Novel-novel oleh BETHEL OGBONNAYA

Cassie’s POVI was still tied up. The ropes dug into my skin, biting painfully into my wrists. Every shift, every small movement, made the pressure worse, and the dull ache in my arms was constant—gnawing, relentless. I tried to scream, but the gag in my mouth made it impossible to produce more than muffled, frantic sounds. The tightness in my chest only grew with each desperate attempt.I flexed my fingers, trying to ignore the cold burn creeping up my arms. My legs were tied too, but not as tightly. I could still move them slightly, still feel some sense of control over them. So, I tried to use my feet to move the small piece of wood that lay just out of reach. My toes strained against the floor, dragging it toward me inch by inch. My heart raced with hope. If I could just get a hold of it, I could use it to break the ropes or maybe…The sound of footsteps outside the door snapped me out of my focus. My heart skipped a beat, panic setting in. Was someone coming? My breath caught in

Evelyn's POVThe look on Hannah's face was hard to miss. I stood there, frozen in the doorway, eyeing both of them carefully. The tension in the room was so thick I could feel it pressing down on my chest, suffocating me. My mind raced, trying to piece together what had just happened, what was happening.Lucas looked like he’d just seen a ghost, and Hannah? Her eyes were swollen from crying. I swallowed hard, the knot in my throat growing tighter by the second."What’s going on here, Lucas?" I asked, my voice steady, but my mind was all over the place. I needed answers, and I needed them now.Hannah’s gaze flicked toward me, but she didn’t say anything. It wasn’t the first time I’d walked into an uncomfortable situation, but this one? This one felt different. It felt like I had stepped into something far deeper than I was prepared for.Lucas finally broke the silence, his hand still on the doorframe, looking like he wanted to say something, but the words weren’t coming easily.“You’re

Lucas's POVAfter hanging up the phone with Evelyn, the silence in the room felt like it was choking me. My fingers instinctively reached for the pack of cigarettes on the kitchen counter, but I paused before I even touched them. The weight of the call still hung in the air like a thick fog, and I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that was slowly gnawing at me. Something wasn’t right, and the knowledge that Evelyn was going to chase down whatever secret I had kept from her felt like a burden I was barely able to carry.Hannah was sitting by the kitchen table, her body hunched over, her hands trembling slightly as they rested on her lap. She was always so strong, so composed, but now? She looked lost, fragile. Her tears ran freely down her face, a sight I never imagined seeing. The guilt surged in my chest, sharp and bitter. She had trusted me, and here I was, about to drag her into a mess I had created. The weight of my actions was suffocating.I walked over to her slowly, each step m

Evelyn's POVI was perched on the old blue ladder chair in the corner of the room, my gaze unfocused as my fingers absentmindedly traced the worn edge of the chair’s armrest. The sharp chime of my phone cut through the silence, pulling my attention away from the haze of my thoughts. It was a message from Hannah—Aunty Hannah, to be exact. I wasn't in the mood for her endless advice, so I let the phone rest on the chair, nudging it aside with the tips of my fingers.My eyes drifted to the wall calendar hanging just above the desk. The dates were marked in red—each one a glaring stain against the otherwise dull pages. A sense of unease settled in my chest. The marks weren’t just random—there was purpose in them, something deliberate. But what did they mean? Why did they stand out so clearly? I couldn’t remember marking those dates myself.Just as I was about to lean in for a closer inspection, Sarah’s voice sliced through the quiet room, sharp and impatient.“What are you staring at, Eve

Hannah's povI stumbled backward, my head spinning, my entire body trembling. The room felt suffocating. The tension thickened, cloying at my throat. My heart was pounding so loudly in my ears that I could barely hear myself think. I had to get out of here, had to talk to someone—Evelyn would know what to do, she’d understand.My feet were already moving before my mind could process anything else. I turned quickly, eyes darting to the stairs as I bolted for them, but the sound of my brother’s voice stopped me cold.“Hannah, don’t do it.”I didn’t even look back. My hand was already reaching for the doorknob, the cold metal a promise of escape. But then, Lucas’ hand grabbed my wrist with an unexpected force, pulling me away from the door. I gasped, trying to yank myself free, but his grip tightened.“Let go of me!” I snarled, pulling harder, my skin burning where he touched me. His voice was low, a dangerous growl that made my pulse race.“Don’t you dare call Evelyn,” Lucas warned, his

Hannah pov I stepped into my brother’s apartment, the soft, melodic hum of a woman’s voice drifting through the air like a whisper. My brow furrowed instantly. This wasn’t right. Lucas wasn’t the type to bring random women over, especially not for something as... casual as this. I paused for a second, listening, the melody growing louder and more frantic.Who is humming like that? I asked myself, stepping into the dim light of the apartment. My steps were slow, deliberate, each one tinged with suspicion. The voice was like an unsettling echo in my mind, making my skin prickle.Something felt off.I quickly moved toward the stairs, the soft humming still filtering through the air, carrying with it a sense of urgency—like something was wrong. Why would someone be singing, trapped like that? Was someone hurt? My instincts kicked in, telling me to hurry.I climbed the stairs fast, taking them two at a time, my heart pounding in my chest. I couldn’t stop thinking about what I might find a