Romans de Temitope Adewusi

Flora’s POVThe elevator dings softly as it stops on my floor, and the doors glide open. I step out into the office, my heels clicking sharply against the polished tiles. The morning buzz has already started,phones ringing, printers humming, employees moving about with forced smiles and quick steps. But I have no time for pleasantries or distractions today. I go straight for Mr. Rivera’s office.I don’t bother to knock. I push the door open, stepping in with a quiet resolve that masks the storm brewing inside me.Mr. Rivera looks up from behind his desk, eyes narrowing slightly as he sees me. “Flora,” he says slowly, drawing out the syllables like he’s trying to figure out which version of me walked through the door. “I’m surprised to see you here.”I don’t answer. Not immediately. I let the silence stretch just a little. I remain standing, my arms at my sides, trying to steady the pounding in my chest.He raises an eyebrow when I don’t speak, fingers tapping lightly on the edge

Stanley’s POVThe door clicks shut behind us as we step into the house. Silence stretches across the room, thick and tense. I don’t say a word. I don’t have the strength to start something I won’t be able to finish tonight.Jessica walks ahead of me, heels tapping lightly against the polished floor. When I attempt to head for the stairs, she moves fast,almost too fast,planting herself in front of me, arms folded and head tilted in that practiced way of hers.“Are you still mad at me?” she asks, voice calm but with that underlying edge I’ve come to recognize. The one she uses when she’s trying to gauge whether I’m malleable enough to manipulate.I exhale slowly. “Jessica, I’m tired. I’ve been at the hospital for hours.”“You didn’t answer my question.”I look at her. Really look at her. The woman I married for obligation, not love. Her face is painted perfectly, not a flaw out of place, but behind that pretty mask is the chaos she caused just hours ago. My mother, injured. Hit wit

Jessica's POV I sit in the hospital hallway, crossing my legs as I scroll mindlessly through my phone. My nails tap against the screen, the only sound in the otherwise quiet corridor. Stanley has been inside his mother’s room for a while now, and I can only imagine the dramatic little scene unfolding in there.Poor Stanley.He still doesn’t understand the game we’re playing.A doctor walks past me, and I rise gracefully from my seat, flashing my most charming smile. “Doctor?”He stops, giving me a polite nod. “Yes, Miss?”I step closer, lowering my voice. “I heard that my dear mother-in-law to be might be discharged soon. Is that true?”The doctor glances at his clipboard. “Yes. She’s stable, and we’re expecting to clear her for discharge either tomorrow or by the weekend.”I hum, tilting my head. “I see.” I pretend to hesitate before leaning in slightly. “Would it be possible to delay that?”He frowns. “Delay it?”I let out a soft, almost embarrassed laugh. “It’s just that she’s had

Flora’s POVI walk into the towering glass building, the sound of my heels clicking against the pristine marble floor. The receptionist greets me with a polite smile, and I nod in acknowledgment before heading toward the conference room where my meeting with Mr. Rivera is scheduled.As I push open the heavy wooden door, my eyes immediately land on Senator Boris. He’s seated at the far end of the table, deep in conversation with Mr. Rivera and two other men in dark suits. The moment he sees me, his sharp gaze flickers to my wrist.“That bracelet…” His voice is low, almost thoughtful. “It looks familiar.”I glance down at the delicate silver chain wrapped around my wrist, a tiny charm dangling from it. It’s new—I had picked it up earlier that morning while out with my mom. I raise an eyebrow at the senator.“I got it this morning,” I tell him casually. “On my way out with my mom.”Senator Boris studies it for a beat longer, his expression unreadable. “It looks oddly strange,” he mu

Jessica’s POVThe moment Stanley walks out the door, I pull out my phone and dial Michael. He picks up on the second ring.“We need to meet,” I say without preamble.Michael chuckles. “That urgent, huh?”“Yes. I need to scare someone.”That gets his attention. “Who?”“I’ll tell you when we meet.”I type out an address and send it to him before hanging up.As I turn around, I freeze. Stanley’s mother stands in the hallway, her sharp, disapproving eyes locked on me.I don’t hesitate. My fingers curl around the delicate porcelain vase on the nearby table. In one swift motion, I lift it and smash it over her head.She stumbles back, her hand flying to her forehead as blood trickles down her temple. Her mouth opens in shock, but before she can scream, I let out a loud, ear-piercing shriek.The maid rushes into the hallway, eyes wide in panic.“Madam! What happened?”I clutch my chest, feigning distress. “She slipped! She just,she just fell!”The maid gasps, rushing to Stanley’s mother,

Flora’s POVThe morning sun filters through the curtains, throwing a soft glow over the room. Aurora is curled up beside me, her tiny hand resting against my arm. I watch her peaceful face, her slow breaths, and I feel a sense of calm that I rarely get to experience these days.My mother is in the kitchen, humming softly as she prepares breakfast. The scent of fresh coffee and eggs fills the air.I stretch and sit up. "Mom, I think I’ll take the morning off," I say as I walk into the kitchen. "Let’s eat out today. Just the three of us."She turns, surprised. "You’re not going to work early?"I shake my head. "No. I think we could use a little break."She smiles, clearly pleased by the idea. "That sounds wonderful. Aurora will love it."And she does. By the time we arrive at a cozy little restaurant, Aurora is buzzing with excitement, her eyes darting around as she takes in the colorful paintings on the walls and the scent of freshly baked bread. We find a quiet table near the wind