เข้าสู่ระบบZara burst out of the bedroom like a storm, her heart pounding so hard she could barely breathe. Her cheeks were wet, and her hands trembled as she held the railing, half-running, half-stumbling down the stairs.Kemi and Mrs. Tunde, who were still in the living room, shot up immediately.“Zara!” her mother cried, rushing to her. “What happened?”Zara could barely speak at first. She gasped for air, clutching her chest. “He—he didn’t agree with me,” she finally managed, her voice breaking. “He said if I expose his father, I’ll destroy everything they’ve built. Mummy, he’s going to tell Chief Kareem!”Kemi’s eyes widened. “Wait, what? Are you sure?”Zara nodded frantically. “I saw it in his face, Kemi. He’s torn, but his loyalty to his father… it’s stronger than anything. I can’t stay here. I can’t let him warn Chief before we leave. Not with the babies.”Mrs. Tunde didn’t even hesitate. Her years of being a mother kicked in immediately. “Then we leave now,” she said, her tone firm and
The moment Zara stepped into their room, she could already feel it — the storm brewing inside Regan.He stood near the edge of the bed, his hands clenched tightly, chest rising and falling with sharp breaths. The veins in his neck pulsed beneath his skin, and his eyes—dark, fiery, unreadable—locked on her the second she closed the door.Zara hesitated near the door, her fingers gripping the doorknob as if it were the only thing keeping her upright.“Regan…” she started softly, her voice breaking slightly.He turned sharply, his eyes burning with disbelief. “Who was that?” he demanded, his voice low but shaking. “Tell me I didn’t just see who I think I saw.”His tone wasn’t loud—but it carried more weight than any shout could. The fury behind it was contained, controlled, dangerous.Zara’s lips trembled. She swallowed hard, her chest rising and falling with each uneven breath. “You saw right,” she whispered finally. “That was Zainab.”“Since when, Zara?” His voice was cold, shaking wit
The silence that followed Regan’s shout was sharp enough to cut through the night air.Zainab had already disappeared beyond the gate, swallowed by the shadows, but the echo of her name — “Zay!” — still hung thickly in the corridor like a ghost refusing to fade.For a few seconds, no one moved. Mrs. Tunde’s hands flew to her chest. Kemi’s eyes darted from Zara to the door, her pulse racing. And Zara— she just stood there, frozen in place, her heart pounding so fast she could barely breathe.Then Regan turned. His eyes, wide with disbelief and confusion, locked on Zara. The soft, loving man she knew was gone — replaced by someone she hadn’t seen in months. Someone whose anger was quiet but dangerous.“Zara,” he said slowly, his voice low but vibrating with tension. “Upstairs. Now.”The authority in his tone made even Kemi step back.“Regan, please,” Mrs. Tunde said quickly, stepping forward, trying to calm him. Her voice trembled slightly — she knew the kind of storm that could follow
The silence that followed Regan’s shout was sharp enough to cut through the night air.Zainab had already disappeared beyond the gate, swallowed by the shadows, but the echo of her name — “Zay!” — still hung thickly in the corridor like a ghost refusing to fade.For a few seconds, no one moved. Mrs. Tunde’s hands flew to her chest. Kemi’s eyes darted from Zara to the door, her pulse racing. And Zara— she just stood there, frozen in place, her heart pounding so fast she could barely breathe.Then Regan turned. His eyes, wide with disbelief and confusion, locked on Zara. The soft, loving man she knew was gone — replaced by someone she hadn’t seen in months. Someone whose anger was quiet but dangerous.“Zara,” he said slowly, his voice low but vibrating with tension. “Upstairs. Now.”The authority in his tone made even Kemi step back.“Regan, please,” Mrs. Tunde said quickly, stepping forward, trying to calm him. Her voice trembled slightly — she knew the kind of storm that could follow
The air was thick with emotions when Zainab finally decided it was time to go. The reunion had drained everyone — tears shed, truths confessed, and promises whispered in the shadows. Mrs. Tunde still held her daughter’s hand tightly, unwilling to let go, as though one blink could make her disappear again.Zainab smiled softly and said, “Mama, I’ll come back. I promise. But it’s safer if I leave before anyone else notices.”Mrs. Tunde nodded reluctantly, her eyes red and swollen from crying. She reached up to adjust Zainab’s hijab, her hands trembling. “Please, my child, be careful. That man must never know you’re here.”“I know,” Zainab whispered. “He won’t.”Zara stepped closer, her heart pounding. “I’ll walk you to the back gate. The security there won’t question me.”Kemi, who had been silent for a while, exhaled shakily. “This is too risky. If anyone sees her—”“They won’t,” Zainab cut in, her tone calm but firm. “I’ve lived in worse danger before. This is nothing.”They moved qui
The air was thick with emotions when Zainab finally decided it was time to go. The reunion had drained everyone — tears shed, truths confessed, and promises whispered in the shadows. Mrs. Tunde still held her daughter’s hand tightly, unwilling to let go, as though one blink could make her disappear again.Zainab smiled softly and said, “Mama, I’ll come back. I promise. But it’s safer if I leave before anyone else notices.”Mrs. Tunde nodded reluctantly, her eyes red and swollen from crying. She reached up to adjust Zainab’s hijab, her hands trembling. “Please, my child, be careful. That man must never know you’re here.”“I know,” Zainab whispered. “He won’t.”Zara stepped closer, her heart pounding. “I’ll walk you to the back gate. The security there won’t question me.”Kemi, who had been silent for a while, exhaled shakily. “This is too risky. If anyone sees her—”“They won’t,” Zainab cut in, her tone calm but firm. “I’ve lived in worse danger before. This is nothing.”They moved qui







