Being married to George has been one hell of a rollercoaster.
We've known each other for ten years and I could say that he is my best friend or used to be.
He became a shadow of his former self, shortly after we got married, three years ago, and turned totally callous towards me.
The first thing I noticed was that, he started seeing a lot of women.
And whenever I challenged him, he would batter me to pulp.
Almost all of my families and friends got to know about the situation as time went by and they adviced me to leave George but I just couldn't.
Something kept holding me back to him, so I stayed.
I started to cut ties with a few intrusive family and friends, because I was tired of listening to their unsolicited advices.
I believed George was going to change.
And he did eventually after our biggest fight ever, this year.
But, just when we were about making up for the past, the cold hands of death snatched him away from the world.
The day he died, I wasn't home.
I was going to see my lawyer to withdraw the divorce lawsuit, that I filed when our big fight happened.
Before I could even present the suit to him, he started to apologise for all he had done to me.
He kept apologising for a week straight that even when the suit was ready, I couldn't serve him the papers.
I always knew George loved me.
Just didn't know it had to take this big fight to make him realise how much.
'Enough of the lovey-dovey act, George.' I recalled our little conversation before leaving the house that morning.
'I can't, Martha. You know I love you.' George said to me.
'And you know that I love you too. But, I really need to go see my lawyer.' I replied.
'Why don't you just call her up to come here, instead?' Goeorge asked.
'This is official business, George. We can't just talk about the divorce withdrawal in front of you. After all you weren't there when I decided to file for the divorce in the first place.' I told him.
'You see that's the problem, babe. Each time you leave the house, I always feel like you wouldn't come back to me.' George said.
'Come on, honey. How long have you known me?' I asked.
'10 years.' George replied.
'And we've been married for?' I asked.
'3 years.' George muttered.
'I will never leave you, George, not anymore. Except you're the one leaving, of course.' I said and he scoffed.
'See the divorce thing was a misunderstanding and I understand better now. I love you, George.' I added before he could say a word.
'You know, I just find it hard to believe that you've forgiven me completely.' George faltered.
'I have forgiven you, George. Stop being paranoid. I'd be back shortly, you have nothing to worry about.' I assured him and leaned in for a kiss.
He took my lips in his gently and it felt beautiful.
'Gosh, I missed this.' I thought.
'I wish it never ended.' I said to him after he broke the kiss.
'Don't let it end, then?' George teased me.
'You know what?' I threw a rhetoric.
'I will make sure I return within an hour and give you some sugar.' I said before he could reply my rhetorical question.
'Yes, I'd love that very much.' George said, sounding husky and I giggled.
Planted a short kiss on his lips again and I walked out.
He walked me to the car and I headed out of our house.
I got to my lawyer's office after an hour and withdrew the suit.
She kept asking if I was certain that I really wanted to take that step, and I assured her that everything was back to normal.
I signed a few documents and I left Lara's office.
I stopped by at the supermarket a few blocks away from our house, to pick up some groceries and I drove home.
As I drove back home, all I could think about was sensual love making with my husband after dinner.
Almost immediately, I spotted a couple of police vehicles and an ambulance outside our building.
I parked outside the gate immediately I arrived outside our building, and got down from the car.
As I walked into the compound, I saw our security men standing by the car park.
'What is going on here?' I barked at them.
'Why are there police vehicles outside my house?' I added.
'Madam,' Audu, one of the security men from Northern Nigeria replied.
'What is happening?' I started to lose my temper.
'It's our boss.' Audu added.
'What do you mean, "it's our boss"? What happened to my husband?' I queried and started to run inside the main chambers, leaving Audu muttering inaudible words.
The security men followed me in.
The front door was opened so I just walked in.
They was alot of police men in the living room and most of them gathered at a particular spot.
I moved closer to them to see what they were all looking at.
'You need to be very calm, Madam.' One of the officers said, trying to stop me from going to her other colleagues.
'This is my house and you can't stop me from finding out what the hell you're all doing here.' I blurted sternly and proceeded forward.
'Step aside.' I order literally pushing two of the policemen out of my way.
I forced my way into their gathering and what I saw almost made me lose my mind.
'No way!' I screamed, staring at my husband in the pool of his own blood.
'Noooooo!!!' I fell to the ground and grabbed his lifeless body.
'George, please don't do this to me. You can't leave me.' I cried.
A few of the officers tried to pull me away from George but I struggled to stay back.
'Baby, wake up. You can not do this me.' I wept bitterly.
As I cried I caught a glimpse of my housekeeper, Amaka, who was also sobbing softly at the corner of the room.
'Amaka!!!' I barked at her.
'Where were you when this happened?' I queried.
'How did this happen?' I spat.
'You need to be calm, ma'am.' The female officer, who tried to stop me earlier, said.
'Do not tell me to be calm.' I barked at her.
'You have no right to tell me that.' I added.
'My husband has been murdered in cold blood and you are telling me to be calm?'
'Ma'am,' The officer moved closer.
'We will do everything that we can to fish out the culprit. But, you need to work with us.' She said as she squatted beside me.
'We can not get justice for the deceased if you don't let us investigate properly. We're taking his blood sample for forensic tests, with your permission, of course. Then, we'd send his body to a pathologist for autopsy.' She added.
'And how would that get justice for my husband?' I blurted.
'Once we find out the cause of his death, it would make the investigation towards finding the culprit easier.' The officer replied.
'Please, find the person who did this to my husband.' I said to her and she assured me they would.
'Young lady, please call a few of her family or friends, and inform them about what happened. She shouldn't stay alone.' Another officer said to Amaka.
'Please get up, ma'am.' The female officer said, as she aided me get up.
'We would take it from here.' She added and the paramedics took George's body out of the house.
Shortly the police officers left too after taking the workers' statements.
I took a shower after they left and decided to have a short discussion with Amaka before my family members arrived.
As I walked down the stairs, I saw Amaka mopping off George's pool of blood.
'You're cleaning up your mess?' I muttered after I got behind her.
'Madam.' Amaka startled.
'Why did you kill him?' I fired.
'Why did you kill my husband, Amaka?' I added.
'Madam, I didn't kill my boss ooo. God is my witness.' Amaka cried as she spoke.
'You and I both know that you are the only one in this estate who have a motivation to kill him.' I accused her.
'No ooo. No, Madam.' Amaka denied the accusation.
'What would I gain by killing my boss?' She asked me.
'Don't play smart with me, Amaka. I know you killed him.' I shrieked and grabbed her arms.
'Why did you kill my husband, Amaka? How could you do this to me? Just because he forced his way with you? Is that enough reason to murder my husband?' I blurted.
'Yes, it is!!' Amaka shouted and broke free from my grip.
'It is enough reason to want to kill my boss, ma'am.' Amaka spat.
'He destroyed my life. He made me feel less of myself, every single time that I think about what he did to me.' She added.
'But, what did you do when it all happened?' She queried.
'Amak...' I tried to speak.
'No, Madam. Not another excuse.' Amaka cut me off.
'You did nothing about it, despite knowing all that happened.' She wept.
'Your husband molested me and I'm sorry to say, but he deserved whatever happened to him.' She proclaimed.
'Amaka??!' I cried.
'My boss deserved to die, Madam, I know that. But I did not kill him.' Amaka said.
'And honestly, I wish I did.' She added.
'The person who did this just got to him before I could.' She uttered and handed the mopping stick to me.
'Since I didn't make the mess, I shouldn't be the one cleaning it. He's your husband and you always covered up for him anyway. But honestly, I'm really sorry for you loss. I know how you feel.' She added and walked pass me.
'Amaka?' I stopped her.
'Yes?' Amaka turned back to reply.
'I need you to do me a favour.' I said.
'What is the favour?' Amaka rolled her eyes and asked.
'Don't tell anyone about what George did to you, please.' I said to her.
'What? Why?' Amaka asked.
'Because, it's going to make everything complicated.' I replied.
'Make everything complicated? For who?' Amaka fired.
'For you, Amaka.' I said.
'How's that?' Amaka asked.
'You could be tagged a suspect and be arrested because the police will think the reason you killed him was because he raped you.' I replied.
'But, I already told Audu about it.' Amaka said.
'Why?' I asked with shock.
'He saw me crying and kept disturbing me until I told him. My brother knows too, by the way.' Amaka replied.
'I hope he doesn't tell the police about it.' I muttered.
'I don't care. They have no prove that I did it and as a matter of facts, I saw the person who did this and I already told the police about it.' Amaka said and I almost didn't believe my ears.
'You.. saw who ki..lled my husband?' I struggled to speak.
'Yes. I saw the person all dressed in black and was coming out of our building. Although, the person mounted on a bike and zoomed off before I alighted from the taxi.' Amaka replied.
'Did you see the person's face? You gave description of what he looked like to the police already, right?' I blurted anxiously.
'His face was covered so I didn't see what he looked like.' Amaka replied.
'Oh my God!!' I gasped and tears rolled down my face.
'Why did this have to happen?' I cried.
'Well, he hurt people.' Amaka blurted.
'Will you please stop your nonsense, Amaka?' I scrawled.
'I know George is a terrible person but he already realise all of his mistakes and was trying to become a better person.' I cried.
'Why wasn't he given a chance to?' I questioned no one in particular.
'Why did this have to happen now?' I cried bitterly and fell to the ground.
I guess Amaka felt uncomfortable staring at me break down, at some point.
'The culprit will be found, Madam.' As she knelt beside me and she held my shoulders.
'Even if it's not for his sake, but for yours. You deserve that closure, Madam.' She said to me.
'Amaka, I am so sorry for what happened. I'm so sorry I didn't let you speak up when George did what he did to you.' I cried.
'Even if he was arrested and sentenced to jail, it would have been better than to see him die like this. I should have let you report him, maybe he wouldn't have died.' I lamented and I could see that it broke Amaka's heart.
'How did he find such a wonderful woman like you?' Amaka blurted as tears started to well up in her eyes.
'Why do you even love him so much? He never treated you right.' She puzzled.
'George is everything to me, Amaka. I still find it hard to believe he's gone.' I muttered.
'Everything is going to be fine, Madam. Everything will be fine.' Amaka said to me.
'You'd get through this.' She added and her tears rolled down her cheeks.
'You're a good person, Amaka.' I muttered after I heard Amaka's words.
'When all of this is over, I'd give you something you will never forget. Something that will change your life forever.' I added.
'You don't have to give me anything, Madam.' Amaka said.
'No, you deserve it. And you have no other choice.' I insisted and Amaka nodded.
Then, she took the mop from me and decided to clean the floor, so I could mourn my husband.
Shortly after cleaning, my acquaintances arrived and Amaka brought them to my bedroom.
They consoled me and stay with me all through the rest of the day.
Made sure I ate and went to sleep before they left, while some stayed back.
A week after, the autopsy came out and no other DNA was found on George except mine.
The forensic report also showed that he was stabbed to death on his manhood and chest.
When the police officers brought the forensic report, Amaka was arrested.
According to them, one of the security men told them about what the deceased did to Amaka, so they concluded she was the prime suspect.
And the fact that George was stabbed on his groin made matters worst.
Although I knew Amaka didn't do it, but I didn't want to take a step personally.
So I made my lawyer, Lara, post Amaka's bail on the ground that her DNA was not found on the deceased or crime scene.
And the estate surveillance did show the killer going in and out of the building, after Amaka got off a taxi.
Amaka returned to my house after she was released and continued to work, because she had no other source of livelihood.
George was buried, shortly after Amaka's liberation and another problem started.
His extended family from Asaba, came to the house and started to pressurise me to hand over all of George's properties to them, since I didn't bore him a child.
The pressure persisted until I had no other choice but to call George's lawyer to give his family 50% share of his properties, as I was his next of kin.
But surprisingly to them, George already had a will.
His lawyer, Sean, came by the following week to read his will.
The content in George's will created a big ruckus during the reading.
Sean informed everyone that George stated in his will, that 20% of his property and money should be shared amongst his extended family, since he was an orphan.
Then, 60% should be given to me, his wife for sticking with him through thick and thin.
And the 20% left should be given to his housekeeper, Amaka.
Every single member of George's family had a problem with how the reading went.
This time, they forgot about their major enemy, me, and focused on Amaka.
They asked, why would she be given a part of their son's property, when she was not a member of the family.
It took Sean's intervention to calm the chaos.
Sean warned them all that the deceased also stated that if they created any problems after the reading, they wouldn't be able to gain access to their share of the property.
Then, Sean handed some documents to me to sign, as the next of kin, before taking his leave.
After he left, George's families present at the meeting started leaving too, in discontent.
'Madam, I promise that I didn't know anything about this. I will give everything back to you. I don't want any property.' Amaka said to me after every member of George's family left.
'I'm aware George gave these things to you and I don't have a problem with it.' I assured her, but Amaka was still uncomfortable.
'Remember that I told you I was going to change your life?' I asked and Amaka nodded in affirmation.
'Start a new life with your share. Stand on your own two feet and no man will do to you what George did to you ever again.' I told Amaka.
'Thank you, Madam.' Amaka sobbed.
'I really can't believe this.' She muttered.
'Well, you have to. You deserve it, Amaka.' I said.
'You are an amazing person. Let's just say this is compensation for all your hard work.' I added.
'Okay, Madam. But, I need just one thing.' Amaka said.
'What do you want? I'd give you anything.' I replied.
'I still want to live with you even after I start up something. I want to be here with you until I, um, maybe find a man. And get married.' Amaka said and chuckled nervously.
'That's perfectly okay. If it's what you want.' I replied.
'Oh my goodness!!!' Amaka squealed, happily.
'Thank you, Madam.' She said.
'Bring it in.' I said and I spread my arms towards her.
Amaka hugged me so passionately and cried happily.
The beeping sound of my phone disrupted the hug.
'Excuse me.' I said and Amaka nodded.
'Hello?' I said after answering the call.
'Good evening, Madam. This is sergeant Bisi.' The person on the other side said and I realised it was the female officer from the day George died.
'Oh, good evening, Sergeant. Any update.?' I asked.
'Absolutely, Madam.' Sergeant Bisi replied.
'I may have some information about the lady who killed your husband.' She added.
'A lady?' I blurted in awe.
'Yes, a lady.' Sergeant Bisi replied from the other side.
'Okay, I'm coming to the station now.' I replied.
'No, not the station. I'd text you an address. Come there instead.' Sergeant Bisi said.
'Why is that?' I asked, a bit surprised.
'Trust me, it's for your own good.' Sergeant Bisi replied.
'I don't understand.' I muttered.
'Just come to the address that I would text you. I will explain everything to you, when you get there.' Sergeant Bisi said.
'Okay, I'd be there.' I replied quietly and Sergeant Bisi hung up shortly after.
'What's going on?' I muttered.
'What is it, Madam?' Amaka asked out of the blue.
'Nothing at all.' I replied and turned to her.
'Everything is okay. I think the police found who killed my husband, so I need to go now.' I added.
'Okay, I'm coming with you.' Amaka said.
'No, you don't have to. I may stay out for a long period of time so I need you to please make dinner before I return.' I replied.
'Of course, Madam.' Amaka said and I headed out of the house.
As I walked to the parking lot, I received the long awaited text from Sergeant Bisi.
And I was asked to come to an old building in one of the ghettos of Lagos.
'Why is she asking to come to a place like this?' I wondered, feeling puzzled.
'I just hope that I am safe.' I muttered and drove out of the compound.
In less than an hour I arrived at the ghetto and parked my car across the street.
Then, I walked down to the building in the address and called Sergeant Bisi.
She instructed me to enter the building and climb up to the 4th floor, which is in fact, the top floor.
'What game are you playing, Sergeant Bisi?' I wondered as I walked inside the building.
I realised the place was still a residential property, when I got in.
I greeted everyone I saw on the hallway nervously, as I walked in.
Climbed the stairs and was on the top floor in a bit.
I got to the hallway on the top floor and saw Sergeant Bisi standing at the other end.
'This is good, if she does not tell me about the killer quickly or tries to act funny, I'd just run out of this place.' I said in her head.
Then, I walked up to her.
'What is going on?' I queried.
'Why did you bring me here?' I added.
'Please, come in.' Sergeant Bisi said as she opened the door she was standing in front of.
I stared into the room and it was close to being empty.
It had just a sofa and a plastic chair in it.
'No, I'm good.' I said to Sergeant Bisi.
'We can not discuss at the corridor. People may be watching.' Sergeant Bisi said.
'I don't care.' I spat.
'Just tell me whatever information it is that you have about my husband's killer and how he or 'she' like you said can be arrested.' I fired.
'Trust me, you don't want to make a fuss about this.' Sergeant Bisi said.
'Come in now, so we can talk. It's for your own good.' She added
'Is that a threat?' I asked.
'No, I'm just stating the obvious.' Sergeant Bisi replied.
'I shouldn't have come here. I just wasted my time.' I uttered and turned to leave.
'Lekan Lewis.' But Sergeant Bisi words halted my steps.
'They call him CooLe.' She added as I turned back and faced her.
'His friends, Akpan and Paul.' She went on.
'Does these names ring a bell, Mrs. Martha Mba-Eze?' Sergeant Bisi asked but I kept mum.
'Well, in that case, allow me refresh your memory.' She said.
'CooLe, Akpan and Paul, were once convicted for allegedly attacking a newly wedded couple at their hotel room on their wedding night. They beat up the groom and raped his bride.' Sergeant Bisi added.
'The bride who happened to be you, Mrs. Mba-Eze.' She went on and tears started to well up in my eyes.
'You reported the case 3 years ago, Mrs. Martha and these men were arrested. But, somehow the court acquitted them all, on the ground that there was no concrete evidence strong enough to sentence them all to prison.' Sergeant Bisi said and my tears rolled down my face freely.
'What.. ha..s that got to do with why you called me here?' I stuttered.
'It has everything to do with the reason I called you here Mrs. Martha.' Sergeant Bisi said.
'Would you like to go in now, so we can talk like civil people?' She asked.
'Just a second.' I replied and held my hand out in front of her, then rip out the body-worn audio recorder on her uniform.
I dropped it on the floor and stomped my feet on it.
'What did you do that for?' Sergeant Bisi steamed, angrily.
While I just walked into the room without replying.
Sergeant Bisi followed suit and she closed the door.
'Have a seat.' She said to me reluctantly, and I proceeded to the sofa.
I sat and Sergeant Bisi also sat on the plastic chair in front of me.
'What did you want to talk about, officer?' I asked.
'Why did you bring me here?' I added.
'I wanted to talk about your supposed rapist, Mrs. Martha.' Sergeant Bisi replied.
'What about them?' I asked.
'Do not tell me that you are not aware, they were all murder by a mystery woman?' Sergeant Bisi queried.
'And what has that got to do with me?' I asked.
'CooLe and his friends were stabbed to death on the groin, and so was your husband.' Sergeant Bisi replied.
'I still don't understand how this explains why you brought me here.' I blurted.
'Late Mr. Mba-Eze was killed that same way few weeks after he allegedly raped your housekeeper, Amaka.' Sergeant Bisi said.
'There is no prove that Amaka did it and you know that, officer.' I fired.
'Plus, I know Amaka and she will never do something like that.' I added.
'What makes you so sure, Mrs. Martha?' Sergeant Bisi asked.
'Is it because you know who the murderer is?' She added.
'I beg your pardon.' I flared up.
'Why did you kill your husband, Mrs. Martha?' Sergeant Bisi fired and I bursted into laughter.
'What's funny?' Sergeant Bisi asked.
'You are. How could you even ask me something like that?' I blurted.
'He was bad to me, but I love him irrespective of whatever he did wrong.' I said and my eyes started to tear up again.
'I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to upset you.' Sergeant Bisi said, starting to feel bad.
'Could you let me see your phone, please?' I asked.
'Sure, here you go.' Sergeant Bisi replied and handed her phone to me.
I switched the phone off and Sergeant Bisi realised that after her hearing aid disconnected.
'What did you do?' Sergeant Bisi asked.
'You are a good person, Sergeant, and I think you deserve to know the truth.' I replied.
'And what's that?' Sergeant Bisi asked.
'You're right that I was gang raped on my wedding night by three men.' I set Sergeant Bisi's phone down, beside me on the sofa I was sitting on.
'My husband and I reported them to the police and they were arrested, but got away with it after ruining my life.' I said.
'George became somebody else entirely after the incident and I totally understood how he felt. I wasn't sure myself, how I would've taken the situation if I was in his shoes, so I didn't complain.'
'He started sleeping with other women and it made me upset, but whenever I complained about it, he'd beat me up.' I sobbed.
'It went on and on for 3 whole years and despite the fact that my family asked me to leave him, I didn't listen to them. I loved George.' I said and Sergeant Bisi listened quietly.
'I kept taking all of his maltreatment until our big fight happened.' I added.
'What led to the big fight?' Sergeant Bisi asked.
'I overheard him over the phone talking to some people who seemed to be blackmailing him and he mentioned a place he needed to meet up with them at.' I replied.
'Did you follow him?' Sergeant Bisi asked.
'Of course, I did.' I replied.
'When I got their spot, I realised his blackmailers were the people who asaulted me.' I added.
'What?!' Sergeant Bisi blurted in shock.
'Why were they blackmailing him?' She added.
'He was the one who hired them to rape me that night, officer. They wanted him to pay them to keep their mouth shut.' I said.
'That can not be true.' Sergeant Bisi blurted in shock and she started to tear up.
'My world crumbled when I found out, officer.' My voice broke.
'I cried when I got back home that day. I felt betrayed and empty.' I wept with Sergeant Bisi.
She reached for my hands and held them firmly.
'And to make matters worse, I confronted him and he told me there was nothing I could to about it and he did that to me to put me in my place, as he was the man and he could do how ever he pleases. What does that even mean?' I wept.
'I thought he loved me. I thought George loved me.' I said.
'So, I decided to file for a divorce and after the meeting with my lawyer I returned home and I realised he had forced his way into my house keeper.' She went on.
'I lost my mind when I saw the poor girl crying.'
'So, I took matters into my own hands, officer.' I concluded and wiped my tears off.
'So, you killed him?' Sergeant Bisi asked in between her tears.
'Not so fast.' I chuckled.
'I killed Lekan first. Then, Akpan a week after.' I said.
'Then, I showed George the video of me killing them and it was so beautiful.' I added.
'So, what did he do?' Sergeant Bisi asked.
'He got scared. He was shocked and started begging to stop it all. But, I killed Paul too and then he knew that I meant business.' I replied.
'He told me, he'd do whatever I wanted and I asked him to create his will, leaving me with 60% of everything he owned, Amaka with 20% and his family members 20%, so there wouldn't suspect anything fishy.' I added.
'And then, I withdrew the divorce suit so I can be sure to have my share of the will without stress.' I laughed hysterically.
'The day I killed him, I sent all of the workers out. Amaka first, to the market. Then, the security guards to the estate CSO meeting which is held weekly. I drove out shortly after they left and I returned all dressed in black on a rented power bike.' I said.
'I walked in freely and George was just in the living room. I stabbed him on the chest before he could overpower me and then, I revealed my face to him. I told him the reason he had to go and stabbed his manhood to death.' I added.
'The end.' I muttered.
Uffhh.' Sergeant Bisi let out a loud breath.
'I still love my husband, officer and it may sound crazy but I just couldn't let him walk freely for committing the same crime that others committed and died.' I said.
'I know that I'm going to spend the rest of my life in jail. But, I am so happy that I got the justice that your law couldn't give me.' I added.
'I'm sorry, Mrs. Martha.' Sergeant Bisi said.
'I understand.' I replied and a knock came on the door.
Sergeant Bisi went to get it and saw it was her team.
'Is everything okay, Sergeant. You were disconnected from all form of communication.' One of her men said.
'Uhm, I'm sorry. My phone died and the record fell off, I couldn't find it.' Sergeant Bisi lied and it took me by surprise.
'What's she trying to do?' I wondered.
'What did she say, Sergeant. Did she confess?' Another officer asked.
'She did nothing wrong officer, I confirmed that.' Sergeant Bisi replied.
'Are you certain, Sergeant?' Another officer asked.
'The lie detector in the sofa proves that, she knows nothing about it.' Sergeant Bisi said.
'So, I need you to drive her home and make sure she gets in safely.' She instructed one of the officers and he obliged.
'Goodbye, Mrs. Martha. My team and I are sorry to have suspected you, to begin with.' She said to me and moved closed to the sofa I was seated.
'Here's the card of a trusted friend of mine, she's a psychologist. Please, promise me to see her and get help through your grieving.' She added and twitches her eyebrows, when she said the word "grieving", and I sure knew what she meant by that.
"Thanks, I will see her.' I got up from the sofa and took the card she offered.
'I would head out now.' Sergeant Bisi said.
"Alright, bye.' I replied and she nodded.
She left with the rest of her team and the police officer she instructed drove me home in my car.
And I got away with my George's murder.
THE END