🎶Mama say...you are a pretty girl, but in your head...it doesn't matter. Brush your hair, fix your teeth, what you wear, is all that matters.🎶

"Just another stage... Pageant the pain away... This time I'm gonna take the crown without falling down down down..." Prince Ire mime to the song he was playing in his car, driving at a slow speed.

🎶Pretty hurts, we shine the light on whatever's worst. Perfection is a disease of a nation. Pretty hurts, pretty hurts, pretty hurts. Weeee....ohhhhh... We shine the light on whatever's worst. You tryna fix something but you can't fix what you can't see.🎶

"It's a soul that need a surgery." Prince Ire concluded clicking another song from his phone, and immediately he began to sing. "🎶Spent 24 hours, I need more hours with you. You spent the weekend, getting even, ooh ohh... We spent the late nights making things right, between us. But now it's all good babe. Roll that backwood babe and play me...close."

🎶Cause girls like you run around with guys like me. Til sundown when I come through.🎶

"🎶I need a girl like you yeah yeah.." Prince Ire licked his lower lip and bit it smiling all alone. At that moment, only Ara came to his mind. He smiled at himself and continued singing the John legend song that played next. "🎶I wanna drive you...wild, wild, wild. I wanna love you...from miles and miles. We can go slow, we don't need to rush." Prince Ire took the song slowly just like the singer and increased the speed he was taking as he continued miming to the song. "🎶 I'll take the wheel make you feel every touch. I wanna drive you...wild, wild, wild." His phone stopped singing and immediately vibrated. He checked his caller and it was one of his cousins, Toks. He quickly connected it to his wireless earpiece and picked his call.

"Tomike you cool?"

"Oh cousinnnnnnn......" Tomike screamed on phone. "I've missed you my Ire. You just left us there enjoying naija." 

Prince Ire laughed. Been long he heard from his cousins. It was always fun coming together and he missed that. "How is work over there?"

"Work is resting cuz. I see you in the palace in a bit!" Someone else shouted overtaking Tomike's voice. "My baddest Prince! sexiest of the sexiest! We don't give a goddamn about what people think!"

"Gbam!"

"Cause we don't give a fuck mhen! We live, we shake tables, we secure the territory. I see you a bit. All these is for Chinese restaurant please. Don't get it twisted cuz."

Prince Ire laughed. "Tomike what have you done to her? She has started taking Naija water shey? Desewa you will be alright."

"Big bro, you didn't come for my graduation. Prince Adewale came but I wish you were there too." Another voice spoke up but instantly turned to a fake cry. It was his cry cry baby. Their last princess. 

Prince Ire couldn't help laughing. "Cambridge girl. Our mass communicator. I haven't been seeing your Vlog recently. What happen?"

"Because I miss you."

Prince Ire laughed. "Something is happening to you girls. Is Caroline there?"

"Despite the noise, your babe is cruising in paradise at the corner. She's sleeping." Tomike said. "Are you out or we will meet you at the palace?"

"Toks something is up.."

"I know. You didn't do it. We know. Still afraid to see the King. But please come over. Do it for us. We miss you all. And you better get ready cause I want to see the new classy and fine babe taking care of my cuz. I saw Derin with that old man. But guy, if na me too, I go chop that money small too."

Prince Ire smiled. His cousins can be funny with words at times. "This one you are speaking pidgin so smoothly, what about the guys?" 

"They took a different car," Tomike replied.

"Hope is not a shangi shangi girl you are dating Ire." Desewa yelled. "This one you are not slapping our faces on your social media accounts with your babe seems unhealthy cuz. We know you. Only if there is no one. And in case, I'm advertising my girls. I have a correct babe for you." 

"Please leave my brother." Princess Desola snatched the phone. "Bye bro. Drive safe and meet us at the palace please." The call ended. Prince Ire heaved a sigh. He forgot to ask why they were around. He never heard about the family having a special occasion that required them to come home because that was the only time they came home together some years back.

Prince Ire got to his house at Lekki and drove in. He parked at his space and was about to get down from the car when another call came in. It was his brother, Prince Adedamola. He settled back and picked the call. "Hey."

"Ire you need to come home. Mom really want to see you and I think it's high time you talked to Dad too. He asked of you. He said your number has not been going." 

"Dad asked of me?" Prince Ire asked again surprised by the discovery. 

"Yes bro, he did. He knew Joy did it, but I guess he's angry because you didn't find a way to tell him till it got to the public." Prince Adedamola explained. Ever since the secret of the first Queen got to the public, the palace had been quiet. The King had been silently angry at everyone saying nothing and has even refused to dine at their dinning table. He had been a mockery to people after how he portrayed himself to the public giving advice on marriage here and there not knowing his own woman had been cheating on him for long.  

"How has he been coping?" Prince Ire asked.

"To be sincere with you, he's feeling bad. Dewale, sis Omotoke, Debisi, mom and I pleaded and begged for him to just let go. It seemed really hard for him but he gave her one of his houses at Ikorodu. He gave her a cheque of twenty million naira and that was all." Prince Adedamola said. "And, he seemed to remember something from his old phone cause he told his PA not to dash it out and repair the screen for him. As if that was not enough, he told his PA to make sure nothing was deleted on the phone. And he must stay with the person till the work is done." Prince Adedamola laughed. "I find that funny." 

On listening to that, Prince Ire became alert. It wasn't funny to him. The only thing that came to his mind was, the King had something on his old phone that he badly wanted to confirm it. 

"Are you listening at all?" Prince Adedamola yelled getting Prince Ire's attention immediately.

"Hmm...yea. You know what, tell Dad's PA to call me. And...I might not have liked the first Queen that much, but I felt really bad she left in such manner."

Prince Adedamola laughed at his brother. "Bro what are you saying please? Anyways I will tell him," he said.

Prince Ire quickly changed the conversation. He decided to confide in his brother about what was happening. "D, that picture of a thing has not stopped yet. Do you know that person is still sending me pictures of Ara and I. And, with the way I'm looking at it, this person knows me well."

"Recent ones?"

"Yes," Prince Ire replied.

"But that wasn't the plan Ire. You were to stay away from everything to avoid all these. That was the plan." Prince Adedamola reminded his brother.

It was true that the initial plan was for him to stay away from relatives who kept calling and coming around to find out nonsense. Some people can be so funny in different ways. Stupid questions that could cause instant headache. "You caused it Damola. When you sent that picture of Ayoola and Ara to me, I couldn't take it. I needed to see her. And because of that, we didn't go out. I took her to my place here." He confessed.

Prince Adedamola chuckled before replying. "Don't blame it on me please. It's okay. Now it's time to come home and settle things with Dad. Since he wants to see you, you should hear him out. And there is something you need to know."

"What's that?" That got Prince Ire's attention more. He sat straight in his car waiting for his brother to talk. "Damola why are you not talking?"

"The thing is...he said that...that..." Prince Adedamola stammered. "That he thinks you should go back to the US and resume to work."

"I got that. He's trying to send me back." Prince Ire said. "That reminds me... Cousins are around. Any special gathering?"

Prince Adedamola hit his forehead. "Can you believe I forgot. He's been trying to reach you but to no avail so he eventually called me. I'm talking about our uncle. Bro Adeleye. The last born to Dad. I can't believe he's finally getting married at age forty one. That guy is old. He sent everyone's lace down to the palace. Your tailor should send your cloth before Saturday. When will you be coming over?" 

"Now. I'm coming now." Prince Ire checked his back seat. He saw that his things were there. He locked the car doors, put on the air conditioner and gave the car a start. To the palace to meet with his Dad. And a wedding to attend. He could also come up with a strategy to introduce Ara to his cousins. But how will he?

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Hi guys😄 I feel someone is expecting to get a note from me. My loves, I couldn't update because I was strong for some days. It got to a point I couldn't eat or walk. My body was so hot and I felt so much pains. I got admitted but I'm back home and I feel a lot better. I had to leave a message on the group on Friday and promised myself that this Friday, I need to make up for the day I didn't update. I want to appreciate everyone who called. Thank you so much for the love and for being patient with my story. May God's protection be upon you all 🙏

😄 Have you voted?
I'm talking about the Nigerian readers' choice award I've been nominated for😔 I'm having low votes because you haven't voted. And you haven't voted too. Your support means a lot more than you can imagine. I hope you will spare me 🙏 just a minute to go to NGwattNG and support me with an inline comment +1. All you have to do is go to the VOTING chapter and comment +1 at the front of my name. Anywhere you see my name, kindly click on it and comment +1 as many as you can. yewandejoseph is my name, and have been nominated for many categories. Please voting ends on the 24th of this month. You can start voting now😄 Thank you so much and God bless you. You can as well watch the short videos I made for Ire&Ara. I've attached to all the four chapters I updated today. They are different videos. I hope you like them all. They are on my YouTube channel as well so you can watch it directly on YouTube (Yewande Joseph). Thank you so much. Till we meet again😘