The terms

The balcony creaked softly beneath Nathaniel’s weight as he leaned back, one leg crossed over the other. A half-empty mug balanced beside him on the chair he is sitting in, steam curling lazily into the morning air. His eyes scanned the newspaper, lips twitching at something only he found amusing. Somewhere below, Lagos hummed to life, but up here, he was lost between the headlines. The door creaked open with a sharp groan. Ethan stepped in, shoes thudding against the tile floor. His eyes locked onto the man in the armchair, shadows from the flickering TV dancing across his face. He didn’t speak, just stood there, fists clenched, breath shallow. The paper in his father’s hands stilled mid-turn. Silence pulsed between them like a storm about to break. “You’re... you’re going to do this?” I whispered, voice cracking at the edges. My father didn’t answer. Just sipped his drink, eyes fixed on the view from the balcony like it held all the reasons in the world. Ethan's voice rose, trembling. “After everything? After working so hard? I took a step forward, my throat tightening. “You can’t be serious…” But my father’s silence screamed louder than words ever could. I’ve built all this, earned every damn inch of it and none of it matters unless I drag someone down the aisle?” “You’ve built nothing,” Nathaniel says, voice like steel wrapped in silk. “You’ve been handed an opportunity. Legacy. And legacies require structure.” He rose slowly, straightening his suit with calm precision. “A man who cannot commit his life to one person has no business leading thousands.” Ethan’s breath hitched. The weight of my father’s words crashed into his chest like a punch. And for the first time, the title I’d dreamed of felt like a cage. Ethan let out a bitter laugh, one that didn’t reach his eyes. I shook my head slowly, as if trying to make sense of the man standing in front of me. My lips curled into a half-smile sharp, cold. “Of course. Of course you’d say that.” I turned away for a moment, jaw clenched, eyes flashing. “You never fail to surprise me, do you?” The words dripped with disbelief, I turned back around, eyes narrowed. “Tell me something, Dad,” I said, voice low and rough. “Was there ever a version of me that would’ve been enough? Nathaniel looked up, eyes hard and unblinking. “This isn’t about you, Ethan. It never is.” He leaned in slightly, voice steady, final. “Find a wife. Bring her home. That’s when you get the seat. Not a minute before.”The room went still. Ethan stood frozen, chest tight, his hands curled into fists at his sides. His mouth parted, but no words came just the thunderous rush of blood in his ears. Behind the half-closed door, Claire lingered, her breath caught in her throat. She hadn’t meant to eavesdrop but now, she couldn’t move. Her heart pounded as Ethan’s voice finally broke through the silence, raw and low. “You never saw me. Just the title you wanted me to fill.” My Father said nothing. Ethan turned, jaw clenched, shoulder brushing the door open fully as he passed Claire without seeing her. She stepped back, eyes wide, watching the man who always seemed unshakable walk away like something in him had finally cracked. I stared at my reflection in the office window sharp suit, steady hands, the look of a man in control. But my stomach was a knot of questions I couldn't untangle. A wife? I couldn’t even remember the last time I called someone mine. Dates blurred into obligations. Feelings? Conveniently shelved. And now this marriage, of all things, stands between me and the title I’ve worked my whole life for. My fingers tightened around the edge of the desk. There had to be a way. I didn’t come this far to be told no. So I jabbed the intercom button, my voice low but firm. “Get Tami in here.” I didn’t wait for a reply just turned back to the window, watching the city pulse beneath the clouds. My mind raced faster than the traffic below. If anyone could help me figure this out, it was her. A soft knock broke the silence. The door creaked open, and Tami stepped inside, heels clicking against the marble floor. She paused just short of my desk, tablet in hand, eyes sharp as ever. “You asked to see me?” she said, her voice calm, professional like always. I nodded once, not turning away from the city just yet. I needed a moment more to gather the words that might change everything. Tami didn’t speak right away. She just stood there, thoughtful, eyes narrowing the way they do when she’s piecing something together. But I wasn’t looking for a solution yet. I needed a second to breathe, to process the absurdity of it all. My fingers drummed against the desk, restless. Married. The word echoed in my head like a joke told too loudly in a quiet room. I wasn’t built for vows and Sunday brunches. I was built for boardrooms and power plays. I’d worked my way through every division, earned the respect, and made the tough calls. But none of that mattered now because somewhere in my father’s mind, a ring was more important than my resume. Tami,” I said, my voice firm but not unkind. “Sit.” Tami lowered herself into the chair, smoothing the hem of her skirt, eyes flicking up to meet mine. I leaned forward, elbows on the desk, the weight of my father’s words still pressing against my chest. “I didn’t call you in here for small talk,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck. “He dropped a bomb on me this morning.” Her brow arched, silent. I exhaled sharply. “The board won’t hand me the CEO title unless I’m married.” I paused, watching her face for a flicker of judgment or surprise. “Married, Tami. Out of nowhere. I’m still trying to wrap my head around it, how the hell am I supposed to pull that off?”