CHAPTER 15: ONE BED, NO CONTRACT — HIS REVENGE

The rain in Accra was heavy that night.

I packed my small bag in the East Legon mansion. Two dresses from Kejetia, my mother's old Bible, and the contract paper. The contract that said one year.

One year was finished today.

Kwame Asare stood at the door of our bedroom. His face was cold, like the first day I met him in Kumasi.

"Where do you think you are going, Ama Mensah?" he asked, his voice low.

I did not look at him. If I looked at him, I would cry.

"My contract is finished, Mr. Asare," I said, trying to be strong. "You said after one year, I will leave. My father is healed now. My debt is paid. Thank you for the 50,000 cedis alerts. Thank you for everything. I am going back to Kumasi."

I walked past him with my bag.

He did not move. Then, in one second, he locked the door. CLICK.

My heart beat fast. Gbim gbim gbim.

"Kumasi?" He laughed, but it was not a happy laugh. It was jealous, possessive laugh. "You want to go back to Kejetia market and sell phone covers with Daniel? That small boy who cheated on you?"

"Daniel has nothing to do with this!" I shouted. "You said no love! You said no touching! You made four rules!"

He stepped closer. One step. Two steps. I stepped back until my back touched the wall.

"I know what I said," he whispered, very close to my face. His cologne was expensive, his beard was neat. "Rule one: No love. Rule two: No touching. Rule three: Separate rooms. Rule four: Leave after one year."

He took the contract paper from my bag and tore it in front of me. KRRR!

"No more contract," he said.

I was shaking. "Kwame... what are you doing?"

"This is my revenge," he said.

"Revenge for what? I did nothing!"

"Revenge for making me, Kwame Asare, the coldest billionaire in Accra, fall in love with a poor teacher from Kumasi."

My eyes widened.

He continued, his hand now on the wall beside my head, caging me but not touching me.

"Vanessa came to my office today. She showed me a picture of you and Daniel at Circle. She said you are planning to run away with him because I am too cold for you. Is it true?"

"What? No! I swear on my father's life! Daniel came to Accra to beg me, but I told him I am Mrs. Asare! I told him I am married!"

"Say it again," he commanded, his eyes dark.

"I am Mrs. Asare," I whispered.

"Louder."

"I AM MRS. KWAME ASARE! YOUR WIFE!"

Something broke in his face. The coldness disappeared.

He pulled me from the wall straight to his chest. Chest-sleeping, but standing. My ear on his chest. His heart was beating like a drum. Fast. For me.

"Do you know how many nights I slept alone in this big mansion before you came?" he whispered into my hair. "Do you know how empty this house was? You brought jollof smell, you brought Twi language, you brought life. You think 20,000 cedis monthly can pay for that? You think 50,000 cedis can buy that?"

Tears fell from my eyes onto his white shirt.

"I tried to hate you," he said. "I tried to keep the rules. But when grandfather forced us to share one bed, when you slept on my chest, I knew... I cannot let you go."

He carried me. Yes, like a bride. My legs around his waist, my arms around his neck, my small bag falling to the floor.

He laid me gently on the big king-size bed. The bed where we first shared one bed for grandfather.

"One bed," he said, kneeling beside the bed, looking at me like I was gold. "No contract tonight, Ama. Tonight, no rules."

"But the contract—"

"I tore it. We will write a new one tomorrow. A real one."

He took my hand and kissed my palm. Soft. Respectful. Not like a billionaire who owns everything. Like a man who is begging.

"Stay," he whispered. "Not as my contract bride. As my real wife."

Outside, the rain was still falling on East Legon. Inside, the air conditioner was cold, but his hand holding mine was warm.

My phone buzzed. It was my mother from Kumasi. It was Daniel. It was the world outside.

I switched it off.

"One condition," I said, trying to be brave though my voice was shaking.

He smiled for the first time that night. "Anything."

"Take me to Asare Tower tomorrow. In front of Vanessa, in front of your cousin, in front of all Accra... tell them I am not a poor girl you hired. Tell them I am your real wife."

He leaned down, his forehead touching mine.

"Tomorrow, I will give you a 100,000 cedis alert and a diamond ring," he whispered. "And I will tell the whole of Ghana: Ama Mensah from Kumasi is MINE. Forever."

My heart stopped.

He was about to kiss me. Real kiss. Not fake for grandfather. Not contract kiss.

Real husband kiss.

But then — KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK — loud knock on the mansion gate!

"KWAME ASARE! OPEN THIS GATE! I KNOW MY DAUGHTER IS INSIDE!"

It was my mother! She came from Kumasi to Accra in the rain!

And behind her, was Daniel, holding a megaphone.

Kwame's eyes turned cold again. Possessive. Angry.

He stood up from the bed, his fists tight.

"Stay in this bed, Ama," he said, his voice dangerously low. "No one takes my wife from my mansion. Not your mother. Not Daniel. Not anyone. This is my revenge night."

He walked to the window to look at the gate.

I sat up on the bed, scared.

What will Kwame do to Daniel?

What will my mother say when she sees me in his mansion, on his bed, with no contract?

TO BE CONTINUED...

---

Author's Note:

Chai! Trouble don come! 😭 Mother from Kumasi meets Billionaire in East Legon! Daniel with megaphone! Will Kwame fight? Will Ama choose family or husband?

Add to library! Vote! Chapter 16 REAL WIFE NIGHT drops tonight 8pm — shower scene + diamond ring + secret pregnancy twist! You will cry!