Stories collection

I am Rose and this is my story. I had a tough childhood of poverty and lack. All that changed when I met Isong. Isong was the only son and child of a oil and gas consultant, his mother died at child birth due to complications. From the first day I met Isong, never for once have I lacked. My account grew from naught to millions. He saw me through school but refused me working saying I needed not work. We got married after my graduation and went on to have two lovely kids, a boy and a girl. We lost my father in law in the Bellview crash but that did not affect our financial status.

My husband refused to move into his father's mansion, he leased it out and it was converted to a hotel. My husband was a billionaire but lived a modest live. We lived in a rented duplex even when we could afford a mansion of our own, he shared a Camry when we could afford a fleet but our kids attended the most expensive school in the neighbourhood. We had vacations in any country I choose once every year. My husband believed so much in buying shares and bonds. He had shares in most rising businesses. He had all the time in the world and he commited it to me and the children. I became god to my father, mother, siblings and every extended family of mine. No decision was ever made without my approval. I invested heavily in them and their lives improved. Using was everything a woman could ever want. He practically listens to my words. Anything I say he considers, modifies and executes. In the other room, he was a beast. I loved everything about him.

I soon began to feel lonely and empty, I wanted more than I had. I lied to myself I needed the dramas that come with marriage. The quarrels, space, separations and more. I gradually began to change from a virtuous woman. My husband would never complain but would always say if there was anything bothering me, he was available. This went on for years.

The care taker came to notify us that the unit beside us which had been vacant for over 2 years had been rented and the occupants would said they would be moving in within the week so we shouldn't feel insecured when we see strange faces around.

It was a Wednesday morning, my husband had gone to drop the kids off at school when I saw this good looking man; tall, neat and fresh alight from his range rover Sport car. He came with some men I suspect should be from the house cleaning company. The devil in me brought different flirtitous thoughts to my mind. The harder I fought, the stronger it became. I went upstairs changed my descent nightmare into a seductive bum short and a pair of singlet that made obvious my cleveage. I stormed out of the house and asked who they were. My supposed neighbour drew closer, greeted me with a flirtitous look and introduced himself as Drake the new occupant of the duplex. The caretaker was supposed to be here to make the introduction he said. Who are you, if I may ask he asked? The sister to the occupants I guess??? Nah I answered with a smile, I live here with my husband and 2 kids. 2 kids! He exclaimed, you look quite young and beautiful for a mother he said, your husband must be doing a great work on you. Just then my husband drove in closely followed by the caretaker. I introduced Drake to my husband but the caretaker cut in saying I see you people have already met. Mr and Mrs Isong Etim, meet Mr Drake Innosa your new neighbour. He would be moving in with his wife and daughter soonest. Wife? I thought to myself, he never mentioned that part. well, I never asked I thought to myself. We exchanged pleasantries and parted ways.

Mr and Mrs Drake finally settled in by Sunday, my husband suggested we paid them a visit. Our kids were watching cartoon so we breezed out to meet our new neighbours, they looked like a lovely couple. Drake sure do have taste, his wife Betty I would have said was far more beautiful than me but for my ego. Which woman could outmatch my beauty🤷🤷🤷🤷🤷🤷??

It was a lovely outing, Drake even though tried to justify his hustle, the fact he was jobless and lived on his wife who was an accomplished criminal lawyer. It was our turn, I couldn't wait for my husband to introduce us as billionaires but she simply introduced us as graduates without jobs who lived on the proceeds of shares he bought years ago when life was good. He went further to criticise government's insincerity towards creating job opportunities which drifted to topic of discuss to politics. I could not help but notice Drake's flirting eyes on me all through our stay and I surely did retaliate with similar energy.

Betty would always drop her daughter off on her way to work but my husband was always around same as Drake. My husband's presence irritated me greatly and it was a huge relief when he told me he needed to Egypt to seal a deal for his late father's company which he ran underground as the Chief and promoted the group manager to the post of Managing director. He could not specify how long he would be gone but it definitely would be more than a week. My heart was all joy but I had to conceal it and pretended to be missing him already. It didn't take long after his departure, Drake and I activated our incubated lust. We were a love bird. Though there was nothing much that was different between my husband and Drake in bed, infact my husband was better I must confess yet I enjoyed the fact that I was flirting and on-top of it, spending because ever since Drake realised I had over 80 million in my account, his demands were unending and I wasted no time in doling out to him. I soon told Drake about how wealthy Isong was. He reminded me how that made me a co-billionaire by virtue of marriage. His love for me increased would always talk about his dream of us getting married someday. Hearing those words felt really good.

My husband returned from his trip and my affair with Drake reduced. I felt bruised, I became wild towards my husband, the peace we had in the house soon disappeared, I only found peace when I was in the arm of Drake. I soon accepted Drake's proposal, so we began to plan. He adviced I divorced my husband, request for half his wealth while he remained married to his wife till he finds a way to milk her. I refused, I was tired of sharing him with that witch and wanted him all to myself. We concluded at both of us leaving our marriage. Kabush! It was a loud scream from Betty Drake's wife, he had served her divorce papers on the ground that she treated him unfairly, using him as a slave. How? She screamed but his mind was made up. Betty cried out loud, my husband and I ran to the scene but Drake dashed out of the building and drove off. My husband tried to console Betty but she was too broken to listen. I wrapped my hand around her as I held her to my bossom. She cried out her eyes but my heart was all joy. After spending over an hour, we left for our apartment and as my husband spoke in pity of Betty he got the shock of his life. I want out too Isong, I said calmly. This marriage is not working anymore. I saw the worst look I had ever seen my husband with. What? He responded. I want to leave, I feel imprisoned in this marriage I want my freedom, I want my life back I said. Isong was speechless for hours and finally. He spoke calmly, how have I treated you unfairly in our 6 years of courtship and seven years of marriage?? What becomes of our kids??? Ever thought of all this?? But my mind was made up to bulge. He called my parents who wasted no time in inviting me over. I went there and intimidated them rather than listen to them, Afterall I was the bread winner😃😃😃😃😃. Drake and I met in an hotel and it was the best two days ever sleeping and waking in Drake's arm. We perfected our plans, got the divorce papers and served our spouses. My demands were same as Drake's, the kids were not my concern. My husband signed the papers in pains and told me goodbye. I was dead shock. My belongings I asked, he went inside and threw out my clothes, and pushed me out. Betty came over looking sobber, she must have been crying for days now. What happened she requested, I ignored her and banged on the door. Isong later came out and showed the divorce papers to her. She read through and broke into tears, is there a divorce spirit around here or something she asked, why would you want to leave your beautiful family she asked??? My husband ended it all with meet me in court. I got a lawyer and our case began. Isong was able to prove to the court that he had nothing to himself, his father was the owner of all the billions. The account he operates was a children savings account and the required handover documents were still unsigned, all his shares he bought since we got married were in the kids name. So he had nothing to share with me. I lost the case and was about to request for custody of the kids but Isong and his legal team opted for a settlement out of court since he didn't want the kids to be traumatised by the divorce. My legal team advised me to accept the offer since the chances of winning the battle for the kids was slim and even if I did, I could never get possession of their shares till they turned 18 years. I requested for 5 billion but we concluded at 1.5 billion. I signed all the legal documents and got credited. I went back to Drake in our hotel room and he was all joy. His acrimony had met a brick wall. His wife in her wealthy of legal precedences was able to prove to the court at prehearing that all his belongings were actually hers since he never had any reliable means of income in their 5 years marriage. But that didn't matter he said, we are billionaires! I wasn't too happy to hear this but managed to sustain the atmosphere of joy. We went on a 7 cities global tour, visiting Paris, Hawaii, Dubai, Cairo, Malaysia, London and Eritrea. Drake and I had a low-key wedding in Egypt. It was a fun tour but it cost me 700 million. With a drop in status from a billionaire to a millionaire with no hope of recovery in sight, I called myself to order and began gainful investments, I bought a block of 4 flats in the city plus renovations cost over 200 million and put it out on lease, i bought a shopping plaza in the heart of town with 400 million and a duplex plus furnishing with 100 million. I bought shares worth 40 million naira and 2 cars with 10 million. Drake was mad at my decisions but I was sure to have secured a poverty free future for myself. Things between Drake and I began to go sour but we managed to reconcile our differences.

A year into my divorce, I took in for Drake, we were quite happy when the scan result showed twins. I had a successful delivery but the kids turned out to be sickle cell anaemic. O no! We have not paid attention to our genotype. The anaemia was severe, We lost one of the twin at infancy but lost the other at 3 years. Drake and I were contemplating divorce when I got kidnapped. My kidnappers were so mean and brutal that I begged Drake to give them whatever they wanted without delay. They asked for one billion, Drake sold all my possessions but still couldn't raise the amount due to the haste in which he sold the properties, he was only able to raise 950 million but my kidnappers refused the offer. I stayed a few days more before Drake claimed to have gotten the balance 50 million from his friends and mine with support from my family. I was released to a world of naught. I went to live with my parents while Drake had to squat with his friends. A month later Drake requested a divorce which I granted since we obviously we're not compatible. Life for me became tough, I was back to my root. A billionaire could no longer afford a descent meal. I got news Drake had relocated to Eritrea and settled there with his new family, life had changed for him with a flash of light. I needed not be told he had hands in my kidnap. Isong married Betty, had 2 kids with her, adopted Drake's daugther and was now a consortium with 50 percent shares in almost all the successful businesses in the city. His wife was now a legal consultant globally. They were having the best of lives while I pen down this note from the farm where I work as a labourer