THE BILLIONAIRE'S Chapter 1
THE BILLIONAIRE'S SECRET WIFE
PART 1 — THE DEBT
Amara stared at the document in her father's trembling hands.
Twenty million naira.
That was the amount her family owed.
And they had only seven days to pay.
“Daddy, what are we going to do?”
Michael Okafor lowered his head.
“I don't know.”
Amara's heart broke.
Their family business had collapsed. Their house was about to be taken. Even the hospital bills were piling up.
Then someone knocked.
Three times.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Amara opened the door.
A tall man in a perfectly tailored black suit stood outside.
Behind him were two security guards.
“Amara Okafor?”
“Yes.”
“My name is Daniel Blackwood.”
Her eyes widened.
Everyone knew Daniel Blackwood.
A billionaire.
A powerful businessman.
A man who could buy an entire company without blinking.
“What do you want?”
Daniel looked past her toward her father.
“I came to settle your family's debt.”
Amara couldn't believe what she had heard.
“Why?”
Daniel's eyes returned to hers.
“Because I have a proposal for you.”
“What proposal?”
He stepped closer.
“Marry me.”
Silence.
Amara stared at him.
“You want me to marry you?”
“For one year.”
She laughed nervously.
“This isn't funny.”
“I am not joking.”
Daniel placed a contract on the table.
“One year. You become my wife. I clear your father's twenty-million-naira debt. After twelve months, we divorce.”
Amara looked at the contract.
There was only one problem.
“Why me?”
Daniel became unusually quiet.
Then he said:
“Because I've been looking for you for twelve years.”
Amara's heart skipped.
“What do you mean?”
Daniel pulled an old photograph from his pocket.
Amara looked at it.
It showed a little girl standing beside a young boy.
The girl was her.
She knew immediately.
But she couldn't remember the boy.
Daniel pointed at him.
“That was me.”
Amara stared at him in shock.
“We knew each other?”
Daniel's expression hardened.
“You knew me.”
Before she could ask another question, a woman's voice came from behind them.
“Don't sign that contract.”
Amara turned.
A beautiful woman stood at the doorway.
Daniel's face changed.
“Sofia.”
The woman looked at Amara.
“You don't know what you're agreeing to.”
Amara frowned.
“Who are you?”
Sofia looked at Daniel.
“Ask him what happened twelve years ago.”
Daniel's jaw tightened.
“Leave.”
Sofia ignored him.
Then she whispered:
“Ask him why his mother disappeared.”
Amara looked at Daniel.
“What is she talking about?”
Daniel said nothing.
Sofia smiled sadly.
“Because your father knows the truth.”
Amara's heart began pounding.
“My father?”
She turned toward Michael.
He had gone completely pale.
“Daddy?”
He wouldn't look at her.
Daniel slowly picked up the contract.
“Your family has seven days.”
He placed it in front of her.
“Save your father.”
Then he looked directly into her eyes.
“Become my wife.”
Amara's hands trembled.
She picked up the pen.
But before she could sign...
Her father's voice stopped her.
“Amara, don't marry him.”
She looked up.
Her father was crying.
And Daniel whispered:
“I'm sorry, Michael.”
Then he added quietly:
“But she has to know the truth eventually.”
