Mr. Darlington's Ex Wife

Chapter 2

Amara Nicholas;

"Dad, I don't want to go to the city tomorrow. I don't want to marry a city man," I protested. Tears were gathering in my eyes.

My father stood up from the blue couch. He was a tall man, dark-skinned, unlike me and my mother, who were both light-skinned.

My father sighed and said, "Amara, we are not disowning you from becoming our daughter. You will always be our daughter, but you have to start your own life and family to give your mother and me grandchildren. We also do not want you to leave us, but we cannot trust all these people here to look after you, so your mother and I decided on this for you to go to the city and there, you will be genuinely loved and not by greedy people who may be pretending with you, just to gain favor from us."

"Dad!" Tears flowed down my cheeks, and my mother stood up from the couch and walked up to meet me.

"You don't have to cry. I can assure you that the Briggs family is good people, and Mr. Joshua Briggs is my childhood friend. You will be treated well when you get to their family house," my father said, and I was left speechless.

I had gone to the city before to further my education and study accounting. But I didn't like the city life; I didn't envision myself living there, because of the type of social and competitive life they live. I love to have my peace, and that's all that interests me.

"It's okay. Come, let us go outside and see the fireworks. It will be New Year soon," my mother said, as she pulled me into an embrace.

"Mom, I am not interested in seeing the fireworks. I am not happy about all this. How can you and my father decide on my life like this?" I asked my mother, and she let out an exasperated sigh, as my father left us in his home office.

"I can understand your feeling, but you should know that your father wants the best for you," my mother said.

"Dad wants the best for me, by forcing me to marry his best friend's son? I cannot go to the city tomorrow, Mom. You should help me to speak to my father again, to cancel all this and allow me to stay here," I said, and my mom sighed.

"It's okay. Stop crying. Come, let us go outside," my mother urged me, and she gently pulled me beside her to walk with her outside.

My mom and I were of similar heights. We were tall, but not as tall as my father. We have similar blue eyes and long blonde hair.

I sighed and followed my mother outside to see the fireworks while my mind ran through numerous thoughts, wondering how my new husband would look.

I cannot believe I am a married woman now. But this is not the marriage that I dreamt of.

I had hoped to walk down the aisle in a long white wedding dress, having a veil covering my head, and walking with my father to become married and meet my husband on the altar.

How can I just be told one night that the following day, I am going to a man's house to become his wife? A man whom I haven't seen before all my life and growing up in the countryside. Where is that done?

I gulped my nervousness and dried my face. Seeing my aunt and the rest of our families outside of our home, they looked joyful, except for me, as no matter how I used the white handkerchief which my mother had lent me to wipe my face, I am sure my face still looked red from sobbing too much.

While others were joyful, I was in turmoil and not happy about my parents' decision. I had no option but to follow the path they wanted me to follow. They were my guardians, and if I do not obey them, then I would face many challenges in life. But I wasn't so brave enough to disobey them.

I sighed and witnessed the fireworks. I cheered up and encouraged myself that I was only married and not like it was the end of my life.

After 12 a.m., it became a brand new day. A new year, a new beginning, and also me as a new married woman.

We went back into my father's house. My parents and I went inside, while my aunties and uncles left for their nearby houses after wishing us a happy new year.

My mother's younger sister, Juliet Donald, walked up to meet me. She was above 40 years old, and the only sister my mother had. She looked like my mother, with the same face, pointed nose, and blue eyes that glimmered hopefully.

She had two daughters, and they were both younger than me.

"Amara, what's wrong? I noticed that you weren't looking so cheerfully?" she asked me, just as I walked into the living room to go upstairs to my bedroom.

"I am fine, ma. I just feel so overwhelmed by the new year's day," I lied. I couldn't tell her that I am married. Like, who would believe me? They didn't witness me getting married, and I think my mother hasn't informed her yet, even though they discussed most of the time.

"Are you sure that you're fine?" My aunt asked me again, and I nodded my head and responded, "Yes, Aunt. I am good. I have to go upstairs now."

She sighed and said, "Whatever it is that's troubling you, you should put it into prayer and not allow it to weigh you down, okay?"

"Okay, Aunt." I nodded my head, just as I saw my mother step out from the kitchen and she smiled at us and told her sister, "Amara will be fine. She's going to the city tomorrow to her husband's house."

"What??" My aunt looked stunned. She swiftly turned to look at my mom, who looked so dazzling despite it being nighttime. My mom was still glowing bright like the sun.

"Julianne, you don't mean it. You mean your daughter is married and we don't know about it? When? How?" My aunt questioned, but my mother sighed and gave the empty cup of water she was holding back to Agnes to return it to the kitchen.

"It's all a long story, Juliet. But it is for Amara's own good. Don't worry, she's our daughter, and she will be fine," my mother assured my aunt, who was her only younger sister. Then she walked up to meet me.

"Come, Amara, let us go to your room and pack some of your things. It will soon be morning, and the car driver will be here on time to take you to your husband's house. Good night, sister," my mother told her younger sister as she walked up to meet me.

I felt like crying and protesting again, but I knew I was an obedient girl, so I allowed my mother to wrap her arm around my shoulder as she escorted me back to my room upstairs.