MARRIED YOUNG, NOT DEFEATED. She was chosen... now she chooses herself.

Chapter Seven: The Brief Questions

As Mr. Alabi discussed the marriage preparations, he began with the introduction ceremony, which Okikiola had promised to complete before leaving for Lagos, followed by the wedding.

Okikiola thought to himself, I can still handle the introduction without these i***t friends. But the wedding… I need to deal with that gossiper first.

As he sat deep in thought, his mother interrupted gently.

“I think within a week or two. He has promised to take his wife with him,” she said.

Immediately, Okikiola interjected.

“Not anymore, Mother. My plan has changed,” he said firmly. “We will do the introduction as I promised, but I can’t wait for the wedding anymore because of an office call I just received. It’s an emergency. A contract that was awarded to my company has been suddenly reversed.”

Mr. Alabi sighed. “Oh! I’m so sorry about that. So that was the call you received earlier? No wonder you stayed outside so long.”

He then turned warmly to Abiodun.

“Abiodun, we have the introduction to prepare for in two days. Are you okay with it?”

Abiodun paused. Then she spoke softly.

“Father… Mother… you didn’t even ask me if I love him.”

A brief silence filled the room.

Okikiola’s heart jolted. Why is she asking this now?

The three elders suddenly burst into laughter.

“Not after you both entered holding hands to impress us,” Mr. Alabi said humorously.

The women laughed along.

“We were once like that too,” Abiodun’s mother added, smiling. “Don’t worry, we fully support you. Enjoy this time—arugbo wa na sogeri, igba loni gba nlo.” Meaning " We are now in our old age, it is time for the younger generation to take over".

But while they laughed, Okikiola noticed something different in Abiodun’s expression. She was calm… too calm. Something was off.

He leaned slightly forward.

“Are you okay?” he asked quietly.

She nodded, but her eyes didn’t match her response.

“Yes. I just have a few questions to ask, in the presence of our parents.”

The room grew quiet again.

Okikiola’s chest tightened.

“What questions?” he asked carefully.

Abiodun looked directly at him.

“Do you love me?”

There was no hesitation.

“Yes,” he answered quickly.

But inside him, doubt flickered like a weak flame.

Am I saying the truth… or just what is expected?

Abiodun studied his face for a few seconds, searching for something only she could see, then slowly looked away.

The silence returned—but this time, heavier.

Okikiola couldn’t understand what was happening. First, Tonia’s call. Then the suspicion about his friends. And now… Abiodun acting like this.

Before he could think further, she spoke again.

“Did my mother tell you I dropped out of school because of my father’s sickness?”

Okikiola blinked.

“No…”

She exhaled softly.

“My father was diagnosed with lung cancer last session. It weakened him so much that he could no longer work.”

Her voice remained steady, but pain lived inside every word.

“I had to drop out of school. I didn’t want to add to my mother’s burden. She was already taking care of him, buying medicines, herbs… paying bills, supporting the family, my younger brother’s school fees… everything.”

She paused.

“But I love education. And I will still be educated.”

Her eyes lifted slightly.

“So… will you sponsor my university education?”

The question landed heavily in the room.

Okikiola didn’t hesitate.

“Why not?” he said immediately.

He cleared his throat.

“What course did you study?”

“English Language,” she replied.

“Pure English Language,” she added with quiet pride.

Okikiola nodded.

“That’s fine. Since you will be relocating to Lagos, it won’t be a problem. We have many universities there.”

He gave a small smile.

“If there is anything else, you can still tell me later.”

Abiodun gave a slight nod.

“We still have things to talk about…”

A subtle pause followed.

Okikiola exhaled slowly, relieved. At least that was settled. One tension was gone.

But deep inside him, something still lingered.

Because he could feel it clearly now—Abiodun was not just speaking.

She was observing him.

Testing him.

Measuring something he had not yet understood.

As the conversation continued around their parents preparing for the introduction, Okikiola’s mind drifted again.

The office lie… she hadn’t believed a word of it.

And somehow, that unsettled him more than anything Tonia could have said.