LUSTING TO HAVE HER WAY

THE BIGGEST SURPRISE

CHAPTER 18

The atmosphere in the sitting room was warm and relaxed.

Joyce to drew closer to James.

"My father is late," she said quietly. "My elder brother now represents him in every family matter. He will receive my bride price on behalf of the family. We'll all travel together to see my mother."

James looked puzzled.

He had expected the conversation to be straightforward, but Joyce's words immediately reminded him that there were still many things he did not know about her family.

"Is he in Lagos?"

Joyce smiled apologetically.

"I'm sorry, boss. I should have told you earlier."

She paused briefly.

"Yes, my elder brother is in Lagos."

James waited.

Joyce smiled.

"He's here."

James frowned slightly.

"Here?"

Joyce nodded.

"Bismarck."

James stared at her in disbelief.

"As in... Bismarck? My personal assistant?"

Joyce nodded again.

"Yes."

James blinked repeatedly.

"I don't understand."

Joyce laughed softly.

"We agreed to wait until everything in this house settled down before introducing him properly. He told me he had already obtained your permission to visit your manager, so we decided to wait."

James continued staring at her.

"I won't say you're lying," he finally said, "but this sounds unbelievable."

Joyce smiled warmly.

"I'm not lying, boss. I can't even imagine lying to you."

James slowly shook his head.

"No objection. Let's wait until he returns."

Joyce suppressed a smile. She had imagined this moment several times, but seeing the confusion on James's face made it even more amusing than she had expected.

She knew that once the truth was fully revealed, James would probably have a hundred questions for both of them.

For now, however, she decided to let the suspense remain.

Later that evening, James and Joyce relaxed on the plush sofa in the sitting room, each holding a glass of red wine. Soft jazz drifted through the room as the warm glow of the table lamps created a peaceful atmosphere.

Joyce sat close enough that James could feel the warmth of her body whenever she shifted beside him.

He glanced at her more than once without saying anything.

The soft lighting seemed to suit her. It caught the gentle contours of her face and made her eyes appear even more inviting. Her hair fell naturally around her shoulders, and the simple elegance of her appearance reminded him again of why his attraction to her had been growing so steadily.

She noticed his gaze.

"What are you looking at?"

James smiled.

"You."

Joyce lowered her eyes with a shy smile.

"You've been looking at me for some time."

"I know."

"And you're not even pretending anymore."

James leaned back against the sofa.

"Why should I pretend when you're my fiancée?"

Joyce laughed softly.

"Boss..."

"I like looking at you."

She turned towards him.

"Only looking?"

James smiled.

"Tonight, I'll behave."

Joyce raised an eyebrow.

"Tonight?"

James laughed.

"You heard me."

She shook her head, trying not to smile.

The playful exchange left a small silence between them.

James reached for her hand and gently held it.

The simple touch felt unexpectedly intimate.

He looked at the engagement ring on her finger and then at her face.

"You're beautiful, Joyce."

Her smile softened.

"Thank you."

He lifted her hand slightly and brushed his thumb over her fingers.

"And you're becoming very difficult for me to resist."

Joyce looked into his eyes.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then she gently withdrew her hand, smiling.

"We have guests in the house."

James laughed.

"Fair enough."

The moment passed, but neither of them seemed entirely unaffected by it.

The earlier revelation about Bismarck had temporarily faded into the background as the two settled into their quiet evening. Neither seemed in a hurry to leave the comfort of the room.

Joyce looked at James.

"Have you sent Angela the video?"

James nodded.

"Yes."

Joyce smiled.

"Let's see how she reacts."

There was a playful curiosity in her voice. She knew the video would not be easy for Angela to watch, but neither of them could predict what she would do once she saw it.

A moment later, she remembered something.

"We need to leave early on Friday," Joyce continued. "The East is quite a distance."

James listened attentively.

"If we leave by seven in the morning," Joyce continued, "we'll still spend several hours on the road. Before getting into Onitsha, we'll likely meet the usual traffic around the Niger Bridge. From there, we'll continue to Owerri before driving to my village."

Joyce spoke with the confidence of someone who had made the journey enough times to know exactly what to expect. James listened, imagining the long drive and the number of stops they would probably have to make along the way.

Suddenly, James burst into laughter.

Joyce laughed too.

"What's so funny?"

"I was simply watching you drive us all the way from Lagos to your village."

She frowned playfully.

"So?"

"I almost forgot that aeroplanes exist."

Joyce laughed.

"What do you mean?"

"What happened to a one-hour flight from Ikeja to Owerri?" James asked jokingly.

Joyce stood up laughing and playfully hit him on the shoulder, standing right in front of him.

"You've started making fun of me already."

James laughed harder.

"I didn't say we couldn't travel by road. I'm only asking why you're already planning a journey that sounds like an expedition."

Joyce folded her arms and pretended to be offended.

"You won't understand. There are some journeys that are better experienced on the road."

James raised an eyebrow.

"Especially when you want to show your future husband every corner of your hometown?"

Joyce smiled.

"Exactly."

James looked up at her as she stood before him.

For a moment, the joking expression on his face softened into something more intimate.

"Future husband," he said quietly.

Joyce smiled.

"Yes."

"I like the sound of that."

She laughed softly.

"You'll get used to it."

James reached for her hand and gently pulled her closer, just enough to make her smile.

"I don't think I ever want to get used to it."

Joyce looked down at him, her expression warm.

"Why?"

"Because I want to keep enjoying the feeling."

Her eyes met his.

The moment was brief, but there was a quiet tenderness in it that neither needed to explain.

Then Joyce gently touched his shoulder.

"Come on, boss. We're discussing our journey."

James smiled.

"Right. The journey."

James smiled at her. Beneath the playful exchange, he understood that the trip meant much more to Joyce than simply travelling to meet her family. It was the beginning of another important chapter in their lives.

Just then, Bismarck walked into the sitting room after returning from the manager's office.

"Good evening, sir."

James smiled.

"Welcome back."

"Thank you, sir."

Joyce smiled warmly.

"Would you like a glass of wine?"

Bismarck shook his head.

"No, thank you. Joyce, I'd like to speak with you privately."

Before Joyce could stand, James spoke.

"One quick question first."

Bismarck turned.

"Yes, sir?"

"Who exactly is Joyce to you?"

Bismarck hesitated.

He looked at Joyce before looking back at James.

"She's my sister."

James smiled.

"What kind of sister? A sister from your hometown?"

Bismarck smiled awkwardly.

"No, sir."

After a brief pause, he answered,

"My biological younger sister. We have the same parents."

He lowered his head slightly.

"I intended introducing her properly after everything settled down in this house. Please forgive the delay."

James nodded.

"No problem."

He smiled.

"You may speak with her"

The two siblings stepped aside.

Immediately they were out of James' hearing, Bismarck lowered his voice.

"Joyce, what is going on?"

She blinked.

"What do you mean?"

"Why were you so close to your boss in that manner?

Joyce smiled.

"There's something I need to tell you."

Bismarck frowned.

"What?"

Joyce smiled mysteriously.

"You've walked into the biggest surprise of your life."

She took his hand.

"Come and sit with us."

Bismarck stared at her suspiciously, and glanced towards James, who was still seated on the sofa, watching them with an amused expression.

The two returned to the sitting room.

"Boss, I asked Bismarck to join us because we have something important to tell him."

James nodded.

"Go ahead."

Joyce turned towards her brother.

"Senior, let me formally introduce you."

She smiled.

"This is my boss, James Odogwu."

Turning to James, she continued,

"And this is my elder brother, Bismarck Ginikandu—the only son of my mother."

She smiled proudly.

"It was through me that he came to work for you."

Bismarck shifted slightly, suddenly aware that the conversation was heading somewhere he had not anticipated.

James, however, remained attentive.

Joyce continued, eager to explain how their paths had crossed without either man initially knowing the full story.

She then explained how, on the day James travelled to the United States, she had called Bismarck and asked him to meet James at the conference centre before his departure.

"I even sent your photograph to him so he could recognise you."

James listened in amazement.

He looked from Joyce to Bismarck, trying to put all the pieces together.

Suddenly, several events that had once seemed like coincidences began to take on a different meaning.

The man who had unexpectedly entered his life as a personal assistant had actually been connected to someone already close to him.

James smiled warmly.

"This is incredible."

"The more I look at everything that has happened, the more convinced I am that God has been directing every step."

He looked at Bismarck.

"To discover today that Joyce is your biological sister is surprising enough."

Bismarck smiled faintly, still uncertain about what James was about to say.

"But I'm about to surprise you even more," he said.

Bismarck leaned forward.

"I'm listening, sir."

James smiled.

"Bismarck..."

"From today..."

"...you are no longer my personal assistant."

Bismarck's face immediately fell.

"Sir..."

He stared at James, completely stunned.

"What have I done?"

For a moment, his mind went blank.

He had been so excited when he first got the opportunity to work for James. The position meant a great deal to him, and he had taken pride in becoming James's personal assistant.

Now, barely having settled into the role, he was suddenly being told that he was no longer the personal assistant.

The words struck him like a blow.

It felt painfully similar to losing his job at Black Corks Hotel on the very day he had started working there.

James laughed.

"You've been promoted."

Bismarck looked confused.

"Promoted?"

His expression slowly changed from worry to confusion, but he remained silent, waiting for James to explain.

"Yes."

James gently took Joyce's left hand and lifted it between them.

The diamond on her engagement ring caught the light and sparkled brilliantly.

Bismarck's eyes immediately dropped to the ring.

He stared at it.

Then he looked at Joyce.

Then at James.

His lips parted slightly, but no words came out.

Joyce could barely contain her smile.

Looking straight into Bismarck's eyes, James smiled.

"I'm taking your sister to the altar on the twenty-first of October."

For a brief moment, Bismarck simply stared at the ring.

Then he looked at Joyce.

Joyce smiled shyly and nodded.

"It's true, Senior."

Bismarck looked back at James, then at the ring once more.

The reality finally sank in.

His shock instantly transformed into uncontrollable excitement.

"You mean Joyce?

"Yes. Your sister."

Bismarck pointed at the ring.

"That ring?"

Joyce nodded.

"Yes, Senior."

Bismarck looked at James again.

"You're marrying my sister?"

"That's what I just told you."

Bismarck placed both hands on his head.

For a few seconds, he simply stood there, overwhelmed by the news.

He looked at Joyce, as if hoping she would confirm that he had not misunderstood.

Joyce nodded.

"I'm getting married, Senior."

He sprang to his feet, rushed out of the sitting room, pulled off his shirt in wild excitement and flung it across the compound wall.

Bare-chested, he raced back inside, wearing the widest grin James had ever seen.