Chapter 5

Rachel POV

"What was that all about?" Mary asked, her voice still laced with anger as we walked into their compound after Femi dropped us off at the gate. The car ride home had been eerily silent, each of us lost in our thoughts.

I shrugged, attempting to apologize. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. You know I couldn't just leave him like that."

Mary raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement dancing in her eyes. "Oh, he was a damsel in distress, or rather, a mature man in distress, and you were the shining knight, right?" She gazed straight into my eyes, her expression softening. "Anyway, I was mad at you, but I don't know why I couldn't stay angry for long."

"You couldn't stay angry for long because you saw my dream becoming a reality," I said with a smile.

Mary's curiosity was piqued, and her expression transformed into one of excitement. "Oh, yes! I want to hear everything!" This was the Mary I knew and loved – always eager to listen and offer support.

I was more than happy to share every detail with her.

I shared every detail with Mary, from the moment I met him to the moment I left him at the table. However, I conveniently left out the part where I proposed the marriage idea. I couldn't bring myself to admit that I had suggested it just to get closer to him. It was too embarrassing.

If I had confessed the truth, Mary would have likely told my dad everything, and she would have thought I was crazy. She would have never let me go through with marrying someone I barely knew.

As I finished my story, Mary's eyes widened in shock. "Wait, are you serious? You agreed to marry him? You're only 21—"

I cut her off, feeling a surge of defensiveness. "And I'll be 22 soon," I snapped, already getting annoyed.

"I know you have a crush on him, but do you want to throw away over 2 million naira in school fees on a guy you barely know?" Mary asked, her voice rising in frustration. "That's insane."

I stood my ground. "I may not know him well, but we want to get to know each other. I'm going to meet his parents soon."

Mary's expression was incredulous. "How is that possible? You guys just met," she said, shaking her head. I could tell she was struggling to believe it and to be honest; I was still having a hard time wrapping my head around it, too.

"You're going to California? What about school? What about your parents?" Mary asked, her voice laced with concern. "We're friends, and I won't stand by and watch you walk into trouble. I have to look out for you."

Sometimes, I felt like Mary was more like a mother to me than a friend. Her protective instincts were admirable, but also a bit suffocating at times.

I decided to clarify things, hoping to alleviate her worries. "Come on, Mary, it's just a six-month marriage arrangement. If you're concerned about my 'wifely duties,' don't be – we've agreed to keep things platonic."

Mary raised an eyebrow, skepticism written all over her face. "So, you're telling me that you'll get married to him and he won't expect anything in return? That's laughable. How many guys do you know who would agree to that?" She stared at me as if the answer was obvious.

I sighed, trying to explain. "Nothing's going to happen between us. He's leaving for Russia in two weeks for the FIFA World Cup, and if we make it to the finals, he'll be away for a month."

Mary cut me off, her tone incredulous. "And what about the remaining five months?"

I felt my frustration growing. "I'll figure something out, and you'll help me," I said, hoping she would drop the subject.

I pleaded with Mary, my voice laced with desperation. "Please, Mary, I feel like my life depends on this. Just let me have these six months, and I'll leave after that. If I back out now, I'll feel like a coward and regret it forever."

Mary's expression softened, and I knew she understood me. She had always been like a sister to me, and I valued her opinion.

"I love you like the sister I never had," she said gently, "and I know you must have a reason for this. But what about your father? What will you tell him?"

I steeled myself, determination coursing through my veins. "I'll find a way to go to Ekiti and tell him about my decision. He won't have a choice." At this point, nothing could deter me from achieving my goal.

"Okay, I'm always here for you, but you're very lucky," Mary said, her tone implying that she was convinced I was making the right decision.

I raised an eyebrow, surprised by her sudden change of heart. "Yes, I am, and I'll make sure to use my lucky charm wisely."

Just then, my phone rang, shrill in the silence. I was taken aback to see an unknown number flashing on the screen, especially at 11 pm.

"Hello, who is this?" I asked, a hint of irritation creeping into my voice.

"It's me, Femi," the voice on the other end replied.

My tone softened. "Oh, good evening. Thanks again for the ride tonight; it was great."

Femi chuckled. "No problem at all. I just wanted to check in and make sure you guys got settled in okay."

I smiled. "Yes, we're all settled. Thanks for checking in."

"And another thing, can we meet tomorrow;?I heard you will only be around for 2 weeks, and I want to get to know you before you return to school".

what's wrong with this guy? I almost screamed out. I just wish he could see the handwriting on the wall that I'm not interested. Yes, truly, he's one handsome creature ,and I aappreciatethat, but I don't see us together as a couple ,at least not when I've got another who has captured my heart. I just wish he understood this.

"I won't be available ,but we can just meet in three days ,or what do you think?" I asked

"That's not a problem. We'll meet in three days then. I'll let you know the details later," Femi said before ending the call.

I turned to Mary, my eyes narrowing. "You gave him my number?" I asked, trying to keep my tone neutral.

Mary shrugged. "I think he likes you, and he seemed serious. Besides, I had no idea you were going to end up with that other guy."

I raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, you didn't, but what if I'm not interested in Femi? I've already got Aderemi, and that's who I want."

"I know you're set on Aderemi, but you need to be careful," Mary said, her voice laced with concern. "And let me tell you, Femi is a medical doctor whose father has billions. He even just got back from Japan last week, and he's a cool guy. I'm mentioning this because if things don't work out with Aderemi before your... arrangement, you could always consider Femi. At least he's someone your dad would approve of, unlike that white guy you know nothing about except what the internet says."

I recognized Mary's attempt to subtly nudge me towards Femi, but my mind was made up – it was Aderemi or no one else.

We changed into our night clothes and settled into bed, ready to drift off to sleep. "Thanks for tonight, Mary. I really appreciate it," I said sincerely.

Mary gazed at me with warm, loving eyes. "It's my pleasure, sweetie. I just hope you're making the right decision and won't regret it. But no matter what happens, I've got your back."

I smiled, knowing I could always count on her. I snuggled closer to her on the bed, feeling grateful for our friendship. As I drifted off to sleep, my mind began to wander to the task ahead – breaking the news to my dad. I made a mental note to discuss it with Aderemi first.

Even as I fell asleep, Mary's words lingered in my mind: "I hope you're making the right decision..." A nagging doubt crept in, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I might be making a mistake or Maybe the right decision