The morning sun was on the cusp of rising, promising a beautiful day. Only Susanne competed with its beauty. She arrived at the serene mansion on the outskirts of her matrimonial home at Maitama, Abuja. Susanne zoomed through the white automatic gates and parked her black Highlander in the parking lot.
With a sense of anticipation, she unbuckled her seatbelts. Suzanne stepped out of her car with a rich leathery purse at hand, allowing the chilly morning air to embrace her. A diamond pin-earrings on her gave her a glimmer of royalty. The security officer bowed as she walked into the Balogun’s mansion. The palatial interior was equally breathtaking, with white-tiled walls, glass ceilings, and glass floors.
The moment Suzanne furthered into the building, she was welcomed by Musimbi, an elderly maid who struggled her way from Kenya to Nigeria at a very young age. She worked with the Balogun Family for forty years and had been good at her cleaning and caregiving job. Musimbi collected Suzanne’s handbag with a bow and hurried upstairs into her boss’s room.
Scurrying into the first living room, a girl broke the silence in a crop top and ragged-jean bum shorts. Susanne’s eyes caught Crystabelle Balogun, the twenty-year-old sister of her husband, Micheal Balogun. Her legs crossed on the glass stool with designed golden stands. Her gaze focused on the fancy palm top in her hands as she played a candy-crush game.
“Cryst!” Susanne called on her pet name, but she turned a deaf ear because of the game she was playing.
Susanne walked up to her, a little pestered. “Can’t you stop parking your car at my spot? Can’t you be more understanding?”
“You’ll agree that this is my house too, sister-in-law. My father built this house and gifted it to my brother... So, you’re privileged to live with us, wifey!” Crystabelle replied to her in a flat tone, still focused on the game.
“Miss Cryst!” Musimbi, the maid who was in her mid-fifties, intervened. “That’s no way to talk to your brother’s wife.” She corrected. Because of her closeness to family, Musimbi treated Crystabelle as a daughter instead of her boss’s daughter. But she felt guilt anytime she came up with a suggestion or advice.
“Why do you like interrupting my conversations?” Crystabelle rolled her eyes and hissed at the maid in disgust. “Perhaps I wasn’t talking to you. Can you get something done? Please!” she threw her head back and looked up towards the ceiling.
In disappointment, Musimbi held onto her chest and walked to the kitchen, leaving Susanne and Cryst alone.
Once she left, Cryst dropped her palm top on the white leather sofa and walked up to her sister-in-law, who was in a navy blue jumpsuit. “You must be trying so hard to woo my brother. I see you’re coming from the gym.” she blushed in mockery.
“Am I not allowed to woo my husband?”
“Sure, you are. Why not?” Cryst chortled and leaned into Susanne with her arms on her shoulder. “You see... Once you left, my brother picked up some clothes and took off with his traveling bag. He told me that he won’t be back till the weekend.”
“What?” A small gasp escaped Susanne's lips. The hope in her eyes begged Cryst for an urgent reply. “Where did he go again? Did Micheal travel without telling me?”
“No, not outside the country, though. He went to see Camilla Adeleke.”
Rage burned in Susanne’s chest as she heard the name Camilla. Her stomach suddenly dropped at a feeling of nausea. A stab of hatred for Micheal struck through Susanne. ‘How long would I keep being the understanding wife? Just how long? Shouldn’t he get over with his ex? For goodness' sake, I am Micheal’s wife!’
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Replica: Crazy Versus Smart (Nigerian Story)
Mystery / ThrillerSusanne Fashorun, a woman who marries into the wealthy Balogun family, is rejected by her arrogant CEO husband and treated as a slave. Despite being his wife, Micheal Balogun refuses to share his bed with her, leaving Susanne to accept a life of lux...
