At this, Olaedo nearly jumped out of her seat to correct him.
They had done nothing of the sort!
But as the reality of their supposed "marriage" loomed over her, she hesitated. Claiming to still be a virgin would only raise more questions about their union, and she couldn't afford that, not now.
Emeka, oblivious to her inner turmoil, pressed on. "Until you come here with your family, and properly perform the rites, Olaedo is staying right here. Only then will we... reluctantly, acknowledge this marriage."
That sounds better.
The two sworn brothers exchanged glances. Any glimmer of compromise was better than outright rejection, so they nodded eagerly. But just as the atmosphere began to settle, Chibuzor cleared his throat, his voice uncertain.
"Ma, there's… one more thing. Saturday is the day of my family's annual ball. It's also the day I planned to announce my marriage to everyone. Could Olaedo come with me for that event?"