The Loyalty Game

d come with

ching as the first droplets stained the garden path. Behind him, the chatter of the household staff had faded into the background, rep

creamed f

Mama don

it shatter. All he knew was the sudden blood rush in his e

e kitchen entrance. Her eyes were wide and glassy with panic. "She w

t banged aga

apper tangled around her legs, her white scarf loosened. A

s were open thank God but distant, like her mind hadn't caught u

said quickly, crouching beside

lm to his mother's f

edayo," he s

gen tube in her nose. Her silver-gray hair was wrapped tightly now, her expression calm bu

as folding his stethoscope back into its case. He str

nt ischemic attack

owned. "

one is coming. We got lucky, Tunde. She'll reco

closed again, her lips gently parted. Sh

trigge

ss. The loneliness. The emotional disconnection. It's everything, Go

ing. This house. A full

ve her heart," the d

ed up, caug

g. She's withering. She needs someone who will not just check he

an a th

ands. Someone with soul, with time. Someone she

was

can someone care enough if money is involved, right? But i

tened. "So what

ust clean on paper. You find someone who sees her. Who'll wake

back at

reats her like

he rain had stopped, but a stor

less hearth. Outside, dusk crawled over Lagos,

up. And yet here he was-Governor of Lagos State, leader of innovation reforms, builder o

wasn't l

d up the

i," he told h

er, trusted with matters too sensitive for public ears. She arrived wit

asked, slipping into th

Dr. Ifedayo says she's emotionally vulnerable. Nee

s brows

," she said. "They're t

s why I want s

e you th

eaned f

ition. Full housing, medical, security clearance. But t

raised

ow

aled s

ty game.

lted h

them. Study them. Give them choices, temptations, t

ant to run an emotional surv

r her nurse. Her comp

no one

searching. Or

he'd never want that. You're already cr

fort," Tunde said. "I ow

Mama Iroko had never remarried, never even looked twice at another man. All

few reputable families privately. Ask them to send in can

d slowly. "A

Psych evaluation. Empathy tests. Stress tests.

be inv

her story too. I won't choose someo

pened he

a challenge they

a soft moan. The nurse rushed to

till in his day clothes.

"Your story isn't done. I'll find the one

nd just before closing a

ho pities me, Tife. Bring