Chapter 6 Under his roof

The first night Cynthia-Rose slept in Chief Fredrick Mba's house did not feel like victory. It felt like relocation. Like she had packed her fears in a small box and carried them into a bigger space.

The room they prepared for her was larger than her entire family's flat. Soft lights, cream walls. A bed wide enough to swallow her whole. There was a walk-in closet already filled with clothes she did not choose. Shoes lined up neatly. Jewelry placed carefully on a glass table.

She stood in the middle of the room and turned slowly. "So this is how peace looks" she muttered. "Expensive."

A soft knock came at the door. "Come in" she said.

Chief Fredrick Mba stepped inside, not too close, not too far. He had changed into something simple, no suit, no public face. Just a man in his own house.

"Are you comfortable?" he asked.

"It's fine" she replied.

He nodded once. "If you need anything, let the staff know." She almost laughed. Staff. The word still felt strange in her mouth.

"Am I a guest?" she asked suddenly.

He paused. "No."

"Then what am I?"

He looked at her carefully before answering. "You're my future wife."

The words sounded heavy in the quiet room. "And tonight?" she pressed.

"Tonight, you rest" he said calmly.

She studied him, trying to understand the man behind the power. "You're not in a hurry?"

That sentence made her stomach tighten. She didn't respond.

"I know this is not easy," he continued. "But you will not be disrespected here."

She folded her arms. "Respect is different from freedom."

"Yes," he agreed. "But one is a good start."

There was nothing else to say. He gave a small nod and left the room.

When the door closed, Cynthia-Rose exhaled deeply. She hadn't realized she was holding her breath. She sat on the edge of the bed and stared at her phone. Messages were still pouring in. Some were congratulations, some were questions, while some were warnings.

One message stood out.

'Are you okay?' - Tola.

She hesitated before replying. 'I'm fine.'

Another message came immediately. 'Are you sure? This thing looks sudden o.'

Cynthia-Rose smiled sadly. Sudden for them, long for her.

'I'll call you tomorrow' she typed.

She dropped the phone and lay back. The ceiling above her was smooth and spotless, not cracked like the one back home. For the first time in years, she knew rent would not be a problem, hospital bills would not be a threat, and Chuka's school fees would be paid on time.

Yet why did her chest still feel tight?

Sleep came slowly.

The next morning, she woke up to the sound of distant voices and the smell of coffee. For a moment, she forgot where she was. Then it all rushed back. She dressed simply and walked downstairs. Two housemaids greeted her at the same time.

"Good morning, madam."

The word hit her differently this time.

"Morning" she replied softly. Chief Fredrick Mba was already seated at the dining table, reading through documents. He looked up as she approached.

"You slept?" he asked.

"A little" she answered.

He gestured to the chair opposite him. "Eat."

Breakfast was quiet. The kind of silence that wasn't awkward, just unfamiliar.

After a few minutes, he spoke. "There will be press outside today."

Her fork paused mid-air. "Press?"

"Yes," he said calmly. "News travels fast in Lagos."

She swallowed. "And what am I supposed to say?"

"The truth," he replied. "That we are getting married."

She let out a small breath. "They will talk."

"They already are." he said.

She looked at him carefully. "Doesn't it bother you?"

"No" he answered honestly. "I have lived long enough to know people talk today and forget tomorrow."

"I haven't," she said quietly.

He watched her for a moment. "You will learn."

After breakfast, she stepped outside with him. Just as he predicted, cameras flashed immediately. Journalists called out her name. Some shouted questions about love. Others whispered about the age gap.

The cameras clicked louder.

Chief Fredrick Mba placed a hand lightly at her back, not pushing, not holding too tight, just present. Together, they walked back inside. Once the door closed, the noise faded.

She turned to him immediately. "That won't be the last of it?"

"No," he agreed.

She studied him carefully. "Are you sure you're ready for what people will say about you?"

He gave a small smile. "Cynthia-Rose, people have been talking about me long before you. The difference now is that you are involved."

She looked away. "Exactly."

He stepped closer, not invading her space, but near enough for his voice to soften. "You are stronger than you think."

She let out a small, tired laugh. "I hope so."

Upstairs later, alone in her room, she stared at herself in the mirror. The girl looking back at her looked calm, composed, almost powerful.

But deep down, she knew something had shifted.

She was no longer just surviving. She was now part of something bigger, something controlled, something watched.

And as her phone buzzed again with new headlines and fresh gossip, one thought settled quietly in her chest.

Saying yes was the easy part.

Living with it would be something else entirely.