Chapter 22

"He did not say he would not. He only meant that he wouldn't make it right in time before the party begins. That means he wouldn't come before your father, the celebrant," Whitney explained to her husband.

"He wouldn't come before the celebrant," Daniel repeated and let out a low laugh.

"Why wouldn't he be able to come? Did he give you a justifiable reason, as to why he would not come or does he expect to wallow in his blatant lie without any reasonable excuse?"

"Daniel my boy," a familiar voice called from behind Daniel.

Daniel hesitated before turning to see the person.

"Hello, uncle."

"My boy Daniel, why are you so tensed up about the presence of my son. Whether he comes or not, that should not bother you, besides you and I know that you hate to see him," Eric's dad said.

Whitney looked at Daniel but her face darted to Mr. Arnold Smith, Eric's father.

Daniel smiled faintly, "if you can explain to me what you just said, then it shall have a meaning to me."

Arnold Smith laughed. "Come on Daniel. It is not a new thing or are you pretending because your wife is here. It is high time you bring her to light and make her know that you have been bearing a grudge against us. You intentionally deceived us and made us not to come to your wedding. What have I and my son done to deserve your ill treatment towards us?"

There was a pregnant pause.

Whitney looked confuse and yes, she knew that Daniel did not like his relatives, she did not understand why he would keep them in the dark, about their wedding.

"What was happening?"

Uncle can you please hit the nail, hard on the head and set the record straight," Daniel's face looked unfriendly.

"Oh my gosh, Daniel take a look at your face. Why are you acting as if you do not know that I am joking? Have you a bad conscience for something that is not true? Daniel you always make me laugh, I was only playing a prank on you."

Whitney heaved a sigh of relief, like father like son, always joking.

Daniel smiled, "come on uncle, I just gave you a real reaction or have you forgotten that your niece was once an actor. Come on I just reacted as supposed. So where is my brother, Eric?"

"He had gone to handle something in our upgrading company. He will soon arrive. Try one of these days to come and visit your uncle's company."

"For what?" Daniel said, pretending to be joking but he really needed an answer.

"You are a good business man, having you in our country will only add great profit to our company," Arnold said, exhibiting friendship.

Daniel smiled. "I will be looking at my schedule to check when I can have a free time. You know I am almost as busy as a bee everytime but for your sake I shall squeeze out as tiny as a time for you and your company. Excuse I and my wife," he said, taking Whitney by the hand. They both left.

"Such foolish boy," Arnold muttered under his breath.

"Your uncle is such a funny and nice man. Now I see where your cousin, Eric, inherited his funny and nice personality," Whitney said.

"If you are so fond of them, why not go and get married to him or even his father," Daniel suggested to her angrily and walked away.

"Come on Daniel," Whitney said, walking behind him.

"I was just speaking the truth."

"I am not interested in what you have to say Whitney, so please just keep away from me," Daniel said and walked away in a hurry.

"Why are you acting so strange, Dan?" Whitney asked, trying to understand why he was angry.

"Are you jealous or what?" She asked him, trying to hide her laughter.

"Do you think I could ever be jealous and even if I were to be jealous, you would not be standing this close to me," Daniel fumbled.

"How Dan? Would you beat me up?"

Daniel stopped walking and looked at her. "Not you but Eric. I shall talk to you later, bye for now," he said and left.

Whitney watched him walk away, there was this unexplainable smile on her face.

x x x x x x x x x 

Finally the host of the party arrived in a grand style. 

Daniel went to him. "Hey Dad you look so splendid in this outfit of yours.

"Thank you son," his father replied.

"Welcome dad," he said to him.

"So where is my beautiful daughter in law, I guess this is the right time for me to meet her," the old man said to his son.

Daniel smiled at him. "It is time for you to meet her. Wait her and I will go and get her for you," he said to his dad and left at once.

The old man patiently waited for his son and his daughter in law. As for Daniel, he went deeper into the Hall, in search of his wife.

While looking for Whitney, he bumped into his best friend, Clinton.

"Hey man, what's up?" Clint asked him.

"I'm good bro," he replied.

"So what is happening?" Clinton asked him.

"I have to go now, I will get back to you later. Dad wants to meet Whitney but I can't find her," he detailed to his best friend.

He walked out immediately, Clinton ran after him. "Hey bro, I think I saw Whitney around the entrance of the back door," Clinton revealed to him.

"Thanks buddy." Daniel said and ran towards the back door.

When Daniel got there, he saw Whitney ordering the guards, some of the waiters and I. Daniel really admired the great job she was doing, all for a man that she had no idea of. He walked up to her and dismissed all of the servants, whom she was talking to.

"Dan, why did you tell them to go, I was still giving them details on they should carry out each of the tasks," she whined.

"Forget about all of that, there is something much more important for you to do," he said to her, with a big smile plastered on his face.

"What would be more better than making your father's birthday the best ever," she answered, with her hands on her chest and her eyes intently on him.

"Meeting him is more important don't you think so?" He asked her.

"What? M

Why would meeting hi....," She paused, immediately she realized what Daniel had just said to her.

"Wait a minute, what did you just say?" She asked him.

Daniel smiled widely at her, "my dad is calling for you," he answered swiftly.

"Really? Why did you not tell me these much earlier?" She asked and slapped his shoulder.

"You had better stop talking and come with me. You never can tell what may happen next," he said to her.

"Alright, let's go," she said to him, feeling so glad.

They both walked to where Daniel had left his father but on reaching the spot, he wasn't there anymore.

"Where is he?" Whitney asked Daniel.

"I don't know, maybe he was tired of waiting," he replied.

"What do you mean by he was tired of waiting?" She asked.

"Well he asked me to call, like about twenty minutes ago," he replied.

"Twenty minutes?" Whitney asked, staring at him like he was the reason for all the delay.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" He asked.

"Why didn't you call me when he asked you to?" She fired at him angrily but in an undertone.

"I was looking for you," he answered plainly, not wanting to get into any form of argument with her.

"Ohh," Whitney mouthed.

Daniel dashed his eyes through the party, his eyes finally landed on his dad. "Ohh, there he is," he said to Whitney while pointing at the direction of his dad.

They didn't say anything instead they walked to where Mr. Smith was. 

"Hey Dad," Daniel called out to his father.

Mr Smith turned to his son. 

"Excuse me," he said to the people that he was discussing with, then he left from their midst.

"Son?" Mr. Smith called to him.

"Yes dad," he answered.

"Why did you keep me waiting and where is my beautiful daughter in law?" The man asked, his eyes were so focused on his son, that he did not notice Whitney, who was beside Daniel.

Daniel stretched his hand to his wife, "she is here dad," he said, locking hands with Whitney.

Mr. Smith moved his eyes away from his son and brought them to his daughter in law.

"Beautiful," the old man remarked.

Whitney smiled at his words. "Good day and happy birthday to you, father in law. I am so delighted to have finally met you," she said to him politely.

The old man spread his hands out to her for a hug. Whitney closed in on him immediately.

"So you are the one that tamed the wild demon my son and replaced it with a humble angel," the old man praised, causing his son to curse under his breath.

"Dad? You do not need to tarnish my image in front of my wife," Daniel spoke up.

The old man laughed, "are you this ashamed and shy in front of your wife?" His father mocked on, still laughing loudly.

The little drama between Daniel and his father, made Whitney smile and laugh. Wow she was becoming more amazed by the sense of humor this family harboured.

After the introduction, the party commenced and everything was indeed awesome.

Three weeks later, Daniel's dad transferred almost everything to his son, causing some people to be happy while some others were so bitter inwardly.

As for Daniel, he had already gotten the properties he needed and so Whitney wasn't needed anymore.

He asked his lawyer to prepare the divorce papers. In not less than a week, a divorce paper was made on his behalf but in the paper, it was declared that the marriage would end only after three months. He did not mind at all. All he needed, was to have her sign the divorce papers, then they both could live separate lives.