Amari
 
Nathan is in the study taking care of something he won’t tell me what and I am searching all over the four-storey mansion for Mrs Gail. I finally give up and ask one of the maids, who points me to the direction of the pool. 
“Mrs Gail!” I am so shocked. I rub my eyes to be sure I am seeing correctly. 
“Oh, Hi, Dear,” she greets and sips a very colorful drink as if none of this is weird.
“What are you wearing?” I ask, still shocked.
“Oh, this?” she asks and completely goes on a tangent. “Do you know that you can order any clothing and it comes within minutes? Nathan said I can order anything. These people don’t disappoint. Everything is on point,” she says and continues to sip on her drink. “I can’t believe that God has blessed me with a wealthy bestie at my old age,” she adds, while I look at her in disbelief.  
“Nathan said you can have anything you want, and you order a costume, hat and shades?” I ask and she laughs at me. 
“You should check my wardrobe. The designer said I am the most elegant customer she has ever had, but then again, she would say anything to make money.”
I look at her, speechless. She has gotten so used to this new reality, while I just want to return to my own life.
“You look flushed, come and sunbathe with me.”
“No, you come and get dressed so we can go home.”
“Home? This is your home now, child.”
I shake my head. 
“This mansion is exquisite, and nothing I have ever seen, but it’s not home. It is far and detached from family,” I tell her, and she waves her hand dismissively.
“I don’t know what you are on about because you don’t even have a social life. Nathan must just bring the church here and you will be happy.”
“That’s not true,” I say, sounding more defensive than I intended. I just don’t like chatting about nonsense and gossiping. It does not mean I don’t have any social life. “Home is home and this place, no matter how nice it is, can never be!” I snap at her and immediately feel bad. I seem to have lost control of my emotions lately. I curse inside when familiar hands snake around my waist. I did not realize that Nathan was around. The last thing I need is him feeling bad about this and spending too much to make me happy.
“Nathan, I…”
“You are right. This is not home. I did not expect it to be, and I have a surprise for you.”
I turn to look at him and he flashes me his mysterious smile before nibling on my lobe. “I know my wife.”
That voice, the warmth of his breath on my skin and what he is doing on my lobe raise electric impulses that immediately get my heart racing and my body all fired up. 
“Nathan!” I cry when he whisks me off my feet and hurries to our chambers. An hour later, I am lying on his chest like a smitten puppy. I was wrong. This man is my home.
He casually tells me that he has an interview to do before we return to our apartment. I leave him to do that and find Mrs Gail in the lounge.
“Come watch,” she says the moment she sees me. 
“I don’t like social media, Mrs Gail,’ I tell her. I deleted that the day Ella told the world that I am a prostitute and people I never met started cursing me. 
“Well, you should load it again because you are a celebrity now, and you might want to see your hubby bury that gold-digger you call a cousin.”
Her last statement sends me rushing to sit next to her. 
“He is doing the interview with Brother Lione?” I inquire, finding it strange that he chose Lione, who is still trying to find his feet in journalism. 
“Yes, my bestie is the best. This is big for Lione.” 
I study the old woman. She is right, but sometimes I start doubting that she is my mother’s age. 
“What? I am a hype old lady,” she declares as if she read my mind.
She definitely is. 
We sit quietly watching Nathan get introduced as the wealthiest man in the country. 
“Mr Lord, your ex has made a lot of statements. I believe she and her paparazzi have been camping on your gate since this morning. It is clear to everyone who has listened to her that she wants you back. Any comments on this?”
“Ella is at the gate?” I ask in disbelief. No wonder Nathan has been stalling about returning to our apartment. 
“Yes, she is making a scene out there. Nathan did not want to worry you.”
I only shake my head and listen to the interview.
“A lot of people have a one-sided view into the materialistic bimbo I am even ashamed to call an ex. That is because the media always projects a very skewed view of her. Let me introduce her to you,” Nathan says coldly, and I can’t help but flinch. He is angry. Now, I am curious to know what Ella is saying out there. 
“Ella, Micheal and I, were childhood friends.  She and I, as she proudly stated did date since our school days. I can say without doubt that there was no love there. She loved Micheal, but he was too poor, so she dated me and sneaked out with him behind my back. If you look at these videos, you will see that her affair dated back at least ten years.”
My jaw drops at the explicit videos of Ella and Micheal together. I wonder if they are the reason Nathan is so mad. 
After the videos, there are medical records of Ella’s abortion. That was three years ago.
“She denied this, but Micheal was telling the truth. I don’t know about you, but a woman who kills her own child to be with the man she does not love, just for money, is worse than whore. She treated me like a dog when I lost everything. She did the same to Micheal last night, and to her parents just this morning,” Nathan continues before recordings of Ella at our wedding plays. Her disgust at Nathan and the names she called him, get me really mad. How dare she shows up here and act all innocent after all this?
“This woman, with the help of our immoral media, is out there shedding crocodile tears. She has the audacity to drag my wife into the mud!” Nathan is now shouting and his whole face is now trembling. 
“I can tell that you are really upset about this, Mr Lord,” Brother Lione says softly. 
Upset is an understatement. Nathan’s eyes are blazing. I have never seen him so angry.
“As you all know, Amari was tricked into marrying me. I was a poor, useless cripple to Ella, her parents and everyone I thought was a friend. In that destitute state, she loved me unconditionally. She took me in and made me realized that I never knew what love was. She treasured me and took care of me. Despite what that wretched woman says about her, my wife was a virgin when we consummated our marriage. Everyone who knows her will tell you this. I was her first and anyone to suggest otherwise is just disrespectful, malicious and I will not stand for it. I need everyone clear on this one thing. I don’t care what you write about me, but my wife is where I draw the line. Every idiot out there who has so much as uttered nonsense about my wife must get lawyered up, because I am coming for you. Guess what? I have the means to take all of you all the way to hell and back!”