Pretend I'm Your's

Chapter 7 Sunday Dinner

I almost didn’t come.

Tunde picked me up at 5 PM sharp. No words in the car. Just the radio low and his knuckles white on the steering wheel.

“You don’t have to do this,” I said as we pulled up to the gate.

“I know,” he said. “But I want you to.”

The house smelled like pepper soup and expectations.

Mrs. Cole hugged me first. “My daughter! You’re early.”

Chief Cole just nodded. “Zara. Sit.”

Dinner was at the same table. Different energy.

Tense.

We’d barely started when the gate buzzer rang.

Nneka appeared in the doorway. “Oga... Miss Chiamaka is here.”

The fork in my hand froze.

Chiamaka.

Tunde’s ex.

Tunde set his glass down slowly. “She wasn’t invited.”

“She said it’s important,” Nneka said. “About the land.”

Chief Cole waved her in. “Let her speak.”

And there she was.

Tall. Designer dress. Hair perfect. A smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

Chiamaka Okoye. CEO’s daughter. The one who “made it messy.”

“Tunde,” she said, like she owned the room. “Hi, everyone.”

Then she looked at me. “Oh. You must be the... wedding planner.”

The word _planner_ had venom in it.

“Chiamaka,” Tunde said, voice flat. “What do you want?”

“I came to warn you.” She sat without being asked. “About her.”

She pointed at me. “She’s using you. Everyone knows it’s fake. David told me.”

My stomach dropped into my shoes.

Mrs. Cole put her spoon down. “Excuse me?”

“Is it true, Tunde?” Chief Cole asked. “Is this engagement real?”

The room went silent. Even the generator outside seemed to quiet.

Tunde looked at me. Really looked.

I could see it in his eyes: _Deny it. Save the deal. Walk away._

Rule 3. _No falling._

This was the out.

Then his hand found mine under the table.

Laced our fingers together. On the table. Where everyone could see.

“Yes,” he said. Clear. “It’s real.”

Chiamaka laughed. “Since when did you lie to your parents?”

“Since I met someone worth lying for,” Tunde said. He didn’t look at her. He looked at me. “Zara isn’t a contract to me. She’s the reason I’m buying that land. So I can build a home. With her.”

My heart stopped.

That wasn’t in the script.

Mrs. Cole’s eyes filled. “Tunde...”

Chief Cole studied us. Then he nodded once. “Then we will support you. Both of you.”

Chiamaka stood up so fast her chair screeched. “You’re making a mistake.”

She looked at me one last time. “He’ll get bored. They always do.”

Then she walked out.

After

We didn’t talk until we were in the car.

I pulled my hand from his. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“I did,” Tunde said. “She was going to break you in front of my parents.”

“That was for the land deal.”

“Was it?” He pulled over. Parked. Turned to me.

“Zara, look at me.”

I did. My eyes were burning.

“When she said you were using me... did it hurt?” he asked quietly.

I nodded. Once.

“Then it’s not just business anymore,” he whispered. “Because it hurts me too.”

Rule 3 shattered.

We sat there in silence. The city lights blurred.

Finally, I whispered, “What are we doing, Tunde?”

“I don’t know,” he said. He reached out and brushed my thumb with his. “But I don’t want to pretend with you anymore.”

My phone buzzed. Amaka: _Are you okay? I saw Chiamaka’s post._

I didn’t answer.

Because for the first time in 6 weeks, I didn’t care about the contract.

I cared about the man sitting next to me, who just chose me in front of his whole family.

Tunde started the car.

“Come home with me,” he said. Not a command. A question.

I should’ve said no.

I said, “Okay.”