Dancing With The Masquerade

CHAPTER THREE: EAVESDROPPING

🪘🪘🪘

EAVESDROPPING

"Can I have the bowl of salad?" Chidera asked her older brother, whom I haven't seen till this moment at the dining table where we've all gathered to have dinner. I stared at him for a good while, a part of me wondering if he would give me a proper greeting, but he barely said a word. Funny, I do not actually remember him being this proud.

I watched him pass the bowl to her, who sat beside me. Our eyes met for a moment, but he looked away like it was nothing. Okay, I know we're only a year apart, but I'm still older.

"So, Junior, how's the company faring?" I asked. That was enough to bring silence in the dining hall and for me to have their attentions, which I didn't believe should be so.

"Um, it's fine." His reply was brief, and he was back to scooping a spoon of rice into his mouth.

"I see... Any problem..."

He let the spoon slip out of his hand to the plate. "What do you want to hear from me? That I ruined it? You refused to work with us and constantly act like you're better than other members of this family. You should just stick to acting like we're a plague in your life."

I blinked several times in disbelief. "Excuse me?"

"Junior, she's your older sister. Mind what you say to her." Mum intervened, and that kept him silent, but it didn't rid the irritation expressed on his face.

A light scoff left my lips as I looked from him to every other person at the table, who seemed to act like nothing happened. There was also this strange vibe from them that resonated with his words.

I had my reasons for not working in the family business. No one had yet to say a word, but I knew someday they would have me leave the position to Junior because he was the only male descendant and it's off I go to my husband's home. It's a patriarchy thing that will never easily disappear. Dad had passed away, and I didn't want to wait for that. Why would I constantly want to be reminded that I was a woman?

"Excuse me." I pushed my chair back and stood to my feet.

"Sit down." Mum ordered before I could take a step. I felt reluctant. I no longer have an appetite.

"I said, sit down. Regardless of whether you like it, we're all going to sit together as a family and have dinner. Sit." She ordered once more and who was I to disobey, so I took my seat and picked my spoon off the plate.

A quiet sigh left my lips. This was really going to be a long holiday.

That night, I couldn't fall asleep. I stared at the ceiling in the room's darkness after they had turned the generator off. Maybe it was because of what transpired between junior and me or the fact that my family believes I'm an obnoxious snob. Perhaps it was the breakup I'd gone through, or something was just wrong with me.

I turned on my side, feeling restless, and that was when I noticed Lota was still up. We shared the room and bed. She had her back to me, but the light from her phone stood out amid the darkness.

"What are you doing?" I had to ask, and she turned to me.

"Reading."

"Reading?" I repeated, not really buying her story.

"Yes. There's an app, Wattpad, with an uncountable collection of stories. I use it often." She confessed as she pushed her phone in front of my face, and I stared at the screen. Using her fingers, she scrolled up and down before excitedly narrating to me the plot of the present book she was reading.