DIARIES (ENTRY #24)

PLOT TWIST

I believe that every woman is born with a special ability to weather any storm. I had just turned 27 and I had no family around me except my Aunty Titi who had already done so much for me, I did not want to burden her. I hardly had any friends, no job, no business…nothing! Just a baby and a husband who was about to go to jail, if something wasn’t done. TK seemed to be losing his mind and I was scared. The total sum we needed to repay was almost a billion naira. Obviously, we needed to do something fast.

TK went on a “holiday” at least that’s what the staff thought. He was up and about trying to find a solution and keep the story out of the press. One day the intensity of the situation dawned on me.

Me: TK, please you haven’t given me money for the monthly maintenance of the house, so I couldn’t pay the diesel company when they brought diesel earlier today. Also, we need to pay the two drivers, Oladunni’s nanny, Rosemary and Adamu. The company is no longer paying his salary since he was redeployed here from the company guest house as our security guard.

TK was quiet so I continued…

Me: Also, I got a call from the chairman of your golf club they have been trying to reach you. Something about a cheque for your contribution to the annual golf tournament and gala night. I told him I will have the cheque sent to the planning committee tomorrow. So maybe you should issue another cheque for that. Then please can I have money to offset the bill for the interior decorator? The leather couch you ordered for your study is arriving in three days and we need to have her balance ready, I think….

TK sprang to his feet

TK: I think you should shut up woman! Is it that you are too daft to understand what is going on? I cannot even touch any money right now! My accounts are frozen and my credit cards blocked! We have been living off my foreign credit cards for the past one month and that would get blocked soon if I can’t make my repayments on time. So please except you are ready to sell this house and use the money to pay the staff and contribute to the golf tournament, just leave me alone.

Me: Baby why didn’t you tell me?

TK: Tell you what Anjola! That at 39 my life is over???

I watched by husband break down in tears for the first time. I saw Adetokunboh cry. I ran over to him and held him while he sobbed uncontrollably like a baby.

TK: I’m so scared Angie. I’m so scared.

Me: I know, I know…don’t worry we would be fine. Have you spoken to your mother like Femi suggested?

TK: Over my dead body! I’d rather sell my soul than ask her to bail me out! She would make me a puppet on her strings and I am tired of letting her control me like she does my father and the rest of the family.

Me: What about your dad?

TK: In case you haven’t noticed my mother controls that man. It has always been that way. If I spoke to him, it would be like talking to her, there is really no point. Besides, it’s not a hidden fact that she has more money at her disposal than he does.

I didn’t know anyone who could give us a billion naira. I called Femi Osinowo our lawyer, he advised me to be discreet and not go around asking for help so the news would not spread and escalate the situation. He informed me that as it was, a lot of money had already exchanged hands to keep auditors and the few staff that were aware of the situation quiet and still thought speaking to The Duchess might help.

I had to confide in someone so I went to Linda, with a prayer that I could trust her. She was married to a very successful politician and entrepreneur, Senator Okonkwo. I knew it was unrealistic for her to help financially considering the amount involved, I just needed to talk to someone and Linda was a few years older and more experienced than me.

Linda listened carefully to all I had to tell her before she spoke.

Linda: My dear, welcome to married life. You cannot breakdown now o. You will wipe your tears and be a strong woman. That’s what he needs right now, he doesn’t need a pity party and he doesn’t need a nurse. He needs a diva!

Me: So what would a diva do in this case?

Linda: My dear, if I tell you the kind of things I did when my husband did not have anything to his name, you will wonder if I am the same Linda you know now driving an Escalade and shopping without looking at the price tag. You say his mother can help abi?

I nodded.

Me: But that is not an option. TK has said he will not go to her for help.

Linda: So? He said he will not go, did he tell you that you cannot go?

I shook my head.

Linda: Ehen then you will go and meet her o, my dear.

Me: That’s not even possible. She cannot stand me and she doesn’t know about the issue. TK would feel so betrayed!

Linda laughed out loud.

Linda: Your husband’s ego should never stand in the way of you doing what is best for your family. Massage his ego and do what you have to do, that’s the only way to save your marriage. Go to her, it is also her son’s life at stake here not just yours. Even if you get indicted, your role can easily be explained if you get a good lawyer to prove your innocence. He is the one that would go down. Think about it.

I thought about it and so I did the only thing left for me to do. I swallowed my pride.

It was a Friday evening, TK had gone out to see “someone”, and I got Oladunni ready and found my way to TK’s parents’ house in Parkview which everyone referred to as the Villa. Fortunately, his dad was out and The Duchess was home alone.

I was eventually ushered into her private quarters after like an hour of waiting. The place looked like a movie set. It was so flamboyantly and tastefully decorated, it seemed obscene that anyone should live like that! She came out to the living room in a silk white dress that went all the way to her ankles, her hair was in a chignon and she had on what looked like real diamonds! Only the duchess would dress like that in her own home!

I greeted her she ignored the greeting and said,

The Duchess: I hope this doesn’t take too much of my time. My masseur would be here any moment from now.

She spotted Oladunni sleeping in her walker beside me. She immediately smiled and came towards me to have a peek at her…bringing Oladunni along was a good idea after all!

Me: Please Ma. We need your help.

There was no need beating around the bush. I explained the whole story to her. She listened and I saw her eyes darken gradually until she became furious!

The Duchess: Adetokunboh is as irresponsible as his father! I have tried my best to make sure he doesn’t make the same mistakes as his father but I see he is towing the same line and I wash my hands off him. Less than a decade after we got married, his father invested in a business venture. I warned him but he would not listen. He lost virtually his whole inheritance and if not that I was gracious enough to stay in this marriage, I would have left him wretched! I was the one who saved his company because I couldn’t imagine being married to a laughing stock!

Gosh! The woman was so arrogant, no wonder TK had refused to come to her for help.

Me: Please Ma. TK has learnt his lesson I can assure you.

The Duchess: No he hasn’t! I know the company he invested that money in because he tried to make me invest in it. I told him the potential was tempting but the stock market was going through a crisis and the timing was wrong! Wait a few months let the market stabilize was what I told him. So he went ahead and got other investors after I warned him? He deserves whatever he gets!

 

I instantly got on my two knees in front of The Duchess…

Me: Please Ma. Don’t do it for us, do it for your grandchild Oladunni. How will we raise her?

The Duchess: Oladunni would be taken care of! I will ensure she gets the best of everything but as for you and TK, may God help you.

With that, The Duchess walked out on me. I was so confused, not only had I gone behind my husband’s back, I had also worsened the situation by bringing his mother into the picture. I knew it was a matter of time before she called TK and persecuted him for daring to defy her orders and marrying a nobody like me who couldn’t bail him out like she had done for his father.

That night I was contemplating confessing what I had done to TK when I got a message from The Duchess. It read…”Tell Adetokunboh ; 9am tomorrow, The Villa”

I summoned up courage and told TK about his meeting with his mother the next day. He was so angry he threatened to send me packing and left the house. He didn’t come back till 7am the next day. Still not speaking to me, he went straight to the shower and afterwards started getting dressed.

Me: Olowo Ori Mi (the one who has paid my bride price) please go and see your mum. Please let her help us.

TK: You are testing me this woman. Is it because I have not sent you packing?

He stormed out of our bedroom and went to finish dressing up in his study. I waited a few minutes and went there to continue appealing to him. The door was slightly opened and he was on the phone. I heard him mention my name and I paused by the door to listen.

TK: Femi that plan is off the table. Anjola told my mum. We can’t touch Oladunni’s trust fund. We need another plan.

Oladunni had a trust fund and I wasn’t aware, besides Femi had suggested to me that The Duchess could help so why was TK sounding like they had been trying to hide it from her???? The conversation continued.

TK: We should have put this plan in motion immediately those stocks started crashing. Or come up with another.

He paused listening to Femi on the other end.

TK: No she can’t leave…the prenup she signed it. Yes the standard Ayo-Kessignton prenup.

He paused again

TK: I know it’s not foolproof, but that was the only way this could have worked. If I hadn’t gotten her pregnant, she probably won’t have married me. I’m glad she did Femi because I love her. I love her now and I can’t let her suffer for my mistakes.

He paused again

TK: Femi you know that Oladunni’s trust fund is a long shot now that my mother knows. She has probably called her lawyer to revise the terms of my access to the funds and the Bank has been advised by now. Call her lawyer and find out, he has a stake in this; he should be able to tell us what to do. You know my mother leaves no loose ends when she wants to make a point.

He paused again

TK: No Femi you are wrong. I would have married Anjola even if she hadn’t gotten pregnant. If it was just about getting a woman pregnant I had options but there was something about her. I love her and getting her pregnant so I could have a child and use his/her trust fund to sort out this mess was a selfish idea and I should never have allowed you talk me into it.

He paused again then he raised his voice…

TK: No way! I am not deceiving Anjola again! No more lies…I am going to find a way to sort this out without having to lie to Anjola even if it means going to my mother! Anjola is the mother of my child! Don’t you have a conscience???

With that he ended the call. He was obviously angry, because he flung his phone against the wall. I slowly crept away so he wouldn’t know I had heard his conversation.

I had established some facts:

1)      TK had intentionally gotten me pregnant so he could access the trust fund he knew would be set up for the child to bail himself out.

2)      I was married to a stranger.

The whole plot with him and Banke now made sense. Apparently, Banke thought she was a strategist, she did not know TK had his own agenda. This life with the wealthy and famous was too cold, too deceitful, too complicated for me. Was I even safe? At that point, my only concern became how to get out of the situation alive and with my daughter in my custody.