Novels by Rebecca Akinola

Epilogue Nine months later. The sun streamed gently through the tall windows of the new Matt & Rose Foundation building, casting a warm glow over rows of seated attendees—executives, students, members of the press, and friends. The air held something rare: hope. Christian stood at the podium in a tailored navy suit, a small white ribbon pinned to his lapel. His gaze swept across the audience, lingering on the front row, where Olivia sat beside Ruth. Ruth wore a floral midi dress and a guarded smile. Next to her sat Roosevelt Lee—a former college buddy of Christian’s, and for the past month, Ruth’s quiet comfort. Eunice sat on Olivia’s lap, her legs swinging under her dress shoes, proudly sporting a glittery badge that read Junior Ambassador. She waved when Christian looked her way. He winked, then returned his attention to the microphone. “Today,” Christian began, his voice carrying with ease, “we honour two people whose kindness shaped who I am. My brother and sister-in-law

Chapter 120 Another four months had passed since Josh’s first court appearance. Today was judgment day.The courtroom felt colder this time—not from the air, but from the finality clinging to the walls like frost. The trial had dragged on for weeks—meticulous testimonies, irrefutable digital evidence, and the haunting voices of those Josh had manipulated or destroyed. Ruth had testified. So had Olivia. And Christian had taken the stand with quiet resolve, walking the court through every calculated step Josh had taken in the shadows.Now, there were no whispers. Just silence. The sentencing.Christian sat in the front row once again, between Ruth and Olivia. His hands rested on his knees, spine straight, jaw tight. Behind them, rows of strangers watched history unfold.Olivia wore a black blouse and slacks, her eyes fixed forward, unreadable. Ruth had opted for navy this time—a subtle, steady colour that matched the calm she was trying to summon.Josh was brought in, flanked by office

Chapter 119 Four Months LaterThe car ride to the courthouse was silent and tense. Christian drove, while Ruth and Olivia sat quietly in the back.The Massachusetts Criminal Courthouse loomed ahead, grim beneath a brooding sky. The winter air cut through even the thickest coats. News vans lined the perimeter like vultures, antennas raised like mechanical spines. Cameramen and reporters crowded the steps, lenses trained on the entrance, waiting for the man at the center of a storm no one had seen coming.Inside, the courtroom buzzed with restrained energy. Whispered conversations rose and fell like waves. Every seat was filled—press, family members, curious onlookers. The case of State vs. Joshua Smith had gripped the city: betrayal, murder, power, secrets.Christian sat at the front beside Olivia and Ruth, his expression carved from stone, but his eyes— his eyes burned. He hadn’t slept well in days, not since the indictment was finalised. The time between discovery and justice had fe

Chapter 118 Detective Harris shone his flashlight into the dark cavity beneath the floorboards, brushing aside layers of dust and cobwebs. “There’s definitely something down here.”Christian knelt beside the hole, squinting into the shadows. “What do you see?”“Some kind of box.” Harris reached down carefully and pulled out a dusty metal tin, about the size of a shoebox. It clanked faintly as he set it beside him. “It was wedged under one of the boards.”Detective Fisher stepped forward, gloved hands steady, and popped the lid. Everyone leaned in.Inside, nestled between scraps of old cloth, were two flash drives, a sealed plastic sleeve containing a small memory card—and, folded neatly at the bottom—a shirt.Fisher’s brow furrowed as he lifted the drives. “Bag these,” he instructed, handing them to another officer. “Handle with care. They could be encrypted.”Christian’s gaze narrowed. “What kind of shirt is that?”Fisher gently unfolded the fabric. It was a large-sized, worn men’s

Chapter 117 Olivia grabbed his arm before he could finish.“Christian.”He stopped and sank into the nearest sofa, the tension radiating from his frame.“Sweetheart,” he said gently, “come here. Let Uncle ask you something.”Eunice nodded and skipped forward. Christian crouched in front of her, his hands resting lightly on her small shoulders. His expression was calm, but there was an intensity in his eyes that hadn’t been there before.“Eunice,” he said softly, “what do you mean by a secret room?”Eunice beamed, clearly delighted to finally share her secret.“The one behind the big bookshelf in the living room! Daddy and Uncle Josh used to go there all the time. I saw them!” She puffed out her chest proudly. “They thought I didn’t know, but I did.”Christian’s grip tightened slightly. Olivia noticed the tick in his jaw.“When did you see them, sweetheart?” she asked gently, kneeling beside them. “Was it a long time ago?”Eunice nodded, her little hands tugging at the hem of Olivia’s

Chapter 116 The Mason mansion was quiet that night—the kind of stillness that carries the weight of things unsaid.Ruth sat curled on the plush living room couch, a blanket draped around her shoulders. But the warmth did nothing to ease the chill in her chest. The day’s events played on a loop in her mind— every word, every lie, every trace of Josh’s deception. She had spent months loving a man who never truly existed. Now all that remained was the rubble of a future that had never been real.Olivia sat beside her, close enough to offer support, but not suffocating.“Are you sure you don’t want to go upstairs and try to sleep?” she asked gently.Ruth let out a scoff and shook her head. “Sleep? Not a chance. Every time I close my eyes, I hear his voice. I see that smug smile he gave me—like he still had me wrapped around his finger.” Her voice cracked, raw with disbelief. “God, he really believed I was still his.”Olivia reached over and took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “He’