THE DARK ROOM

Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3:

"Should I say yes?"

The question hung in the rain.

Adrian was still on one knee. The diamond ring was shining even in the dark. My heart was beating so loud I was sure he could hear it.

Five years ago, this same boy — now a man, a billionaire, a beast in a suit — had held my face under the mango tree behind my school and promised, "Amara, I will marry you. Wait for me."

I waited. For two years.

He never came.

Then Jason came. Gentle Jason. Smiling Jason. He said, "My brother left, but I will stay." So I married him.

And now Jason had left me too.

I looked at Adrian. His shirt was soaked, his hair dripping, but his eyes never left mine.

"If I say yes... what happens?" I whispered.

Adrian stood up slowly. He was so tall. He took my cold hands in his warm ones.

"You move into my house tonight. Tomorrow, we go to court and sign. One year. You play my wife. You give my grandfather peace. And I... I destroy Jason for what he did to you."

"And after one year?"

He hesitated. For the first time, his confident mask cracked.

"After one year... you are free. With 100 million naira in your account. And a house in Banana Island with your name on it."

100 million. Banana Island.

I laughed. A bitter, broken laugh.

"You think money can heal me?"

"No," he said softly, and touched my cheek. His thumb wiped my tears. "But revenge can. And love can. Let me try."

Love.

That word. From his mouth, it sounded like a prayer.

I was supposed to hate him. For leaving me. For making me settle for his brother. But looking at him now, drenched, desperate for me, all the hate melted.

I closed my eyes.

"Yes."

Just one word.

Adrian froze. "What?"

"I said yes. I will marry you. Contract or not, I will marry you."

For a second, he didn't breathe. Then he slid the ring onto my finger. It fit perfectly. As if it was made for me.

"God, Amara," he whispered, and pulled me into his chest, hard. So hard I couldn't breathe. "You don't know what you just did to me."

His lips found my forehead. He kissed me there, softly, like I was something precious. Not barren. Not damaged. Precious.

"Come," he said, picking up my small bag. "You are not sleeping in this house again. Not one more night where he broke you."

"Where are we going?"

"Home. Our home."

His Bentley smelled like him. Warm. Expensive. Safe. As he drove through the Lagos rain, I stared at the ring. My hand was shaking.

My phone buzzed again.

Jason.

A message: _Where are you? I came to pick my cufflinks. And don't forget to return my mother's necklace you stole._

I showed Adrian.

Adrian's face changed. The soft lover vanished. In his place was the Adrian Cole the business world feared.

He took my phone, typed something, and threw my phone on the dashboard.

"What did you do?" I gasped.

"I told him his cufflinks are in the trash where he belongs. And if he ever calls you a thief again, I will cut his tongue."

My mouth dropped open.

He glanced at me and his cold face softened. "Sorry. Did I scare you?"

"No," I whispered, and for the first time in three days, I smiled. A real smile. "You thrilled me."

We arrived at a massive white mansion in Ikoyi. Not a house. A palace. Guards opened the gates. The lights came on automatically.

"This is yours now," he said, opening my car door like a gentleman.

Inside, everything was white and gold and silent. A maid appeared and bowed.

"Madam, welcome."

Madam.

No one had ever called me Madam with respect. In Jason's house, they called me "that barren wife."

Adrian led me upstairs to a bedroom bigger than my entire former apartment. A king-sized bed. A balcony overlooking the ocean.

"You sleep here," he said. "I will be in the room opposite. Unless... you want me to stay?"

The question was loaded. My heart raced.

I wanted him to stay. God help me, after five years, I wanted him to hold me and never let go.

But I was scared.

"I... I need time."

He nodded, understanding. "Take all the time you need, Amara. I waited five years. I can wait one more night."

He turned to leave. But at the door, he stopped.

"Oh, and Amara?"

"Yes?"

"Tomorrow morning, wear something beautiful. We are going to show Jason and the whole Cole family who the new Mrs. Adrian Cole is. And trust me, baby... you will shine."

He left, closing the door softly.

I stood alone in the giant bedroom, wearing his elder brother's ring, in his elder brother's house, about to become his wife.

What had I just done?

I walked to the mirror. My eyes were swollen, my dress was old and torn. But the ring... the ring made me look like a queen.

My phone buzzed again. This time it was a news alert.

@Gistlover posted: _Billionaire Adrian Cole returns to Nigeria with MYSTERY WOMAN after 5 years in London! Who is she?_

There was a blurry picture of us — Adrian carrying my bag, me beside him in the rain.

My hands started shaking again.

Tomorrow, all of Lagos will know.

And tomorrow, Jason will know I said YES to his brother.