Christiana woke up to the sound of silence. She reached out hastily,her hand searching for warmth in the empty space behind her. But unfortunately for her,there was nobody on the bed. Her fingers clunged around the fabric as she let out a slow, shaky breath. Alexander was gone again. She turned her head,eyes narrowing at the blinking red light on the bedside table. His phone charger was missing. His suitcase, the one he always used for trips, was no longer in the corner. He had left , probably in the early hours of the morning, like a ghost sipping away before dawn. No goodbye, no messages, he just went like that without informing anyone despite knowing she was heavily pregnant. Christiana sat up,pressing a hand to her aching lower back. The weight of her growing belly made everything harder- sleeping, eating, moving was very stressful for her. But nothing was as hard as the loneliness that came with it.She grabbed her phone from the nightstand and scr
Melanie stepped out of the hospital doors, the evening breeze brushing against her skin. She held the small paper bag of medication in her hands as if holding onto it tightly would make the weight of her diagnosis easier to bear. The doctors had assured her that with proper treatment,She could live her normal life but nothing felt normal to her anymore. Daniela walked beside her in silence,her arms crossed and her face unreadable. It had been like this ever since the test results came out. No screaming at the top of her voice,no blame, just a heavy silence that crushed Melanie more than any words could. They reached the car and Daniela finally spoke. “ Did the doctors explain how often you need to take them?” . Melanie nodded,holding the bag even tighter. “Everyday. No missing doses”. Daniela took a deep breath and unlocked the car,getting into the driver's seat while Melanie slid into the passenger's side. The ride home was calm and quiet except
Desmond sat in the hospital waiting room,tapping his foot impatiently against the white- tiled floor. He had always hated hospitals,the weird smell,the bright lights, the quiet murmurs of sick people waiting for answers they didn't want. But today,he was here out of purpose. He was here to prove a point. His jaw tightened as he recalled the look in her eyes the last time they met. She was hiding something from him, but he was so sure that he felt that Melanie was using Hiv to cover up to avoid the Deal. “ Mr. Desmond cole?” He looked up at the nurse standing in the doorway, Clipboard in hand. With a cocky smile,he rose to his feet and followed her into the examination room. The doctor, an old man with grey hair, greyed him with a nod. “ You are here for a Hiv test right?” “ Yeah”. Desmond's voice was steady, almost bored. “ It's just to know if I have it or not”. The doctor raised an eyebrow but didn't say a word. Instead, he pulled out a testing kit , expl
The first pain came suddenly, it was a sharp stabbing one that shot through Christiana's lower abdomen, forcing her to tighten her arm around the couch. She breathed heavily,as she pressed a hand on her belly. Something was wrong. She had been feeling discomfort all morning, but this particular one hit differently. The pain was unbearable, and hard to bear. Her fingers dug into the fabric of the couch as she breathed heavily. She had been counting down the days,mentally preparing herself for this moment. But she didn't expect it to be so soon now. Not long after, her best friend walked in. “ Christiana are you Okay?”Naomi her closest friend, rushed over fear itching her skin as she saw her best friend in pain. Christiana tried to speak,but another contraction seized her, sharper and more intense than before. Her breathing became ragged as she held her belly, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. “ I … think it's time”, She managed to whisper, her voice
Melanie layed lazily on her bed,staring at the ceiling,her chest rising and falling in slow uneven breath.The world outside felt harsh and unreal. The weight of everything she had endured over the past few weeks pressed heavily on her chest. She had barely touched her food all day, and the silence of the room felt suffocating. Her phone had been buzzing for hours, but she had ignored it. Outside the sitting room, She could hear the strange sound of the television in the room where Daniela was watching the evening news. The brightening lights from the screen cast faint shadows through the small gap beneath Melanie's door. Suddenly, a loud, piercing scream disturbed the air. “Melanie!”The panic in Daniela's voice sent a huge fear in Daniela's body. Her heart pounded extremely as she sat up, Frozen in place.“ Melanie!” Daniela's voice called out again,desperate and filled with horror. Melanie's breath left her. Something was terribly wrong. But she did
The dim light of the bedside lamp cast long shadows across the room as Melanie sat on the edge of her bed, holding the pen so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Her hands trembled as she stared at the blank sheet of paper in front of her, her mind filled with thoughts too heavy to bear.How did things end up like this?The news had broke her down. Her nudes were out there for the world to see. There was no coming back from this. And the HIV? It was a twist of fate, a punishment she never saw coming. There was nothing left for her here.She swallowed hard, forcing herself to write, each word feeling like a nail driven into the coffin she had built for herself.“Daniela,By the time you read this, I’ll be gone. I don’t want you to blame yourself for anything. This was my decision.But before I go, there’s something you need to know. Something you’ve never been told. You and I… we’re not really sisters. I was never your real sister.Your mother found me in a dustbin when I was j
Daniela sat in the dim lit room,her hands trembling as she stared at Melanie's lifeless body. The weight of what had just happened surprised her like an unbearable force. Her heart pounded in her chest, as the realisation that her sister was gone dawned on her. Tears filled in her eyes but she quickly wiped them away. There was no time to mourn. She had to think. She had to act. If anyone found Melanie like this,they would assume she had something to do with her death. The police wouldn't listen to her explanations. A girl found dead in her own home, with only one other person present? She would be the primary suspect. And once they discovered the letter Melanie had written- the letter that revealed secrets too dark too dark to ever be exposed- her life will be ruined. She couldn't let that happen. Daniela took a deep breath,forcing herself to think clearly. There was only one solution: She had to get rid of the body. She looked at the time it was 9: 47 pm. She
Daniela sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the phone in her trembling hands. The screen was cracked,and the device itself felt heavier than it should be. It held all the memories she wishes she could clear off. The messages, the threats, the humiliation, it was all in there. Every piece of evidence that tied her to the darkest moment's of her sister's suffering. She clenched her fists,her nails digging into her palms as she tried to think about her next move. She had buried Melanie deep in the second street, codely so that no one would hold her responsible. She thought of going back there to bury the phone but a thought dawned on her. What if someone found the phone? What if the police caught her? What if Richard , that monster stiĺl had some hold over her in death? Her first thought had been to bury the phone alongside her sister. She had even placed it in a small bag, ready to return to the grave that night and drop it in. But as she sat there,
Gabriel stood speechless in the middle of his apartment, his hands clenched into fists. The sound of the door slamming shut echoed in his ears like a gunshot. Daniela had walked away, her heart shattered by the truth. She had not been replying to his messages for a while due to the fact that she was scared that he might do something worst than that.And it was his fault.For years, he had tried to erase his past. He had buried his regrets beneath wealth, success, and the illusion of a new life. But the past had a way of resurfacing, and now, the woman he had come to love despised him.He couldn’t let this be the end.Gabriel grabbed his car keys and rushed out, determined to find her.Daniela walked aimlessly down the street, the cool night air chilling her skin. Her arms wrapped around herself, not just from the cold but from the ache spreading inside her.Tears blurred the lights of the city, distorting everything around her.She had finally opened her heart again—let someon
Daniela sat on her couch, holding her phone so tightly that her knuckles turned white.Desmond’s words refused to leave her mind."Ask Gabriel what happened five years ago."Her stomach turned her.Gabriel had been her safe space. The one man who had given her hope again. But now?Her heart was filled with doubt. A slow, suffocating poison.Her instincts screamed at her to walk away,to bury the past and never dig it up again.But she couldn’t.She needed answers.Without thinking twice, she grabbed her bag and stormed out of her apartment.Gabriel opened his apartment door, his usual warm smile in place.But the moment he saw her face, the smile erased.“Daniela?” His brows tiled. “What’s wrong?”She pushed past him, stepping into the apartment.“We need to talk,” she said, her voice like steel.Gabriel closed the door behind them, his eyes filled with concern. “Talk about what?”She turned sharply, meeting his gaze.“Desmond.”Gabriel’s entire body stiffened. “What about him?”
Daniela sat in silence, staring at Gabriel.The man she had trusted. The man she had started falling for.And yet, his brother,Desmond was the reason her sister had suffered.The arguments between them was thick with tension.Gabriel reached for her hand, but she pulled away."Daniela," he whispered, his voice pained. "I swear, I had no idea. Desmond… he’s always been reckless, but I never knew he—"She stood up as fast as possible. "I need to think, Gabriel."His expression darkened, but he nodded. "I understand."But deep down, she didn’t know if she could ever look at him the same way again.That night, Daniela couldn’t sleep.Her mind kept replaying everything—her sister’s tears, Desmond’s name, and Gabriel’s face when she told him the truth.Her phone rang suddenly, removing her away from her thoughts.Unknown Number.She hesitated before answering."Hello?"There was silence for a while.Then, a deep, unfamiliar voice."Stay away from Gabriel if you value your life."Her
Gabriel wasn’t just kind with his words—he took action.One evening, as they sat in a quiet restaurant, he took her hand and looked into her eyes."I know you love working at the company," he started, "but I think you deserve more, Daniela. You’re smart, hardworking, and capable of much bigger things."She blinked at him, slightly taken aback. "Gabriel, what are you talking about?"He slid a neatly folded envelope toward her."A job offer," he said simply.Her heart pounded as she hesitantly unfolded the paper.It was from a well-respected company—a high-paying position as an administrative officer.She was filled with joy deep inside her. "How did you—?"Gabriel smiled. "I have connections. But you earned this, Daniela. I just pointed them in the right direction."Tears was filled in her eyes.She had struggled for so long, fought so many battles alone. And now, here was a man who wasn’t just promising her the world—he was actually helping her build a future."Gabriel, I—" She did
Days turned into weeks, and before Daniela even realized it, Gabriel had become a constant presence in her life, reassuring her and making her feel loved.At first, she had been hesitant to let him in. She had been burned before—used, abandoned, discarded like she was nothing.But Gabriel was different.He didn’t push. He didn’t demand too much.He was just… there.Every morning, she woke up to a text from him:"Good morning, beautiful. Have a great day."At night, another message:"Hope you ate today. Don’t overwork yourself."It was strange. No man had ever cared about the little things.And then there was the money.She never asked, but he sent it anyway. A small alert on her phone would pop up, and when she checked, there it was—a transfer from Gabriel."Just something to make things easier for you."****"Get something nice for yourself, Dani."He was everything she had ever wanted in a man. But more than the money, it was the fact that someone actually cared.Kind. Generous. Thoug
The first thing Daniela felt was something pounding in her head.The second was the unfamiliar warmth of soft sheets beneath her.Sunlight streamed through the curtains, a golden feeling settling over the modest guesthouse room. The air was quiet except for the tap water that was running speedily. Daniela stirred, groaning slightly as she pushed herself up on the bed.For a moment, she forgot where she was.Then, it all came back—the club, the music, the drinks, and… Gabriel.Her eyes filled across the room, landing on his dark suit jacket draped over the chair. That single sight made her heart skip. He was still here.As if on cue, the bathroom door opened, and Gabriel stepped out, steam curling around him. A towel hung loosely around his neck, his shirt unbuttoned at the collar, exposing just a hint of his toned chest. His hair was damp, slightly tousled, as if he had run his fingers through it.“Morning,” he greeted, his deep voice carrying an unmistakable smoothness.Daniela ru
Gabriel leaned back, his whiskey glass resting against his knee as he studied Daniela. The way she carried herself intrigued him, so he wanted to know more about her. He had met many women in clubs before—some looking for excitement, some chasing wealth, others simply bored. But Daniela? She wasn’t any of those.She was drowning.And she didn’t even realize it.“You don’t strike me as someone who usually drinks alone,” Gabriel finally said, breaking the comfortable silence between them.Daniela exhaled a humorless laugh,sipping the last remnants of her drink. “I don’t. Not usually.”“Bad day?” he tried to examine.She let out a breath, shaking her head slightly. “Try a bad life.”Something flickered in Gabriel’s eyes. “That bad, huh?”She turned to look at him, taking in the way he held her gaze without hesitation. Most men would have backed off by now, sensing the weight in her voice. But he didn’t. He held steady, waiting, offering no judgment—only curiosity.“I lost my father,
The club was filled with energy, a stark contrast to the suffocating silence that had filled Daniela's mind since she learned about her father's death. She sat in the dimly lit VIP lounge, a glass of whiskey in her hands, swirling the liquid absentmindedly. Loud music was filled in the air, the bass vibrating beneath her feet, but it barely drowned out the guilt eating deep in her blood. She had come to the club to escape, to calm her nerves down. But no amount of alcohol could raise the growing doubt in her chest. As she stared at the dance floor, her eyes was drawn to a man watching her across the room. He was tall, Confident, with black piercing eyes and he had a particular charisma that made him stand out in the crowded club. Their eyes met and for a moment, Daniela thought She imagined him kissing her lips deeply. Not long after, he moved straight towards her. He sat beside her, his scent rich perfume mixed with something dangerously intoxicating filling her se
Daniela sat in the back of the taxi,her fingers tightly gripping her purse. The city outside the window blurred as the vehicle sped past familiar streets,each one carrying a memory She had left long buried. For years, She had been absent from this place,from the people who once mattered ,convincing herself that She was better off without them. But now,with everything crumbling around her, She found herself desperate for something to hold on to. Her sister was gone. Her marriage to Alexander had ended in humiliation. And now, She had finally decided to reconnect with her Dad. She had avoided him for so long, ashamed of how her life had turned out. But deep down,She wanted to believe that despite everything , he would still welcome her with open arms. She had replayed her words a thousand times in her head. She would tell him about her divorce,about how she had lost her sister, about how lost she felt.He had blamed her for marrying Alexander but now she needed him to c