Chapter 1

"Eva!! Did I make a mistake bringing you back to Nigeria?" Her father was clearly upset that she was reckless with the new car he gifted her just yesterday.

"You are still a teenager, also this is not the state where you have such rights to drive. You will henceforth have Obi drive you around." Her father gave the order after much thought. He has to be a disciplinarian and at same time a considerate loving father; he has always been an attribute he learnt to muster, after the death of his wife Agatha. So he did not completely seize the car from her but assigned his chief driver to drive her around himself knowing that this man is perfect in every aspect of the world. Not only will his diva of a daughter be safe but also the cars will be safe from incessant damages, this would also save him a lot on repair bills.

"Dad, I have to drive, I need to drive, I have perfectly fine arms, what is the issue? Am I the reason there are so many reckless drivers on the streets of Lagos? Besides, I'm almost eighteen." She said in her perfect American accent while shrugging her shoulders.

"Eva, my decision is made." He said in the sternest voice he could muster. He doesn't like to punish her, but for her good he has to.

" Why do I get the feeling that you are just mean to me right now, don't you love me anymore, dad?" She asked with a tear strolling down one of her cheeks. One of her numerous line and tricks she uses to get what she wants from her father.

"Eva, go get some rest, you have school tomorrow." Her father said, walking away with a magazine in his hands towards the stairs.

She slumped into the big antique cushion chair she had particularly picked and requested to be turned all purple so she could feel like royalty everyday. She alone had the right to sit on this chair. Could it be that her dad is getting immune to her tricks? Or did he not see her crocodile tears. She thought to herself. She settled for the latter.

If that be the case, then she has to try something different and more daring. He will have no choice but to give in to her demands. She stood up gracefully and instructed Neye, her stewardess, to get her school bag from the car.

"Miss Neye, Can you send my backpack to my room, please? It is in the back seat of my car, thank you."

Talking polite to the butlers and stewardesses has been one core value her late mum had instilled in her and handing out very stern punishments if she's caught disrespecting anyone, even the employees. Her father gave out even worse punishments when she flaunts any rule of the Jegede household.

The Miss, did not waste any time in carrying out the request, who would? when you are asked in such a nice manner, making you a respected personality while delivering your duties, no matter how menial your job seems to be.

**************

Inside her room, she is about to step into the bathroom when a fantastic idea pops into her head and she needs to write it down before it disappears. This has just been her daily routine since her fourteenth birthday. She wants to be a writer and an actress, despite being a science student, so writing has a VIP status in her list of hobbies. She grabbed a notepad and a pen from her reading desk and started scribbling all she could think of. Once satisfied she dropped the notepad and dashed into the bathroom.

She sat there in the bathtub reminiscing about her mother, the fairytales her mum had often told her and how the characters of those stories had experienced love and lived happily ever after, she sighed wishing she could have her own story. She shrugged off the thought.

"First, I need to get back my driving freedom, love can come later."

She said to herself. She came out for dinner after the table bell rang, signalling dinner was ready. At the table, she feigned loss of appetite as a result of anger, which didn't go unnoticed by her father.

"Better eat now Eva, no need for leftovers. And you are still banned from driving." Her dad said before putting a piece of meat in his mouth.

She clearly ignored him then stood up and left the table, before she left the dining hall, she winked at Chi-Chi. Chi-Chi is their chef and she's definitely not a novice to what that wink meant. Mr. Sam didn't try to stop her, he just focused on the meal.

"Chi-chi, this is your best ewedu soup yet!"

Mr Sam commended. He says that all the time she prepares ewedu soup. She has stopped working herself up to know which one of the ewedu soups was the best when she clearly prepares them with the same recipe. She just understands now that that was his own way of complimenting her work.

"Thanks, Chief, I am glad you enjoyed your meal" she replied professionally with the necessary honorifics.

*********

A soft knock on her door shot her to a sitting position.

"The door is open."

She called whoever was at the door. She had clearly left the famished level to the starving level. Chi-chi stepped in with a tray, which obviously she guessed right, it was her dinner she had fakely rejected earlier. "What took you so long, I almost died in here and I thought you didn't see our signal" She cooed at Chi-Chi.

"Sorry princess, Chief was taking his time today, you know he loves ewedu,"

" I also smuggled you some chocolate bars," she said, smiling at Eva. Which earned her a happy shrieking from Eva.

"Yiiiiiiiiiii! You certainly are the best!" Eva shrieked. " Keep it down, princess else chief will get the memo and you don't want that do you?" Chi-chi warned. "Finish up, I'll be back in exactly thirty." She said and left the meal on reading desk Eva had cleared up. Eva gobbled up the meal in a jiffy, then she went up to her bed to enjoy her chocolates after a graceful burb. She sprawled on the bed reading 'A seat in his heart' the latest novel from her favorite author on her iPad. After consuming four bars of chocolates, she was filled up to the brim and couldn't hold her eye lids open, as the force of nature weighed them shut.

She didn't even notice when Chi-Chi came to take the dishes. Chi-Chi covered her up and put the lights out.