Bounded By A Deal

Chapter 6

Isabelle's POV

We ended up not going to the pharmacy yesterday. I didn't need medicines anymore, anyway. The shock and astonishment from yesterday's events was enough to cure the sickness in me.

I had asked dad for an explanation yesterday immediately we got into the car.

"I made wrong investments, terrible business decisions and it affected my company badly, but even at that I kept lending money out to people because of my niceness and naivety. I spent so much money on random people and also on fending for you guys that I did not put any money or effort into my company to recover the losses it had made, hence it crashed totally," my dad had told me.

"I had to sell the restaurant and the filling station because they were yielding little profit and I needed the money that would come out from their sale so that I could use it as a means of livelihood, but... your mum, she still wanted to live the big rich woman lifestyle. I was pressured by her to keep spending, buying her expensive things, but she just kept asking for more. I had to fulfil all the wishes of your mum. I sponsored her friends, contributed money for her friends occasions... I couldn't tell her that I was running out of money, she would have seen me as weak. Eventually, the money finished. And because of my fear, I wasn't able to tell your mom that I had no money anymore, that I was struggling to get a job until a while later. Actually, I didn't want a new job, not one that would make me work on a lower rank, work from scratch - all over again. So when I ran into Jide coincidentally at a shopping mall, I asked Jide for help and he agreed to help me by giving me money. I was busy using the money he gave me to satisfy your mom and cater for you and Ashley, I couldn't invest in any business and I couldn't let my pride go to accept the lower jobs available to me." He had rested his head on the steering wheel. "You know... I'm happy that you turned out well and not as obsessed with material things like your mom. I actually thought that you will grow up to be a mini version of her."

"Tufia!" I'd said in my head.

Dad's explanation made no sense to me, probably because I knew nothing about business. Regardless of anything though, I still did not get why I had to suffer for my dad's mistakes. Can't Mr. Jide and dad sort themselves out without involving me and that boy, whoever he might be? Must it affect the children?

It was also weird to think that mum did not care that her husband was basically bankrupt and out of business and that she did not know he was living on another person's money. How 'materially driven' is my mom?

I thought again of my unfortunate reality. Who was this boy I had to marry? I felt like talking to someone about it, but my only friends, Sharon and Danna, might not understand me. I was afraid they will criticize me for not being in a rich family. And Bryan? I would not even have the guts to talk to him about it, it seemed to me that he liked me, I couldn't risk telling him and making him not like me anymore. But if he doesn't like me after knowing the truth about me, then he isn't worth it and doesn't deserve to be liked by me... right?!

"You've been eating so silently. I'm used to Danna acting like this, but not you Isa," Sharon wailed. I looked up from my plate and smiled at her. We were eating in the cafeteria, observing our lunch period.

I looked at Danna. She was staring at a particular direction. Following her gaze, I found out that she was looking at Inioluwa, her crush. He was in SS3 and he had a similar attitude to Danna. He was quiet- awfully quiet, did not socialize except when necessary or when forced, he never smiled, was rarely ever caught talking and had a perfect face that no one could deny. His handsome face shut everyone up, they dared not say anything bad about the most finest boy in SS3. Girls loved him, not me though.  I thought he thought of him as impertinent and brusque and I felt he needed counselling or something. But am I not indirectly saying that Danna needs counselling too? But then again, Danna is more socializing than Inioluwa.