Love Found Me When I Wasn’t Looking (Episode 25)

Daniel’s POV

I sat in my father’s office, the air thick with tension. Mr. Benson leaned back in his chair, hands clasped behind his head, his eyes calm but sharp.

“Daniel,” he said, finally breaking the silence, “next week, we will be visiting the girl I want you to marry.”

I froze, my pulse racing. “Visiting… her? Father, I can’t… I can’t just go meet someone like that! I’m not ready for this! I… I…”

He raised a hand, cutting me off. “You don’t get to say no. This is important. We will go next week, and you will meet her.”

My hands tightened into fists on my knees. “But Father! I can’t marry her! I… I’m seeing someone else!”

His expression didn’t change. “I understand, son. But that doesn’t change the visit. You will go and be polite. That is all I expect from you for now. You cannot refuse.”

I stood abruptly, pacing the room, my frustration boiling over. “It’s not fair! My heart… my head… both are hurting. How can you expect me to just… accept this?”

Mr. Benson leaned forward, his voice firm but patient. “Life is not always fair, Daniel. Sometimes duty comes before desire. You will meet her, behave with respect, and then we will see how things unfold.”

I wanted to argue, to refuse, to yell but the weight of his authority pressed down on me. I sank back into the chair, defeated, my chest tight with anger and helplessness.

Victoria’s POV

Later that evening, my phone rang. It was my mother.

“Victoria,” she said immediately, her voice serious, “we need to start preparing. You will be traveling to Abuja next week. I want to see you and you need to meet the man your father wants you to see, just once.”

My stomach dropped. My hands shook slightly as I held the phone. “Mum… I… I don’t know if I can. My heart… my head… they’re both hurting right now.”

She sighed softly. “I know, my child. But sometimes, we don’t get to choose when things happen. You only need to meet him once. Nothing more. Just one visit, and then we will see what happens.”

I closed my eyes, trying to steady myself. Daniel… the thought of him made my heart ache, yet here I was, being asked to meet another man.

“Okay, Mum… I’ll go. I’ll see him… just once,” I whispered.

I hung up, feeling the weight of the coming week pressing down on me. My head was spinning with confusion, my heart torn between what it wanted and what the world expected of me.

I don’t know if my heart can survive this collision… but I have no choice now.

continue reading Episode 26