Ndidi still felt a serious burden in her heart that night as they were going to bed. She still knelt down, begging her husband with tears in her eyes. She cried until her eyes were red.

Already, Egwu has made up his mind to forgive him. He told himself that he cannot throw his wife away.

“Please, forgive me. I will never do it again. Please don’t hate me. Please don’t leave me,” she begged.

Egwu looked at her for a long time in silence. Finally, his heart softened. He stood up, pulled her up from the ground, and held her hands.

“Ndidi, I forgive you. But listen to me very well. You must never disgrace me like this again. If you ever steal again, I don’t know what I will do. Don’t try it.”

Ndidi wiped her tears quickly and nodded her head many times.

“I promise, my husband. It will never happen again. I don’t know why I did it. But now that you have forgiven me, I will never steal again. I will fight this spirit. I will control myself. I will not allow shame to come upon you again. I swear with my life.” She said.

“I hope so. Because I cannot bear another disgrace. I cannot watch people call my wife a thief again. Please, Ndidi, let this be the last time.”

The next morning, Egwu transferred N10 million naira into his wife’s account. He called her to the living room and spoke to her in a loving way.

“Ndidi, check your phone. I have sent you N10 million naira. Use it to buy whatever you want. Use it to satisfy yourself. You don’t need to lack anything. You don’t need to look at what belongs to another person. If this money finishes, just tell me. I will give you more. You are my wife. I want you to have everything you need. There is no reason for you to steal again. I have given you enough.”

Ndidi was very happy. She smiled for the first time in many days. “Thank you, my husband. You are so good to me. You are too kind. I don’t deserve you. But I promise I will never disappoint you again. I will use the money wisely. I will buy what I need. I will not look at what does not belong to me.” She said. She hugged him tightly. Egwu smiled but in his heart, he was still worried. He prayed silently that his wife would keep her promise. He wanted to believe her. He wanted peace.

That same week, Egwu travelled to Lagos for a very important business meeting. Before leaving, he spoke to wife.

“Take care of yourself. Use the money I gave you. Buy whatever you want. If you need more, call me. I will send it immediately. Please, Ndidi, don’t allow any shame to come to this house again.”

Ndidi smiled and nodded her head. “Don’t worry, my husband. I will not fail you. I will not bring shame again.” Egwu left. Ndidi stood at the balcony, waving him goodbye, but deep inside her heart, she felt restless.

Three days after Egwu travelled, Ndidi dressed up to go to the market. She had money in her purse. She carried N300,000 naira in cash. She also had millions in her account. But as she walked into the market, that familiar spirit came again. Her body began to desire stealing. Her eyes moved restlessly. She felt an uncontrollable urge to steal something. It was as if a voice inside her was commanding her, “Steal. You must steal.” She tried to resist. She whispered to herself, “No. I promised my husband. I must not do it.” But the spirit was stronger.

Ndidi walked to the stall of a woman who was selling fresh tomatoes. The woman’s basket was full of bright, red tomatoes. The price was just N3000 naira for a bowl. Ndidi had more than enough money to buy ten baskets, but that spirit pushed her again. Her heart was beating fast. She looked around quickly to see if anybody was watching. When she thought nobody was looking, she bent down, took a bowl of tomatoes and poured it into her bag. She thought it would be easy. She thought she could escape unnoticed.

But immediately, the woman selling the tomatoes turned around and caught her.

“Hey! Madam! What are you doing with my tomatoes?” the woman shouted loudly. Ndidi froze immediately. She could not move. Her body turned cold. Her heart jumped into her stomach. She looked at the woman with fear in her eyes. “No… no… I was just touching it.” She stammered. But the woman was already dragging the bowl of tomatoes from her.

“Thief! You stole my tomatoes. God forbid! You rich women think you came to disgrace yourself here. You came with gold and fine dress, but you are a thief.” The woman said.

People in the market started gathering. They looked at Ndidi and shook their heads. Some of them laughed. Some of them shouted.

“So this fine woman is a thief?” one man said. “What kind of shame is this? She looks rich. She is wearing expensive clothes. But she is stealing common tomatoes of N3000 naira.”

Another woman said, “The world is wicked. Even those who have money are still thieves. What then will poor people do?” Ndidi bent her head in shame. Tears filled her eyes. She wanted the ground to open and swallow her. She was caught again.

The woman selling the tomatoes held her hand tightly. “You will not go anywhere. You must explain yourself today. You must tell us why you want to steal from me.”

“Please, forgive me. I don’t know what came over me. I will pay. I will pay for the tomatoes. I will pay for everything in your shop. Please, forgive me.” But the woman shouted louder.

“No! No forgiveness! Thief must not go free. You wanted to disgrace yourself. I will disgrace you today.”

Watch out for Episode Six