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24. Who did it?
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The Marriage Game: love in a lie. 25. Mine, all mine.
James I’d lie to myself if I said it didn’t feel good living with Amara. I’d be more truthful to myself when I agree that I was a tad disappointed when the constructors called to say that they were done fixing the house.That meant we had to move back in, and it made me wonder if we were going back to our previous arrangement where we barely saw each other. I got used to living in the small house with Amara. I could tell when she was awake and trying to walk around the house quietly so she wouldn’t wake me. She was very considerate of me and my feelings, it did feel weird but nice. The days had passed in a haze. I spent them mostly watching movies with her or messing around in the house. We never went beyond the point of making out, it felt like it would take whatever was going on between us to another level. I don’t think any of us were ready.After the conference today, I’ll move back to the main house with her and take some time off. The proposal and the launch were our two majo
The Marriage Game: love in a lie. 26. Kiss Me.
AmaraBy the time the dinner was done, I was pretty much fumbling over my words. Who knew company dinners could be so much fun? Well, I didn’t know that.“I think you’ve had too much wine, babygirl.” James whispered into my ear.I giggled and leaned into him. “I don’t think you’ve had enough wine, James. You need to loosen up! Come on, give me a smile.” I held his cheeks in both my hands and squashed it. “Why do you look like a potato?”“I should’ve stopped you at your second glass, you can’t hold your alcohol?”I pushed him away, or at least tried to. “You’re ruining the fun. I’m not inviting you to another dinner, you can stay at home all alone while I go out and enjoy myself.”He tried to bite back his laughter. “I think you have it wrong. I invited you to dinner, not the other way around.” “That’s not true!” I pouted, “I don’t want to talk to you anymore. I like your colleagues better, they’re so nice to talk to.” I grabbed his arm, “Can I come work at your company? I could be yo
The Marriage Game: love in a lie. 27. The Family.
Amara Away from the city, it was easy to hear the chirping of birds rising with the sun. I knew I was bound to have a hangover but what I expected was to find a sleeping James beside me. I ignored the banging in my head and focused instead on him. There was something angelic about the way his hair fell over his forehead. The brown is a contrast to his almost pale skin. I pushed his hair back—then ran my finger across his brows, his nose bridge, and finally his lips. They sat puckered like they were begging to be kissed. But I didn’t want to be the one to initiate contact with James. You never knew what he was thinking.“Are you going to stop ogling me and kiss me already?” The sleep in his voice almost sent me back into bed. It was scratchy, their tremble vibrating from where our skin made contact. “I’m not ogling you, and I’m certainly not kissing you.” I pushed away from the bed but he was quick to grab my arm and bring me back to the space beside him.“Why? You didn’t have any
The Marriage Game: love in a lie. 28. Little Danny.
CHAPTER 28James.I answered the attendant immediately because I didn’t want to start putting ideas into Amara’s head. These past days have been intense for both of us, and I was hoping her brother and Daniel would act as a buffer between us. “Where do you boys want to ride first?” I stopped in front of the first water slide. Daniel hated the crowd, he trusted no one but me and Cayden around him. But I knew he was going to warm up to Amara and Keith once he realized how at ease I was with them. Despite Cayden’s efforts to hide him from the pain of living, it was impossible to delete every memory he had of the past, of their parents. His family had been as messed up as mine, that was why Cayden understood me perfectly. It was one of the reasons Cayden had enrolled him in a boarding school, the first being his inability to take care of him all the time. “Jamie.”That was the nickname he had for me. I bent down to Daniel’s height. “Made up your mind on which one to go on first?” He
The Marriage Game: love in a lie. 29. Revelations!
AmaraSomething was wrong with Daniel, it wasn’t that hard to tell. It also wasn’t difficult for me to figure out that talking about Cayden’s family was a line that I should never cross. Still, going to the park had been a great experience. It was fascinating to see the way James took care of his brother and mine. I knew without a doubt that he would make a great father. But I don’t think he felt the same way.There was unspoken trauma between him and Cayden, something so great that caused them both to withdraw into themselves and shut off the outside world while bonding with each other.But I wanted to be the one to break down those strong walls that they’ve built strongly around their hearts. I wanted them to experience what love was, to know that they deserved happiness, and to have people who cared about them. “You’ve been awfully quiet since we got back from the park,” James commented as we sat down for the dinner he had prepared for both of us.I couldn’t tell him what I was a
The Marriage Game: love in a lie. 30. Sorrows, sorrows, danger!
Amara James stood there in front of me, unblinking, and so still it started to scare me. I shouldn’t have said what I did, he’d told me after all that we couldn’t have more than this fake relationship. What the hell was I thinking? No, the problem was the fact I hadn’t been thinking at all. I should’ve kept my thoughts to myself and swallowed those feelings even if they killed me. “Forget I said anything.” I turned and went to look at the other paintings, pretending to examine the details even though I couldn’t really see anything through my tear-clouded eyes. I wiped furiously at my eyes. The evening had been going perfectly and I had to go and open my big mouth and ruin it. “Amara,” James called after me but I kept walking like the art pieces I passed were more interesting than the turbulence that was happening in my chest. He grabbed my shoulders and spun me to face him. “You can’t just say something like that and walk off.”“Better to walk off than watch you frozen at the sp
The Marriage Game: love in a lie. 31. Revelations 2.
JamesI’d be deaf no doubt by the time the night was over. It took all my strength to keep Amara from running down the hallway.“What has gotten into you?” I pulled into my chest and held her there. “I’m here, you’re not alone.”I was checking out the renovated kitchen when the lights had gone down. Michael said the fire must’ve affected the light panel. Why didn’t they conduct an inspection after they cleaned up the place? I’d have one more person fired by the time morning rolled in. It was a minute before Amara stopped shaking in my arms. I rubbed the back of her neck, this was the closest we’d been in the past twenty-four hours and I wanted to bathe in every inch of the warmth she emitted. “You must’ve been so scared,” I whispered against her head. “The light will be back on in no time, I’ve called the company to send one of their guys to fix it.”I knew some people were scared of the dark, it was a reasonable phobia. But this breaking down happening in my arms wasn’t just a fear
The Marriage Game: love in a lie. 32. Who's done it?
Amara All that was ringing in my head was—James liked me. He wouldn’t have gone through the pain of talking about his past if he didn’t. And while I’ve known him to be this strong, untouchable person, he finally let himself be vulnerable with me. James McKenna wasn’t at all the monstrous businessman that everyone thought he was. Behind that hard exterior was a broken child whose family had failed him. It made more sense now why he didn’t believe in love or raising a family. It was all because he secretly feared that he would end up like his parents.I wish I could make him see himself through my eyes. To know how wonderful and caring he was, any woman would be lucky to have him by her side. I’ve seen the way he cared for Cayden’s younger brother, he no doubt would be very good with kids.But there wasn’t much I could do for him. A man can only be helped if he agrees to let someone in. He’d wanted me to understand why we couldn’t be together, and I respect that. I wasn’t going to use
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The Marriage Game: love in a lie. 53. Forever and Always.
AmaraIt was finally the time for the election results to be announced. The election ended an hour before.Everyone was tense, our little family gathered in the dim lit study that was crowded with campaign materials and posters.We’d done interviews, appeared in shows as a family. This time we weren’t reciting the words that my mother’s publicist had written down for us.Everything that was said, all the laughter that was shared, came from a place of warmth deep in our hearts. One of the show hosts had commented on how lifely we seemed, had called it an election miracle and we’d all laughed over it.My mum said we’d celebrate, whether she won Mayor or not. But I knew deep down that she wanted that seat, and without being biased I knew she was the right person for the job. I listened with all focus, at the edge of my seat as the announcement started. We all waited, a sword could’ve cut through the tension in the room with ease.And that hell broke loose when mum was declared the winner
The Marriage Game: love in a lie. 52. Start to Finish.
AmaraI was pretty sure anyone within a mile from me could hear how hard my heart was beating against my chest. It’s been forever since I had James near me. The feel of his lips warm against my cold skin sent my senses into a frenzy.Even as I waved him goodbye and watched him pull out of the curb, I could still feel him on me. I stood there longer than I should have, rooted to the spot, because I couldn’t quieten down my own heart or get my feet to move.I heard the door open before Ife’s shrill voice followed. “What are you doing outside in the cold? I didn’t think you were going to come back.”That snapped me out of my reverie and I followed her inside. “Why did you think that?” I hung up my coat and sat down on the couch. I wasn’t quite ready to call it a night.“I thought you’d be too busy making up in his sheets.”The image flashed through my head. I put my palms over my eyes. “Ife!”“I saw the way you were looking at him Amara, like you want to tear his shirt off and mask him
The Marriage Game: love in a lie. 51. A New Dawn.
JamesWe had our dinner in complete silence, each of us consumed by their own thoughts. I wish Amara would just tell me what was going through her mind so I would know how to fix the problem between us.I drank all of my wine, and so did she. I could tell she was warming up to me from the way her gaze lingered too long on me, or how her eyes drifted to my lips when she thought I wasn’t looking.“Thank you for having dinner with me,” I told her when we were done.“I only agreed because of my mother, I don’t want to ruin the new relationship I have with her.”I wanted to call her bluff. Amara wasn’t the type to do something just because others asked. I’ll let her get away with the excuse because it brought her closer to me.“You can drop me off at Ife’s house, I haven’t cleaned my apartment yet so I’ll be staying there longer than planned.”I helped her with her coat. “The night is still young, and there’s somewhere I’ve been dying to take you to.”Her eyes narrowed at me. “You’re not t
The Marriage Game: love in a lie. 50. Hope
James“Alright.”For a complete ten seconds I stood there without registering her response. I’d been so sure she was going to turn down my suggestion that I found it hard to believe that I was hearing right. “You’re going to give me a chance to talk things over?”“I just said yes James, don’t make me change my mind.”It’s a good thing I’d kept the reservation I made in anticipation for tonight. Cayden and Henry had tried to talk me out of it, that she’d clearly rejected me many times and I needed to give up.But I’d held onto the hope that I had. That she would remember the good times we had and give me a chance. Looks like luck was on my side. I wish I could flip my middle finger in their faces.“I made a reservation at a restaurant, just the two of us. If that’s okay with you.” I needed to play my cards right so I don’t upset her and have her banging the door in my face again. “I’m already having dinner with my family, we can just talk in your car. I think—”“Oh, Amara.” My mother
The Marriage Game: love in a lie. 49. The Revelation.
AmaraIt was finally here; the day of my grand reveal. I was well within my rights to be nervous, everybody else would.I’d been worried that people would not show up for the exhibition, why would they for an artist they didn’t even know what she looked like. But boy, was I wrong? The gallery was fully packed save for the small makeshift stage that was situated at the far corner where my name was put up in a banner.Ife was with me, but the more she tried to calm my nerves, the more nervous I grew.My family was not here yet and it made me worried. What if mum changed her mind about supporting me and saw the exhibition as a waste of her time?It was unfair doubting her like this. But, when you’ve been burned many times in the past, it becomes hard not to grow weary that it could happen all over again.“What if she didn’t get the invite?” I asked Ife.“Who?”“My mum, they’re not here yet. Do you think she bailed?”“You need to have more faith in the people around you, Amara. I’m sure
The Marriage Game: love in a lie. 48. Ready!
AmaraSpending time with my family helped me get out of the mental dump I’d found myself in. It was nice to sit down in complete laughter, enjoying the laughter and the food the cook had put her magic touch in. I slept over and went back the next morning to Ife’s place, only to find her sitting through a couple letters.“Have a secret admirer?” I teased, hanging up my jacket.“As if. These are for you?”I looked over her shoulder at the pink flowered envelopes she was holding. “I can’t think of a single person on this damn planet that’ll be sending me letters.”“Well, I can. They’re from James, maybe it’s time you give him a listening ear. I’m beginning to feel bad for him.”“You can do whatever you want with the letters.” I walked straight to the door and shut it after me. I sat on the floor, head hung between my knees. Why was he making it so difficult to move on from him? It wasn’t that I couldn’t forgive him, I just wouldn’t be able to trust him again. Going back to him would be
The Marriage Game: love in a lie. 47. Better life.
AmaraIt’s been days and I still haven’t had the courage to leave Ife’s house for fear that I’d run into James. My defenses were beginning to wear down all the efforts he was putting to win me back. I was afraid that I’d finally give in to him.James Mckenna had the power to easily break my heart the second time, and I wasn’t going to let that happen. Which was why I was totally avoiding him. I made sure not to read any of the messages or emails he sent me. I just blocked him immediately and put my phone in Ife’s drawer where I’ll not be tempted to go through them. But, I was done wallowing in self pity, it was time to get up and move on with my life.Everything didn’t start and end with James. Although it hurt to admit that in my heart—it did.I stood up from the bed, showered and joined Ife where she was making breakfast in the kitchen.“Nice to see you up and about,” she said with a smile when I walked in.“I can’t be the sad heartbroken girl forever.”She raised a brow at me. “Wha
The Marriage Game: love in a lie. 46. Reinforcements.
JamesI have never, through all my years of existence, considered myself an emotional man. I moved through everything with the philosophy that I could get whatever it is that I wanted by putting in the hardwork and doing my possible best in every situation.That was how I grew my company from nothing to a multi-million dollar company, opened many branches in the US, and was featured in Forbes. It had worked until now.I wanted to have Amara but all my efforts were going down the drain. I’d decided to give her some space to think everything through and come back to me, but that wasn’t the case and it drove me over the edge.The more she rejected me, the more my desire for her grew. It was hard to imagine a life without her, so I had to keep trying.My alarm went off and I knew it was time for the meeting with the branch managers, but I couldn’t get myself to move from where I sat.All that was on my mind was how to win Amara back, and have her stay at my side. It had hurt when she pus
The Marriage Game: love in a lie. 45. It hurts!
AmaraI’ve been in the same spot on Ife’s bed since I made her room my hideout. The window blinds are drawn and the lights out. It’s all dark and depressing inside her room.I managed to turn Ife’s vibrant room to a messy little cave that I don’t ever want to leave. In here, I don’t have to worry about running into James again, or having to face my mother and talk about what she had done.Thank God I’d gotten my hair braided before this, it would’ve been a tangled mess on my hair right now.The music player on her bookshelf kept playing the heartbreak playlist I’d found on spotify. There was something about being sad and listening to sad songs that was very comforting. It made me feel seen and understood in this madness. I never want to get up from here. I was going to lie down here, cry my balls out and hope that someday I’ll become one with the bed. Hopefully, Ife would be very kind and not throw me out of her room.My phone buzzed on the bedside table and I picked it up. It was my
