If Rhoda was thinking she would have a 'happily-ever-after' story, she had better think again because fate has another plan in store for her. After being abandoned abroad for eight years, her parents call her back into the country just to use her to save their dying business by marrying her off to a billionaire equals a jerk. Jeffrey suggested an open marriage since the two of them were in love with someone else. What will be their fate when the ones they were in love with break up with them after signing the open marriage contract? Will they try to make things work between them or just keep the marriage open? Will she be able to watch her husband with other women without doing anything? Or will she try to win him over to herself since divorce isn't an option? Will things become more complicated after realizing that her father's business might not be liquidating after all and she has an identical twin who has been committing atrocities and making people believe it's her?
View MoreRhoda stirs awake at the knock on her door. She sits up and the door creaks open gently and reveals her aunt. She rubs her eyes and asks her to come in. "Is there a problem?" She glances at her wall-clock which says one in the morning. "It's late."
Her aunt smiles. "Not a thing, darling. My brother called me just now. Obviously, he has been trying to reach you."
"Dad called? I don't believe that he has been trying to reach me. You must've heard him wrong, aunt Martha." She reached for her phone on the locker beside her bed and saw the missed calls from her father. She was surprised.
Why was he suddenly reaching out to her? He had sent her to live abroad with his younger sister when she was seventeen. And since then, he barely called to ask her how she was doing. Her mother managed to call a few times.
"I think you should listen to whatever he has to say, my dear. It seems urgent," Martha said before walking out of the room.
Rhoda shrugged and was about to go back to bed when the backlight of her phone went on. Her father was calling. No wonder she couldn't hear it ring. The phone was in silent.
She picked up. "Hello?"
If she had expected her father to apologize for forgetting about her and not reaching out, she was utterly wrong. She was disappointed and became sad. None of what her father said was what she had predicted at all.
He wanted her to come back to Nigeria. She could not figure out the reason and he wouldn't say it either. She doesn't want to leave New York, so she told him just that.
But he pleaded. Desperately.
"Can you give me a week or two? I need to get things sorted out here, so…" She decided to yield. He was her father anyways. And she loved him.
"No, please. It is very urgent. You have to make it today. I beg you. Your mum and I will be waiting for you," her father said.
After hanging up, she started packing her bags and her aunt entered again. "He wants you home?"
She nodded. "He wouldn't even give me a week to sort myself out. He just called me out of the blue after eight years and asked me to come home. Am I that difficult to love? That's not fair," she sniffed, trying to hold back her tears.
Martha walked closer to her and hugged her. "He will come back to his senses. Do not cry, baby. Your parents love you. Just have that at the back of your mind and do not hate them."
Rhoda nodded as she sobbed.
★
Hours later, her flight landed and was picked up by the Uber driver her father had sent to pick her up from the airport. Once again, she was disappointed. The least they could do was come to welcome her home after so many years.
She decided not to allow that to weigh her down and affect her mood, so she smiled as she looked from one building and road to another as her uber driver graced the road carefully because of the potholes.
Nothing has changed much in her neighborhood and Lagos was still as busy as ever. She asked the driver to pull up in her parents' house, but was surprised when he drove past their house and didn't stop.
The first thought that came to her mind was that she was about to get kidnapped. But how could that be possible when it was the Uber her father sent to get her from the airport because her father had said, 'Things are hectic here. We're all busy.' She didn't understand, but did not bother to ask further on why 'they were all busy'.
"What's wrong, mister? You just drove past my house," Rhoda said. Even if she was going to get kidnapped, she should at least question the driver first.
"I thought your father told you, I'm sorry. He asked me to bring you to Merry hall. It's five minutes away. He said they're all waiting for you."
"A hall?" Rhoda was confused, so she brought out her cell phone and called her mother. It took her ages to pick up. "Mum? The driver just drove past the house and he's saying something about a hall. What's going on?"
"Don't worry, baby. Trust him. He'll bring you here. We're waiting for you."
"But what —" She heard something like her mother mentioning to someone that 'The bride...her way' but didn't read any meaning to that. She must have heard wrong, so she didn't dwell much on that since her mother had told her to trust a stranger and had hung up.
She kept mute throughout the five minutes drive to the hall and finally, the driver parked and alighted to help her with the bags and his eyes went to the banner that was hanging on the wall of the hall. "Congratulations, Miss."
Rhoda smiled even though she was confused. Why would he suddenly congratulate her? Well, it might be on her return home. "Thank you," she said and walked into the event center and took in the crowd . Some were looking and smiling at her while some were busy taking pictures.
She wasn't surprised. She was beautiful enough to draw attention. And who knows? Perhaps, her parents planned a huge welcome party for her.
"There she is," she heard someone say and looked at the guy who owned the voice. He was among some other guys who seemed to be his friends and she must admit he was the most handsome.
She said nothing as she continued walking and started wondering what he meant by that. And what was that look on his face? He seemed to have combined all sorts of emotions together. Anger, disappointment, displease, disgust and all. She could not lay a finger on the exact one he had on, but he was obviously not happy. To see her.
She didn't realize he was following her until he touched her arm gently and made her turn around and before she could say a word, the guy leaned forward and kissed her lips.
Rhoda was shocked as she looked at him by tilting her head backwards and looked at him. He was that tall. She was even more shocked when she realized the Uber driver was smiling, but she had no business with the man. She looked back angrily at the guy who just stole a kiss from her.
"You look so sexy.. I can't just —" the rest of his words were killed by the slap his cheek received from Rhoda.
She had to stand on her toes for her hand to be able to reach his face properly. "Don't go around kissing strangers," she warned like a professor. "If you ever try that with me again, I will kill you."
And yeah, Rhoda could be so fearless at times not minding her petite figure. She ignored the gasps and all sorts of bad words she heard some people murmur and walked out. It seemed they didn't see what he did to her.
"Miss, why would you— He's your —" The driver was confused by her action. Why would she slap him? It wasn't like he did something wrong. He kept quiet since the young lady didn't seem interested in whatever he had to say.
Rhoda found her parents in a room with some other family members and faces she couldn't recognize, but received hugs from everyone as they welcomed her. Some even told her not to waste time in getting ready and she could only smile.
"What's going on, dad? Why are you all here? Are you throwing a welcome party for me?" She said and giggled. No matter how bad her parents behaved, she loved them.
Her father's expression changed as he took her to another room while her mother followed behind. It was obvious they wanted to say something they didn't want anyone to hear.
"What's wrong? Is there a problem?" Rhoda asked.
"You are right. We are throwing you a party,' her mother said.
"Yay—" Rhoda was about to jubilate, but her father cut off her excitement way too soon.
"It's a wedding party, Rhoda," her father confessed.
The happiness on Rhoda's face slowly transformed into confusion. What did a wedding party have to do with her returning home after eight years abroad? "I don't understand what you are trying to say, dad. What are you talking about?"
"You're getting married, Rhoda. Today."
★
“Oh, gosh! Rhoda!” He exclaimed as soon as he barged inside. “How did you fall?” He asked as he rushed to her side. She was in tears and couldn't utter a word. He helped her up and hugged her. “It's okay now. You're fine,” he consoled and she tried to subdue the tears. She shook her head in disagreement to what he said. “I'm not fine, Jeff. I don't think I'll ever be able to walk again. I can't even stand up by myself after falling. I am doomed!” She cried. “Sshhh!” He said, looking her in the eyes. “Don't say that. You are not doomed and you'll walk again. I'll make sure that happens,” he assured, wiping her tears with his thumbs. She sniffed and nodded. He lifted her up in his arms and was about to put her back on the bed when she stopped him. “I need to use the restroom,” she said, looking everywhere but him. He smiled at her shyness and helped her to the bathroom and waited outside to help her back to the bed when she was done. “Are you okay now?” He placed her on the bed, po
After being discharged, Rhoda decided to go to Jeff's house. He didn't oppose it. He was surprised instead. Why would she want to go to his place instead of her boyfriend's? And why would the guy agree to it? No matter how he looked at it, it seemed odd to him. She wouldn't even go to her parents' house. Well, Rhoda gave him the excuse that she had to stay with him because of her parents since they didn't know about the boyfriend. Made sense, but at the same time didn't. He said nothing as he drove her to his house and helped her out of the car onto her wheelchair. She has not been able to stand and walk on her own properly even though there has been improvements in her condition, but the doctor insisted that she should keep using the special chair for a while. And of course, just as Jeff had predicted, Rhoda had been against it but had been left with no choice. As he was about to put her on the chair, she glared at him. "Are you kidding? I am not sitting there. I have legs," she
Few days later, the doctors finally concluded that Rhoda had had enough rest and could be visited, but one after the other. Rhoda said nothing as she saw her father walk in. Her mother had just gone out and she knew he was going to do the same thing her mother did. Apologize. And she was already tired of that. She had forgiven them and had told her mother that. She hoped she would relay the message to her father. She was getting bored with the apologies. When would he even come in? She thought. "Dad," Rhoda called and smiled. He held her hand and squeezed it a little. "I am glad you're better now. Rhoda, I am …"She nodded repeatedly. "I know, dad. I know you are sorry. You regretted it. Not telling me about Sharon, the marriage and sending me abroad? I know. I've forgiven you. So, you don't need to apologize."When would anyone ask her how she was feeling and not just assume that she was better? It seemed no one was interested in that even though she had just been to the moon and
Rhoda got rushed to the hospital in an ambulance without much time. Her pulse was very weak and she was bleeding profusely from the gunshot and was barely holding on. Jeff drove behind the ambulance with the family and his friend. He had been warned a couple of times to slow down his speed, but he paid no heed to them. He tried to. It just wasn't working. "Jeff, calm down. You don't want to kill us all and then get to know in heaven that Rhoda made it to your funeral," his sister said and he shot her a glare from the rear view mirror, but said nothing and slowed down. They arrived just as Rhoda was being wheeled in. He ran to her and kept calling her name, begging her to hold on. "You have to make it, babe. Please," he pleaded as he pushed the wheel alongside with the nurses with bloody hands and into the emergency ward. He was asked to wait outside the ward as the doctor and nurses attended to her, so he obeyed hesitantly, but not before using everything he knew and believed in t
Jeff's phone started ringing. He rolled over on his bed and looked at the phone beside him to check who the caller was. He didn't bother picking up when he realized it was his best friend. Ex-best friend. Moments later, it started ringing again and that happened a couple of times more until he got frustrated and forced to pick up. He put the phone to his ear. "What's up?""There's something I need to tell you," Francis said from the other end. "And it's urgent. Can you come over now? Please?"Jeff was still sleepy and it was evident in his voice. "Why would I? Sorry, but no. Bye…" he said and put the phone out of his ear. "Rhoda," Francis said as fast as he could before he hung up and Jeff put the phone back to his ear and sat upright immediately. The sleep left his eyes all of a sudden. "What's wrong with Rhoda? Oh, wait! Is she your partner too? Is that what you want to confess?" He was irritated and annoyed and he didn't bother hiding that from his tone. "Jeff, no. You know she'
Rhoda paced her room back and forth as Steve told her about the man he had seen that was following her. From the description, she knew who it was. He had found her. It seemed that fate wanted them to cross paths again. "I told him I am your husband –"She squeezed her face as she tried to re-listen to what he had just said. "You did what? You told him that you're my husband?" That would make him confused. "He wasn't sure if it was you. Well, with the look on his face, he was quite sure, but I stopped him from following you," Steve said as he crossed his legs and relaxed on her bed. He sensed and noticed the anger that was building up in her, but chose to ignore it. She wouldn't get mad at him. And if she would, he was ready for it. He would readily take her anger. He was going to be protective of her until the end. Rhoda had been an amazing person and he had grown to love her. He wouldn't let her go back into a life where she wasn't valued and appreciated. He was even ready to fathe
Sharon got out of her car and walked to the entrance of her parents' house. She paused at the door as she hesitated on knocking. She was going in to see her parents. Her biological parents. She had seen them before, of course, but then she had been pretending to be sick. Now, she was all well and good, going in as their only daughter. The only daughter of the parents who gave her up for adoption because they didn't want her. She wasn't needed. And now, she was going, pretending to be someone she was not. The original daughter. That realization stung and it hurt her really bad. She raised her head and fought back her tears because she wasn't the type that cry. They didn't even look for her. She had wasted so many years thinking they would, but it was sad that they were fine without her. The hurt pierced through her heart, but she refused to let a tear drop. She had become too strong for that. She hoped. It was obvious she was an unwanted child. It was only a matter of time and she wou
Meredith walked closer to where her husband was sitting and took her seat beside him. He had been avoiding her and saying little or no words to her ever since their argument. He was about to stand up and leave when she grabbed his arm. "How long do you plan to ignore me? Please, listen to what I have to say, at least."Rhoda's father said nothing and took his seat again. He ignored her totally and continued with the news he was reading on his iPad. "It was a mistake, Fred. A terrible mistake that I — regret.""Really?" He asked sardonically."Listen to me, please. I admit I allowed something wrong with your brother, but the kids are yours. Believe me," Meredith pleaded. She tried to hold her husband's hands, but he jerked them away. "Don't touch me, Meredith. Why are you so adamant about this? Why won't you admit it? Your secret is already known, why deny it? The kids are mine? Really? Care to enlighten me on how, you whore? How could you sleep with my brother?""I didn't sleep wit
Jeff could not have been more shocked in his life, because, now, he realized what had been going on in his life. Now, he knew the reason he was doubtful of his wife after the accident. It was because of one thing. The wife at home wasn't the one he got married to. Now that he was looking at his wife, he could see the differences between them. But how possible that he was able to confuse the two? They looked so much alike. What was going on? He thought."Oh, my God!" He exclaimed as the answer suddenly struck him like thunder. "Oh, my God!" He exclaimed again and all he could picture in his head was the lady he met at the bar the day he went there with Francis. He started finding it hard to control his breathing. He held his neck as he tried to get the full picture of what his brain was telling him. This lady in question had been the one he saw in the bathroom and had blamed Rhoda for it for months! How could he not know?! But who is the lady? And most importantly, why would she
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