جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 70

For almost two years, loneliness had become Amara’s closest companion. Every morning followed the same routine. She woke before sunrise to prepare Daniel’s breakfast and iron his clothes while he got ready for work. Like clockwork, he left the mansion at exactly eight o’clock every morning, briefcase in one hand, dressed in one of his expensive suits. No matter the weather, no matter the traffic, no matter what happened, he always left at the same time. After watching his SUV disappear through the massive gates, Amara locked the front door and returned to the enormous mansion.The silence settled over the house, reminding her that she had no one. No mother, no sisters, no close friends, no neighbours. Only her little boy. Her beautiful son had become her entire world. His tiny laughter filled rooms that had once echoed with emptiness, and she talked to him endlessly even though he barely understood her words.Sometimes she carried him around the mansion, singing the old village songs

Daniel picked up his briefcase from the chair beside the bed. Amara watched him for a moment; something had been on her mind.“Daniel?”He turned. “Yes?”She hesitated. “Your friends…”A small change crossed his face, only for a second. “What about them?”Amara sat up slightly. “I was just thinking about them. It’s been so long since I’ve seen them. The last time I saw them was at the registry. They haven’t come around since then. They don’t visit anymore.”Daniel looked away. “They’re fine.” That was all he said. He adjusted his wristwatch and walked toward the bedroom door.Amara frowned, having expected more—at least an explanation. “Daniel?”He stopped. “Did something happen?”When he didn’t answer, she got out of bed and followed him into the hallway. “Did you guys have a fight? Is there a problem between you? Because they were your friends. They seemed close to you.”Daniel continued walking, but his steps slowed and his head lowered slightly. For a moment, he looked like someon

Sunday evenings were usually the quietest in the estate. The roads were less busy, children played outside before sunset, and families took evening walks together, enjoying the cool breeze before another busy week began. Amara had just finished cleaning the house, and with little Liam asleep after his evening feed, she carried the trash bag outside. The security guard was busy watering the flowers near the gate, so she decided to take the trash herself to the central waste collection point a few houses away.She had barely thrown the trash into the large dumpster when someone called her name. “Amara!”She turned immediately. Grace stood across the road, waving excitedly, with her husband beside her neatly dressed in a polo shirt and jeans, holding their little daughter in his arms as a sleek SUV waited behind them. Grace hurried across the road and hugged Amara warmly.“I’m so glad I caught you!”Amara smiled. “I almost missed you.”Grace laughed. “We’re taking the baby out. My husban

Liam was growing faster than Amara had ever imagined, learning something new every single morning. One day he was struggling to crawl; the next, he was darting across the mansion so quickly that she had to keep a constant eye on him. He had become the life of the house. The once-silent rooms were now filled with cheerful giggles, tiny footsteps, scattered toys, and the innocent laughter of a happy child. Looking at Liam, there was no doubt who his father was. He was the exact image of Daniel—the same sharp nose, the same well-shaped lips, the same thick eyebrows, and eyes that carried that same strange, heavy calmness. Whenever people saw him, they smiled and said, *"That child didn’t even borrow anything from his mother. He’s his father’s complete photocopy."* Amara never took offense. She just laughed proudly. "My handsome little man." There was one thing, though, that amused her every day: Liam was completely obsessed with his father. No matter how long Amara carried him throug

Morning arrived quietly. Daniel was ready before eight, adjusting his cuffs while Amara packed his breakfast. Before he picked up his briefcase, she smiled."Remember I told you about Grace? I'll be spending a few hours at her place today. We finally found a day when we were both free."Daniel simply nodded."I'll take Liam with me. We'll be back before you get home."He held her gaze for a second. "Alright."That was all. He kissed Liam’s forehead, pressed a light one to Amara’s, and walked out at eight o'clock sharp. His SUV rolled out of the compound, and Amara watched until it vanished through the gate."Finally," she whispered, turning to the baby. "Liam... we're going to visit Auntie Grace today."She bathed Liam first, dressing him in a soft cream romper before rocking him to sleep. After laying him carefully in his cot, she hurried to the kitchen. Even though Grace insisted she didn't need to bring anything, Amara couldn't arrive empty-handed. She whipped up a pot of smoky jol