Amara Nicholas,
"Ah!!" I screamed, almost causing the driver to have an accident. I was so shocked to see the face of the man that I am married to.
"What's the problem, my lady? Are you alright?" Mr. Timothy asked me in concern as he slowed down and gazed at me cautiously through the car's rearview mirror.
"I am sorry. You can continue driving; I was only shocked to see my husband's face online," I said to him nervously. Mr. Timothy smiled understandingly, and I took it as a mental note not to scream out so foolishly again.
The drive started again, and I continued to look at the face of the man who was about to become my husband, Darlington Briggs.
I had seen him before when I got into the university. We crossed paths, and I mistakenly stepped on him, not knowing when I was walking with my friend Esther Peters.
Esther was an actress; she was a seductive person, and she never failed to observe all the handsome and well-to-do rich guys in the university.
I wondered how a rich girl like Esther Peters would be so easily swayed by money when she wasn't from a poverty-stricken home. Her parents were billionaires, but since we graduated from the university, Esther had traveled to another country farther away, and I lost contact with her.
She was not on F******k, which would have made it easy for me to search for Esther online and get her new contact, but she hasn't contacted me either, despite knowing that I use my real name online.
I marveled inaudibly at the handsome sight that occupied my phone screen. Then, I apologized to Darlington, not knowing his name, and told him, "I am sorry." He only stared at me in shock, not responding to me, and then he strode away.
Until I finished my schooling there, I never got to see him again. I learned that he may be a final-year student, and Esther was the one who I told about my secret crush.
Now, looking at the handsome face that had aged and become more mature, I think he was the only guy I saw and admired.
I saw some other guys, too, who usually admired me, but I didn't give them the chance. I had gone out several times with Esther in the hope of crossing paths with Darlington again, at least to know his name and to know him better. But I never got to see him.
I couldn't stop thinking about him, about how my heart had accelerated when he held me close to prevent me from falling after I mistakenly stepped on him.
Feeling his firm arms wrapped around my waist and caught me closely before I would drop to the floor like a dummy after getting lost admiring him. I think maybe that was why he didn't speak to me.
I learned from Esther that it wasn't good to drool over a man, and you should form a classic and stone-cold nature and allow the man to drool over you instead.
Well, that was not intentional. Darlington was tall; he looked so handsome in the casual clothes I saw him wearing. Even when he walked away without responding to me, I could see some other young ladies in our school glaring at me, like I intentionally stepped on him to get his attention.
I sighed and asked myself, "So this man is my husband now?"
I couldn't believe my eyes. How handsome Darlington now looks. I exited his profile picture to stare at some of his timeline photos, but then my eyes grew sad as I saw a photo of him and another lady.
"Did Father not tell me that Darlington was single and would be expecting me?"
My heart broke as I saw a photo of Darlington Briggs and the slim, formidable model that he proposed to.
Seeing the smile on their faces and how he went down on one knee and proposed to her broke my heart.
I could hear the shattering sound of my heart, seeing how lovely they look together and how Darlington captioned the post, saying, "She said yes to me. I am so happy right now."
Tears welled up in my eyes, and my heartbeat accelerated. I felt the urge to scream out and tell the driver to stop the car and drive me back home to my father's house.
But I remembered my father telling me to return home with my kids and his future grandchildren. Not only that, I remember asking my mother if Darlington was already in a relationship.
I knew I hadn't been in a relationship; I was untouched. But the case would be rare for a man who grew up in the city and whose father is a billionaire, according to how my mother described them and told me not to pack my clothes too much the previous night. My mother wasn't pleased with my fashion sense.
I didn't know that I was crying; I felt cheated upon seeing the photos of Darlington and his girlfriend, and I saw him tag her profile along with his own as "my baby."
Her name was Jenna Colton online, and she had a lot of followers. A million followers, at least. She was a celebrity in Country Z, and I wonder how they would treat me now.
"I am sure this man didn't know that he was married to me. I am certain he wouldn't accept me, not when 'his baby' was there. I didn't want to continue with the journey of going to the city, but I still wanted to obey my parents, even if it was the last thing they wanted me to do for them before I finally became an independent woman. I want to get to the Briggs Family Mansion first to see Darlington and his family. To know if I am indeed married to him or not. Or my father was deceived by his friend, who was the one who had settled everything.
I didn't want to believe that I was married off to my father's friend, with the disguise that I was his son's wife. Well, when I finally get to the city, I will find out.
I feel sad after seeing many photos of Darlington and that pretty, fair-skinned lady. I didn't look pretty and sophisticated like her, and I knew that I would be cast away and labeled as a wicked person for coming into another woman's relationship. But I wanted to confirm the whole truth before finally taking a concrete decision.
I relaxed my back to the car seat as the car drove ahead, continuing driving for hours to the city. Soon, I fell asleep at the back.
Darlington Briggs,I woke up in my bedroom to the fresh start of a brand new day. A New Year's Day. I was so excited, as I wanted to go downstairs to inform my parents officially that I wanted to get married this year, and I had made up my mind to settle down with Jenna Colton.Jenna has been my love since five years ago. I met her through her elder brother, Bruce, as Bruce was my best friend in school.We studied the same business course, and we live in Country Z, in the heart of the city. The Colton family was also a wealthy and well-known family here.Jenna has a successful career as an actress. She is also a model and has been featured as the face of many brands.I knew that she had gone through the knife and had undergone a lot of surgeries to enhance her beauty, but I still love her nonetheless.I love Jenna very much, and I didn't regret my decision to propose to her last weekend to marry me.My father didn't react to my post, and to make matters worse, I cannot seem to find him
Darlington Briggs,I immediately rose from the black couch and stared at my father in shock."Whose wife, Dad?" I asked my father again, wanting to be sure, and my father stood up too and said, "Darlington, I have told you that you cannot marry Jenna. The reason I married my best friend's daughter for you is because she's well-mannered and not a corrupt young woman like Jenna Colton.""Dad... I cannot believe that you're saying this. I am the one to get married to Jenna, not you! What gives you the right to think that you can decide on my life like this and impose a woman on me for me to marry?""That's enough, Darlington! I won't have you disrespect me in this house. You see what an elder sees from sitting down; even if you climb the tallest tree, you still cannot see it. Jenna is a corrupt woman, and she wouldn't make a good wife for you. Don't you see how she looks with her artificial body? Do you think that she will want to settle down and give you children? I am very certain she's
Darlington Briggs,How would you feel if your parents imposed a spouse on you? Someone you haven't met before?I watched my father walk away from us by climbing the stairs, and he went back to his room, exiting our view."Mother," I gazed back at my mother, struggling to comprehend and assimilate the news my father had just shared about my impending marriage, like a piece of document signed on an agreement."Calm down, Darlington. You will not marry any Amara Nicholas, not while I am here," my mother said, and my younger sister laughed, making me glare at her."What's so funny, Samara?" My mother asked her before I could. "Just because your father didn't marry you too off like that, right? That's why you are shamelessly laughing at your older brother, right?""No, Mother."Our mother looked displeased at Samara, who coughed and apologized to us, "Mom, I'm sorry. But this is very funny. How can our dad marry Darlington without Darlington consenting to it or knowing about it, and now his
Darlington Briggs;After my breakfast with my mother and my sister ended, I stood up from the dining chair and set out to leave our family house."Darlington, where are you going?" My mother asked me with a worried look on her face.I assured her, "Mom, I am just going out; I will be back soon.""Okay, my son. But don't you think it's best not to inform Jenna? She may overreact; allow me to handle everything for you. Then later, you can share the news with Jenna about how your father wanted to force you to marry a woman you don't know."I sighed."Alright, mom. I won't inform Jenna about it, but I feel like leaving this house as of now. I don't want to be here when that woman arrives," I said, with a hint of frustration."It's okay. Just be fine out there," my mother assured me."Sure, Mom. I'm not a kid; I will be good. Take care," I said, hugging my mother. Though I was taller than her and Samara, they're my family, and their happiness matters to me.Well, I cannot say the same about
Darlington Briggs,I waited for Jenna to arrive, and after taking my bath, I requested something edible to eat. My phone ringing on the table in my room woke me up after a long afternoon nap.I immediately got out of the hotel bed, and realizing it was already evening, I frowned as I had expected Jenna to arrive before this time.I picked up my phone, seeing that my mother was calling me."Hello, Darlington. Where are you?" My mother asked me, and I yawned and stretched before I replied, "I am somewhere special, Mom. Why are you calling me?"I didn't want to think it was because of the new lady who was arriving at our mansion, and my mother confirmed to me, "She's already here in our house, Darlington, and your father has been trying to call your mobile number since, to know where you are, but it's not connecting. Where are you? Start coming home.""No, Mother, why? I told you earlier that I wasn't interested in seeing this lady. I don't care who she is or where she's from. Father can
Darlington's Briggs;Jenna turned to face me. Her lips quiver, but she shakes her head and replies, "No, Darlington. Not now. I cannot get pregnant now. I want to win the award for the top model of this year and also the best international model award. I have also signed a contract worth 50 million bucks, and you don't expect me to cancel all that and put it aside to become your baby mama. No, I cannot do that now."I sighed."Not a baby-mama for me, Jenna, but as my wife," I replied, standing up from the bed and walking up to meet Jenna, where she stood and folded her arms around her chest."I know, Darlington. Just give me some time to sort myself out first. I am not yet ready to become pregnant," Jenna stated."Hmm." I knew that my father wouldn't change his mind now. Especially not when he has married his friend's daughter for me.I was frustrated about Jenna's constant refusal to get pregnant for me, and I was not ready to lose my position as the CEO of Briggs Group yet.So what d
Darlington Briggs:I didn't care what Jenna used the money that she received from her work to do. As long as she was looking sweet for me. Also, I knew that her parents were billionaires, and her elder brother, Bruce Colton, was my friend.Jenna didn't lack anything; she became speechless but shook her head firmly and replied, "No, darling." "I worked so hard to rise to the top of my rank. I cannot just quit now... I can't get pregnant right now. It will ruin my shape and spoil my career, too. You know all the problems that come to a woman after childbirth.""What!" I exclaimed, looking at Jenna in shock."Ruin your shape? Is that all you care about—your shape and money? How about us marrying like you have always wished for and having our family together?" I questioned.Jenna frowned, walked up to meet me, and replied, "Darling, we will have children. I'm not saying that I won't. But not now. I was planning to discuss this with you. About the two of us getting a surrogate mother who wi
Darlington Briggs:"Okay," Jenna agreed, and I called on the room service.Soon, our meals arrived, and I refrained from telling Jenna that my parents had already found a new wife for me, and this was especially true for my father.I couldn't tell Jenna about it. Not when she is suggesting that we use a surrogate mother and has no desire to become pregnant for me.I was frustrated by her constant refusal to get pregnant. But yes, I was a billionaire, and I could afford to get a surrogate mother, but I wouldn't say I liked the idea of it.I wanted to see my wife become pregnant for me and bear our child.I don't know if I am being selfish about this. But I honestly wanted to see my wife become pregnant. I knew that some women had lost their lives through the pregnancy journey, and it wasn't an easy task like that.I sighed and finally had dinner with Jenna."Aren't you going home today?" Jenna asked me as she was through with her meal. We both had a plate of jollof rice and fried chicke