Mr Darlington Ex Wife

(Amara's POV)

On the 31st of December, I was inside my bedroom when a knock on my room door interrupted me.

I walked up to the door and pulled it open, then I saw Agnes, my mother's maid, smiling at me.

Agnes wore a blue nightgown; she was light-skinned and a young lady around my size. I was 24 years old, wearing a light blue nightgown as it was past 11:30 p.m.

I had pulled my long blonde hair into a bun shortly after drying it from my bath.

"What do you want, Agnes?" I asked, looking at her face as she smiled.

"Amara, I'm sorry to bother you, but your father sent for you downstairs," she said, and I replied, "But we just finished having dinner in the dining room. What does my father want to say to me again? I am not interested in the New Year celebration."

Agnes smiled and replied, "I don't know, but he's downstairs with your mom, and the guests have all gone outside, preparing for the fireworks."

"Alright. Inform my father I will be downstairs soon. Let me go and ease myself," I said, and Agnes turned and left my corridor.

Sighing, I went back into my room, and made my way to the restroom to relieve myself. I got out and made my way downstairs to the living room of my father's enormous mansion.

I live in the countryside with my parents. My father is a chief and involved in agricultural farm produce.

I am like a princess at my home, the center of admiration, and my people love me, as my parents taught me to be kind and helpful to those around us.

We were preparing for the crossover night to a brand new year 2017, and I did not know how to feel about it.

I am the only child of my parents. I am still single, and my parents are not pressing for me to get married.

My father is an understanding man, but nonetheless, many men have come to ask for my hand in marriage. Even my crush, Charles Wilfred, but my father refused.

His reason, I do not know, but my mother assured me that my father wants the best for me and could not just give me to any unsuitable male suitor who would probably treat me poorly in the future. I understood and sighed, going downstairs to the living room of my father's enormous mansion.

I resided in this standard duplex with my parents, surrounded by lush gardens.

My father's mansion was fenced, but because of the celebration, we had many visitors, and the guest rooms were full with my cousins and aunts around.

Finally, I walked into the living room, and Agnes stepped out of the kitchen and said, "Amara, your dad requests that you meet him in his home office."

"Okay," I said, and went to my father's home office to see him. I suspected what he had to tell me was private, so that none of our relatives would eavesdrop on it.

When I arrived at the front of my father's home office, I knocked gently, and heard my father's calm response: "Come inside."

Quietly, I pushed the office door open and walked into the white painted office, which had two guest seats, and a set of four blue couches.

There, my parents sat on a blue couch, their smiles evident and my father said, "Come, Amara. Have a seat before the fireworks start. Your mother and I have something important to say to you."

"Okay, Dad," I replied and walked into the office . Shortly after, I was seated on another blue couch across from my parents.

My mother clad in a red nightdress, and my dad wore a white garment and black trousers beneath, which I could see, because he was sitting on the same blue couch as my mother.

My dad smiled and said, "Amara, it has come to the time that your mother and I need to inform you about our arrangement. We have been keeping it from you, but now is the time to let you know about our decision. Well, I am sure that you are familiar with my friend, Mr. Joshua Briggs?"

"Yes, Dad. I know Mr. Joshua, he lives in the city and visits here sometimes."

"Good. You are married to his only son, Darlington Briggs, and you will be going to the city tomorrow to live with him," my father said.

"What? Dad, I don't understand. How can I be married to your friend's son? When? How? I cannot remember getting married to any man, or did I have memory loss?"

I looked at my parents' faces in shock. Like, how did I get married without remembering it and also wishing to get married and have my own home?

My father sighed, and my mother smiled understandingly.

"Amara, it was an agreement I had a long time ago with Mr. Joshua Briggs. You were just a baby then, and we wish to unite our families with theirs. So, you are going to the city tomorrow to live with Darlington." My father said.

"Dad, I do not understand what you are saying. Do you mean I will just visit them, or am I already married to the man you say is your best friend's son and engage in couple activity with him?" I asked, wanting to understand my father better.

"Yes, Amara. Like I said, you are married to Darlington Briggs, and you should be on good behavior when you get to their house.

You don't have to worry about anything as Mr. Joshua has paid for your hand in marriage to his son. So, Darlington is your husband according to our tradition.

The only difference about this marriage is that Darlington did not come down here to marry you, nor are you wearing a wedding dress to walk down the aisle with him. But you are his wife, and Darlington Briggs is your husband," my father concluded.

"What? Dad, I cannot marry a man that I do not know. I cannot go to the city to be with him. Mom?" I looked at my mother's face, wanting to hear her opinion about these ridiculous arrangements.

My mother sighed and said, "Amara, calm down. It is for your good."

"How, Mom? I cannot go to the city to live there… Dad. I do not like the bustling life of the city people. I want to remain here, where there is no noise and the wild lifestyle," I protested, wanting my father to change his mind about these sudden arrangements.

My father shook his head and said, "Amara, I can understand your complaint, but I trust Mr. Joshua's son to take good care of you. So, you're going to the city tomorrow."