CHAPTER THREE

William felt the familiar cold certainty settle in his gut, the strange, unsettling feeling he got right before making a massive, irreversible business decision. He was standing on the edge of the rest of his life, about to commit to a future that felt entirely too comfortable, too calculated. He gripped Sophia’s hand tighter, reminding himself this was the right path, the perfect path. He wanted to tell her he loved her, to reassure himself that this union was based on feeling, not just strategy, but the words felt hollow on his tongue. He simply smiled, trying to sell the feeling to himself one last time.

Suddenly, a sharp, insistent knock rattled the heavy office door. It was an unusual, unprofessional sound in this inner sanctum of luxury, a jarring intrusion into their carefully curated moment. William frowned, annoyed at the interruption that broke his concentration.

I’ll get it, Ethan said, already moving toward the door with urgency, a worried look flashing across his face. He knew William’s nerves were strained. It’s probably the florist with a query. Do not open it, Will.

But before Ethan could reach the handle, the door swung inward. Standing there, holding a sheaf of papers, her face etched with exhaustion and confusion, was Mimi. She was still wearing the staff uniform, the crisp white apron stark against the dark suit. She clearly hadn’t expected the office to be occupied by the guest of honour and his fiancée minutes before the grand event. Her eyes widened as she took in the scene, the two of them seated intimately, the chilled champagne, the ready, expectant posture of a couple about to make history.

Mimi stopped dead in her tracks, a gasp caught in her throat. She apologized instantly, her voice low and distressed, her professionalism instantly overriding her surprise. I am so sorry, Mr. Ethan. I didn’t know you had guests. I just needed to deliver the final event checklists for Rachel. They needed to be signed off on the table layouts.

Ethan stepped forward immediately, trying to usher her out quickly, his eyes darting between her and William and Sophia. He was trying to contain the impending crisis he felt brewing in the room. It’s fine, Mimi. Just leave the papers on my desk. Go back to your post immediately. We are discussing private matters.

But Mimi was already walking toward the desk, her face averted, a picture of professional subservience. She didn’t want to meet William’s gaze. She was a ghost of a person, an efficient machine, and she just wanted to drop the papers and disappear back into the safety of the busy service corridor. William found himself staring at her, unable to look away. He saw the subtle tightness around her mouth, the exhaustion she couldn’t hide under the bright lights of the office. He saw her dignity, and it captivated him anew.

Then, just as Mimi reached the desk, Sophia spoke. Her voice was cold, sharp, and utterly without warmth, cutting through the silence like a shard of ice. She wasn’t speaking to Mimi, but her words were meant for the ears of every person in the room.

Before you run off to the rest of the charade, William, Sophia said, rising slowly from the sofa, her posture rigid, her beautiful face completely devoid of feeling. She didn’t look at William. She looked directly at Mimi, then back at the door Mimi had just opened, as if marking her exit. I think the timing is perfect. I want this clear. I do not want to marry you. I’m only here for the comfort, the stability, the life you provide. I’m not in love with you, and I won’t be your wife. This farce ends now. I’m walking out of this contract, William.

William felt the floor drop out from under him. The words hit him like a physical blow, shattering the perfect, calculated world he had built. He stared at Sophia, his mind reeling, his initial shock instantly morphing into blinding rage and crushing humiliation. The roar of the impending party outside suddenly felt deafening, mocking his sudden failure. He was William Williams. He was not a man who was dumped minutes before his engagement party, not a man who was publicly revealed to be a strategic commodity. His reputation, his family’s approval, everything he had worked for was crumbling around him.

Mimi froze by the desk, the event checklists dropping from her numb fingers, scattering across the polished mahogany floor. The world was officially on fire, and she was trapped in the epicenter of the explosion. Ethan rushed to the door and slammed it shut, trying to contain the disaster.

Sophia, what in God’s name are you doing, William finally roared, surging to his feet, his hands clenching into fists. The control he valued so fiercely had vanished, replaced by a devastating mix of betrayal and public fear.

Sophia remained perfectly calm, adjusting the diamond bracelet on her wrist. I’m saving myself, William. I’ve met someone who offers the same financial security without the crushing weight of your mother’s expectations. I decided last night. I needed one more dramatic exit. I deserve better than a strategic alliance, and you deserve someone who can’t tell the difference between love and a bank statement. She didn’t wait for a reply, didn’t spare him another glance. She walked past Ethan, past the frozen figure of Mimi, and out of the office, disappearing into the noise of the arriving elite.

The silence left behind was far worse than the confrontation. It was thick with the scent of ruin. Ethan looked from William’s white, enraged face to Mimi, who was still frozen over the scattered papers.

Will, we have fifty minutes until the presentation, Ethan whispered urgently. We need a statement. We need an excuse. We need to save the legacy.

William wasn’t listening to Ethan. He was staring at Mimi. He saw the shock, yes, but beneath it, he saw that familiar spark of fire, the quiet steel that had captivated him days ago. He saw a woman who was competent, professional, and utterly desperate for money, a fact he had gleaned from her frantic, late hours and her worn shoes under the pristine uniform. He saw his solution. He saw a contract.

He walked past Ethan, ignoring his friend’s frantic pleas, and stopped directly in front of Mimi. She was small, but she held her ground, looking up at him with wide, frightened eyes.

You saw it all, William said, his voice low, intense, and deadly quiet.

Mimi swallowed hard, her voice barely a whisper. I didn’t mean to, Mr. Williams. I’m so sorry.

Sorry doesn’t solve this, William cut her off, his eyes burning into hers. My life, my reputation, my mother’s standing it’s all dependent on a public, perfect engagement announcement tonight. Not a public humiliation. He leaned in, his voice dropping to a seductive, ruthless offer. I need a fiancée, Mimi. Right now. For one month. A contract. A performance. A massive lie.”

Mimi stared at him, unable to comprehend the scale of the insanity. A fiancée. Sir, I’m a contract waitress. I’m leaving after the event.

That’s exactly why you’re perfect, William pressed, his desperation fueling his calculation. You’re smart, you’re professional, and you have no social history that anyone can trace in the next month. You’re a blank canvas. And you need money. Name your price, Mimi. Anything. Five million, ten million naira. Whatever you need to start your life again, to buy a future. One month of performance. One month of being Mrs. Williams, publicly.

The sum of money he mentioned was dizzying, a figure that would solve every single problem she had faced since her parents died, enough to buy a small apartment, enough to start her own business, enough to pay for years of stable living. It was immoral, it was absurd, but it was freedom wrapped in a diamond necklace.

One month, Mimi repeated, testing the fragility of the offer. Her mind raced through the ethical violations, the danger of playing with William’s powerful world, but the image of her empty bank account won the debate instantly. And the terms. No physical contact, no expectation of feeling. I’m your professional partner, nothing more. And my price is fifteen million naira, paid in full the moment the contract is signed.

William did not even flinch at the exorbitant counter offer. He saw the steel, the ambition, the clarity of purpose that matched his own. Done, he said, pulling out his phone instantly. Ethan, draft the contract right now. One month, fifteen million naira, confidentiality clause, no liability. Mimi is my fiancée.

Ethan, stunned but already switching to crisis management mode, scrambled for his laptop. Will, we need background checks. Who is she. What about the family.

She’s perfect, William stated, never taking his eyes off Mimi. She’s the woman I fell in love with a month ago, the woman I kept hidden to protect her from the public eye. Now the world knows I’m engaged. We need a ring and a debut, now. Mimi, smile. You are about to become the most talked about woman in Lagos.

The speed of the transition was terrifying, but the money offered security. Mimi inhaled sharply, forced her professional mask back into place, and gave him the most charming, confident, dazzling smile she possessed. The one she’d practiced in the mirror for years, the one that never reached her wary eyes.

Fifty minutes later, Mimi was wearing a dress hand selected from a boutique, and the original engagement ring meant for Sophia was on her finger. It felt heavy, cold, and utterly unreal. William stood beside her, his hand resting on the small of her back, his touch formal and proprietary. They were standing on the private balcony overlooking the grand ballroom of Emberwood. The guests were murmuring, restless, waiting for the announcement.

William kissed her forehead lightly, a formal, public gesture. Ready to lie to the world, Mrs. Williams to be.

Ready to earn my f*e, Mr. Williams, Mimi countered, her voice steady.

He led her out onto the balcony. The music swelled instantly, silencing the crowd below. William raised his voice, a picture of joyous, confident victory, looking directly at his shocked mother and the waiting press.

Ladies and gentlemen, tonight was planned as an engagement party, and that is exactly what it remains. The greatest surprise is that I am a man who loves honesty. I can no longer hide my true love. I am thrilled to introduce you to the woman who has captured my heart completely, the woman I have been secretly courting, the woman who will be my wife. Meet my fiancée, Mimi.

He paused, letting the silence hang heavy with shock, then he turned, took her hand, and placed a brief, fierce, public kiss on her mouth. Mimi felt a jolt of something unexpected, something electric and terrifying, before she pulled back and beamed the most flawless, deceptive smile in her life. The crowd erupted into stunned applause and flashing cameras. The contract was sealed.