ABBY:
For clarity and context, let me describe the kind of luxury I found myself in.
First, let me be honest—God really does work in mysterious ways.
If I hadn’t blackmailed Mr 16, which led to him doing what he did… Uncle wouldn’t have kicked me out. If I hadn’t been kicked out, Madam J wouldn’t have picked me up and sent me on that mad errand. And if none of that had happened, I would never have landed in this life of absolute luxury.
When I say luxury, I mean my bedroom alone was bigger than my aunt’s entire downstairs space. That includes her living room and kitchen.
I had my own en suite bathroom, and a walk-in wardrobe—which, by the way, filled up fast with clothes, shoes and handbags.
A private driver took me to school each day and waited outside until I finished, then brought me home again. I was waited on hand and foot.
At first, it was thrilling. But then… something didn’t sit right.
One day, I asked the housekeeper and the chef where the family’s children were. They both said, “They’re abroad.”
No photos. No keepsakes. Just pictures of Chief and his wife around the house.
A few weeks after I finished my final Form 5 exams (now called JSS3), my new ‘mum’ came bursting into my room, grinning.
“Abby, my darling! I’ve got great news! You’ve been offered admission to the University of Ibadan to study Law!”
Let’s pause here.
Ibadan?!
Really?
In my head, I was already halfway to Oxford, Cambridge, Yale… those were the schools our posh secondary school talked about as destinations for us—if our parents were willing to send us abroad.
I’d even been included in the special tutoring classes for international entrance exams.
Yes, Chief had insisted I also take JAMB, just in case. But I thought that was just to tick a box—because, obviously, I’d be going abroad like the rest of their children.
This… this was a major disappointment. And I didn’t hide it.
Hmmm…
