Forced to love

001

Traveling around Delta state, streets such as Dukeway can not be ignored. It has the tallest house and biggest mansion therefore the street was named after the one man with such treasure, Jerome Duke, founder of Danford industries, the biggest private sector in Nigeria. Jerome Duke and his wife grew in love as couples and had their children married. Mr. Jerome and Mrs. Agnes had two sons, Alfred and John Dickey Duke. Alfred managed the family business being the first son of Mr. Jerome while John became a sole beneficiary of this and had no problem anywhere. Alfred got married through an arrangement with Grace Travis, who is now known as Mrs. Duke.

Alfred was nicknamed the devil's son because he had respect for anyone and didn't care at all about how you feel. He was feared and respected by everyone close to him.

His hazel eyes would become fire anytime he gets angry. It is rumored, that Alfred had killed one of his staff who objected to his decision.

After this rumor, Alfred became more terrifying to people both workers and clients but he paid deaf attention. He continued his rude and unkind attitude towards people coursing people to fear him more.

If they are one man he hates, that would be known other than Donald Grace's brother who would always oppose his decision every time they met.

Alfred despite being very discriminating and bossy, wouldn't dare to say "no" to his father, a lion heart man who gave life to a cub such as Alfred. Alfred's dad, Mr. Jerome, and Grace's father Mr. Travis Alloy are childhood friends who swore to continue their friendship for a lifetime and same dud their parents. These two men tried something new by promising each other marriage of their first children of a different gender. Alfred, at age twenty-six, was forced to marry Grace Travis or step down as the company manager.

Grace was known for her undiscriminating attitude towards the elderly once. Her father, Mr.Travis isn't a rich man but had enough to charter for his family. Grace was the best in her town well trained and characterized.

Alfred was willing to step down because he didn't like being controlled by anyone and also, he was in love already with Miss Cynthia Roger, the daughter of their business partner and owner of the poblición company, Sir Roger Lancelot. Cynthia, hearing about this, advised Alfred not to step down from the company but should rather get married to Grace to protect his job. Alfred wasn't convinced until she set an instance using Grace's middle-class background. "You can't marry me if you do not have a lot of money, my dad will never allow. The best option is to play along with your dad by getting married to that b***h," Cynthia muttered. " So how about us; how about the love we have for each other?" Alfred asked, being scared of how things may turn out to be. "We will look for a way to send her away before she gets too comfortable staying, " Cynthia said, giving him a tight hug. Alfred had no option but to agree to his dad's wish to get married to Grace. What Cynthia said was actually true. Mr Roger's company was The best in manufacturing rubber materials like the sandals and rubber spoon. He would never accept his daughter to marry a low classed boy who could not charter for himself.

John, his younger brother, ran away with his girlfriend Amanda and got married to her and afterward, came back-He was scared of living in the same fate as his brother. Alfred knew he didn't love Grace but hated to see how caring Grace was towards him. "She prepares break fast specially for him, takes lounge to him in his office at afternoon and would do the same for the whole family. She even checks my documents and correct my errors when I am asleep, I won't deny the fact, she is hard-working and has won the heart of her father-in-law. She is a good cook, she does the laundry for everyone, washes the dishes, and also preparing for babies." "Babies!" parry Manful gasped. He was surprised by the sound of that coming out from his best friend's mouth. "Yes, I am serious, she is busy preparing for a baby for me," Alfred responded . "I and my wife Roselyn aren't preparing to have kids any time soon even if w e married for two years now. What's with the rush?" Parry asked. "Did I tell you I was expecting a baby from her or even getting intimate with her?" Alfred asked angrily. "If you haven't, why then is she expecting? What happened on your wedding night? I called you that night to hear if you'd gotten home, and you told me you were busy with your wife, do you remember?" Parry responded, confused about Alfred's question and tone. "Do you think I'll marry Grace in my right mind? Grace isn't my wife, I just married her to secure my position she is a a contract to me. That night, I was with Cynthia. She is the only woman I can call my wife," Alfred responded confidently, looking into Parry's shocked eye. "It's been a year now since you got married, you mean she has never asked for s*x?" Parry asked. "Why would she? I think she knows I have no interest in her. I and Cynthia gave a plan, she will be going by tomorrow. The only person who worries is my mum, she is desperately in need of a grandson," Alfred responded. "Wow, she really things positively,how about John, he got married too, doesn't he want a son yet?" Parry asked. "Do you?" Alfred responded, throwing his gaze off Parry. "No, not really," he chuckled, "But your mum needs a grandson, and I need a nephew." Parry added with a smile. Alfred smiles at parry.

"You only wish.John might never have a son, his wife isn't interested in doing anything, not the house choirs or anything and also, he told John last week that pregnancy would make her shapeless do she needs surrogacy," Alfred said laughing, he and his friend. "Seriously! There's nothing wrong with her and she needs surrogates?" Parry exclaimed laughing out, turning his face towards the dining and sees his wife walk pass. It was so unusual of her not greeting visitors, both Alfred and parry noticed her mode. "Excuse me, I need to go speak to my wife," parry said. "No problem, I will be on my way too, tomorrow will be a long full of surprises, so I need to go and sleep. Alfred responded, standing to his feet. "Tomorrow is your mums' birthday, we will be there," Parry responded, stretching his hand and shaking Alfred."Grace will be gone by tomorrow, wish me luck!" Alfred said.

"Good luck then" Parry said heading upstairs as Alfred went for the door. Parry in reaching the room found his wife standing facing the mirror in her room. Tears falling from her eyes and her temperance was that of an angry person, not a sober person. At seeing her husband, she wiped her face with the back of her hand, turning to walk out of her room. "Hey, hey, hey " parry muttered holding her two shoulders trying to stop her from walking out. "What is the problem? Tell me! " Parry added. Rosalyn stares at him, her red eyes could tell him partly what the problem was but could not define it. "The poor Lady, that's my problem. I could never imagine you could stand by anyone who wants to play with the feelings of others," Roselyn responded angrily, pushing him away and walking out of Parry. "Let's settle this misunderstanding babe," parry said walking after her.

"What misunderstanding are you talking about? I heard him telling you he has a plan against Grace and you said nothing. You smiled and even joined him to laugh," Roselyn responded turning to him.

"Alfred is my friend is what's ever makes him happy, am okay with it!" Parry exclaimed.

"Grace too is my friend and she trust in me. He would have said no to marrying her, but he didn't. He married her selfishly and now wants her gone?" Rosalyn added.

"That is another person's family why do you think I'll go into the matter?"

"Because you are a legal body, an implementer of the law, you know that divorced women are being looked down upon. Grace did nothing wrong marrying him," Roselyn walking away from him.

Alfred got home and found Cynthia and his mum eating in the dining and conversing. "Good evening mum," he greeted walking to his mum and giving her a peck and turning to Cynthia and doing same, walking down to his room. "Welcome babe" Grace greeted aloud smiling and exposing her gap tooth. Her blue, innocent eyes froze him starting . Alfred for seconds remained mute before gathering his moral to talk. "Don't call me babe, please, " he responded, trying to pull off his tie. Grace smiles moving closer to him. "Let me help you with that," she said, pulling off his tie and shirt too."I knew you weren't going to join mum in the dining, so I prepared your best." Grace said. Alfred felt trapped by her.

Alfred looks at her uncovering the meal, the aroma from a plate of soup saguretted the whole building. Alfred unconsciously muttered " I am interested in the meal."

Grace smiles knowing they was no way Alfred will say no to oath.

Alfred immediately noticed she was smiling. The last thing he wanted was to make her feel loved by him. Alfred never once to see her smile. Her smiling gives Alfred the idea that Grace feels he was trying to be romantic. "About my business and not a plate of oath," Alfred added.

"Do you have any work to do tomorrow?" Grace asked.

" I don't have any work to do tomorrow, it mums party so i shifted all the meetings to the day after tomorrow." Alfred said.

"What are you going to give to mum tomorrow?" Grace asked. Alfred looked at her and smiles her innocent eye couldn't pet him look Grace in the eye. "You, I am going to give you to her," he responded as Grace laughed at the serious joke. "Good night." She said claiming the bed, covering the food back. "Good night Grace, enjoy your last night here," he said to himself.

At five o'clock, it already seemed as if the morning sun was glowing. All the servants were busy doing one thing or the other. Grace doesn't like seeing others working and she stays idle more over, it her mother -in-laws party.She joined them in arranging the hall in which the party is going to be take place. It has been five years, Mrs.Jerome hasn't celebrated her birthday and wasn't interested in doing it. Her sudden interest in celebrating her birthday made everyone happy. Suite cases were brought in and out of the mansion, it seemed as if it were a fashion design shop or a fashion design television program going on here. The laundry room was filled up with the different fashions of cloth and only one man was available to wash and iron the dresses. "Good morning sir, would you mind if I help you?" Grace said. The old man was startled by such an approach from a member of Duke's family. "Did you call me sir?" The old man asked. "Is there something wrong with that?" Grace responds. "No, nothing is the wrong ma'am it's just that I have never heard any member of the Duke family address anyone, with such respect," the old man said. "Come on sir, that's impossible. You are an aged man and everyone would respect you for that." Grace said picking up the suitcases and removing the suits, to make things easier for him. The old man smiled surprised at how mannered a Duke could be. "I have never seen a person like you before, everyone from rich families seem not to respect anyone, they look at fellow human as nothing." The old man said. Grace smiles at the opened minded old man. "I wasn't raised in a rich family. We only managed what we had making it satisfactory for us to live, respect is not about having less money but a disciplineed family," Grace said walking out of the laundry back into the hall. When entering the hall, her gazes brightened in shock. The hall was decorated with flashy colours, if Grace didn't know where exactly was, she would mistake Mr. Jerome's mansion for a Christmas museum. "Clunky design!" She said, moving close to the designer. "The color combinations are nice but, it would be charming if it was a kid's party," she added.