Chapter 52
Good evening everyone!... I'm going to make this meeting short and to the point so I can get back to my bed as early as possible. As you're all aware that I've been out all day and just came home not quite long ago. It's been a very long day and the body is not as agile as it used to be.
For those of us who are not aware yet, I already found the girl Leo had the blood oat with... I've not met with her parents yet but I've spoken with her guardian, who happens to be her grandmother... And it's going to be just like I thought and said to us three days ago... There will be a wedding!"
'There will be a wedding!' Hearing his grandfather' statement made Leo let out the breath he didn't know he was holding in relief. The news sure made him happy and he never realized how eager he was to make her his wife, whether by contract or real, until that very moment.
"I spoke with her grandmother and we both picked a date for the ritual and traditional wedding which would be in two weeks. The elaborate wedding will be held a month after the traditional wedding..."
"Excuse me, grandpa... May I say something..." Lydia, Leo's mother asked, partially raising her hand
"No, you may not Lydia! When I'm done talking then you may ask your question." Lincoln said curtly to his daughter-in-law. He knew she was not happy about what he said and wanted to oppose it. Whatever it was that she was not happy about would have to wait until he was done talking.
As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted... Concerning the traditional wedding, only Leo's presence and my own would be needed, you all don't need to come along with us. It was there and then that we'll discuss the actual date for the elaborate wedding. After wish, we will have another meeting to discuss all preparations towards that day." Lincoln finished before turning to Leo
"That's about the wedding, Leo... Do you have anything to say, any objections at all?"
"No grandpa"
"Good!" Lincoln said with a huge smile on his face. Even though he knew Leo was somehow attracted to Samantha, he wasn't expecting him to just say yes to all their plans. He was expecting him to at least protest to something. Lincoln couldn't believe his luck of how things were moving smoothly
"Lydia you can now ask your question," Lincoln said, turning to his daughter-in-law
"Thank you, grandpa... Ehmm, I was just wondering... Since this is going to be a temporary wedding... Couldn't we do away with the elaborate part of the wedding?... I think going to just the registry on a low key is perfect. No need to let the world know about this, so there won't be many questions ask when it eventually ends.
And I also want to know how long the marriage will take before we can ask for an annulment. You said two years before... I hope it has not change?... I'm asking this because of that poor girl Claire, that has been with Leo all these months... We can't just wake up one day and tell her it's over..."
"Lydia, The girl's family required an elaborate wedding and an elaborate wedding is what we will give them... Unless if the couple decided otherwise on their own, then it's going to be elaborate...
And what I said before about how long the wedding would be no longer matters... The years they would stay married to each other would depend on the outcome of what ifa says at the ritual." Lincoln lied and secretly asked God for forgiveness.
"And as for the Claire girl... I don't know why that is my business?... What matters to me is the life and safety of my grandson, which is what should be your topmost priority right now, not some strange girl that I don't know from anywhere. Let Leo deal with her the best way that he dim fit
"I knew it's going to turn out this way..." Olivia suddenly said and laughed mockingly towards Leo. "Grandpa, this is a trap, can't you see!? The girl is a thief! A gold digger!...
Her family just successfully got what they wanted and I can't believe that we're just going to hand it over to them on a platter of gold!" Tola then looked at Leo and snickered. "Bringing a gold digger into our family!?... Our smart boy is not so smart after all! Just make sure you make her sign a prenuptial agreement, okay Mr. Smart boy!?"
"Olivia, even though I didn't give you permission to speak, your points were duly noted but will not be taken into consideration because this situation neither concern nor affect your life in any way."
"Grandpa... I was just stating the obvious"
"Well thank you, and like I said... Your obvious was duly noted!" Lincoln snapped at Olivia before turning his attention away from her
"Any other question" Lincoln asked again
"Yes grandpa, I have a question..." Ava said with a subtle triumphant smile on her face
"Okay, Ava go ahead"
"What is the name of the girl... Where does she come from? Are they going to continue staying here after their wedding"
"Now that's a sensible question..." Aderinsola said looking with approval towards Ava.
"Her name is Samantha... Samantha Da-Silva..."
Ava was not surprised about the name Da'Silva because she already knew about it. But her mom and sister were jaw-dropping surprised.
"Da-Silva?... Is it the same Da-Silva or it's just a similarity of the name?" Lydia asked, not wanting to believe that the girl that got herself stuck to her son was actually from a well-to-do family
"Yes Lydia, it is the same Da-Silva. Her father is Dr. Adrian Da-Silva. The former state minister of oil and gas..." Lincoln replied Lydiw sarcastically. "Can you now see that she's not a golddigger like your daughter said... She's not a nobody that we can use and discard just like we want."
Lydia considered what her father-in-law said and decided right there and then that having the girl as her daughter-in-law might not be such a bad idea after all.
Olivia on her part was green with envy. 'Da-Silva! Leo is getting married to a Da-Silva!? What will happen to her plans with Claire if she allowed Leo to get married to a person she wouldn't be able to manipulate!?...'
Lincoln turned his attention back to Ava.
"Ava, your last question of where they would be staying after they get married brings me to the second reason why I called this meeting...
"They will be staying here after they get married because they will be the new master and mistress of this family... As from this moment on, I'm handing the reign of this family over to Leo."