HE DIVORCED ME ON MY SICKBED… GOD GAVE ME AN EMPIRE
HE DIVORCED ME ON MY SICKBED… GOD GAVE ME AN EMPIRE
Daniel, you came. I kept asking the nurses to call you. I was so scared. I need you to listen to me carefully. Daniel, what’s wrong? Your face, what happened? I need you to sign those tonight, Milana. What is in this envelope, Daniel? Divorce papers. I am connected to a drip.
I have an oxygen tube in my nose. The doctor told me tonight that I almost went into organ failure. And you walked into this room, this room, Daniel, with divorce papers. Get out of my room. Leave the envelope. I will sign on my terms, in my time. Chi. But I need you to get out of my room right now. Get out.
It’s done. I put the papers in front of her. Not yet, but she will. Because she has nothing, Linda. That is why. My mother has already spoken with the family lawyer. Everything is ready. Stop worrying. By the end of the week, this is finished. I love you, too.
Okay, Lord. Show them who I am. Gee, [laughter] if everything falls apart tomorrow, business, money, everything, foam mattress and machine, eating garri for 6 months, will you still choose me? Daniel Nwosu, I will find you in any rubble and pull you out with my two bare hands.
That is not a promise, that is a covenant before God. Good afternoon, Mama. I will be direct because I am too old for long roads. Eight years of marriage and your womb remains closed. You know what our people say about a tree that bears no fruit. Mama, please. Mama, Daniel and I are managing our situation with our doctor.
I did not ask you what you are managing. I am telling you what has been decided. Linda’s family is known to us. She’s a good woman. My son deserves a future. What you do with this information is your own business. Thank you for telling me to my face, Mama. I respect that much at least. Good afternoon. You see them, Lord.
You see everything they are planning. Where is he? Is he not coming to collect his wife from the hospital? He is not coming, Ade. Gee, I will not let this [sighs and gasps] I need you to take me to get my things from the house and then I need you to make me jollof rice. Those are the two things I need right now.
Can you do that? am not leaving your side. Not one step. I know. That is why I am still standing. I’ll sign on my terms and my time is up. You took the wife but you left the empire. I was the real [music and singing] Chi, did you sleep? Addis, I need a sewing machine.
I have 38,000 naira. Where can I buy an Ankara and lace this early? I am deadly serious. E karo, this blue one has a nice weight. Yes, the drip is perfect. Eh eh, show me the yellow. Kilowa, fine Ankara, come and buy. Ah, this one, how much? Oya, negotiate well. This yellow one is giving exactly what I need.
The colors are so alive. Alaye, yes oh, it will make something special. Buy it. That is more than half of everything you have left, Chi. Investments, not spending. There is a difference. Chisom, Chisom, that big fashion account, Sol Abello, she just featured your blazer dress in her main post.
For real? Let me see. Look, this is it. We’re blowing up. Wow, Addis, this is the beginning. She said She said, “This is the most exciting Evolving Label. We’re probably now finding your own gold before everyone else does.” I need to order double the fabric, and we need one more girl. And Addis, I need you to help me build a proper price list.
You are really doing this. You are actually really doing this. Daniel, what’s wrong? The business, it’s failing. How? We had everything. Chisom handled so much. I didn’t realize. Amaka said she saw Chisom in Balogun buying fabric. Like she’s starting some sewing business.
Isn’t that funny? Good for her. You’re not curious? No. Mama. Chisom. Someone told me you are selling clothes in Lagos now. At your age. After everything. I am calling because whatever you think about what happened, this embarrasses the family name. I have started a fashion label, Mama. Amber and Gold. We have over 400 active orders.
Fashion label. A woman sleeping on her sister’s floor calling herself a label. Mama. I love you. I will always love you because Daniel came from you and I spent eight years loving him. But I’m going to stop you here. I am not sleeping on the floor out of failure. I am building from a other floor by choice.
Remember this phone call someday. Good night, Mama. Lord. You said you would make my enemies my footstool. Every single one. I am holding you to every word. Aunty Chisom, the Forbes Africa researcher emailed again. They want to confirm the interview for the emerging labels feature. [laughter] Five minutes of celebration.
Then a Daisy, bring me the Echo Atlantic commission. The client wants a fitting Thursday. Chisom Nosu, Amber and Gold, you are the most talked about designer here tonight. Who are you wearing? Thank you. I’m wearing myself. This is an Amber and Gold original. Tell us, where does a brand like this come from? You appeared seemingly overnightish.
From a foam mattress on my sister’s room. From the decision that what God placed inside you cannot be killed by what people do to you. That piece you’re wearing, who made it? I did. Chisom Nosu, Amber and Gold. Amber and Gold. You’re the designer who sold out your entire Fashion Week line in 48 hours.
The same. Victor Adeyemi, I have been structuring a Pan-African fashion retail investment for 2 years. I have rejected seven founders. Do you have a business plan, Ms. Nosu? I have three. Sit down, Ms. Nosu. I need to hear everything. 40% revenue growth year two. That is aggressive for a founder-led operation.
I am no longer founder-led operation. Seven permanent staff, two production partners, confirmed wholesale orders from four Lagos boutiques and one in Accra. 40% is conservative. Manufacturing bottleneck at scale? Covered. An Aba production facility with 500 unit monthly capacity.
The owner is awaiting my call. I did not come here without solutions. 50 million naira, series A, 20% equity. 50 million at 15%. Full creative control retained. Right of first refusal on any acquisition offer. 15% right of first refusal. Those are my terms. Ember and gold. You have a deal.
We are not just building a business, we are building a future. The landlord called again, Daniel. I gave up my apartment for this. I left my own place in Ajegunle Uyo. This what make you up. I’m aware of what you gave up, Linda. You make sure I never allowed to forget it.
Daniel. Have you seen What? There is a man at reception. No appointment. He says it is personal. He gave his name as Daniel Mosu. Send him up. Chi Adize. I am not afraid of that man. Send him up. You’ve done well for yourself, Chi. Sit down, Daniel. I’ve been trying to find the words for a long time.
Linda and I, it ended 8 months ago. The business is in serious trouble. I’ve had a lot of time to sit with everything I did. And I keep coming back to the same place. What place? That I was wrong. Every single part of what I did to you was wrong. The papers in the hospital. God, Chi, the papers in the hospital.
My mother. Linda. Choosing all of that over 8 years of you choosing me. I don’t expect forgiveness. I’m not here for that. I just needed you to hear me say that I know I know what I did. I forgave you a long time ago, Daniel. Not for you. You hadn’t earned it, and honestly, you still haven’t. Because I refused to carry the weight of what you did into the life I was building.
Hatred is heavy. I needed my hands completely free. [snorts] You are a better person than I will ever be. I am exactly the person God made me. I just needed to get out of your house to find out who that was. He [sighs] Are you happy, Chi? Yes, I am happy. You know what I keep thinking about? Tell me.
That night in the hospital you threw those papers on the floor. I was standing outside the building because they wouldn’t let me in past visiting hours and I was crying on the steps thinking how how will my sister survive this? And Mhm. And God gave you an empire, Chi. He gave you the whole thing.
He always intended to. We just had to get out of the way and let him.
