CHAPTER FOUR

"No Ma! This cannot be happening, my Jamal cannot be getting married!" Cried Danielle.

Aliya and Shannelle had just told her about the arrangement and she was not taking the news lightly. Aliya and Danielle's mother were very good friends and since the day Aliya was born, they had decided that their two children would get married when they grow up.

When Danielle hit puberty, the two mother's told her about the arrangement and she was very happy. However, Jamal never knew about this engagement and even though he was friends with Danielle, he had never thought of marrying her.

Danielle and Jamal grew up together and Danielle loved him with everything that had life in her. She had done all she could to get close to Jamal in every way, but Jamal had done nothing but shut her out. She had hoped that one day, Jamal would open up to her and ask her to marry him since according to her, she was the only female he ever looked at and spoke to.

"Ma! Please tell me it's not true!" Danielle cried harder and her best friend, Shannelle, took her in her arms and tried to calm her down.

"Even I was very shocked when Grandma announced it. But don't you worry my dear, I know my son does not love that lowlife of a girl and nothing his grandmother says will make him marry her. I'm going to talk to him when he comes back from the office today and suggest that he marry you instead. He will listen to me because I am his mother" Aliya assured her, but deep down in her heart, she wasn't very sure about what she was saying.

It was true that no one ever told Jamal what to do.

So she doubted the fact that even their mother would be able to make him marry Danielle even if he refused to marry Adele. She had no power over her son and had no say in his life.

"Come on mother, you very well know that even you cannot tell Jamal what to do. I think what you should do is try your best to make him see reasons why he should marry Danielle and not that freeloader called Adele. If you present this matter to him like a threat or make it seem like it's by force, you very well know it will not bother him in any way!" Shannelle cautioned and Aliya bit her lips as she strode about the living room with both hands resting on her waist.

She was both irritated and deterred about the entire predicament.

She could not even bring herself to accept Adele as her daughter, but now, she was faced with the threat of accepting her as her daughter-in-law.

She knew that one day her son was going to become the CEO of her husband's billion dollar conglomerate and that if he married Adele, it meant in the future, she will be the powerful wife of a rich CEO.

She hated Adele since the day was brought into that family and she was never going to accept her for her son. She was going to do all she could to stop the marriage from happening.

A knock at the room door snapped her out of her thoughts and she walked over to the door to check who it was. Once she opened it, she was disappointed to see a maid standing before her.

"What do you want?" She barked and the frightened maid took a step behind before looking at her again.

"You said to inform you when young Mr. Dominick returned home, I came to pass the news. He has arrived and is headed for his bedroom" The maid announced in fear.

"You can leave" She ordered and the maid scampered away.

Aliya turned to the two girls sitting on the bed and it broke her heart to see how much Danielle was crying.

"I will be right back" She informed as she exited Shannelle's bedroom. She walked over to the east wing of the floor where Jamal's bedroom was located and when she arrived, she met him about to walk into his bedroom.

"Jamal" She called as she approached him.

When Jamal saw his mother, he let out a silent, tired sigh and stood on the spot, waiting for her to arrive and say what it was she had to say.

Not that he did not know what she had to say.

"Welcome back home."

"Thank you, mother"

"Jamal, I am here to address the issue concerning the marriage "

"What about the marriage, mother?"

"I know you don't like that girl. I am here to tell you that you don't have to marry her if you don't want to. Don't let your grandmother force you into something you don't like" His mother cautioned and he turned around to fully face her.

"Mother, I have heard you."

"You know there's someone better for you, right? Think of Danielle. She is your childhood friend and you both know each other inside out. She will make a perfect wife for you, not that freeloader!" Aliya darned that enraged Jamal.

"Mother" He called as he tried to steady his breath. "I want you to know something, Adele and I are going to get married. I have no problem with that arrangement. I don't care whether you like it or not, but you will refrain from calling her names as she is going to be my wife very soon. And for that choice of yours, I would rather dedicate myself to the priesthood than have anything to do with her. Henceforth, don't meddle in my affairs mother, I'm old enough to deal with my problems."

"But you…"

"Excuse me mother." He said as he turned around and began walking away from his room door.

"And where the hell are you going?" Aliya asked, annoyed. That was the first time Jamal was talking to her in that manner and she felt very angry because he did so in Adele's defense.

"And where are you going?" She asked again and Jamal paused on his tracks and looked at her over his shoulders.

"To see my future wife, mother!" He replied and continued to walk on.

Aliya angrily turned on her heels and stormed away.

Jamal took calm, calculated steps towards Adele's bedroom which was many doors away from his on the same hallway in the wing.

When he got to the door, he knocked on it and took a step backwards as he waited for her to open the door.

There was something he needed to tell Adele. He knew not how she was going to react, but he just needed to tell her because it was important and he needed her to understand.

"Jamal" Adele called the moment she opened the door and Jamal could snese the terror in her voice.

He didn't blame her for looking so shocked because he had never showed up at her room before, not to talk of unexpectedly.

His eyes travelled from her beautiful face, down to her body and his pupils dilated when he saw the tiny, almost see through dress she had on. He gulped dryly as his eyes lingered around her entire body, drinking in the sight of the gorgeous figure standing before him.

He had no idea she had even the slightest curves because of the oversized dresses she always had on.

He wanted to smile hard and compliment her beauty, but he knew better than to do that.

"I apologise for showing up unexpectedly" He apologised in a calm tone.

"It's okay. Why are you here"

"Adele, it is a matter of our marriage. I suggest that we keep it secret for a period of time for your own safety and comfort" He suggested and Adele felt a painful lump form in her throat.

She crossed her arms over her breast as she cleared her throat and gave him a long stare.

"I know this sounds…"

"It's okay. I will do as you say. I will keep our marriage a secret from everyone"

"Thank you"

"Hmmm" She replied with a nod and they both stood there in silence, looking at each other as intensely as they could.

"Dinner will soon be ready. I hope to see you don't soon" Then he turned around and walked away.

Adele instantly got into her bedroom and banged the door hard behind her.

"I suggest you keep our marriage a secret from everyone!" She repeated as she tried to mimic Jamal in anger.

She was angry and disappointed at the same time because when she tried to think of the possible reason why he would want to keep their marriage a secret, only one came to her mind.

He was ashamed of her.