Too Precious Episode 18
TITLE: TOO PRECIOUS
WRITTEN BY: OGECHI ALABI
CHAPTER 18
They went to the hospital and specimens were taken from Biodun for tests to be carried out. It was discovered there was nothing wrong with him after a week.
PB opened an investment account in the name of her firm. Instead of transferring money into Biodun’s account as he insisted, she transferred to the stockbroking firm’s account. Biodun was angry. He asked her if she didn’t trust him enough to transfer the money to him directly as he had instructed.
‘Why should I transfer to you when I am dealing with your firm? Or is there something you are not telling me?”
“I wanted to trade the investment on my own. The firm is having issues and I didn’t want your money involved when it eventually folds. I was trying to safeguard you and then you turn around and do whatever you want. This is the height of distrust and betrayal. I am tired of trying hærd to please you and get backstabbed in the end. To tell you the truth, I can no longer afford the accommodation, we need to move to a cheaper place. If you want us to keep it, you pay for it.”
‘What are you talking about? The firm is collapsing and you never mentioned it? I thought you said you wanted to safeguard your job but now the story is different. What’s going on Biodun? I don’t understand what you are doing”
“Don’t call me again. I should be the one asking you what you are playing at. You are so insincere and dishonest. You stopped your grandfather from helping us and now you have taken the major opportunity I had to break out of the grip of the firm. You are self-centred and a spoilt brat. I gained nothing from this marriage; nothing at all! At a point, I thought I had you where I could control you but you showed yourself with the everyday reminder of bills to be paid. You can afford to pay the rent and take care of me but you didn’t. Selfish bitch. I slept with you almost every night thinking it will soften you but you are so hærdened. It is over between us. Get out of this house before I descend on you”
PB couldn’t believe her ears. Was she the one Biodun was talking to in that tone and manner? You could see the fire in his eyes and knew it was best to leave. She grabbed a bag and threw some of her things into it and left. She went straight to her grandfather’s office. She met him there. She told him Biodun asked her to leave the house because she paid money into the company’s account instead of his personal account.
“That’s strange. Do you want me to call him?”
“No. There were things he said that made me realise he had been fooling me all along. Dad, ask the MD of the firm if he is having any form of trouble with the firm”
Chief Adeoye quickly called his friend who owned the stockbroking firm and made enquiries. It was revealed to Chief that Biodun had embezzled millions of naira from clients and was been investigated. He wasn’t aware he was being investigated for fraud. It made sense now why Biodun wanted the money in his account. He intended to use the money to cover up obvious lapses.
“Grandpa, what did you find out about him and the monies he claimed to have invested?”
“I didn’t find out much. The little digging didn’t yield much information. I think there is more to this guy than he is portraying and it is best you find out from one of his close relatives”
“Grandpa, I am going to see Tope; she wanted to tell me some things but held back that time she was having issues with Biodun. I think she will talk to me”
Tope didn’t disclose anything to her. She claimed not to know anything. She sounded like someone who was exonerating herself. PB made her swear she wouldn’t disclose her visit to anyone. Francis assured PB they wouldn’t.
Two days after she had left the house, Biodun called to apologise. He said he was upset with her and got carried away.
“I have made some mistakes which I am trying to resolve. My anger wasn’t actually for you. I felt you didn’t trust me”
“What mistakes have you made? How does it affect us?”
“It is just errors at work; nothing too serious. Come back home let’s talk about it”
“I will love to come back home but grandpa said since you asked me to leave, I cannot just come back like that. The family has to meet and resolve the issues….”
“What nonsense talk is that? Is your grandfather the one to determine how we would live? I said you should come back home. Your grandfather has no right over you”
“Tell him yourself. Once he gives the go-ahead, I will come back”
“Suit yourself”
The next morning, which was a weekend, Francis was in the house to see PB. He was uncomfortable being in the house and asked her if they could meet somewhere else. He didn’t even come in his car.
Chief Adeoye called him into his bedroom and told him to speak without fear. He would take him out of the house to a safe place from where he could go home.
“After you left, Tope broke down. She confessed to me what was going on. Biodun has two children with a girl. He got her pregnant when she was sixteen years old in the barracks. She gave birth to the first child and then the second two years later. She gave him a son and a daughter. They stay with his parents. Whenever you are visiting, they remove them from the house. He married sister Precious for the money. After the wedding, he bought land and started building on the land. He built the four flats to an extent and then stopped as he had no funds to continue. He wanted his family to occupy one of the flats and their parents another flat. He opened a shop for the girl. He has sworn he will never have children through you, you are supposed to be his financier. When you were not doing as expected, he complained always about you; I have heard him do so too. He comes to see his family every two weeks bearing gifts. His father supports what he does but his mother doesn’t. Unfortunately, the father has control over his wife and children. This is as much as I know but there should be more. The family is shrouded in mystery”
PB couldn’t believe her ears. What was Francis saying? Biodun had two children? How did she miss that? How was it possible the neighbours didn’t have any information about Biodun’s family? It dawned on her later what happened. Biodun’s family moved to Sango just before he introduced her to his family. He moved them so she wouldn’t know where they lived before now. She found out when she investigated further.
The girl in question was a relative to a neighbour of his aunt in the barracks. Why the aunt didn’t say anything about the girl when PB visited her was surprising. She then realized why he showed her off to them; maybe he was telling them he had caught a big fish. PB was devastated. How could Biodun have played her like this?
Chief Adeoye talked to her after he took Francis away. He told her to brace herself for war.
“You will go back to your husband’s house and pretend you know nothing. We are going to set a trap for him in two weeks. He will attempt to take that car from you, do not release it to him. Have a tracker installed in the vehicle so we can know anywhere he goes with the car as he moves and then we will pick it from there. I will teach him a lesson he will never forget. Be patient, it will come to an end soon. I will make a big deal out of it that no one would blame you for the divorce. You have to divorce him and prepare to marry another man who is your class”
“Marry another man? Grandpa, I will not marry again. I have tried my best in this marriage thing but it didn’t work out. I don’t think I was destined to marry and have children. Imagine Biodun having two children but I never got pregnant for him. Grandpa, Biodun was the first and only man who ever had s€× with me. I gave my V-rginity to a despicable human being. I am ashamed of myself. I should have known”
“You wouldn’t have known. He played us very well. He showered you with love and affection while subtly dropping hints of his character. Unfortunately for him, you are a well brought up child who knows what she wants and therefore he couldn’t manipulate you into giving him money or getting money from me. It is not your fault”
TBC