Married To The Ruthless Billionaire

Chapter 9: Goodbye, Grandma

Alexander didn't cry when the doctor said Grandma had passed at 4:17 AM.

He just stood there in the private ward at Evercare Hospital, Lekki, staring at her small body on the bed. Grandma Josephine Kane, 78 years old, the only woman who ever truly loved him, was gone. Her hand that used to rub his head when he was a small boy after his father died, was now cold.

Amara stood beside him, holding his hand tightly. She didn't say anything. She just held him.

The doctor said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Kane. She went peacefully in her sleep. No pain."

Alexander nodded but didn't move. His grey eyes were dry. Too dry.

Amara looked at him and was scared. This was not normal. When someone you love dies, you are supposed to cry.

"Alexander?" she whispered.

He didn't answer. He gently removed his hand from hers, walked to Grandma's bedside, knelt down, and placed his head on her chest, where her heart used to beat.

And then he broke.

He cried like a baby. Loud, painful cries that shook his big shoulders. Not the ruthless billionaire cries. The cries of a 10-year-old boy who lost his father, and now lost his grandmother, the last person who protected him.

Amara quickly locked the hospital room door so nurses outside wouldn't see. She knelt beside him and hugged him from behind, letting him cry on his grandmother's chest.

He cried for 20 minutes non-stop. Amara's nightgown was soaked with his tears.

"He leaned his head on her shoulder. They sat like that until sunrise," you wrote. Yes, they sat like that. Alexander's head on Amara's shoulder this time, not Grandma's. Amara rocking him like a baby, whispering, "It's okay, it's okay, she is in a better place now. She is not in pain again."

At 6 AM, Alexander finally stopped crying. His eyes were red, swollen. He looked at Amara, who was also crying.

"My mother will be happy now," he said with a bitter laugh. "Grandma was the only person who could stop her from taking over the company. Now she has no obstacle."

Amara wiped his face with tissue. "Don't say that. Grandma wanted you to be strong. Remember what she told you last week? She said 'Alexander, after I go, protect Kane Group and protect that small girl Amara, she is the only honest person in this house.'"

Alexander looked at Amara. In the last one month since she became his contract wife, she had become more than contract. She was the only peace in his house full of enemies.

"I don't know if I can do it without her," Alexander whispered, his voice broken.

"You can. We can," Amara said firmly. "You are Alexander Kane. Ruthless Billionaire. You don't lose."

For the first time since 4 AM, Alexander smiled a small sad smile. "We?"

Amara realized what she said and blushed. "I mean... you... your company..."

Alexander held her hand tighter. "No, you said we. And you are right. We will do it together. For one year, we are team, remember? Contract team."

Amara nodded, her heart beating fast. Contract team. But it felt like more than contract now.

They stayed in that hospital room until sunrise, just sitting on the floor, leaning on each other, watching the sun come up over Lagos lagoon from the hospital window. Grandma's body had been taken to the morgue, but her spirit felt like it was still there, watching them.

Three days later was the burial.

It was not a small burial. It was a state burial. All the rich people in Lagos came. Governors, senators, Otedolas, Dangotes, even the Vice President came. The burial was at Vaults and Gardens, Ikoyi cemetery, and the after-party was at Eko Hotel, with over 500 guests.

Mrs. Victoria Kane wore a big black designer gown and big black sunglasses, crying loudly for the cameras. "My mother! My dear mother! Why did you leave me!" she wailed, but Amara noticed there were no real tears, only noise.

Bianca Williams was there too, wearing tight black dress that showed her cleavage even at a burial, holding Mrs. Kane's hand like she was the daughter-in-law.

Amara wore a simple black lace gown, no makeup, hair tied back, standing beside Alexander in front of Grandma's gold casket. She was supposed to be contract wife, but she cried real tears. Because Grandma was the only person in Kane family who treated her like human being. Who called her "my daughter" and taught her how to make Alexander's favorite soup.

When it was time to lower the casket, Alexander's hand started shaking. Amara quickly held it with both hands, under the casket, where nobody could see, and squeezed hard to give him strength.

He squeezed back.

After the burial, at Eko Hotel reception, while people were eating and drinking, a man walked up to them.

It was Richard Kane, Alexander's uncle, his father's younger brother. He was 55, fat, with a bald head and a wicked smile. He was the one who had been fighting Alexander for the position of Chairman of Kane Group for 10 years.

Richard came with a fake sad face, wearing black agbada, with two of his lawyer-looking friends.

"Sorry for your loss, Alexander," Richard said, but his eyes were not sad, they were shining with greed. "Mama was a good woman. Very good woman."

Alexander didn't answer. He just stared at him, his fists already clenching.

Richard continued, looking at Amara up and down with disrespect. "And this must be the famous contract wife? The small girl from Parkview they said you married to please Mama? I heard Mama only married you because you needed 15 million for your sick mother. Is it true? How much did my nephew pay you? 50 million? Cheap!"

Amara felt insulted, but before she could talk, Richard faced Alexander again.

"But business is business, Alexander. The board meeting is next week. Thursday. Without your grandmother's support and her 20% shares, let's see if you keep the company. Mama had 20%, you have 35%, I have 25% and other shareholders have 20%. Mama always voted for you. Now she is gone, her 20% will be shared according to her will. And I heard... I heard she left her shares to you, but the will is being contested by your mother. So at the board meeting, you will have only 35%. Not enough to be Chairman. I will have 45% if your mother supports me. So prepare to step down, nephew. It's time for real men to run Kane Group."

The people around went quiet. This was drama. Uncle fighting nephew at grandmother's burial reception.

Alexander clenched his fists so tight his veins came out. He wanted to punch Richard right there in front of 500 guests.

But Amara held his arm tightly, her small hand on his big bicep.

She stepped forward, with a bold face that surprised even herself. She was just a small girl from Parkview, but she had been watching Alexander do business for 2 months.

"We will be ready," she said boldly, looking Richard dead in the eye. "My husband is Alexander Kane. He built Kane Tech from zero to 20 billion in 3 years. You have been in the company for 20 years and you have not built anything except your belly. So don't worry about board meeting. We will be ready. And about me being contract wife? At least I was cheap and honest. Not like some people who steal company money to buy houses in London for their side chicks. We know about your house in Peckham, Uncle Richard."

Richard's face changed. How did she know about Peckham house? That was secret!

People around gasped. Someone whispered, "She said Peckham house!"

Richard laughed nervously and left quickly with his friends, his fake sad face gone.

Alexander looked at Amara, shocked.

"How did you know about Peckham house? Even I didn't know," he whispered.

Amara smiled small. "Grandma told me last week. She said 'Amara, if Richard troubles you after I go, tell him you know about Peckham.' She said you should check the company's UK account."

Alexander stared at his contract wife. This small girl who came for 65 million was now fighting his battles, defending him in front of enemies, knowing secrets his own grandmother trusted her with.

He realized Grandma didn't just like Amara. Grandma was preparing Amara to be the real Mrs. Kane. Not contract.

That night, back in Banana Island mansion, after all guests left, Alexander and Amara sat in the garden, not in separate rooms, but together on the swing Grandma used to sit.

Amara knew the real war was just beginning. The board meeting was next week. Mrs. Kane wanted Bianca, not her. Richard wanted the company. And Daniel, her ex, was now working for Richard as his new personal assistant, according to what Tolu told her yesterday.

The one-year contract that was supposed to be peaceful was now a full war zone.

But as Alexander leaned his head on her shoulder again that night, tired from crying and fighting, Amara made a promise to herself and to Grandma's spirit.

"I will not let them take his company. Contract or not, for this one year, I am Mrs. Kane. And a Kane does not lose.