Did he really just give her that? they wondered collectively, their thoughts filled with disbelief. That's his beloved Rolex! The one he always flaunts! What on earth is going on?
Internally, the queen's mind was reeling. 'This… this can't be happening. Why is he suddenly being generous? He hates her, doesn't he?'
King Ikechukwu glanced at his son, then at Nnenna. Though his face remained unreadable, the slight furrow of his brow betrayed his curiosity. 'What changed?' he thought. 'Why does it feel like the tide is shifting in her favor?'
Nnenna looked down at the watch, her fingers curling around it gently. A flicker of determination lit her eyes. 'Whatever you fire at me, I'll use it to my advantage. Let's see how long you can all keep up this charade.'
The silence in the room grew thicker, broken only by the soft ticking of the elegant watch in her hand.
If Queen Chioma hadn't been carefully maintaining her façade as a loving mother, she would have outright demanded an explanation from Obinna then and there. 'What on earth is wrong with this boy?' she thought, her forced smile twitching slightly at the corners. Her mind raced with questions she couldn't ask openly in front of everyone.
Meanwhile, Nnenna, noticing the tension bubbling beneath the surface, put on her most radiant smile, masking the flicker of disbelief she still felt at Obinna's sudden generosity. "Thank you, Brother," she said sweetly, holding up the watch as though it were the most precious thing she had ever received. "I knew you wouldn't give me just any random gift. I like this watch very much. Thank you again!"
Obinna's grin widened as if her words had completely erased his earlier misstep. "You're welcome, you're welcome," he said eagerly, a note of genuine pleasure in his voice.
For a moment, he stood there awkwardly, as though debating whether to offer her something else. His hands fidgeted at his sides, but when he found nothing else on him that he considered worthy, he settled for nodding at her in satisfaction.
Queen Chioma, on the other hand, decided firmly that she would interrogate Obinna later. There's no way this is normal, she thought suspiciously. 'Why is my second son acting like this? What's changed?'
She looked over at her husband, hoping he would react, but King Ikechukwu remained stoic, his piercing eyes watching the scene unfold as though analyzing every subtle shift in the atmosphere.
The queen cleared her throat, forcing herself to regain composure. "Well, that's very generous of you, Obinna," she said lightly, though her words carried an undertone of disbelief. "It seems you've truly embraced the role of a caring older brother."
Obinna nodded proudly. "Of course. Family is everything."
The queen's forced smile didn't falter, but internally, she was fuming. 'Family is everything? Since when has he ever believed that?'
Nnenna simply smiled and clutched the watch tighter, enjoying the tension that hung in the air. 'This is turning out to be more entertaining than I expected,' she mused, her eyes gleaming with quiet triumph.
Queen Chioma gestured toward Chidera, waving him over with an encouraging smile. "Chidera, come forward and give your sister the gift you prepared for her. And don't forget to apologize for your earlier actions," she added, her tone firm but sweet, as if that would mask the underlying command.
Chidera hesitated for a moment, but then sauntered over, his usual air of arrogance clinging to him like a shadow. He held a small box in one hand while flipping through his phone in the other, showing just how little he cared about the moment.
When he finally reached Nnenna's bedside, he looked down at her with an icy smirk. "Apologize? Really? Fine," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Then, he leaned slightly closer, dropping the pretense of formality. "I'm sorry you don't know your place," he said quietly but deliberately, his words sharp as a blade.
Nnenna froze for a moment, her polite mask cracking slightly as her fingers tightened around the watch Obinna had given her. She locked eyes with him, her gaze cool and unwavering, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing her flinch.
Chidera straightened, his smirk deepening as he continued, "If you knew your place, you wouldn't be struggling with me for what rightfully belongs to me. You can't really blame me for pushing you down, can you? Besides," he added with a mock shrug, "your life isn't worth much anyway."
The room went eerily silent. Even Ebere's carefully crafted expression faltered for a moment, her lips twitching in amusement. King Ikechukwu's eyes narrowed slightly, though he said nothing.
Without waiting for a response, Chidera tossed the small box onto Nnenna's lap, as though the act of handing it to her was beneath him. "Anyway, here's your gift. Hope you like it," he said carelessly, his tone making it clear he couldn't care less if she did.
Nnenna stared at the thin but slightly long box for a moment, her heart tightening at his words. 'He really thinks I'm worth nothing, doesn't he?' she thought bitterly. But she forced herself to keep her expression calm and composed. Slowly, she picked up the small box, her movements graceful yet deliberate.
"Thank you, Brother," she said softly, her tone polite but distant. Her eyes met his again, and this time, there was a flicker of defiance in them. 'I'll show you just how much I'm worth.'
Chidera sneered, but before he could say anything else, King Ikechukwu cleared his throat, stepping forward to intervene. "Chidera," he said firmly, his voice carrying an edge of warning.
Chidera rolled his eyes but stepped back, muttering something under his breath. Queen Chioma clapped her hands lightly, trying to diffuse the tension. "Now, now, let's all get along," she said with a forced laugh, though the tightness in her voice betrayed her discomfort.
Nnenna glanced at the foot long box and let out a humorless laugh, a mix of bitterness and disbelief swelling within her. 'This is ridiculous, she thought. What exactly do these people take me for?'