Song: Say Cheese - KiDi

*Unedited* (Severely so. I'm so tired. This chapter was supposed to arrive five days later. Thank me for being so kind)

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"How did you do this?" I asked Michael, barely holding in my excitement. Honestly, I had to squeeze the fabric of my dress to stop myself from jumping up and down. I felt like I could jump and fly into heaven.

"I'm a prince, remember?" He asked coyly. Since the auctioning was over, the event was closed and everyone was retreating into their cars with their products. I was following Michael like a lost puppy.

"Come on, tell me please," I whined, just as he helped me into the front seat.

"Seat belt," he said.

I glared at him. "I'm not a child."

He looked into the sky, the expression on his face was playfully thoughtful. "Last time I checked; you didn't have to be a child to die in an accident."

I rolled my eyes at how dramatic at he was being, yet I draped the seatbelt across my torso. "Happy?"

He just looked at the belt and laughed. When he went over to the driver's seat, I realised that it was sitting very comfortably between my breasts, making them look weird.

I frowned, but before i could take the seatbelt off, prince charming got in the car, removed his suit and handed it to me. "Here."

"What?" I asked stupidly, staring at his suit jacket.

"I know you don't like that dress. Take my jacket, cover up." He explained.

I smiled gratefully, feeling my heart leap in my chest. "Thank you." I said. I took the jacket but hesitated for a second. "I don't mind if you look though." I added cheekily.

The man had the audacity to chuckle. "Stop teasing me."

"I'm not! You can look."

He turned to me and smiled but kept his eyes on my face. "Well thank you, but I have to keep my eyes on the road, if you didn't notice."

I glared at him and put the jacket on. "You're no fun."

He laughed.

"Come on," I continued after he sparked the car. "tell me. How did you get the invitation and everything?"

He smiled again. "If only you know half of the stuff I've been up to during my stay here."

"What do you mean?" I asked, frowning. I knew I wasn't going to like what he was going to say.

"Well... I've been spending some time with the prostitutes." He replied guiltily.

I felt my heart drop into my stomach. I swallowed hard, trying to control my voice and make sure it didn't come out the way I felt at that moment. "Really?"

"It's not what you're thinking." He chuckled again.

"Really?" I said dryly, even though my spirits lifted a little.

"Really. I've just been getting to know them. I was hoping to get some information about you from them - which I did - which is the only reason why I put two and two together and found out that you had been kidnapped."

"Michael..." I felt uneasy hearing him say that I'd been kidnapped over and over again. Technically, I hadn't confirmed it, but I didn't want him to get used to saying that. Just in case he says that when someone else can hear it. When that someone else who can hear it can and will hurt him.

"Don't worry, I know. I know. Well, my point is, I've been getting friendly with them and one of them was able to do me a favour and secure me an invitation."

"How did she get it?" I asked curiously.

He shrugged. "I really don't care, as long as it helped me save you tonight."

I smiled, thanking God for the nth time tonight that he was the one taking me home. Though he hadn't told me whether we were actually going to do it tonight. I doubted it. "Where are we going?"

He took his eyes off the road and smiled at me. "Wouldn't you like to know?" He said coyly.

"Come on Michael don't do this to me," I laughed.

"You're just too curious for your own good," he laughed too.

"Oh, I'm sorry that I want to know how I'm going to spend the night. Really, I'm such a horrible curious cat."

"Where the heck did that come from?" He asked amusedly.

"I won't talk to you," I folded my arms and turned to the window; though it was just to hide the smile on my face.

"Ellie, hey, don't get mad," he said. He was taking his eyes off the road for quick seconds to check whether I was really getting mad.

I smiled at how cute he was. "I will do what I want."

"Okay, fine. Remember our last date?" He asked me.

At that, I turned to him, wondering where he was going with this. "Yes. What about it?"

"Well, it was a disaster. I want to change that."

"Yeah? Let me know when you find a time machine," I joked, resting my head against the headrest, and closing my eyes.

He chuckled. "Okay, I meant, let's redo it. Forget completely about that one and let's pretend like the one we're going to have tonight is our first one."

I turned to him and smiled. "We're having a date night?"

"That's what I just said."

I glared at him but we ended up laughing. "Though, the last one wasn't so bad."

"You must've lost your memory."

"No, it was bad, but remember how it ended?"

It was his turn to smile. It was a smug smirk, actually. "That wasn't so bad."

"No, it wasn't." I replied. My first kiss. It wasn't bad at all. "So, where are we going?"

"Be quiet," he commanded me. I glared at him but he didn't look at me; he just focused on the road ahead with an annoying smile.

"Michael," I whined.

"Be quiet." He repeated.

I pouted and leaned on the seat. "It's not like it's going to be somewhere special too."

"Question. Do you like rooftops?"

"What?" I turned to him. "Are you taking me to a rooftop? To push me off?"

He made a face like he smelt something bad and took his eyes off the road to look at me. "Elorm, are you crazy?"

"I should be asking you that!"

He had to refocus his eyes on the road. "Honestly, did you hit your head or something? Why would I want to throw you off a roof?"

"I should be asking you that!"

"Elorm," he laughed. "stop fooling around. Now be quiet, sit back and relax."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm just saying, I'm sure I'd be pretty haunting as a ghost so don't get any ideas."

The man had the gull to laugh and shake his head like I was being a fool. I wasn't.

Eventually, the silence became comforting to me. It felt like my hairs were standing on end because he was so close, and unlike before, he didn't seem unapproachable. I could actually reach out and touch him.

I looked over at him and contemplated doing exactly that, but I decided against it. He was driving and it would come across as weird if I just reached out and touched him. Like, who the heck does that?

He must've caught me staring because he turned and smiled at me. "Like the view?" He teased.

"Very much," I smiled. He had a smile perpetually plastered on his face at this point.

I reached over and turned on the radio. Luckily, it was on a music station and KiDi's hit song, 'Say Cheese' was playing.

"I love this song!" I said.

"Hasn't anyone told you that it's rude to touch someone's radio?" Michael asked.

I rolled my eyes. "I love the singer too."

He turned from the road and glared at me, then he just pushed a button and turned off the radio.

"What the hell?"

"One, don't touch my radio, two, you don't have my permission to have feelings for any other man."

This feeling must be the butterflies those television girls talk about, right? There were a truckload of them, fluttering their ticklish wings all over my belly. I had to bite over my bottom lip to stop myself from smiling like an idiot, yet my lip stretched into a very happy smile. "You're not the boss of me." I teased.

"Yes, I am. I am the boss of you."

"No, you're not."

"I am. And if you deny it, I will stop the car and kick you out."

"Really?" I asked, smiling so hard that my cheeks were screaming in protest.

"Yes, really, because I'm the boss of you."

I laughed so hard that I had to hold onto my belly. "Wow, Michael, I had no idea you had a goofy side to you."

"What are you talking about? Nothing goofy is happening over here. I'm the boss of you."

"Okay, okay, I get it," I said. I couldn't resist the urge to add what I said next. "boss baby."

He gasped, but it morphed into a smile. "How dare you?"

I opened my mouth to reply, but I was interrupted by the incessant ringing of a phone. Since I didn't have one - Kofi didn't let me get one, even though practically all the prostitutes had some; he said it had something to do with me being kidnapped - it was most definitely Michael's.

"Are you going to get that?" I asked him.

"I honestly have no idea who could be calling me at this time, and why."

I glanced over at his phone and felt my blood freeze over. "It's your father."

At that, he visibly stiffened, his smile disappearing from his face like it was never there in the first place. He took one hand off the wheel and answered the phone, but it must've been connected to the car's Bluetooth because his father's voice boomed, making my seat vibrate. "Son."

"What do you want?" Michael asked, rather rudely which was very uncharacteristic of him.

The chief was probably startled because he didn't say anything for a while. Then, "Is something the matter, son?"

Michael gripped the steering wheel and gritted his teeth angrily. I reached over and placed a hand on his arm, finally giving in to my urge to touch him. I couldn't explain how good it felt to finally be able to touch him without fearing any repercussions. He looked at me and I smiled crookedly, trying to calm him down.

His tense shoulders relaxed under the warmth of my touch. He let out a breath, then looked at me gratefully and smiled. "Nothing's wrong, dad. Forgive me for asking but, why did you call?"

"Well, son, I'll go straight to the point. I want you and your fiancée back home immediately."

Just like that, he managed to counter my soothing effect on Michael. His shoulders tensed up immediately and he went back to gritting his teeth, which made his jaw tick. "My 'fiancée' is not fit to travel as of now, and speaking about that woman, I have ended everything with her. She will return to the village as soon as she can, but I will not be coming with her."

His father didn't say anything for a while, he was probably paralysed with shock. The thought of his face was enough to make me laugh, but I did it soundlessly. I knew the chief wouldn't appreciate me being in the same car with him.

"I knew I shouldn't have let you go there," the chief said, exasperated. "she did it again, didn't she? She put you under her spell. My goodness, what's so special about that wench?"

I looked over at Michael. If he was right about his father's involvement in my kidnapping, it was much better for me if his father didn't know that we were together again. Michael seemed to understand this, but I wasn't sure what he said was better. "Etornam is pregnant, fofo, I'm not the father."

The chief sighed dramatically. "When did they start making this calibre of girl?"

"You understand why I can't marry her dad? Actually, she had a miscarriage, but I still refuse to marry her."

"I understand. Why then do you want to stay there? Tell me the truth, you have reconciled with that wench, haven't you?"

Michael gripped the steering wheel again. I touched his shoulder in order to calm him down. He must not blurt out that we were working on our relationship again.

"No, I've not had much contact with Elorm. She's very content with her new life. After all, she wanted to come here herself." He said. I could see how much it pained him to lie.

"Really?" The chief said. There was a slight amusement in his voice that I normally wouldn't have thought much of, but knowing that he was - allegedly - the mastermind behind my kidnapping, it was hard to ignore.

"Yes. She hasn't even tried to talk to me."

"Well then, that's good to hear." I could almost hear the smile in his voice as he spoke. "What do we do now? Who are you going to get married to and how soon can you get back to the village?"

"See, I'm really tired of all this dad, I just want to stay here to relax for a while. Postpone my enstoolment."

"Michael, you're already eighteen, and I'm growing old. I have other things to take care of, I can't be bothered running this stupid village."

It was nice to know how he felt about his home. Really nice.

Michael gave me a look as if to say 'I told you so'. Maybe, the other things that were more important than running the village were his other illegal businesses.

"What could be more important than governing your own people dad? Is there something that you're involved in that I do not know of?" He asked coyly.

I didn't know how to warn him not to delve any further.

"Yes. A lot."

We both were startled by his bluntness. We shared a look.

"And it's high time I introduced you to my other projects." He continued.

Even the way he said it was sinister. I didn't want him introducing Michael to anything illegal. Knowing Michael, he wouldn't want to be involved in anything illegal, but it was his father. What if... what if he found a way to ensnare Michael in his shenanigans?

"Dad, are you being serious right now?"

The chief chuckled. "Of course, my son. I'm old, I want to enjoy the time I have left. There are a lot more businesses I want to introduce you to, but I'm afraid your future partners and the village won't accept you unless you're married. Marriage is a sign of maturity, and we don't want any Casanovas coming to ruin our image."

It sounded like he was going to be introduced to the mafia.

"Why wait until now?"

"There are somethings that a young mind just can't grasp."

He was talking about something illegal. I just knew that he was. He was delusional if he thought Michael was going to help him to keep ruining people's lives.

"That's why I need you back at the village, son. We need to find you a suitable bride."

"Da--"

"I've been thinking, and since you don't have anyone in mind, I have a friend who has a beautiful daughter. These village girls aren't up to your standard and they're all whores. My friend's daughter is a very beautiful, classy lady. She's educated too. I'm sure you'll like her." The chief said. "If she wasn't your potential bride, I would've have had her for myself." He said, laughing boisterously.

Disgusting.

"I do have someone in mind," Michael countered.

I squeezed his arm whilst shooting him a panicked look. He couldn't tell his father about us. We both didn't know what extent his father could go to, but I wasn't too certain he wouldn't hesitate to put an end to my life if I stood in the way of his plans.

"Really now? If she's a prostitute, forget about it."

"She's not a prostitute," Michael looked at me. "she's beautiful, classy, ambitious and the most wonderful person I've ever had the pleasure of meeting."

I smiled shyly at him. He smiled back, and I couldn't be bothered to tell him to look at the road.

"Oh," the chief said. "wow. You sound like you're in love."

"What? No, I-I just met her," he quickly took his eyes off me.

I sighed, but I did so undertone so that he wouldn't hear me. Maybe it was just so that his father wouldn't be suspicious since it would be weird for him to be in love with someone he just met, but I felt like it was his indecision. He wasn't sure whether he still loved me or not.

It was hypocritical of me to be offended, since I also felt the same way, but that did nothing to quell the sting. We were supposed to be a fairy-tale. Michael and Elorm forever. The only problems we were supposed to be facing were evil witches - girls who would try to sink their claws into my man - and the occasional wicked stepmother - Michael's father - not losing feelings.

Which fairy-tale or love story ever had the problem of the main characters losing feelings? That didn't even make sense. Maybe we just had a fifteen-year-old bad writer.

Or maybe this wasn't a love story to begin with.

"Well then, bring her over. I want to meet her and see if she's up to your standard. No low-class girls this time round."

"What about your friend's daughter?"

"She's still an option. If I don't like your girlfriend, you'll be marrying her. Bring your girlfriend home within three days or else I will go ahead and finalise your betrothal."

Michael didn't say anything. He had probably realised the grave he'd dug for himself.

Or for me.

"Dad, can't this wait? I really don't want to get married."

"No, son. You've always known that you'd have to get married young, yet you never had a problem with that. Of course, until that wench came into your life."

"She's not a 'wench'!" Michael yelled before I could stop him.

"Michael," I mouthed.

Or I thought I mouthed because immediately I did so, the chief spoke sharply. "Who is that?"

"What?"

"Who is there with you? I heard a female voice. It's the wench, isn't it? I knew I should've refused when you asked to see her."

I looked at Michael but he ignored my gaze. Etornam had told me that she wanted to come, not him. But here the chief was, saying something different, and I knew that he was telling the truth. Michael was too ashamed to admit that he wanted to see me.

"It's not Elorm. It's my girlfriend. The one I just told you about."

"Really," the chief asked, disbelief lacing every wave of his voice. "so she's there right now? Young lady, please introduce yourself."

I froze up. I remembered the last time he put me on the spot like this. I embarrassed myself and cemented my dismissal as Michael's wife, though I didn't know it then.

This time though, I couldn't even speak. I didn't dare. It was fear that was racing through my veins, turning my blood to ice, and sending it rushing up my head. I couldn't breathe as I clutched onto the seat with both hands.

Michael took one look at my panicked face, drove off the road and parked in front of a shop.

"I'm still waiting," the chief reminded us.

When the car was parked well, Michael leaned over and removed my seat belt. He lifted me swiftly yet, so spontaneously that I yelped.

He put me on his lap and lifted my chin. "Calm down," he whispered, looking into my panicked eyes. "Calm down."

"I heard that. I know that wench is there with you."

Michael shut his eyes like he was tired of his father's crap. "Yes! Yes, Elorm is here with me!"

"Michael!" I protested loudly. I didn't realise that I was gripping his arms tightly until he looked at my nails which were digging into his skin. I let go immediately.

"I see," the chief said. "I'll see you soon, son." As soon as he delivered that sinister note, he ended the call.

"Michael, how could you?" I asked him. The treacherous tears were sliding down my cheeks and I furiously wiped them away. I hated crying in front of him, or anyone for that matter. It made me feel so vulnerable and weak.

"Ellie, I'm so sorry," he said. He cupped my face in his hands. "but he already knew. I think there was nothing I could've done to stop that."

"You didn't have to admit it," I buried my face in his shoulder, just so that he wouldn't see me cry, but I couldn't stop myself from heaving.

"Ellie," he tightened his arms around me. "you'd be so much safer if I had the courage to leave you alone."

He was right, but even though I was so terrified, even at that moment, it was hard to imagine a life without him. "I don't want you to leave me alone."

"I'd rather you're alive than with me."

I pulled away and looked at his face. "Do you want me to be happy?"

"Of course, of course I do," he said it like it was so obvious.

"Right now, you're the only good thing in my life, Michael. You're the only person that makes me happy." I told him. I pushed my fingers into his luscious curls. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You're the only person that makes me happy too, Elorm. Even when we were separated, you were all I could think about. Every moment, all my mind screamed was 'Ellie', 'Ellie', 'my Ellie'."

"Didn't you hate me?"

"I convinced myself that I did, but I guess, deep down, I just knew that you wouldn't do something like that. I think that was what drove me to ask my father to let me see you one last time." He said. He looked down at my thighs and said, "Yes, I wanted to come and see you. Etornam was surprisingly civil about it. I promise you that she's a much different person when you're not around. My father too."

I rubbed his hair and he smiled at me. "I'm the most hated Elorm."

"I don't hate you."

"I know." I told him.

He smiled at me. "I'm so glad I came. I'm so glad I found out the truth."

I leaned forward and hugged him, resting my cheek against his collarbone. "I'm glad you did too."

"So, what now? How do I protect you from my father?"

I sighed. "I don't think there's any protecting me from your father."

"We could just not go back." He suggested.

I shook my head. "They're smarter than that. We all have tracking chips implanted in us. Mine's somewhere around the shoulder area. I don't know which shoulder, though."

"How don't you know?"

"They make us fall asleep before they implant them so that we don't know how to have them removed."

He smiled, even though that was supposed to be the worst thing he'd heard all day. "That's smart."

"Yeah."

We were quiet after that, until he said, "We can't catch a break, can we?"

I buried my face in his neck.

"We were supposed to recreate our first date tonight, and it got ruined again. I don't know how we can enjoy what I had planned with all this bad news looming over us."

"Yeah, I just want a good night's sleep, at this point. Tell me though, what did you have planned for us?"

He smiled, albeit sadly. "It was a rooftop dinner. Very romantic, if I do say so myself. The view below us was of the 'blue lake'."

I smiled. "Am I supposed to know what that is?"

"Yes Elorm," he playfully face-palmed. "it's quite popular here in the city. In fact, that rooftop spot overlooking the artificial lake is very coveted. Few people are lucky enough to get to spend the night there."

"How did you get the chance then?"

He smirked then ducked his head and faked a cough. "Real-" cough "life-" cough "prince."

I rolled my eyes and smacked his muscled chest. "You know, if this place is so magical, take me there. Please."

"Really?"

"I don't feel like going back to the mansion, and I want to have a relaxing night before whatever happens happens."

He smiled. "Okay."

I crawled back to my seat as he started up the engine. He squeezed my hand and we drove off.

It was a fairly long car ride. I dozed off a while later and only woke up again when we got there. Actually, Michael shook me awake when we got there.

"It's not very ladylike to fall asleep during a car ride," he said slyly.

"It's not very gentlemanly to point out a lady's misgivings," I said as I gave him my hand, since he was asking for it.

He helped me out of the car and said, "Gentleman? I don't see any gentlemen over here. Nor do I see any ladies."

I smacked his chest and we both laughed.

We went into the hotel that was named after their famous artificial lake, according to Michael. We took the lift to the topmost floor and when the lift doors parted, we were met with a large door. We went through, the wind slapped me in the face, chilling the hairs on my body to stand on end.

"It's cold," I said, tightening his suit jacket around me. We were on the roof and I loved the feeling of being on top of the world, but it was colder up here. It reminded me of the air conditioning in Kofi's room.

"It adds to the glamour of the place."

We continued walking, until we stopped in front of our table.

It's safe to say my jaw dropped through all the four floors of the building and smacked into the foundation. "Michael," I whispered.

It was a candle lit dinner, to be precise. There was a small table in the middle of a very beautiful oriental rug. On it (the table) was a single, beautiful red rose resting in a regal glass case. There were two cushions opposite each other with the table in the middle, where we were supposed to sit. Over us was a large white Bedouin tent.

Around the whole set-up were lots of beautiful regal looking candles. Rose petals were scattered around, giving the space a reddish kind of glow that made it look so romantic.

The moonlight was at shining at the perfect intensity. It made everything look like a scene out of a movie. Large palm trees and other beautiful plants surrounded us. I suspected that they were giving off that romantic smell - if there was such a thing.

"Come. Sit." He said. He helped me sit on the cushion that was facing the lake, and as soon as I sighted it, I gasped. The water was so blue that it was probably some kind of artificial water. It was so deep that I couldn't see the bottom of the lake. The lake was surrounded by beautiful artificially coloured pebbles.

The best part about it was that, in the middle, a seemingly diamond sculpture of a baby man with an arrow sat on the lake. Whatever that was supporting the baby man was hidden under the lake so that it looked like he was standing on pointe on the water.

The lake set an unrealistic standard of beauty for all lakes all over the world.

"Michael," I whispered, sounding breathless. I was breathless. The beauty surrounding me was too much to take in all at once.

He sighed with relief and doubled over. "Thank God you didn't find this cheesy."

I laughed at him, feeling giddy. "This is the most romantic thing I've ever seen. Television included."

He straightened up and came to sit opposite me. The table was positioned in a way where we could both see the lake if we looked to our right. "You like it right? It's not too much, is it?"

"What? No! When did you even find the time to do this?"

He put on a smug look, tossed his curls, and said, "Real life prince."

I smiled. "Thank you. For everything."

"Thank you for coming into my life."

A bottle of wine appeared from nowhere and into his hand. He poured enough into the champagne glasses and offered one to me.

Before I could ask whether he was hiding the bottle of champagne in his trousers, he lifted his glass for a toast and said, "To us."

"To us," I replied and clinked glasses with him.

* * *

Hi! Before we get into the author's note, I need a favour😊 so I published new chapters to replace old ones because they were too long (you don't have to read them again I didn't change anything). It would be so nice if you could drop votes on them! (Chapters 4,7,8,10) Thanks!🦋

I am so exhausted 😩 you have no idea. I've been trying to write this chapter since twelve pm but I had my younger cousins over and they've been a pain. It's nine pm and I'm finally done. Don't you think that deserves a vote?😜

Don't forget to vote! 🌟