Chapter Ten
"Mother, I think. You need to calm down with this your planning, I and Tunde want a small wedding, so you need to tone it down"
Sophia's mother has been ecstatic with excitement, since the day Sophia told her she has finally agreed to marry Tunde, her mother has making all sorts of plans, and preparations, buying materials and things she thinks they are going to need for the marriage ceremony.
"But why would you want to do something small? It's your wedding we are talking about, and it only happens once"
"Mother, it's what I and Tunde has decided, we want to do something small. So please respect that. The most important thing is that, I have agreed to marry him"
Her mother who didn't look too happy with Sophia's decision, decided to drop the issue, she would just have to plan the big ceremony without Sophia's knowledge, when she sees a lot of people were invited on her wedding day, there's no way she would chase them out.
"And mother?"
"Yes my darling?" She was smiling, so Sophia doesn't know what she was planning in her mind.
"It's going to be a strictly by invitation ceremony, and I will be giving out the IVs myself"
Sophia knowing who her mother was, she couldn't leave anything to chance. She knows she might still go ahead and defy her, and invite all her friends and associates, who will end up coming with their friends.
"Sophia, must you be difficult in everything?"
"Mother, it's my marriage ceremony not a village meeting, I'm sorry but I won't have you inviting the whole of Lagos to my wedding"
She took her car key to leave the house, she was meeting with Tunde at his place.
"What of Tunde's mother, does she agree to this ridiculous plan of yours?" Her mother asked as Sophia was about stepping out.
"It's our wedding mother, she has to agree. I have to go now, bye"
When she got into her car, she placed the address Tunde had sent her, in the Google map on her phone. It was a weekend, so the traffic was light. And within thirty minutes, she arrived at his gate. He must have told his gateman she was coming, for when she told him her name, he immediately opened the gate for her, and she drove in.
As she came down from her car, she saw two mean looking dogs barking at her, they were both in their separate cages, but the way they aggressively shook their cage, trying to get free so they could come out, and attack her, almost made Sophia run back into her car.
"Their cages are tightly secured, they can't escape" Tunde said, as he came out to welcome Sophia.
"Oh, but still, they really look mean, and aggressive" she quickly grabbed her purse from the car and ran towards Tunde, making the dogs bark even louder.
"I'm sorry, I didn't tell you about my dogs"
"So long, they remain in their cages, while I'm here, I don't have a problem" she followed Tunde into the house.
The sitting room was spacious, and furnished in a bachelor's style. It was painted in grey and white colors, with neatly arranged, grey colored couches. A large TV was hanging on the wall, with a beautiful wall paper design on the wall of the TV area. Two air conditioners hummed on separate corners of the room, making the room feel so cold.
"Welcome to my humble abode" Tunde said to Sophia.
"It's a beautiful place you have here" she sat down on one of the couches.
"Thank you, would you like me to turn off the air conditioners?" Tunde noticed she was folding her fingers as if trying to lock some heat in.
"Probably, you could just raise the temperature a little bit, so it doesn't feel so chilly"
Tunde used the remote, and raised the temperature of the air conditioners.
"I'm actually easily prone to cold" Sophia explained.
"Oh, I'm sorry about that. And I tend to sweat a lot, so I love to have the air-conditioners on the lowest temperatures"
"I guess, we will both have to find a way around that, when we start leaving together then"
"Yeah we will. What can I offer you?"
"Nothing for now, I'm okay"
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, do you have the contract papers ready?"
They had both agreed to have the details of their contract marriage written out on paper, for both of them to sign, so no one demands more than is required of the other person.
"Yes, I do. My lawyer sent it yesterday" Tunde went to his dinning table, and brought a brown envelope, and handed it over to Sophia.
"I have signed my part, it's left for you to go through them, and sign yours"
Sophia opened the envelope, and found two separate copies of the contract. She read it through, it contained everything they both had agreed on.
She was to be, and act the part of his wife in public, follow him to events. And they were to appear like a loving couple before his parents, especially his father. And in return, he was going to fund her father's company with all the money it needs to get back on it's feet, thereby helping them to get back in business.
When not together, they were required to live their separate lives, whichever way they deemed fit, but would be discreet about any affair they have. None of them would bring their lovers, or people they were having affairs with to the house.
When they were at home, Sophia was not expected to perform the duties of a wife to Tunde, neither was he expected to do same for her, but he would provide all basic needs of the house. They were going to have their separate rooms, none of them is expected to request for sex, from the other person.
After a year, when Tunde must have gotten the chairmanship position of his father's company, and Sophia's family company was back in business, the marriage would be dissolved, and they would both go their separate ways.
Sophia who was okay, with the details of the contract, signed both copies, handed one to Tunde, and kept one for herself.
"We have a deal then" Tunde shook her hand. "Would you like to see the room where you would be staying, while you are?"
"Yeah, sure"
"Come with me then"
Sophia followed Tunde as he took the stairs that led them into a lobby with four different doors. Tunde opened one of the doors, it was a large bedroom, painted in white, with a bed, a TV, and a dresser.
"It's plain though, I was thinking you might want to decorate it to your taste?"
"It's okay, I will do that after the wedding"
"Yeah about that, so I thought about what you said, I think we should just have a court wedding instead"
"Good, and it will be something small still?"
"Yes, I'm really not a fan of big ceremonies, though I'm sure my mom won't like this idea, but it's our ceremony, so she would have to agree"
Sophia had suggested they had only a court wedding, instead of a church wedding. Since it was a fake marriage, Sophia couldn't stand the thought of lying to everyone in the presence of God. And that, it be a small ceremony also. She didn't think he would agree, but he did. Finally something they agree on.
The next day when Sophia had come back from church, Tunde came to pick her from her house, and they went to his parents'. His mother had invited both of them for lunch.
As they ate, they talked about everything, including the wedding, and how Sophia was going to bear them beautiful grandchildren, after they got married.
"Sophia my dear, I hope you are not one of those career ladies, who would choose career over raising a family?" Tunde's mother asked.
"Mom, Sophia and I, have decided she keeps doing her business, even after we get married" Tunde defended her.
"But how will she have time to raise your children, when they come?" His mother looked at Sophia for an answer.
"Woman, let them be. You heard what Tunde said, it's their decision, so let it stay that way" his father said, to avoid any further interrogation from his wife.
Sophia noticed he was a man of few words, unlike his wife. The twin girls kept throwing daggers at Sophia with their stares. It was obvious they didn't like her, and she doesn't care. They can do whatever they please, with their feelings, because she is here for business, and not to be liked.