The desperate daughter-in-law

Meet Stefany

“Stefany, meet Daren, your soon to be husband,” he heard his mother say to the girl who was standing before him with her red thin lips wearing a broad smile.

She tried to touch his arms but he beckoned with his hands for her to stop. He saw the smile disappear from her face and he turned to his mother who was smiling as she watched them.

“Is this supposed to be a joke?” He asked with a deep frown.

Elsa’s brows gathered deeply and she shot him a stern look.

“Joke? When I talked about getting you a wife, you thought it was a joke?” She asked with a scoff.

“Mother..,” he tried to speak but the words became stuck in his throat. He turned slowly to the girl standing beside him and he shook his head in disbelief. Without a word, he walked away.

“Daren!” He could hear Elsa calling behind him but he paid no attention to her as he walked to the stairs.

Elsa looked at Stefany whose face was looking downcast.

“Oh, baby girl, smile.” she urged as she placed her palm on her cheek.

“He’s gonna come around, trust me,” she assured as she smiled broadly and walked away.

Stepping into the room, he heard the door open and his father walked into the room.

“Father..,” he tried to speak.

“I saw everything. You need to stay calm,” Charles urged as he placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Father, you need to talk to mother. She is your wife and you should make her understand. I will not tolerate her dominant attitudes towards me. She can’t control me just like she did to you.

I’m a full grown man and not her baby boy anymore,” he said with authority as he paced around the room angrily.

Just then, the door opened and Elsa walked into the room with her face wearing a frown.

“What was that stunt you pulled out there?” She asked as she stood a few meters away from them.

“Elsa, you need to go easy on the boy. You can’t just expect him to move on so easily. What happened to feelings? Where are your feelings for the boy you call your son?!” Charles slammed as he turned to face her.

“Enough!” She yelled.

“Mother, I am a grown man and I have the right to make my own decisions as to if I would remarry or not,” Daren put in.

“Really? You think that's your decision to make?” She asked with a scoff as she walked towards him.

He kept silent as he saw the smirk on her face while she placed her hand on his shoulder.

“You’re still too young to comprehend. You can ask your father how things are being run in the Taiwo’s family,” she whispered to his face.

His face pulled into a frown and he looked at his father who was completely silent.

“But for now, brace yourself, for your marriage will be coming up sooner than you think,” she spoke softly into his face and he cringed with his mouth wide open.

“Mother, you can’t do that!” He yelled.

She smiled and turned to her husband who was watching them in silence. She chuckled as she gave him a slow sinister stare before walking out.

“Father, you caused it all! You are the cause of all my problems!” Daren yelled as he turned to his father angrily.

“I..I will speak to your mother about it,” he said in a low tone.

“Speak to her? Oh, I can see that she has always been the head over you,” he said with a scoff.

Charles heaved a sigh and walked out Immediately.

“Elsa,” he called as he saw her walking to the passage exit.

She stopped and turned to look at him with her small round eyes burning with fury.

“How dare you, how dare you disrespect me in front of our son?!” She barked as he walked closer to her.

“I’m your husband and I’m the one who should feel disrespected, not you,” he snapped.

“Really?” She asked with a chuckle as her eyes burned into his face.

“Yes! This whole thing should have waited, it should have waited for Daren to be healed,” he explained.

“The company is suffering,” she stressed.

“The company is not suffering. Your mother only wants full commitment. She doesn’t want to take any chances and that’s why she’s making it seem like the company is suffering with Daren’s absence,” he continued and she kept silent with her gaze lowered to the floor.

“You all didn’t even listen to Lisa’s own side of the story before throwing her out,” he added.

“That slut has no story to tell. You should stop being sentimental because of your attachment to her,” she spoke into his face.

“I’m not being sentimental. I’m only saying the obvious. Lisa gave her all for this marriage. She sacrificed her family just to be with Daren!” He emphasized.

“I never asked her to, she made the choice,” she said with a chuckle.

“Really? I can see how the whole of the Taiwo’s lack gratitude,” he said with a scoff and her brows gathered.

“How dare you?” She shot.

He gulped.

“What were you thinking when you brought in that girl to marry your son? You think she will be better than Lisa? If she is, I don’t think she will have to wait for her parents to find her a suitor. Think, Elsa,” he said thoughtfully and she remained glued to her spot.

*

As they walked into the house, they stopped for a moment with their eyes on the beautiful fair skinned girl in a red jumpsuit, sitting on the couch. They both took quick glances at each other before walking to the couch.

“Who..who are you?” Dotun asked with his eyes fixed on Stefany whose legs were crossed stylishly as she typed on her phone.

“Hi,” she said with a smile as she stood up with her eyes looking at the couple standing before her.

“You didn’t hear the question, did you?” Diana shot with her brows gathered deeply.

“Oh, well, I’m Stefany. Daren’s fiancee,” she introduced as she stretched her hand for a handshake.

The couple took a slow glance at each other with dismay written all over their faces.

“Who brought you here?!” Dotun shot.

“Your mother,” she replied stylishly.

Diana scoffed and turned to look at her husband.

“Look, if you know what is good for you, leave! Because Daren is never going to marry you!” He slammed in her face and she shrieked backwards.

“Oh, you aren’t aware that he is still married? And if you think he is ever going to leave Melisa for you, I think you need to snap out of that dream of yours and step into reality. Daren is never going to marry you,” Diana added with a smirk.

“Do you both realize who you’re talking to?” Stefany asked in a rather high tone.

They both took quick glances at each other before turning to look at her.

“I am the daughter of Senator Lawrence, in case you’re not aware,” she revealed with a smile.

There was a moment of silence and the couple glanced at each other followed by a slow mocking laughter.

“Oh, what were you thinking? That your father holds as much influence in the state as my grandmother does?” Dotun asked with a scoff.

“You might as well ask your father who made him who he is, today,” Diana added with a smirk.

“You’re both sick!” She cried.

“Don’t say we didn’t warn you,” Dotun added as he walked away with his wife.

They bumped into Elsa who was walking down the stairs and they greeted her before walking away. They walked to the balcony and watched as Elsa walked over to Stefany who was still glued to her spot.

“We need to get her out of the way, else she ruins our plans,” Dotun said in a low tone.

“She will leave,” Diana assured with a smile.

“How? How do we make her leave?” He asked.

“We aren’t the ones to make her leave, Daren will do the job for us. All we have to do is relax,” she said with a smirk as she patted his shoulder.