𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗨𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗩𝗢𝗥

•||ONE||•

Hello everyone, I'm so happy right now and I've decided to update. I saw all your votes and reads on the prologue. I really appreciate it and I hope I satisfy you.
This chapter is dedicated to everyone that voted on the first chapter.
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"Layla" her father pronounced her name with disgust. Since she came back yesterday, no one even bothered to congratulate her. It isn't a surprise, since she is not Laleh the golden child.

She'd set up her sewing machine and she made baby clothes for Aunt Niyat, her paternal aunt who's in the third trimester of her pregnancy. She wanted to prove useful at least.

She knelt down in front of her father and he fixed her gaze to the floor as if it's the most interesting thing in the world. Her mother had attended the engagement party of the Minister of finance daughter.

"After your so-called graduation, where are you working now oh? Answer me Layla" her father mocked. She shut her eyes tight so she won't cry. Her father had always been this brutal.

"Laleh is now serving in Al-Hissan, one of the top law firms in Nigeria" he stated with pride "I'm sure when she's done, she will be retained for her skills and capability unlike you, who can't even spell mosquito"

It has always been Laleh this, Laleh that. Since she repeated her SS2 twice and Laleh graduated before her.

Her father's deep voice brought her out of her reverie "you wasted my hard earned money on ordinary tailoring that can't clothe you or feed you, it's payback time"

She looked at her father with confusion etched on her face. "What do you mean, Baban Laleh?" She asked.

Her father told her to stop calling him Abu, that he can't father such a Dullard.
"Do you know the el-Rufai family?" He asked.
She searched her brain for any connections with the name and she remembered.

"You mean the family that owns the Rufiq farms?" She asked unsurely.

"And the farm about to become mine, think about the billions of Naira that will enter my account yearly" he sighed dreamily.

She didn't understand her connection with all of this. Her father never shared his life issues with her neither her mother. They prefer Laleh's opinion, as if he could read her mind, her father continued

" You will be marrying the only son of Alhaji el-Rufai and the farm will be completely mine" he grinned.

Her jaw dropped in shock and she felt like a bucket of cold water was dumped on her. She pinched herself to make sure it wasn't a dream.

"Why can't Laleh marry him instead since she's a genius?"She queried.
Her father's eyes turned cold and he glared at her. If looks could kill, she would have been six feet under.

"You have no say in this matter, your fate has been sealed. All you have to do is be an obedient wife, then you live in eternal luxury"

How could they do this to her, she just finished NSAC and she's been thrown into marriage with a man she barely knows.

"You can go to your room now, lest I forget, we have a dinner together on Friday night. Wear your best and don't disgrace me" he warned sternly.

She walked back to her room with slumped shoulders. When she got to the comfort of her room, she went to perform ablution and she cried her heart to her creator.

***FRIDAY NIGHT***

She dressed up in a black and silver abaya and she paired it with black scarf. She'd set an alarm so she wouldn't be late.