AT THE MARKET

As he walked down the stairs that morning, he heard her usual annoying call from the dining table and he sighed in frustration as he headed out of the house with the men.

She is the most annoying of them all, he thought as he stepped into the car. He saw her handing a poly bag over to one of the guards and he couldn't believe she was about to bring him food in the office again. As the car drove out, he continued staring at her and he saw her watching as the car drove out.

As soon as the car was out of sight, she walked back into the house and headed to the kitchen to meet the maids. She saw Vivian and one of the maids named Sara, preparing to go out.

"Heading to where?" She asked.

"To get a food item from the local market," Vivian replied.

"Oh, I'm definitely coming with you guys. I need to go out of this prison called home" she cried and they laughed.

"You want the boss to skin us alive? You can't come with us" Sara protested.

"Why not? I've not even stepped foot out of this place ever since I arrived. I need to feel the city!" She emphasized with her hands.

They all kept silent as they stared at her.

"Please, we aren't staying long, are we?" She asked and they both looked at each other.

"Hmm, okay, but promise you will return with us on time" Vivian said.

"Yes, you think I'm going to run away? I don't even have friends here in Lagos. Come on, let's go!" She said with excitement as she dashed out of the kitchen.

She dressed up in a short printed Ankara dress and white slippers, with a sling purse hung around her shoulder.

As she stepped down from the stairs, she could see the maids staring at her awkwardly.

"What?" She asked as she walked towards them.

"Um…don't you think your dressing is quite too casual for a billionaire's wife that you are?" Bose asked.

"Really? Well, I'm no different from you guys am I? My so- called husband never bothered to even look into my wardrobe" she said, nonchalantly.

The maids kept silent and looked at each other.

"Come on, let's go," she urged.

They drove in a black Pathfinder and she couldn't help but enjoy her moment with the maids as they vibed to the music playing in the car.

A white Range Rover could be seen parked besides the estate gate. The glass rolled down and an elegant lady, expensively dressed in a red short gown appeared in the car. She lowered her dark sun shades as she saw the black Pathfinder speeding out of the estate.

A mischievous smile appeared on her face as she picked up her phone from the black designer bag on the car seat.

She scrolled through her contact and placed the phone in her left ear.

"Hello, the rabbit finally went out of its hole. Now, we've got something to write home about" she said with a smirk.

**

The sun blazed mercilessly against their bodies as they walked along the busy market square which was bustling with a lot of activities.

"Wait, what are we actually buying?" Alex asked as she looked at Vivian who was heading to a shop where local foodstuffs were sold.

"We're getting some Dried plantains for Amala. It's one of the boss' favorites" Sara said with a smile.

"Really? He likes Amala?" She asked in surprise and the ladies laughed.

"Yes of course, he likes eating well cooked local delicacies" Vivian explained.

"Wow, and he's acting like someone who doesn't do local stuff" she said and they all laughed.

"Customer, welcome" the shop lady said with a smile as she welcomed the ladies.

"Who is this? One of the new maids?" The lady asked as she looked at Alex who was standing behind the maids.

She pulled a long face and the maids shook their heads at once.

"She's.. she's our new madam" Sara said immediately.

"Ehh, sorry o. Madam I'm very sorry" the lady apologized at once.

She kept silent and looked away from the lady at once. She looked around the busy market and her eyes fell on a lady in red dress standing at the next shop. Their eyes met and she could see the lady looking away immediately. She turned away and focused her attention to the activities going on in the market square.

**

He heard the sound of his phone ringing on the desk as he punched words into his computer. He sighed and reached for the phone which was a few inches away from him.

"Hello," he said, with the phone on his right ear.

"Hello, Mr Steel, it's been a while. This is Susan on the line," an enchanting female voice came through from the phone.

"Susan, it's been a while," he said with a plain voice.

"Yeah, I never knew you got married" she said and he paused for a moment.

"Yeah, I just saw the news making the rounds on the internet and I think you should check it out" she said but he didn't reply.

"Hey, I know you're a very busy person, but I think you need to check this one out. I don't think it's good for your reputation" she said.

"I will," he said as he sighed heavily.

"Alright, bye" she said and hung up.

He heaved a sigh and logged into the internet. His brows gathered as he saw the news that was making the rounds that afternoon.

"The Steels family are up for another backlash as there were confirmed rumors that the heir of the Steels family, Adrian Steel has yet again taken a bride. The new bride was spotted alongside some domestic workers in the ever busy Lape market, dressed like a maid and rumors had it that he had picked a bride from among the peasants farmers at his father's cocoa farm.

A video posted by the popular blog site, AMEBOR has generated mixed reactions as everyone believes that he had taken a bride from a poor home so he could make her a subject just as he tried to do with his first wife, Barbara, before she fled from the marriage.."

He loosen the tie from his neck as he felt perspiration all over his body. He continued scrolling through the page until he came across the video. His whole body shook violently as he saw her standing with the maids in front of a shop.

"Damn it!" He yelled as he slammed the phone on the table.

"Put me on a call with Vivian immediately!" He shouted at the guard present with him.

**

"I can't wait to prepare this soup for him. I know he's going to like it" she said with excitement as she walked with the maids while holding a poly bag.

"You really do cook well, Madam," Sara commended and she laughed.

"Come on, let's hurry up, before someone sees us and reports us to the boss" Vivian said as she hastened her footstep.

Just then, her phone rang.

"The boss!" She exclaimed and Alex's eyes shone.

"Hello.." she said into the phone.

"What did you do? How dare you let her out!" His provoking voice resonated from the phone.

"Sir..I" she tried to explain.

"Now take her back into the mansion, immediately!" He barked.

"Yes..yes sir" she replied.

"What.. what's the problem?" Alex asked anxiously as she looked at Vivian who was panting with one hand on her chest.

"The boss found out you are out. We're doomed!" She exclaimed.

"What!" She screamed in unison with Sara.

**

"Father, just look at what you've done!" He thundered as he stormed into the living room angrily.

Mateo smiled from the couch where he sat, relaxing over a bottle of champagne.

"You're trending again on the internet, I guess," he said with a relaxed smile on his face.

"Yes! And it's because of the clown you brought me!" He yelled as he stood in front of his father.

"Really? Did she do anything wrong?" He asked with surprise.

"Seriously? You didn't watch the video, did you?" He asked angrily.

"Of course I did, and what I saw was just the young lady hanging out with the maids in the market" he said with a grin which irritated him the most.

"Really? Was she supposed to go out dressed like that? Did I permit her to leave the mansion? And for Christ's sake, why does it have to be the market!" He yelled as he made emphasis with his hands.

"From what I can remember, you didn't bother to change her wardrobe, did you?" He asked.

He kept silent and let out a sigh in frustration.

"Sit," Mateo ordered but he remained reluctant.

"Sit," he ordered again.

He sat down impatiently with his hands clenched together as he tried to catch his breath.

"You are making a fuss out of nothing. Alex did nothing wrong. You didn't bother to change her wardrobe when she came into the marriage. And I believe you never gave her rules not to step out of the mansion" he said.

"When is she leaving?" He cut in at once.

"Adrian, we've talked about this before. Immediately she gives you a son, she will leave" he reminded as he took a sip from his drink.

He exhaled as he looked at his father.

"She is the most annoying person I've ever come across. I can't stand her any longer, her presence is killing me!" He stressed.

"Really? And what has she been doing to annoy you?" He asked.

"Everything!" He cut in.

"Like?" He asked again and he kept silent while fuming.

Mateo smiled as he sipped his drink while looking at his enraged son.

"If you really want her to leave sooner, then you should do the needful on time. Put her in the family way" he said in a calm voice.

He looked at his father and he scoffed and shook his head.

"I can't even lay a finger on her," he cried.

"Then be prepared to live with her as long as you can," he said.

"And that's not gonna happen!" He snapped as he stood up. "She will leave by the time I am done with her" he said seriously as he looked his father in the eye.

"We shall see to it" Mateo said with a smirk.

He gulped and looked away from him. The old man was beginning to annoy him just like the peasant girl.

"Who is really behind this blog? I mean, the blog that posted the video. Amebor blog, as it is called?" Mateo asked as he looked at his face.

"I don't know, but whoever it is, is only trying to tarnish my image further. That was the same blog Barbara had used in posting that trash about me" he said as he turned away from his father.

"I know. And till date, they're still bent on tarnishing our image. Whoever it is, will pay dearly when he or she gets caught" he said, seriously.

"I beg to take my leave" he said as he walked towards the exit.

"Do not lay a hand on the girl" he shouted after him.

"That's not in your power to decide" he said with authority as he walked out of the living room.