THE CONTRACT

CAMERAS, LIES, AND I DO

CHAPTER:2 TWO

Three days.

That was all we had.

Three days to plan a wedding for 500 people.

Three days to pretend I wasn’t selling my name for 2 million naira.

The morning of the wedding, my phone wouldn’t stop ringing.

Mom: "Daniel, where are you? The tailor brought the suit."

The suit was 15k from Oba market. Black. Too big.

The shoes had tape inside.

But today I had to look like a million naira man.

The church was already full when I got there.

Red carpet. Flowers. White chairs.

Bloggers with big cameras.

A banner hanging: "DANIEL ADEBAYO WEDS VICTORIA OKORO"

My name. Next to hers. In gold.

My chest was tight.

Victoria’s Range Rover pulled in.

The doors opened and she stepped out.

White gown. Veil. Diamonds on her neck and hands.

Makeup perfect. Hair perfect.

She looked like she owned the world.

And for today... she owned me too.

For one second, I saw it.

Her hands were shaking.

The cold CEO was scared.

Then the mask came back.

We walked down the aisle together.

500 people standing. Phones out.

"She’s so beautiful."

"Who is the groom? He’s lucky."

Lucky.

If they knew.

We got to the altar.

Pastor smiled at us.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today..."

I wasn’t listening.

I was looking at Victoria.

She wasn’t looking at me. She was looking straight ahead.

"Daniel Adebayo, do you take Victoria Okoro to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

I looked at her.

Her eyes said: Say it. Don’t mess this up.

"I do," I said. My voice didn’t shake.

"Victoria Okoro, do you take Daniel Adebayo to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

Half a second pause.

"I do."

Ring.

Plain gold band. She slid it on my finger. Cold.

I put hers on. Her hand was cold too.

"You may kiss the bride."

The kiss.

2 seconds.

Lips closed. No feeling.

For the cameras.

The crowd clapped and shouted.

To them, it looked like love.

Reception was at Eko Hotel. Big hall. Big chandelier.

We danced. We cut cake. We took pictures with everyone.

"So how did you two meet?" Aunty asked.

"At a charity event," Victoria said, smiling. "He was volunteering."

I nodded and smiled.

Lie after lie.

Mom hugged me and cried. "My son. God has done it."

Tolu was running around in a pink dress, eating cake.

Happy.

That made it worth it.

All night we played husband and wife.

Holding hands for photos.

Whispering "smile" to each other.

Nobody suspected a thing.

By 11PM, we were in her car.

Going to her house. Our house now.

Silence.

The driver opened the big gate.

Mansion. 10 bedrooms. Marble floor. Gate men saluting.

Inside, the house was empty. No staff.

"They have the night off," Victoria said.

She turned to me at the stairs.

"Rule 2," she said. "Separate rooms.

East wing is mine. West wing is yours.

In public: husband and wife.

In private: strangers.

Break this rule, the contract is void. You get nothing."

"Understood," I said.

She paused.

"Thank you. For today. You did well."

Then she walked to her room and closed the door.

My room was huge.

King size bed. Big TV. Walk-in closet.

I sat on the bed.

Married.

And lonelier than when I was sleeping on floor with Tolu.

At 2:17AM, my phone buzzed.

Unknown number.

Text: "Contract husband.

Be careful.

She's not who you think she is.

- A Friend"

I stared at it.

Then I deleted it.

2 million naira saved my family.

The debt was gone.

But as I lay on that big bed,

I had the feeling I just signed away something

more valuable than money.

The wedding was over.

The real contract was just beginning.

TO BE CONTINUED....