EPISODE NINE.
MY HUSBAND’S SECOND WIFE.
(That which you seek, you shall find in abundance)
“But I still want to have a drink with you, Winnie. Please don’t say no,” Christian pleaded, his voice laced with desperation.
Winnie stared at him for a moment, then said, “See you at the gym tomorrow.” She paid for her items and walked away.
“Well, at least that’s something,” Christian murmured to himself, a happy grin spreading across his face. He turned to leave without buying anything, but just as he stepped outside and approached his car, a voice stopped him.
“Hey, still interested in getting that drink?”
Christian turned around to see Winnie waving at him. His eyes widened in surprise. He quickly locked his car and walked over to hers.
“Are you being serious?” he asked, almost in disbelief.
Winnie shrugged casually. “Just realized I’ve been thirsty for so long and needed a drink. Are you no longer interested?” Written by Authoress Winnie. B. Onuh.
“Are you kidding me? This is a dream come true,” Christian laughed, quickly getting into the car.
Winnie smiled and took over the steering wheel, and they drove off.
“So, what changed your mind?” Christian asked, glancing at her warmly.
With her eyes still on the road, she replied, “This doesn’t mean we’re close or anything. I just needed a distraction. Everything… I kept thinking about my babies, and it feels so stuffy inside. If I don’t let it out, I might truly become someone I’m not.”
Christian watched her in silence. The way she forced a smile and tried to hide the sadness in her eyes stirred a bit of pity in him. Marriage really does change people—maybe that’s why he was still scared of it, even in his thirties, despite all he had achieved.
“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked gently after a brief silence.
Winnie shook her head. “No. I just want to talk about funny things. Do you know any good places that sell good drinks?”
“You’re asking the right person,” Christian smirked, then gave her directions to a cool local bar known for its drinks and bushmeat.
“This place is awesome!” Winnie beamed as soon as they got out of the car. She looked around, taking in the local décor. Everything looked amazing. When they were served palm wine and bush meat, her eyes lit up even more. “How did you even think of bringing me to a place like this?”
Christian watched her with a smile as she looked around like an excited kid. He chuckled softly. “I figured your stomach might not be ready for hot drinks, so palm wine seemed like the better option. Just taste it—you’ll love it.”
“I guess this is why all the girls like you,” Winnie teased, then took a sip of the drink. Her eyes widened at the sweet taste. She took another, then emptied the whole cup. “You’re so right—this is good!”
“I told you!” Christian laughed. “Easy, Winnie, the drink’s not going anywhere.”
He pushed the plate of meat toward her. “Try the meat too—you’ll love it.”
“So, do you bring your girls here often?” Winnie asked casually.
Christian paused for a moment, then took a sip of his drink before replying, “My girls don’t like local places. They prefer clubs—noisy, fancy spots where they can take videos for social media. So, you’re actually the first lady I’ve brought here.”
Winnie chuckled at his answer. “You must’ve had a lot of them,” she said, chewing on her meat.
Christian was about to respond when he noticed a bit of sauce at the corner of her lips. Without thinking, he picked up a serviette and gently wiped it off for her.
“Yeah,” he said finally. “But I got bored.”
The gesture made Winnie blink in surprise. “Thanks,” she muttered softly.
“Enough about me, tell me about yourself. Why did you get married so early?” Christian asked.
As soon as he said that, Winnie’s expression changed slightly. She set down the meat, washed her hands, and picked up her glass of palm wine.
“This palm wine is really sweet,” she said, dodging the question. “The owner must be an excellent tapper—or at least knows one.”
Realizing she didn’t want to talk about it, Christian didn’t press further. He decided to go along with the change of topic.
“Yeah, I heard he owns a large palm plantation. Started the business about three years ago and he’s come a long way since then.” Written Authoress Winnie. B. Onuh.
“Wow, just three years?” Winnie said, looking around. “And this place is already this busy and amazing? The owner must be really dedicated and persistent. He’s done so well for himself.”
“Well, you could say that,” Christian muttered, feeling a sense of pride at her praises. Just then, one of his employees walked over to acknowledge him, but Christian shot him a warning glare, silently telling him to keep quiet. He wasn’t ready to tell Winnie that the business belonged to him—or that she was the first female friend he’d ever brought there.
By the time Winnie got home, it was a few minutes to five in the evening. She parked her car and tossed the keys to the driver, who was already waiting nearby to take over. Written by Authoress Winnie. B. Onuh.
She noticed her husband’s car parked in the garage, which meant he was already home. Shrugging, she walked inside. Written by Authoress Winnie. B. Onuh.
As she stepped into the living room, she was met with an unexpected sight—her husband, mother-in-law, and co-wife all seated like they had been waiting for her. The atmosphere was tense.
Winnie glanced at each of them briefly before addressing her husband. “You’re home early,” she said, then began walking further into the house.
“Where are you coming from, Winnie?” Solomon barked.
Winnie paused and turned slightly toward him. “I went to grab a few things from the supermarket, then I ran into a friend from the gym—a male friend, actually—and we went for a drink,” she replied calmly and truthfully.
“Have you lost your damn mind?!” Solomon exploded, rising to his feet. The thought of his wife having a drink with another man was driving him mad.
Winnie let out a slight chuckle. “You asked me a question, and I gave you an honest answer. So why all the yelling?”
“A married woman going out for drinks with another man? Are you stupid?!” he shouted.
“Why are you really angry, Solomon?” Winnie snapped, stepping closer until they were face-to-face, eyes locked in a fierce glare. “You took a new, young wife the same day we lost our child. I bet you even slept with her that same night, without a shred of sorrow. So why are you mad that I had a drink with someone else? You can do it, but I can’t?”
“You’re my wife!” Solomon bellowed.
But Winnie’s voice rose even louder. “And you’re my husband! I became your wife because I chose to marry you. I gave you that title—so don’t you dare stand there and yell at me like I’m your maid!”
Anita swallowed hard, watching the cold and fiery exchange between husband and wife. She wished it would all be over soon. With a soft cough, she reached for the divorce papers on the table and slowly walked toward them, one hand on her stomach and the other on her forehead, like she was battling a deep migraine.
“Baby… you both are screaming so loud. It’s disturbing the baby,” she said in a weak voice, lifting the document for Solomon to see—the very reason they had all been waiting for Winnie to return.
Solomon glanced at Anita for a brief moment, then turned his eyes back to Winnie.
“I want a divorce,” he said coldly.
Winnie stared at them blankly, then glanced at the document in Anita’s hand, and finally met Anita’s eyes. “I let you share my husband, and now you want him all to yourself?”
Anita narrowed her eyes slightly, her voice sharp. “I have nothing to do with this. Please, don’t glare at me like that. It’s not good for my baby.”
Winnie chuckled coldly, as though she’d just heard a joke. “I hope you’re really pregnant, because your little show is getting pretty interesting.”
“You will leave my pregnant wife out of this and sign these divorce papers!” Solomon shouted, his voice firm.
“So now you really care about your pregnant wife?” Winnie said, her eyes locking onto Solomon’s with a hurt she could no longer hide. But after a moment, her expression turned cold, all traces of warmth disappearing.
She snatched the document from Anita’s hand, opened her bag, and pulled out a pen.
“Very well then, Solomon,” Winnie said, her tone cold and calculated. “I will sign the papers, but as your wife for the last nine years—and with our court wedding—I’m entitled to equal shares of your properties, especially since I contributed significantly to the building of some of them.”
“That’s a lie! You’ll get nothing!” Mama suddenly sprang forward, her voice sharp with anger.
“Old woman, no one wants to hear your voice here,” Winnie shot back, her tone dismissive. She turned her attention back to Solomon. “And since I’ll no longer be married to your son in a few minutes, I guess I won’t have to call you Mama anymore. You don’t deserve that title.”
She paused for a moment, then continued, her gaze fixed firmly on Solomon. “As I was saying, Solomon, I won’t ask for much. The boutique at ShopRite is mine now—though, to be honest, it’s always been mine. My car remains my property, and I’ll still be living in this house. But not in the main house—I’ll take the boy’s quarters. Agreed?” Written by Mhiz Winnie Onuh.
Solomon, who had expected his wife to ask for half of his properties, was shocked by her request. Without realizing it, he fell right into Winnie’s trap and agreed immediately.
“Alright, done.”
“Good. And one more thing,” Winnie added, her voice sharp, “I won’t be restricted from coming into this mansion.”
“No, I won’t allow that!” Anita screamed, her anger bubbling over. “This woman is a witch! She—”
“Hey… hey… hey,” Winnie cut her off, glaring. “You’re not the madam of the house yet. I haven’t signed the papers, remember?” Written by Authoress Winnie. B. Onuh.
Anita quickly fell silent, her mouth snapping shut as she waited for Solomon’s response.
Solomon, torn between still wanting Winnie around and his bruised pride, nodded reluctantly. “Okay.”
“Now, that’s all good,” Winnie said with a smile, picking up her pen and signing the divorce papers. Instead of feeling pain, her heart was brimming with excitement. The thought of living her single life under the roof of a jealous ex-husband was something she couldn’t wait to explore.
To be continued.
Becoming more interesting