MasukPresent Day...The beeping of the heart machine was the only thing grounding me.It's been weeks since I returned—weeks since Mama collapsed in the yard. The neighbors had come and we'd rushed her to the hospital. The doctor said Mama had suffered a mild stroke. Her blood pressure had spiked, cutting off blood flow to part of her brain.Mama has been unconscious since then. Every day, I sobbed by her side, hoping for the moment she'd wake up.Despite the chaos, I kept thinking about the stranger and the fleeting moment of fun we shared that night. Nathaniel Rivera. Why was I smiling at the thought of his name?“Yes, yes...oh, no!” Oluchi murmured, she was sprawled on the floor on a mat, playing a game on Mama's phone.I glanced at her. “Remember to charge the phone once you're done.”She looked up and nodded. “Okay.”Exhaling, I dragged my gaze back to Mama and caught her stirring. “Mama?” “A–mira,” she called.I lurched to my feet. Even little Oluchi jumped up and hurried to Mama's
—Amira—My breath stalled midway. It was as if the entire oxygen in the world had disappeared.Why was I reacting toward someone I barely knew?“This is my brother.” Damian introduced as he shut the door and led me toward the man.“Hi. My name is Amira,” I said. But he didn't respond. He just sipped from his glass.“He's drunk,” Damian added.I frowned. “What? So you want me to take advantage of a helpless man?”He folded his arms. “Two hundred grand. Either you do it or forget about the money.”Damnit. I needed the money.“Fine. I'll do it,” I blurted.The monster. He angled his head toward his brother and didn't give us some privacy.What had my life turned to? Just after stripping and dancing in front of a crowd, I was about to sleep with a man while his brother watched. All for two hundred thousand dollars.Exhaling, I lowered my jacket and sat beside my client.He had wavy, black hair. A pair of blue eyes and very kissable lips. Though we were seated, I could tell he was six feet
—Amira— Three months ago... I was making dinner in the kitchen when my little cousin's voice broke out from the balcony. “Amira! Come, look!” “What's it, Oluchi?” I asked, covering for the pot. “Just hurry!” she beckoned. Exhaling, I wiped my hands on my apron and stepped out of the kitchen. But the second I reached the balcony, my heart stumbled. There, in the yard, was a face I hadn’t seen in two years. My longtime boyfriend. “Sammy?” I breathed. He laughed, that same crooked laugh that used to melt me. “Yes, baby. It’s me.” I dashed into his arms and he lifted me off my feet. Just like that the lonely nights and the endless waiting, melted away. “I missed you,” I whispered. He kissed my forehead. “I missed you more.” “What's all the noise about?” We turned as Grandma Nenna, stepped into the balcony, walking stick in hand. The smile on her face shriveled as she saw him. “Mama. Sammy's back,” Oluchi giggled. “Good evening, Mama,” he greeted her. But sh
—Nathaniel—What kind of fool gives his heart to a stranger?I blinked twice, not because I was fighting tears. But because I needed to be sure I was seeing right.No. It wasn’t my imagination. She’d chosen the money and left without looking back.The silence was suffocating. It felt like someone had cut me open with a knife.I hesitated, then reached inside my pocket for my phone. Only to come up with a pack of condoms. Damian must’ve slipped it in last night.Shit. I hadn’t even used it.I pulled out my phone, and dialed the head of my security.“Hello, sir.”“Prepare my convoy. We’re going home,” I muttered, and ended the call.I didn’t move until a knock sounded at the door. The head of my security stepped in.“Your convoy is ready, sir,” he announced.Slipping my phone into my pocket, I pushed myself off the couch and headed for the VIP elevator.In the parking lot, I climbed into the lead car of the convoy, and we merged into D.C' s morning traffic.No meetings. No work. Not tod
—Nathaniel—Something about her stopped the noise in my head. Maybe it was the way her cocoa skin glowed under the dim lights, or how her afro hair fanned out like a crown halo.Then I noticed what she was wearing— a sheer silver bodysuit that hugged her curves, and jewelry that caught the light.Damian hooted, before turning to us at the table. “Seems we have a newbie in the house.”Eloise gasped. “Oh my God, she’s so beautiful.”As for me?I could only sip my drink, unable to take my eyes off her.Something about her tightened my chest—made me acutely aware of her in a way I’d never been with another woman.As though all the oxygen in the room had disappeared.She scanned the room as though unsure of what she was here to do, then Reluctantly grabbed the pole.“Why isn't she dancing?” Eloise asked.Damian shrugged. “She's a fresher, what do you expect? Guess she's not used to this kind of attention.”“Move it already, will you?” someone shouted from the crowd.For the life of me, I f
—Nathaniel—The shrilling of my alarm clock dragged me out of sleep. I slammed a hand over the timepiece, silencing it, before rolling onto my back.Something about today felt different. Why? Then it clicked.Today was my twenty-fifth birthday.I slipped out of bed and into the hallway of Sunrise Mansion, where sunlight spilled through the floor-to-ceiling windows.“Good morning, sir,” my domestic staff greeted.I offered them a curt bow and headed to the dining room. One of them even mumbled, “Happy birthday, sir.”A faint smile curved my lips. “Thank you,” I replied, before turning to my tablet on the table.As expected, there were several missed calls and texts from my parents and siblings. I browsed through the messages, then returned the calls, starting with my parents.The phone rang twice before connecting. My mother’s face filled my device’s screen, calling from the master bedroom of Green Oak Mansion.“Good morning, mom.”She beamed. “Hello, Nat. Happy twenty-fifth birthday,







