AMBER ROMANCE

Nma smiled sweetly at the woman and started moving towards the door she indicated. She turned when the woman spoke “And see you don’t stay too long, he has a busy schedule ahead of him”
It was Nma turn to give the girl a dose of her medicine
“I’m sure you heard about his engagement to a certain fashion designer” she watched acknowledgement come to her eyes
“I am that fashion designer, you have just saved your job by treating me the way you did, it shows you know your job but don’t push it” with one last look at the woman’s astonished and embarrassed face she walked into the room.
She saw Uche sitting behind his massive desk, relaxed and tapping the end of a gold pen on the table. The office was big enough to take her whole house. The interior decorator must have been going through some gender problem because it was all male and exuded the power the owner welds. There were cream leather couches at one corner of the room and some huge green plants besides the couches. At another corner was glass sliding door, she could see through it a mini conference room. It dawned on Nma that this man might never become as desperate as she was now and it was so unfair.
“Well! Well!” he drawled “To what do I owe this good fortune?”
“To whoever you owe all you good fortune” she snapped at him.
“Did an angel pay you a visit and gave you a message for me?”
“The devil I would say chased me down here” she retorted.
He sat up and looked at her seriously “If you have nothing but sarcasm, then I would go back to my work, like Grace told you, I have a busy day ahead”
“I have…” she trailed off
He looked up shocked for a moment “What? The cat got your tongue”
Nma was on the brink of tears, here she was in the same room with man she would gladly die for and they have nothing but sarcasm for each other.
“I am getting curious, what is it that has your tongue on chains, I would like the formula so I could use it sometimes”
Calm down, calm down, she told herself.
“Won’t you at least ask me to sit down” she asked politely
“I didn’t realize you needed asking, I guessed when you get tired of tempting me your beautiful body, you would sit down and tell me what kind of devil chased you into my arms”
Nma sat abruptly, seething as she tried to keep herself from retorting.
“So what brought you here” Uche asked with genuine curiosity.
Nma became confused she didn’t know where to begin or how to tell him that the reason she came here today was for money or that he was the only one she could turn to in time of need after all that has happened between them.
“I am waiting” said Uche
“I’m….I’m…..” she didn’t know how to put it and she was scared of his reaction. Would he laugh her out of his office or pity and help her. She was totally confused and she felt like running away but that would worsen the whole situation. Somehow she knew he would follow her, her presence had raised his curiosity. She sighed inwardly. This was a lot harder than she thought. Oh! God please! Soften his heart so he would help”
“I am still waiting” Uche said quietly cutting into her thoughts.
She took a deep breath to calm her nervousness and turned to him with pleading eyes.
“I am in trouble” she said to him.
It took him a while to reply “What kind of trouble? He asked.
She was in trouble; he thought calmly, yeah he has been expecting that after seeing her with the rasta she was having lunch with
“Uche please, if I had a choice, I wouldn’t be here, I need financial help”
She saw him visibly relieved, he stood up from his chair and walked to her and sat down.
“For what, does this have anything to do with that Rasta I saw you with…?”
“No! Of course not” she looked horrified and he believed her. “I don’t know where to start; I don’t even know how to tell you”
“I would suggest you start from the beginning”
Nma heaved sigh and looked at him, she could feel the concern in voice and eyes, surely that was a good sign she thought. She saw a ray of hope at last and that gave her the courage to tell him the whole story. As she explained everything to him, she watched him critically trying to decipher his feelings but couldn’t because he schooled his expression.
“Uche you have to help me, you are my only hope” she pleaded
“Which bank was that? He asked sternly
“United Bank”
“United Bank, a pretty good bank, but I wonder why you didn’t sense their liquidation.
“It is not my fault; United Bank has been a reliable bank for ages now”
 “I was not blaming you, I only asked why you didn’t sense it, and did you not know that they fired their GM and ten other top ranking officers for a very big fraud. The bank has been struggling since then, I was going to buy them over but after much consideration we didn’t” he saw the blank expression on her face “You should follow the affairs your bank closely” he advised “when is this exhibition?”
“Saturday”
“So near” he mused “And by the next one you would be homeless” he said
“Yes” Nma nodded waiting for him to say how would help her. She watched him with apprehension as he stood up and walked to the window, backing her.
“Even though this is very sudden” he said after several minutes of silence, she guessed he was trying to make up his mind. “I can help you” he stated.
Nma sighed with relief “Thank you, thank you so much” she thanked him enthusiastically.
He turned away from the window and came towards her. “I didn’t say I would help, I said I could” he smiled at her.
Nma’s words died on her lips and she watched with confusion and felt the chill as it began to creep up her spine, his revenge, she thought fearfully.
“What do you mean?  I…don’t …understand” she stammered nervously.
“I mean I stand in very good position to help you and I can but the question is, will you be willing to leave a collateral for the loan I will be willing to give you?
“Uche I told you, I don’t have one, and if I had one do you think I would be here with my tails hanging between my legs?”
“Then will you be willing to accept the proposal I’m going to give you to make sure I get back what I am giving out”
“What kind of proposal?” her heart was beating hard in her chest. She didn’t understand what was going on. Could this ruthless man here be the same man that courted her with so much love?
“How desperate are you Nma?” Uche asked firmly
“I need help Uche, but I won’t sell my soul to the devil because of my problems” Nma answered firmly. What was happening, she asked silently in panic, her fear grew without caution. Would he ask her to sleep with him now before he could help her? Uche would never stoop that low, she thought. But somehow the thought had taken hold in her mind and her fear grew. She was not scared of what she would do if he asked; she knew she would never give in no matter what. But she was scared of what would happen to the respect and trust she has for him. She knew she would hate him if he did and she was scared of that happening, very sacred.
“Then we understand each other” he told her. “I can help you but I don’t want to make a mistake again, so that is….”
“I was the one who made a mistake in trusting you” her outburst interrupted him. She was fuming inside, how could he imply that she was the one responsible for their break up when he was the one who couldn’t be trusted, who cheated on her. And now he was going to do something worse than the betrayal, something she was very afraid she was never going to forgive him for. Somehow she wanted to save them both from that happening, she wanted to leave but his next word stopped her.
“Whatever” he dismissed nonchalantly “what I’m saying is that I’ll write you a check now, if you’ll agree to be my wife”
“To be your what?” Nma asked alarmed, she could feel relief as it flooded into her body that he didn’t say what she was thinking; still what he said was totally absurd.
“You heard me well, to be my wife” he repeated boldly
“I can’t believe this” she muttered “Look Uche if this is a joke it is not funny, I mean…”
“Look Nma you’ll agree with me that the amount I’ll be giving you is much and without collateral it is a risk and you need my help, you can’t afford to say no”
Nma opened her mouth to say something but closed it again, her words died in her mouth, she couldn’t find the appropriate words. She couldn’t believe his audacity. What kind of a monster was he? She asked herself. Was he past feeling and by the way what gave him the right to make this kind of stupid proposal.
“Look Uche, you don’t want to help me, fine, I’m sorry I disturbed you in the first place, the Leopard never changes its skin and I was a fool to come here in the first place”. She said calmly hanging her shoulder bag to go but his words stopped her
“Now… if you are going to agree, I’m giving you now, because the moment you walk out of that door the proposal doesn’t stand anymore”
“You are a monster, a beast, whatever gave you idea that I would want to marry a monster like you” she almost shouted in tears
“Think about it, I’m your last hope you said so yourself. I wonder why the idea of marrying me repulses you now, you were going to marry me before, and in fact you couldn’t wait to marry me”
“All because I thought you were different, I didn’t know that all those nice behavior was a façade to cover your real self and I’ve been thanking God ever since for opening my eyes sooner” she muttered.
“Whatever you say, but you are the one with problems not me, I have given you my terms take it or leave it and remember the moment you walk out of here without making a choice the deal stands no more” he said going to sit down.
Nma watched him sit down behind his desk; she blinked back the tears that were trying hard to escape. Now probably was the best time to go to her mother, she thought. But how could she go running to a woman who never cared if she lived or died, a woman whose only interest in her now could be because she was engaged to Uche. Was that not what Angela said to her, that Amber herself had been after Uche for a long time. No she was not going to go her, she decided and she turned to face Uche. Come on, she told herself, two could play this game. Just agree to marry him, after all there are no witnesses, even if there were, you stand under no obligation to marry him but just say yes to get the help from him, her mind told her. Nma thought about it, knowing Uche as she did, he would make sure she went through with it. But he wouldn’t force you, would he? Her mind asked.
“No, he wouldn’t, but my conscience will suffer” why think of conscience when the man you are dealing with lacked it”
Without deliberating on it again, she made up her mind. “Yes Uche, two can play this game” she muttered to herself. It would be so marvelous when she said no to his proposal after he must have fulfilled his own part of the deal.
Slowly she went and sat in front of him. “I hate you so much now, but yes I will marry you because I’m desperate” she said calmly.
“Good, wise decision, very wise” he smiled sardonically
“I have one question though” she said and he looked at her
“What question is that?”
“Why are you resorting to blackmail, is that how bad you want my body?”
He laughed and looked at her mockingly “There is nothing about your body that I haven’t seen before. I am Uche Okoha so I have seen it all, more beautiful and more willing women”
Nma could see red, she was angry and embarrassed. How dare he?
“Yet you never forced them to marry you” she said trying to save face.
No one has ever dumped me and I am not going to have it. when I first met you, I thought my money couldn’t buy you but you proved me wrong and I am only showing you that you are not different after all” he smiled “And this marriage is not going to be forever, till I get tired of being married”
Nma couldn’t believe her ears, she wanted to get up and leave but she couldn’t find the strength to do so. Surely this was not the same man who had loved and cared for her.
“So first of all give me the number of those with your house”
“I don’t have it Felix probably does” Nma said, she was going to show him just how different she was. This marriage would take place over her dead body.
“I’ll call him, you should pay attention to things other than designing” Uche admonished.
Nma totally kept quiet, thinking of the sweet revenge she would have on him.
“If I were you I would have cancelled the show?”
“And have people think we died with United Bank?”
“I could understand wanting to save face, how much exactly are talking about now?”
Nma named the amount staring hardly at him
“And it is for what and what?”
“Must you know every detail, if you don’t want to help me simply say so” Nma shouted heatedly.
“The question I asked is very reasonable and understandable with the present situation.” He said in a businesslike manner
“There are stuff I haven’t paid for or some I have just paid half the amount and they will want the balance after the show, the modeling agency, publicity and other stuff I can’t remember now” She told him grudgingly.
“Okay I will make the transfer?
Nma watched him write a check “This will cover the little things, give me the phone number of the agency you are using, I’ll take care of the publicity too”
“But don’t you have a truckload of things to do; I can take care of that”
“I’m a business man Nma and I know what I’m doing”
Nma stood up to go, seeing nothing else to do except that she was puzzled at his generosity even up to the extent of taking care of some things for her.
“I will call this evening; we have things to discuss and to say exactly when we’re getting married”
“We can still use 27th can’t we?” asked Nma
“When I come we will talk but now I have work to do”
Nma turned around to go and as she turned the knob, Uche placed a large hand on her slender ones. “Now, don’t you think we’re forgetting something?” his eyes twinkled devilishly?
“Not that I can think of”
“This” he answered placing his lips on hers.
She stilled her body from responding trying to block her mind off what it felt like to be kissed by him but she was fighting a lost battle as her mind had already done that and her whole body was responding. She had missed him, she sighed with relief. How many nights had she lain awake wishing for this and playing it over and over in her mind, only to cry out in agony thinking she would never have this moment again? But thank God she sighed again, responding to his kiss. Uche released her gently and pushed her a little away from himself.
“Now that was something” he murmured.
Nma looked down in shame; she cursed her treacherous body for behaving so wantonly. She wasn’t supposed to respond to his kiss, she was supposed to show Uche that he had no more power over her body like she had already told him in so many words today.
“It was nothing more than flesh responding to flesh, don’t read anything more into it Uche” she said brutally
“I never said there was more to it, honestly I would really get scared if you do, just that the kiss was something and I think I stand in a better position to judge this kind of thing”
“As long as we understand each other” she said turning to go
“Yes, you are right, as long as we understand our position in this our new relationship we won’t have any problem”
“You are hateful” she said walking out.

As she drove home she couldn’t understand her feelings. She didn’t know if it was triumph or dismay she was feeling. Agreeing to become Uche’s wife was stupid. She must have been crazy to agree to become his wife. She thought alarmingly. How could she, after all he said. He made it obvious that he was getting married to her just to punish her for dumping him. She didn’t know he was that twisted. She felt tears in her eyes as she thought of what she lost and she wasn’t going to get it back anymore, not when he looked at her with so much coldness in his eyes. It was not fair the way he was taking everything. She was the offended one so she should be the one with all the coldness. She shuddered as she thought of her impending marriage to the love of her life which according to him was for a short period of time, till he got tired of her. Anyway it was not as if she was going to go through with it, she was going to show Uche never to play with any woman’s heart again, to fear a woman’s wrath. She began to fume inside as she parked her car.
She came into her boutique and took a look at her sweat and thanked God for his help, how could she have started from scratch again? She thought. Just the thought sent shivers down her spine.
“Thank God for Uche” she muttered. Then her conscience started to prick her for the plan she had for him but she forced the guilty conscience away and started for Felix’s office. After all he was the one who started it, he could have helped her for nothing but no he saw it as an opportunity to exert a punishment. No one would blame her for looking for a way to outsmart him.

Nma got home from work quite early, earlier than usual and she also went for grocery shopping too. She wanted to make a good dinner for herself and not because Uche was coming over she told herself again and again. She tried to convince herself she needed a break after the trauma of the past days.
She wanted to make rice, beans, stew, with fried plantain and salad just the way Uche loved it, but she caught herself,
“I’m not cooking to impress Uche” she said to herself firmly. As she washed the beans she could hear her heart calling her all kinds of names for refusing to admit that she was cooking for Uche after all she didn’t eat beans and it has been a long time since she touched fried plantains, but Uche would never touch rice and stew without beans or fried plantains. Alright she agreed she was cooking for Uche but not because she still cared for him, how could she, after all he said to her this afternoon. She was cooking to show appreciation to him for helping her out. At least now Felix and Tessy needed not to worry about the coming baby or about her again. Felix wasn’t all too happy when she broke the news happily to him that she and Uche had were back together again. He suspected that something was wrong, she had seen him practically sniffing the air for trouble and then his next question surprised her.
“Did he blackmail you?” thank God that she has been anticipating the question and had framed surprise and offence and that had convinced him she thought.
“Maybe I should go into acting next” she joked and laughed at her own joke. Mistakenly she glanced at her watch, six thirty, Uche would be here any minute, and she started hurrying to finish up. When the stew was cooking she decided to dash into the bathroom for a quick shower and a new dress, she didn’t want to face Uche as she was looking, sweaty and tired. She felt she needed all her wits about her if she was going to face him squarely. She didn’t want to admit to herself that she wanted to look fresh and beautiful for him. It has been long time she has taken time to look beautiful not since they broke up.
“It is not true” she snapped at herself “I’m not dressing up for Uche; I just want to be on the same level with him” she concluded, rushing into her bedroom.
She wore a sea green floral flowing skirt and matching plain black bodice top. She added just lip gloss to her lips and brushed out her hair, then slipped her feet into green flat slippers and rushed out to the kitchen.
When she got to the kitchen, she hurriedly switched off the cooker and began to dish the food. Each one she dished, she carried it to the living room where there was a small dining area.  When she was done, she glanced at her watch and it was half past seven, he might not come after all, she sighed with disappointment.  She looked at the dining table and the dishes she had taken time to prepare and she felt like crying. All these trouble taken in vain, she sighed. She wanted to throw the whole dishes away and she couldn’t stop calling herself a thousand different kinds fool for wasting time trying to impress a man who couldn’t care less about her.
Just then the door bell rang and her heart skipped a beat, she smoothed her dress and ran her fingers through her hair. The door bell rang again, she was confused. She very much wanted a look in the mirror to be sure that she looked good enough. So she looked for any handy one but the door bell rang again, she shook her head in defeat and hurried to open the door and decided she was going to fix a mirror in living room somewhere. She opened the door only to find Mike smiling down at her. Her face fell and she couldn’t stop her disappointment from showing.
“Wait, I know I am not who you are expecting but you can pretend for five minutes and smile at me” said Mike jovially and she couldn’t help smiling.
“Now that’s better, may I come in?” he asked.
“Well…..” she hesitated
“Say yes, it doesn’t take anything away from you and besides you can ask me to leave whenever you want to”
“Alright come in” she accepted and moving over to let him in.
“This place smells heavenly, what’s cooking?”
“Nothing much” she quickly answered, too quickly because she didn’t want this sharp witted smooth talker making her invite him to dinner. If anything she wanted him to leave, she could imagine what would happen if Uche saw him here.
“There is no way I am inviting you to dinner fits your facial expression better” he laughed.
“Actually I am expecting someone, I cooked for two only”
“Don’t tell me you’ve taken another man when I put in my application first”
“I have not taken another man, Uche and I are back together” she explained to him
“Uche, is he not your ex, the mean, rich fool”
Nma became offended at the name calling “He is no longer my ex and there is no way he is a fool, rich yes”
“I am shattered” he said lightly “Anyway let’s leave Uche out of this, I came to take you dancing at the club, it is ladies night”
“It is very obvious that I cannot go, Uche will be here any minute” she replied
“Yes I know but, he doesn’t own you, you are an independent woman and as far as I can see you should makes your choices”
“As an independent woman I should honor my words, I promised the man I love that I am going to cook him his favorite meal and moreover clubbing is not my thing”
The door bell rang and she went to open it. Her heart thudding, she should have dismissed Mike before now, what would Uche think?