Marriage blanc.

When he returned home from the football field, uche's mother informed him that a very popular trader who deals in motor vehicle spare parts had come to seek his sister's hands in marriage. He immediately called his sister and asked her if she was ready to marry this man and chioma simply said No.

Without saying anything else to her, uche turned to his parents and implore them to respect her decision but their father flipped his lid.

" I wouldn't have a daughter of this size still living in my house, eating anyhow and getting fat everyday".

Uche asked his father if there was anything wrong in that. After all, she was his daughter and it was his responsibility to take care if her, and by the way she was only 20 years old. But their father insisted that she was already ripe for marriage.

The businessman that wanted to marry Chioma was popularly called Agu and this was more of a titled name since he had money. His real name was kelechi. He was one of the big traders at the city's market and always had people around him, singing him praises due to virtue of his wealth. But uche didn't care about him nor his money, as matter of fact, he suspected that the source of his wealth was no good.

Agu had embarked on a short trip and in less than four months after his return, he became a multimillionaire. A year ago, Agu had just a single shop with very few goods. But today, he has over twenty shops that were stocked to the brim with all types of electronic gadgets and vehicle spare parts. Uche thought about the possibility of Agu being a ritualist, but he didn't think about him too much since that doesnt concern and he had always minded his business.

But now, he's more worried that their father is forcing his sister to marry a man like Agu and chioma always cried each time their father talks about it.

"If chioma doesn't want to marry Agu despite his immense wealth, then you should respect her decision. She's no longer a child and I believe she knows what she wants in life and she have the right to choose what and who she wants". Uche had said to his father.

Their father had been very disappointed at uche. He had thought that he would be able to convince his sister to marry the rich man. He tried to make him understand that their family would benefit a lot from this marriage as Agu would take care of all their problems. But Uche told his father that he didn't need anybody take care of him. I maintained that the matter was entirely up to chioma and he would resist every attempt to force her into a union that she wouldn't like.

Uche's father became furious amd started insulting his son. He even doubted if he were his biological son, maybe his his wife had played a fast one since uche's thoughts are always divergent from his own.

Uche only laughed at him. He knew his father was a very selfish man. No doubt, the old man must have already started collecting money from Agu. Of course, he had been spending the money too and he was seriously expecting the marriage to work out so that he could continue to receive more money from a rich son in law.

A week later, Agu and his friends drove into his father's compound. Minutes later, some of his father's friend walked in. They all came to have a meeting with uche's father concerning chioma marriage. When he saw them, Uche immediately ordered chioma who was already crying to come into his room.

As soon as their father called chioma from the living room, uche stepped out of the room, locked the door behind him amd was getting ready to leave the house. He had already passed the group of men seated in the living room when his father screamed at him to stop.

He angrily asked him why he had locked up his sister and then ordered him to go bring her out. Uche looked at his father with hate filled eyes and warned him to stop looking for his trouble.

The old man became more angry and began to scream. " You cannot tell me what to do with my own child, you stupid fool. If you need someone to look after, then get the hell out of my house and go give birth to your own child".

Agu's friends came closer to uche and asked him what was the problem. Uche only smiled and told them that Agu should go look for a wife somewhere else. "There are hundreds of more beautiful, classy and more educated girls who he could get at the snap of a finger. So, why would he be so interested in a plain looking girl like chioma", he said .

They pleaded with uche not to talk that way, but one of them called his bluff and yelled out him to mention whatever amount of money he needed from them and he would be settled, instead of behaving like a kid.

This statement really enraged uche amd he gave the fellow a hard punch on his face that cause one of his nostrils to split. The meeting broke into a tumult and all his father's friends ran away. Agu kept threatening to call the police on uche. He further told him that he would marry his sister and there was nothing vie could do to stop him as Uche warned him not to dare him.

Uche's father felt so ashamed that he almost had an heart attack as he watched Agu and his friends storm out of the house angrily. But Uche didn't care about his father's reaction. The old man could go on screaming insults at him as much as he wanted.

As soon as all the men had left, uche went back to his room to release his sister. He only had one sister and he swore he wouldn't allow a deadbeat father to ruin her life.

Thanks for reading. 😁