but nothing interested her. Ime felt her mind was a little faster than how she’d wanted it, when she noticed a slight resemblance between the doctor and Adrian.
“Who is Victor?” Lola sensed that she avoided the name.
Ime froze. The mention of his name sent sparks of anxiety through her. How could a man whose name had signified love suddenly change into a beastly one? She pushed the fear aside, and sought for help. Ella was right to bring her here. If she didn’t deal with her past, it would erode her of present happiness, and she didn’t want to live a life filled with mistakes and escapist techniques. She wanted to face her fears head-on. Ime yearned to live to the fullest, love anew and provide value to the earth.
“He was my ex husband.” She replied flatly.
Lola was pleased by her openness; sometimes it took more probing for patients to open up.
“I can tell that you don’t particularly cherish his name, but that’s okay. If we do not fear certain names or things, our humanity would be questioned. I am scared when a snake is mentioned.” She chipped in these words on a lighter note, Ime couldn’t help but laugh. But she got the message the woman sent to her. It was okay to be afraid of Victor’s name, she was reacting perfectly as a human being would.
“What makes you fear him? Tell me about your relationship…” Lola tossed the pencil on the table and leaned back. Ime had a lot of stories to tell. She needed to focus.
Ime breathed deeply and searched the depth of her reasoning. Deep down were many memories that she had hidden. She needed to release them from her mind by sharing them with this mind expert.
“He had come into my life as an angel. I thought he was the best thing to happen to me, and I was the luckiest woman in the world. I was wrong. After the marriage, he tried to control me. He wanted me to resign…when I refused, the beatings began.” Tears welled up in her eyes as past events flooded her mind. Ime could hear herself screaming. She could feel his punches and kicks. She could see her blood splashing on the marble floor. She could feel her head throbbing.
“Why are you afraid of him?” Lola didn’t flinch, she watched intently.
Ime wiped her face, “I fear that he would kill me one day. I try to liberate myself from these memories, but I have a feeling that it isn’t over with him.”
“So you feel you can bump into him anytime?” Lola leaned forward and began to take notes. Ime was suffering from paranoia, this was common among people that had been exposed to abuse and stress. Sometimes, their instincts about their ex was right, but other times the individuals had moved on. Paranoia was a serious problem, and it could stir up thoughts creating panic anxiety.
Though she felt ashamed to admit it, she told Lola the truth. She always felt Victor watching her from a distance, waiting for the right time to strike.
“Have you told anyone else about this?” The doctor asked.
“I would sound like a creep if I said that. But I feel trapped. I fear him. I don’t know what to do.” She confessed.
Lola’s eyes rested on the clock. This was enough for one day.
“I’ll give you an assignment. Write ten good things you remember about Victor. When next we meet, we would go through the list.”
Ime nodded calmly, wondering why the doctor would give her such a weird assignment. But she would find out soon. She had more things to share, but it seemed the woman was in a hurry. Ime enjoyed the session, and couldn’t wait for another time. She felt better.
“Thank you for your time.” Ime slowly rose.
“Don’t mention. Take good care of yourself and focus on the best parts of your ex husband.” Lola replied. For the first time in a long while, she felt a connection to a patient. She would devote her time to helping Ime. As she walked out of the doctor’s office, she felt relieved. Finally, she had found someone else who understood what it was like to walk in Victor’s shadow. Ime felt relieved as she marched towards her friend who was seated at the visitor’s space waiting for her. She had a feeling that Doctor Lola would help her overcome her fears about Victor.
“Let’s go.” Ime whispered cheerfully, even Ella could sense a change in her friend.
Ella quickly dropped her phone in her bag and rose to her feet.
“How did it go?” She asked concernedly, hoping the doctor was able to help her friend.
Ime nodded with a smile, “I can’t wait for the next session. Although the assignment she gave to me was tricky, I don’t mind. I would consider anything just to find healing. Can we go now?”
“Sure we can.” Ella affirmed with a nod. While Ime had been in the session, she had made a transfer to the hospital account. She was glad that her friend was getting the help that she needed. But something else bothered her. She was tempted to tell Ime about the prince. Ella changed her mind. She would keep out of it until Ime found out herself.
“So what’s the assignment about?” Ella asked after waving down a taxi. When they settled in, Ime turned to answer her.
“Writing out ten things that I loved about Victor, can you imagine that?” She clapped her hands and chuckled.
“Really? Are you sure you can do that?” Ella joined in laughing. She had always been uncomfortable around her best friend’s ex husband. Victor could deceive many people with his charming smiles, but Ella could not be bought. That was the reason he had disliked her and preferred her sister, Ifunanya.
Ime shrugged, “I have to let him out of my mind. I would do whatever it takes to get rid of Victor, once and for all.” Albeit she was determined to make this happen, she had no idea that her ex husband was already in town and he was finding a way to track her. Just as he had promised, he was not going to let her go.

Good morning guys. Please sorry for the wait. Thanks for following the story. I was very busy ehn

Thank you Blossom, Ann, Kaycee, Gramynyte

Thanks for the update ma’am

Nice update Angelsssss, I wish Ime can get over her ex and focus on d prince but I fear for Ifunanya involvement with the royal family oooooo

I hope that if Lola finds out about Ime and Ife, she keeps up this professional attitude at least. Ime's healing and moving on from her ex-husband and the trauma is very important.

Angelsssss:
Good morning guys. Please sorry for the wait. Thanks for following the story. I was very busy ehn

Thank you sis!

***

After her meeting with Prince Olulade, Ifunanya had decided to have a drink at the lounge of the hotel. Mnay things ran through her mind; the offer of the Prince was first amongst them. This was a golden opportunity, one that she had never had. If she played her cards well, she could become his second wife as the traditional family in Africa allowed for polygamy. If she got in smoothly, she would play around his heart and have him eating from her fingers. But there was a problem. If Olulade was a good man, why would he need another woman to make himself happy when he had such a beautiful wife? As she sat there pondering, Ifunanya decided to carry out more research on the royal family before giving the prince his answer.
“I need to be fully aware of what I am getting into.” She murmured and fiddled her bag for her phone. She had lots of connections in the call girl business. But there was one person that was exposed to classified information pertaining to men from the crème de la crème strata. Swiftly, she dialed Ronke’s number. Ronke Smith was the leading love-vendor in Lagos. Though Ifunanya didn’t work directly with her, they shared mutual friends and enjoyed a cordial relationship.
Ronke picked at first ring. The brown skinned beauty was surprised that Ifunanya had called her.
“Hello Ify, how you dey naw?” She settled for pidgin.
“Ronke Ronke! It’s been so long. I dey fyn o. You?” Ifunanya followed suit. She briefly mentioned to the other woman that she was in Lagos on official business, a language they both understood. She was confused about something and she needed help.
“That’s good. The business is moving then?” Ronke returned, wondering when Ifunanya would state the purpose of her visit.
Ifunanya pulled in a deep breath, “There’s a man that is deeply interested in me. I need information on his family, everything that you can find. Please, I need it within two days.”
Ronke was silent. First, who was this man and why was Ifunanya so interested in knowing more about him when she could’ve confronted him herself? There was something missing. Ifunanya was a smart girl, and Ronke suspected that the man in question was a wealthy man. Perhaps she could strike a deal from this.
“What’s his name?” She asked calmly. Names had weight in the business they partook; the greater the name, the weightier the pocket. She couldn’t wait to hear it.
Ijeoma sighed, “Prince Olulade Ige. I want everything on the royal family, including his wife.”
Ronke’s eyes glowed as she heard the name; Ifunanya had found favor in the eyes of the prince!
“The king of Lagos?” She needed to be sure.
“Yes, please get me in-depth information.” Ifunanya insisted.
“What’s my cut?” Ronke asked. Digging information about the royal family wasn’t going to be easy considering the fact that they were very secretive. She would need money to bribe her way to access quality information.
Ifunanya had not seen this coming, but she quickly understood that this was business. Ronke deserved a fair share in whatever she would earn provided her information was real.
“Once I accept his offer, I’ll pay you a million.” She replied.
“That’s too small.” Ronke scoffed.
“How much do you want?” Ifunanya rolled her eyes.
“Five million. The prince is a wealthy man and he would spend more than that on you.” Ronke returned.
“Fine, just make sure that you get me the truth. You’ll get your money once I accept his offer.” Ifunanya replied.
She broke the connection after accepting Ronke’s financial request. She was about dropping her phone on the table when she noticed a tall man walking towards her direction. It was Victor, Ime’s ex husband. He was marching confidently towards her table.
“Hello Ify,” Victor’s dimples showed as he smiled.
“Mr. Victor! What are you doing here?” She was surprised to see him.
“I came for a business meeting. This is where I lodge.” He answered.
“Me too…” Ifunanya chipped in.
“That’s great. Can we have a drink?” He asked.
“Yes we can.”

Nice one angelsssss, u are doing well

Two bad people together in one place? Why nau??

Thanks for the update ma’am