ログインCHAPTER 22 — WHAT TIME COULDN’T ERASEYara didn’t expect Jamal’s message to linger the way it did.It wasn’t poetic.It wasn’t dramatic.It was simple.Text me the quiet reunion version when you’re free.She reread it twice while standing at the bus stop, the Lagos afternoon buzzing around her—horns, voices, the heat clinging to skin. And yet, everything inside her felt strangely still.Quiet reunion version.Back when they were younger, Jamal had been all movement—big ideas, quick decisions, bold plans. He had loved loudly, too, but not always gently. She used to mistake intensity for security.Now… this Jamal was asking.Inviting.Waiting.She slipped her phone into her bag without replying immediately. Not because she didn’t want to—but because she wanted to be sure.---Later That EveningYara stood in her kitchen, chopping vegetables slowly, deliberately. Cooking grounded her. It gave her hands something to do while her heart sorted itself out.She thought about the years between
CHAPTER 21 — A New RhythmJamal noticed her before she noticed him.Yara was at Indigo Coffee again, elbows resting on the oak-grain table, brows pitched in focus as she sketched on her tablet. A thin crease formed between her eyes when she concentrated—something he had always found charming. Her braids were swept to the side today, the beads at the end clicking gently whenever she shifted.He memorised the sound.Success had made Jamal confident in boardrooms, but it had turned him cautious in matters of the heart. Especially this heart. Especially hers.He ordered his drink, a spiced espresso with a hint of cinnamon, and stood a respectable distance away. Not hiding—just observing. This was their unwritten agreement: reconnection did not run, it revealed itself slowly.He respected pace.What he didn’t expect was Kofi—one of his long-time business partners—walking into the café like a gust of wind.“Jamal! My man!” Kofi boomed, voice bouncing across the minimalist space.Jamal cring
CHAPTER TWENTY — TIDES AND TESTIMONIESThe last day of their seaside escape greeted them with a sky washed clean after night rain, pale blue and brushed with thin streaks of silvered clouds. The ocean was lively today—higher tides, bolder waves, a song a little wilder than the lullabies it sang the nights before.Yara stepped onto the porch first, tugging her fleece tighter against her arms. “The sea is in a mood,” she said.Jamal came up beside her, observing the restless glitter of the waters. “We’ll manage it,” he replied. “It’s only waves.”“It’s never only waves when you say it like that,” she teased, but there was a flicker of apprehension in her smile.They decided to take one long final walk before the drive home. Their steps were quicker today, the sand firmer with moisture. Midway down the stretch, something small but sharp interrupted their calm: Jamal received a call.Yara’s gaze drifted—not suspicious, not accusing, just instinctive, preparing for disappointment.But Jama
CHAPTER NINETEEN — OPEN HEARTSThe second day of their getaway dawned with golden sunlight spilling over the ocean. Yara awoke to the sound of gentle waves and the faint scent of coffee drifting from the porch.Jamal was already up, sitting with two mugs of steaming tea. He looked up as she emerged from the cabin, smiling softly.“Morning,” he said, handing her a mug.“Morning,” she replied, taking it and letting the warmth seep into her hands.They sat in comfortable silence, sipping slowly, letting the world wake around them.After a while, Jamal spoke, his voice gentle. “Yara… I want to ask you something.”Her curiosity was piqued. “Go ahead.”He took a deep breath. “Do you ever… worry that giving someone a second chance is too risky? That you might get hurt again?”Her fingers tightened around her mug. “All the time,” she admitted. “I’ve been hurt before, badly. It’s… hard not to be cautious.”“I understand,” he said softly. “And I don’t expect you to trust me blindly. I just… wan
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN — WEEKEND GETAWAYSaturday morning arrived with a rare sense of freedom. Yara had cleared her schedule, and Jamal had promised a weekend without work—no meetings, no calls, just the two of them.“Pack light,” he had said with a grin. “Adventure awaits.”She laughed, shaking her head. “You make it sound so dramatic.”“I promise, it’ll be worth it,” he replied.By mid-morning, they were on the road, driving out of Lagos toward a quiet coastal town Jamal had discovered years ago. The ride was filled with laughter, music, and easy conversation—an unusual luxury for both of them.Upon arrival, the town felt like a different world: soft sand underfoot, gentle waves lapping at the shore, and a quiet charm that made Yara forget about deadlines, meetings, and worries.They settled into a small beachfront cabin, the kind where mornings started with the smell of the ocean and evenings ended with the sound of the waves.After unpacking, Jamal suggested a walk along the beach. Yar
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN — CITY LIGHTS AND QUIET MOMENTSIt was a Friday evening, and Lagos was alive with the soft hum of nightlife. Yara had just finished a long week at Indigo Glow and was feeling unusually drained.Her phone buzzed:“Meet me at the riverside? Just a walk, nothing fancy.” —JamalShe hesitated for a moment, then smiled. “I’ll be there in ten.”When she arrived, Jamal was leaning against the railing, silhouetted by the golden glow of streetlights reflecting on the water.“You made it,” he said softly, his smile lighting up the quiet evening.“I did,” she replied, letting herself breathe out a tension she hadn’t realised she’d been holding.They walked side by side along the riverside, the cool breeze carrying the soft scent of the water and the city.For a while, they didn’t speak. The silence was comfortable, punctuated only by the distant sounds of laughter and traffic.Then Jamal stopped and turned toward her. “Yara… I’ve been thinking.”Her heart skipped slightly. “Abou







