Maid found a bottle inside her boss wardrobe with a man trapped inside | African folktales

.
.

The Bottle in the Wardrobe

Sarah’s life was a string of disappointments. Two years after graduating from university, her dreams of escaping poverty and living a good life seemed further away than ever. Each morning, she donned her faded blouse and skirt, clutching her battered CV as she went from one interview to another. The sun beat down mercilessly as she stood outside yet another bank, her shoes worn thin from endless walking. This was her fifth interview that week, and just like the others, they told her the same story: “We’ll call you back.” But nobody ever did.

At home, in their cramped apartment, Sarah’s parents tried their best to keep hope alive. Her father worked as a security guard, his meager income barely enough to cover their needs. Her mother sold akara every morning at the roadside, waking up before dawn just to scrape together a few naira. Sarah, with her degree and ambitions, felt useless. She watched her friends on Instagram, posting pictures of new jobs, new cars, new lives. The pressure was suffocating.

“Sarah, how was the interview?” her mother asked gently when Sarah returned home one evening, her face drawn and tired.

“Still praying, Mama,” Sarah replied, forcing a smile. “They said they’d get back to me.”

Her mother nodded, hope flickering in her eyes. But Sarah felt that hope slipping through her fingers.

Just when she was about to give up completely, her phone rang. The number was unfamiliar.

“Hello? Is this Sarah Ademy?”

“Yes, please.”

“This is Mrs. Okonko from Force Silver Bank. We want to offer you a job as contract staff.”

Sarah’s heart leapt. “Thank you ma! Thank you so much!”

The salary was just 85,000 naira, but to Sarah, it was like a million. She could finally help at home, finally feel like she was moving forward.

On her first day at work, Sarah was nervous but excited. The bank was a world apart from her humble home. Mr. Benson, her boss, was strict and no-nonsense.

“You are here to work, not to play,” he said. “Our customers are our priority. Treat everyone with respect.”

Sarah took her job seriously. She was always smiling, always polite, always ready to help. She sent half her salary home every month, and her parents called to pray for her.

One day, Sarah watched from her desk as they escorted Chief Gabriel to the VIP section. She’d heard people talk about him before. He wasn’t just any customer—he was one of the bank’s premium clients.

Later that day, Mr. Benson called Sarah into his office.

“Sarah, I’m giving you Chief Gabriel’s account to manage.”

“Me, sir? But I’m just contract staff.”

“Exactly. I know you’re hungry for success, so you’ll work hard. This man is very important to this bank. Make sure you are always available to help him. Whatever it is, you provide it sharp sharp. You understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

The next week, when Chief Gabriel came to the bank, Sarah greeted him with a smile, processed his transactions quickly, and even got him a drink while he waited.

“You’re new here,” he said, looking at her.

“Yes, sir. My name is Sarah. I’m managing your account now.”

He nodded. “You seem different from the others. You look more serious.”

“Thank you, sir. I believe every customer deserves the best.”

He smiled. “I like you. You remind me of my daughter. She’s 24 years old, studying abroad. How old are you?”

“24, sir.”

“Same age. Are you married?”

“No, sir.”

“Good. Build yourself first before thinking of marriage. That’s what I always tell my daughter.”

From that day, Chief Gabriel always asked for Sarah when he came to the bank. They chatted about life, work, and family. Sarah learned that he had four children—three studying abroad, one in secondary school—and a wife, Mrs. Unazi, who ran a successful catering business. Chief Gabriel became like the uncle Sarah never had, offering advice about savings, money, and building her life properly.

As months passed, they became closer. He even started calling her directly when he needed help with banking matters. Sarah didn’t mind; it made her feel important.

One evening, he called her after work.

“Sarah, I need help with something urgent. Can you please come to my office? I’ll send my driver.”

Sarah hesitated. It was already past six. But this was Chief Gabriel, their biggest customer.

“Okay, sir. I’m coming.”

When she reached his office, Sarah was stunned. The place was massive—security everywhere, fine landscaping, luxury at every turn. Chief Gabriel met her in his office and sorted out his banking issues in ten minutes. Then he insisted she eat before going home.

“It’s late and traffic will be much. Let me order food for you,” Chief Gabriel said.

He ordered food, and as they ate, they talked freely. He told her about his journey from being a village boy to a big businessman, and she shared her own struggles. When his driver dropped her home that night, Sarah felt blessed. Chief Gabriel was a good man who genuinely wanted to help her succeed.

But as she lay in bed, a thought crept into her mind. What if this friendship could become something more? She quickly shook her head. The man was married with children. What was she even thinking?

Three months later, Sarah’s life was going okay. Her contract was renewed with a small increase. But Sarah was restless. Every time she checked Instagram, she saw her friends living large. Blessing, her former classmate, just posted a picture with a new car. The caption said, “God is good.” Sarah knew Blessing’s story—the girl wasn’t doing anything serious, but always had money. People said she was dating big men.

Sarah looked around her small room. She thought about her mother still waking up at 5 a.m. to sell akara, her father’s tired face every evening. There must be a way, she told herself.

The next time Chief Gabriel came to the bank, she told him, “Sir, you have helped me so much. I want to cook for you as my little way of appreciation. Maybe you can come to my house this weekend for dinner.”

Chief Gabriel looked surprised. “Your house? Huh? That’s very kind, but—”

“Please, sir, I insist. You’ve been so good to me. Let me do this small thing for you.”

He thought about it, then smiled. “Okay. Saturday evening, right?”

“Perfect. I’ll send you my address,” Sarah said.

That weekend, Sarah emptied her account to prepare for the dinner. She went to the market, bought the best ingredients, cleaned her room till it sparkled, and lit scented candles to make everywhere smell nice.

When Chief Gabriel arrived, he was impressed.

“Sarah, this place smells nice. So, thank you, sir. Please sit down and relax.”

As they ate, Chief Gabriel couldn’t stop praising her food.

“This jollof rice, it’s like my mother’s own! And this pepper soup, it’s 100%!”

Sarah smiled, serving generous portions, making sure he was comfortable. She wore a simple but nice dress—just enough to look attractive without being obvious.

By the time they finished eating, Chief Gabriel was relaxed and happy.

“Sarah, this is wonderful. Thank you so much.”

“It’s my pleasure, sir.”

As he was about to leave, he brought out his phone. “Let me appreciate you small.”

Suddenly, Sarah’s phone vibrated. She saw an alert—500,000 naira.

Sarah’s mouth dropped open. “Sir, this is too much—”

“No, it’s okay, dear. You spent time and money on this food. Just take it as my thank you.”

After he left, Sarah just stared at the alert. 500,000 naira—six months of her salary. She sat on her bed, thinking: if just one dinner could bring this kind of money, what else could she get?

Everything changed after that dinner. Chief Gabriel started calling Sarah more, not just for official work but to chat and talk. Sarah encouraged him. She was always available. Her colleagues at work started noticing.

“Sarah, you and Chief Gabriel are very close. Be careful. That’s somebody’s husband.”

“I beg, leave that talk. The man is just being nice, like a father figure.”

But deep down, Sarah knew what she was doing. She started dressing differently at work, sprayed extra perfume when she knew Chief Gabriel was coming. One month later, she invited him for another dinner.

“Sir, I tried a new recipe. Please come and taste it for me. I need your honest opinion.”

This time, Chief Gabriel hesitated. “Sarah, I don’t want people to start thinking something else.”

“Sir, it’s just dinner. Besides, nobody will know. You’ve been stressed lately. Let me take care of you, at least for one evening.”

Something about how she said “take care of you” sounded different, and they both felt it.

“Okay,” he agreed, “but just briefly.”

Sarah was more prepared this time. She had gone to a pharmacy earlier that week.

“Please, I need something that will make a man relax well. Just something to ease stress.”

On the evening of the dinner, Sarah cooked another delicious meal. But this time, when she served Chief Gabriel his drink, she added a few drops of the drug.

As the evening went on, Chief Gabriel became very relaxed. His words started sounding slurred. His eyes looked heavy.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” he said. “I’m feeling somehow. Maybe I’m just tired.”

“Sir, come and rest more on the bed. You’ll feel better.”

She helped him to the bed, and he lay down. Sarah lay down beside him.

By morning, when Chief Gabriel woke up, he was shocked. He sat up quickly, looking around. Sarah was sleeping next to him, his clothes on the floor.

“Oh God,” he whispered, covering his mouth. “What have I done?”

Sarah woke up, pretending to be shocked. “Sir, what? How did this happen? Oh my God.” She started crying, pulling a blanket around herself. “I can’t believe this. I’m so ashamed right now.”

Chief Gabriel was in serious trouble. He had been married for 23 years. He’d never cheated on his wife. Never. And now this.

“Sarah, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me. I would never—I didn’t plan for this.”

“I know, sir,” she cried. “I didn’t plan it either. What will people think of me now?”

Chief Gabriel felt even more guilty. This young girl, someone he was supposed to mentor—he had abused her. Or at least that was what he thought.

“Please don’t cry. We’ll figure it out. But nobody can know about this. You understand? Nobody.”

Sarah nodded, wiping her tears. “I won’t tell anyone, sir. I promise.”

After that night, Chief Gabriel couldn’t stay away from Sarah. Even though guilt was eating him up, she had become like something he was addicted to. Every time he decided to stop, he found himself calling her, lying to his wife, creating fake meetings, making up reasons to come home late.

Unazi, his wife, noticed immediately. They had been married for over two decades. She knew her husband well.

“Gabriel, is everything okay?” she asked one evening as he was about to go out.

“Yes, yes. Business meeting. You know how it is, right?”

“At 9:00 p.m.? What kind of meeting?”

“Please don’t start. I’m tired.”

She watched him leave, but she was worried. This was not like her husband. Gabriel always made time for family, but lately he was always on his phone and coming home late at night.

Meanwhile, Sarah had started making demands. Her life changed. She moved from a small room to a big, beautiful apartment. She started buying new clothes, expensive hair, and going to places she couldn’t afford before. Her parents were happy, thinking her salary had increased.

“Sarah, you’re doing well now,” her mother said when she sent money home. “God is really blessing your hard work.”

But Sarah was not satisfied. She wanted more. She was tired of getting small change when she could have the whole thing.

One evening at her friend Kimmy’s place, Kimmy—who was also dating a married man—asked, “How far with your chief?”

“He’s still giving me money, oh. But it’s like peanuts compared to what he has.”

Kimmy laughed. “Sarah, you’re still forming good girl. See, this man will use you and dump you if you don’t wise up. You need to secure your future.”

“How, my dear?”

“There are ways. You need to make sure he can’t do without you. I know someone who can help you. She helped me with my own. He can’t even sneeze without asking me first.”

“Who?”

“Madam D. She’s a spiritualist. Very powerful. She gave me something, and since then, my man does whatever I say. He even removed his children from his will and put my name.”

“Serious?”

“Yes. Very serious. You want me to take you there?”

“Okay,” Sarah said. “Take me there.”

The next weekend, Kimmy took her to the spiritualist. “So, you want to tie a man?” Madam D asked.

“Yes, ma,” Sarah replied.

“Is he married?”

“Yes.”

“Good. What do you want from him?”

“Everything—his money, his time, his attention. I want him to leave his wife and be with only me.”

“No wahala, but it will cost you.”

“How much, ma?”

“Just 200,000 naira for the work.”

“Okay, I’ll do it.”

Madam D started working. She told Sarah to come back the next day and bring Chief Gabriel’s picture and his full name. Sarah did as she was told. Madam D handed her a small glass bottle. Inside was Chief Gabriel’s picture, some leaves, and red stuff.

“This is his soul,” Madam D said. “As long as this bottle is intact, he belongs to you. Whatever you say, he will do. Whatever you command, he will obey. But remember, keep this bottle safe. If it breaks, you’ll be in a great mess.”

“Where should I keep it?”

“Lock it somewhere in your house. Make sure nobody sees it. Nobody touches it.”

Sarah collected the bottle. She was scared but excited. This was it—a ticket to the good life.

From that day, everything changed completely. Chief Gabriel became like a robot under Sarah’s control. He stopped going home regularly, moved Sarah to a bigger apartment, started sending her huge amounts of money every week. His family was suffering.

“Daddy, where are you?” his daughter called from London. “Mommy said you don’t come home again. What is happening?”

“I’m fine, dear. Just busy with work.”

His friends tried to help.

“Gabriel, what is wrong with you?” his best friend, Chiemeka, confronted him. “You have left your wife and children for that small girl. Have you gone nuts?”

.

“Mind your business,” Gabriel told him. “I am doing what is best for me.”

“Best for you? You are destroying your family.”

But Gabriel could not control himself. Sarah’s demands became too much. She made him change his will, removing his wife and children and putting her name. She controlled his whole life.

“Don’t go home today,” she would command. “Stay with me.” And he would obey.

“Send me five million. I want to start a business.” And he would transfer immediately, without question.

Chief Gabriel’s life became hell, but he was powerless.

At home, Unazi was heartbroken. Her husband of 23 years was now a stranger. Their children were confused and hurt. The once happy family was now broken.

But Sarah did not care. She was finally living the life she always wanted.

Sarah’s new house was everything she dreamed of. She even hired a maid, Lizzy, a young girl from the village. On her first day at work, Sarah told her, “Make sure you clean everywhere well. But my bedroom—don’t enter without my permission.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Lizzy said.

One day, about three months into her job, Sarah rushed out in a hurry.

“Lizzy, I’m going out. Clean the whole house well. I’ll come back late.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

But Sarah made a mistake. In her rush, she left her bedroom door slightly open, and the key to the wardrobe where she kept the bottle was on her dresser.

Lizzy went about cleaning, sweeping, and mopping everywhere. When she got to Sarah’s room, she saw the open door and the key and decided to clean in order to impress her madame.

“Let me just clean the wardrobe,” she said.

She took the key, unlocked the wardrobe, and opened it. Inside were clothes, perfumes, and one small glass bottle.

Lizzy reached for the glass bottle to shift it so she could clean. The moment she touched it, she felt something cold. She brought the bottle down to look at it properly. Inside was Chief Gabriel’s picture.

Lizzy was scared. She had heard stories about things like this in the village. Suddenly, the bottle slipped from her trembling hands and crashed on the floor, breaking into pieces. Chief Gabriel’s picture scattered with the broken glass.

Lizzy screamed.

At that exact moment, Sarah felt it. She felt a sharp pain through her head, like someone drove a nail inside.

“Ha!” she screamed, holding her head. People rushed to help her, but the pain was too much.

At the same time, in Chief Gabriel’s office, something also happened. He had been sitting at his desk, staring at his computer. Then suddenly, he felt a fog clear from his eyes. He blinked, looking around like he was seeing his office for the first time. His phone was in his hand with Sarah’s number ready to call, but he could not remember why.

“What am I doing?” he said. Then suddenly, memories came flooding back.

“What have I done?” he screamed. “Oh God, what have I done?”

He stood up fast. He grabbed his car keys and ran out, his secretary calling after him.

“Sir, your 3:00 meeting!”

But Gabriel did not answer. He jumped in his car and drove straight home.

When he got home, he banged on the door.

“Unazi! Unazi! Please open the door!”

Inside, Unazi heard her husband’s voice and was surprised. For months, she had cried herself to sleep, prayed endlessly, wondering what possessed the man she loved. She opened the door.

What she saw shocked her. Gabriel was on his knees, crying.

“Forgive me,” he was sobbing. “Please forgive me. I don’t know what happened to me. I was not myself. I did not know what I was doing. But I am back to my right senses now. I’m so sorry, please.”

She stood there, watching with tears in her eyes. Part of her wanted to slam the door. But another part—the part that had loved this man for over 20 years—knew something was truly wrong.

“Come inside,” she finally said.

That evening, Gabriel explained everything to her. How he felt controlled, like he was under a spell. How he couldn’t stop himself even when he wanted to.

His last son was really angry.

“Daddy, how could you let that girl use you like that?”

“I don’t know, my son, but I promise I’m going to fix everything.”

The next morning, Gabriel went to his lawyer and started reversing everything. He changed his will back, closed the account he opened for Sarah, stopped all automated transfers, and also seized all the properties he got for her, making sure she lost access to everything, including her house.

Meanwhile, for Sarah, the headache that started when the bottle broke never stopped. It got worse and worse until Sarah could not even stand. Her mother came, rushed her to the hospital, but doctors could not find anything wrong. All her tests were normal.

“We don’t understand what is causing the pain.”

Finally, Kimmy took Sarah back to Madam D.

“What happened?” Madam D asked. But when she saw Sarah’s face, she knew something was wrong.

“The bottle has been broken.”

“Yes, ma,” Kimmy confirmed. “Lizzy broke it by accident.”

Madam D shook her head. “There’s nothing I can do. When the bottle breaks, the spell comes back to the person who did it. All the evil she planned for that man has come back to her.”

“Please, ma,” Sarah begged through her pain. “Help me. I will pay anything.”

“It is too late, my dear.”

Three months later, Sarah’s life was unrecognizable. The girl who was walking around in designer clothes was now in a hospital bed. The headaches turned into something worse. It was like her body was fighting against her. Her mother was devastated. Sarah wanted to confess everything but shame wouldn’t let her. How could she tell her churchgoing parents that she used juju to trap a married man?

One evening in the hospital, a phone rang—an unknown number.

“Hello, Sarah. It’s me, Chief Gabriel.”

She hadn’t heard his voice in months.

“I heard you are sick,” he continued. “I wanted to talk to you.”

“Why, Sarah?” she asked bitterly. “To laugh at how I am suffering?”

“No. To understand, Sarah. What did you do to me? Those months, it was like I was not myself, like someone else was controlling my body.”

Sarah was quiet.

“I am sorry. I am so sorry. I was greedy. I was wicked. I used juju on you. Trapped you. I wanted everything—your money, your life. And now I am paying for it.”

“Sarah, what you did was terrible. You almost destroyed my family completely. My wife almost left me. My children lost respect for me. But I forgive you.”

Sarah couldn’t believe it. “You forgive me?”

“Thank you so much, sir.”

“You are young. You made terrible choices. I can’t be holding anger. So, I forgive you. But Sarah, you need to make things right with God. Confess everything and ask for forgiveness.”

After he hung up, she felt real remorse.

She called her mother. “Mama, I need to tell you something.”

And for the next hour, Sarah confessed.

“Sarah, how could you?” Mama said.

“I don’t know, Mama. I was foolish. I wanted money, the good life, and I did not care who would be hurt.”

Her mother walked to the window. For a long time, she said nothing. Then she started praying.

“God, my daughter has sinned greatly, but she’s still my child. Please have mercy. Forgive her. We don’t deserve it, but we are begging. Please, Lord.”

Sarah also prayed to God and sought forgiveness.

A few weeks later, Sarah started getting better and was discharged.

This is a reminder to all of us: there are no shortcuts to real success. The fast life might look attractive, but it often leads to destruction. Build your life the right way, even if it takes time. Your peace of mind is worth more than riches. And remember, every evil deed will definitely come back to you. It is not a matter of if, but when.

The End