The Enemy Within - S01 E03

Story 2 months ago

The Enemy Within - S01 E03

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 3

The Enemy Within, Episode Three

"If I do this, will it be the right thing? If I succeed

in killing her, what purpose would that serve?

may be arrested and this would ruin my

chances of finally getting married to Uche. No, I

won't do this, it's better to be patient than to be

desperate. Desperation leads to destruction.

need to trust Uche as he has promised to marry

me in the end. I don't know the plan he has yet,

but I will trust and follow through with him

instead of doing something that could

jeopardize our future. I will keep calm and do

whatever I'm asked to do as the housemaid."

Chizi was in the kitchen preparing assorted

meals for the introduction event. She had

bought rat poison which she planned to sprinkle

on the food she was going to serve Clara, but

she quickly decided against the idea. She hid it

In her handbag and trashed it later.

"I can't imagine that I will be the one cooking the food to be served during the introduction ceremony of my boyfriend to his fiancée. Isn't that weird? When he said he was getting married, I was happy that I would be his chosen bride, not knowing that I'm actually the rejected stone. I'm sad and I feel dejected. I wonder why I did not come from a rich family. Whatever happens in this life, I must defeat poverty." Chizi said to herself. She was busy chopping carrots she was going to use and make delicious fried rice. She was so invested in what she was doing that she did not notice when Clara entered the kitchen and stood beside her with her hands akimbo.

"Why is my food not ready? What have you

been doing since morning? Were you not aware

that I'm supposed to eat when I land in Nigeria?

Were you not aware that food was supposed to

be waiting for me at the dinning immediately I

stepped into this house? Were you not told I

was coming? Are you so lazy that you cannot

cook simple fried rice?" Clara questioned Chizi

as if she was questioning a primary school

baby who failed to submit her class

assignment. Chizi was shocked, so she stopped

what she was doing and turned to look at Clara

who stood menacingly like the boss of the

house. Chizi opened her mouth to say some

words but she couldn't. She felt intimidated by

Clara's presence, so she could not find words to

answer hear immediately.

"Why are you not talking? Are you deaf and dumb? Are you not the chef hired to cook for me?" Clara asked, adding more intensity to her words and emphasizing every one of them as if she was talking to a half-wit.

"I'm the housemaid, not the chef." Chizi responded with a shaky voice,

"You are not qualified to cook for me. You are not qualified to be in this kitchen, not now and not after my wedding to Uche." When Clara mentioned Uche's name as her husband to be, Chizi's heart sank into her belly and she felt like slapping her, but she held herself and controlled her emotions. It was a painful thing for someone to take your lover and still brag about it to your face.

"I'm qualified to cook ma. I have been cooking for Oga and Madam for many years and they have never rejected my food. In fact, they have referred to me as the best cook in the world." Chizi responded with a smile, trying to soften the tensed situation. Instead of smiling back, Clara slapped her.

"How dare you talk back at me? How dare you question my sense of judgment? Are you saying I don't know what I'm saying? I'm saying you cannot cook for me and you are saying you know how to cook. Where did you learn how to cook? Which culinary school did you attend? Let this be the first and last time you will talk back at me. I'm the new madam of the house and from today henceforth, you are going to do exactly as I say. Have I made myself clear?" Clara asked with a thundering voice that attracted Uche who was resting in the living room. He quickly rushed into the kitchen to know what the matter was.

"Now, what are you cooking that was taking so long?" Clara asked Chizi.

"I'm preparing fried rice and chicken, which I was told is your favourite food." Chizi said, using her left hand to nurse her cheek after receiving the dirty slap from Clara. Uche was just standing there wondering what had happened and why Clara was looking at Chizi like a tigress about to pounce on a helpless prey.

"I want the fried rice served to me within the next one hour. You know what will happen to you if you fail. Hurry up, I'm really hungry. You said you can cook right? Let me see what you can do. I will send you out of this house if the food does not taste the way I like. Don't say I didn't warn you." Clara said as she left the kitchen without saying a word to Uche. Chizi nodded her head in fear.

"What happened? Why is she ranting?" Uche asked Chizi who by then had started weeping emotionally. She rested her head on Uche's chest and cried bitterly. She felt so bad that someone could beat her up in her boyfriend's house and he wouldn't do anything about it.

"She slapped me." Chizi said. She used the edge of her clothe to wipe her tears. Uche offered her a white handkerchief. She was careful not to rob pepper on her eyes as she just finished slicing fresh pepper.

"Why did she slap you? Has she gone mad or something?" Uche asked, yelling loudly. He wanted to storm out of the kitchen to go and confront Clara, but Chizi held him back.

"I don't want you to pick up a fight with her. Remember, today is your introduction ceremony and I don't want anything to ruin the day for the family. I just want you to promise me that I will still be your wife in the end. Just promise me you won't spend the rest of your life with that monster. Even if you don't marry me, make sure you don't end up with her. If you make the mistake of getting married to her, you will be miserable all your life." Chizi said tearfully. Uche hugged her.

Letter that night after the introduction ceremony, Clara went to Uche's room to look for him but he was not there. As usual, he had gone to spend the night with Chizi in her room.

"I know she will be looking for me now. Poor thing, she must be thinking I'm in love with her, not knowing I have my own plans. She must be thinking I will be her husband, not knowing I'm going to disappoint her." Uche said as he held Chizi tightly in the bed.

"But wait, how do you plan to disappoint her? You have agreed to marry her in front of the two families. A wedding date has been fixed and preparations are ongoing. What are you planning to do about it? What is the plan? Can you let me know about it?" Chizi asked. She was apprehensive and she wanted to know if Uche was just deceiving her.

"The plan will remain a secret until the right time." Uche said as both of them fell asleep.

Watch out for episode 4.