***
The familiar figures seated opposite Sir Amadi made me freeze. What did they want? Had they come to drag me home with them? Now, I couldn't be happier Raheem had followed me. With him around, they wouldn't be able to harm me.
"You sent for me, sir," I said.
Sir Amadi glared at Raheem. "Why is he here?"
"Why?" Raheem asked, seemingly unaffected. "Hate me that much, good sir?" Turning to me, he said, "I'll be in the reception."
"You don't have to go," I said. "It's all fine. You know everything already anyway. With you here I know no harm will come my way. For all I care, they're murderers. They killed Bruno. They can do that to even me."
"That is no way to speak of your family," Sir Amadi said.
"Family?" I asked. "No, sir! This woman is no mother of mine, and I certainly don't know that girl sitting beside her!"
Cynthia gasped as the words left my lips. She could never have thought I'd ever speak about them like this. And surprisingly, I could never have thought so myself.
Vacating her seat, my stepmother turned to look at me. Her eyes glistened with tears. "My daughter. I know you hate me. And I deserve it. I know I've been unfair to you. I know I never gave you the love you needed, but please believe me when I say I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry. I never intended for things to go this far."
She hiccupped between sobs. "Bruno's death was a mistake. The poisoned bread was meant for the rats disturbing the house."
"Mum, please," Cynthia said. "Stop it. There was never any rat. It was your plan to kill him, and you did it, showing no remorse."
For once in her life, my supposed sister had given humanity a chance. I could only stare in awe. I'd be fooled if I didn't know the people before me were skilled actresses. How long had it taken them to rehearse their roles? A day? Two?
My stepmother sobbed like a child. "What was I to do? At a tender age I was attacked by a vicious dog. That encounter instilled in me a fear of dogs, and I've never been able to live through it. For this reason, I never want to be around dogs. They make me relive that painful moment. Seeing that dog in our house scared me into thinking it would hurt one of you. I didn't want that. I did what I had to do for my children."
"Bruno never posed a threat, and you know that," I said. It took much effort not to yell. But I didn't know for how long I could keep my emotions in check.
"I'm sorry, my child. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me."
"Is that all, Mrs. Brown?" I asked. "Have you come all the way to fill my head with lies? Do I look like a fool to you? Your crocodile tears don't fool me. You should know that by now."
"Stop it!" Sir Amadi yelled. "This is no way to speak to an elder. I will not condone this. Not in my office!"
"Forgive me if I strike you as disrespectful, sir," I said. "But every ill trait I have, I learnt it from this woman. Now, Mrs. Brown, what do you want?"
"Please come home," she begged. Her request left me speechless. "Please, I beg you. Your departure has left a hole in my heart. I promise to be a better mother. I'll let you have the privilege I deprived you of. I will be your mother. Please, just come home. I'll be better, I promise."
Drawing nearer to me, she glued her palm to my cheek. "My daughter, life has not been the same since you left."
I would be moved into returning with her if I didn't know her intentions. Snatching my face from her evil hold, I put my hands together to applaud her brilliance. "Bravo, mum! Just bravo. I've been away for eight days and you never thought of wanting me back. Why today? Why now? You won't speak? Okay, I'll say it. This morning, my guardian went to speak to you of his plan to take custody of me, and he requires you to give me a monthly pay of thirty-five thousand naira. And you don't want that. You know that it might lead to you facing the child abuse sentence. You know that getting me back and forcing the public to believe you're a good mother would save you from facing the sentence. Prove me wrong."
"Honey, this has nothing to do with your guardian's visit."
The word 'honey' contorted my face with disgust. How dare she call me that, after everything she'd done to me?
"Did he not come to you with the custody request?" I asked.
"He did. But?but-"
"There," I said. "So I am right after all. You are the same conniving snake you always have been. Please, don't try to contact me again. My guardian wouldn't like that. Oh, and in case you're wondering, he's a perfect father figure. And his wife, she's everything you're not. Their children treat me like I'm a part of their family, and in their company I don't even let my mind wander off to people like you. You can rot in your sea of riches for all I care. I, Victoria Brown, refuse to keep being your slave."
My stepmother fell at my feet. Gripping my ankles, she said, "My daughter. I'd do anything. Anything-"
"Can you bring Bruno back to life?" I asked. Only when she brought him back would I return to being her loyal dog.
Tears spilling out of her eyes, she shook her head. "No, you know I do not have the power to-"
Seething, I snatched my legs from her grip. "Then how dare you take his life like he meant nothing? How dare you, mum?"
"I'm sorry, my child. I'm sorry-"
"Don't call me that," I yelled. "You've never called me your daughter or treated me like one, so do me a favor and stay away from me."
"You can't possibly ask me to do that," she begged. "Please just give me one chance to prove myself to you. Return home, please."
"Come near me again and I will publish a newspaper article of everything you've been doing to me since dad's death. Everything, from your words that cut deep like a two-edged sword, to the scars you've inflicted on me. And I mean every word I say."
With that, I stormed out of the office. Raheem trailed behind me like a bodyguard.