Married To The Ruthless Billionaire

Chapter 7: Daniel Returns

It was Saturday morning, two weeks after Amara became Mrs. Kane. She was finally happy. She had passed Mrs. Kane's cooking test, Grandma liked her, Alexander was now talking to her more, not just cold contract talk.

She was in the garden, watering flowers with Esther, wearing simple yellow gown, no makeup, hair packed, humming a song her mother used to sing.

Then the gate security called her.

"Madam Kane, there is a man outside who says he is your brother. He said his name is Daniel and he wants to see you. Should we let him in?"

Amara's hand froze. Watering can fell. Daniel.

Her ex. The man who left her at altar 2 weeks ago because she couldn't give him 2 million for his Canada japa. The man who made her cry in wedding gown at Rooftop Bar, where Alexander found her.

What was Daniel doing in Banana Island? How did he know she lives here?

"Don't let him in," Amara said quickly, her heart beating fast. "Tell him I am not around."

But it was too late. Daniel had already entered, following a delivery van that was entering. He was standing at the garden entrance, wearing the same blue suit he wore on their failed wedding day, but now dirty and rough, carrying small Ghana-must-go bag.

"Amara!" Daniel shouted, smiling, as if nothing happened. "My wife! I found you!"

Amara stepped back. "Daniel, what are you doing here? How did you find me?"

Daniel dropped bag and tried to hug her. Amara moved away.

"Amara, my love, I have been looking for you everywhere! Since that day you ran away from our wedding, I have been worried! Your father said you ran away with a rich man! I went to Parkview, your father chased me with cutlass! He said you married Alexander Kane! Is it true? You married that billionaire?"

Esther was watching, eyes wide. This was drama.

Amara tried to stay calm. "Daniel, we are no longer together. You left me at altar. You said you can't marry me because my mother is sick and needs money. You said I am bad luck. So I moved on. I am married now. Please leave."

Daniel laughed. "Leave? Amara, you are my wife! We did introduction! Your father collected my bride price! You can't marry another man while you are still my wife! It's illegal! And besides, I have changed! I am sorry! I was stressed that day! My friend who promised me Canada money failed me, so I was angry! But I love you! I love you, Amara!"

He knelt down in garden, in front of Esther, holding Amara's leg.

"Please, Amara, forgive me! Come back to me! I will work hard! I will not ask you for money again! Your mother is sick, we can manage together!"

Amara was crying now, but angry crying.

"Daniel, stand up! You left me in wedding gown in front of 200 guests! You called my mother a burden! You said I am useless! And now you come here because you heard I married billionaire? You think I will leave Banana Island mansion to follow you back to your one-room in Egbeda?"

Daniel stood up, his face changing from begging to angry. "So it's true! You married billionaire! You forgot me so quickly? Just 2 weeks! You were crying for me 2 weeks ago! Now you are wearing expensive gown, living in mansion! You are a gold digger! You used me to shine and now you dump me for rich man!"

Amara slapped him. Hard. First time she ever slapped him in 3 years.

"I am not gold digger! You are the gold digger! You wanted my 2 million savings for your Canada! You left me because I didn't give you money for your mother hospital! Now you call me gold digger?"

Their shouting was loud. People in mansion heard.

Mrs. Kane came out first, wearing wrapper, with Bianca behind her.

"What is happening here? Who is shouting in my house by 9 AM?" Mrs. Kane shouted.

Daniel saw Mrs. Kane and quickly knelt, acting respectful.

"Good morning, ma. I am Daniel, Amara's husband. We did introduction 3 months ago. She is my wife. But she ran away from our wedding 2 weeks ago to marry your son. I came to take her back, ma. Please help me."

Mrs. Kane's eyes lit up. This was perfect opportunity. She hated Amara and wanted Bianca to marry Alexander. And now Amara's former husband came to cause trouble? Perfect!

"Ah! So you are the famous Daniel! The one who jilted her? So you are the reason my son had to marry her out of pity? You are a wicked boy!" Mrs. Kane said, but she was smiling inside. She had plan.

She turned to Amara. "Amara, is this true? You were already married to this man before you married my son? That means your marriage to my son is illegal! You are committing bigamy!"

Amara panicked. "No, ma! We did introduction, not court wedding! Introduction is not legal marriage! I am legally married to Alexander only!"

Bianca added fuel. "Aunty, introduction is marriage in our culture! In Igbo tradition, once bride price is paid, she is married! So she is still his wife! Alexander's marriage is void!"

Amara was shaking. She didn't know law. Was introduction marriage?

At that moment, Alexander's black G-Wagon entered the gate. He came back from morning gym. He saw crowd in garden - his mother, Bianca, Esther, Amara crying, and a strange man with Ghana-must-go.

He came down, wearing gym wear, sweaty, his biceps showing.

"What is happening here?" he asked, his cold billionaire voice making everyone quiet.

Daniel saw Alexander and was scared. Alexander was taller, richer, finer, stronger. But he tried to be bold.

"Are you Alexander Kane? I am Daniel, Amara's husband. We did introduction, I paid bride price. She is my wife. You can't marry my wife. I came to take her back."

Alexander looked at Daniel, then at Amara, who was crying and shaking.

He walked to Amara, stood beside her, and held her hand openly, in front of everyone, in front of Daniel.

"Amara, is this man your husband?" Alexander asked calmly.

Amara looked up at Alexander, tears in eyes. "No. He was my boyfriend. We did introduction, but he left me at altar on our wedding day, 2 weeks ago. He said he can't marry me because my mother is sick. He jilted me. You found me that day at Rooftop Bar in wedding gown. You know the story."

Alexander nodded. He remembered that day at bar - Amara in dirty wedding gown, crying, with no hope.

He turned to Daniel. "Daniel, right? I know your story. My investigator told me. You left her because she didn't give you 2 million for Canada. You called her mother a burden. You shamed her in front of 200 guests. And now you come to my house, to my garden, to take my wife?"

Daniel tried to be bold. "She is my wife by tradition! I paid bride price! Return my bride price and I will leave her!"

Alexander smiled coldly. The ruthless billionaire smile that made business enemies run.

"How much did you pay?"

"500k. And I spent 300k for introduction food. Total 800k," Daniel said.

Alexander brought out his phone and called James. "James, transfer 1 million naira to this man now. Account number?"

Daniel quickly gave account number, eyes shining with greed.

In 2 minutes, Daniel's phone beeped. Credit alert of 1 million.

"1 million. That's your 800k plus 200k for your stress. Now, you have no bride price on her again. By tradition, she is no longer your wife. So leave my house now before I call my security to throw you and your Ghana-must-go bag outside Banana Island. And if you ever come near my wife again, I will make sure you never enter Canada or any country again. I have friends in immigration."

Daniel collected 1 million, carried his Ghana-must-go, and ran away quickly, without even looking back at Amara.

Money was what he came for anyway.

After Daniel left, Mrs. Kane hissed. "Alexander, you paid 1 million for this small girl? You are wasting money!"

Alexander ignored his mother. He turned to Amara, who was still crying, but now tears of shame.

"Amara, look at me," he said softly, holding her shoulders.

Amara looked up.

"Don't cry for a man like that. He doesn't deserve your tears. You are Mrs. Kane now. Not Daniel's wife. My wife. Even if it's contract, for this one year, you are my wife, and nobody, not Daniel, not my mother, not Bianca, will take you away without your permission. Do you understand?"

Amara nodded, wiping tears.

"Good. Now go inside, wash your face. Grandma wants to have dinner with us tomorrow. Her last dinner. She asked for you specifically. So you need to look beautiful, not like someone who cried because of Egbeda boy."

Amara smiled small. "Thank you."

As she walked inside, Bianca whispered to Mrs. Kane, "Aunty, did you see? Alexander defended her again! He paid 1 million just like that! He is falling in love with her! We need to do something fast before contract becomes real!"

Mrs. Kane nodded, her eyes wicked. "Don't worry, Bianca. I have plan. By next week, that Parkview girl will run away herself. I will make this house too hot for her."

Inside, Amara went to her room, locked door, and cried again, but this time, not for Daniel. For Alexander. For the way he defended her, held her hand, called her his wife in front of everyone, and paid 1 million to chase away her past.

Her contract husband was becoming more than contract. And that scared her more than Daniel returning.