Your sister in-law is not your sister, your mother-in-law is not your mother, your husband is not your brother. I never believed these words until in-laws happened to me.
I met my husband through his sister who was my best friend. We got married and honestly I felt he was one of the best things that happened to me.
I am a woman with her own money. I am an event planner,a caterer, a decorator and a baker. I also own a double event hall in the heart of Lagos. This means that once you hire me as your event planner, then more than half of your event is covered.
Eight months after our wedding my Father-in-law became sick, my husband had a slow down in business so I took care of my father in-law financially but painfully he passed.
Two years into our marriage we were still trying to conceive. This made me sad but my husband assured me that we still have a lot of time. My mother-in-law would laugh and ask why I was worried at just two years.
“Nne relax, two years it’s nothing. At least the doctor has told you people that both of you are fit and healthy,” she would always tell me.
My mother in-law called one evening and told me she would love to celebrate her 60th birthday as she has never celebrated before.
Mama say no more, I answered and I immediately swung into action. Along the line I realized that the entire family had left the planning and spending for me . I asked my husband for funds but he pleaded with me to do it for their mom.
On the day of the birthday, we had lots of people in attendance. My mother-in-law wouldn’t stop praising me and introducing me to the whole world. I felt special.
My brother-in-law’s girlfriend came with her newborn baby and we all celebrated. Atfiyi stayed away from her but when I saw how friendly and calm she was we flowed.
A day after the birthday ,I had an event planning job and my husband and his family went to pay his brother’s fiance’s bride price.
Two months later I took in. It felt like a miracle to me. We were so happy. Pregnancy journey was smooth and I had my son.
My husband was still not able to get to his feet in business and I kept on taking care of us without complaints.
My sister in-law and best friend got engaged and we had a wedding to plan.
In appreciation to her for being a good friend and a wonderful sister-in-law I gave her a hall, cake, decoration, DJ, and drinks all for free and she was so happy.
I was in my office one afternoon when my phone rang. It was my husband’s cousin. We exchanged pleasantries and she said this to me.
“Babe, you are a good woman with a good heart and that is the reason I don’t want to continue this wickedness with your husband and his family. This family doesn’t deserve you.”
She told me that the lady that came with her son during Mama’s birthday and posed as my brother-in-law’s fiance is actually my husband’s second wife.
That the bride price they went to pay was their traditional wedding.
She sent me a video of that wedding.
That was when it occurred to me that I gave my husband two million naira that period and till date he never told me what he used that money for.
She sent me the message my husband sent to their general family Whatsapp group. His second wife gave birth to a set of twin girls. She sent me her address and told me to go there and see things for myself.
I couldn’t believe my eyes. My husband travelled and would be staying for two weeks. Now it all made sense.
All the travel was him making time for his second family.
I went to the location with my sister and saw things for myself.
I met one of his uncle’s and gave him 100k and that one told me the whole truth.
I was heartbroken not just because my husband betrayed me but because my best friend stood by her brother and watched him tear me into pieces. I saw her dancing and spraying him money in that traditional wedding video.
I didn’t flinch, I played along.
We continued with her wedding preparation, and I gradually started to move my things and a few properties I bought with my money back to my father’s house.
Early in the morning of the said wedding day, I woke my husband and asked him about his second family. He was shocked. Instead of apologizing he tried to blame me for staying up to two years before taking in.
He told me that after eight months of me not being able to conceive, his mother advised him to try another woman that there was no time.
Moreover he had always wanted to have two wives, and since I was able and capable he decided to fund his second wife while I take care of us.
Then came the apology that came with blame and pride.
I didn’t pick a fight, I just wiped my tears. He told me to calm down and that we would talk more after his sister’s wedding.
He left the house and I quietly picked up my remaining clothes and left with my son.
Around 7:00am His sister called me to tell me that the people that went to drop souvenir at the reception hall called to tell her that they were not allowed in and that the hall was being decorated for another couple.
I laughed, “my dear best friend,so you think you are smart. Did you pay me for the hall, No.
Did you pay for decorations, No.
“If you did bring your evidence. Wicked woman.
If it’s easy Go and meet your brother’s second wife to run it for you.“
My phone started ringing up and down but I was gone.
My mother in-law sent me a long voice note pleading that I should not ruin her only daughter’s day but it is what it is.
Last I heard,her man abandoned her for disgracing him.
Wedding was cancelled.
Since selfishness and wickedness runs in their family let’s all be wicked.
Na who in-laws never do, dey call them in-love.
Courtesy: Amaka’s folktales
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