Chapter 1

At a reunion party.

A lot of young people were present. They had fun and talked about their memories when they were in college.

“This is more fun than I had imagined.” Wendy said to her fiancé, Jason.

“Yeah right,” Jason replied.

Wendy was about to say something but was interrupted by Jason’s buzzing phone.

Hurriedly, he picked up the phone and said. “I have to attend to something urgent. I will be back in a jiffy.”

It's over thirty minutes and Jason hasn’t returned.

Wendy picked her purse and went in search of Jason. They have been courting for three years and she loved him so much.

She called his mobile line, it rang but there was no response.

She went out, with intentions to wait by his car side till he came over.

As she approached the car, her gaze was etched with confusion as she saw the car swaying gently.

At that point came a feminine seductive voice.

“Give me more! Faster!”

Wendy’s heart beat rate tripled. She quickly opened the door and the ground before her sank. She beheld her fiancé, Jason and her best friend, Susan, making out.

“How could you?!” Wendy screamed, with tears welled in her eyes.

“I can explain,” Jason pulled his trousers up and fixed his belt. Susan on the other hand remained indifferent, licking her lips seductively.

“You cheated on me with my best friend? What did I do to deserve this? My only crime was loving you.” She spoke bitterly with the pain in her voice noticeable.

“Wendy, you caused all this.” Jason came out of the car and stood before Wendy.

“Me? How?” Wendy stood akimbo.

“You denied me the pleasure as my woman but Susan always gave it to me freely. You insisted the bed must be undefiled till marriage. Initially, I had plans to adjust to your terms but not any longer.” Jason yelled.

Now, it felt like the three years they spent together were nothing to Jason. His words only confirmed that he and Susan had been fooling her all along.

“And the way out was for you to have my best friend?”

Before Jason could reply, Susan spoke. “Which of his words is it that you do not understand? He has chosen me over you. Go deal with that, girl. We deserve an apology for interfering with our sweet moment that was leading us to paradise.

“I am so sorry for interrupting.” Wendy smiled. “It is good this happened now, it is over, Jason. You and your love can be together for all I care. I deserve someone better than you. Someone who knows the right thing and stands by it, not you who doesn’t know what you want. I deserve a real man and not a baby like you.” Wendy spoke unapologetically and left.

Susan sat up abruptly and adjusted the buttons of her dress. “You shouldn’t have let her go easily. How dare she speak to us in that manner. I hate her.” Susan looked at Jason but he avoided her gaze.

Upon getting home, she heard voices having a heated argument so she eavesdropped.

“Nancy can rot in jail for all I care, she is guilty. She will only be freed if you agree to my condition.” A deep voice said.

Wendy recognized the voice. It was that of her father’s business partner, Silas, who was also Susan’s father.

“On the condition that Wendy gets married to the ruthless and disfigured son of the Julius family! You and I are not ignorant of the atrocities he committed. Accepting this is like signing the death warrant of my daughter. There needs to be another way out.” Greg, Wendy’s father, spoke.

“If you want Nancy to be out of jail, get Wendy to marry him. It is not a big deal after all. It is a transactional marriage and she can divorce him anytime she likes.” Silas said with his tone indifferent.

“This is beyond me. I will never agree to such an agreement.” Greg uttered.

A lot was happening!

Wendy heaved. Earlier, her father made it known that the case was a trivial one and Nancy, her elder sister will be out of jail in some hours’ time.

Yesterday, Nancy was arrested. She was guilty of diverting the company’s fund to her personal account with plans to help her father establish his own business. Greg and Silas jointly owned Swilvil ventures. However, Silas was still the superior because he had more shares and invested more than Greg. Feeling her father was being used to acquire wealth for the company while he was given just tokens at the end of the month prompted Nancy to do what she did.

After minutes of hesitation, Wendy walked in.

“You came back just in time, my dear.” Silas said, giving a pretentious smile.

“You don’t have to pretend, I heard everything.”

“W-What?” Greg looked nervous.

“I promise I have no hard feelings. Your daughter has taken one of the people I cherish away from me. Among the numerous men in the world, she went after my man, Jason. If your intentions were good, why didn’t you insist that your daughter get married to the man?” Wendy crossed her arms over her chest.

“What do you mean?” Silas flared, widening his eyes in confusion.

“Why don’t you ask your daughter for more details when you get home.” The disrespect in Wendy’s voice didn’t go unnoticed.

“I will leave now but I will be expecting your positive response or be ready to mourn your dear daughter and sister for the rest of your life.” Silas pouted.

Without mincing words Wendy replied, “I will marry him, make the preparations.”

“Wendy!!!” Greg screamed

“Dad, this is the only way out. I will never forgive myself if anything happens to Nancy. She had our best interest at heart even though it was wrong of her to have gone to that extent. If getting married to a strange person will get her out of jail, then I will do it.” Wendy uttered calmly.

“How will Jason feel when he hears this?” Greg widened his arms.

“He didn’t care about my feelings when he was making out with my best friend so I don’t care about him either.”

“I never thought it would be so easy getting you to do this. After the wedding, Nancy will be released from jail.” Silas smiled brightly and left.

At the prison.

“I hate Silas. He is so wicked, he makes a hell of money each day but gives father a little. Father did more of the brain work!” Nancy said angrily.

“Calm down, Nancy. I understand how you feel but you shouldn’t have done that since it is against the law.” Greg spoke.

“What law? Where was the law when you were cheated and made to work all round the clock with something little or nothing in return? Nancy queried.

“Hmm. This is not the time for this. In the next forty-eight hours, you’ll be out of here.” Wendy sighed.

“Are you kidding me? Baby sis, you have no idea about the man that ordered my arrest?” Nancy asked.

“She is right, you will be released as soon as possible.” Silas replied.

“This is good news but who is responsible for the bail. Is it your fiancé, Jason?” Nancy uttered, she knew Jason’s family was well connected and assumed their influence must have prompted her fast release.

“No,” Wendy pursed her lips.

“Then who?” Nancy arched her brow.

“Silas has agreed to release you.” Greg quickly intervened.

“That man is unpredictable. He must have agreed to release me for something in return.” Nancy couldn’t help but express her views.

Wendy knew how persistent Nancy could be so she said.

“You have nothing to worry about. We have to leave now. A lot is ahead of us!” Wendy held Greg’s hand and they left.