Amara's POV
"Dad, I don't want to go to the city. I don't want to marry a city man," I protest. Tears are gathering in my eyes.
My father stood up from the blue couch. He is a very tall man and dark-skinned in complexion, unlike me and my mother, who are both light-skinned.
My father sighed and said, "Amara, We are not disowning you from becoming our daughter. You will always be our daughter, but you must start your own life and family to give your mother and me grandchildren. We also do not want you to leave us, but we cannot trust all these people here to look after you, so your mother and I decided on these: for you to go to the city, and there, you will be genuinely loved, not by greedy people who may be pretending with you, to gain favor from us."
"Dad!" Tears flowed freely from my eyes like taps, and my mother stood up and walked up to meet me.
"You don't have to cry. I can assure you that the Briggs family are good people, and Mr. Joshua Briggs is my childhood friend. You will be treated well when you get to their family house." My father let me know, and I was left speechless.
I had gone to the city before to further my education and study accounting. But I didn't like city life; I didn't envision myself living there and the social and competitive life they lived. I love to have my peace, and that's all that interests me.
"It's okay. Come, let us go outside and see the fireworks. It will be a new year soon," my mother said as she gently embraced me.
"Mom, I am not interested in seeing the fireworks. I am not happy about all this. How can you and my father decide on my life like this?" I asked my mother, and she let out an exasperated sigh as my father left us in his home office.
"I can understand your feelings, Amara, but you should know that your father wants the best for you," my mother told me.
"Want the best for me by forcing me to marry his best friend's son? I cannot go to the city tomorrow, Mom. You should help me to speak to my father again, to cancel all these and allow me to stay here," I protested, and my mom sighed again.
"It's okay. Stop crying. Come, let us go outside," my mother urged me, gently pulling me to walk with her outside.
My mom and I were of similar heights. We were tall, but not as tall as my father. We have blue eyes and long blonde hair.
I sighed and followed my mother outside to see the fireworks. My mind ran through numerous thoughts, wondering what my new husband would look like.
I cannot believe I am a married woman now. But this is not the marriage that I dreamed of.
I had hoped to walk down the aisle in a long white wedding dress, with a veil covering my head, and walk up with my parents to become married and meet my husband officially.
How can I just be told one night that the following day, I am going to a man's house to become his wife? A man who I haven't seen before all my life and who grew up in the city.
Where is that done?
I swallowed all my nervousness and dried my face. I saw my aunt and the rest of our families outside our home. They all looked joyful, well, except for me, no matter how I used the white handkerchief my mother lent me to wipe my face. I am sure my face still looks red and swollen from sobbing too much.
While others were joyful, I was in turmoil and unhappy about my parents' decision. I had no option but to follow the path they wanted me to follow. They were my guardians, after all, and if I did not obey them, I might face many challenges in life. But I wasn't brave enough to disobey them, too.
I sighed and witnessed the fireworks. I cheered up and encouraged myself that I was only married and not like it was the end of my life.
After midnight, it becomes a brand new day: a new year, a new beginning, and also me as a new married woman.
We went back into my father's house, my parents and I, while my aunts and uncles left for their nearby house after wishing us a happy new year.
My mother's younger sister, Juliet, walked up to meet me. She was over 40 years old, and the only sister my mother had. She looks like my mother, with the same face, sharp nose, and blue, sparkling eyes that glimmer and shine hopefully.
Her name was Mrs. Juliet Donalds; she had two younger daughters than me.
"Amara, what's wrong? I noticed that you weren't looking so cheerful." She asked me just as I walked into the living room to go upstairs to my bedroom.
"I am fine, ma; I just feel so overwhelmed by the New Year's Day," I lied. I couldn't tell her that I was married. Like, who would believe me? They didn't witness me getting married, and I think my mother hasn't informed her yet, even though they discussed it together most of the time.
"Are you sure that you're fine?" My aunt asked me again, and I nodded and responded, "Yes, Aunt. I am good. I have to go upstairs now," I said, wanting to walk away from her.
She sighed and told me, "Whatever it is that's troubling you, You should put it into prayer and not allow it to weigh you down, okay?"
"Okay, Aunt." I nodded just as I saw my mother step out of the kitchen, and she smiled at us and told her sister, "She will be fine. She's going to the city tomorrow to her husband's house."
"What??" My aunt, Mrs. Juliet, looked stunned. She swiftly turned to look at my mom, who looked so beautiful even though it was nighttime. My mom was still glowing brightly like the sun.
"You don't mean it, Julianne. You mean your daughter is married, and we don't know about it? When? How?" My aunt questioned, but my mother sighed and gave the cup of water she was holding back to Agnes to return to the kitchen.
"It's all a long story, Juliet. But it is for Amara's good. Not to worry, she's our daughter, and she will be fine." My mother assured my aunt, who was her only younger sister. Then she walked up to meet me.
"Come, Amara, let us go to your room and pack some of your things. It will soon be morning, and the car driver will be on time to take you to your husband's house. Good night, sister." My mother told her younger sister as she walked up to meet me.
I felt like crying and protesting again, but I knew I was an obedient girl, so I allowed my mother to wrap her arm around my shoulder while she escorted me back to my room upstairs.
Amara's POV We got into my bedroom, which was very large, and my mother accompanied me to pack some of my things. She didn't want me to carry all my loads, reminding me that the Briggs family was wealthy and I didn't have to stress about arranging all my things and packing everything that I owned. We finished packing all the boxes around 1 a.m., and my mother was exhausted. She stretched and yawned and told me, "I have to go back now to my room to meet your father. Good night, my princess." "Okay, Mom, but I am not still happy about this marriage. Can't you speak to my father again about this?" I asked my mother. I am looking at her face with my blue-shinning eyes that glimmer with hope at hearing her agree. "No, Amara. I want you to marry and give me a grandchild. I cannot speak to your father about this again. Not to worry, when you get there to the city, I will be calling you from time to time to know how you're faring," my mother told me, and hot tears freely streamed down from
Amara's POV My mom arrived in my bedroom looking radiant in her long white nightdress. She smelled fresh like a rose, and she came into my room with Agnes, who greeted me warmly, "Good morning, Amara. I brought your tea and bread." "Thank you," I told Agnes, accepting the teacup from her hand. I walked up to my chair in my room and had a seat, where I sat down and drank my tea while eating the bread with it. My mom walked to look outside the window, then walked back to meet me and said, "Hurry up. The driver is already here. Why didn't you put on makeup? You know that you'll see your husband in the city, so you should look your best when you eventually meet him." I pouted my pink lips as I finished drinking my tea. Internally, I had no intention of pleasing the man to whom I might be married. My mom said, "Agnes, get me my makeup box from my room." "No, Mom. There won't be any need for that. I don't have to pretend in front of my husband. So, I am perfectly okay like this, the way
Amara's POV "Ah!" I screamed, almost causing the driver to have an accident. I was so shocked to see the face of the man that I am married to. "What's the problem, my lady? Are you alright?" Mr. Timothy asked me in concern as he slowed down and gazed at me cautiously through the car's rearview mirror. "I am sorry. You can continue driving; I was only shocked to see my husband's face online," I said to him nervously. Mr. Timothy smiled understandably, and I took it as a mental note not to scream out so foolishly again. The drive started again, and I continued to look at the face of the man who was about to become my husband: Darlington Briggs. I had seen him before when I got into the university. We crossed paths, and I mistakenly stepped on him, not knowing when I was walking with my friend Esther Peters. Esther was an actress; she was a seductive person, and she never failed to observe all the handsome and well-to-do rich guys in the university. I wondered how a rich girl like
Darlington's POV I woke up in my bedroom to the fresh start of a brand new day. A New Year's Day. I was so excited, as I wanted to go downstairs to inform my parents officially that I wanted to get married this year, and I had made up my mind to settle down with Jenna Colton. Jenna has been my love since five years ago. I met her through her elder brother, Bruce, as Bruce was my best friend in school. We studied the same business course, and we live in Country Z, in the heart of the city. The Colton family was also a wealthy and well-known family here. Jenna has a successful career as an actress. She is also a model and has been featured as the face of many brands. I knew that she had gone through the knife and had undergone a lot of surgeries to enhance her beauty, but I still love her nonetheless. I love Jenna very much, and I didn't regret my decision to propose to her last weekend to marry me. My father didn't react to my post, and to make matters worse, I cannot seem to fin
Darlington's POV I immediately rose from the black couch and stared at my father in shock. "Whose wife, Dad?" I asked my father again, wanting to be sure, and my father stood up too and said, "Darlington, I have told you that you cannot marry Jenna. The reason I married my best friend's daughter for you is because she's well-mannered and not a corrupt young woman like Jenna Colton." "Dad... I cannot believe that you're saying this. I am the one to get married to Jenna, not you! What gives you the right to think that you can decide on my life like this and impose a woman on me for me to marry?" "That's enough, Darlington! I won't have you disrespect me in this house. You see what an elder sees from sitting down; even if you climb the tallest tree, you still cannot see it. Jenna is a corrupt woman, and she wouldn't make a good wife for you. Don't you see how she looks with her artificial body? Do you think that she will want to settle down and give you children? I am very certain sh
Darlington's POV I watched my father walk away from us by climbing the stairs, and he went back to his room, exiting our view. "Mother," I gazed back at my mother, struggling to comprehend and assimilate the news my father had just shared about my impending marriage, like a piece of document signed on an agreement. "Calm down, Darlington. You will not marry any Amara Nicholas, not while I am here," my mother said, and my younger sister laughed, making me glare at her. "What's so funny, Samara?" My mother asked her before I could. "Just because your father didn't marry you off like that, right? That's why you are shamelessly laughing at your older brother, right?" "No, Mother." Our mother looked displeased at Samara, who coughed and apologized to us, "Mom, I'm sorry. But this is very funny. How can our dad marry Darlington without Darlington consenting to it or knowing about it, and now his wife is already coming here? Hahaha!" "Samara!!" Our mother yelled at Samara, and Samara r
Darlington's POV After my breakfast with my mother and my sister ended, I stood up from the dining chair and set out to leave our family house. "Darlington, where are you going to?" My mother asked me with a worried look on her face. I assured her, "Mom, I am just going out; I will be back soon." "Okay, my son. But don't you think it is best not to inform Jenna? She may overreact; allow me to handle everything for you. Then later, you can share the news with her about how your father wanted to force you to marry a lowlife." I sighed. "Alright, mom. I won't inform Jenna about it, but I feel like leaving this house as of now. I don't want to be here when that woman arrives," I said, with a hint of frustration. "It's okay. Just be fine out there," my mother assured me. "Sure, Mom. I'm not a kid; I will be good. Take care," I said, hugging my mother. Though I was taller than her and Samara, they're my family, and their happiness matters to me. Well, I cannot say the same about my
Darlington's POV I waited for Jenna to arrive, and after taking my bath, I requested something edible to eat. My phone ringing on the table in my room woke me up after a long afternoon nap. I immediately got out of the hotel bed, and realizing it was already evening, I frowned as I had expected Jenna to arrive before this time. I picked up my phone, seeing that my mother was calling me. "Hello, Darlington. Where are you?" My mother asked me, and I yawned and stretched before I replied, "I am somewhere special, Mom. Why are you calling me?" I didn't want to think it was because of the new lady who was arriving at our mansion, and my mother confirmed to me, "She's already here in our house, Darlington, and your father has been trying to call your mobile number since, to know where you are, but it's not connecting. Where are you? Start coming home." "No, Mother, why? I told you earlier that I wasn't interested in seeing this lady. I don't care who she is or where she's from. F