Chapter 5: Shadows of Vulnerability

Pinakabagong kabanata

• Bound by Fate, Torn by Secrets   Chapter 6: Between Duty and Desire

  The afterglow of the gala still shimmered in Zara’s thoughts as she sat quietly in her room the following morning. The memory of Dami’s hand against hers stuck in her memory, subtle, yet impossible to ignore. She was not sure if it was hope or fear stirring deep within her.She received a message from the PR team reminding them about upcoming interviews, public appearances, and social media engagements. The public wanted their fairy tale. But Zara wasn’t sure she wanted to play the part any longer.A soft knock interrupted her thoughts. Dami lingered by the door, his usual calm replaced by an unfamiliar hesitation.“Can we talk for a bit?” he asked quietly.Zara gave a slight nod, inviting him to sit.They faced each other, tense but unspoken words.“I am not sure how to navigate this,” Dami admitted as his usual composure slipping to reveal his vulnerability. “Not just the marriage, but... us.”Zara’s heart tightened. “Neither do I.”He looked at her, searching for an anchor in the s

• Bound by Fate, Torn by Secrets   Chapter 5: Shadows of Vulnerability

  Morning light streamed into the Adeyemi mansion, soft and golden, spilling across the floors. Zara sat by the living room window, quietly tracing the edge of her coffee cup. Everything around her seemed calm, but it only made her feel more unsettled. After all the chaos—media attention, the gala, and Dami’s aunt’s cutting words—this peace felt unfamiliar.Her thoughts were loud in the silence. The terms of their contract echoed in her mind, making her feel more trapped by the hour. This marriage was a transaction, and every day reminded her of that.The front door clicked open. Dami walked in without saying a word. He looked presentable as usual, but his eyes concealed sadness and pain.“You are awake early,” Zara said, not turning to look at him.He sat in a chair facing her. “Couldn’t sleep,” he replied. “Looks like you couldn’t either.”Just because I’m looking doesn’t mean I want to talk.”"For a moment, his eyes melted and then he hid it with his usual calm. 'We do not have much

• Bound by Fate, Torn by Secrets   Chapter 4: Silent Battles

  Zara sat in the corner of the bedroom, hugging her knees close while reflecting on her father’s past and current health struggles. She scrolled through her phone gallery as she looked through old pictures of her dad. In one, he was laughing with his eyes shut tight, a moment that felt far away now. In another picture, he was deep in thought over a chess game, carefully planning his next move like his life depends on it.Her eyes were clouded, but she blinked quickly to hold back the tears from falling. She hadn’t expected it to hurt this bad, reminiscing to the good memories while everything else slipped further away each time she visited the hospital. Her father’s smile had grown fragile, stretched thin between the pain and the endless medications.But there was no time for weakness. Not here. Not with Dami Adeyemi’s cold, calculating gaze just outside the door.The contract rested on the dresser—a cold, official paper, spelling out the terms of a marriage neither of them truly wante

• Bound by Fate, Torn by Secrets   Chapter 3: The Quiet Secrets

  The morning sunlight shone softly and gently through the tall windows across the neat living room. Zara stood by the kitchen island, her hand moving almost on its own as she stirred her tea, lost in thought.She was trying to map out how to survive this contract marriage without losing herself.A soft knock interrupted her thoughts.Dami leaned casually against the doorway, clean-shaven and dressed down—she couldn’t remember the last time he looked so... human.“Morning,” Zara replied, a bit thrown by the calm between them.He reached for a mug, eyes briefly meeting hers as he took a sip. “Did you sleep well?”Zara shrugged. “Better than I thought I would.”His laugh came unexpectedly—warm, short, and real. It caught her off guard. “You keep proving me wrong,” he said.“She smiled, and for a moment, the wall between them cracked.But it was brief.Dami cleared his throat. “We have a board meeting today. I expect you to come.”Zara arched her brow. “Me? The board?”“It’s time you under

• Bound by Fate, Torn by Secrets   Chapter 2: Rules of Engagement

  Zara had never worn designer anything in her life, but the silk gown hugging her body whispered wealth with every step she took. It had arrived in a black box, no note—just an instruction: “Be ready by 7 PM. Driver will pick you up.”Now, seated in the back of a bulletproof SUV with tinted windows, she felt like an unwilling star in a blockbuster she hadn’t auditioned for.The driver pulled into a grand estate in Ikoyi. The gates opened with quiet precision, unveiling a mansion straight from an architecture magazine—glass and steel merging into sleek, commanding shapes.She barely stepped out of the car before the door swung open.And there he stood.Dami Adeyemi in a tuxedo that probably cost more than her annual salary. His face stayed calm, but his eyes scanned her like he was sizing her up.“You look clean,” he said.“Surprising as you don’t seem like the type to compliment people easily.”“Don’t be so sure.”She followed him inside. The mansion was vast, minimalist, and cold—just

• Bound by Fate, Torn by Secrets   Chapter 1: The Proposal

  Zara Adigun looked blankly at the cracked ceiling of the hospital room, the sterile air with fear. The relentless beeping echoed beside her father’s bed like a grim lullaby to her thoughts. How did everything fall apart?Twelve months ago, Adigun & Co was a household name in the Nigerian construction industry. Her father had been a visionary,ethical, passionate, and goal driven leader. But one dishonest partner and a failed government contract later, the legacy he had built teetered on the edge of ruin. And now, here he lay, his once-energetic voice silenced by a stroke, his future held hostage by mounting hospital bills and lawsuits.Zara squeezed his lifeless hand. “I’m going to make things right, Daddy. I promise you.”A gentle knock interrupted her thoughts. She turned to find her mother at the doorway, her face was tight with worry.“Zara, you have a visitor. He says it’s about your father’s debt.”Zara’s heart sank. Another creditor?She stepped out with her mother into the hall