๋ก๊ทธ์ธ๊ณต์
Chapter 43
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ:
2025-05-02 21:01:40
๊ด๋ จ ์ฑํฐ
The reluctant vowย ย ย Chapter 44
The ride to the hospital was uneventful, though Kemi kept glancing at her phone like she was expecting a message. They didnโt talk muchโboth of them were still unsettled from the strange Imani encounter the last time.As they walked through the hospital doors, the scent of antiseptic hit them instantly. Zara wrinkled her nose while Kemi headed straight for the nurseโs desk to check in. After confirming the appointment, they were told to wait.The hallway was quiet except for the occasional beeping of machines and the echo of nursesโ footsteps. Zara sat beside Kemi, eyes drifting lazily over the faded posters on the wall.Ten minutes later, a nurse stepped out and called, โMiss Kemi Adebayo?โโThatโs me,โ Kemi stood, brushing invisible dust from her jeans. โYouโre coming in with me, right?โโOf course,โ Zara replied.Inside the dimly lit scan room, the doctor motioned for Kemi to lie down. Zara stood at her side as the technician prepared the gel and equipment. The whirring of the mach
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-05-02The reluctant vowย ย ย Chapter 1
โYou know your father has made the decision. Thatโs final.โZaraโs eyes widened in disbelief as her motherโs voice echoed through the living room, sharp and unwavering. โSo nobody cares about me or my dreams? Not even my happiness?โMrs. Tunde stood still, arms folded across her chest. Her lips were pressed into a thin line, like she was trying to stay calm, but the tension between them was too thick to ignore.โI donโt love Regan. I donโt even know him!โ Zara burst out, voice trembling as she stood in the middle of the room, her fists clenched by her side.โYou donโt need to know him or love him.โ Mr. Tundeโs deep baritone cut through the air as he stepped into the living room. His expression was unreadableโcold, commanding, final. โAll you need to know is that the marriage is happening. You, Zara Tunde, are going to be the wife of Regan Kareem.โZara felt her chest tighten. Her legs wobbled beneath her. โYou canโt do this to me,โ she said, almost in a whisper.โWe already have,โ her
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-04-17The reluctant vowย ย ย Chapter 2
The house felt quieter than usual, but it wasnโt peaceful. It was the kind of silence that carried weightโunspoken words, wounded pride, and burning disappointment all wrapped into one. Zara had barely slept the night before. Her body had collapsed into bed, but her mind had wandered restlessly, dancing between hope and helplessness.The email still sat open on her phone. She had read it more than a dozen times. Each line, each sentence, carried the promise of freedom, of escape. A chance to start fresh, to step into the world she had dreamt of since she was a teenager. Yet that future now clashed with the one her parents were forcefully designing for her.Downstairs, the hum of conversation floated up to her room. Footsteps echoed off the polished tiles, followed by the sound of a chair scraping against the floor. Zara slowly sat up, her heart thudding with anxiety. She could already sense what was coming.The door creaked open without a knock.โZara, come downstairs,โ her mother sai
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-04-17The reluctant vowย ย ย Chapter 3
The living room buzzed with stifled tension. Chief Kareemโs deep voice floated in and out of Zaraโs consciousness as he discussed โfamily valuesโ and โmerging legaciesโ with her father. Regan sat across from her, back stiff, eyes occasionally glancing her way, unreadable as always.Zaraโs fingers twitched in her lap. She couldnโt breathe in hereโcouldnโt think straight. With a polite smile that barely masked her frustration, she excused herself.โExcuse me, I need to get something upstairs,โ she muttered, not waiting for permission.Once in her room, she locked the door behind her, slumped onto the bed, and grabbed her phone. Her heart beat faster as she pulled up her messages, scrolling until she saw the email againโthe one that had flipped her world upside down just hours ago.Congratulations Zara Tunde, you have been shortlisted as one of the finalists for the House of Aramรฉ Model Search. The final selection will take place in three months. Prepare to bring your A-game.She stared
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-04-17The reluctant vowย ย ย Chapter 4
Zara blinked, her steps faltering as she entered the kitchen and caught sight of Reganโbare-chested, sweatpants hanging low on his waist, his muscular frame bent over the water dispenser as he filled a glass. The silver jug shimmered beneath the fluorescent light, but all she could focus on was the stranger in her house. Again.He looked up briefly, their eyes locking for half a second before he turned away, cool and unbothered. Not a single word. Not even a nod. Just silence.Zaraโs brows furrowed in confusion and mild irritation as she backed away and turned down the corridor, storming toward her motherโs room.โMummy,โ she called, pushing open the half-closed door. โWhy is Regan in our kitchen?โMrs. Tunde looked up from where she was folding a wrapper. โBecause heโs staying here, Zara.โZara blinked. โStaying? As inโฆ sleeping over?โHer mother sighed. โYes. The Kareems are spending the weekend here. Both families agreed. Weโre going to start planning the engagement, and this will
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-04-17The reluctant vowย ย ย Chapter 5
Zara didnโt expect peace when she came downstairs, but she also didnโt expect the bomb her father was about to drop. The living room was filled with cheerful voicesโChief Kareemโs deep laugh, her motherโs polite chuckles, and her fatherโs barely hidden pride. Everyone was drinking tea like it was a regular Sunday morning.Until her father cleared his throat and said, โWeโve decided the wedding will be next month. Just enough time for proper preparations.โZara froze.Kemiโs voice in her head whispered breathe, but it was already too late.โExcuse me?โ she said aloud, blinking like sheโd misheard.Her father didnโt even look at her. โYou heard me. Itโs final.โShe stood, heart pounding. โAnd I donโt get a say? Youโre just going to marry me off likeโlike some business deal?โChief Tundeโs eyes snapped to hers, hard and warning. โZara. Sit down.โโNo,โ she said louder now. โYou canโt just decide my future without me!โChief Kareemโs smile stiffened. Mrs. Tunde looked away, pretending to
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-04-17The reluctant vowย ย ย Chapter 6
Zara paced the length of her room, her fingers trembling with excitement as she stared at the message on her screen. โYour shoot is confirmed for today at 6 PM. Location: VI. Donโt be late.โ She could almost hear Kemiโs voice squealing in her head. It was finally happening.This shoot wasnโt just any shootโit was a potential launchpad. The kind of opportunity that could change everything.She quickly changed into something casual but sleek, just enough to make it seem like she was going out for something ordinary. If she played this right, sheโd be back before dinner. No one would even notice.But her plans shattered the moment her motherโs voice echoed up the stairs.โZara! Be downstairs in twenty minutes. Weโre going to dinner with the Kareems.โZara froze. โDinner again?โ she muttered under her breath. Her brows furrowed. โWhy? Weโve had breakfast, lunch, dinnerโฆ brunchโฆ more food than conversation.โStill, she descended the stairs slowly, calculating what excuse to give. Maybe she
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-04-17The reluctant vowย ย ย Chapter 7
The evening carried a strange weightโlike the end of something, though Zara couldnโt quite place what.Dinner was awkward, tense. Regan sat across from her, his fork barely moving, his face unreadable as ever. Her parents pretended to enjoy the meal, but even her mother kept glancing at the door, as if expecting someone.The someone came fifteen minutes later.Chief Kareem.He entered the house in his usual regal stride, his voice booming as he greeted Mr. and Mrs. Tunde. He kissed the air beside her motherโs cheek and clapped her father on the shoulder like an old friend. Then he turned to Regan and nodded.โTime to head home, son.โZara blinked. That was it?So, he was finally leaving.It struck her with an odd wave of relief. Since that awkward night in the kitchen and his cryptic โYouโre not the only one who feels trapped, Zara,โ he had kept to himself. Their interactions had been shallowโsafe, surface-level.Now, the visit was over.Apparently, this dinner was Kareemโs version of
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2025-04-17
์ต์ ์ฑํฐ
The reluctant vowย ย ย Chapter 44
The ride to the hospital was uneventful, though Kemi kept glancing at her phone like she was expecting a message. They didnโt talk muchโboth of them were still unsettled from the strange Imani encounter the last time.As they walked through the hospital doors, the scent of antiseptic hit them instantly. Zara wrinkled her nose while Kemi headed straight for the nurseโs desk to check in. After confirming the appointment, they were told to wait.The hallway was quiet except for the occasional beeping of machines and the echo of nursesโ footsteps. Zara sat beside Kemi, eyes drifting lazily over the faded posters on the wall.Ten minutes later, a nurse stepped out and called, โMiss Kemi Adebayo?โโThatโs me,โ Kemi stood, brushing invisible dust from her jeans. โYouโre coming in with me, right?โโOf course,โ Zara replied.Inside the dimly lit scan room, the doctor motioned for Kemi to lie down. Zara stood at her side as the technician prepared the gel and equipment. The whirring of the mach
The reluctant vowย ย ย Chapter 43
Zara didnโt even finish brushing her hair that morning. She just tossed it into a bun, slipped on a hoodie, grabbed the flash drive, and dashed out. Her heart thumped the whole way to Kemiโs house, the mysterious note echoing in her head: Heโs not who you think he is.Kemiโs mother opened the door with a warm smile, still in her satin wrapper and a shower cap.โZara! Long time, my dear.โZara curtsied lightly, breathless but polite. โGood morning, ma. Itโs been a while.โโYou and Kemi donโt visit like you used to,โ the woman teased as she opened the door wider.โWeโve just been swamped withโฆ stuff,โ Zara replied, trying not to seem too anxious. โIs Daddy home?โโNo, heโs gone for a business trip. Traveled late last night. You just missed him.โโOh, okay,โ Zara nodded, thankful. That meant fewer eyes watching her every move.She climbed the familiar stairs and pushed open Kemiโs door to find the room empty but the bathroom light on. The sound of running water echoed faintly.โKemi!โ sh
The reluctant vowย ย ย Chapter 42
The morning sun broke gently through Zaraโs bedroom window, but its warmth did little to thaw the cold, tight feeling in her chest. She was back at her fatherโs house nowโjust as plannedโbut something about it felt off. Foreign. Like she had left a part of herself behind at the Kareem mansion.Her motherโs knock came soft but insistent.โZara, are you awake?โZara sat up slowly, pressing a hand to her forehead. โYeah,โ she called back, though her voice barely rose above a whisper.The door cracked open, and her mother peeked in. Her eyes immediately scanned Zaraโs face. โYou look pale. Did you sleep at all?โโIโm fine,โ Zara replied quickly, swinging her legs off the bed. โJustโฆ tired.โMrs. Tunde stepped in fully, her brows drawing close with concern. โYouโve been looking tired a lot lately. Is this about the wedding?โZara gave a small, rehearsed smile. โJust nerves, I guess.โHer mother didnโt look convinced, but she nodded. โWell, breakfast is ready.โโOkay. Iโll be down in a minu
The reluctant vowย ย ย Chapter 41
The atmosphere inside the Kareem mansion was different that nightโtense, quiet, final. Tomorrow, Zara would return to her fatherโs house. The wedding was drawing near, yet everything felt off balance.Zara sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the clock. It was almost midnight. She couldnโt sleep with the weight of uncertainty pressing against her chest. The stalkerโs message still haunted her, and Reganโs growing distance gnawed at her thoughts.She stood up abruptly, her bare feet padding quietly down the hallway to Reganโs room. This couldnโt wait.He was still awake, seated on the couch near his window, a glass of something dark in his hand. The moment she walked in, he looked up.โWe need to talk,โ Zara said, closing the door behind her.Regan leaned back slightly, eyebrows raised. โAbout what?โZara took a breath. โAbout us. Aboutโฆ everything. Look, this is our last night here. After this, I go back to my fatherโs house. Weโre getting married soon, Regan. And if weโre going to
The reluctant vowย ย ย Chapter 40
Zara barely registered the drive back to Kareemโs Mansion. Her mind buzzed with everything she had witnessed tonight. Every corner, every sharp turn Regan had taken, every shadowy figure he had met withโImani, whoever she was, seemed like a piece of a puzzle Zara didnโt yet have the full picture of. The night air was thick with tension, and she couldnโt shake the feeling that she was getting closer to something dangerous.As she pulled into the driveway, Zara quickly shut off the engine and climbed out of her car. She glanced around, ensuring no one was watching, before heading to the front door. The mansion was eerily quiet at this hour, and Zara was grateful for the silence. Her steps were steady, but her mind raced.As she reached for the door, the cold handle greeting her with a sense of finality, she froze. The last thing she expected was to bump into Regan.He stood there, looking at her with a raised eyebrow, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his coat.โDid you go out?โ Reg
The reluctant vowย ย ย Chapter 39
Zara hadnโt planned on making it a habit. But each night, as the house fell silent, she couldnโt help herself. The urge to follow Regan, to figure out just what the hell was going on, gnawed at her.It wasnโt like she was obsessedโฆ well, maybe she was. Just a little.She would tell herself it was nothing, just curiosity, just needing to understand the pieces of the puzzle that were Reganโs life โ the pieces he kept locked away. But each night, as he slipped out for another mysterious errand, she found herself slipping behind him again.It had started as an occasional thing, but now it was becoming routine. Every night, she donned the same hoodie, flattened her chest, and turned her mind off to any risk of getting caught. She had already followed him twice this week, each time more daring than the last. But tonight, she could feel the tension in her bones. Tonight, it felt different.She leaned against her window, watching as Regan prepared to leave. The same strange feeling settled in
The reluctant vowย ย ย Chapter 38
The house was unusually quiet that evening, the kind of quiet that made every creak of the floorboards echo louder than necessary. Zara wandered aimlessly down the long hallway leading to the private cinema room, intending to grab the sweater she had left there earlier. She wasnโt thinking much about Regan โ at least not until she approached the corner near his bedroom.Thatโs when she heard it.Muffled voices leaked from his slightly open door. She froze, instincts sharpening.It was Reganโs voice. And he was on the phone.Curiosity tugged at her, rooting her to the spot. She knew it was wrong to eavesdrop, but something about the urgency in his tone made her inch closer, her back pressed against the cool marble wall.โโฆyou need what?โ Reganโs voice was low but irritated. car for what now?โZaraโs brows knitted together, but she kept listening.There was a pause, then Regan spoke again, his frustration barely masked.โYouโre demanding for a car because of a baby thatโs still in the w
The reluctant vowย ย ย Chapter 37
The morning light spilled softly into Zaraโs room at the Kareem mansion, but she had barely slept. She turned onto her side, staring blankly at the elegant curtains, her mind still replaying the conversation with Kemi the night before. Her fatherโs warning echoed louder with every passing hour.A light knock came at the door before it creaked open. Kemiโs head popped in, her hair wrapped messily in a scarf.โRise and shine, bride-to-be,โ she said teasingly, stepping inside with two mugs of coffee in her hands.Zara sat up, forcing a small smile. โThanks. God knows I need it.โKemi sat beside her on the bed and handed her a mug. โYou look like youโve been wrestling demons all night.โZara laughed dryly. โI feel like it.โFor a few minutes, they sipped quietly, the comfort of friendship filling the silence.Then, Kemiโs voice turned serious. โZara, what are you going to do? About all this?โ She gestured vaguely around the luxurious room.Zara stared into her coffee. โI donโt know. I fee
The reluctant vowย ย ย Chapter 36
Later that evening, Zara found herself in her room, sitting on the bed, her thoughts racing. She couldnโt shake the nagging feeling that there was more to Reganโs behavior than he was letting on. It wasnโt just the coldness between them now, or the gifts from Imani that still made her stomach turn; it was everything. The way he avoided answering her questions, the way he acted like everything was fine when she could see the cracks forming around him.Just then, the door creaked open, and Kemi stepped inside, looking every bit the comforting friend Zara needed at that moment. She glanced at Zaraโs furrowed brow and knew immediately that something was bothering her.โYou okay?โ Kemi asked, sitting next to her on the bed.Zara let out a sigh, leaning back against the headboard. โNo, Iโm not. Everything is justโฆ complicated. I donโt even know where to start.โKemi raised an eyebrow. โWell, why donโt you start with Regan? Youโve been avoiding him all night.โZara shook her head. โIโm not a
