Unknown Betrayal

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Zaynab

“ZAYNAB! ZAYNAB!“I hear Abiodun scream from the hallway. I quickly drop the spoon I was using to stir the jollof rice and rush out into the living room to find his family seated confortably as he takes off his coat. His sister even has her leg on the table.

“What have you been doing? Mommy hasn’t even eaten yet”,he tells me.

“I know. I just came back from work a few minutes ago. I prayed and was tired, I didn’t know when I fell asleep. But I started on cooking as soon as i-”

“So all of a sudden, your sleep is more important than my parents eating?“he snaps.

“No that’s not what am saying. Am nearly finished with c-”

“Why are you still talking?“he yells which made me jump back. I could already feel sweat building up and my hands shake with anxiousness.

“Mommy what are you feeling like eating?“he turns to his mother who sits up

“Thank you my son. God knows this one would’ve killed me with hunger. She didn’t even greet us when she came back. Your sister even tried greeting her, she just walked past her giving her attitude”,his mom lies through her teeth. Wallahi she’s full of lies.

“Am sorry about her mama. What would you like to eat? She’ll make it”Abiodun tells her.

“Am not even hungry anymore”aunty shakes her head.

“Mama please. Am sorry on her behalf. Please eat something for my sake at least”he begs her..

She sighs then turns to me.

“Make iyan and egusi”.

“But I’ve already cooked jollof rice”I tell her.

“She doesn’t feel like eating this. Make her and daddy what they want. Olamide, what do you feel like eating?“.

“Me, I want Eba and okro stew”.

My jaws drop, I look up at Abiodun with shock but he doesn’t say anything.

“I came back from work and your sister who has no job couldn’t cook abi? So now me I’ve turned to your slave?“I yell. Gasps instantly fills the place.

“Zaynab watch your tongue”,Abiodun yells.

“This isn’t what I signed up for. I didn’t sign up to be some slave. Am your wife not your maid or any of these peoples maid. I don’t mind serving your parents but I deserve respect, I don’t deserve to be treated like dirt. And tour sister. She’s 25 and she doesn’t have her own place to go? Why are you allowing her to be some useless nob-“.

I couldn’t even finish my rant before I was interrupted with the rock back hand of Abiodun sending me across the living room....like literally. No exaggeration.

“Watch your tongue. That’s my family your insulting”he screams.

I hold my cheek and stare at him.

“I don’t even have anything to say. Apologize to them”he yells.

“Am not apologizing to anyone. If you want. Bang your head against the wall. Not my problem. There’s jollof rice and if your not hungry, starve”I yell then storm into the kitchen and switch off the stove. I walk out of the kitchen only to be stopped by Abiodun’s body obstructing my path. 

The glare he was sending me already announced my future.

It wasn’t long before I was being thrown against the stairs violently, the hem of my dress was clenched into his fists as he drags my body up the stairs. Once we reach our bedroom, he locks the door and throws onto the floor like I was a piece of garbage.

“I told you countless of times to watch how you speak and behave with my family”his words fly into one ear and out the other before I was pummeled by his fists with his already heavy body on top on my small, fragile one. All I could do was beg for forgiveness, I had begged and begged but he wasn’t having any of it. Why did I have to open my big mouth. I could’ve just done what they wanted and prevented all of this.

“Am sorry sorry I’ll do it. I’ll do what they want. Please am sorry. Ill apologize”I beg him repeatedly but to no avail.

“You have no value here. Nothing whatsoever. You can’t even bear me a child and think you suddenly have the right to insult my family anyhow?“he screams.

“A-”

I couldn’t finish my begging when he stands up and sends a hard kick towards my ribs which left me in agony. Am sure I broke something. Am pretty sure.

“Clean up and make then something to eat”he yells. He kicks my head before unlocking the door and storming out of the door.

I shut my eyes tightly as I let out all the tears I had been holding from all the pain I was experiencing.

“ZAYNAB”,he screams from downstairs.

I stop crying instantly and crawl on the floor towards the bed. Once I reach there, I help myself up with the help of the leg bed. I make my way out of the room then down the stairs slowly.

“I hope your not mad. Is you walking slowly going to fill their hunger?“Abiodun stands up from the couch angrily which made me turn into flash. I was in the kitchen before I could even count to 1 myself.

With the little strength I could muster up, I start to blend the necessary items for the egusi stew.

2 hours later

“Food is ready”I tell them.

His father was already asleep sef. It was now just him, his mother and sister.

“Daddy already slept because you couldn’t hurry”,Olamide shakes her head at me. I swear it took everything in me to not reply.

“Get out of here. Your face is annoying me sef”abiodun shakes his head so I drop my head.

Once they were all seated and they had woken up the father, I turn to walk away.

“Cut my meat. I don’t want to get my hands dirty”,Olamide tells me.

“Your getting your hands dirty anyways”,I tell her.

“I hope your not mad?“Abiodun snaps .

“Am sorry”I shake my head and walk over to her. I help her cut her chicken then her mom.

Once I was done I head straight to m room. I clean myself up and get into bed. After getting comfo- or trying to get comfortable, I hear the door open then minutes later Abiodun gets in bed.

“Turn around”he tells me and I do as he says.

“How was your meeting yesterday?“he ask me as he brushes my braids away from my now bruised up face.

“It was good”I reply in a whisper.

“Just good?“.

“Well were building a home for the homeless and are now looking for donations to rebuild the place we have. Fawaz dad gave us their old office building for free which is good so now we need to rebuild it to make it look like a home and for that we need donations”I explain to him.

“Oh. How much do y’all need?“he asks.

“Well, for nursing equipment, rebuilding, website, utensils, I don’t know but thousands anyways”,I shrug then wince a little as I literally felt my bone move. I really need to get this checked.

He sits up then picks up his cheque book from the bed stand.

“What are you doing?“I ask him as I sit up along with him.

“Well you know I can’t control my anger when it comes to my family so to say sorry am going to donate money for your thing because it seems to matter a lot to you”,he smiles.

“Really?“I gasp.

He rips out a cheque then hands me the paper signed for 1.5 million.

“Abiodun this is a great wow”,I gasp.

“Do you forgive me?“he asks.

Its not like I have a choice so I just smile.

“Then its worth every penny”he kisses my lips briefly at first but after a few seconds that escalated real quick.