The Tycoon Reluctant Bride

48 hours

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*Chapter 19:

We landed in Lagos at 5am.

No sleep. No honeymoon. Just fury in Damian’s eyes.

The car ride home was silent. His security team was already at the house. 4 SUVs. 6 men. All armed.

"Rule #8," Damian said as we walked in. "No one touches my wife."

I nodded. My heart was pounding.

*Hour 1. Adeleke Tower. War Room.*

Damian’s head of security, Tunde, had everything on the wall.

Photos. Bank records. Phone numbers.

"The email was sent from a burner IP," Tunde said. "But we traced the payment request. It goes to an offshore account."

"Whose?" Damian asked. His voice was calm. Too calm.

Tunde hesitated. "Zara’s."

My stomach dropped. "Zara? But she left the country."

"She did." Tunde pulled up another file. "But someone’s been using her name. And her old accounts."

Damian slammed his hand on the table. "Find her."

*Hour 12.*

No leads.

The blackmailer sent another message.

_"24 hours left. Pay or we leak."_

I was pacing the living room. Damian hadn’t slept. Hadn’t eaten.

"Stop," he said finally. Grabbed my wrists. "You’re not their target. I am."

"How do you know?" I asked.

"Because they want to break me." He pulled me to him. "And the best way to do that is through you."

I buried my face in his chest. "I’m scared."

"I know." He kissed my hair. "But we’re not running. Not anymore."

*Hour 23.*

Breakthrough.

Tunde burst in. "We found her. She’s in Lagos. At The Marina Hotel. Room 808."

My blood went cold. "Room 808? That’s where Uncle Okoye—"

"Exactly." Damian was already grabbing his jacket. "It’s a setup. But we’re going in."

*Hour 24. The Marina Hotel.*

We didn’t go in alone. 8 security guards. Cameras off.

Room 808 was open.

And inside was Zara.

But she didn’t look like the Zara from the lobby. No red dress. No perfect hair.

She looked scared. And tied to a chair.

"Don’t come closer!" she yelled. "He said he’d kill me if I talked!"

"Who?" Damian stepped forward. "Who did this to you?"

The lights went out.

A voice from the dark: "Hello Damian."

The voice was familiar.

Too familiar.

The lights flicked back on.

Standing by the window, holding a g*n, was Uncle Okoye.

"Surprise," he said. And smiled.

"I told you I’d ruin you. And your little bride."

My blood ran cold.

"Uncle—" I started.

"Shut up." He pointed the g*n at me. "This is all your fault. You ruined our family. Now I’m going to ruin you."

Damian stepped in front of me. "If you touch her—"

"What?" Uncle Okoye laughed. "What will you do, billionaire? Shoot me? The police are already on their way. Anonymous tip. Said you kidn*pped me."

He held up his phone. A recording app was running.

"I win," he said. "In 10 seconds, this goes live. 'Billionaire threatens family member.' Your company is finished."

9... 8... 7...

Damian didn’t move. He just looked at me.

And mouthed: _Trust me._

3... 2... 1...

The door burst open.

Police. Tunde. Flashlights.

But Uncle Okoye was faster.

He grabbed me.

"Drop the g*n!" someone yelled.

And then everything went black.