Chapter 2 The Arranged Deception

Diamond collapsed onto her bed, tears streaming down her face. She felt trapped and helpless. Just as she was drifting off into despair, her phone rang. It was Kelvin. She quickly picked up, and they spent the next few minutes talking and apologizing for what had happened earlier.

Just as they were getting comfortable, Chief Henry burst into the room. "Diamond, give me that phone now!" he demanded, his voice thunderous.

Diamond tried to hide the phone, but her father was too quick. He snatched it away from her and barked into the receiver, "Listen, and listen well. Next time you call my daughter, I'll make sure you rot in jail."

With that, he hung up angrily, blocked Kelvin's number, and deleted it from Diamond's phone. Diamond's world crumbled as she watched her father's ruthless actions.

She burst into tears, feeling like she was losing everything. "If Mum was alive, all these wouldn't be happening," she sobbed.

Chief Henry's expression turned cold and accusatory. "You think your mother was innocent? You killed her, Diamond. She died after giving birth to you."

Diamond's eyes widened in shock. "That wasn't my fault," she protested, but her father's anger only intensified.

"Whatever," he spat. "You'll marry David, whether you like it or not."

Diamond's face contorted in anguish. "No, no, no, Dad! I don't like him,I don't want him,I hate him!" she screamed, tears streaming down her face.

Diamond's sobs intensified as her father's words cut deep. "You're going to marry David, and that's final," he declared, his voice devoid of empathy.

Diamond's body shook with despair. "Why are you doing this to me, Dad?" she pleaded, her voice hoarse from crying.

Chief Henry's expression remained unyielding. "David's a good man, and he'll take care of you. You're lucky to have him."

Lucky? Diamond felt like she was being sold off to the highest bidder. She thought about Kelvin and how much she loved him. How could her father not understand?

As Chief Henry turned to leave, Diamond's desperation grew. "Dad, please listen to me! I don't want to marry David. I want to be with Kelvin."

Her father's back stiffened, and he turned to face her. "Kelvin? Don't even mention that name in this house again. You're going to forget about him and focus on your future with David the father of your unborn kids."

The door slammed shut behind him, leaving Diamond alone in her darkness. She felt like she was suffocating under the weight of her father's expectations.

Chief Henry invited his friend Chief Collins the politician to a local bar to clear his head about what happened earlier.

At the local bar, Chief Henry and Chief Collins sat sipping their whiskey, laughing and joking about their lives. Chief Henry filled his friend in on the latest with his daughter, Diamond. "You won't believe what happened earlier," he said, chuckling. "She's been seeing this wretched young man, Kelvin, behind my back. I had to put my foot down."

Chief Collins roared with laughter. "Ah, I know the feeling. Kids these days don't know what's good for them. What's the plan with this Kelvin fellow?"

Chief Henry's expression turned serious. "I've taken care of him. He won't be bothering us again anytime soon. Now, I need your boy, David, to marry my Diamond. It'll be a good alliance for our families."

Chief Collins nodded in agreement. "I'll talk to him. He's been a bit...independent lately, but he'll come around."

Back at the Collins' residence, Chief Collins called his son, David, into his study. "David, my boy, I've arranged a marriage for you. You'll be marrying Chief Henry's daughter, Diamond. It's a great opportunity for our families."

David's face fell. "Dad, I don't know...I have someone I care about. Her name is Ada, and I don't want to marry anyone else."

Chief Collins' expression darkened. "Ada who? You can't be serious about someone I've never heard of. Diamond is a good girl from a respectable family. You'll do what's best for this family."

David's voice rose in desperation. "But Dad, I don't love Diamond. I love Ada. Please understand."

Chief Collins would not budge. "You'll do as you're told, David. You'll marry Diamond."

The conversation escalated, with David becoming more agitated. He stormed out of the study, shouting down the stairs, "No way on this earth will I marry that girl! I don't even know her!"

From upstairs, Chief Collins bellowed, "David, you will marry Diamond she is the best for you! Don't make me come down there and remind you of your duties!"

David's anger boiled over as he stormed out of the compound, the gates closing behind him with a loud clang. He needed to clear his head and vent to someone he trusted. He drove to the nearest bar, a place he and his best friend Kexh frequented, and spotted Kexh sitting at their usual table, nursing a drink.

David slid into the chair across from Kexh, his expression grim. "My father is trying to marry me off to a girl I don't know," he said, his voice laced with frustration. "He says it's a good opportunity for our families, but I have Ada. I don't want anyone else."

Kexh listened attentively, then said, "David between me and you there is no Ada anywhere he laughed, you have to do what you have to do. But if I were you, I'd marry her and make her life hell. That way, she'll leave you alone."

David's face lit up with a sly smile. "You think so? Make her life miserable until she decides to leave me?"

Kexh nodded. "Exactly. You can't defy your father openly, but you can make the marriage unbearable for her. Trust me, she'll be the one to call it quits,like a divorce or something"

David grinned, feeling a sense of relief. "I knew you'd have my back, Kexh. Best friends for life, right?"

The two friends clinked glasses, their plan forming. Little did Diamond know what lay ahead.