17/02/2025
MY HUSBANDâS SISTER IS HIS WIFE
CHAPTER ONE
Chioma never imagined that love could be a trap.
She never expected to fall in love with a man like Richard, nor did she ever believe that the very thing that felt like a blessing would turn into her worst nightmare.
At 26, life had already beaten her down more times than she could count.
She was an orphan, a hustler, and a fighterâsomeone who had clawed her way through hardship just to survive. After losing both parents in a tragic accident at 16, she had been forced to become a mother to her younger brother, Chidi, who was only six at the time.
She had no time for love, no space for fairytales.
Lagos had taught her that love was a luxury for people who had time to dream. For her, survival was the only thing that mattered.
She took on multiple jobsâselling snacks on the roadside in the mornings, working as a shop assistant in the afternoons, and waiting tables at an upscale restaurant in the evenings. It was exhausting, but it kept Chidi in school and kept a roof over their heads.
She had encountered rich men beforeâmen who liked to toy with poor girls, whispering sweet words in exchange for temporary pleasure. She knew their type. They always left behind broken hearts and shattered dreams.
Thatâs why, when Richard walked into her life, she didnât even see him coming.
He wasnât like the flashy men who drove expensive cars and threw money around like confetti. He didnât carry himself like a man who needed to prove his wealth.
He was calm. Observant.
And dangerously patient.
The first time she met him, he had been seated at one of the restaurantâs VIP tables, watching her with an intensity that made her skin prickle.
She had ignored him at first, assuming he was just another customer.
But when she walked over to take his order, he looked at herâreally looked at herâlike he saw something beyond her worn-out uniform and tired eyes.
"You work too hard," he said instead of ordering food.
Chioma frowned. "Sir, what would you like to eat?"
He smiled, a slow, knowing smile. "Surprise me."
She brought him a plate of jollof rice and grilled chickenâthe restaurantâs bestseller.
When she returned to check on him, she was surprised to see he had barely touched his food. Instead, he had been watching her the entire time, amusement flickering in his dark eyes.
"Is there a problem with the food?" she asked, already preparing for another entitled customer complaint.
He chuckled. "The food is fine. I was just thinking⌠Iâve never met someone like you before."
She arched an eyebrow. "Iâm sure you say that to every waitress here."
"I donât." His voice was steady. Certain. "Thereâs something about you, Chioma. You remind me of someone I used to know."
The way he said it, with a touch of sadness, made her pause. But she quickly shook it off. She wasnât here to entertain men with sob stories.
"Enjoy your meal, sir," she said and walked away.
But Richard wasnât done with her yet.
He kept coming back, always sitting at the same table, always ordering the same meal.
At first, she ignored him, but he had a way of making himself impossible to ignore.
He never flirted. Never asked for her number. Never made any inappropriate advances.
Instead, he asked about her day. Listened when she complained about rude customers. Encouraged her when she mentioned her dreams of going back to school.
Slowly, against her better judgment, she found herself looking forward to his visits.
One evening, when she walked out of the restaurant after her shift, she found him waiting outside.
âLet me walk you home,â he said.
She hesitated. âWhy?â
He smiled. âBecause I want to.â
Something inside her whispered that this was a bad idea.
But for the first time in years, she was tired of always being on guard.
She let him.
As they walked through the quiet streets, he asked about her life. And for some reason, she told him things she had never told anyoneâhow she lost her parents, how she raised Chidi alone, how she had learned to survive in a city that showed no mercy.
When they reached her tiny apartment, he turned to her and said, âYou have a strong spirit, Chioma. I like that.â
Her heart pounded.
She had spent years keeping men at armâs length, but something about Richard made her feel safe.
Maybe that was the problem.
She let her guard down.
And it cost her everything.
Richard had been too perfect.
Too kind.
Too patient.
A man like himâwealthy, powerful, and successfulâhad no reason to chase after a poor waitress like her.
But he did.
And when he finally proposed, she said yes.
Everything felt like a fairytale.
Until she met Rachael.
TO BE CONTINUED...
