💔BENEATH THE CROWN💔
(AMANDA’S TALE)
WRITTEN BY:RuchinaBlog
CHAPTER 23
MIRABEL’S POV
My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming towards my room. I quickly dried my tears and adjusted myself. Ujunwa came in with a sour expression, looking stressed, and immediately laid down on the bed.
“Babe, what happened? Why is your face like this?” I asked with concern.
Ujunwa sat up and sighed. “Mira! I am tired of this life that I am living. I feel like ending it all. All the places I went to look for a job, even as a waitress, I got rejected, and none of my friends are even willing to help me.”
I went and sat beside her, holding her hands. “Babe! Calm down, everything will be alright. I am sure something good will come soon. Just be patient.”
“When! When exactly will that be? We are barely managing and can hardly afford to eat a three-square meal. I don’t know, but I feel Amanda’s cûrse is working, and if that be the case, let’s go to the village and plead for her forgiveness maybe.”
“That’s enough; I don’t want to hear that name in this house. That stupîd person just got lucky; I would have done worse things to her if I got the chance. She should be grateful. I háte her.” I yelled in frustration.
Ujunwa sighed and stood in front of me, holding my hands. “Mirabel! Amanda didn’t deserve what we did to her; I was just jeálous of her, and that is why I went along with your plan, and I really regret what I did to her. We have no real reason to hâte her.”
“Oh! So now it is my fault?”
“No, I didn’t mean it that way. Let’s just—”
“Save it! I don’t want to hear another word about Amanda in this house; if not, there will be serious issues between us.” I said with a tone of finality.
What even made her think of that stupîd person who feels she is better than everyone else? I have always háted her since our days in the university, and I don’t regret what I did to her in the village. If I ever have such an opportunity again, I will still do it. I loved the look on her face when I hûrt her. She deserved it.
“Mira! Please consider; I don’t want us suffering like this. I have learned my lesson and just want to start my life in a humble way. I want the same for you. I don’t know how we are to make ends meet if we continue like this. Please, let’s just ask for forgiveness and move on with our lives, nothing more.”
I laughed out hysterically and held her by the neck. “It seems you didn’t hear what I said right; do not mention that person’s name in my ear. Is it that difficult for you to understand?”
“I don’t really understand why you hâte her so much, just why, Mirabel?” Ujunwa asked.
“You wanted to know why I hâte her so much; I will tell you. That person felt like no one was up to her; she felt so perfect and always wanted us to be like her. She wanted us to have perfect grades like her but refused to help us during exams; she wanted us to read and pass like her when she knew we didn’t have time for that. As a good friend, isn’t she supposed to help us to pass? But no, she didn’t! I had to sleep with lecturers to pass or bribe them with money. There was one I refused to sleep with; I went to his house to bribe him with money but ended up being râped, and I still failed the course. Now tell me why won’t I hâte her?” I yelled with tears in my eyes.
Ujunwa gasped in shock with tears brimming in her eyes. “You never told us about the râpe; we would have—”
“You would have done what? No, what would you have done? I didn’t need that stupîd sympathy and besides wouldn’t she blame me for it?” I snapped, cutting her off.
“Look, Mirabel, Amanda is not like that, and you know this. We are responsible for our decisions and mistakes. Besides, she helped us a lot, especially with assignments and tests, and tried to make us read to pass, but we refused. We have no one to blame for our mîsfortunes other than ourselves. Sorry to say, but you caused your problem,” Ujunwa retorted with an eye roll before sitting on the bed.
Her words shocked me to the core; I can’t believe this person I am helping has the guts to blame me for my misfortune. “You know what? I don’t blame you; I blame myself for housing a stupîd person like you. Why won’t Somadima leave when you are empty-brained? You deserve it.”
“Mirabel! It has now gotten to the point where you will use my condition to insult me, right? Anyway, I blame myself for losing a good man like Somadimna because of material things. Since you don’t want to heed to my advice, I will go to find Amanda myself and plead for forgiveness,” Ujunwa replied.
“That is your business, and I won’t have an ungráteful thing like you in my house. Pack your filthy things and get out of my house.” I yelled.
“No problem!”
Ujunwa packed all her things and walked out of my room without looking back or pleading. Anyway, good riddance; she and Amanda deserve each other.
I am going to live life to the fullest. I smirked.
THE PALACE
Amanda spent the entire day in her room with nothing to do. She decided to take a walk around the palace to clear her mind. After strolling through the garden for a few minutes, she came across some palace maids gossiping and decided to stop to listen to what they were saying.
“Please, who else noticed that Ogechi has developed a bad body odór?” Olanma asked.
“Hmm, I thought I was the only one that noticed it. She even has mouth odór too,” Amara replied.
“This is serious, and she is the one that prepares the food we all eat in this palace. But she wasn’t like this before,” Adanna sighed.
“That is very true. I don’t want to develop a strange sickness because of this. Something needs to be done, and very quickly,” Olanma said.
“Amanda! Are you now so jobless that you decided to listen to maids talk?” a voice from behind her spoke, causing the maids to be aware of her presence.
Amanda turned to see Adaku walking towards her. She rolled her eyes, wondering what exactly her problem was.
“I don’t know why you like sticking your nose in my business, Adaku. Are you sure you are not stalking me?” Amanda asked.
Adaku laughed, prompting the maids to join her in laughter. “Me stalking you? Do you think I have such time to waste? I have very important things to do with my time, dear.”
“So what are you doing here then? If you were really busy, you wouldn’t be here,” Amanda asked.
Adaku walked up to Amanda with high shoulders. “As the queen, I noticed that the maids’ privacy was being invaded and decided to come check out the situation.”
Amanda burst out into serious laughter, holding her stomach. “You really make me laugh, Adaku. This is what you want to use your so-called queen power for when there are so many things that require your attention?”
“It is my business how I carry out my duties and not yours. After all, you wish to be in my position,” Adaku said, smiling mischievously. “I know how jealous you are that you are not the one in this position and how it also hurts you that the king has diverted his love to me. And to tell you the truth, I don’t feel sorry at all,” she added with an eye roll.
Amanda looked up and smiled. “I don’t need fake love in my life, and I am not interested in your so-called queen position. Just stay in your lane in this palace and avoid me. Remember what I said in the morning: You are not my queen.”
“What gave you the effrontery to say that? She is your queen and mistress. She holds the king’s heart while you are nothing in this palace. Instead of seeking favor from her, grovel at her feet. You are here forming boss of yourself,” Olanma snapped, making Adaku smile with pride.
“It seems to me that you like Ogechi’s condition. You had better watch your mouth and mind your business; if not, you will be in a position worse than hers,” Amanda said.
“How dare you talk….”
CLAP!
“I said mind your business. You are not permitted to speak when the king’s wives are talking; you are just a maid. Know your place,” Amanda said, landing a tight slap on Olanma’s face.
Amanda walked toward Adaku, looking her in the eye. “Let this be the last time your minions ever talk back to me. I am not nice. Also, know your place. I remain the king’s first wife irrespective of the situations around it and technically your senior. I know you are full of pride and wouldn’t acknowledge me with respect, and truthfully, I don’t care. But don’t ever think you can insult me as you like. I will not take it. Let this be the last time you ever stop me to exchange this nonsense talk with me or stalk me. Use your queen time to do something meaningful and enjoy it while it lasts. Be warned.”
Amanda gave Adaku no room to retort before finally walking out of the palace with a grin on her face.
Adaku felt rage course through her body as she stared at the back of Amanda walking away. When an idea struck her, she brought out her phone and sent a message to a number.
“I HAVE A JOB FOR YOU.”
Then she returned the phone back to her pocket and gazed at Amanda’s retreating back with a smirk.
AMANDA! YOU ARE GOING TO REGRET THIS DAY.
TBC
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