“Mother-in-Law Palava: The Woman Who Wouldn’t Let Go”

When Temi marries into a seemingly perfect family, she expects bliss, but what she gets is a whirlwind of drama, deception, and secrets that unravel with every passing day. At the heart of it all is her mother-in-law, Lady Dorcas, a woman whose charm hides a web of manipulation and strange rituals. With accusations flying, strange occurrences shaking the house, and long-buried truths coming to light, Temi must navigate the chaos while uncovering the real mystery behind her mother-in-law’s behavior. Each day brings a new twist—reveals, lies, and shocking confessions that will keep you at the edge of your seat. As Temi digs deeper, she discovers that some family bonds are not as unbreakable as they seem… and some forces of nature are far more dangerous than she could have imagined.

Lady Dorcas' eyes stayed locked on mine, her expression unreadable. But I saw it—the flicker of uncertainty. She didn't expect me to play her game.


I sipped my tea, slow and deliberate. "Is something wrong, Mama?"


She forced a smile. "Ah, nothing, my dear."


Femi glanced between us, oblivious as usual. "You two should really try to get along. This house is too tense."


Lady Dorcas chuckled under her breath. "Yes, my dear, we must… get along."


Something about the way she said it sent a chill through me. But I didn't let it show. I had to be smarter, sharper. If she was playing mind games, I had to beat her at it.


While everyone was asleep, I snuck into the living room and rearranged a few things—shifted the centre table slightly to the left, turned one of her framed pictures upside down, placed a single cowrie shell on her favourite chair.


Subtle, but enough to mess with her mind.


She walked in, stopped, and stared at the changes. For the first time, I saw a flash of doubt in her eyes. She turned to me slowly. "Did you hear anything last night?"


I shook my head, feigning confusion. "No, Mama. Why?"


I smiled. "Bad spirits disturb people sometimes."


She stiffened. Just for a second. Then she smiled back. "Yes… sometimes they do."


Femi sighed, rubbing his forehead. "I don't know what's going on, but both of you need to stop."


Lady Dorcas laughed lightly. "Stop what? We are just having a conversation."


I met her gaze head-on. "Yes, just a conversation."


Days passed, and Lady Dorcas didn't retaliate. But I knew it was coming. She wasn't the type to let things slide.


Then, one evening, I walked into the bedroom and froze.


On my pillow sat a single, dried-up lizard.


My skin crawled. My first instinct was to scream, but I stopped myself. She wanted a reaction. She wanted fear.


Instead, I picked up the lizard, marched into the living room, and dropped it on the table in front of her.


She barely blinked. "Oh, my dear, what's this?"


I folded my arms. "I was about to ask you the same thing."


She chuckled. "Ah, lizards crawl everywhere. Maybe it just… found its way in."


I leaned in. "Maybe. Or maybe it's a message."


She met my gaze, eyes dark and knowing. "And what message would that be?"


She took a slow sip of her tea. "Good girl."


Femi walked in at that moment, oblivious as always. "What's going on?"


I held his gaze and said, "Nothing, my love. Just a conversation."


Lady Dorcas smiled. "Yes… just a conversation."


If she wanted a battle, I was ready for war.


Let me know if you're reading and enjoying the story


Chapter 3 - Chapter three 3