The Tales Of Breakfast In Nigeria 🇳🇬 || 2023

🇳🇬 | Chapter 006

You knew this because she was like you. You always knew Flora was a hustler: after all, it took one to recognise one. You liked to think that you were a hustler with a conscience, while Flora was cold-blooded throughout. You'd met on the day of her wedding to Julius, one of Biodun's distant but maverick friends. It was one of those destination weddings, and it took place in Miami.

You hadn't known anything about her at the time, so you were surprised when during the dance when everyone sprayed money on the couple, she hugged you like a long-lost friend.

Your first surprise was that you recognised her perfume and its price-Crab Apple Blossom by Clive Christian. Then she whispered, "Thanks for coming, Aunty mi. Sorry we're just meeting officially. I'll come and see you later because I know I'll need your help."

Your face must have had a quizzical look because she leaned in again and whispered, "I'll need your help so I don't lose him to another man." You'd smiled but fumed inside because from her tone, she wasn't really asking for help-just letting you know she knew of the group. That was when you realised she was going to be a problem, and you immediately started thinking up a plan to neutralise her.

"So, why does Julius say he wants to leave?" Onome asked. "He says he wants to be in a society where he's free to be his authentic self." Flora sneered, "And that he's in love." "Hmm. Hope you've secured the bag sha," Gbonju said.

Shamefaced, Flora bowed her head and muttered what you already knew. "No." You knew that apart from some Birkins, her expensive wardrobe, and two cars, Flora had no real money or business of her own. If Julius left, she was at the mercy of his generosity or parsimony because they had no children, and she had no leverage to blackmail him since he'd be in a country where his sexuality was celebrated.

Also, you now knew that Julius had made her sign confidentiality and prenup agreements, and he had chosen Miami for the wedding because its post-marriage distribution laws favoured him as the wealthier person if they got divorced. It was the price she paid for her hubris in knowingly contracting to be the wife-for-hire to a wealthy gay man, and for being the outsider in the group.

You remembered times in the past when she'd mocked other women in the group with her eyes as they worried and complained about their men. "Aunty mi," Flora called out to you. You looked up from your nails. "Yes, Flora?" "I need your help, Aunty. I don't want to lose him to another man."

You remembered her saying almost these same words on her wedding day, and with a cocky tone. You willed yourself not to smile. "What exactly do you want me to do, Flora?" "I don't know, Aunty. Blackmail him for me?" You frowned, "That's beneath me. Besides, it sounds like Julius doesn't care."

"Ah! What about to look for any dirt on his side-chick, for example, a sex-tape? Or pay him off?" You pretended to think about it for a moment. "It's a long shot but I may know someone. Let me make a call and see. Excuse me, ladies." You stood, pretended to scroll through your phone as you left the living-room. You went to one of the bedrooms, sat on the bed, held your phone to your ear, and calmly whispered gibberish into it for a long time.

Eventually, you came back out to the living-room and took your seat. You held Flora's eyes. "I have spoken to a gentleman and explained, erm, the delicacy of the situation.

He says he can help but if you want his help, you must accept two things-first, it's going to cost you ten thousand dollars in cash, fully paid upfront; and secondly, there's no guarantee he'll succeed."

"Who's he?" "I know he's a private investigator of some sort, and he does some undercover work in Lagos' gay communities, so he prefers to be incognito. I don't know his name or anything else about him, and I have never actually met him, so I'm in the dark as much as you are.