All Chapters of SECOND CHANCES AT SUNRISE : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

**CHAPTER ONETHE RETURN**Eliana Adeyemi had mastered the art of avoiding memories.It wasn’t intentional; it was simply survival. Memories were dangerous things—especially the ones that carried the scent of him. The ones shaped like Jamal’s laugh, or the warmth of his hand, or the way her name sounded when he said it, deep and careful, as if it mattered.After five years of silence, Eliana had taught herself to breathe without thinking of him.Or so she believed.That illusion ended the moment she stepped out of the airport and the Lagos heat wrapped around her like a familiar, old embrace. She closed her eyes briefly, steadying herself. She had only come back to Nigeria because of work — three months, nothing more. She would handle the contract, keep her head down, and leave.Simple.Zero emotions involved.But Lagos had a way of unearthing what you thought you buried.Her phone buzzed.Welcome home, Aunty Eliana!Her little niece had sent the message, all emojis and excitement.El

**CHAPTER THREEWHEN EYES MEET AGAIN**Eliana arrived early the next morning.Too early.She didn’t want to admit—to herself or to anyone—that she had hardly slept. The city was still stretching awake as she stepped into Evercrest Towers. Staff trickled in, greeting one another with soft “good mornings,” and the air smelled faintly of fresh coffee and new ambition.She walked to the lift, heart steady but mind restless.“Good morning, ma,” the security guard greeted.“Good morning,” she replied with a small smile.As the lift doors slid open, she stepped inside. The ride to the 17th floor felt longer than yesterday’s. She held her laptop bag tight, mentally rehearsing her design ideas.Focus. Professional. No emotions.But the moment she stepped out, her resolve wavered.Jamal was already there.Standing by the glass railing. Hands in his pockets.Waiting.He turned when he sensed movement, and their eyes met — again.The moment stretched.“Morning,” Jamal said, his voice warm and cal

CHAPTER FIVE — A COFFEE, A CONFESSION, AND A QUESTIONThe next morning felt strangely brighter for Yara. She woke up before her alarm, a small, involuntary smile on her lips. It wasn’t because the sky was clear or because Lagos finally decided not to torment her with traffic noise at dawn. It was because of Jamal—the way he had stood there last night, steady and sincere, promising her something she hadn’t expected to hear again:“We can try… slowly.”Those words had lodged themselves in her chest like tiny seeds of hope.By 10 a.m., she was sitting at her desk at Indigo Glow, sipping tea she wasn’t even tasting. She tried to read emails, approve supplier invoices, and review a new fabric sample that her assistant insisted was “life-changing.”But her mind kept drifting.He came back.He still cares.But can I trust him?Her thoughts were interrupted by the soft chime of her office door opening.“Good morning, Yara.”Jamal’s voice floated in, smooth and calm—completely out of place in

CHAPTER SEVEN — A SINCERE APOLOGYThe next morning, Yara woke with a surprising sense of calm. Not excitement—she refused to name it that—but something softer. Something like anticipation.She arrived at BeanStock at exactly 8 a.m.This time, Jamal wasn’t seated.He was standing outside, leaning casually against the rail, scrolling through his phone. When he looked up and saw her, his face brightened with that gentle, unguarded smile she was beginning to recognise again.“You’re early,” he said, pocketing his phone.“So are you,” she replied.“Good. Means we’re both eager.”She rolled her eyes. “Don’t start.”He laughed, placing a hand over his chest. “I’ll behave. For the first ten minutes, at least.”They went inside and settled at the same table unspokenly—like it had already become theirs.When the waiter approached, Jamal lifted a hand. “We’ll have the usual.”Yara blinked. “We’ve only been here twice.”“Still counts,” he said lightly, but there was meaning in his eyes—soft, reve

CHAPTER NINE — LUNCH, LAUGHTER, AND LITTLE MOMENTSBy Friday, Yara realised she was looking forward to seeing Jamal more than she was willing to admit—even to herself.It was not the butterflies or the excitement; it was something steadier. A quiet warmth that lingered after he left, like the lingering scent of freshly brewed coffee.When he texted her that morning:“Lunch? I promise it’s only food and nothing more complicated.”She found herself smiling before she even typed back:“Fine. But only because you promised.”They met at The Courtyard, a little boutique restaurant tucked away in Victoria Island. It smelled of fresh herbs and sunlight filtering through the large glass windows.Jamal waved as she approached, and her chest gave an involuntary leap. He wasn’t overly flamboyant, but his smile—warm, confident, and just a little mischievous—made her weak in ways she didn’t expect.“You look… relaxed,” he said.“I’ve learned from experience,” she replied lightly, “that work meeting