THE 365-DAYS WIFE

Chapter 6: Meeting Bola

Federal Palace Hotel. 9:03pm.

Zara told Damian she was going to see her aunt at LUTH. Lie

She checked her mirrors 3 times on the drive there. No black SUV behind her. Good.

Room 202. She knocked. Her palms were sweating.

The door opened.

Bola.

In real life she was taller than her i********:. Red silk dress. Red lips. She looked like money and trouble.

`“You actually came,”` Bola said, stepping back. `“I figured you’d be too scared.”`

`“You said you know about Clause 11.3,”` Zara walked in and closed the door. `“Start talking.”`

The suite smelled like White Diamonds perfume and champagne. Two glasses on the table. One already half empty.

`“Drink?”` Bola asked.

`“No.”`

Bola shrugged and took both. `“Tough. I like it. Damian always picks the quiet ones. The ones who don’t ask questions.”`

Zara sat on the edge of the couch. `“What happened to Amina?”`

Bola laughed. But it wasn’t funny. `“What did he tell you?”`

`“Nothing. Her name isn’t even in the contract.”`

`“Exactly.”` Bola set the glass down hard. Champagne sloshed. `“Because Damian erases people, Zara. Amina was his fiancée for 2 years. Perfect. Loved him. Then she started digging into his company. Okafor Holdings.”`

`“What did she find?”`

`“I don’t know,”` Bola admitted. `“But 3 days later her brakes failed. Car went off the 3rd Mainland Bridge at 2am. Case closed. Accident.”`

Zara’s stomach dropped. `“And you think he did it.”`

`“I KNOW he did it,”` Bola leaned forward. `“The private investigator she hired? Disappeared a week later. His apartment was wiped clean.”`

The room suddenly felt too small. Too hot.

`“Why are you telling me this?”` Zara asked. `“If you’re so scared, why meet me?”`

Bola studied her. `“Because you’re Day 4. And Amina died on Day 90.”`

Zara went cold. `“What?”`

`“Day 90 of her contract. That’s when it happened. Damian gives you 90 days to settle in. To trust him. Then...”` Bola made a cutting motion across her neck.

Zara stood up. She needed air. `“You don’t have proof.”`

Bola pulled a USB from her clutch and slid it across the table. `“Dashcam footage. From Amina’s car. Watch it. But NOT on his wifi. NOT on his laptop. Use a burner. Use hotspot.”`

Zara didn’t touch it. `“If you’re so sure, why not go to the police?”`

Bola’s face hardened. `“I did. Three times. Each time the file disappeared. Damian owns half of Lagos, Zara. Judges, police, media. You think you’re the first girl he paid off?”`

She stood up too and walked to the window. Looked out at the Lagos skyline.

`“Why me then?”` Zara whispered. `“I’m nobody.”`

`“Because you’re desperate,”` Bola said quietly. `“Because $2 million will make you quiet for 365 days. And because...”` She turned. `“You look like her.”`

Zara’s hand flew to her face.

`“Same eyes. Same hair. Same height,”` Bola continued. `“He’s replacing her. And when he’s done with you, he’ll replace you too.”`

Zara grabbed her bag. `“I don’t believe you.”`

`“Good,”` Bola said. `“Don’t. But check your email tomorrow morning. I sent you the prenup he made you sign separately. The one that says if you die, your family gets zero.”`

Zara froze at the door. `“There was no separate prenup.”`

`“There was,”` Bola smiled sadly. `“Page 3. You signed it the same day. He rushed you.”`

She opened the door. `“One last thing. Don’t let him drive you anywhere. Don’t eat anything he gives you. And don’t fall in love with him, Zara. That’s how Amina died.”`

The door closed.

Zara got home at 10:41pm. Her hands were shaking so bad she could barely park.

The house was dark. Except the living room.

Damian was there. Suit jacket off. Sleeves rolled up. Watching CNN with the volume low.

`“You’re late,”` he said without looking at her.

Zara’s heart stopped. `“Hospital was busy. My aunt—”`

`“LUTH?”`

`“Yes.”`

Damian finally turned. His eyes swept over her. The dress. The hair.

`“You smell like her,”` he said.

Zara’s blood froze. `“What?”`

`“White Diamonds,”` Damian stood up and walked to her. He was close. Too close. He lifted a strand of her hair and smelled it. `“Bola wore it for 4 years.”`

Zara forced a laugh. `“I don’t know what you’re—”`

`“Don’t lie to me, wife,”` he whispered. His hand came up to her cheek. Gentle. Terrifying. `“Some people want to destroy what we have. Don’t let them.”`

Then he kissed her forehead and walked upstairs.

Zara ran to her room and locked the door. She threw up in the sink.

Her phone buzzed.

*Email: anonymous2024@protonmail.com*

*Subject: PRIVACY AGREEMENT - ZARA ADELEKE*

She opened it with shaking fingers.

3 pages.

Page 2, Paragraph 5: `“In the event of the Wife’s death during the contract period, all assets revert to the Husband. The Wife’s beneficiaries receive $0.”`

Her signature was at the bottom. From the day she signed the marriage papers.

Bola was telling the truth.

Zara looked at her calendar on the wall. She circled today’s date in red.

*Day 4 of 365.*

She counted forward 86 days.

*Day 90.*

That’s when Amina died.

Zara pulled out the USB and hid it inside her mattress.

She wasn’t going to be Amina.

She was going to survive these 365 days.

Even if she had to lie, steal, and fight the man she married to do it.

END OF CHAPTER 6