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8. Engagement party
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2024-06-13 06:40:10Related chapters
The Marriage Game: love in a lie. 9. Home.
Chapter 9Amara.It wasn’t until I stepped out of the James’ car and into his house did I realize what was happening. Everything I said, all the actions I took since the night of that charity event began rushing into my head. I was now a wife, even if a fake one. I now belonged to someone. I could bet it was a dream come true for my parents, to see me get taken away by someone and not anyone but, James Mckenna. As if the universe heard my thought, his portrait came to view once I stepped into the living room. His huge body clad in a black tux and staring at the camera with a murderous glare covered the center wall in the living room. I couldn’t bear to take in the portrait so I scoffed and rolled my eyes away.“How obnoxious,” I said the same time as James said, “Your boxes would arrive in the morning.” My muttering wasn’t so much of a muttering and James pursed his lips and turned to me.“Excuse me?” With a strained smile, I took a step to the side and gestured to the space next t
Last Updated : 2024-06-20The Marriage Game: love in a lie. 10. Wife?
JamesBusiness was the only thing that kept my blood flowing, besides Henry. I enjoyed the thrill; the moments of winning and losing, the panicking and the brainstorming, it kept me focused and sane and that was the reason I made it an important part of my life.It’s been three hundred and thirty six hours since Amara moved into my house. We’ve avoided contact for the most part mostly because I dove back straight into work -only going back to the house once when I needed an important document. The bathroom I had set up in my office served more purpose than the one back at the house and that was why I had it set up in my office. Business was my be-all and end-all, calculating numbers and reading the stats gave me purpose which was why, for the first time since the whole engagement thing, my heart swelled with joy.The numbers before me read well. It was just half the year and our numbers from last year had increased by 10% which meant that my company was still at the top which also me
Last Updated : 2024-06-20The Marriage Game: love in a lie. 11. Mood Swings
James.I never knew lingerie shopping included wearing a sexy dress, heel and feet on my dashboard. I knew I was doing myself no good stopping the meeting I had with Tanya to attend to Amara but I had to. For reasons I couldn't tell, I just had to.“Again you didn't have to strip that man of his duties. And I am not your wife yet, we're just engaged.” Amara flashed her fingers before my face and tapped on the ring, “this ring here does not say ‘wife’ and we agreed not to include that so I urge you, dearest mister, to remember that.”I chewed my teeth, “Wife, fiancé? Same thing. You have my ring, that's all that matters.” Nobody dared to touch what's mine and anyone who dared would face the repercussions. Gareth was lucky today, so very lucky. “Where to?” My eyes were fixed steadily on Amara's legs on my dashboard. I was really trying hard to ignore them not because my mind couldn't stop wondering and picturing how it would feel having those legs wrapped around my waist.“The Bou-” Her
Last Updated : 2024-07-05The Marriage Game: love in a lie. 12. Chocolates.
MckennaI’m not a stranger to fear, but as I crossed the threshold of the Livingstone family house my throat clammed up and my palms turned sweaty. It was not the Mayor or Nicholas that I feared, it was the secret that hung between their lips and what they intended to do with it.I sighed. I’ve kept to myself all these years, careful to protect my past and all the horror of it and all it took was less than a week for Amara’s parents to gather intel on me.That was impressive, I’ll give them that. What I will not do is let them use it to control me, I did not escape those years ago to become anyone’s puppet.“Mr. Mckenna,” the butler called out as I entered the receiving area. “Mrs. Livingston will see you in her private study.” He led me down the dimly lit hallway.With Amara gone from the house, it felt like life had been sucked out of the mansion. My mind wandered back to the first time we had a proper conversation in her home, and the ridiculous proposal I’d thrown her way. I’d hal
Last Updated : 2024-07-25The Marriage Game: love in a lie. 13. Sarah.
MckennaA sickening ghost of a smile played on Sarah’s lips before the mask fell completely away from her face.“That’s what I like about you, Mr. Mckenna, you seem to understand me better than anyone.” She took a fleeting glance at Nicholas who busied himself with reading the label on the champagne bottle. “I’m afraid you’re exaggerating, Mayor. I’m a mere businessman, understanding people is part of the trade.”“Likewise. Understanding my people comes with my job as the mayor. I take my role rather seriously because these people trust me to keep them safe.” A beat of silence. “Especially from people that threaten their safety and wellbeing.”“I’m afraid I don’t understand where you’re driving.” I pinched my temple with my thumb and forefinger, a headache was well on its way. If it wasn’t for the secret I had to keep buried away from everyone, I wouldn’t be entertaining Sarah. Public figure or not. “I’ve met a lot of people during my tenure as Mayor. Respectable figures who were l
Last Updated : 2024-07-27The Marriage Game: love in a lie. 14. Lonesome
AmaraFor someone who insisted that I get engaged to him, James has been pretty absent lately. I can’t even recall the last time I saw my fiance. Not that I miss him. I just—wanted someone to talk to.Ife was busy with work and unable to hang out with me. Usually, I fill my days with shopping, visiting art galleries, and painting. But I couldn’t engage in that anymore. Not when my cheeks still heated up whenever I remembered the hungry gaze in James’s eyes when he saw me in that lingerie.My sigh was wistful. The piece of fabric was still in the shopping bag, untouched. I bought them then to spite James, and now it seemed like such a waste. No one was going to see me in it. I yelled into my pillow. Deciding to try my luck I called Ife. No answer. Of course, she would abandon me when I needed her the most. Even if I could hear her voice for a minute, my lonely heart would be soother.James’s house was huge. There were three floors, my room on the first and his on the second. In a week
Last Updated : 2024-07-27The Marriage Game: love in a lie. 15. Priority.
CHAPTER 15MckennaThe light from the computer screen made my eyes water. I’d thrown myself into work after my meeting with the Mayor. I needed to be prepared for whatever she was going to throw at me. You can only defeat your enemy by knowing them down to the last bit.I rubbed my eyes. At this rate, I was going to completely exhaust myself. My office with the private bathroom has been my home for the past couple of weeks. I gave my personal assistant the job of getting me new clothes from the house.The one time I’d gone home to grab a document from my safe, I hadn’t been able to see Amara. Lord knows what she has been up to. Seeing other men?That thought was not appealing to me. I know I told her I would go to other women for my needs and she had retorted. But I didn’t think she was the type to throw herself at people. Same with me. I might have said those words but I had no desire to be laid up in a stranger’s arms. Not like my business gave any room for guilty pleasures.There
Last Updated : 2024-07-27The Marriage Game: love in a lie. 16. How Hard?
JamesThe silence as we drove to the hotel was maddening. I tried flipping through the radio to fill the car with a random song but that didn’t work either. The awkwardness after I let her pack her things and follow me to the vehicle still lingered.She must’ve gotten over the shock and realized how much closer we’d gotten in the past few minutes. It made me wonder if I made her uncomfortable if she didn’t feel as safe as I thought. I looked at her on the passenger seat, her face pressed to the window, and her body angled away from me.“Did you get to have lunch before the incident?” I asked softly.“No. Victor got me take-outs but I already lost my appetite,” she said as her stomach rumbled loudly in the quiet.I tried to hide my grin without much success. “Looks like your appetite just made a comeback baby girl.” “I’m not…” she was about to deny it when her stomach rumbled again. We both fell into a fit of laughter. “It’s okay to admit that you’re hungry darling, we can stop by a
Last Updated : 2024-07-28
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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
