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repogirl:
Please leave your comments and thoughts. It encourages this writer

Have a great weekend.

This is a rather unexpected but very pleasant surprise.

Mucha gracias for the updates. God bless you.

bigbauer:
This is a rather unexpected but very pleasant surprise.

Mucha gracias for the updates. God bless you.

You're welcome

Chapter 40 contd.


The drive back was completely different from the one that had taken them to the hotel.

Earlier, anger had sat between them. Now there was something worse. Confusion.

Ezinne sat in the back as Mofe drove carefully, his hands gripping the steering wheel a little too tightly as he struggled to keep his emotions under control.

He kept replaying everything.

Her tears. The way she'd curled against him. The warmth of her body. The way she'd kissed him as though she had been starving for exactly what they'd shared.

Then that sudden, brutal shift.

He knew something had happened while they lay there. He just couldn't work out what. And beneath his confusion was hurt.

He couldn't pretend otherwise. Hearing her call their lovemaking a mistake had cut deeper than he wanted to admit because nothing about it had felt like a mistake to him.

If anything, being with her again had reminded him far too clearly why losing her the first time had nearly broken him.

He had forgotten how addictive they were together. How quickly touching her made him want more of her. How even afterward, when desire had settled into something softer, he still wanted her just as badly, only differently.

Behind him, Ezinne sat with her cane laid across her lap and both hands wrapped around it. She was miserable for an entirely different reason.

Some stubborn part of her had wanted Mofe to stop her before things reached this point. Not physically. She wanted words. She wanted him to say what the night meant.

She had wanted him to tell her that making love had changed something between them. That he wanted to explore whatever had been growing between them instead of continuing with this confusing arrangement where he loved her, kissed her, slept with her, and yet neither of them dared to name what they were.

Instead, he had held her in silence. And she'd interpreted that silence as hesitation. Perhaps rejection.

Now she was too proud to ask. By the time the car pulled up outside the house, the silence between them felt almost solid.

Ezinne opened her door. “I can manage from here.”

Mofe got down from his side almost immediately. “Good to know.”

She heard his door close and frowned. “Then why are you getting out?”

“Because I'm coming inside.”

“Mofe.”

He walked around the vehicle, and Ezinne sighed in frustration. “You really don't listen.”

“I listen. I just don't always obey.”

His hand settled lightly against her elbow as they walked toward the house. Ezinne wanted to insist she didn't need the assistance, but exhaustion had replaced most of her anger, and she simply let him walk beside her.

The house was quiet when they entered.

Rachel was curled into the corner of the living-room sofa with the television playing softly in front of her. She turned at the sound of the door.

Her gaze immediately moved over them. Ezinne first. Then Mofe. Then back to Ezinne, and then her eyebrows rose.

“Oh.”

Mofe stopped. “What does ‘oh’ mean?”

He had little patience right now, and he really didn't want to transfer his annoyance onto Rachel. So he managed to put a lid on his temper, pending the answer she would give.

Rachel calmly reached for the remote and muted the television. “Nothing.”

“That wasn't nothing,” he said.

“It was nothing, Mofe. I was just surprised you two finally decided to return home.”

Mofe stared at her suspiciously before glancing toward the stairs.

“Where's Azora?”

“Sleeping. For about thirty minutes now.”

He checked his watch and frowned. “Already?”

Rachel laughed softly. “After everything she did with that helicopter? She was practically falling asleep during dinner.”

Mofe's expression lightened slightly. “Did the helicopter survive?”

“Somehow, it actually did.”

“Wow, that's actually surprising.”

Beside him, Ezinne, who had been quiet, adjusted her grip on the cane. “I'm going upstairs.”

Rachel looked toward her immediately. “Have you eaten?”

“I'm fine.”

“It will just take me a minute to…”

“I don't want anything.”

Rachel studied her for a second. “Ezinne—”

“I'm tired, Rachel.”

There was no sharpness in her voice now, only exhaustion.

Rachel seemed to hear it too because she didn't push again. “Okay.”

Ezinne started toward the stairs.

Mofe remained where he was, watching her carefully until she disappeared from sight.

He sighed before turning toward the door. “I'm heading back, Rachel.”

“No, you're not,” Rachel said, already getting up from the sofa.

He looked over his shoulder. “What?”

“You're staying.”

“Rachel… I'm done for today, I…” he began with the excuses, but she waved them off.

“I made something earlier that I think you should try.”

Mofe glanced toward the stairs, then back at her. “At this hour?”

“Yes. Don't worry, it's nothing heavy.”

Her expression was far too innocent.

Mofe narrowed his eyes as he asked, “This has absolutely nothing to do with food, does it?”

Rachel smiled sweetly, pointing toward the dining area. “Sit down, Mofe.”

With a resigned sigh, he followed Rachel into the spacious dining area, still carrying the uncomfortable weight of everything that had happened upstairs in the penthouse and during the drive back.

He pulled out one of the chairs and sat down heavily, resting his forearms against the table as Rachel disappeared toward the kitchen. For a while, he simply stared at the polished surface in front of him, replaying Ezinne's words in his head.

I blurred the lines …. We should never have had sex.

He rubbed both hands over his face and released a slow breath.

Maybe Ezinne had woken up, and just realized what they had done, and regretted it.

The thought settled badly in his chest, and he leaned back in his chair and stared toward the staircase.

Maybe she had only wanted comfort and familiarity in the moment and had only realized afterward how much history came attached to sleeping with him again.

Still, the sudden hostility didn't make sense. She had been crying in his arms minutes before. She had told him she had missed being cared for. Then somehow, everything had changed.

Mofe frowned. What the hell had he done? Or not done?

Her words afterward kept circling back. I blurred the lines.

Mofe leaned back slowly and rubbed a hand over his jaw.

He knew Ezinne well enough now to understand that those words were not really about boundaries.

Maybe they were about fear. Lately she had been allowing him through her defenses little by little. These days she trusted him more than she had when he first returned. She laughed with him more easily and even teased him back sometimes. She let him touch her, comfort her, disagree with her without immediately shutting him out.

He didn't want one emotionally charged night to make her feel that she had lost control of something she had been carefully managing.

His gaze returned to the staircase.

Maybe she was upstairs already regretting how much she had revealed to him. Maybe she was embarrassed by the tears, by telling him about Ekene, by admitting that she had missed being cared for. Or perhaps waking in his arms had simply made everything between them feel too real too quickly.

He realized he was going through a lot of different 'maybes', and he wasn't sure he had found the right one.

Damn, he wished she’d just told him what was really on her mind. Not because he needed reassurance, but because he hated the thought of her sitting alone upstairs, turning everything over in her head and making herself afraid of something that had felt so right only a short while earlier.

He also knew he couldn't follow her up there and demand answers.

Ezinne needed room when she was like this. He had learned that the hard way. Pushing her now would only make her protect herself more fiercely. Instead of answers, he'd get insults and anger. He really didn't want to have that tonight.

So he would give her space. For tonight, at least.

But the concern remained, quiet and heavy beneath his ribs.

Because what had happened between them hadn't confused Mofe at all. It had clarified something he had already been trying not to say too loudly, even to himself.

He didn't only want Ezinne close. He wanted her to feel safe enough to talk to him.

The smell of food reached him before Rachel returned.

Something rich and spicy drifted out from the kitchen, and despite his mood, Mofe's stomach tightened immediately, and his appetite returned.

He suddenly realized how hungry he was, and he knew Ezinne was also probably starving.

Rachel came back carrying a tray with a large bowl of steaming chicken broth, several warm dinner rolls, and a smaller dish of butter. The broth was dark and heavily seasoned, with pieces of chicken, vegetables, and herbs floating beneath the surface.

Mofe looked at the bowl as she placed it in front of him.

“Smells really good. Ezinne will also need to eat, I'm sure she's presently regretting refusing your offer for dinner.” he told Rachel. Who wouldn't? The spicy and delicious aroma was enough to resurrect dead taste buds.

Rachel nodded. “I know. I'll have someone take a tray up to her room. You guys left the party before you really had anything to eat.”

“Yeah … I didn't know how hungry I was until I smelt it,” Mofe said as he picked up the spoon.

Rachel settled into the chair opposite him with a glass of juice and crossed one leg over the other. She said nothing at first, which Mofe appreciated. He tore off a piece of the dinner roll, dipped it into the broth, and took the first bite.

The soup was hot enough to make him pause. Then the spice hit.

His brows rose. “Okay.”

Rachel smiled over the rim of her glass. “Good?”

“Very.”

“I know.”

Mofe shook his head and took another spoonful.

For the next minute or so, the only sounds between them were the faint clink of his spoon against the bowl and the television playing quietly from the sitting room.

Then Rachel asked, far too casually, “Well … did you guys find whatever it was that Ezinne needed?”

Mofe inhaled at exactly the wrong moment, and the broth went down badly.

He choked.

Rachel immediately leaned forward. “Mofe? You good?”

He lifted one hand while coughing hard, grabbing the glass of water beside him with the other.

“I'm fine.” He managed to say between coughs.

“You don't sound fine,” Rachel said, looking at him with concern.

Mofe took a long drink and glared at her over the rim.

Rachel's lips twitched.

“You did that on purpose,” he accused.

“I asked a question,” she said, trying to look innocent.

“You waited until I had this your extra spicy soup in my mouth.”

“Coincidence,” she said with a shrug before smiling and leisurely sipping her juice.

“Yeah, right!” he said, not buying it for a moment.

Mofe placed the glass down and cleared his throat, buying himself another few seconds. What exactly was he supposed to say? How was he supposed to answer her mischievous question?

Yes, Rachel. We left your welcome-home party because Ezinne was furious with me, then somehow ended up naked in my hotel bed and afterwards decided the entire thing was a mistake.

He rubbed his thumb slowly against the side of his spoon.

“We… talked.”

Rachel's eyebrows lifted. “That isn't what I asked.”

Mofe gave her a warning look. “Well… It's the only answer that you're getting.”

She smiled knowingly, and Mofe could see she knew there was more to the story. She'd seen them when they'd arrived. She definitely knew something had happened to send Ezinne straight up to her room without even bothering to say goodnight to him.

“Come on, Mofe, talk to me. By now you know I am the Ezinne whisperer… I can help you two find common ground and maybe even help you get over whatever happened this evening.”

He sighed. She wasn't wrong. Rachel definitely had Ezinne's best interests at heart. She had always helped where she could. She'd helped Ezinne get comfortable with using the E-zin, and she'd kept his secret about the medical records until he'd sorted it out with Ezinne.

Rachel was good people.

He opened his mouth, still trying to decide how much he was willing to tell her.

A scream ripped through the house.

Mofe froze.

It was Ezinne.

Every thought disappeared.

His chair scraped violently against the floor as he shot to his feet. He was already moving before Rachel's glass had fully touched the table.

Mofe took the stairs two at a time, his heart pounding so hard that for one terrible moment he could barely hear anything else. Ezinne screamed again, or perhaps it was only the echo of the first scream inside his head.

He reached her bedroom and shoved the door open. “Ezinne!”

She was crouched in the far corner of the room near the wall, her cane lying several feet away from her. One hand was pressed against her chest while the other pointed shakily toward the dressing table.

Her face was pale.

Mofe had never seen fear like that in her before.

He crossed the room in seconds. “Hey. Hey, I'm here.”

Ezinne flinched when he first touched her, and the reaction nearly stopped his heart.

“It's me,” he said quickly, lowering himself in front of her. “Ezinne, it's Mofe.”

She recognized his voice and grabbed him. Her hands closed around his shirt with surprising force as she pulled herself against him.

“He was here.”

Mofe's body went rigid. “What?”

“He was here.” Her voice shook badly.

Mofe wrapped both arms around her and looked over her head at the room.

Nothing appeared disturbed.

The bed was still made except for one pillow that had been pushed slightly out of place. The dressing table looked normal. The curtains were drawn. There was no obvious sign that anyone had broken in.

Rachel rushed into the room behind him. “What happened?”

Mofe didn't look away from Ezinne. She was literally shaking in his arms. Something had scared the hell out of her.

He pulled back just enough to reach her face, keeping one hand firmly around her waist.

“Talk to me. Why did you scream?”

Ezinne's breathing came fast and uneven. “He was here.”

“Who?”

She swallowed. For a moment she seemed unable to say the name. She opened her mouth to speak but closed it back.

Then she whispered, “Ekene.”

Silence filled the room, and Mofe stared at her in confusion.

Rachel stopped moving.

A cold feeling crawled slowly down Mofe's spine. He didn't want to panic, but he was afraid Ezinne was having some sort of episode. Was she hallucinating?

“Ezinne…”

“I know how it sounds,” she said. “I know… I know…”

Her fingers tightened around his shirt. “But I smelt him.”

Mofe frowned. “What do you mean?”

“When I first came into the room.” Her voice trembled. “I thought… I thought I was imagining it at first.”

She turned her face toward the bed. “His… scent, his… cologne… perfume.”

Mofe's eyes followed instinctively.

“It was everywhere. On my bed. On the pillow.”

She shook her head quickly. “I know that scent, Mofe. I lived with it for years. I hated it.”

Rachel moved toward the bed, her expression changing as she leaned closer.

Mofe's jaw tightened.

Ezinne continued before either of them could speak. “I tried to tell myself maybe something else smelled similar. That I was being stupid.”

“You weren't being stupid,” Mofe said immediately.

She barely seemed to hear him. “Then I walked toward the dresser.”

Her hand lifted shakily again. “There was something there.”

Rachel turned toward the dressing table. A single sheet of thick paper rested near the edge.

Mofe had been so focused on Ezinne that he hadn't noticed it.

Rachel approached carefully.

“Don't touch anything yet,” Mofe said sharply.

Rachel stopped. His entire demeanor had changed.

The fear was still there, but now it had hardened into something colder and more controlled.

“Can you see what it is?”

Rachel leaned closer without moving the paper. “There's no writing.”

Mofe frowned. “No writing?”

Rachel stared at it for another second. Then her expression changed.

“There are dots.”

Ezinne made a small, frightened sound against Mofe's chest.

“Braille,” she whispered.

Mofe looked down at her. Of course.

Whoever had left the message had wanted to make absolutely certain Ezinne could read it herself.

That realization made something vicious twist inside him.

Rachel carefully lifted the paper by one corner.

“Rachel,” Mofe warned.

“I need to read it,” she said, running her fingers slowly across the raised dots.

Mofe held Ezinne tighter as her whole body trembled even more.

“What does it say?” he asked.

Rachel didn't answer immediately, but her fingers stopped halfway across the page.

Mofe's stomach dropped. “Rachel.”

She swallowed and began again, checking the dots as though she desperately wanted to have read them incorrectly.

Then she lifted her eyes toward them. Her face had also gone pale.

“What does it say?” Mofe demanded again.

Rachel looked at Ezinne. Then at him.

When she spoke, her voice was barely above a whisper.

“‘You're still my wife.’”

******

See y'all on Tuesday.

repogirl:
See y'all on Tuesday.

It seems Christmas came early. Three unexpected spicy updates in a row.

Jesussssssssssss😳😳😳

What did I just read??

missviva:
Jesussssssssssss😳😳😳

What did I just read??

E shock you

Ahhh, what a plot twist! 😂😂 I absolutely did NOT see that coming! Another masterstroke from the undisputed Queen of Suspense 👑🔥. Now you’ve officially left us hanging till Tuesday like we have no lives! 😂🍿 Tuesday, please hurry up—I need to see how this drama unfolds!

repogirl:
See y'all on Tuesday.

Was about to say baby no 2 on the way, the last part i was like Whaaaaa.

sal1974:
Ahhh, what a plot twist! 😂😂 I absolutely did NOT see that coming! Another masterstroke from the undisputed Queen of Suspense 👑🔥. Now you’ve officially left us hanging till Tuesday like we have no lives! 😂🍿 Tuesday, please hurry up—I need to see how this drama unfolds!

you'll survive till then, don't worry

froze6:
Was about to say baby no 2 on the way, the last part i was like Whaaaaa.

😂

Omooooo

waiting patiently oooo, its getting so interesting

repogirl:
See y'all on Tuesday.

Did you mean next week's Tuesday or today's Tuesday?

Hello guys, sorry I couldn't meet up with today's post. I'm still working on the chapter. It will be posted on Thursday hopefully 🤞🏽

bigbauer:
Did you mean next week's Tuesday or today's Tuesday?

😅

GoodyMG:
waiting patiently oooo, its getting so interesting

Please remain patient for a little longer

repogirl:
Please remain patient for a little longer

I no too get weight o!

repogirl:
Hello guys, sorry I couldn't meet up with today's post. I'm still working on the chapter. It will be posted on Thursday hopefully 🤞🏽

Alright Repo. We're expecting mega updates.

repogirl:
Hello guys, sorry I couldn't meet up with today's post. I'm still working on the chapter. It will be posted on Thursday hopefully 🤞🏽

Happy Holiday. How are you today?

Singing... We're hopeful, yes we're hopeful for today. That the updates are already on their way.

Still waiting please

My sincere apologies for the delay. The story continues now.

Chapter 41

Eleven Years Ago


The smell of food was what finally pulled Ezinne out of sleep.

She opened her eyes slowly, blinking into the darkness of her room. For several seconds, she remained still, trying to understand what had woken her. The house was quiet, but somewhere downstairs she could hear the faint clinking of plates and the murmur of voices. Then her stomach growled, and she placed a hand over it with a sleepy smile. She was hungry.

She had barely eaten since leaving the hotel. After returning home that afternoon, she had changed into something comfortable and climbed into bed, intending to rest for an hour or two. Instead, sleep had taken hold of her completely. She had been exhausted, although she wasn't entirely sure whether it was from the long days leading up to her graduation or from the two nights she had spent with Mofe.

The thought of him brought a small smile to her face.

She remembered waking up beside him that morning, neither of them wanting to get out of bed. She remembered his arms around her, the warmth of his body, the lazy conversations they had shared between kisses and the way they had both tried not to think too much about his coming departure. The memory made her smile again, but it faded almost as quickly as it had appeared.

She didn't want to think about that tonight. Right now, she just wanted food.

She pushed herself out of bed, slipped her feet into her slippers and left her room. As she made her way down the hallway, the smell grew stronger. Something rich and spicy filled the air, and her stomach responded immediately. She followed the scent towards the kitchen, but as she reached the staircase, she heard voices coming from the living room.

Her father's voice was unmistakable.

She slowed down. He was back from Lagos.

Before she could decide whether to go straight to the kitchen or greet him first, another voice floated through the living room, followed by a loud, familiar laugh.

Ezinne stopped. She knew that voice.

Ekene.

For a moment, she considered turning around and going back upstairs. She hadn't expected to see him tonight, and after everything that had happened in Lagos, she certainly wasn't prepared to deal with him so soon. But then she heard another burst of laughter from the living room, followed by her father's voice, and she remembered that whoever was there were guests in her father's home. It would be rude to walk past without greeting them.

With a quiet sigh, she continued down the stairs.

The moment she stepped into the spacious living room, she stopped. Ekene was seated at the dining table with his father, and Zara was there too. Her surprise must have shown because Zara immediately pushed back her chair.

"Ezinne!" She jumped up and ran towards her, pulling her into a hug before Ezinne had much opportunity to react. "Congratulations!"

Ezinne laughed softly and returned the hug. "Thank you."

"You did it, Ezinne!" Zara pulled back and held her by the shoulders, looking her over with obvious pride. "You’re now our graduate."

Ezinne smiled. "Yes. Finally."

When Zara released her, Ezinne's eyes moved briefly to Ekene, to see him watching her. Their eyes met, and something unreadable passed through his expression before the corner of his mouth lifted slightly.

Ezinne immediately looked away, turning her attention to Chief Damian Ugonna, Ekene's father. He was an average-height, light-skinned man with a broad, expressive face and an energy that made him seem much larger than he actually was. He had an energetic presence that seemed to fill whatever room he occupied. He and her father had been friends since childhood, and unlike her father, who could be quiet and intimidating when he wanted to be, Ekene's father was extremely extroverted and loud.

He had once contested for governor of their state and, although he had lost the election, he had come a close second. He had never allowed the loss to diminish his confidence. He still spoke with the ease of a man who expected people to listen whenever he opened his mouth.
still considered himself a force to be reckoned with.

He looked at Ezinne and broke into a wide smile.

"Ah! Our graduate."

Ezinne smiled politely. "Good evening, sir."

"Come here."

She stepped closer to him, and he patted her shoulder lightly.

"Congratulations, my dear. Jisike."

"Thank you, sir."

He nodded approvingly. "You have done very well."

"Thank you." She turned towards her father. "Good evening, Daddy."

General Onu looked at her for a moment before answering. "Good evening." His eyes moved over her face. "You have been sleeping since I came back."

There was something in his tone that made Ezinne straighten slightly. Their relationship was still strained, and although she had learned to be careful around him, she had no desire to be disrespectful.

"Yes, Daddy. I was tired."

"Tired?"

She nodded. "I've barely rested these past few days."

Her father gave her a searching look. "That is why you slept through the afternoon?"

"Yes."

He said nothing, but the look remained on his face.

Chief Damian laughed and waved a hand. "Leave the girl alone, General. She just graduated. Let her sleep."

Ezinne smiled gratefully at him before her eyes drifted towards the dining table. There was enough food spread across it to feed twice the number of people sitting there. Bottles of wine stood among cans of soft drinks, while plates of small chops, steaming bowls of pepper soup, nkwuobi, jollof rice, fried rice, and several different salads covered almost every available space.

Her stomach rumbled again. She hoped nobody heard it, but unfortunately, her father did.
"You are hungry?" Her father asked.

"A little."

"Then sit down and eat."

Ezinne hesitated. "I was actually going to the kitchen."

"You can eat here."

She looked at the table, then at Ekene.

He was already looking at her. His expression was calm, almost casual, but there was something about being watched by him that made her uncomfortable. Still, refusing her father's invitation in front of his guests would only make things awkward.

"Okay." She pulled out a chair and sat down reluctantly. Zara returned to her seat beside her, while Ezinne reached for a can of soft drink.

For a few minutes, the conversation remained pleasant. Chief Damian asked about her graduation and teased General Onu about how quickly his little girl had grown into a young woman.

"General, your daughter has grown into a beautiful young woman," he said, shaking his head in amusement. "I remember when she was still running around your compound."

Ezinne smiled. "That was a long time ago."

"Very long time ago. Now look at her. University graduate,” Chief Damian beamed.

"Thank you, sir."

"You should be proud of her."

General Onu nodded. "I am."

The simple words caught Ezinne slightly off guard. She looked at him, and for a brief moment the tension that had existed between them seemed to soften. Her father's relationship with her had been strained for a while now, and recently, they rarely had moments when affection or pride was expressed openly. Hearing him say he was proud of her touched something deep inside her.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

He gave her a brief nod before returning his attention to the food.

The conversation continued, and Ezinne slowly relaxed. They talked about her graduation, her friends and what she intended to do next. Chief Damian told a funny story about his own university days that had Zara laughing so hard she nearly spilled her drink, and even General Onu smiled.

For a few minutes, sitting there with her father, Zara and Chief Damian, Ezinne experienced a small, unexpected feeling of contentment. It reminded her of the easier days when family gatherings had felt warm and uncomplicated.

Then her father said casually, "By the way, I saw the hotel charge."

The fork in Ezinne's hand stopped halfway to her mouth, and her heart gave a hard little thud.

She slowly lowered the fork. "What hotel charge?"

Her father looked directly at her. "Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about."

Chief Damian looked between them. "What hotel?"

General Onu leaned back slightly, looking towards Chief Damian, as he explained. "My daughter stayed in a high-end hotel for two nights."

Ezinne swallowed. "Daddy..."

"Two nights," he repeated, his tone controlled but unmistakably displeased. "And the entire bill came up to almost a thousand dollars."

Zara's eyes widened, while Chief Damian let out a low whistle.

Heat rose into Ezinne's face. She had known her father would eventually see the charge, but she hadn't expected him to bring it up at the dinner table, especially with Ekene and his father present.

"It was just a treat," she said, trying to sound casual.

"A treat?" Her father asked, staring at her.

"Yes."

"For almost a thousand dollars?"

Ezinne kept her voice calm. "Dara and I wanted to splurge a little before graduation. We've just finished university, Daddy. We wanted to enjoy ourselves."

Her father stared at her. "That is how you describe spending that kind of money?"

Ezinne could feel the irritation building in his voice. She kept her own voice respectful. "Daddy, it was just a treat. I don't do things like that all the time."

General Onu's expression hardened slightly. "You could have enjoyed yourself without spending that much money."

"I … I understand."

"No, I don't think you do."

Before Ezinne could say anything else, Ekene spoke. "I don't think there's anything wrong with it."

Ezinne turned towards him. For a moment, she was genuinely surprised. Of all the people at the table, Ekene was the last person she expected to defend her.

Ekene shrugged, casually reaching for another piece of small chops. "Girls should be allowed to spoil themselves once in a while. Especially after graduating. They deserve to celebrate."

Ezinne's surprise deepened. She couldn't understand why he was supporting her. Ekene had never been particularly generous towards her decisions when he thought she was being reckless, and considering everything that had happened between them, she certainly hadn't expected him to come to her rescue now.


He leaned back in his chair, appearing completely at ease. Then he turned to her and winked conspiratorially before saying, "They're young. Let them enjoy themselves."

He had actually winked at her, and Ezinne was taken aback. Was this part of what he meant when he said he would cover for her? She wondered.

General Onu frowned. "Almost a thousand dollars, Ekene."

Ekene shrugged. " Yes, but it was a treat and she said it herself that she doesn’t do that often.”

Chief Damian laughed. "That's my son."

He pointed his fork towards Ezinne’s father. “Leave these children alone. Your daughter has just graduated. Let her enjoy herself."

General Onu shook his head. "You encourage them too much."

"Of course I do." Chief Damian laughed again. "When you work hard and you deserve something, you should be able to reward yourself. She didn't even buy a house. She stayed in a hotel for two nights."

Ezinne smiled faintly, relieved that the attention had shifted, but she couldn’t keep her gaze from straying to Ekene. He was still watching her, but something in his expression had changed.

It wasn't anger. It wasn't jealousy. It was something quieter, something she couldn't immediately identify, and the longer she looked at him, the more uneasy she became.

Then the faintest smile touched his lips. It wasn't a warm smile. It was knowing.

Ezinne's stomach tightened.

He knows. The thought came suddenly, with such force that she almost dropped her fork.

She didn't know how, but she was suddenly certain that Ekene knew she hadn't spent those two nights with Dara. He knew she had been with Mofe.

Her fingers tightened around the fork. For one frightening moment, she felt as if the room had become too warm. Had someone seen them? Had someone told him? Had he somehow discovered where she had really been?

Ekene didn't say anything. He simply picked up his drink and took a sip, his expression almost amused.

If he had confronted her, she would at least have known exactly what he knew. But this silence, the knowing look in his eyes and the faint amusement at the corner of his mouth left too much room for her imagination.

She forced herself to look away.

."Besides," he added casually, "I'm preparing a gift for Ezinne too."

She looked at him sharply. "A gift?"

"Yes." He said as his smile widened. "You'll see."

Something about the way he said it made her skin prickle. It didn't sound like a gift. It sounded like a warning.

Chief Damian was speaking again. "We need to discuss what’s next for you, Ezinne. Have you thought about what you want to do after school?"

She turned her attention back to him. "A little."

"You should come and work with me."

Ezinne's heart sank. She glanced instinctively at Ekene, who was still eating as though the conversation had nothing to do with him.

Chief Damian continued, unaware of her discomfort. "My company is expanding. We have several new projects coming up, and I could use someone young who understands the new way of doing things."

"That's very kind of you, sir."

"I'm serious." He smiled warmly. "Come and spend some time with us. See how things work. If you like it, you can stay."

Ezinne smiled politely, although inside she was already cringing at the thought. Working in Chief Damian's company meant working in the same company as Ekene.

The last thing she wanted was to spend her days walking into an office where she would have to see him, deal with him and wonder what he might do with whatever he knew about Mofe.

She glanced at her father, hoping perhaps he would discourage the idea. Instead, General Onu nodded.

"That's not a bad idea,” her father said in agreement.

Ezinne forced another smile. "I'll consider it."

Chief Damian smiled broadly. "Good. That's all I'm asking."

He turned towards General Onu. "You see? We're already planning her career."

Everyone laughed, and even Ezinne managed a small laugh.

She wanted to enjoy the warmth of the moment. She really did. Her father was sitting with an old friend, Zara was beside her, Chief Damian was fussing over her graduation, and for a few minutes the house felt like the home she remembered from years ago.

But underneath that warmth was a growing uneasiness. She couldn't stay at the table anymore. She needed some space.

She placed her fork down gently and looked towards her father. "Daddy, I just remembered I need to get a bottle of water from the fridge."

Her father looked at her. "Now?"

"Yes." She gave him an apologetic smile. "I'll be right back."

Chief Damian waved his hand. "Go, go. But come back and eat."

"I will." Ezinne pushed her chair back and stood.

She deliberately avoided looking at Ekene as she walked away, but she could feel his eyes following her.

She had barely reached the kitchen when Zara appeared behind her. "I'll help you."

Ezinne turned and smiled. "Thank you."

They walked into the kitchen together, and Zara went straight towards the refrigerator while Ezinne leaned against the counter.

As Zara opened the fridge, she suddenly said, "I also have good news, you know?”

Ezinne looked at her. "Really, what?"

"I got admission."

Ezinne's face brightened immediately. "Really?"

Zara nodded, her face breaking into a wide smile. "Yes. One of the top universities in Canada."

"Canada?" Ezinne exclaimed.

"Yes."

Ezinne's surprise turned into genuine delight. She crossed the small distance between them and wrapped her arms around Zara.

"Oh, wow, Zara! And you’re just telling me? Congratulations!"

Zara laughed as she hugged her back. "I'm so happy."

"You should be. That's wonderful news." Ezinne told her.

"I'm leaving soon, in about two weeks."

Ezinne pulled away and held her by the shoulders. "I'm really happy for you. You deserve it."

Zara smiled warmly. "I'll miss everyone here, though."

"You'll make new friends, Don’t worry."

"I know."

Zara took out two bottles of water and handed one to Ezinne before closing the refrigerator. She watched Ezinne for a moment, and her expression slowly changed.

"There is just one more thing that would make me really happy before I leave."

Ezinne immediately became suspicious. "What?"

"If you and Ekene got back together."

Ezinne's smile faded slightly. Had Ekene put her up to this? "Zara..."

"I'm serious."

Ezinne sighed softly. "I know."

Zara leaned against the counter and looked at her hopefully. "He really misses you, Ezinne. You may not believe me, but he does."

Ezinne looked down at the bottle of water in her hand. She didn't want to hurt Zara. She had always liked her, and there was something genuinely affectionate about the way Zara spoke about her brother. But there were some truths she couldn't share with her. Not about the guy she was deeply in love with, Mofe. Not about all the things Ekene had done while they’d been together. And certainly not about the fear she still felt whenever she remembered his temper.

She lifted her eyes and gave Zara a gentle smile. "Ekene and I just aren't compatible."

Zara frowned. "Not even a little?"

Ezinne shook her head. "We tried, Zara. We really did." She paused, choosing her words carefully. "Sometimes two people can care about each other and still not be right for each other."

Zara watched her quietly. "So there's no chance?"

Ezinne smiled softly. "No, Zara. There isn't."

She said it gently because she didn't want to hurt her, but there was no hesitation in her answer. Her heart had already chosen.

When Ezinne returned to the dining room with the bottle of water in her hand, she immediately noticed that Ekene was no longer at the table.

She paused for a moment before taking her seat. The relief she felt was almost embarrassing.

She hadn't realized how tense she had been while he was sitting across from her until she no longer had to feel his eyes on her. She had spent the entire time trying not to think about the knowing looks he had given her, wondering whether he truly knew that she’d been with Mofe at the hotel or whether she had simply allowed her fear to make too much of an ordinary expression.

She settled into her chair and quietly opened the bottle of water. For the first time since she had come downstairs, she felt as though she could breathe normally.

Zara sat beside her and continued talking about Canada, telling her about the university, the city and how nervous she was about leaving home.

"You'll be fine," Ezinne assured her. "You're going to love it."

"I hope so." Zara smiled. "I'm excited, but I'm also scared."

"That's normal. You'll settle in."

They continued talking while the others ate, and gradually Ezinne found herself enjoying the conversation. It was easier without Ekene there. She could listen to Zara without constantly wondering what was going through his mind.

Then she heard footsteps approaching, and her body stiffened before she even looked up. Ekene walked back into the dining room. He wasn't heading towards his seat immediately. He had his phone in one hand, and there was something almost casual about his expression.

Ezinne watched him warily until he stopped beside her.

"I went to take a call upstairs," he said, before holding out his hand. "I heard your phone ringing in your room, so I picked it up and brought it down for you."

For a second, Ezinne simply stared at him, and then at her phone in his hand.

A strange uneasiness settled in her stomach.

She hadn't heard it ringing. She had left it in her room when she went downstairs, assuming she wouldn't need it.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

She reached for it, and Ekene handed it to her, their fingers almost touching.

Ezinne quickly pulled the phone towards herself.

"You're welcome," he said.

There was nothing unusual about his words. Yet something about the situation made her uncomfortable.

She lowered her eyes and unlocked the phone. Ekene could have easily accessed her phone. He knew her password since the time they’d been dating. She had not changed it since then but made a mental note to do so.

There were four missed calls. Her heart skipped. Mofe.

She stared at his name on the screen, suddenly feeling a rush of warmth through her chest, followed almost immediately by panic.

Why had he called so many times? Was something wrong? Had he been worried because she hadn't answered? She instinctively looked up.

Ekene was already watching her, and their eyes met again.

Ezinne couldn't read his expression, but she didn't like the way he was looking at her. It reminded her of the expression he'd worn earlier when she had been explaining the hotel bill.

It was that same quiet amusement, and same unsettling certainty. Then Ekene smiled.

Ezinne's stomach tightened. She hated that smile. It wasn't the smile of someone who had simply returned a phone to its owner.

She quickly looked back down at her phone, her fingers tightening around it.

"Everything okay?" Zara asked beside her.

Ezinne forced herself to smile, as she spared a brief glance at Zara. "Yes. It's fine."

But her attention was no longer on their conversation. She was staring at Mofe's missed calls while trying to ignore the feeling that Ekene had just handed her more than her phone.

He had handed her a warning. And she had no idea yet what he intended to do with it.

**********

Present Day

Almost a week had passed since the incident, but Ezinne still hadn't completely recovered from the fear that had taken hold of her that evening.

She should have known something was wrong the moment she stepped into her bedroom. She had been hit by the heavy, unmistakable scent of men's perfume, so strong that it had immediately made her uncomfortable. She had hated the smell, but she had tried to explain it away. Perhaps one of the staff had sprayed an air freshener with a similar fragrance without telling her. It wouldn't have been the first time someone had changed something in the room without thinking to mention it to her.

She had managed to push the discomfort aside long enough to change her clothes and wash her face. Then she had sat at the dresser to apply her face cream, still wondering why the strange scent seemed to linger so strongly around her.

That was when she had found the note.

Even now, a week later, the memory made her stomach tighten. She could still remember the strange raised dots beneath her fingertips before Rachel had taken the note and read the message aloud.

You're still my wife.

The words had frightened her deeply.

Ekene was dead. She knew he was.

They had both been pulled from the wreckage of the accident, but before she had lost consciousness, she had known something was terribly wrong with him. He hadn't responded when she called his name. He hadn't moved, and the paramedics had pronounced him dead at the scene.

She had never seen his body.

She hadn't been able to attend his funeral because she had spent weeks in the hospital recovering from her own injuries. By the time she was discharged, Ekene had already been buried, and his family had made it clear that they wanted nothing more to do with her. Somehow, they had blamed her for their son's death.

Even now, Ezinne couldn't understand how they had placed that responsibility on her. She hadn't been the one who made Ekene drink so much that he could barely see. She hadn't been the one who got behind the wheel when he was in no condition to drive. She certainly hadn't been the one who failed to see the parked trailer on the side of the road until it was too late.

Yet she had carried the weight of their hatred for years.

Now, whoever had left that note had dragged all of it back to the surface.

Her nightmares had returned. Some nights, she woke with her heart pounding, disoriented for several seconds before remembering where she was. Other nights, she struggled to fall asleep at all, lying awake and listening to the sounds of the house. She found herself wondering whether every unfamiliar sound was harmless or whether someone might actually be moving around outside her room.

She couldn't understand who could be playing such a cruel trick on her. And that uncertainty was almost as frightening as the note itself.

She was grateful that Rachel was home. Although Rachel went to work during the day, she always returned in the evenings, and since the incident, Ezinne had chosen to sleep in Rachel’s room. Ezinne had been grateful for the company, particularly on the nights when sleep refused to come.

She had asked the staff to have everything cleaned before she would even consider stepping inside again. The bedding had been washed and changed. The furniture and curtains had been thoroughly cleaned, and every trace of the unfamiliar perfume had been removed as far as they could tell.

It hadn't helped, however, Ezinne still couldn't bring herself to sleep there, and part of her doubted she ever would again.

She sighed and shifted against the pillows. There was another thing she should probably be grateful for: Mofe.

He had taken over much of Azora's routine since the incident, giving Ezinne the uninterrupted time she needed to rest. Every morning, he came to the house to pick Azora up for school. When Azora came into Ezinne's room to say goodbye, Mofe usually followed her inside but remained at a respectful distance. He asked Ezinne how she was feeling, whether she had taken her medication and whether she needed anything, but their conversations never lasted very long.

In the afternoons, he picked Azora up from school and kept her with him, either at his office or the hotel, finding ways to keep their daughter occupied until evening. He returned her home around the time Rachel came back from work.

Ezinne appreciated what he was doing. She knew he was worried about her, and having Azora occupied allowed her to rest without feeling guilty that she wasn't giving her daughter enough attention.

But Mofe was distant.

He no longer lingered when he came to the house. He didn't tease her or draw her into the easy conversations they had fallen into before the incident. His voice remained gentle whenever he spoke to her, but there was a careful restraint in it, as though he was deliberately keeping himself from stepping too close. Even when he came into her room with Azora, Ezinne could sense the space he maintained between them.

She couldn't decide whether his distance relieved her or hurt her.

Her mind kept returning to the evening at the hotel, particularly to the moment she had accused him of blurring the lines between them. She had been right. She had blurred them herself, and she knew it. When she had asked Mofe to make love to her, she hadn't been confused about what she was doing. She had wanted him, and more than that, she had wanted him to understand that despite everything she had said and every boundary she had tried to maintain, her feelings for him had not disappeared.

What she hadn't anticipated was the silence afterward.
She had expected something from him. Not necessarily a grand declaration or a promise, but some indication that the night had meant something to him beyond the physical intimacy they had shared. She had taken the risk of showing him how deeply she wanted him, hoping he would meet her there and tell her what was in his heart.

Instead, he had said very little.

And when he had asked what was going through her mind, she hadn't been able to tell him the truth. She couldn't explain that she was frightened by how easily she had fallen back into the familiar comfort of loving him. She didn't know whether she was falling in love with him all over again or whether, somewhere beneath all the anger and hurt, she had never stopped. And perhaps what frightened her most was the possibility that allowing herself to love him again could lead them straight back into another painful chapter of their lives.

They had already lost ten years. They had a daughter now.

Their relationship was still fragile, built on years of things neither of them had fully healed from. Ezinne didn't know if they were strong enough to survive another heartbreak, and she certainly didn't want anything to threaten the fragile relationship they had managed to build with Azora at the centre of it.

Those were the things she should have told him. Instead, she had pulled away.

For all the times she had accused Mofe of being crafty and not being honest with her, she was beginning to see how much she had been hiding behind her own silence. She wanted him to make his intentions clear while she kept her own heart carefully guarded, waiting for him to take the first step.

Part of her had even tried to convince herself that it was his responsibility. Wasn't the man supposed to take the lead? Wasn't Mofe supposed to tell her what he wanted and decide where their relationship should go?


Ezinne frowned. It was a ridiculous argument, and she knew it.

This was the twenty-first century. She was perfectly capable of saying what she wanted and making her own choices. She had built a life for herself, raised a daughter and survived circumstances that had forced her to become stronger than she had ever imagined. She didn't need Mofe to take charge of her life or decide what their relationship should become.

What she wanted was for him to make his feelings clear so that she could decide whether she was brave enough to risk hers.

And that was the part she couldn't admit aloud. She was afraid.

Not of Mofe himself, but of what loving him again could mean. She was afraid of losing the balance they had finally found, of confusing Azora, of reopening old wounds and discovering that the love between them wasn't strong enough to survive a second time.

Ezinne sighed and shook her head.

The doctor had told her to rest, to take her medication and, most importantly, to stop worrying about things she couldn't control. Yet here she was, lying in bed and trying to solve a problem that had no simple answer. Thinking about it wasn't going to make the decision any easier.

For now, all she could do was admit the one thing she had been trying hardest not to admit to herself. She wanted Mofe. She simply wasn't sure she was ready to risk everything that came with wanting him.

She shook her head and sank farther into the pillows.

The doctor had told her to rest and not spend her time thinking about things that would only increase her anxiety.And here she was, doing exactly that.

She reached for the glass of water beside her bed and took a slow sip before setting it down.

Thinking and worrying wouldn't solve anything. For now, she needed to recover, return to work and try to understand who had been in her room that night.

Everything else could wait. At least, she hoped it could.


***
Since the strange occurrence at Ezinne's house, Mofe had barely slept. Every time he closed his eyes, he found himself thinking about the note, the perfume, and how terrified Ezinne looked when he’d found her cowering in the corner of her bedroom. He could still hear the fear in her voice when she had told him what she smelt, how she had insisted that Ekene had been in the room, even though everyone knew that horrible man was dead.

And then there was the message. You're still my wife!

The words had been written in Braille, which meant whoever had left it knew how to communicate with a blind person. It wasn't some random prank by a stranger who had wandered into the wrong house. Whoever had done it knew Ezinne, and that bothered him more than anything else.

Someone had deliberately set out to scare her.

He had spent the last two days going over every possible explanation, but none of them made sense.

He had gone as far as calling her father to confirm Ekene’s death. The chief had been surprised by Mofe’s question but had told him in plain words that Ekene was dead. The chief confirmed he’d been the one to identify the body at the morgue even before Ekene’s parents had arrived.

So who would want to frighten Ezinne? And why?

He had watched the day’s security recordings so many times that he could almost recite the guests' movements from memory. The garden party hadn’t exactly been crowded. People had moved between the garden, the living room, and the rest of the house. Several guests had gone inside to use the restroom, and there had been enough movement for someone to slip upstairs unnoticed.

He had no way of knowing who had entered Ezinne's bedroom.

The security cameras didn't cover every part of the house, and whoever did it might have known exactly where the blind spots were. That possibility made him even angrier.

He dragged a hand over his face and leaned back in his chair. The morning after the incident, he had engaged the private investigation and security firm he used, giving them instructions to conduct thorough background checks on everyone who had attended the party, as well as the household staff. His Aunt, Rachel, Maureen, Eric and Dara were the only people he had excluded. He trusted them. Everyone else was fair game.

He wanted to know where they had worked, who they associated with, whether they had any criminal records, financial problems, or unusual connections. He wanted them to look into old relationships, former employees, family members, and anyone who might have had a reason to target Ezinne.

The investigators had promised to get back to him as soon as they found something useful, but so far, nothing had surfaced.

Mofe's fingers curled around the armrest of his chair. He had made it clear that he wasn't interested in a superficial report. He wanted the investigators to dig deeper, even if it meant going back years. Whoever had done this had deliberately frightened a woman who had already been through more than enough in her life, and he wasn't going to let it go.

He sat behind his desk, reading through the latest report while Azora worked at the sitting area on the other side of his office. It had become their routine.

He picked her up from school in the afternoons, and they returned to his office together. Someone from the hotel’s kitchen arranged a healthy lunch for her, usually something she actually enjoyed eating rather than the food adults thought children should enjoy, and while she ate, Mofe continued working.

Once lunch was finished, Azora settled at the small table near the sitting area with her schoolbooks.

Homework rarely gave her much trouble. Most days, she finished it before he expected her to, and whenever she came across something she wasn't sure about, she simply walked over to his desk and asked. Mofe would pause whatever he was doing, explain it to her, and then return to his work while she went back to her books.

He liked having her there. There was something reassuring about looking up from a business report and seeing his daughter sitting nearby, bent over her schoolwork, completely absorbed in whatever she was doing.

At the moment, she had finished her homework and was playing a game on her tablet. Her Bits headphones covered her ears, and the occasional movement of her fingers across the screen was the only indication that she was paying attention to anything other than the game.

He turned back to his laptop to see a new email had arrived from one of his senior engineers, Arjun Malhotra. He opened it.

Earlier he’d sent instructions to his lead engineering team regarding the devices and had already begun assessing the updates he had requested. The engineers had also responded with several technical suggestions of their own, along with possible ways of improving the capabilities he wanted incorporated.

Mofe read through the message carefully, and a few of the suggestions gave him ideas of his own.

He opened a new email and began typing. He added several changes he wanted them to consider, then attached the relevant specifications and sent the message with a short instruction to begin work immediately.

He didn't want the project sitting in someone's inbox until the next business day. He wanted progress now.

His phone began ringing before he had even closed the email. William.

Mofe picked it up and answered, putting it on speaker. "Hey, man."

"Finally," William said. "I was starting to think you had forgotten you owned a company."

Mofe smiled faintly. "I haven't forgotten, William. What a thing to say."

Azora looked up at the sound of his voice. Mofe turned his chair slightly toward her and gestured with the phone.

"It's William." he told her.

Azora pulled one side of her headphones away from her ear. "Hi, Uncle William."

William's voice immediately brightened through the phone. "Hey, princess. How are you?"

"I'm fine."

"What are you doing?"

"Playing."

"Of course you are."

Azora smiled, slipped the headphone back over her ear, and returned to her game.

Mofe watched her for a moment before turning his attention back to the call, taking the call off speaker.

“So, what’s up?” Mofe asked.

" We've finally fixed the date for the board meeting."

"Oh? When?"

"Next week. I need you here, Mofe. There are a few things we need to discuss in person, and the board wants both of us present."

Mofe took a sip of water and placed the glass back on the desk. He had been expecting the call, but hearing William confirm the date brought the reality of the trip closer. He glanced at the calendar on his computer, mentally working through his commitments in Nigeria.

"I'll come," he said. "But I can only stay briefly. I'll attend the meeting, handle whatever needs my attention, and then I'm leaving for Nigeria."

William was quiet for a moment. "You're not even going to stay a few extra days?"

"Nope, I can’t."

"Wow." William chuckled. "Nigeria has really got you by the neck."

Mofe glanced toward Azora, and he smiled faintly. The thought of leaving his family for even a short period made something tighten in his chest. "I have things to take care of here."

"Sure," William replied, his voice becoming more serious. "We'll work around your schedule. Just make sure you show up for the meeting."

"I will."

"Good. Because I don't want to be the one to explain to the board why my business partner has suddenly returned to being a full-time Nigerian."

Mofe laughed, shaking his head. "Very funny, William. I am a full-time Nigerian."

"Well ... we also need you over here."

For a moment, the conversation felt like the old days, when their biggest problems had been difficult clients, boardroom arguments, and the occasional disagreement over company strategy. It was a welcome distraction from the thoughts that had been occupying his mind since the incident at Ezinne's house.

"So .. anything else I should know about?" Mofe asked.

"Actually, yes." William's tone changed, and Mofe caught it. "One of the senior engineers sent me an email."

Mofe frowned slightly. "Who?"

"Wei."

Mofe immediately knew what this was about. "What did he say?"

"Apparently he's concerned about the privacy implications of the new update and some of the suggestions you sent through concerning some devices."

Mofe leaned forward, resting one forearm on the desk.

William continued. "Engineer Wei says what you're asking for could make the device susceptible to external hacks."

Mofe's patience thinned as he replied, "This is technology, and we have to plan for every scenario. It's his job to make sure that cannot happen. His concerns are noted; however, he needs to figure it all out."

He knew exactly what he had just asked of them. It wasn't a small assignment, and their teams would probably spend the next two days buried in code, troubleshooting, testing, and trying to find solutions whenever they hit a problem.

They might barely sleep, but he wasn't particularly concerned about that. They were some of the best engineers he had ever worked with, and he paid them accordingly. When he gave them a difficult problem, he expected them to solve it.

He had designed the technology himself. He knew what the devices were capable of, what systems they were running, and where the vulnerabilities were likely to be. He wasn't asking them to tell him whether it was possible. He was telling them to make it happen.

William laughed. "It's a good thing I'm your partner and not one of your engineers."

Mofe shook his head. "Very funny, William."

"I'm serious. I'd rather sit in a board meeting with twenty angry directors than receive one of your emails saying, 'I have an idea.'"

Mofe laughed despite himself. "Then you're in the wrong business."

"I've been saying that for years,” William said jokingly, and they laughed.

They moved on to the board meeting, discussing the agenda and a few decisions that needed to be made while Mofe was in the United States. William brought him up to date on several issues that had developed since his last visit, and Mofe listened while occasionally glancing toward Azora. She was still completely absorbed in her game.

Then William spoke again. "By the way, I saw Eve a few days ago."

Mofe's smile slowly faded. He lowered the glass he had been holding and rested it on the desk, his fingers remaining around it for a moment.

"Where?"

"At an event in New York. She was there with some people from her firm. We spoke for a bit."

A familiar pang of guilt settled in Mofe's chest. He hadn't spoken to Eve since she’d returned his keys, and although he knew she had made the right decision by ending their engagement, that didn't mean he was proud of how things had turned out. She had been a good woman who had given him her time, affection, and trust.

"How is she?" he asked, his voice quieter.

"She looked good. Happy, actually. We talked for a while, and she asked about you."

Mofe looked down at the papers scattered across his desk. "What did you tell her?"

"That you were still in Nigeria."

"And what did she say?" Mofe asked, curious about her response.

William laughed softly. "She smiled."

Mofe frowned. "What kind of smile?"

"The kind of smile that tells you she knows something you haven't told me."

Despite himself, Mofe chuckled. "Come on, you're reading too much into it."

"Am I? Because she looked at me like she knew exactly why you were still there."

Mofe shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck. He could imagine Eve's expression. She had always been perceptive, and had understood more about his feelings for Ezinne than he had been willing to admit to himself at the time.

William cleared his throat before speaking. "So, tell me something. Are you married or planning to get married while you're over there? Because if you are, I'd appreciate a little warning. I don't want to find out from some random picture on the internet that my friend has become a husband."

Mofe laughed, the sound coming more easily this time. " My God, William, what sort of friend do you take me for? How in the world would I get married without informing you of all people?"

"So, I haven't missed a wedding?"

“ No, William, in fact, you’d be the first to know if I were getting married."

"Would I really?"

Mofe leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. "William, you already know about Azora. You know I came back to Nigeria and found out I have a daughter."

"Yes, I know that much. I know you've been spending time with her. The pictures you sent were lovely."

Mofe smiled at the memory of the pictures he had sent him, and decided William needed to know a little more.

"Well," Mofe started, "her mother is Ezinne. My ex from Uni. I told you about her years back. We broke up just before I came to the U.S., but I had no idea she was pregnant before I left."

There was a brief silence. "And you are still in love with her," William said.

Mofe didn't bother pretending otherwise. "Yes."

He leaned back in his chair and stared through the glass windows of his office. Beyond them, the city was busy with its usual movement, but his mind was far away, in the quiet house where Ezinne was hopefully beginning to feel safe again.

"I'm trying to mend things between us," he admitted. "It's not easy. We've both been through a lot, and there are things we still need to work out. But I still have feelings for her. I always have; I never really stopped."

William sighed. "And Eve knew."

"She did."

"That's why she ended the engagement?"

Mofe nodded slowly, even though William couldn't see him. "She said she deserved someone who could love her completely. Someone who wasn't still holding on to another woman."

William was quiet for a moment. "Well, I suppose she was right to be honest with you."

"She was." Mofe's voice softened as he thought about Eve. He would always be grateful that she had been honest enough to walk away rather than spend the rest of her life with a man whose heart was divided.

"If I'm being honest, William, I don't know what would have happened if she'd left the decision entirely up to me. I might have gone through with the wedding because I was too proud to admit that I was making a mistake."

William let out a low whistle. "Man... that’s tough."

Mofe gave a small, humourless laugh. "Yeah."

"Well, I have to say, this is precisely why I've chosen to remain single. No wife, no ex-wife, no surprise children, and definitely no complicated love stories."

Mofe laughed, shaking his head. "You won't be saying that when you meet someone who makes you want to throw all your precious bachelor rules out the window."

"Not happening,” William said, doubling down.

"That's what they all say."

"Listen, I like my life exactly the way it is. I wake up when I want, travel when I want, and spend my money on whatever I want. Nobody is going to come and tell me I have to attend a school science fair on a Saturday morning."

Mofe chuckled. "You'd be surprised how much fun those things can be."

"I'll take your word for it."

They both laughed, and for a few seconds, Mofe forgot about the note, the investigation, and the anger that had been simmering beneath his skin.

Then William's voice became more thoughtful.

"Seriously, though. Hang in there. You've got a lot to deal with, and I know it's not going to be easy. If there’s anything I know about women, especially exes, it’s that they make you really work for it."

Mofe smiled faintly. "Yeah, she's making me work very hard for it."

"Good. You deserve it."

Mofe laughed and shook his head. "Thanks for the support, man."

"Anytime, bro.”

They spoke briefly about the board meeting and some pending company matters before William finally said goodbye. Mofe ended the call and placed his phone on the desk.

For a few seconds, he sat quietly, looking at the dark screen. The conversation had reminded him of how much his life had changed in such a short time. A few months ago, he had been living in America, running his company and trying to convince himself that he was ready to marry Eve. Now, he was in Nigeria, trying to rebuild a relationship with the woman he had loved since he was a young man, while learning how to be a father to a ten-year-old daughter.

And somehow, in the middle of all that, someone had decided to threaten Ezinne.

He pushed his chair back and stood, walking toward the windows. He slipped his hands into his pockets and looked out at the city below.

He had been trying to respect Ezinne's space for the past few days. After what happened, at the hotel and then in her own home, she had needed time to recover, and he knew better than to crowd her when she was flustered. He’d been to the house, and every time he saw her, he’d kept his distance. Rachel had assured him that she was beginning to feel better, although the nightmares were still troubling her.

He had wanted to speak to her. More than once, he had picked up his phone to call her, only to put it down again. He didn't want her to feel pressured to talk about anything before she was ready. But he was growing increasingly uncomfortable with the idea of staying away. They needed to talk at some point. Staying away from their inevitable discussion wasn’t moving them forward.

Mofe turned from the windows and glanced at the clock. He had a few more reports to go through before he had to get Azora home.

*****************


Next update will be on Friday evening hopefully.

bigbauer:
Happy Holiday. How are you today?

Singing... We're hopeful, yes we're hopeful for today. That the updates are already on their way.

Lol, they're here now.

Unsurefuture:
Still waiting please

Now available.

Finally am here
Let's keep a date on Friday
Just that the word "hopefully" is doing me somehow

Asek1:
Finally am here
Let's keep a date on Friday
Just that the word "hopefully" is doing me somehow

😂 I'll try my best to post an update.

Chapter 42

Eleven years ago


Mofe had called Ezinne three times before finally giving up.

She had assured him earlier that she was feeling much better, but he had hoped to speak to her again before going to bed. 

When his third call went unanswered, he decided she was probably asleep or had left her phone somewhere. He sent her a brief message asking her to call him when she could, then returned his attention to the programming job he had been struggling to finish.

He had barely settled back into his work when his phone vibrated.

Expecting a reply from Ezinne, he reached for it immediately, only to find a message from an unfamiliar number. There was no greeting or explanation, just a link to what appeared to be a Facebook profile.

Mofe frowned as he examined it. He didn't recognize the number, and he was usually careful about opening links from strangers. For a moment, he considered deleting the message, but curiosity got the better of him. He tapped the link and waited for the page to load.

The profile that appeared belonged to Ekene Ugonna.

Mofe sat up straighter in his chair, his brows drawing together in confusion. He had never visited Ekene's Facebook page before and couldn't imagine why anyone would think he wanted to. He stared at the profile picture for a moment, wondering whether the message had been sent to him by mistake.

Then he began scrolling.

It didn't take long before he saw Ezinne. It was the most recent picture on the profile.

She was standing beside Ekene in a photograph taken at a formal event. Mofe recognized her mint-green evening gown immediately. It was the same dress she had worn to the honorary event held for her father in Lagos, the one she had attended only a few days earlier. She had sent him pictures of herself that evening, and he remembered teasing her about how beautiful she looked and wishing he had been there to see her in person.

But she hadn't mentioned that Ekene was there.

Mofe looked through the other pictures from the event, noticing how often Ekene appeared beside her. Still, he wasn't particularly alarmed. He knew their fathers were friends, and considering that the event had been held in General Onu's honour, it wasn't surprising that Ekene and his family had attended.

What bothered him was what he found farther down the page.

There were several other photographs of Ezinne and Ekene together, taken on different occasions over the past few weeks. Unlike the formal pictures from Lagos, these were casual. Some showed them at restaurants and other outings, while several were selfies Ekene had taken inside his car. In most of them, Ezinne wasn't even looking at the camera. She appeared distracted, either looking out of the window or concentrating on something else, while Ekene smiled as though they were enjoying themselves together.

Mofe's expression hardened as he checked the dates. Some of the pictures had been posted during the period when he and Ezinne were struggling to repair their relationship. Others were more recent, including a few from the previous week.

What the hell was going on?

The last time he had spoken to Ezinne about Ekene, was after he'd sent thugs to rough him up. Ezinne had been furious with him and had vowed to cut off all ties with the guy. It was why she'd orchestrated their brief stay at the guest house that had gotten him in deep shit with her father .

Mofe recalled the morning at his house when he had made her return Ekene's call. She had been reluctant, and irritated with him for making her do it. He had noticed how tense she became during their conversation. At the time, he had assumed she was simply trying to avoid another unpleasant confrontation with her former boyfriend.

Now, he wasn't sure what to believe.

He could understand them attending the same formal events because of their families. He could even understand the occasional unavoidable encounter. But these pictures suggested something more regular. They had apparently been spending time together, going places and moving around Abuja as though nothing unpleasant had ever happened between them.

And Ezinne hadn't mentioned any of it to him.

Mofe leaned back in his chair, feeling his irritation grow. He didn't particularly care what explanation she might have for it. Not at that moment. The fact remained that she had been hanging around with Ekene behind his back, and he couldn't understand why she would do that after everything the man had put her through.

His jaw tightened as he scrolled farther down the page, until another photograph caught his attention.

It had been taken by a professional photographer at what appeared to be a party. Ekene had his arms around Ezinne, and she was returning the embrace. Neither of them was looking at the camera, suggesting that the moment had been captured without their knowledge.

Mofe stared at it, his chest tightening unpleasantly.

He checked the date and discovered that it had been taken during the weeks when he and Ezinne weren't speaking.

He remembered that miserable period all too well. The unbearable distance between them and the uncertainty of not knowing whether she would ever forgive him for what he had done. While he had been struggling with the possibility of losing her, she had apparently been attending parties with Ekene.

Of all the people she could have chosen to spend time with, why him?

He rubbed a hand over his face, trying to make sense of it. He wasn't claiming she had no right to see other people while they were apart, but he couldn't understand how she had gone from wanting nothing to do with Ekene to being comfortable enough to embrace him at a party.

Mofe wondered if something had something changed between them. Had she forgiven him for the attack, or was there something else going on that she hadn't wanted him to know about?

His phone vibrated again, and he glanced at the notification, expecting another message from Ezinne, but it was the same unfamiliar number. This time, two photographs had been sent directly to him.

He opened the first one and frowned immediately.

Ezinne was seated at a dining table, eating while talking to another young woman beside her. He recognized the woman from some of the pictures on Ekene's Facebook page, and now that he looked more closely, he noticed a slight resemblance between them.

Was she Ekene's sister?

The setting was Ezinne's dinning room. He knew it because he'd been in her house back when he'd lived next to her and did some things around the house. He could tell the picture had been taken today because he recognized the hairstyle. 

She'd only just made that hairstyle while in Lagos, on the morning of her father's event. And she had only just returned home this afternoon, so that picture had definitely been taken this evening, not long ago probably. Maybe that was why she hadn't been picking his calls. She'd been having dinner.

He opened the second photograph, and for several seconds, his brain couldn't quite piece together what he was looking at.

Ezinne was lying in bed, fast asleep, with the covers drawn over her body. Ekene was right beside her, leaning close enough to fit them both into the picture. He was smiling directly at the camera, one hand raised in a peace sign.

"What the Bleep?"

Mofe sat up sharply, bringing the phone closer to his face.

His stomach dropped as he took in the picture. There was no mistaking either of them, and although he couldn't tell when or where it had been taken, the sight of Ekene beside Ezinne in bed sent a rush of anger through him.

What the hell was Ekene doing there?

He stared at the photograph, trying to understand the circumstances in which it might have been taken. Ezinne appeared completely unaware of the camera, while Ekene looked ridiculously pleased with himself.

The picture made him sick, but what troubled him most was that Ezinne was asleep. Had she even known Ekene was beside her? And if she hadn't, how had he managed to get that close?

Before he could think further, another message appeared.

*She was mine before you, and she will still be mine when you're gone.*

Mofe read the words, his expression darkening as their meaning sank in.

So that was it.

Even if Ekene hadn't personally sent the messages, Mofe was certain he had something to do with them. The photographs and the final message were clearly meant to provoke him, and the reference to his coming departure made the insult even more personal.

Mofe slowly rose from his chair, his phone gripped tightly in his hand. He felt an almost overwhelming urge to call Ekene and demand to know what the hell he thought he was doing. The arrogance of the message was bad enough, but the photograph of him beside Ezinne while she slept made Mofe's blood boil.

He began pacing the small room, trying to control his temper.

Ekene knew he was leaving Nigeria. Somehow, he had found out about Mofe's plans, and from the tone of his message, he was clearly counting on that departure to give him another chance with Ezinne.

The thought made Mofe furious.

Only that morning, he had been holding Ezinne in his arms, listening to her talk about how much she would miss him when he left. She had cried at the thought of their separation, and he had promised her they would find a way to make the distance work.

Now Ekene was confidently declaring that she would belong to him once Mofe was gone.

The nerve of the bastard.

Mofe stopped pacing and looked down at his phone. He wanted answers, and he wanted them immediately. He wanted to know why Ezinne had been spending time with Ekene, why she hadn't told him about it and, most importantly, how the man had managed to get into her bedroom while she slept.

He opened Ezinne's contact, his thumb hovering over the call button.

For several seconds, he remained that way, fighting the urge to press it.

Then he swore under his breath and lowered the phone.

No, not tonight.

He was too angry to have a sensible conversation with her. He knew himself well enough to recognize when his temper was getting the better of him, and right now, he was barely holding it together. If he called Ezinne in this state, he would almost certainly say something hurtful, something he couldn't take back once the anger had passed.

And after everything they had been through to get back together, the last thing he wanted was another argument that might destroy whatever progress they had made.

He thought about the photograph again and felt his temper rise afresh. The temptation to demand an explanation was almost unbearable, but he forced himself to consider the situation carefully.

Ekene had sent those pictures for a reason.

He wanted Mofe angry. He wanted him suspicious, jealous and questioning Ezinne's loyalty. More than anything, he probably wanted Mofe to confront her in the worst possible way, to start an argument that would create another crack in a relationship that had only just managed to not go off the deep end.

He knew how easily that could happen. He wasn't about to do something to jeopardize his relationship simply because Ekene had baited him.

He would be damned if he gave the bastard that satisfaction.

With a deep breath, he closed Ezinne's contact and placed the phone facedown on his desk. He stood there for a moment, both hands resting on the edge of the table as he tried to calm himself.

He would wait until he saw her again.

Then he would ask his questions and give her the chance to explain everything, because regardless of how angry he was, he still believed he owed her that much.

He wasn't going to pretend the pictures didn't bother him, and he certainly wasn't going to forget what he had seen. But whatever was going on between Ezinne and Ekene, he intended to hear it from her rather than allow Ekene to dictate what he believed.

Mofe pulled out his chair and sat down again, staring at the unfinished work on his laptop. He tried to concentrate on the lines of code, but the words on the screen might as well have been written in a language he didn't understand.

He sighed heavily and pushed the laptop aside. There was no point pretending he could get any more work done tonight.

He would keep a level head until he saw Ezinne again. He had to.

Hopefully, he would be able to hold on to his sanity until then.



Kindly use this one hold body first 😅. I'm still working on the rest of the chapter. I should have it ready next Tuesday. Thanks.