Semua Bab Married To The FIrst Zillionaire in Africa: Bab 1 - Bab 10

The coffee was scalding hot when it splashed across Juliet's uniform.She bit back a curse as the brown liquid soaked through her polyester shirt, burning her skin underneath. The customer who'd bumped into her didn't even apologize. He just kept walking, phone pressed to his ear, designer shoes clicking against the cracked tile floor of Quick Bite."You okay, Jules?" Rashida called from behind the register.Juliet grabbed a handful of napkins and dabbed at the stain. It was useless. The coffee had already spread across her chest like a map of her terrible morning. "Yeah. I'm fine."She wasn't fine. Her alarm hadn't gone off, so she'd missed the early bus. That meant taking two different minibuses to get to work, which ate up money she didn't have. Then her manager had scheduled her for a double shift without asking. Now this.The lunch rush was starting. People streamed through the doors, all of them in a hurry, none of them seeing her as anything more than the girl who handed them b

The car glided through Lagos like it existed in a different dimension from the rest of the city.Outside, traffic was a nightmare of honking horns and aggressive drivers. Inside, everything was quiet, climate-controlled, insulated from reality. Juliet watched the city pass by through tinted windows, feeling like she'd stepped into someone else's life.They left the chaos of the mainland behind and crossed onto Victoria Island. The buildings grew taller, cleaner. Street lights actually worked here. The potholes disappeared.This was where the wealthy lived. Where people like Ejike Olatunji built their empires while the rest of Lagos struggled to survive.The car turned into a gated community. Security guards checked their credentials before waving them through. Inside, the streets were lined with palm trees and mansions that looked like they belonged in a luxury magazine.They pulled up to a house at the end of a cul-de-sac. House wasn't the right word. It was an estate. Three stories

The boutique didn't have prices on anything, which meant Juliet couldn't afford a single item in it.Adunni seemed to read her thoughts. "Mr. Olatunji has an account here. Everything is already arranged."A saleswoman appeared as if summoned, her smile professional and her outfit probably worth more than Juliet's entire wardrobe. "Miss Fredrick, welcome. I'm Chioma. We have several options prepared for you."Several options turned out to be an understatement. The private showing room was filled with dresses, shoes, accessories. Everything in shades of white, cream, and ivory."For tomorrow's ceremony," Chioma explained. "Mr. Olatunji mentioned you preferred simple elegance over extravagance."Juliet blinked. When had she told him that? Then she remembered she hadn't. He'd just guessed. Or researched. With Ejike, it was hard to tell the difference."Try this one first," Chioma said, holding up a dress.Three hours later, Juliet had a wedding dress, three cocktail dresses, two business-

Juliet woke to sunlight streaming through unfamiliar windows.For a moment, she forgot where she was. Then reality crashed back. The wedding. The mansion. The marriage contract. Everything that had happened in the last forty-eight hours.She was Mrs. Ejike Olatunji now.Her phone showed 6:45 AM. She'd slept in her wedding dress, too exhausted to change. Now the expensive fabric was wrinkled, and her hair was a mess.A soft knock at the door made her sit up."Miss Juliet?" A woman's voice, unfamiliar. "May I come in?""Um, yes?"The door opened, and a woman in her fifties entered carrying a tray. She had kind eyes and moved with the efficiency of someone who'd been working in this house for years."Good morning. I'm Mama Kemi, the housekeeper. I've brought your breakfast." She set the tray on a small table near the window. "Mr. Olatunji thought you might prefer to eat in your room this morning."The tray held fresh fruit, toast, eggs, orange juice, and coffee. A proper breakfast, the k

Friday evening arrived too quickly.Juliet stood in front of her closet, staring at the rows of expensive dresses. Femi had left detailed notes about which outfits were appropriate for which occasions. Tonight's art gallery opening required "sophisticated elegance with artistic flair."Whatever that meant.She chose a deep emerald dress that hugged her curves without being too revealing. Simple gold jewelry. Heels that made her legs look endless but would probably kill her feet by the end of the night.When she came downstairs, Ejike was waiting in the foyer. He wore a black suit that looked custom-made, because it probably was. His eyes swept over her, and something flickered in his expression."You look beautiful," he said.It was the first real compliment he'd given her. Not "appropriate" or "suitable." Just beautiful."Thank you," she managed. "You clean up pretty well yourself."The corner of his mouth twitched. Almost a smile.The drive to the gallery took thirty minutes. Ejike