Married for His Empire

n smelled like disappoi

cheating husband and a man who'd been muttering about "these useless government people" since before I arr

reases from my nervous hands. *Ms. Adeyemi, due to organizational restructuring, your posit

omething you weren't supposed to

e of what I'd discovered three days before they fired me-and because stay

la Ad

d the station, the usual chaos continued-arguments in Yoruba, forms b

rday, before Security had supervised me packing my desk l

r. Financial crimes weren't typically reported by tw

low

that smelled like stale coffee and broken air condition

He gestured to a plastic chair th

llion naira moved through shell companies over the past eighteen months. I have the transaction recor

on. He leaned forwar

this informati

he first spreadsheet, columns of numbers appearing on the screen. "These discrepancies appeared in my reports for six months. Management k

dropped low enough that I had to lean in to hear him over the stati

s." I met his gaze directly. "Po

ying to decide if I was brave, stupid, or s

to make

-

orking air conditioning and chairs without suspicious stains. The kin

d of presence that said she billed by the minute. Behind her came a man w

charcoal suit that probably cost more than my former annual salary, the confiden

the color of a thunderstorm over the Atlantic. Those eyes swept th

cial

hud. "I'm Kemi Olatunde, corporate attorney. This is Elijah Kingston. He's

ormed an impres

ational conglomerates operating in West Africa. As in the compa

to be saved or dest

at capacity?" I k

ne who'd never questioned his right to any space he occupied. "Inter

that came from prep schools and Ivy League lecture halls. But ther

top. "They don't just implicate Westbridge. They impl

uld want them

s why a recently terminated analyst decided to bring this to the police instead of selling it to the highest

those same peop

Not quite a smile, but close. "So you

turing.'" I crossed my arms. "They fire her because she found something

ess communication passed between them, the ki

tly are you hoping to accomplish by coming for

I looked directly at Elijah. "Even i

stood, walking to the small window that overlooked the chaotic Lagos street below. "Those 'partners' you've exposed have been syste

d back t

ght, blackmailed, or killed. Someone intelligent enough to understand the

ed a wi

to take control of my company. My father's will has... complications. Unless I meet certain conditions in the next seve

is. "What kind

s jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. "The old man didn't trust me t

elling me thi

ously angry at the exact people I need destroyed. Most importantly-you're completely outside their sphere of influence. They can't buy your family connections,

ity of it punched through my profession

row seat to watching the men who fired you lose everything they've stolen. I get the wife and heir my

spite my best efforts. "You

nd jobs." He pulled out his phone, swiped to an image. A sprawling modern estate, all glass and geometric precision.

s: *compensation package*, *nondisclosure agreement

ompletely

, everyone at Westbridge will know you reported them. Do you think your cousin w

on doing the right thing, I hadn't thought t

ed calm, "and you're the woman who committed suicide by corruption report. You walk out with me,

n offer. That

ffering you an actual choice, Eniola. Take the protection, help me save my father's company from the vultures, testify against the pe

O

protect you better than they protect the aver

ul men. At my own faint reflection in the dark screen-a woman who'd already lost h

t take the evidence and

n't sell me out to my uncle the moment you're inside my operation. That'

page. You have twenty-four hours to decide, but I'd recommend

. The paper was heavy, e

them somewhere I can't reach-a lawyer, a safe deposit box, whatever. If I betray

ning around. "You were brave to come here. Stu

ind the scent of expensive co

-

. We'll be in touch about your statement, but Ms. Olatunde h

ll of suya grilling on street corners, the aggressive honking of danfo buses, vendors shou

clutching a contract that promised safety in

dows reflecting the chaos around it. The

you a ride.

embered armed men and how quickly my cousin had sugge

t know

"Then you're alrea

up front, silent and professional. Elijah didn't speak,

ead, I felt the strangest sensat

o fixed other people's mistakes, who stayed late, who made everyone else look

heir requirement. How exactly

al procedure. Artificial inseminatio

se

a romance novel. I need a legal heir to satisfy the will. You need protectio

glements" suggested he

ter two

y to start over anywhere you want. I get permanent custody of

ly thought t

uzzed. He glanced at it, frowned, typed something. "My uncle ha

y and diplomatic plates. I watched Lagos stream past-the

we going?

rate wing, full security. If you decide no tomorrow, my driver will take y

I deci

he car. Those gray eyes held something I couldn't quite read. Not

in seventy-two hours,