Chapter One: The Morning After
Tamilore Coker had always believed she had her life planned out. Graduate top of her class. Secure a position at a reputable PR firm. Marry Kunle—her tall, dark, perfect boyfriend—and build a life far away from family drama and Lagos chaos.
Waking up in a luxurious hotel suite, naked, with a stranger beside her? Not part of the plan.
Tammy blinked once. Then again.
The ceiling above her was unfamiliar—smooth, white, and far too high. A chandelier she'd never seen before swayed slightly, catching the early morning sunlight that peeked through floor-to-ceiling windows. Her head throbbed like a drum in a gospel choir. Her limbs felt heavy, her mouth dry. She shifted slightly and then froze.
A warm, solid arm was draped across her waist.
Her breath caught.
Slowly, heart pounding in her chest, she tilted her head to the left.
A man.
A tall, muscular, beautifully sculpted man, dark-skinned, faint stubble tracing a strong jawline, lashes too long for a guy plus incredibly handsome (although she reminded her self to stick to the point)—was sleeping beside her. Completely unclothed. One leg tangled with hers.
And he was holding her like he'd done it a thousand times before.
Tammy jerked away from him like she'd been electrocuted, snatching the bed sheet and wrapping it around her as she stumbled out of bed. Her sudden movement stirred him.
He groaned softly, the sound rough and confused also incredibly sexy.
"Damn… What the—?" He sat up halfway, rubbing his eyes. His voice was deep, husky, with a Lagos-born accent wrapped in London polish.
Their eyes met.
Hers: wide, frantic, brown.
His: sharp, slowly narrowing, grey-brown like a storm was building.
"Who the hell are you?" he asked.
Tammy stepped back. "I—I could ask you the same thing! What… what happened?"
He scanned the room quickly, his jaw tightening. "I don't know. Last thing I remember, I was at a bar with my friend. Then—" He paused, squinting at her. "Did we…?"
Tammy's throat felt like sandpaper. She dared to peek under the sheet.
And her breath caught. Tears were already forming in her eyes.
She was naked.
The ache between her thighs said yes.
Her trembling lips parted. "I think we did."
He cursed under his breath and got out of bed. Tammy instinctively turned away, giving him some privacy, but not before her eyes caught the ridges of muscle that lined his back. He grabbed a robe from the closet and turned toward her.
"This can't be happening," she muttered, pacing. "I have a boyfriend. I'm supposed to be at Anjii's. I don't even know where this hotel is!"
"Relax," he said, voice firmer now. "Let's figure this out."
She whipped around. "Relax? I just slept with a stranger. Do you know how insane that is? I don't do this. I've never done this!"
He raised a brow. "Same here."
That silenced her. For now.
They stood across from each other, strangers wrapped in consequences, when something on the nightstand caught her eye. A glossy envelope.
He followed her gaze and walked over. Opening it, his expression darkened.
"What is it?" she asked cautiously. Terrified and hoping the universe doesn't make things any more worse that it already has.
Wordlessly, he turned it around.
Tammy stared.
Inside was a document. With government seals. A marriage certificate.
Jeremiah Adebayo and Tamilore Coker. Married. Last night. In Lagos. Witnessed. Signed.
"No. No, no, no," Tammy whispered. "This… this has to be fake. I mean when? How? Why? I can't remember anything. Gosh I'm screwed if my parents find out I'm dead I'm done for and there's....."
She continues talking to herself and thinking about the consequences of what had transpired between them.
He walked to the desk, pulled out his phone, and took a picture of it. "I'm calling my lawyer."
"Wait!" she shouted. "You can't just—what if people find out? What if Kunle sees this?! My parents would lose their minds."
He looked at her, eyes unreadable. "And you think mine won't?"
Tammy paused. "Who… who are you?"
There was a beat of silence.
"Jeremiah Adebayo," he said.
The name hit her like a slap. Everyone knew that name. Billionaire tech magnate. The youngest CEO in Nigeria's business elite. The man her boyfriend secretly envied. Jeremy. The first richest man in the city.
Her knees buckled, and she sat on the edge of the bed.
"You're kidding."
"I wish."
"You're the richest guy in Lagos."
"And ding ding ding for the smart girl," he said coldly. "Apparently you're dating the second."
She scowled at him before registering what he just said. Did he just say he knew about Her and Kunle?
Her mouth dropped open. "How did you know that?"
He crossed his arms. "Because your name rang a bell. And someone sent me these last night."
He tossed his phone toward her. On the screen were photos—blurry, yes, but unmistakable. Of her and Jeremy walking into the hotel. Of them holding hands. One of him carrying her bridal-style.
Tammy's face drained of color. "These were taken last night? Hahaha and here I was thinking I was going to die. I'm already dead. Might as well bury me. I'm so screwed."
He paused to look at her. "Someone wanted this leaked. We were set up."
An Hour Later
Dressed in a hotel robe and riding the elevator in silence, Tammy tried to calm her heartbeat.
Jeremy's phone rang. He checked the screen and answered.
"Tobi."
Tammy listened as Jeremy walked to a quiet corner, speaking low and fast.
"No. I don't remember. I think I was drugged. I swear—nothing before the hotel. Get Wale to track CCTV. Call Zion too… Yes. Full sweep."
He hung up, eyes sharp as steel when he turned to her.
"My people will find out who did this."
Tammy nodded numbly. "I need to get home."
Jeremy hesitated, then pulled out a black card. "Use this. Book a ride. Anything you need."
"I'm not taking your money."
"Fine," he snapped. "Then take your silence. We talk about this to no one until I fix it. Understood?"
Her lips parted, but she nodded. "Understood."
Thirty Minutes Later
Tammy stood outside the hotel, clothes wrinkled from the night before, hair loosely tied. Her Uber pulled up, and she slipped inside.
Her phone buzzed. Kunle.
She rejected the call.
She needed answers. Clarity. And someone who wouldn't judge her.
So she called the one person who'd always had her back.
"Anjii? I'm coming over."