Chapter 6

• “Is this really necessary, Cole?” Funmi’s voice cracks the silence as we walk side by side through the sprawling garden behind my family’s estate. It’s early evening, and the air is still warm, but her words strike me like a cold gust of wind.
• I look at her, unsure of how to answer. The tension between us has been building ever since we started spending more time together, but I can’t deny the pull. Not the one that’s expected from the arrangement, but something deeper, something real.
• “I don’t think anything about this is necessary,” I mutter, running a hand through my hair. The weight of my family’s expectations sits on me like a thousand-pound stone.
• She stops, turning to face me. “Then why are you still doing it? This... this charade. You don’t owe anyone anything.”
• I hesitate. The truth is, I don’t know. My father’s pressure is suffocating, and the company, the legacy, it’s all too much. But there’s something about Funmi—the way she speaks, the way she stands firm in her own skin—that makes me feel like I’m not trapped in a cage.
• “I don’t have a choice,” I say quietly, finally meeting her gaze. “My father—”
• “Your father,” she interrupts, “is controlling. And you’re letting him. But you don’t have to, Cole. You don’t have to choose his way.”
• I feel a strange sense of relief when she says that, like I’ve been holding my breath for too long and finally exhaled. It’s the first time in this entire mess that someone has made me feel like there’s a way out. But there’s always the catch, isn’t there?
• “I can’t just walk away from it all. It’s not that simple,” I reply, but even as I say it, I wonder if it could be. Could it? Could I?
• Funmi looks at me for a long moment, then takes a step closer. “What if it could be that simple?” Her eyes flicker with something unreadable, something deep. “What if you could have your freedom? What if you could have... me?”
• Her words hang in the air, and for a second, I wonder if I imagined it. But I didn’t. There’s an earnestness in her voice, and it cuts through the haze of confusion that’s clouded my mind for weeks.
• Before I can respond, I hear a soft chuckle behind us. My stomach sinks as I turn to see Kemi standing in the doorway of the mansion, her expression unreadable. She’s been watching us for a while, I can tell.
• “Well, isn’t this touching,” she says, her voice dripping with sweetness that feels all wrong. “I didn’t realize the two of you were so... close.”
• Funmi stiffens beside me, but I can see the way Kemi’s presence affects her, how the tension in her shoulders tightens in response. I can’t help but feel the pull of the situation—the way Kemi thrives in the tension, how she manipulates every room she enters.
• “Kemi,” I say, my voice strained. “What are you doing here?”
• “Oh, I was just looking for you,” she says, her gaze flickering between Funmi and me. Her eyes narrow slightly, calculating. “You know, you’re both such interesting choices. I’d say you make a good pair, but I think the only thing really tying you together is your family’s expectations, don’t you think, Funmi?”
• Funmi’s jaw clenches. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she replies sharply, but I can tell she’s rattled.
• Kemi’s smile widens. “Oh, I think you do.”
• I feel the tension spike, and my mind races. This is exactly what I was afraid of. Kemi always knows how to get under people’s skin. She always knows how to twist the knife and turn it slowly.
• “I’m not interested in whatever game you’re playing, Kemi,” I say, trying to regain control of the situation.
• But Kemi doesn’t seem phased. She steps toward Funmi, the smile still fixed on her face. “You know, it’s funny how people think they can escape this, this game of life. But no one really escapes, do they, Funmi?”
• Funmi doesn’t answer, but her clenched fists are a clear indication that Kemi’s words have hit home. I can see her internal struggle—she doesn’t want to be part of this game. But she’s already in it, just like I am.
• Kemi turns to me, her voice smooth as silk. “You know, Cole, you can’t hide forever. Eventually, you’ll have to choose. And when you do, remember who helped you get there.”
• Her words hang in the air like smoke, and I feel the weight of them settle on my chest. What is she playing at? Is she trying to make me choose? Or is this just another one of her manipulative tactics to control the situation?
• “Let’s go inside,” I say, breaking the tension. I turn on my heel and head toward the house, feeling Kemi’s eyes on my back as I walk. I want to escape the suffocating atmosphere of the garden, to clear my head.
• But when I step inside, I feel an unexpected hand on my shoulder. I turn to find Funmi standing there, her eyes searching mine.
• “Cole, wait,” she says quietly. “I think you’re right. About everything. About what you said out there. We don’t have to play by their rules. We can choose... something else.”
• I look at her, and for the first time in this entire mess, I feel a sense of clarity. Maybe there’s a way out after all.
• But just as I open my mouth to speak, the door slams open, and Kemi walks in. Her expression is unreadable, but there’s something cold in her eyes, something dangerous.
• “Did I miss something?” she says, her tone playful but laced with venom. “You two look cozy.”
• I feel a shiver run down my spine. This isn’t over. Not by a long shot.
• But the real question is—what will happen next?