Final decision

Maieil pov

I went home with the hope that Dinam would accept my proposal. His mother seemed to want to help me. She is really nice this beautiful lady! I know that my approach may seem like madness, but it was the only alternative available to me at the moment. Besides, I don't have time to think about the consequences that my approach could have. The most important thing now is to get out of trouble. Either I marry a man with whom I can agree around a marriage contract where everyone will come out a winner. In this case, we can live together for two or three years. Of course, we will just strive to show everyone that we are married, but each will be free from any commitment vis-à-vis one and the other.  When the agreed period is over, we separate and each will go their own way.  Everyone has something to gain. If this alternative does not work, however, then I will be forced to marry the suitor proposed to me by my mother-in-law, to my greatest dismay. Indeed, neither my stepmother nor my supposed suitor inspires me at all with confidence. But if I don't find a solution quickly, my father will force me to marry this man I'm trying to find every way to avoid.

My mother-in-law has always been jealous of me. I don't understand this relentlessness she has against me. As soon as she arrived at our house, she looked at me with a bad eye.  MShe keeps making up stories to undermine my bond with my father. I am my father's only daughter and he loves me very much. My mother died in very strange circumstances and no one has been able to elucidate the circumstances of her death. Just three months later, my father introduces me to Martine and informs me that he intends to marry her. I felt an immense shock. I had taken that for betrayal. My mother had barely been buried and he already wanted to remarry. I even thought he was cheating on my mother with Martine. I did not understand why he was in a hurry to get married. But over time, I end up getting used to the situation. Maybe it was my father's way of forgetting his grief.

As she often knows how to go about it, my mother-in-law managed to convince my father of the idea of ​​marrying me in Lens, a man whom I have always found odd. Although I fiercely opposed this decision, my father remained unmoved.

"It's for your own good, my daughter. Lens is a trustworthy man. Your mother knows him very well. He will know how to be a good husband for you." My father told me following my refusal to marry Lens.

"Don't call this woman my mother. My mother would never have thought of imposing a stranger on me as a husband." I retorted sadly.

"We are not going to argue about this subject again my dear. If Martine proposed that you marry Lens, it is because she is worried about you. Besides, Lens is not unknown in this  home. He comes here all the time and I like him. He would probably make a good husband. Look at you, you spend your time at work and you don't even have a boyfriend. Getting married will do you a lot of good.  you will see." My father replied, stubbornly deciding.

"But didn't I tell you I was looking to get married?!" Was I offended.

I was shocked that he didn't even want to listen to my opinion.

"You are a woman and you must marry Maïeil. As a father, I worry about you. Tomorrow I will no longer be of this world, and I would like to make sure that you are in the hands of a man reliable and above all, I would like to hug my grandchildren before I die." My father replied, becoming tender.

"I understand your concern dad, but don't you think that if I wanted to get married, it's up to me to find the man I'm going to spend the rest of my life with?!" I replied looking desperate.

"Normally that's what I would have wished my dear, but you have been unable to find yourself a husband, not even a semblance of a boyfriend."

"So if I had been able to find myself a suitor, you would have had no problem with me marrying him?" I asked, thinking all of a sudden on an idea that already crossed my mind.

"Of course my angel! The most important thing is that he is a man of good character." My father replied.

My father's answer gave birth to the idea of ​​looking for a suitor and getting ahead of my stepmother before she succeeded in her project by imposing Lens on me as a husband.  I then launched into a frantic race against time to find myself a husband. All the men around me hardly inspired me. I wanted to find a man I didn't know, someone who was in bad financial shape and who would accept my deal. So it was in my quest for a husband that I came across Dinam about a week ago. At first, I had felt compassion for him seeing him so desperate and in the grip of tears. It wasn't common to see a man shed tears like this. Surely his pain would have to be strong for him to cry like this. His refusal to accept my proposal confirms to me that he is a man of principle who is not ready to do anything just for money, despite the bad patch he is enduring. This is the kind of man I need for a husband. At least, to play this role with my father. I am therefore determined to do everything to get her to sign this marriage contract, even if it means going through her mother to convince her. Because my future depends heavily on this marriage contract.

As promised, I went the next day in the afternoon to see Dinam's mother. I find her sitting on the veranda. As soon as she saw me enter the courtyard of the concession, her face lit up with her beautiful smile. I came to kiss him and after the courtesies, we immediately got to the heart of the matter that brings us together.

"So my daughter, can you tell me a bit more about this proposal you made to my son?" Dinam's mother Anna asked in a serious tone.

"I know that you are probably wondering about my approach which seems unusual, but I can reassure you Madam, that I am not trying to harm you, even less your son." I answered with sincerity in my look.

"So why is such a young, rich and beautiful girl like you looking for a man to marry? Why didn't you choose a man from your social class? And why did you choose my son in particular?" The lady inquired.

I could read the anxiety in his eyes. It's normal after all, because she's worried about her son. So I decide to talk to her openly to reassure her.

"I actually ran into your son by chance. I was out to relax and get some air from my current situation. That's when I ran into him. I don't want a wedding  conventional, but just to get me out of a drama that my mother-in-law wants to impose on me. If I don't find a suitor right away, I'll end up tied to a man I don't trust. What I expect from your  son is that he pretends to love me in the eyes of my father, but after three years of this fake marriage, each will go their own way. Then we will make my father believe that we have divorced. Of course, your son and you will have to gain by signing this marriage contract, because I intend to give him in return for his help, money and work in my father's company. And believe me, as a son-in-law  from my father, it will be a good position, in addition to these advantages, I will take care of all your medical expenses and you will not have to worry about anything." I explained in detail my plan to Dinam's mother.

The woman seems interested in my offer. I can read wonder on his face. I am well aware that what I am offering them in return for this marriage is very generous. Indeed, my offer would make anyone in Anna and Dinam's situation drool. But she is still a little reluctant. Surely because she is wary of all these advantages that are not common in the streets these days. In addition, people have become mean and we hear spine-chilling stories. She then asks me in a row

"Why does your stepmother want to impose a man you don't like on you, and your father also accepts? And your mother, why doesn't she object? What does she say about that?  "

"My mother is no longer here. She died when I was fourteen. And since then my father has remarried and his wife often tends to be an influence on him." I explained to Anna who was listening to me attentively.

She seemed to sympathize with what I just told her. She gives me a sympathetic look.

"I heard you my daughter. And I promise to speak to my son. Know that everything will be fine. Leave your contact with me. So when I have spoken to my son, I will report to you our discussion. Be reassured my daughter, my son is suspicious of you just because he does not know you. But once I talk to him, he will end up accepting this marriage. And who knows if love will not be born between you and that you will end up staying married?" Anna reassured me.

Dinam's mother's support did me a lot of good. I hurriedly gave her my phone number. After chatting for a while longer, I finally took my leave of Anna. Her company was very pleasant. I don't regret having visited her. It was with a smile on my face that I returned home in the evening.

Dinam pov

I came back in the evening after a hard day of fruitless quest for work. It was one more day of misfortune. Of all the places I knocked on the door asking for work, no one could give me any. On the contrary, all I could get were more insults and contempt. A woman nearly poured dirty water on me while swearing at me, just because I asked her if she could allow me to be a dip in her restaurant. If not for my ability to run quickly, I would have been completely soaked in water. I was cursing another shitty day as I drove home. I couldn't stand wandering all the streets of this city without finding a job.

Once I got home, I didn't feel like talking about anything with my mother, who I found sitting in the living room. Obviously, she was waiting for me with firm feet. I give her an icy goodnight and head out to our room. I spent a horrible day had given me headaches. Even before I have taken two more steps, my mother shouts at me

"Where are you going?Come and sit down, I would like to discuss a very important matter with you."

As I was qlready having an idea of ​​what she wanted to tell me, I cut the discussion short before I even listened to her.

"I will marry her." I said creating surprise on her face.

"Sorry?" Asked my mother, not believing her ears.

"That's what you wanted, isn't it?"

"Yes, but..."

"But nothing mum! I'm tired!" I concluded as I entered the room.

It was decided, the wedding was going to take place.