What's the worse that can happen?

Asking Duke to marry me wasn’t a bad idea for me.

“I mean, we can get married in four days, I get my five percent, that’s it.”

“Getting married is not something that happens overnight, Ashley, you sure can’t marry a stranger.”

“You’re not a stranger to me, Duke.”

“Are you sure about that? What do you know about me?”

“Well, I know you left your father’s business to start yours but ended up with multiple failed attempts and…”

“Okay enough, I know I’m a failure, but that’s not what I’m talking about. Do you know anything about my attitude and behavior?”

“You don’t seem like a killer or wife beater.”

“Is that what you are scared of?”

“Look, Duke, I just need to get my five percent inheritance to get my life back on track, I really need this.”

“So what do I get from it?”

“I was expecting that question.”

“I mean, you don’t expect me to get married to you without getting anything from it.”

“Okay, I will give you three million naira after I get my inheritance, I divorce you and you go your way.”

“You make it sound so simple to do, this is your life we are talking about. What will people say?”

“They will say the same thing if I get married to a stranger, they will even say worse.”

Duke is still not convinced that this will end well. Threatening him should work.

“If you refuse to marry me, I’ll get someone else. After all, it’s easy for me to get anyone to marry me, right?”

“I didn’t mean it that way Ashley, I’m just concerned about the negative consequences of this issue.”

“Everything will be in place, we just have to plan it. I promise to keep my word.”

I gained a long gaze from Duke.

“Okay, fine. Let’s get married then.”

“Thank you so much, Duke. I really appreciate it. You wouldn’t regret this.”

“I really hope I don’t, Ashley.”

I offered to pay the barman, but Duke insisted he did. We walked out of the bar and he stopped a taxi for me.

“Duke, I can’t thank you enough for doing this for me.”

“Well, you threaten to get married to a stranger, so I couldn’t let that happen. Plus I’ll get three million dollars, that doesn’t happen every day.”

His cute smile is so composed and beautiful. I wonder what has been going on after he left his family business. He is a strong man to do that.

“Good night Duke.”

To my surprise, I hugged him and kissed him on his lips. Apart from Oscar’s disgusting kisses, I have never kissed a guy. He was surprised as I was, I rushed into the taxi and thankfully he drove off immediately.

Mom will be thrilled to find out I have gotten a way for us to get our lives back.

“YOU WHAT?!”

“Calm down, Mom, you don’t have to shout. It’s just a short-term arrangement. We get married, I get my 5% inheritance from the company, he gets his cut, and we divorce. As simple as that.”

“There are a lot of wrongs in everything you have just said, Ashley. What have you done? Oh, what will people say? Do you know who you are dealing with?”

“Mom, you're making it sound like he's going to kill me or bury me alive.”

“With what everyone will say, I think it’s best if he does that to you. Ashley, you’re going from sand to dust.”

“Mom, at this point, we are already in dust. Your husband did this to us, no warning, nothing, he abandoned us.”

“Don’t you say that, he will never abandon us. He was manipulated, don’t talk ill about your father.”

“I would talk ill about the dead, not my father. Mom, this is the only way out, I hope you support me and consider that I’m doing this for our benefit.”

“Ashley.”

I didn’t wait to hear another word from her, I know that even if my father had committed murder, my mother would still not see that he’s a bad person.

My wedding day came by so quickly, my wedding dress was pretty simple and stunning. A milky color dress, silky material, well-designed. It has a slit from the knee to the end of the gown. The slim arm of the dress handles on the shoulders and the back of the dress falls to the waist.

Since Mom doesn’t approve of my marriage to Duke, she didn’t show up. But Duke’s friend was there with us as our witness.

That night was shocking. Duke was in my room, he was on my bed, doing stuff to me.

His hands were on my waist, and it was going higher, till it got to my shirt. He put his hand under my shirt and it was now on my breast, he was squeezing and pinching my nipple till it became hard. I was breathing hard and still scared to make an irritating sound. His head went under shirt and I woke up immediately, I just had a sex dream about my husband to be.

After the wedding, we decided to spend the rest of the day together, talking and laughing.

I was enjoying my time with Duke, my short-term husband, so much that I had forgotten that I had to deal with Kane. I was hoping he wouldn’t stress me with other processes to get my inheritance since I’m married already.

But sometimes, “it’s always the quiet deal that ruins you the most.”

The words of my father just keep proving me wrong.

The next morning, I wasted no time in getting dressed. I am going to see Kane to get my inheritance.

“God please, nothing should go wrong today.”

I pray and hope everything goes smoothly, from the few things I’ve been hearing about Kane, he’s not easy to convince.