THE 365-DAYS WIFE

‎The hospital bill was on the table. `₦8,700,000. Due in 7 days.` ‎ ‎Zara stared at it until the numbers blurred. Her mom was in ICU. Kidney failure. ‎ ‎Her phone buzzed. Landlord: `“Madam Zara, if rent is not paid by Friday, pack out.”` ‎ ‎Her account balance: `₦4,320.` ‎ ‎She was 24, jobless, and about to lose everything. ‎ ‎That was when the email came. ‎ ‎Subject: Business Proposal - Confidential ‎ ‎`“Miss Adeleke, I am Damian Okafor. I have a proposition that will solve all your financial problems. $2,000,000 USD. In exchange for 365 days of your time. Meet me at Eko Hotel, Suite 501. 6pm. Come alone. - D.O”` ‎ ‎Zara laughed. It was a scam. ‎ ‎But she was desperate. ‎ ‎At 5:55pm she was in the hotel lobby. Guards everywhere. Marble floors. People who looked like they owned Lagos. ‎ ‎Suite 501. ‎ ‎Damian Okafor was not what she expected. ‎ ‎Not old. Not ugly. 32. Tall. Black suit. Eyes that looked through you. ‎ ‎`“You came,”` he said. `“Sit.”` ‎ ‎He slid a contract across the table. 52 pages. ‎ ‎`“Marry me for 365 days,”` he said simply. `“Act as my wife in public. Live in my house. Sign an NDA. At the end, you get $2 million. No questions asked.”` ‎ ‎Zara blinked. `“Why me?”` ‎ ‎`“Because you’re clean. No scandals. No family that will ask questions. And because you need the money.”` He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. `“My board wants me married. My ex is causing problems. This is... convenient.”` ‎ ‎Zara flipped through the pages. Clause after clause. ‎ ‎`“What if I say no?”` ‎ ‎`“Then your mother dies,”` Damian said softly. `“And you go back to owing everyone.”` ‎ ‎It wasn’t a threat. It was a fact. ‎ ‎Zara signed. ‎ ‎Her hand shook. ‎ ‎`“Congratulations, Mrs. Okafor,”` Damian said. `“We get married tomorrow. The car will pick you at 8am.”` ‎ ‎As she left, he added: `“And Zara? Don’t fall in love with me. This is business.”` ‎ ‎She walked out into the Lagos night with a pen and a death sentence in her bag. ‎ ‎She had no idea what she just agreed to. ‎ ‎END OF CHAPTER 1 ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎