جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 60

Pregnancy changed everything. Daniel became even more protective than before, refusing to let Amara carry anything heavier than a handbag. Every morning, he reminded her to take her vitamins before breakfast, and every evening, he came home with fresh fruits, supplements, or something new for the baby.Sometimes it was tiny baby socks. Sometimes it was a pair of soft mittens, a knitted cap, or little baby shoes no bigger than the palm of his hand. Other times, it was a soft blanket, a baby towel, feeding bottles, rattles, or beautifully folded baby clothes that made Amara smile. Before long, he had bought a crib, a stroller, a baby bathtub, diapers, blankets, tiny pillows, and more clothes than their baby could possibly wear in the first few months.She often laughed.“You’ll finish buying everything before the baby even arrives.”Daniel would smile faintly.“Our child deserves the best.”His excitement made her happy. Whenever she looked at the growing collection of baby things neatl

Six months into her marriage, Amara had learned to stop questioning certain things. Whenever something felt off, she always found a reason for it: pregnancy, stress, or loneliness. Those three words had become her answer to almost everything, and honestly, it was easier that way. Daniel’s routine never changed. He woke up before seven, dressed neatly in one of his expensive suits, kissed her forehead every morning, rested a hand gently over her growing stomach, and then left the house at exactly eight o’clock every single day. No matter the weather or the season, he was always gone by eight. And somehow, he was always back home at exactly five—not five minutes later, not even one minute. Exactly five. At first, Amara had admired his discipline, assuming successful businessmen simply lived that way and respected time. Lately, though, she had started noticing little things. Small things she couldn’t quite explain. Sometimes, even after Daniel had left for work, she could still smell

She didn’t sleep that night.She lay awake for hours, her mind looping through the same frustrating question: *What does this man actually do? Why can’t he just give me the name of his company?*By morning, she had made up her mind. She was going to find out for herself.Daniel woke up at his usual time, dressed neatly in a sharp suit, kissed her forehead, and walked out to his black SUV. The moment he drove through the gates, Amara hurried to change into a smart outfit and rushed downstairs.When she reached the gate, the security guard hesitated, blocking her path.“Madam? Where are you going?”“Open the gate,” she demanded, her voice sharp and authoritative.The guard looked nervous, clearly remembering Daniel’s strict instructions, but under her intense glare, he relented and unlocked the heavy iron gate. Amara stepped outside into the Lagos street and immediately flagged down a passing taxi.She pulled open the door, slid into the back seat, and pointed frantically down the road.

The phone rang. Amara jumped slightly, dropping the magazine she had been half-heartedly flipping through onto the glass coffee table. She snatched the phone off the couch and stared at the screen. It was Sandra. Her heart did a quick, excited flip. It had been eight whole months since she last heard from any of them. Without wasting a second, she swiped the screen and brought the phone to her ear. “Hello?” “Amara!” Sandra’s voice blasted through the speaker, high-energy and instantly filling the quiet, cavernous room. “Ah, madam! So you are still alive? Eighhht months, Amara! Some of us thought you had vanished completely off the face of the earth!” A wave of relief mixed with heavy nostalgia washed over Amara. “Sandra. Oh, God, Sandra. I’m so sorry, I’ve been—” “Ah, save your story!” Sandra cut in, laughing loudly. In the background, Amara could hear the faint, muffled bass of music and clinking glasses—they were probably at a lounge somewhere, drifting from one social club t

Amara couldn’t stop thinking about the woman. Even after returning home, the terrified look on her face refused to leave her mind. She tried watching television, but nothing held her attention. She picked up a novel, but after reading the same page three times, she closed it and set it aside. She even lay down, hoping sleep would come, but it didn't. For the first time since marrying Daniel, she found herself genuinely afraid—not of Daniel, not yet, but of the question that had begun to take root inside her: Who exactly is Daniel Johnson?Around five o’clock, just as always, she heard the familiar sound of the front gate opening. Moments later, Daniel walked into the living room carrying his black briefcase, arriving at exactly five as though the day itself had been measured around him. The moment he saw her, he smiled."My beautiful wife," he said, kissing her forehead before resting a hand gently on her stomach. "And how are my two favourite people today?"Amara forced a smile. "We’