Ruth:From Farm To Queen

Chapter 3: The enemy in sink robe

Vanessa stood at the top of the stairs, her red silk robe tied loosely around her waist, her eyes burning with pure jealousy. She looked down at Ruth as if Ruth was a piece of dirt that had entered her palace.

David's face changed instantly. The soft smile he had for Ruth disappeared.

"Vanessa, go back to your room," he said coldly.

"My room? David, this is supposed to be our house! And you are bringing a village hawker to be your personal assistant? A girl who sells garri by the gutter? Have you lost your mind?" Vanessa screamed, her voice echoing in the big living room.

Ruth wanted the floor to open. She clutched her small faded bag tightly. She had never felt so small in her life. Her broken slippers, her old pink gown, everything screamed poverty in that mansion filled with gold and marble.

"I... I can go sir... if I am disturbing..." Ruth whispered, turning to leave, tears already in her eyes.

"No," David said firmly. He walked to her and gently held her shoulder. "You will stay. You have an interview. And this is my house."

He turned to one of the house staff, a middle-aged woman in uniform named Mrs. Itohan.

"Mrs. Itohan, please take Miss Ruth to the boys quarters. Let her settle. Get her food. Her interview with me will be at 10am in my study."

Mrs. Itohan nodded and looked at Ruth with kindness. "Come my daughter."

As Ruth followed Mrs. Itohan outside, she could hear Vanessa shouting behind them.

"David! You will regret this! That girl will steal from you! She is a thief!"

Ruth was taken to the boys quarters. It was called boys quarters, but it was bigger and finer than her entire family house in Ugonoba. It had a small bedroom with a real bed, not a mat. It had a fan, a small TV, and a bathroom with a shower that brought out hot and cold water.

Ruth stood in the middle of the room and cried. Not because she was sad, but because she had never seen such luxury. She touched the bed softly, afraid to spoil it.

Mrs. Itohan came back with a tray of food - jollof rice, chicken, and a bottle of malt. Ruth had only eaten garri with water that morning.

"Eat, my daughter. I know how it is. I also came from a village," Mrs. Itohan said softly.

While Ruth ate, Mrs. Itohan warned her. "My daughter, be careful in this house. Oga David is a very good man. His heart is pure. But that Vanessa... she is fire. She has been with Oga for two years. She wants to marry him by force. She sees every girl as competition. And you... you are more beautiful than her in natural way. She will hate you. Be careful what you eat and drink when she is around. And lock your door at night."

Ruth nodded, her mouth full, but fear entered her heart.

At 10am, Ruth went to David's study for the interview. She knocked softly.

"Come in."

David's study was full of books. It smelled like fine perfume and wood. David was sitting behind a big desk, wearing glasses now. He looked even more handsome.

"Sit down, Ruth," he said, smiling.

Ruth sat at the edge of the chair, her hands on her knees like a primary school pupil.

"So, tell me about yourself. Why do you hawk garri?"

Ruth told him everything. She told him about her mother who died, her father who died, Mama Nosa who turned her to a slave, how she finished secondary school with 7 credits but could not go further. As she spoke, tears fell freely.

David listened without interrupting. His eyes became soft and sad.

"My mother also died when I was young," he said quietly when she finished. "My father married another woman too. Not wicked like yours, but she never loved me. I know how it feels to be alone in your own house. That is why I left for London. I wanted to build my own life."

He stood up and brought out a file.

"Ruth, this foundation is called The Ruth Foundation. Not you, but it was named after my late mother. Her name was also Ruth. We build schools for village girls and we give scholarships. I need someone who knows their pain to lead the interviews in villages. Someone who will not be proud. Someone who speaks their language. That is you. I will train you. I will pay you 150,000 naira every month. And I will enroll you for part-time diploma at Benson Idahosa University. Is that okay?"

Ruth could not believe her ears. Scholarship? University? Her dream that Mama Nosa said would never happen?

"Sir... you... you will send me to school?" she asked, her voice shaking.

"Yes. If you work hard."

Ruth knelt down immediately on the marble floor, not minding her old gown.

"Thank you sir! Thank you sir! God bless you sir! I will never disappoint you sir!"

David quickly helped her up. "No need to kneel. Just stand and work hard."

Just then, the door opened without a knock. Vanessa entered. She had changed into a tight black dress. She looked at Ruth kneeling and smiled wickedly.

"See? I told you. She is already kneeling and worshipping your money. These village girls know how to act. Tomorrow she will be in your bedroom."

"Vanessa! Get out!" David shouted, angry.

Vanessa did not move. She walked to Ruth and bent close to her ear and whispered so only Ruth could hear:

"Listen, you bush girl. You think you have won? This is just the beginning. I will make this mansion hell for you. You will run back to your village with your torn wrapper. Mark my words."

She smiled sweetly at David and walked out, her heels clicking.

Ruth's hands started to shake. She had just entered a mansion, but she had also just entered a war.

And she had no idea that Vanessa had already called Mama Nosa on phone. She had already told Mama Nosa: "Your step-daughter is trying to snatch my man. If you don't call her back, I will make sure she goes to prison for stealing my gold necklace."

Mama Nosa, with greed in her eyes, was already on her way to GRA with two boys from the village.