Arranged Marriage

EPISODE TWO

Theme: Arranged marriage

Arike's POV

"I am getting married." He blurted out. And it seems like my heart stopped beating for a second.

Adedayo was getting married? Has he proposed to his girlfriend? But wait,why was he sad about it? I pondered. Something wasn't right!

"Have you proposed marriage to Joy?" I asked.

"Joy?! No! I broke up with her three days ago!" He responded in a slightly raised tone.

"Ok..ok..but you didn't tell about it." I said in a surprised tone.

"Well I wanted to call you up and tell you about it -" he stopped.

"So why didn't you?"

"I just got busy with some stuffs -" he paused again. "At least...now you know." He added quickly.

I shook my head. It has always been like that, I get to know whoever Adedayo was dating and also know when the relationship was off. I have always known all his girlfriends right since secondary school days. And as a matter of fact I have lost count of the number of girls he had dated. But what I am very much sure of was that most of them got involved with him because of his money.

"So why did you break up with Joy?" I asked.

He hissed. "She's a liar,that girl decieved me!"

"In what way?"

"She doesn't love me. She just wanted my money too like the other girls."

"But you said she was different." I reminded him of his words.

"Yes..that's because she never asked me for money constantly like the other women I have dated." He stopped talking to stare at me. "I really thought she was different." He said with a sad face.

Joy turned out to be another daughter of Jezebel. To be honest,I didn't expect Joy to be like the other girls Dayo had dated in the past. I mean she was so sweet and lovely and Dayo loved her so much. She wasn't materialistic and she was real,well we both thought she was real. My best friend was so damn serious with her.

"She asked me to give her three million naira but I said I can't give out such amount of money at the moment. She got mad and then threatened to end the relationship." He explained.

"Maybe she needed the money for something very important." I said.

"To start a business but it doesn't matter! She shouldn't have threatened me!" He gritted.

"So..you broke up with her because she threatened to end the relationship?"

"Yes,but that's after I transferred the money to her. It's enough to pay her for the time spent with me."

"Seriously Dayo?!" My jaw dropped.

"Joy really fucked up. I was really planning to have something more serious than what we had." He said calmly.

Maybe Joy already planned everything. You know acting like you don't want his money but then when you need it you ask for something big! That's boom! But she fucked up big time! Dayo told me that he might take Joy home if she lasted six months with him. But it's really sad that it ended on the fourth month which was his longest relationship.

I moved closer to him and pat his back gently. "She's not the one for you." I mumbled.

I didn't like it when I don't know what to say to him whenever Dayo feels down and unhappy. We've both grown to always share whatever was bothering us and also confide in each other.

"Dad found someone for me." He mumbled.

I stopped patting him. "He wants me to marry his friend's daughter."

"Who is she?" I asked.

"Shalewa Oriola." He replied.

That name sounds familiar. I reasoned as we both exchanged glances. "The famous actress?" I asked to be sure.

"Yes,Shalewa Oriola the actress." He replied.

I gasped out in shock. The lady in question happened to be my favorite Nollywood Actress.

"Oh! Wow! Adedayo..I can't believe you're getting married to Shalewa Oriola!" I exclaimed.

"What's so special about her?" He snorted.

I tapped him. "She's famous, beautiful and-"

"Come of it, there's nothing special about her." He rolled his eyes.

I slapped his upper arm. "I think you should be happy."

"Happy? Why are you talking like this? You -" he paused.

"Okay..okay tell me what happened?"

He sighed. "I didn't know my father was close friends with Mr Oriola. I thought they were just business partners."

I was a bit shocked to know that my bestie was soon getting married to a Star!

"Dad called me up yesterday saying we need to talk so I went home. He said that he found a perfect woman for me since I haven't been responsibile enough to bring one home." He stood up from the couch. "Can you just imagine?! Shalewa Oriola of all women! I can't believe it!"

"Dayo,you need to calm down."

"Arike,you don't understand."

"Then make me understand." I said but no response came from him. Then I asked the next question that came to my mind.

"Perhaps is this about business?" No response.

"Dayo?" I called at him.

"Yes." He nodded his head.

Somehow I have always known that Adedayo wouldn't be given the chance to choose a bride for himself. You know how these rich people are,they always want their children to marry into another rich family to either strengthen a friendship bond or business deal. But I never expected Shalewa Oriola to be the one for Adedayo.

"Mr Oriola has the highest shares in one of our biggest companies. So dad is afraid that he might withdraw them and but more from his rival."

"So he wants you to marry Shalewa to secure Mr Oriola Shares?"

"Yes..he think if I marry Shalewa that means more money. And since they are friends he believed the union is perfect."

Well..this is complicated! I really don't know what to say to this matter. Adedayo was being forced to do what he doesn't want to do.

"So what do you wanna do?"

"I told him that I am not interested."

"And he accepted your decision?!" I asked.

"Hell no! That man doesn't care about what I think. He said I am not responsible and I don't wanna make sacrifices for the family but all I want to do is spend his money."

That's wrong! Dayo wasn't what his father picture him to be.

"He said that I'll only be able to run the company if I start a family." He hissed.

Yeah! I know about that too! Mr Awosika thought Adedayo wasn't capable to run a company because of his extravagant lifestyle. And he made it clear to his son that he would only get a chance into the company after he gets married. He still sees his grown up son as a baby boy who wasn't man enough to take up any responsibility.

Wait! Getting married and having kids would prove that he was responsible to run a company?! I really don't understand how that man thinks! So weird! And it wasn't enough that he wanted to force his son into marrying someone he doesn't even know.

"I don't have a choice. I have to do what he wants." He mumbled sadly.

"When are you meeting her?"

"She's coming over to our place with her parents this weekend." He replied.

"Okay..but well..I think Shalewa is a nice lady."

"I don't really know her. And you better don't say she's nice because of her Instagram posts."

"You might grow to like her." I shrugged.

"I am not sure about that."

"Anything can happen. She's your type, not too skinny, beautiful,supertoned skin -"

He interrupted me. "You have know me finish like that o."

"I know you too well. See ehn,just take out your time to know her. Who knows you might fall in love with her." I managed to smile.

"Hmmmm...at least one of us is getting married this year." I laughed but it faded immediately seeing that Adedayo wasn't laughing when it was meant to be a joke.

I can't believe I am saying all these to him. He stared at me for long moments without saying a word. I cleared my throat.

"It's really late,so I suggest you sleep over."

"Yeah..I was about to ask if I could spend the night."

"Stop acting like a stranger!" I slapped his arm. "Find you way to the bedroom and take a shower."

"I have to respect the fact that this apartment belongs to a lady."

"Come on! You've been here so many times! So go and take a shower and rest."

"Shower? I can walk around naked?” He laughed.

"Seriously Dayo?!" We both laughed.

"I have a t-shirt of your size in my wardrobe."

"So I have to search for it myself?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Yes.."

"I hope there are no panties in the section?" He asked

"You won't be seeing any except you decide to open the section where I kept them."

We both laughed again. "I won't." He replied.