Her words lingered long after the call went silent.
"But Olaedo, remember this, any relationship without love is worthless. Love ranks highest," her mother's voice came gently through the phone, warm but steady. "But it must not only be romantic feelings, though. That's where people get it wrong. There are four types of love in the Bible. Eros is romantic or sexual love, Storge is familial love, like between a parent and child, Philia is friendship or comradeship, and Agape is unconditional, sacrificial love, like God's love for us. A good marriage needs all four kinds to survive."
"Wow…" Olaedo whispered, phone pressed to her ear.
Mrs. Anozie's tone softened. "First Corinthians thirteen says that without love, everything is worthless. That's why love is the greatest commandment. You should read that scripture later and reflect on it. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand it, because the Spirit of God brings life through the Word. If your friend isn't sure what love truly is, those scriptures will help her see clearly."
Olaedo could hear papers rustling faintly on the other end before her mother continued, "She needs to ask herself if she feels all four types of love for her partner. She might only feel one for now, and that's fine, but she must work on building all four before marriage. Before is the keyword, Olaedo."
Olaedo sat back, her mind quieter now. "Mom… what if it's urgent?" she asked softly. "What if she doesn't have time to build all four? Could she marry first and work on the rest later?"
Her mother sighed, the sound carrying clearly over the line. "No, dear. She must not. Anything missing before marriage is even harder to develop afterward. It's only in rare cases that couples manage to build everything after the wedding."
She paused for a beat before adding, "Besides, you don't prepare for war during the battle, you prepare before. Your friend must not rush. Being pushed into marriage by one's fiancé or fiancée is a red flag. No responsible, mature person would rush something as sacred as marriage."
"And remind her of this," Mrs. Anozie added gently through the phone. "Developing Eros does not mean engaging in premarital sex or anything that could lead to it, like kissing, inappropriate touching, staying late together, or cohabiting. Do you understand, honey?"
"Yes, Mom," Olaedo replied quickly, her voice soft. "I'll go tell my friend now. Greet the boys for me, please. Bye, Mom."
Tu tu tu
She ended the call before her mother could respond.
The moment the line went dead, Olaedo leaned back against the wall, feeling her strength drain out of her. Her mother's words kept circling in her mind, a marriage without love and open communication is a no go. Financial stability mattered, yes, but not more than love, trust, and understanding.
Her thoughts turned to Chibuzor. He offered stability. They could manage Philia, friendship and partnership. Communication might come with time. But love? True love? That, she wasn't so sure about.
No responsible and mature person would rush into something as serious as marriage...
She gave a bitter chuckle under her breath. I guess I'm not as mature as I thought.
Her voice trembled as she whispered, "I'm sorry, Mom. But I have to do this, for the family, for my employees, for my company, and for myself. I can't lose everything I've worked for since I was seventeen."
She took a deep breath, went to the bathroom, and splashed cold water on her tear streaked face. The reflection staring back at her looked composed again, businesslike. She patted her skin dry with a handkerchief, squared her shoulders, and walked back into the private lounge.
Inside, Chibuzor sat with one arm resting against the couch, scrolling on his phone, his jaw tight with impatience.
"That woman," he muttered under his breath. "All she had to do was say no instead of leaving me here for an hour. And me, the bigger fool, actually waited."
Before he could stand to leave, the door opened and Olaedo stepped in, her expression calm but resolute.
"I'm sorry I kept you waiting," she said evenly. "I had things to sort out. I agree to the contract. Where do I sign, and when do we register our marriage?"
Chibuzor froze. He wanted to make a sarcastic remark, but then he caught sight of her red eyes.
She cried? His brow softened for a fleeting moment. Is marrying me really that bad?
Without saying another word, he reached for the document beside him and slid it across the table. She signed it quietly. Then, still without speaking, he stood, picked up his keys, and gestured for her to follow.
Within the hour, they were at the Federal Marriage Registry.
Thanks to Chibuzor's influence and connections, they bypassed the usual waiting period for notices and verification. What should have taken weeks was reduced to a few swift signatures and formalities.
When it came time for the marriage ceremony, the registrar and witnesses stood waiting for them to exchange vows.
Chibuzor groaned inwardly. Of all the parts he wanted to skip, this was the most troublesome. Unfortunately, he couldn't. His grandfather might have believed the rush in filing and skipping verification was out of sheer passion, but skipping the vows? No one would buy that. Especially not the vows, those sentimental words people cherished as proof of love.
It was the one moment the world expected him to confess his feelings and make the bride shed a few tears of joy.
Then it hit him. He had completely forgotten to tell Olaedo to prepare hers.
Suppressing a sigh, he decided to go first, to give her time to think of something.
He cleared his throat dramatically and faced her with an expression so serious that the witnesses straightened their backs.
"Miss Anozie Olaedo," he began smoothly, "it feels like I just met you today, and yet here we are. Love works in mysterious ways indeed. You are useful to me in so many ways. In fact, you complete my quest and protect me, even from my own family members. I won't say that I love you, because I know you already know how I feel about you. To a successful partnership in marriage."