When he finished, silence hung in the air like a heavy fog. It was Ifeoma who finally broke it. "Wait, let me get this straight," she said, her tone incredulous. "You met and fell for this Olaedo sometime after Adaugo betrayed you, but she refused your proposal because she was in love with someone else. Then you threw yourself into work to forget her, only to reconnect after hearing that something happened to her? You courted, got married, and now her family's furious because you didn't follow tradition. They've basically confiscated your wife, and you're here to drag us all off to fix this mess?"
Her blunt summary was so accurate it stung. Chibuzor nodded sheepishly. "That's… about right."
The room erupted into noise, a cacophony of disbelief, scolding, and exasperation.
Hearing her thorough summary, Chibuzor nodded, relieved that they understood the situation. But his relief was short lived.
His grandmother rose abruptly and slapped his shoulder with surprising force, her eyes blazing with fury. "You're lucky they didn't throw you and Olisa out the moment you stepped foot in their house! If it were me, I had have tossed you out before you could even explain yourself."
Chibuzor winced, enduring the sting of her strike without protest.
"How could you marry her and live together for an entire three months without seeing her parents? If you love her as much as you claim, why would you do something that could so easily ruin her reputation?" Her voice cracked with disappointment, but her words hit harder than her slap. "I don't have a grandson like you!"
Knowing full well he was at fault, Chibuzor didn't defend himself. He kept his head bowed as she scolded and struck him again. The pain wasn't just physical, it was emotional. She had never laid a hand on him before, which only emphasized the gravity of his actions.
Turning to her husband, she gestured at Chibuzor, disowning him further with her words. "Look at what your grandson has done."
The old master sighed heavily, his expression a mixture of helplessness and disappointment. Though he didn't speak, his sullen face was enough to convey his displeasure. Chibuzor felt the weight of their judgment like a stone pressing on his chest.
His father, Mr. Obinna, broke the tense silence. "Chibuzor, we need to fix this immediately. Before the family ball. We can't let this kind of scandal spread, it'll destroy our hard earned reputation."
"You're one to talk," Chukwudubem muttered from his seat, his voice laced with annoyance. His pointed comment drew a dark glare from their father and a sharp, reproachful look from their stepmother as she cursed him internally 'Just wait till my sons are back! After they take over the family business, there will be no place for you brats in the Arinze household.'
Ignoring their reactions, Chukwudubem turned to his elder brother. "Bro, what you did isn't right," he said, his tone softer now, though still firm. "But there's no point dwelling on it anymore. What's your plan to get our sister in law back?"
The question hung in the air, demanding not just an answer, but action. Chibuzor straightened slightly, the challenge stirring something in him. Whatever it took, he was determined to set things right.
"We'll need to postpone the family ball for a few weeks. Is that okay with you, Grandpa, Grandma?"
They nodded without hesitation. "Getting our daughter in law back is far more important to us," his grandmother said with a firm nod of approval.
Chibuzor smiled faintly. The thought that they already loved Olaedo, even before meeting her, warmed something in his chest, though he brushed it aside.
He continued, "We'll prepare all the necessary materials and visit next Friday. I would've liked to involve the media, but it wouldn't be wise. If they find out we're already married without completing the rites, it could cause more harm than good."
Everyone nodded in agreement, and the family threw themselves into preparation. Each member began selecting both individual and general gifts. This sister in law had been acquired with much difficulty, and after years of trying to get Chibuzor to settle down, they weren't going to let her slip away, not because of carelessness, nor for any other reason.
Later that night, Chibuzor left the mansion. He drove straight to his house, bypassing his usual habit of parking farther away and walking the distance. This time, he drove right up to the front door, stepping inside with an odd sense of anticipation.
But the entrance was empty.
Olaedo was always the first to greet him, stepping into the role of the loving wife with effortless grace. It was a routine he had taken for granted, a meaningless act at first, or so he thought. But now, with the silence greeting him instead, he realized how much that little charade had meant.
The housekeeper appeared, hurrying to welcome him. He glanced at Chibuzor in confusion, noticing he was alone. His expression seemed to ask the question he dared not voice aloud.
Chibuzor sighed. "Her family refused to let her come back with me. I haven't done the necessary marriage rites."
The housekeeper nodded gravely. "It's indeed very important. I forgot that such an essential step had been skipped!"
Chibuzor's lips tightened. 'Great. So everyone else knew how serious this was, and I didn't?'
He handed over some instructions and went upstairs to freshen up. The climb felt heavier than usual, the quietness of the house pressing down on him. Halfway up, he caught himself wondering how Olaedo was doing. The thought of calling her crossed his mind, but he dismissed it. What excuse could he give that wouldn't make him seem… affected?
After freshening up, he came downstairs to eat, but the sight of the empty chairs made his steps falter. Sitting alone at the dining table, Chibuzor found the silence overwhelming.
They had started scheduling meal times, and though it was meant to maintain appearances, Olaedo had somehow turned those meals into something lively, almost enjoyable.