Chapter 37
Becky grimaced, feeling sorry for Helen and flipped the page to the beginning of chapter six.
Helen looked around the four thousand-plus capacity marquee tent with a fake smile plastered on her lips on her wedding day. She had been pronounced Mrs. Darin Grayson a few hours ago in her family church and they were now having the reception.
People smiled and danced to the electrifying beats from one of the country’s best artists on the bandstand.
Helen’s forty-five years old husband, Darin, did not spare any cost. He went all out to please Helen’s parents.
She cringed seeing her mother and a group of women dancing away gleefully on the dance floor. Everything happening right now was too much for her. She felt like walking away.
Everyone seemed happy, except the bride. But no one could tell. She had learned how to hide her displeasure. Helen had accepted that she was the sacrificial lamb for her family’s comfort. She never imagined in her wildest dream that she would marry an older man.
“Don’t you love this man at all?” Jane had asked a few weeks ago while they were sorting out the guest lists.
“No,” Helen shook her head. “I don’t love him. No love; you know that giddy feeling.” Helen said. “I’m doing this for my family and I pray I don’t regret it later.”
“You will not regret it,” her friend assured her. Helen nodded and smiled at her friend.
The big, loud wedding wasn’t what she wanted. She had always dreamed about a small, intimate wedding. But that was what her parents wanted. The loud, elaborate wedding of their daughter was an announcement to the public that their status had changed.
The day Helen said yes to Darin, everything around her changed. He moved her from the dormitory in school to a nearby service apartment off campus. He also got a car for her in less than two weeks, insisting that his woman would not be jumping buses, even as a student.
He assigned a driver to her to teach her how to drive.
Darin was doing everything to show his appreciation to Helen’s parents and family members for allowing him to marry their precious daughter.
Not only that, he bought a six-bedroom apartment for her family within two months too. Their fortune had completely turned around. Everyone now wanted to associate with Helen and her family members unlike before.
“Look,” Darin said, curving an arm around her waist. “Kenneth sent us a message.” He showed her the message from one of his foreign business partners who could not make it down for the wedding.
Helen took the phone from Darin to read the message.
“This is so sweet of him.” She looked into Darin’s eyes and gave him his phone back.
Darin Grayson, the billionaire industrialist, was not just rich; he was also good-looking. If you call him rich, young, and handsome, you will be correct.
“A dark and tall rich man.” Amelia, one of Helen’s friends, said one afternoon after they returned from the lecture room. “Can you help me ask him if he has any unmarried friends? I don’t even mind if he’s a widower or a divorcee.”
Amelia was one of those who used to distance herself from Helen. But when things changed, she started getting close to her. She never hid the fact that she envied Helen’s new life. Jane had warned Helen sternly, later to be very careful with her.
Helen just smiled at her friend and thanked her for the advice. Deep down in her, she wished Darin could find another woman and let her go.
“It’s your day. Be happy,” Jane, whispered into her friend’s ear. Helen turned to look into her friend’s eyes.
Julia draped her arms around Helen’s shoulders, and said, “everything will be fine.” She encouraged her, knowing she was not happy.
Helen sighed and mouthed, “thank you.”
“Can I get you ice cream?” Julia straightened up and asked her. Helen said yes.
“What can I get for you, Darin?” She asked Dapo.
“I will go with my wife, ice cream for me too. Thanks.” He beamed at his wife, who quickly glanced away.
Jane observed the reaction and scurried away, saying, “let me get the ice cream.” She returned a few moments later with one of the servers, who placed two bowls of ice cream on the coffee table in front of the couple.
Darin held Jane’s arm, “thank you, you have tried for us so much.” He said to appreciate her moral support. “I see why you are my wife’s best friend.”
“You are welcome, sir,” she replied to him. “Helen is a wonderful friend to me, too.” She winked at her friend.
Helen rolled her eyes at her with a fond smile. Jane was the sister she never had. They had been friends since their first year at the University.
Helen scooped the last of her ice cream into her mouth a few minutes after her friend left. She set the empty bowl on the coffee table and picked a serviette paper to clean her mouth. But she didn’t clean it well.
“You still have ice cream there,” Darin pointed a finger and reached out with another piece of serviette paper in hand to clean the corners of her mouth.
“Thanks,” she said and gave him a stiff smile.
Darin nodded with an enamored smile. He was smitten by his wife; Darin just loved her, despite her disposition toward him. He believed he would soon win her over completely with his love and care for her.
Their gaze locked for a while before she looked away. He grinned and kissed her on the cheek.
His PA came to whisper something into his ears. Darin nodded and waved the young man away.Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org
The wedding reception came to an end about thirty minutes later. The couple then left immediately for their honeymoon in the neighboring State.
Darin had wanted them to travel out of the country, but Helen insisted she was not going. She felt there was nothing worth globe-throttling about her marriage. All she wanted was just to get the wedding over with.