Chapter 45

Once the media got wind of our engagement, we became the trending news again on every news site in Nigeria. As expected, some jealous trolls went in on me, calling me all sorts of names, with some even going as far as to insinuate that I must have used voodoo charms on Dominic because how can such a wealthy, young man fall for a woman like me? However, my friends have been my biggest defenders, responding to trolls and giving interviews on Instagram live streams to clear my name.

Dominic and I continue to decline interviews, even from reputable media outlets because according to him, our relationship is not up for discussion, and I completely agree with him. We have both agreed to have a destination wedding in a resort in Kenya, and we will be flying all of our family members and a few close friends there for the ceremony. We have also agreed to keep the date and other important information about our wedding, under wraps to prevent any accidental ‘leak’ to the press. Everyone in our inner circle only knows that we are getting married next month, but they don’t know where and which date, in particular, it will happen. That’s our little secret for now.

My wedding dress is being made by a famous Italian designer, and it will be flown into the country next week, for me to try it on and see if it would need any alterations. If it were up to me only, I would buy my dress here, but Dominic insisted on giving me the ‘very best’ and in his opinion, this Italian designer is the best in the business.

The last few weeks since Dominic’s birthday have been like a dream for me; one minute I was running around planning his surprise birthday party, and the next minute, we are engaged and making plans to walk down the aisle together. How amazing is that? My daughters are beside themselves with joy! They can’t stop talking about how fabulous it would be for them to start living in Dominic’s big house where they will have tea parties in the backyard and slumber parties with their friends in their new bedroom. And best of all, they can’t wait to start living like princesses. I am so happy for them, and their joy makes my heart sing.

“What are you still doing here, Boss?” Joe asks as he comes to join me in my office. “Thank God I came back here to check and be sure that there’s nobody else inside. I would have locked you inside the store. Why are you still here?”

“Calm down, Joe, and stop firing questions at me,” I say with a laugh. I completely lost track of time while daydreaming. It’s Saturday and I should be on my way home now to join the twins and their nanny to start prepping dinner before Dominic comes later in the night to join us. These days, he sleeps over on weekends and returns to his place on Monday, but he drops in every other day to spend quality time with us. How is this miracle even my life? What did I do right in my life to deserve this kind of happiness?

“I don’t even know why you still come here, or why this little store is still open. If I were the one getting married to a billionaire, I would give up every form of labor forever and focus on enjoying the rest of my life to the fullest!”

“I don’t doubt that at all, but you seem to be forgetting that this little store gives you work to do and provides you with a source of income,” I tell him with a smirk.

“And who says this is my only source of income?” He asks me with a laugh.

“I don’t want to know the rest,” I say with a playful shudder.

“Aw, come on! I’m not as slutty as you think. I’m a good girl.”

“So you say,” I reply to him, unconvinced.

“By the way, I know this wedding planning is very hush-hush and all, but I would like to know when to make myself available for the fittings,” he says with a serious face.

“What fittings?” I ask suspiciously.

“You’re kidding, right?”

“Absolutely not. What are you talking about?”

“Look, Uzezi. I am going to be on your bridal train, whether you like it or not.”

I burst into laughter, holding my sides. “Joe, you are such a clown! You want to be on my bridal train? As what?”

“I don’t know, a bridesmaid or a groom’s man, or both. We could make history at your wedding, you know, and get featured on the Guinness Book of World Record for being the wedding where one person served as a bridesmaid and a groom’s man all rolled in one. Remarkable, eh?”

“Thanks, Joe, but no thanks. I don’t want that kind of trend to start at my wedding,” I tell him with a laugh.

“Aw, you’re no fun at all.”

“I agree,” I say and get up to leave.

Nearly twenty minutes later, I arrive at my home and as I approach the main gate, I notice an unfamiliar car, parked beside it. I know I’m not expecting any guests tonight, and I don’t think any of my neighbors would park their car beside my gate without notifying me about it first. I get down from my car and as I walk towards the gate with my bunch of keys to open it, the front door of the strange car swings open, and the owner steps out of the driver’s seat. When I see who it is, the bunch of keys fall out of my hands, as I stare at the person in disbelief.

“What are you doing here?” I ask with eyes wide with shock.

“I came here to see you, Uzezi,” says Segun. “I’m back for you and our daughters.”

“You are back? From where?” I ask in confusion. “You do realize that you are not supposed to be here, don’t you?”

“Forget about all that, Uzezi. Let’s leave all of our misunderstandings in the past. It’s time for us to move forward, together.”

“Move forward together…” I repeat lamely. I still can’t grasp what is going on right now. “Segun, you signed an undertaking and got served with a restraining order to keep you away from me and my daughters. Why are you violating that order? Why are you going against the undertaking you signed?”

He sighs dejectedly. “Come on now, Uzezi. Why are you finding it so hard to forgive me? I have realized my mistakes and I am now a changed man. Believe me, Uzezi, I have changed. All of my past wrongdoings against you happened out of ignorance. I am a changed man now, I swear.”

He takes a step towards me and I back away from him instinctively. He takes another step and I back away yet again, and this continues until I am backed up against my car with nowhere else to go.

“Stop trying to get away from me, Uzezi. I am the man you once loved, remember? You were once crazy about me, and I want that old you back.”

“The old me is gone, Segun. That miserable, scared, and unhappy woman that you were once married to, is gone forever. I have restarted my life and created a new future for me and my children, and I will not let you steal that away from me. Never!”

“First of all, they are our children, not just yours. We both created them. And then, about that guy you’re dating… look, let’s be honest with ourselves here, you don’t love that guy. Yeah, I know he’s rich and all that, but there’s more to life than money. With you by my side again, we can make all the money in this world together. You don’t have to throw your life away because of money. Wouldn’t it be better for us to reconcile and raise our daughters together under the same roof?”

“This has got to be a joke,” I say incredulously. “Or a prank. Did your family send you here to test me?”

“My family? Why would they send me to prank you?”

“Because I remember that you and the rest of them connived together to try and take my children away from me because you all said that I was an immoral woman, who was unworthy to be their mother. Now here you are one year later, singing a different tune. Am I missing something?”

“I’ve already told you, Uzezi, that was in the past. I have since learned my lesson, believe me.”

“You know what, I’ve had enough of this. Please, leave now.”

“Uzezi, I want you back and I mean it. Please, come back to me, my love,” he says stubbornly.

Before I can even utter another word, he pulls me into his arms and jams his lips against mine, kissing me forcefully. I am so terrified that I can’t even move a muscle, even though every single fiber of my being is screaming at me to get away from him.

“What the hell is going on here?”

Segun releases me immediately and steps back the moment he hears the voice. I slowly turn my head around towards the direction of the person who had spoken, my lips still pursed in disgust. I am mortified the moment my eyes and brain confirm to me that it’s indeed Dominic who had asked the question. He has a murderous expression on his face, and his eyes are on Segun.

“Is someone going to respond to my question, or do I have to ask it again?” He thunders.

I have never seen Dominic this angry, and I cannot even begin to imagine what he is capable of doing in this mood. I manage to rouse myself out of my dazed limbo to try and plead my case.

“Dominic, I know what it looks like, but believe me when I tell you that it’s not what you think,” I say to him brokenly, trying to hold back my tears.

“What do you think that I think? Are you a mind reader too?” He asks me, but his eyes are still firmly pinned on Segun.

I feel my heart breaking into tiny pieces, knowing that I have hurt Dominic deeply. How did I get so disoriented to the point of letting Segun kiss me out here in the open, where anyone can walk in on us? Now, Dominic has done just that, and there is no rational way to explain away the compromising situation.

“I’m so sorry, Dominic,” I apologize passionately. “I haven’t set my eyes on him since that day at the police station, and tonight, he just showed up here unannounced.”

“Don’t apologize to him, Uzezi. You haven’t done anything wrong,” Segun snaps at me angrily. “And as for you, Dominic or whatever your name is. You think you can buy everyone, don’t you? Listen to me, you can’t intimidate me with your money as you have done to everyone else. And guess what, I am not afraid of you!”

“Then you are even dafter than I gave you credit for,” says Dominic, coldly. “I will only say this once, and I strongly advise you to adhere to it immediately. I want you to get into that rickety car you came here in and drive out of this place as fast as you can because if you don’t, tonight will be your last day outside of freedom. I, Dominic Akan Inyang, will make sure that you rot in jail with no possibility of ever regaining freedom for the rest of your natural life.”

His words send a chill down my spine because I know he means them. I look in Segun’s direction and I see the terror in his eyes. I can see him debating internally whether to call Dominic’s bluff or to heed his warning and flee. After several seconds of glaring back at Dominic, he finally takes a step away from me, then he turns around to get into his car.

“One more thing,” Dominic continues. “If I ever see or hear that you come anywhere close to Uzezi or the twins again, I will have you hauled into prison faster than you can blink your eyes. Let this be the last time you ever come near my fiancée or her daughters. Is that clear?”

“They are my daughters too, goddamn it!” Segun fires back in frustration.

“Have I made myself clear?” Dominic reiterates without acknowledging Segun’s outburst.

“One day, I will be vindicated. This charade you’re both performing won’t last because it’s all built on lies. Mark my words, it won’t last!”

“Get lost!” Dominic thunders at him, sending Segun scurrying into his car like a frightened rabbit.

As soon as he zooms away, I venture a glance at Dominic, and I am surprised to see the compassion reflected there.

“You are not angry with me?” I ask softly.

“How can I be angry with my heartbeat?” He replies as he approaches me. “Uzezi, when I told you that you were my life, I meant it. You mean everything to me, my love, and nothing and nobody in this world can ever change that. It’s going to take a lot more than your stupid ex kissing you forcefully, for me to stop loving you. That immature stunt is not enough to drive me away from you, believe me.”

The tears that I have been holding back, finally spill out of my eyes and run down my cheeks. I am overcome by so much love for this man who loves me wholeheartedly with my flaws and all. How did I get so fortunate?

“What other words are there to say, ‘I love you?’ because those three words aren’t nearly enough to tell you exactly how I feel, Dominic. Words are simply not enough.”

“It’s all right, my love. Those words will have to do for now. I’ll love you all my life, Uzezi. For as long as I live, I will love you.”

“And so will I, love you forever, Dominic. In fact, forever isn’t enough.”

“I like the sound of that,” he says with a charming smile. “Come on now, let’s go inside. Our daughters are waiting for us.”

“Our daughters…” I repeat breathlessly.

“Yes, Uzezi. I want Kome and Zino to be my daughters, with their approval and your blessing, of course. I want to be known by them and by everyone as their father. I know they are not biologically mine, but I promise to love and care for them as if they were.”

“I – I don’t know what to say, Dominic,” I stutter. “I am speechless.”

“Well, I hope that’s a good thing. Anyway, you don’t have to give me an answer right away. Take some time to think about it. Sleep on it, ok?”

“I’ll rather sleep on you,” I say with a mischievous giggle. “But you’re right. I will think about it.”

“Great.”

“Dominic?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For loving me the way you do.”

“Thank you, for letting me love you.”

With our arms around each other, we walk side by side into the house to join our children who are already waiting for us in the kitchen. What a pleasure it is to find out that dreams really do come true.