Blood and Betrayal
Daniel stood in the driveway of his parents' Abuja mansion the next afternoon, drenched in sweat—not from the heat, but from rage.
His mother opened the door herself. She looked surprised to see him.
"Daniel. You didn't say—"
He held up the email. "What is this?"
Her smile faltered. "I don't understand you son."
"You told Ijeoma to destroy my wife. To ruin her education, you tried to break her in every way ."
She waved a hand dismissively. "You were under a spell. That girl is manipulating you—"
"That girl is my wife!"
His mother's voice rose. "And she'll leave you ruined! She can't cook! She lied to you for years! You deserve more!"
Daniel's voice dropped, cold and sharp. "I don't need a perfect wife, i need a partner. You tried to protect me, but what you did… wasn't love. It was control."
Tears welled in her eyes. "I just wanted the best for you."
"You wanted your version of it," he said. "But I choose mine."
He turned to leave.
His mother called after him. "What about your future? The family name?"
He stopped.
"Let it burn," he said.
And he walked away.