Chapter 8

• “Do you ever wonder what you’re doing here?” Kemi’s voice cuts through the silence of the bedroom, her words sharp, like glass scraping against my skin.
• I sit on the edge of the bed, my hands folded in my lap, unable to meet her gaze. The soft hum of the air conditioning is the only sound that fills the space between us. I glance at the clock—midnight. The day has been long, filled with smiles and formalities, but when the doors closed behind us, all the pretense evaporated.
• I’m not sure what to say. I know what she wants from me. I know what she expects. But none of that feels real, not anymore. We’re both here because we have to be. Because duty, legacy, and family demands it. But this—this marriage—was never meant to be anything but an arrangement. A political move, a strategic alliance. We both know it.
• But still… Kemi’s words cut deeper than I want to admit.
• “I didn’t think it would be like this,” I mutter under my breath, barely loud enough for her to hear.
• She laughs, but it’s cold, devoid of warmth. “Of course, you didn’t. But we’re here now, aren’t we?” She walks to the window, her silhouette framed by the moonlight. Her movements are deliberate, graceful. But there’s something behind her eyes, something that doesn’t match the poise she so carefully projects.
• I know that feeling all too well. It’s the same sense of disconnect, the same weight pressing on my chest. A marriage without love is like a house without a foundation. Everything stands, but at any moment, it could come crashing down.
• She turns to me, her gaze narrowing. “You think this is some kind of game, don’t you?”
• I don’t answer right away. What do I even say to that? She’s right—this isn’t a game. But if I’m being honest with myself, it sure as hell feels like one. Kemi’s playing the role she was trained to play, and I’m stuck in the middle, pretending I don’t mind being a pawn in her carefully planned chess match.
• “I never wanted this,” I say, the words slipping out before I can stop them.
• Kemi’s lips curl into a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “Too bad. We don’t always get what we want, do we, Cole?”
• Her words sting more than I care to admit. I’m a man who’s always gotten what he wanted—until now. And now, I find myself shackled by the very thing I once thought I could control: my own decisions. My own life.
• “Why are we doing this?” I finally ask, the question slipping out before I can filter it.
• Kemi’s gaze hardens. “Because we don’t have a choice.”
• I want to argue, to tell her that I do have a choice—that I could walk away from this. But I know it’s a lie. There’s too much at stake, too many strings pulling at me. This marriage isn’t just a union of two people; it’s a union of two empires. And if I walk away, everything collapses. Everything I’ve built, everything my family has built—it all falls apart.
• But even as I think it, I realize something—there’s a part of me, a small part, that wonders what life would be like if I did walk away. What would I find on the other side?
• But Kemi isn’t giving me the luxury of considering that. She moves toward me, her heels clicking against the polished floor. She stops in front of me, standing so close that I can feel her breath on my skin. She tilts her head, a faint smile playing at the corners of her lips.
• “You’re so predictable, Cole,” she says softly, almost like a whisper. “Always trying to find a way out. But you’re in this now. You’re mine.”
• The possessiveness in her voice sends a chill down my spine. It’s the same possessiveness she’s always had. It’s why I’ve always kept my distance from her, why I’ve never let myself get too close. But now, I don’t have a choice. She’s my wife, and she’s not going anywhere.
• The silence that follows is suffocating. I want to say something—anything—but the words don’t come. Instead, I sit there, trapped in the quiet tension between us.
• And then, as if reading my mind, Kemi steps back, her expression softening just a fraction. “You can’t escape this, Cole,” she says, her voice almost tender now, like she’s trying to comfort me. But I see through it. It’s all part of her game. “You’re stuck with me.”
• I swallow hard, my throat dry. I want to argue, to tell her that I’m not stuck with anyone, that I have my own life to live. But I can’t. Because deep down, I know she’s right. She’s right about everything.
• “I know,” I reply, my voice hoarse. It’s the truth, even if I don’t want to admit it.
• But even as I say it, my thoughts drift back to Funmi. The way she looked at me when I left her at the party—like she was already saying goodbye. I don’t know if I can let her go. I don’t know if I can live with the knowledge that I’ve hurt her, that I’ve betrayed her trust.
• I hear the sound of Kemi’s heels again, this time moving toward the door. “Get some rest,” she says, her tone light, as though nothing’s wrong. “We’ve got a busy day ahead.”
• I don’t answer. I just sit there, staring at the door as it closes behind her.
• I should feel relieved, shouldn’t I? She’s left me alone. I’m free to think, to breathe. But all I can think about is the fact that none of this feels real. This marriage. This life. It’s all a façade, a lie I’ve been living for far too long.
• I look at the empty space where Kemi was standing just moments ago, and I wonder if I’ll ever feel whole again.
• The thought nags at me, refuses to leave my mind. What if there’s another way? What if there’s more to life than this—this endless cycle of duty and responsibility?
• But before I can entertain the thought further, I hear a soft knock at the door.
• I freeze.
• Who could it be?
• I rise to my feet, my heart racing in my chest. Could it be Funmi? Could it be someone else?
• I approach the door slowly, cautiously, unsure of what I’ll find on the other side.
• When I open it, I’m met with an unexpected sight.
• It’s not Funmi.
• It’s a letter. A letter with my name on it, written in bold, unfamiliar handwriting.
• I reach for it, my fingers trembling as I pull it from the envelope.
• The words are simple, but they hit me like a freight train:
• “The truth will come out, Cole. There’s more to this marriage than you think.”