CHAPTER 17

“I noticed how you were hoping to find the ring inside your chocolate mousse” Leo chuckles, as Claire hits him playfully on his shoulder.

The couple were finally in their room after putting their daughter to bed.

“You are just naughty, now I know where Tonya got it from, you knew all along, and I’m sure you were enjoying watching me get worked up.” She said, with her head on his bare chest, admiring the opal cut diamond ring, loving the way the light of the lamp reflects on it.

“I must confess that I did enjoy watching you squirm, but the wait was worth it.”

“Yes it was thank you.” Kissing him with all the tenderness she can muster. Leo returned the kiss with ardency enfolding her in his arms, as they both rediscover each other all over again.

Leo watched her sleep, a serene look on her face. Happy that he was the one that put that look of contentment on her face. He could not explain the kind of joy he felt as well, his woman in his arms, right where she belongs, with their daughter in her room. He had decided to ask Claire to move in with him, he can’t wait till when they get married officially. It does not make sense for them to be apart when they are going to be married in few months. Once he gets back from the business trip, everything will be in full gear then.

Leo imagined the look that will be on his brother’s face when he tells them that Claire has finally agreed to marry him. Henry most especially, who will not stop taunting him, hopefully he will stop soon. He chuckles ruefully at the thought of his brothers, he missed their banters. It’s even good that Liam is travelling over soon; they will catch up on events.

His father was not surprised when he informed him that there will be a wedding after all.

“You are a true son of Gbadegesin after all, you will always find a way” Leo recalls his father saying. The truth is, at a point he was not sure about himself, but he was not ready to give up, it’s not in his gene. The king did not even mind that the wedding is going to take place in LA, he is simply happy that it is happening, and of course the curse will not have any effect now that he has done the right thing.

Claire stirred in his arms, bringing him out of his reverie; he pressed a kiss between her eyebrow drawing her closer as sleep claims him.

******

“Oh my! This ring is beautiful!” Lizzie gasp in awe, Claire’s ring finger in her grasp.

Lizzie noticed the ring on Claire’s finger right away, nothing misses her eyes. The two were in the flower nursery tending to them. Lizzie has not been around for past three days, due to family emergency she had to take care of; Claire has been managing her flower shop alone, missing her friend and assistant.

“Thank you” giggling.

“Tell me everything, how did he propose? Was it at the restaurant?” Lizzie asked eager to know all the details.

“Calm down” smiling at her friend. She recounted the event to her, grinning as she recalls how the evening went.

“Awn so romantic, I think I will marry a Nigerian man”

“Lizzie! You are incorrigible” nudging her gently. Claire’s phone starts to ring, breaking the banter between the two. “Excuse me, it must be Leo” cleaning her hands before reaching for the phone in her jeans trouser back pocket.

“I’m so happy for you.” Allowing her to receive the call.

The number on her phone screen was not a familiar number.

“Hello?” Claire answered hesitantly.

“Hello Claire! This is Kezia”

“Kez! This is a good surprise.” Happy to hear from her.

“I just heard the good news about your upcoming wedding.” Kezia said.

“Me too. I’m so sorry that I have not call you again after I got back to LA.” The last time she called Kez and Lola was when she got back to LA, after that she has not called them.

“It’s fine, I believe I’m guilt as well, we don’t want to put any pressure on you from our side, seeing how you and Leo were still working things out. So happy that the two of you finally worked things out, especially with the whole curse thingy”

“Curse? What do you mean by that?” Claire asked, her eyebrow drawn together.

“Ops, I thought you knew about it. Forget about it, it’s nothing”

“Wait Kez, please tell me. Please I just want to understand that’s all.”

“Leo will be in the best position to explain. I don’t know all that much about it. What I heard was that, a prince in Ijomo Kingdom can’t have a bastard child, he must marry the mother the moment he knows about the child existence. If not he will become impotent and the said child will be cursed or something, please ask Leo about it. I have already said too much as it is and I’m not this type of person.”

“It’s fine, thank you. Don’t worry about it.” Claire mutters, dropping the mobile phone on the table. Sadness clouds her eyes, Lizzie who was busy with the flower plants could not pretend that she did not hear a bit about the conversation.

“Hey Claire, what’s the matter.” Gazing at her.

“I think Leo is marrying me because he has no other choice, and I don’t think it’s fair to me or Tonya.” She mutters.

“Please calm down whatever you think you know or heard may not be the whole truth, talk to him and I’m sure he has an explanation. Leo does not look like a man that can be forced to do anything, talk less of something big as marriage. He genuinely care about you.”

“But—”

“Claire talk first with him, when you see him.”

“He is not in town at the moment, he travelled down to California for a meeting” she mutters.

“Good, it will give you time to think and compose yourself, after you’ve talked you can now make your decision and I will support you.”

“Thank you” hugging her.

“It’s fine, now cheer up. You don’t want your daughter to see you moody.”

THE BROTHERS WERE HAPPY to see each other. The meeting is with one of their investors in the oil refinery that Liam oversees, it went smoothly.

“Now that we are done with business, you can finally relaxed” Leo said, after they have bade the investors’ farewell, signaling to one of the attending waiters in the restaurant. The meeting was held in one of the upscale hotels in California.

“I’m relaxed; it’s you that’s not comfortable being here. You will rather be solely focus on your art than be involved in the family business.” Liam told him pointedly.

“Please not this talk again. I’m here after all.” He drawled, rolling his eyes at him.

“You know I’m saying the truth, you are not a kid who needs his art to survive the loss of his mother anymore. You’ve grown and you know I’m very proud of you, especially with what you use the money from the art proceeds to do, taking care of people in need.” Holding Leo’s gaze. “But you also need to put the same energy into the family business, it’s our legacy. Now that you have a family of your own, you need to know that a lot of responsibility now lies on your shoulder.” Liam finished, muttering his thanks to the waiter that brought the wine.

‘I guess you are right” Leo mutters with a sigh. “I will try more, and thank you. I love you brother.”

“I love you too kiddo.” Flashing him a grin, “now that we have taken that talk out of the way, let’s talk about your upcoming nuptials, when is it happening?”

“I’m looking at next month” Leo grinned. “I don’t want to waste any more time.”

“That’s good, especially with the whole curse thing hanging over your head.”

“Ironically I’m not even bothered by the circumstance again, I want to marry Claire because I can’t imagine my life without her in it” he gave Liam a wistful smile.

“Oh my! You are in love?” staring at him open mouthed.

“Yes I am in love Liam, is it so hard to believe?”

“For you? Yes it is hard to believe” he chuckled. “I’m happy for you” raising his wine glass up to cheer him.

“Thank you” returning the gesture. He can’t deny what he feels for Claire, he loves her. “You know she reminds me of mum” he mutters.

“Really? How?”

“Despite being a spoilt brat while growing up, mother knows how to tame my excesses. In a way, Claire was not fazed by who I am; she has me in her grip without even trying so hard. I don’t know if I’m making sense.”

“You are in love indeed, I can’t wait to tell Henry, he will have a field day with you” Liam laughed boisterously at the thought.

“Both of you can’t wait to taunt me. Let’s just order lunch, I’m starving.”

Liam’s phone rings as they were about to finish with their lunch. “Speaking of the devil.” Chuckling as Henry's number flashed across his screen. “What’s up? Yes Leo is here, alright I will put you on speaker” placing the mobile phone on speaker.

“Have you called to tease me Henry” Leo ask, as Henry's voice came on.

“I wish that’s the case Leo, I think there’s something you must know. Claire has somehow found out about your reason for wanting to marry her.” He said tersely.

“Wait I don’t understand, how did that happened and how did you know?” Liam demanded, beating Leo to the question.

“Kezia called Claire to congratulate her about the wedding and it seems during the conversation she made the mistake of mentioning it, not knowing Claire did not know anything about it. Kez is very annoyed with herself, and she told me about it. So I thought I should give you a heads up about it before you see her.”

‘Oh God” Leo mutters, covering his eyes with both hands.

“She’s is sorry”

“I’m sure she is I just need to get to Claire before everything spins out of hand. Thank you for telling me.’

“It’s the least I could do. Let me know how things went.”

“What are you going to do?” Liam asks after Henry had ended the call.

“Come out clean to her, hopefully she will believe me, because I know how it will look to her.”

“I’m sure you will be fine. Let her know how much you love her, so she will understand that you are marrying for that sole reason.”

“Thank you brother. I just need to go back to LA as soon as possible. Do you still want to come with?”

“Sure. Will love to see my niece and your new house, but we are driving. It will give you time to gather your thought.”

Liam had flown in for the meeting in his helicopter, he simply instructed the pilot to come and pick him up the next day at Leo’s place.

Leo thought of calling Claire but quickly dismissed the idea. It better to see each other than talking on phone. The drive back to LA indeed helped him to think, and by the time he pulled into his home driveway he was sure of himself.