"Good afternoon Dad. I was told you want to see me."

"Yes," the King replied. "I was also told you came back to the palace after many days. How have you been doing?" The King stared at Prince Ire who was not looking up, obviously avoiding his Dad. The moment Prince Ire's car drove into the compound, the King was alerted by the securities at the gate. There was nothing the King wasn't aware of. Even though he had missed his son and was happy to see him back to the palace, he acted like that wasn't happening to him at all, making his tone flat.

This was one of the behaviours Prince Ire shared with his Dad. Hiding of feelings perfectly like nothing happened. For some seconds, the two remained quiet. No one was speaking. The King intentionally kept quiet to hear his son speak. Realizing his Dad was giving him room to talk, Prince Ire sat a bit far away on his Dad's bed. He had his two hands together like he was about to say a prayer, but he spoke up instead. "I kept it because I didn't want it to get to the public." Prince Ire confessed.

"I couldn't tell you Dad. I don't think any man want to find out about his wife's affair. I thought about your feelings. I'm a man too. I know how much that could hurt any man. I know you are aware of the fact that she sees me as a threat to Dewale. She hates my mom. I do not like the way she treats her. She's already fighting for the throne when you are still alive. She makes me feel uncomfortable in my father's house. And I didn't have any choice than to behave the same way to her even though I knew you didn't like that. But I will never expose her like that. She's a mother to people I love. I would never do that to her Dad. I'm sorry things turned out this way." Prince Ire said quietly, feeling really bad about the whole matter. Then he continued. "I never plan to hurt you Dad. I love you so much. I'm sorry for the shame I brought to you with my carelessness. I'm sorry. I hope you find a way to forgive me."

The King kept quiet still. He looked at his son who still avoided looking into his eyes. "Adedamire," he called. "It is better for any of the spouse not to cheat because nothing remains a secret for life. One day, the secret will be known. It can't be hidden for long. What's done is done. She must have prepared for the consequences of her actions. You are not to blame."

Prince Ire finally looked up at his Dad. He couldn't believe getting such response in the first place. He was used to having conversations with his Dad because many times, the King had requested Prince Ire to educate him about his work and anything he needed to know in case he was among his friends and they were talking about their children as well. He had known his Dad to be stubborn at times and as well understanding at times. Prince Ire left home because he couldn't face him. He felt remorseful. He felt bad. He felt like he had hurt his Dad because he was aware how the viral video had brought shame and made him a laughing matter among people.

"I hope you won't stop being his Dad because to him, you will always be his father." Prince Ire talked about the fourth Prince which was revealed as the son to the man his wife cheated on. Prince Ire stared at his Dad. "Don't let the plans you have for him change because of what you discover. He's still your son."

"I won't go back on my word," the King promised. He kept quiet again before speaking up. "I think it's high time you returned back to US."

"Excuse me!" That suddenly changed Prince Ire's tone. His eyes were no longer looking friendly. He refused to hide the fact that he didn't appreciate what his Dad just said. His brother, Prince Adedamola already told him, but he never knew his Dad was going to bring up the matter again. "Dad!" 

"Adedamire you never liked Nigeria. We pleaded many times for you to come down here but you never agreed until the day you came home yourself surprising us without any reason despite asking you many times." The King said. "You told me you will return in six months time, now no hope because you aren't even talking about it."

"That's because I'm not planning on going anytime soon." Prince Ire said, his voice getting hard and louder than usual.

"No Adedamire! No!" The King disagreed, raising his voice in return. "I think you should return immediately after your uncle's wedding and get back to your work."

Prince Ire got up from his Dad's bed. He was extremely annoyed by what his Dad was saying. Despite trying not to let their discussion result into argument, it was completely useless at the beginning. Prince Ire's voice was firm and after many months, he spoke in his British accent. "Dad I can't deal with this headache. You should know I'm planning to get a job here in Lagos cause I'm not going back anytime soon. To be honest with you, I want to start my life here. I see Naija is not that bad and I'm beginning to love it." 

"Excuse me!" The King stood up, getting angered by the way Prince Ire was speaking to him. "You won't talk to me like that! You may have all the packs and even taller than me, well educated with accent, but look here son, I'm still your father! And you will still listen to me till you are no longer under my roof!"

"Common stop all these Dad!" Prince Ire yelled back. "Stop talking to me like a kid! Will you stop that! I'm a grown up man who knows what he's doing. I fucking know what I'm saying! What's wrong with me trying to start a life here in Nigeria? Tell me! All my friends are here and life is going on fine with them. What's wrong with that!"

"Everything!" The King's voice hardened. "Everything is damn wrong Ire! Don't try that nonsense with me. Don't you dare! And I hope what I'm hearing is not true?"

"Excuse me?" Prince Ire lost every word he planned on saying staring at his Dad. He was suddenly so calm but then, he decided to confront his Dad with the truth he was told. "What is not true Dad?" His voice was slow, saying his word very clearly to calm himself. "That you actually called Derin and told her she ain't the one for me. That you told her she doesn't match with me. I'm sure that ain't true cause I didn't believe her. I never did."

The King hissed extremely angry at his son. "At the end, you are just stupid!" The King said to him. "You think I will allow you marry that slut, apeere ajase prostitute you called Derin? Oh! You think I don't know she sleeps around before she met you. She has slept with two of my friends which I know of. Is that the type of lady my son will marry? Over my dead body!" The King yelled. "The moment you introduced her to me, I recognized her immediately. So, is that the type of lady I will introduce to my friends? Didn't you see how she jumped on the opportunity to marry Fred when he became a Governor."

Prince Ire was extremely angry by his Dad's response, but many times, his mom had told him to never allow his anger to get the best of him. She told him he gets angry just like his father, but that was one thing she never liked about their father. That moment when he got angry and nothing you say to him gets in. Prince Ire covered his face with his two hands breathing slowly to calm himself down. He slowly sat back close to the edge of his Dad's bed before he was finally able to speak. "Dad! Everyone has his or her past," he said. "The best way we can get them out of the negative thoughts in their head is to show them how much we love them. How much we appreciate them for stepping out of the life they once thought was the best for them. Dad I also have my past---"

"Don't you dare say anything there!" His Dad cut him off.

"No." Prince Ire's voice was firm staring at his Dad. "May be it would make you realize I wasn't stupid when I chose to date her. Even till now, I believe she doesn't sleep with the Governor because Derin fucking loves me. She left me a letter which I intentionally chose not to open till this day. She so much cherish my love for her because I accepted her with all her past while I refused to tell her mine. And if I need to remind you that I was a damn drug addict for seven years at age thirteen till I was twenty! I will! I found happiness in taking drugs, drinking and partying around. All you did was scold me! Tell me to my face to see how my brother Dewale was making you proud. You gave his mom chances to insult my mom and she doesn't fail to tell my mom how bad of a mother she was for watching my life ruined." Prince Ire was starting to cry. "Dad she fucking had cancer and you never knew! What's the point of having two wives when you can't love them equally!"

"She lived with the pain and refused to talk cause of the fear of living in shame. I wish you knew how much I hated you then seeing her suffered. If not for me who eventually told you, she wouldn't have survived it. She wouldn't be here with us today. She's now a woman with one breast which makes me sad most days because if we had known on time, her breast wouldn't have gone with it." Prince Ire stopped himself from crying further, bringing his head down and acting like a man who had to be strong before he continued talking.

"The main reason you took me out of the country was to get me treated. And the main reason I refused to come back home after a long time was because I was afraid of getting back to my old vomit. I cultivated the habit of staying indoor and refused to go out with friends. While my friends spend so much on drinks, I tried my best to take one and spend less for the fear of becoming the old me again. I stopped attending parties and would rather spend my time alone. I intentionally stopped spending too much on material things because I was once a spender. And now everyone thought I'm stingy to myself. How many people do I want to explain to?"

At that point, Prince Ire was ashamed of himself. Ashamed of his past. His worst nightmare. He could remember stealing his Dad's atm card to buy things for himself and his old time friends. He could remember stealing his mom's money to buy drugs and left home for many days until his Dad found him again. He had a particular permanent dragon tattoo he drew at the upper part of his back. At that time, he told himself he represented a beast, a python. He never cared for his life or life of others and at that time, he was wicked and dangerous. Now he regretted having that tattoo and he was always ashamed of showing it around.

He had done a lot of bad things but he never stayed one night at the police station because his Dad would always come to his rescue. He never would have thought to turn out a gentle man, but then, his reason for avoiding to go out was because he didn't want to ever come across those friends he spent seven years of his life with constituting nuisance. Now he had new friends, and none of them knew what his old life was all about because he met them after he started healing. He started reading to stay away from being bored. He began to gym getting himself a better place to spend his time. All these habits grew on him and he found them better than who he used to be.

The first day he met Ayoola, he knew he was a bad boy. The first day he also met Toby, he knew he was a mama's boy. And when he met Folu, he knew he was just like the new him he just found. He knew what was like being a bad boy, what was like being a mama's boy, and what was like being extremely reserved. It was exactly the same reasons he loved his friends. And when they behaved some ways at times, he just stayed behind watching them because he was once like that. 

Prince Ire got up throwing the past where it belonged. "I'm not feeling well," he said. "I need to take a quick nap. I'm sorry for bringing up the past. Now I'm happy. And you don't have to send me back cause I've found a better reason to start my life here all over again." Prince Ire assured his Dad and walked out leaving his old man who burst into tears seeing how hurt his son was. If he could count the three mistakes he had made in his life. Number one was comparing his two sons and wives. Two was loving one than the other making it so obvious. Three was never looking after his sons thinking they were doing fine until he realized Prince Ire was a drug addict and a drunkard at seventeen when he began to steal and started bringing drugs home.