Manifesting To Be The Rich Man's Wife

16

Ibrahim's POV🖤




I am completely certain that Amina's morning phone call was to Abbah, which made her intentionally ignore mine.

As my anger inflated, I refilled my wine glass and gulped the beverage. My eyes were bloodshot with fury, and nothing could excite me as much as it had with her the night before.

The incessant ringing of my phone only added to my irritation, and I slammed the bottle of wine onto the floor, only to see Khadija's name flash on the screen.

I answered the call, seething with frustration, and snapped with an aggressive, forceful tone, "What?"

"Ibr...." she attempted to speak, but I quickly cut her off, raising my voice and causing the veins in my neck to pulse with fury.

"Who gave you the consent to call me whenever you please?" I snarled, my voice echoing through the room.

"I'm sorry. My people said they saw the lights in your house turned on last night, so they thought you'd visited Kano. I wanted to invite you to breakfa." she was conveying, but I interrupted,

"What do you do when it rains? Do you go out?" I asked with genuine curiosity.

"No, I hate the rain. It makes me ill," she replied with a tone of uncertainty, and as soon as she finished, I ended the call. It is evident that there is no chance for us to be together due to her hatred for the rain, because why will she be different from Amina?

"Ibrahim," Hearing a voice behind me, I turned, finding my reflection standing in the mirror.

"Are you in love with Amina?" my own reflection posed, prompting me to react with a slight furrowing of my brows.

"What kind of question is that?" I retorted, bewildered.

It persisted, asserting, "Exactly! Leave that girl. She isn't the only one in the world. Don't ruin your own happiness for her. After all, she's a nobody, completely unimportant!"

"She can't choose Abbah over me. I won't allow it." I argued.

However, my reflection contended firmly, "Just forget her. What she chooses to do with her life isn't your business. Remember who you are—Ibrahim, the most eligible bachelor in Nigeria. Educated, handsome, and a billionaire. With a mere flick of your finger, countless other women will vie for your favour. So, who cares that Amina is beyond your reach? There are many more options."

My frustration boiled over, and I slammed my hand angrily onto the floor. "That's the problem!" I exclaimed. "Why is she beyond my reach?"

My reflection responded, "She is incapable of valuing your worth. She is foolish and daft. Concentrate on your goals and your business, and forget about her. Your relationship is a hopeless ambition; after all, you come from completely different statuses."

***

It has been a week since my return to Abuja, and I have tried to put Amina behind me. I attempted to occupy myself with distractions such as parties and meetings with other women, but these actions were ineffective. I turned to alcohol; however, it also failed to offer me any solace. As a result, I shifted my focus to my business. Presently, I am seated among my employees in the boardroom for a project briefing. The plan at hand involves the construction of a shopping mall in Kano, commissioned by the state government. I'm keenly attentive, engrossed in the employee's presentation that is being displayed on the projector.

As the presentation progresses and the employee highlights the various features of the projected mall design, I silently assess the potential benefits and drawbacks of the task. After the detailed presentation, I was thoroughly convinced and gave my official go-ahead.

"We can move forward with the project," I affirmed, and he placed a copy of the project file before me on the table.

In response, he inquired, "When do you plan to visit Kano to survey the land, sir?"

I issued a firm directive, "The work must begin immediately." I paused as my mind became distracted. It pictured Amina's face with her laughter echoing, which brought a smile to my face. I gave an answer, "I shall be in Kano in two days."

****

My fingers tremble with an uncontrollable urge, itchiness, and a fierce temptation to call Amina. I'm willing to sacrifice my ego and pride for her sake. The desire to hear her voice is too overwhelming.

I navigated to my contact list, her name leaping out at me. I saved it as "Amina, the Madam with self-respect."

I reconsidered.

Perhaps messaging her on WhatsApp would be a wiser choice. That way, I could avoid being yelled at when I call.

I couldn't help but smile as I recalled how frustrated she had made me during that phone call.

Still, in retrospect, she did have a point. I, too, dislike it when people call me while I am already on a call.

I searched for her on WhatsApp, but her number wasn't available on the platform.

My eyebrows furrowed in surprise as I voiced my thoughts, "This is unusual. Who doesn't use WhatsApp in this day and age, especially someone as beautiful as her?"

I mentally prepared myself for the risk of making another call to her, only to have it ring and end without an answer. I rebuked myself, "Seriously, Ibrahim, where's your self-respect? Why am I even doing this?" Yet, with no shame or regrets, I dialled her number again.

"Good evening!" her cheerful voice greeted me from the other end.

I cleared my throat and replied with delight, "How have you been?"

"I'm doing well, and you?" she responded.

Her surprisingly cheerful attitude made me comment, "You appear to be in a good mood today."

"I am always in a good mood," she said.

"That's good for the heart too. I called to inform you I'm coming to Kano in two days," I mentioned.

"How is that important to me?" came her slow reply, like she chose her words carefully.

"I want us to meet. Will you be available?" I asked.

"Are you coming here for me again?" she inquired with a hint of irritation.

"Oh no, it's for work," I reassured her, to rid her of any thoughts.

"Then concentrate on your work. We don't have any connection that requires a meeting when you arrive," she retorted with a dismissive attitude.

"Are we still not friends?" I genuinely asked to know where I stand in her life.

"Absolutely, we're not," she asserted, in a tone of frustration and disappointment. "If you had made a stronger effort, things might have been different. However, you avoided me for a whole week. I understand it's not obligatory for you to keep talking, but..."

"You forgot the reason behind my actions. I waited patiently on my end, eagerly expecting your call. When I called you last, you asked me to respect myself and end it. I respected your wishes, withdrew, and kept waiting patiently."

"Why should I call you? By what right? We have no friendship or relationship," she proclaimed, her frustration evident.

I persisted, adding "please" to my request, "Please, can we just meet?"

Her response came with a sigh, her frustration still clear. "I'm sorry, but we can't. I hail from a traditional family. My relatives are scattered across Kano. It would be problematic if someone saw me with you. Additionally, I am strictly forbidden from meeting any man outside."

"How about going to a restaurant, or if you prefer, you can come over to the villa?"

She reiterated, "I am not allowed to meet a man outside my home. Even if I could, my relatives reside in various locations across Kano."

I suggested a solution once again, "In that case, would it be possible for us to meet at the field? As of now, only my employees and I have access to the premises."

"Which field?"

"I am," I paused, contemplating whether to reveal the details, as it is highly confidential information.

"You're...?" she prompted, urging me to continue.

I swallowed, gathering my thoughts before declaring, "I'm visiting Kano to inspect a land."

There was a momentary pause before she gently asked, "Why do you want to meet me, Ibrahim?" Her voice oozed with a soothing charm that instantly eased all my troubles.

I spoke, my voice reflecting my uncertainty, "I don't know. Please, I'll be expecting your arrival. I will send you the address, and once you reach it, I'll arrange for my men to let you in. Trust me, your family won't know about it."

"My father works for you. Won't he join the inspection?"

"No. Inspecting isn't within his job responsibilities. Especially concerning this field."

I heard her respond with a soft hum. She then replied thoughtfully, "Alright, I'll consider it. However, if I decide to come, I have one condition."

"Of course. Go ahead."

She firmly expressed, "You will not commence the inspection of the land until I arrive. We will inspect it together."

A deep chuckle escaped my lips as I clarified, "No. Inspecting the land isn't your responsibility. The project is under strict confidentiality."

"My presence doesn't seem needed then."

I gently countered, "You've got it wrong. It's not that I don't want to trust you."

"Professionalism. I understand. There's no need to worry."

"Alright then," I agreed, because my desire to see her is too strong. "We'll wait for you."

"I haven't promised anything, but I'll try to come."

"Please try," I encouraged, a broad smile illuminating my face. The mere thought of her presence again brought me immense joy and contentment.

__