Chapter 1

(Amara POV)

On December 31st, it was nighttime at around 11:30 pm. I was in my room preparing to sleep as I had no interest in the crossover night celebration in my home.

As I donned a blue dress and stood by my mirror, drying my wet blonde hair, a knock on my bedroom door startled me.

When I heard a knock again on my door, I walked over to the door and pulled it open. Then I saw my mother's maid, Agnes Johnson, standing there and smiling at me.

Agnes donned a blue dress. She was fair-skinned like I am and a young lady in her early twenties too.

I was a 24-year-old woman and I had fair skin too. I asked her, "What's it, Agnes?"

"Amara, your father sent for you to see him immediately, before the crossover night begins," she said.

"Why? I am not interested in the crossover night celebration," I told her and she shrugged.

"I do not know why your father wants to see you. But he requested for you to come downstairs now," Agnes replied and I sighed.

"That's fine. Tell my father I will be downstairs soon. Let me use the restroom," I told her and she smiled and left my corridor. I sighed then went to my bathroom to relieve myself.

As soon as I got out of the bathroom, I went downstairs to the living room to find my parents.

We live in the countryside, and my father owned an exquisite duplex mansion there. He was a chief into agricultural farming and he owned some companies too that produce foodstuffs.

I was being treated like a princess at home. So I made my way to the living room to find my parents.

The living room was furnished with a set of black couches, a flat screen TV, and also a beautiful divider as the whole mansion was painted white.

Agnes came out of the kitchen as I touched down in the living room. Then I asked her, "Where are my parents?"

"Your father asked you to join him in his study."

"Fine." I pouted and went to my father's home study to find him.

Due to the ongoing celebration, my relatives were around as they came to join us for the crossover night celebration.

My mother was like the center of admiration, as our people love us, and my parents taught me to be kind and helpful to those around us.

I don't know how to feel about the New Year's resolution.

I am the only child of my parents. Though I was single and not in any relationship, my parents aren't pressing for me to get married. My father had rejected a few bachelors that came for my hand in marriage. Even my crush, Charles Wilfred, my father refused him to marry me.

Well, I didn't know his reason for rejecting them, but my mother assured me that my father had my best interest at heart. So I didn't object to his rejection. Besides, what an elder sees from sitting down, a child cannot see it, even if the child climbed on the highest tree.

According to my mother, my father didn't want to give me to any future husband that would treat me poorly in the course of our marriage. That he wants me to be happy, and I understand her point. And decided not to protest against their decision.

Well, I made my way to my father's study to find him. As I could hear my relatives' excited voices outside of our home.

The mansion was fenced and though we have beautiful flowering plants surrounding us, creating a peaceful environment.

I knew that whatever my father wanted to discuss with me was private, so I arrived at his office door and knocked.

"Come inside," my father's deep voice responded, then I gently pushed the door open and entered into the enormous study.

It features two guest chairs and a set of four blue couches.

My parents were seated on a blue couch. My father smiled and said, “Come, Amara, have your seat before the fireworks start. Your mother and I have something important to share with you.”

“Okay, Dad,” I replied, walked into the office. Then I settled on another blue couch across from my parents.

My mother donned a white night dress, and my dad wore a white garment too, but he wore black trousers which I could see from his sitting position.

My father grinned and began, “Amara, it has come to the point that your mother and I need to inform you about our arrangement." He looked at my mother with a smile then peered at me, before he continued.

"We have been keeping this from you for a very long time since you were still a child, but now is the right time for us to inform you about our decision. I am sure you're familiar with my very good friend, Mr. Joshua Briggs."

I smiled and replied, “Yes, Dad. I know Mr. Joshua. He lives in the city and frequently visits here sometimes.”

“Yes. Well, you are married to his only son, Darlington Briggs, and you will be going to the city tomorrow to start living with him.” My father stated, a warm smile on his face.

“What?" I gasped and sprang to my feet. "Dad, I do not understand what you meant. How can I be married to your best friend's son? When did it happen? I cannot remember getting married to anyone, or did I have a memory loss?”

I searched my brain trying to recall when I said, "I do," to any man. But the memory was void.

I looked at my parents' faces with shock and disbelief, wondering if this was a joke or a New Year's prank. But they smiled and looked serious.

How did I get married without remembering about it? Yet, I wished to settle down and have my home?

My father sighed, cleared his throat, and continued speaking, as my mother sat beside him with a warm smile on her face.

“Amara, it was an agreement that I made a long time ago with Mr. Joshua Briggs. You were barely a one-year-old baby then, and we agreed that you will marry Darlington Briggs, who was 6 years old at the time. Although, I am not sure Darlington is aware, but since you are now 24 years old, it's high time you move over to the city to live with him and to complete the marriage agreement,” my father explained.

“Daddy, I do not understand what you are saying. Do you mean, I will only visit Mr. Joshua's son, or I am already married to Darlington and engage in couple's activities with him like what married people do?" I asked my father, wanting a better clarification on what he was saying.

“Amara, like I said, you are traditionally engaged to Darlington Briggs. So you will have to go and live with him to become his wife. You should be a good lady to him once you get to their house in the city. You don't have to worry about anything because Mr. Joshua Briggs has paid all the necessities for your hand in marriage to his only son. So Darlington Briggs is your husband, while you're his wife now. The only difference is that Darlington hasn't come down here to officially ask for your hand in marriage. Nor did you wear a wedding dress to walk down the aisle with him. But he will certainly do all that, after you two must have become familiarized with one another," my father emphasized with a smile.

“Hmmm… Daddy… I cannot marry a man that I don't know anything about. I can't go to the city to be with him. Mom, aren't you going to say something?” I looked over at my mother, expecting her to say something about this ridiculous arrangement. But she smiled and replied, “Amara, will you calm down? It is for your good.”

“How, Mom? I cannot go to the city to live with a man I'm not familiar with. Dad… I do not like the bustling lives of city people. I want to remain here in this countryside, where there's no noise or wild lifestyle like the urban areas,” I protested, wanting my father to change his mind.

My father sighed deeply and said, “I can understand your complaint, my daughter, but I trust Mr. Joshua's son to take good care of you. So you will have to travel to the city tomorrow for your marriage with him.”