Betrothed To Real Love

Adeolu nearly choked on his morning tea when his mother made the announcement.

“You are betrothed to Kemi, the daughter of Baba Adebisi from Ondo,” she said, adjusting her wrapper. “We spoke when you were a child. Now, it is time.”

Adeolu laughed, shaking his head. “Mummy, you mean to tell me that in 2025, you still believe in choosing a wife for me?”

Mama Adeolu gave him a sharp look. “You think marriage is just about love? It is about family, legacy, and responsibility. This girl is well-trained, educated, and from a good home.”

“Well-trained? What am I looking for, a wife or a housemaid?”

“Watch your mouth, Adeolu,” she warned. “At least meet her before you reject her.”

Just to prove his mother wrong, Adeolu agreed. He drove down to Ondo that weekend, expecting a timid village girl who would be eager to please. Instead, he met Kemi.

She was nothing like he had imagined.

“So, you’re the Lagos prince they want me to marry?” she asked, arms crossed.

Adeolu blinked. “Excuse me?”

“I already know what you’re thinking.” She smirked. “That I’m some bush girl waiting for you to save me, right?”

“I, no, that’s not,”

“Save it,” she said, waving a hand. “Honestly, I’m only meeting you because of my parents. I have plans for my life, and I don’t intend to marry someone who sees me as an obligation.”

Adeolu had never been dismissed so quickly in his life.

“Obligation?” He scoffed. “You think I wanted this arrangement?”

“Then we agree on something.” She smiled sweetly. “Now that we’ve met, you can run back to Lagos and tell your mother you tried.”

But Adeolu didn’t leave immediately. There was something about Kemi her boldness, her refusal to shrink in his presence, that intrigued him. As the visit stretched into days, he found himself enjoying their debates, their laughter, and the way she challenged his views.

By the time he returned to Lagos, she was all he could think about.

But then, the problem came.

Kemi found out.

“You never wanted this marriage in the first place,” she said over the phone. “You were only playing along because of your mother.”

“Kemi, wait”

“Goodbye, Adeolu.” She ended the call.

For the first time in his life, Adeolu realized love wasn’t something that just happened, it was a choice. And he was ready to make it.

A week later, he showed up in Ondo unannounced.

“Kemi, I was an idiot,” he said the moment he saw her. “Yes, I came here to reject you. But I stayed because I didn’t want to leave. I stayed because you are everything I never knew I needed. And now, I’m standing here, asking you—forget our parents, forget the past—will you give us a real chance?”

Kemi studied him for a long moment, then smiled. “Took you long enough to figure it out.”

And just like that, love became a choice they both made.

The End.