Title: Bound by Blood, Broken by Pride
*Chapter 12: Storms and Secrets*
The house had never felt so heavy. The grand chandeliers didn't shine the same, and the walls seemed to absorb every raised voice. Charles stormed through the hallway, his chest heaving after the argument with his parents.
"How could you throw her out like a stray dog?!" he had shouted. "You had no right!"
His mother, Marita, trembled with shock. "This is our home, Charles. And she crossed every line!"
"She's my fiancée!" he barked back before stomping upstairs.
Now in his room, Charles paced like a lion in a cage. He grabbed his phone and dialed Soma. Once. Twice. Three times. *No answer.* He cursed under his breath and redialed. Nothing.
Then, the screen lit up again - *Queen Preshido* calling.
He froze.
Her name glowed like fire.
He stared at it... and declined the call.
He threw the phone on the bed, turned, and stormed out of his room. Anger guided his feet. Without knocking, he pushed open the nearest room - mine.
I had just finished bathing and was rubbing cream gently across my bare shoulders, unaware of what was about to happen.
"Ah! Jesus!" I screamed, grabbing my towel to cover myself.
"Sir Charles! Please! I'm dressing!" I shouted in panic.
He didn't flinch. He stood by the door, eyes dark with thought, but lingered longer than he should have. His eyes ran over me.
"What exactly are you covering?" he said, voice low. "Is there anything I haven't seen before?"
I froze, burning with shame.
Then, he asked, "Did she tell you where she was going?"
My voice trembled. "No… I didn't even see her when the fight happened."
He looked at me for a long moment, his gaze unreadable. Then, silently, he turned, closed the door behind him, and left.
***
In a calmer setting, Sir Frederick's voice was tight with restrained anger as he paced the living room, his phone gripped in one hand. ma rita sat on the couch, watching her husband with growing concern.
Ekene's phone began to ring.
"Papa," Ekene answered quickly. "Good evening, sir."
"Ekene, your brother has lost his mind," Frederick growled. "He stood in this house and shouted at me and your mother like we are strangers. All because of that smoking, drinking disaster he calls a fiancée."
Ekene's face dropped. "What? Papa, are you serious?"
Nancy touched his arm gently. "Baby, what's going on?"
He covered the speaker. "It's Charles… Something happened with his girlfriend again."
He returned to the call. "Papa, let me call him. I'll handle it."
Frederick's voice was hard. "If he doesn't fix this nonsense, I will."
The call ended.
Ekene exhaled deeply.
Nancy looked at him, concerned. "What happened exactly?"
Ekene shook his head. "Charles shouted at them… over that girl. They threw her out because of the way she was behaving. And now Charles is acting like they're the problem."
Nancy frowned. "That's not like him."
I don't know what she's doing to him," Ekene said, grabbing his phone again. "But I need to talk sense into my brother before it's too late."
immediately rang Charles.
"Charles! Are you out of your mind?! Shouting at Mama and Papa?!"
Charles' voice was cold. "Don't ever call me again, Ekene. Ever."
The line went dead.
***
Later that evening, Charles sat with Richard in his apartment.
Richard handed him a drink. "Bro, it's enough. Let her go. The girl's character is terrible."
Charles stared at the floor. "I can't."
"Why?"I love her," he said quietly. "And there's this business she introduced me to. I'm interested."
"What kind of business?" Richard asked.
Charles's jaw tightened. "I don't want to talk about it."
Then he stood up, grabbed his keys, and walked out without another word.
***
Meanwhile, Queen Preshido was in her room, scrolling through her phone. She had called Charles five times already. No answer. Her eyes burned with irritation.
A maid walked in with food.
"Madam, your dinner."
"I'm not hungry," Preshido snapped. "Take it away."
The maid bowed and exited.
Just then, her phone rang.
*Michael Godson.* Her boyfriend abroad.
She quickly picked. "Michael?"
"My Queen," his deep voice rang. "I miss you. I'll be coming to Nigeria to see you."
She smiled faintly. "I miss you too."
They talked briefly, then ended the call. But her heart felt even heavier.
***
At night, Charles sat in his car, fingers trembling as he dialed Soma again.
This time, she picked.
"Soma! Baby, please. I'm sorry. I didn't know they'd throw you out. Please forgive them."
Her voice was stiff. "It's fine."
"Where are you? Please tell me. Let me come get you."
She paused, then finally told him.
Charles sprang up, rushed inside, grabbed her bag, and stormed to the car.
"Charles! Where are you going?" Marita asked from the staircase.
He didn't answer.
He jumped into his car, started the engine, and as Osaho opened the gate, he drove out into the night.
***
By the gate, I was sitting with Osaho. The wind was cool, and the house behind us buzzed with whispers and tension.
"This family na wahala," Osaho muttered. "But Choma, forget all this drama. You go gree for me now?"
I rolled my eyes. "Gree for what?"
"My proposal now! I don dey ask you since."
I stood up and *knocked him on the head*. He yelped.
"Aaah! Do it again!" he laughed.
I shook my head, smirking. "You're not serious."
And with that, I turned and walked back inside, leaving him grinning at the gate like a happy fool.
ready for chapter 13