Chapter Thirty-eight

The next morning, Rukky stormed into Ronke's office, her fury palpable and a newspaper clenched tightly in her hand.

Yemisi and Ronke were in the middle of a cheerful tea session, their laughter abruptly cut short when they spotted Rukky's stormy presence.

"What on earth is it now?" Ronke snapped, her tone laced with irritation. 

"You bitch!" Rukky marched over to the couch and smacked the newspaper across Ronke's face. "I trust you can read, or did your so-called primitive husband forget to sign you up for adult education?"

Yemisi sprang up, ready to defend her friend. "Hold on a second! Let's get it straight—her so-called 'primitive' husband is a former president of the country and current senator. Plus, he owns this building. So watch your mouth, before you dig yourself into a deeper hole."

Rukky wasn't looking for a brawl, but if Yemisi kept prodding, she might just end up with a busted head.

Rukky sneered, her eyes raking over Yemisi with derision. "Oh, look at this— overcooked shrimp with nothing but complaints, a crayfish with no legs or fins, opening her rotten mouth to trash talk one of the finest creations God ever made." 

Ignoring her stupidity, Rukky puff her shoulders proudly, "Anyways, I have not come here for a lunatic like you. Today is not just your day. Shameless bitch." She faced Ronke who was trying hard to hide her face after reading the newspaper. "So you're blind, hmm? You totally became dumb and can't speak anymore? Didn't you once mentioned that my daughter doesn't have the qualities of a good wife material? Or should I say bridal material? If she doesn't, then what is your miserable son doing in her life?" When the latter remained quiet, she snapped. "Ronke, I'm asking you! So after all you and your family did to my poor innocent daughter, you still had the urge to summon all courage to tell your stupid, maniac son to remarry my daughter. Isn't it? After all the humiliation you all gave her." 

Ronke shot up from her seat, her eyes blazing with anger. "Hold up, Rukky! Let me set the record straight. I'm not involved in this mess you're ranting about. I'm just hearing about it myself, and frankly, your daughter doesn't have the credentials to match my son's standards. If your daughter had any sense, she'd—" 

"Excuse me!" Rukky raised her hand in the air, gesturing her to keep quiet. She won't take any rubbish from her at all. What nonsense! How dare she? "My daughter is not lame neither is she like your brainless chicken son who's brain has been used to wash back of pots in your husband's mansion. Oh, you think I don't know how cheap and ratchet all of you in your family are? The worst thing is that you all don't care to hide your shame at all or cover your dirty liners. Go home and tell your brainless son––Dayo to stay away from my daughter or else I'll do to you times two of what you guys did to my daughter in her previous marriage." She said and left. 

Ronke's fists tightened, her face flushed with a rage she had never known before. This was a level of humiliation she had never faced in her life, all because of her son's blunders.

"Don't you dare," she seethed, her teeth clenched as she shot a warning glare at Yemisi, who was trying to offer her comfort.

But before Ronke could fully recover, the door flung open again. It was Rukky, clearly not finished with her tirade.

"What now?" Yemisi snapped. "Haven't you caused enough damage? Just get out!"

Rukky's demeanor was icy as she surveyed the room. She wasn't looking for a fight, but if anyone dared to push her further, they might want to call for an ambulance and keep a doctor on standby. 

She ignored Yemisi and diverted her eyes towards the cold and fuming Ronke. "My daughter didn't come home last night neither is she picking my calls or her sister's calls either. I believe you also told your brainless son to lure her to his bed." She scoffed, happy to see the anger in Ronke's eyes and how pained she is. "Just pray. Ronke, I said pray and fast very well, because if my daughter doesn't return before the end of today––" And in Yoruba, she added, almost swearing. "I'll roast all of you in that family like barbecue especially this dry log of wood standing beside you." She dash out, banging the door hard behind her. 

"Break the door, fool!" Yemisi snapped. "If you were to be sold or bidded in an auction, it won't be able to buy a pen talk much of getting a new door. Ratchet people from bad background." She hissed and focus on her friend. 

**In Dayo's Penthouse…**

Kelly, the secretary, and Kayode, the assistant, were in a frantic chase, trying to catch the woman who had just stormed out of the elevator and was heading straight for the study on the top floor. Their boss was in the middle of an online meeting and had made it clear he didn't want to be disturbed.

Despite repeated warnings, the woman, their boss's mother, seemed impervious to their pleas. They were in no position to confront her. If it was any other woman, they would have bagged her and throw her out of the building within a second. But she was not an ordinary woman or any woman. She was Ronke Kunle Coker Ayomide, the former First Lady of the country, whose wrath was more feared than their boss's.

"Ma'am, please, you can't—" Kayode began, but his words were cut short by a sharp slap from Ronke. His eyes widened in shock, while Kelly took a step back, wary of becoming the next target.

Ronke fixed her steely gaze on Kayode. "If you ever lay a hand on my dress again, I swear I'll have you executed," she warned, switching to Yoruba for extra emphasis. "Do you know how much this dress costs? Even if you worked at the Central Bank of Nigeria for twelve years, you couldn't afford a single yard. Fool!"

With that, she swept past them without another word. They were too intimidated to try and stop her again.

Inside the office, Dayo had just wrapped up his online meetings with staff and employees from his overseas companies, unaware of the commotion unfolding outside.

Dayo, still lounging in his pajamas since the morning, closed his laptop and stood up to leave. Just then, his mother burst into the room like a whirlwind, her chest heaving with fury.

He rubbed his eyes, still groggy from the little sleep he managed after a lively night with his wife. Leaving her comfortably nestled in bed. 

A big yawn escaped his mouth as he greeted the woman in Yoruba, "Good morning, Mom."

Without giving him a chance to respond, Ronke snapped, "What's so good about this morning, Adedayo?"

Before Dayo could understand her mood, she threw a newspaper at him. He managed to catch it as it hit his chest.

"What's the meaning of this, Adedayo?" she demanded, clearly impatient.

Dayo opened the newspaper, and the first thing that caught his eye on the cover was a photo of him and Adira kissing from yesterday at his resort. 

The cover headline read:

'Two Long Unofficial Breakups, Reconciled After More Than Seven Years'  

Reporter: Lola O. Ogunmola  

Photo Credit: Ojo P. Salami  

@ABO Punch Papers

Dayo crumpled the newspaper in one swift motion and tossed it into a basket in the corner. "So?" he asked dismissively, showing no sign of concern, which only widened Ronke's eyes in surprise. "Do you have a problem, Mom?"

In a fit of rage, Ronke stormed up to him and slapped him hard, the sound echoing through the room. Dayo didn't flinch. "How dare you question me after your foolishness, Adedayo? How dare you?"

He rubbed the spot where she slapped him, not surprised by her reaction. "Mom," he said, struggling to keep his composure, "I see you're still holding onto the belief that Adira was the cause of our first breakup and with your reaction now, I'm suspecting you behind that scene."

"Do I look like I care about what you think?" Ronke shot back. Without missing a beat, she added, "Yes, think whatever you want, but I don't like her!"

"Then that's your problem," he said, attempting to leave. However, Ronke shoved him, trying to provoke him further.

"So you think you can just walk away while we're still talking, Dayo?" she demanded, pushing him again. When he remained silent, she shouted, "I'm talking to you, Felix––"

"What?!" he shouted, his voice echoing with intensity. Ronke stood frozen, shocked. He had never raised his voice at her before—never. "I am right here, standing in front of you, so stop shouting my name like that. I'm not like Dad, who you can manipulate like a puppet. I am Adedayo Felix Ayomide, and I don't take crap, Mom!" 

Ronke tried to process the situation, struggling to understand what was happening. In a low, uncertain tone, she asked, "You're shouting at me because of a woman, Felix? Are you really raising your voice at me over... over that...?" She forced a wicked smile, trying to steady herself. Taking a deep breath, she asked more calmly, "Dayo, did you sleep with her?"

When he snubbed her, giving her a gravely moment of silence, she got super pissed and started lacing countless punches on his chest. "Dayo, why did you touch her? That dirty parasite––" 

"Stop it, Mom!" he shouted, pushing her away. Ronke nearly lost her balance but quickly steadied herself against the wall. "I may be your son, but I'm not a child. Don't expect me to answer questions about my private life," he said coldly. Ronke stared at him in shock, realizing he was no longer the person she could manipulate as she had in the past. 

She fought to hold back tears, trying to maintain her composure. In her calmest voice, she said, "Rukky came to my office earlier today, furious and barking like a German shepherd and causing a scene because of you and your mistakes. And now, you're confirming that everything she said was true." Dayo turned his face away, unable to bear seeing her cry, as it might break his heart or make him feel unjustly guilty. Ronke nodded and wiped her eyes. "Okay," she said softly before leaving. 

Unbeknownst to Dayo, Ronke wasn't actually leaving the building. Instead, she was heading to meet someone on the next floor.

Entering the room, she found Adira still fast asleep on the plush bed. She let out a sarcastic chuckle and locked the door behind her.

"Still sleeping here because you don't know the way to your father's place, or is it that you can't find comfort anywhere else?" she said as she approached the bed.

Unknowing to innocent Adira who was still soundly asleep, that a sly fox was around. 

In a single motion, she yanked Adira by the hair and dragged her out of the bed. Adira struggled, trying to free her hair from Ronke's tight grip. 

As Ronke dragged her to the ground and started beating her, Adira pleaded, trying to shield her face with her elbows to avoid the blows. "Aaahh!" she screamed, crying out for help.

"I've warned you in the past few years to stay away from my son, but you won't listen until I kill you first with my bare hands. Shey you want to die first before you'll have sense and take correction? Eh?" Ronke's anger starts boiling, seeing that She was shielding her face with her arms. "Nobody wants you in this family anymore. Go back to the prostituting agency where my son hired you." She said as she brought out a tin of pepper spray and mashed scotch bonnet from her purse. 

Mercilessly and wickedly, she flint the spray on Adira's eyes, causing her to scream to the top of her voice. But she screamed louder like hell when Ronke forcefully applied the mashed scotch bonnet in between her thighs. 

"Adira nearly lost her sanity as she scrambled to the bathroom, her movements frantic as if her entire body were engulfed in flames.

"That's a little message for your mother," Ronke said, dusting off her hands with satisfaction. She grabbed her purse and prepared to leave, her expression one of grim satisfaction."

A few minutes later, after his personal guard relayed the situation, Dayo burst out of the elevator, his urgency evident as though his home were ablaze.

When he arrived, she was sitting on the bed, desperately fanning air onto her scorched thighs. Her face was bruised from multiple slaps delivered by Ronke, and her eyes ached with a troubling blur that made her fear potential vision problems. Sweat drenched her body, as if she had just emerged from a shower. Her eyes were swollen, and her entire body seemed drained of strength.

"My love!" Dayo rushed to the bed and knelt before her, his face a mix of confusion, shock, and anger. He couldn't fathom how such a horrific incident could have occurred while he was away. He reached out to touch her face, but she winced and cried out in pain. His demeanor darkened as he asked, "She touched you?"

Adira, overwhelmed by pain, was in no state to answer his questions. "Just find something—anything—to ease the pain in my inner thighs," she implored, crying harder as he reached under her dress to check the affected areas. "It hurts, Dayo..." The agony made her alternately stamp her feet.

He quickly grabbed a rechargeable hand fan from the cupboard beside the bed, turned it to the highest setting, and positioned it between her thighs. "This should help cool the pain for a while before the battery dies," he said.

Not knowing the exact location of her pain, Adira took the fan from him and adjusted it to target the affected areas beneath her nightgown.

Soon, Dayo summoned the family's physician, Dr. Ben, who arrived within minutes. After examining Adira, Dr. Ben began administering treatment.

Noticing some improvement in his wife's condition, Dayo rushed to his closet and emerged moments later with something ominous.

Adira, realizing he was about to do something dangerous, called out to him repeatedly, but he ignored her. She wished she were able to stop him and prayed fervently that he wouldn't do something reckless.