"To everyone else, it looked like you were avoiding me," Chibuzor said. "And trust me, I could feel the stares. People were whispering, wondering if we had a moment fight or if our marriage might be fake."
Olaedo let out a long sigh, rubbing her temples. "Okay, I admit it. That was bad. I'll do better next time. But this isn't natural for me, Chibuzor. I'm not used to playing the affectionate wife in public, or anywhere, really."
"I know," he said, his voice softening slightly. "But this isn't about us, remember? It's about the bigger picture. Every move we make is being scrutinized."
Her brows furrowed slightly as his words sank in. "It's not intentional," she admitted after a moment. "It's just... different with you. I'm trying to do better, but it's not as easy as you think."
Chibuzor raised an eyebrow, leaning forward a little. "Different, how?"
She sighed, her gaze falling to her lap. "I don't know," she began, searching for the right words. "Maybe it's because this whole relationship is a business arrangement.
It's like there's always this pressure to perform, to make it look perfect to everyone else. That pressure… it makes me second guess everything. Even the simple things, like holding your hand."
Her honesty brought a flicker of understanding to Chibuzor's face, though a hint of frustration lingered in his voice. "I get that it started as a business deal between strangers, but that's not what it is anymore, not entirely.
We've been through enough that we should be more comfortable with each other by now. Don't you think?"
Olaedo nodded reluctantly. "I know, but it's not that simple for me. You've always been confident, easy going, even with this fake marriage setup. I… overthink everything. I don't want to look awkward or make things weird, but then I end up doing just that."
Chibuzor let out a soft chuckle, his gaze softening. "You don't have to overthink it. Look, I know I'm not perfect either. But the more you hold back, the harder it is for me to believe that we're actually on the same page.
And for this to work, we need to look like we're in sync, both to the world and to ourselves."
She bit her lip, his words hitting closer to home than she wanted to admit. "I'll do better," she said finally, her voice quiet but sincere.
"I know you will," Chibuzor replied, his tone lightening just a bit. "And hey, it's not all bad. You've improved a lot since we started this whole thing. A few more months, and who knows? You might even hug me without me asking."
Olaedo let out a small laugh, shaking her head. "Don't push your luck."
"Just saying," he teased with a smirk, leaning back again. "I'll be keeping track."
"Yeah right. Anyway, now that we're done with my mistakes, let's move on to yours," Olaedo said, folding her arms and narrowing her eyes at him. "Number one, you freaking stepped on my dress!"
Hearing this, Chibuzor winced, his hand immediately going to rub the back of his neck. "It was a mistake!" he protested. "And I apologized for it right then and there!"
"I know you did," she said, her voice holding a teasing edge. "But since this is 'Fake Marriage Review Day,' I thought it was only fair to bring it up."
Chibuzor sighed dramatically, throwing his hands up. "Okay, okay, I get it. Next time, I'll try my best to avoid stepping on the ridiculously long trains you women insist on wearing. Honestly, why are they so long? You could trip over them yourself without me in the equation!"
Olaedo rolled her eyes, though a faint smile played on her lips. "Excuses, excuses. And for your information, the train is part of the elegance and drama. You're supposed to complement it, not sabotage it!"
"Oh, so now I'm a saboteur?" he replied, mock outrage in his voice. "Well, forgive me for not having experience navigating dresses that look like they were designed to sweep the floors."
She chuckled lightly at that, the tension easing. "Just be careful next time, okay? If you step on my dress again, especially in front of people, I might throw in an extra 'mistake' just for you to review."
Chibuzor raised his hands in mock surrender, his grin returning. "Noted. Avoid the train at all costs. Anything else?"
Olaedo's playful demeanor shifted slightly, her expression growing more serious. "Next is… one that really hurt me," she said slowly, her voice quiet but firm.
Hearing this, Chibuzor immediately adjusted his posture, sitting up straighter as a slight frown formed on his face. "What's that?" he asked, his tone softer, almost cautious.
Olaedo held his gaze, her eyes unwavering. "Why didn't you believe me when Adamu framed me?" she asked, her voice steady but tinged with disappointment. "Or at least say something to protect me, even if you weren't sure? You could've asked me about it privately instead of staying silent."
The room felt heavier after she spoke. Chibuzor opened his mouth to respond, but the words didn't come immediately. He hadn't expected this, hadn't realized how deeply that incident had affected her
Chibuzor deflated at her pointed question, his shoulders slumping slightly. How could he even begin to explain? Could he tell her that seeing her in that situation, framed by Adamu who insisted that she was still in love with her ex fiance, had stirred something deeper in him, something he couldn't quite place?
That, for some unknown reason, the idea of stepping up to defend their fake marriage at that moment had been clouded by a mix of confusion, heartbreak, and hesitation?
No, he couldn't. What excuse could possibly justify his silence? And why had he even felt that way in the first place? None of it made sense.
"I… I don't know," he finally said, his voice low, almost apologetic. "But I'm so sorry."
"You don't know?" she repeated, disbelief clear in her tone as she stared at him. "You're unbelievable, Chibuzor."