The Tycoon Reluctant Bride

Room 808

*Chapter 15

The Marina Hotel looked different at night.

Darker. Quieter. Dangerous.

Damian parked the car two blocks away. "We go in separately," he said. "If it’s a trap, I don’t want you caught in the middle."

"Rule #1," I whispered. "Keep it professional."

Damian turned to me. The streetlight made his eyes look gold. "Screw the rules, Amara."

My heart stopped.

"Meet me in the lobby in 5 minutes. And stay behind me."

I nodded. My hands were shaking.

*8:03pm. Room 808*

The door was already open a c***k.

Inside, the room was dark except for one lamp. And sitting on the couch, legs crossed, was Uncle Okoye.

My blood went cold.

"Close the door, niece," he said. He looked older. Tired. Angry.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Me?" He laughed. "I should be asking you that. You and your billionaire husband just destroyed our family name."

Damian stepped in behind me. "Don’t talk to her like that."

Uncle Okoye stood up. "Or what? You’ll do what? Buy me too?"

"Why did you leak the contract?" I asked. My voice shook but I stood tall.

"Because you needed to be taught a lesson." He pulled out a folder. "You think you’re better than us now? Living in that mansion? Wearing his clothes?"

He threw the folder on the table. Inside were photos. Me and Damian at breakfast. Me getting into his car. Me at the press conference.

"Someone’s been watching us," Damian said quietly.

"Of course we have." Uncle Okoye sneered. "The board hired me. They want proof the marriage is fake. And now I have it."

He pulled out another paper. "Sign this. Divorce papers. Effective immediately. Or I release everything to the press. Every email. Every text. Every time he called you 'wife' on company time."

I looked at Damian. He looked furious. But controlled.

"No," Damian said.

"Excuse me?"

"I said no." He stepped in front of me. "You don’t get to blackmail her. You don’t get to blackmail me."

"Then your company burns," Uncle Okoye said. "SEC investigation. Stock crash. Everything."

The room went silent.

I could hear my own heartbeat.

Then Damian did something I didn’t expect.

He laughed.

"You really think I care about the stock?" He walked to the window. "You think I care about the board?"

He turned back. And looked at me.

"I care about her."

He took my hand. In front of Uncle Okoye. In front of the cameras I was sure were hidden.

"So leak it," Damian said. "Leak everything. Leak that I fell in love with my contract wife. Leak that I’d burn Adeleke Conglomerate to the ground to keep her safe."

Uncle Okoye’s face went red. "You’re insane."

"Maybe." Damian squeezed my hand. "But I’m not signing anything. And neither is she."

He pulled me to the door.

"Oh, and Uncle?" He paused. "If you come near her again, I will bury you."

We walked out.

The hallway was empty.

As soon as the elevator doors closed, I collapsed against him.

"Damian, what did you just do?" I whispered.

"I chose you," he said simply. "Over everything."

The elevator dinged. We stepped out into the lobby.

Reporters.

Dozens of them. With cameras.

Someone had tipped them off.

"Mr. Adeleke! Is the divorce happening?"

"Mrs. Adeleke, did you blackmail him?"

Damian didn’t let go of my hand.

He looked at the cameras. Then at me.

And said the only thing that mattered.

"No divorce. No contract. This is my wife. And I’m in love with her."

Flash. Flash. Flash.

Rule #7: No falling in love.