Try me

He could hear their laughter from the dining room as he strolled down the stairs.

"Son, come over here and let's enjoy this sumptuous meal we prepared," he heard his mother urged and he rolled his eyes in disgust.

Walking to the table, he saw his favorite meal presented on the table; Egusi soup and pounded yam. He could see his strange future wife giggling while sitting on the chair comfortably.

"I taught Sola how to make it and you can't believe she's such a good learner. She learns so fast," he heard his mother compliment her and he couldn't believe this was happening right now. 

Knowing she lacks cooking skills had made his nerves relaxed because there is no way his mother would accept a girl who can't cook. But right now, everything was turning around for her favor and how she had managed to win his mother's heart was something he couldn't explain.

He turned to look at her and their eyes met. She gave him a slow sinister stare and his heart jumped into his stomach.

Jason might be right. She is a witch, he convinced himself as he looked away from her slowly.

They all settled down to eat and he kept silent as he heard the women gisting and laughing while enjoying their meal.

 "So, Sola, how are your parents?" He heard his mother ask.

"They're fine," she replied and took a sip from her glass of water.

"They live here in Nigeria?" She asked.

"Yeah, in Lagos precisely," she replied.

"I would love to meet them soon so we can talk about the marriage preparations," she said.

"Oh!" She exclaimed and began to cough as her eyes met with her strange future husband who was staring at her with strong contempt.

"Are you okay?" His mother asked while patting her back.

"Yes, yes..um..I..I almost choked," she said with a forced smile on her face.

"Sorry, I hope I didn't add enough spice to the food. You know, you Yankee babes don't like spicy food," she said and they both laughed.

"Mom, I like spicy food. Though when I was abroad, I didn't eat spicy meals, but here in Nigeria, my friend Kemi…," she tried to speak and then she held her breath for some seconds as she recalled Kemi's betrayal.

Her eyes Welled up immediately and she took a deep breath.

"Daughter, are you okay?" His mother asked with concern.

"Yes, yes, mom. I'm fine," she said with a forced smile on her face.

"Okay, let's finish our meal, and we'll get to know ourselves better," she said and she nodded with a smile.

He looked at her face and he wondered why she suddenly became silent at the mention of her friend's name. Whatever it was, it wasn't his business. All he ever wanted was for her to leave his house for good, he thought as he continued to eat his food with his eyes glaring at her face.

After the meal, she packed up the dishes to the kitchen and he followed after her.

"Go do the dishes," she said as she saw him standing behind her.

He scoffed and shook his head in disbelief.

"You spoiled brat! How dare you?!" He thundered, walking closer to her.

"Mom!" She exclaimed as she saw him raising his fist towards her.

He dropped his fist immediately and she laughed.

"You know I've won her heart and she would do anything to make me happy, even if it means throwing you out of your own house," she said with a smirk.

"You ain't serious," he said in her face.

"Try me," she said as she walked past him, swaying her bum as she walked stylishly out of the kitchen while he watched in utter disgust.

She walked to join his mother in the living room and she sat beside her on the couch.

"Daughter, I never knew I was going to meet you here, I would have brought enough expensive wrappers to give you as gifts," she said.

"It's fine, mom," she said with a smile.

"How long have you been with my son?" She asked.

"Um, just..just..two..two months," she stammered.

"That's good. So, when are you guys planning for the wedding?" She asked with interest.

"Oh..he..he never spoke to me about a wedding. But..I believe we will start making preparations soon," she said.

"That's my girl!" She said with excitement.

"Yes, mom," she said, smiling.

"I'm Mrs Enobore. You can also call me Mrs Eno. But I prefer you calling me mom. I like you a lot and you have won my heart. There is nothing, I mean nothing that is going to stop you from getting married to my big head son," she said and they both laughed.

Hearing their conversation, his heart began to race and he ran up the stairs immediately. He needed to get out of the house as he was getting fed up already by their nuisances.

He was sorting out clothes in the wardrobe when the bedroom door opened and she walked into the room excitedly. 

"You," he called, walking to meet her hastily.

"What?" She asked with her arms akimbo as she stood before him.

"What were you discussing with my mother, uh?" He asked angrily.

"I'm only helping you out, you moron. I don't wanna break the old woman's heart just like you planned to do. Oh, you thought I didn't know how you lied about getting a wife soon? Come on, I know you don't have a girlfriend and you're just lying to the poor lady," she emphasized.

"And that's not supposed to be your business," he cut in.

"I know, but she doesn't deserve all your lies. Can't you see my presence is making her happy? Just let it be and by tomorrow, she's gone without finding out the truth," she said and he kept silent.

"Nosa," she called with a smile.

"I'm not Nosa!" He barked and her eyes bulged.

"That's only a native name. Don't ever call me that," he warned.

"And what should I call you? Husband?! She asked with a smirk.

"You're sick!" He yelled and she laughed.

"And for the record, I'm not Sola. Don't ever call me that," she said in his face and walked away to the bed while he watched her.

"I can still go over to mama and tell her the truth about you. I can just tell her the truth that I don't know you and you're only forcing yourself on me. I don't even know if you're a witch or something else," he said.

"Okay, go ahead and let's see who she'll believe," she said confidently.

"Uh, you're manipulating my mother?" He asked in disbelief and she burst into laughter.

His phone rang and he heaved a sigh as he saw the caller ID. He walked out of the room immediately and she smiled and sat on the bed.

This new home is giving her peace of mind and she felt like staying forever. All her life, she had never felt peace in this manner. Mrs Eno had shown her what she lacked all through her life; motherly love. This strange place was proving to be better than home and she wished she didn't have to leave so soon. It had made her forget so soon about Kemi and Kelvin's betrayal. It had made her forget all her worries back home. It was helping her restore her sanity which she had almost lost due to the betrayal.

She thought about her father and her brother, Adrian, and his wife, Alex. They must all be worried about her absence. No doubt, she would leave soon, but this strange man mustn't find out who she truly is. He mustn't know her identity as the ruthless billionaire's daughter.

*

"Mama, you called," he said, stepping into the room where he found her sitting on the bed, sorting out clothes.

She turned and motioned him to sit on the bed. He heaved a sigh and sat beside her, wondering what she had to say.

"Why did you hide her from me all these while? You don't want me to meet her? And you were even planning to sneak her out of the house," she said in a rather high tone.

"No, mom..I..," he stammered while scratching the back of his head nervously.

Should he tell her the whole truth, or continue to play along? He thought.

"You don't like her?" She asked and he swallowed hard.

"Mama..," he tried to speak.

"I know you don't like her. Maybe because she can't cook or she has some bad attitude," she continued and he kept silent and made a slow nod.

"But she'll change. No woman is perfect. I wasn't a perfect woman when your father married me. You have to consider the fact that she might be raised in a home where she was probably spoiled by her parents. You don't have to mind her attitude," she advised.

"Um..so.. you're advising me to marry a girl with a bad attitude and a girl who can't cook?" He asked in surprise.

"She's improving. She's learning fast as you can see. I will put her through the right way. She'll become a good wife for you; marriage as you know is not about cooking alone," She said.

"Mama, what has she done to you?" He asked with a scoff.

"Nothing, I like her. She's really beautiful, plus, my heart agrees with her. If you had told me you had such a wonderful woman in your life, why would I still be pestering you about marriage? I wouldn't even bother coming to Lagos. You know part of my coming here is to find you a wife. 

But since she's here, I'm satisfied and I can go home fulfilled," she said with a smile.

He scoffed and his eyes opened wide in surprise as he looked at his excited mother.

"Um..mom, you mean..you aren't going to pester me for marriage any longer?" He asked, trying to conceal his excitement.

"As long as she is with you, why would I continue to bother you? When you both are ready for marriage, we will start the preparations," she said and his eyes glowed with joy.

"Um..okay .Okay mama. Um, she's in my life already and I'm not planning to let her go anytime soon," he said with a smile.

"That's my son, so you have to get ready to marry her and then put her in the family way so I'll have grandchildren!" She said with excitement and he laughed in pretense.

"Oh, yes mama. So, you will be leaving for Benin tomorrow, right?" He asked and she frowned.

"Why are you desperate to let me leave?" She asked.

"No..no..mama, I'm..I'm..just saying," he said with a sheepish smile and she smiled too.

"I want to take my bath and relax. You know the journey was quite tiresome," she said as she yawned tiredly and he nodded.

"Okay, mama. Take care of yourself," he said with a mischievous smile as he stood up from the bed and walked out of the room.

He saw her watching TV while lying on the bed and he smiled as he shut the door behind him and walked to the bed. He sat on the bed while she pretended not to see him.

"Thank you," he said with a smile.

She turned, looking surprised.

"For what?" She asked.

"My mom promised to stop pestering me about marriage, all thanks to your presence in this house," he said with a smile.

"I want to leave. I want to tell her the whole truth and leave," she threatened and he laughed.

"Come on, I'm sorry for acting ungrateful earlier. All you have to do now is play along until she leaves tomorrow morning. And as soon as she leaves, you grab your bag and get out of my house," he said in a slow sinister tone.

"Wow," she said, sitting on the bed.

"So, I'll be helping you out for free?" She asked.

"What else do you want? Money?" He asked in a rather high tone.

"Hey, don't even go there. You can't pay my bills," she said and he chuckled and licked his lips.

"So, deal or not?" He asked.

"And why do you think I'll want to help you?" She asked.

"Because I once helped you. I gave you a roof over your head even though you were ungrateful. I rescued your ass when you almost killed me," he said and she kept silent as the incident of last night played in her head.

He stood up from the bed as he watched her mood turn sour.

"I'm going out, play your part till I return. Don't mess things up for me. And have it at the back of your mind that you're leaving my house tomorrow," he said as he walked over to the wardrobe while she stared at him in silence.