How time flies. Praise first birthday was here and she couldn't walk nor stand.Christiana stood in the living room, staring at the decorations She had spent the entire morning putting up. Balloons in soft pink and white dangled from the ceiling,the dining table was covered in a golden cloth, and a beautifully designed cake was left untouched. It was supposed to be Praise first birthday but there was no celebration. No guests. No music. No father. She looked at the clock, it was 4.30 pm. The party was supposed to have started at 3pm, but she had spent the last hours making excuses to the few friends and family members She had invited. She had told them that the party was postponed, that something urgent was coming up. But the truth was simple and more painful. Alexander had refused to drop the money for the party. When she asked him that morning, he looked at her with scorn. “ She's just a year old”, he said coldly. “ She wouldn't even remember it. By the way
Praise suddenly falls sick in the middle of the night.Christiana rushed her to the hospital,only for the doctors to tell her that the child's condition has worsened due to lack of stress and lack of proper medical attention. The doctor scolds Christiana for missing important check ups,which she couldn't attend due to Alexander's negligence. Ever since Alexander found out that his daughter was disabled, he hardly contributed in the hospital bill of their daughter. She had done everything to be a good mother. She had sacrificed, endured, begged , her nothing seemed to be enough. Alexander had abandoned them. He had refused to even acknowledge their daughter,Let alone celebrate her first birthday. It had been Christiana's responsibility to pay her disabled bill for drugs. It was getting worse that at one point Christiana could not afford her drugs again, She decided to call Alexander's mom to report his son to her for not taking up the child's respons
The room fell into a big silence as Alexander stood at the doorway, his sharp eyes locked onto Christiana's . The way his lips curled in anger sent chill down her spine. She quickly ender the call, holding the phone tightly as her heart pounded. “ Who the hell were you talking to?” Alexander's voice was low and dangerous. Christiana swallowed hard. “ No one important”. Alexander's eyes changed. “ Don't lie to me, Christiana “. She tried to remain calm. “ It was just someone checking up on Praise”. Alexander scoffed. “ Praise? Since when do you have people checking on that child ? When did that rubbish start?”. She tried to remain calm. “ Don't call her that child!”. She's your daughter. “He let out a bitter laugh. “ Daughter? Can you hear yourself? Do you think I asked for this?Do you think I wanted a disabled child?” .Christiana's face burned with anger and pain. “ She's still your blood Alexander!”. “ She's your mistake, not mine”. He retorted. T
For days, Christiana was trapped inside the house. Every time She tried to leave, Alexander made sure the doors were locked. His guards stood to watch her, ensuring she didn't live the compound. Praise, Oblivious to the tension, cooed in her Crib. Christiana ran a gentle hand over her daughter's curls, tears pricking her eyes. “ We'll get out of here, baby I promise.” When Alexander finally returned home with a DNA test kit, Christiana felt her stomach turn. “Time to put an end to this debate”, he said, throwing the kit on the table. “ Open Praise’s mouth “. Christiana's arms tightened around her daughter. She's not an experiment, Alexander “. He turned his eyes. “ Stop being dramatic”. He grabbed the swab. “ Hold her still”. Tears burned Christiana's eyes as she gently divided Praises lips apart. The baby wiggled, whining as Alexander roughly switched her cheeks. When he was done, he stared at her. “ Now, we wait”.The following days were suffocating, A
The cold night air hit at Christiana's skin as she held Praise close, rocking her gently. Her daughters tiny whimpers were the only sounds breaking the silence of the deserted streets. Her chest tightened . She had nothing. No money , no home . No one to turn to. Alexander had thrown her away like trash. Tears burned in her eyes, but She refused to let them fall. Not here. Not when she had to be strong for her baby. But where will she go? As she walked round the street, her legs weak from tiredness and heart break, She heard the unmistakable sound of heels clicking against the pavement behind her. Christiana turned out of fear , her heart sinking. There, standing under the dim glow of a street light, was a woman She recognised instantly. It was Daniela , Alexander's ex wife. The woman she frustrated with her pregnancy so that Alexander will put her in the house. And with the look on Daniela's perfectly makeup, She was enjoying herself not minding anything Chri
The streets were cruel. Christiana had nowhere to go. No money, no food, no idea what tommorow would bring. She walked for hours,her arms wrapped tightly around Praise, who was in deep sleep. Every step felt heavier, her legs barely able to carry her. She passed by Restaurants,their bright lights and warm air spilling onto the streets, mocking her. She could perceive food,rich dishes that made her stomach hungry and twist in agony. Her last meal had been when? She couldn't even remember. Desperation clawed at her throat. She needed help. But who would help her now? She used to have clients who threw money at her feet,but those days were gone. No man wanted a woman with a child,especially with a child like Praise. A slow tear slid down her cheeks. Her baby was hungry. Her baby was cold. And she could do nothing about it. She had never felt this worthless. As she sat on a bench, trying to rock Praise to sleep, an elderly woman approached her. She had Gray hair tucked ben
Christiana wiped the sweat off her forehead,exhaling a deep breath as she pulled another tray of freshly baked bread from the hot oven.The scent of warm dough filled the small bakery mixing with the faint aroma of coffee and sugar.She had been working since morning, her hands covered in flour, her feet aching from standing from hours. But despite the tiredness,She forced herself to keep going. She had no choice. The job at the bakery was all She had.After being thrown out by Alexander and his mother,She had wandered the street , hold ing Praise to her chest. With nowhere to go and no one to run to, She had spent the night outside, shivering under the cold sky. But fate had helped her. The woman who supplied bread to several shops in the neighbourhood had seen her struggles and offered her A job as a bakery Assistant. It wasn't much, but it came with a tiny room at the back of the bakery, a place she can rest her head on, even if it was small. It was better than the
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
The palace was quiet—too quiet. Even the birds that usually fluttered outside the grand windows of the king’s chamber were absent, as if nature itself mourned the weariness of the man within.Alexander sat on the edge of his bed, the heavy robe of royalty pooling around him like a shroud. The golden crown, once proudly perched upon his head, now lay abandoned on the floor, its polished surface reflecting nothing but a broken legacy.He had sent the servants away hours ago, requesting solitude. But truth be told, he had been alone for far longer than that—ever since Daniela left, ever since the boy vanished. Ever since he traded his humanity for power.The voices from the past echoed relentlessly in his mind."You want her to be queen? There is a way…""Put this powder in her drink. It will cloud her mind and draw her to you.""Rub this oil on your palms before you touch her—she will not resist.""You must act fast. The elders are watching. You need an heir."At the time, it all seemed
The palace was quieter these days—too quiet for a man who once ruled with noise, power, and pride. Alexander sat by his window, fingers toying with a half-filled goblet of wine. Outside, the moonlight brushed the edges of the thatched palace roof, casting ghostly shadows on the walls. Chisom had long drifted to sleep, her breathing soft, steady. But Alexander was wide awake—again.It had been six moons since she was brought to him, her skin soft as silk, her smile gentle, her body yielding. Each night, she came to his bed, and each night, he held hope in his loins and in his heart. But morning always came with the same bitter emptiness. No signs. No whispers of cravings. No swelling belly. No child.He had tried everything—spiced roots, fertility herbs from the palace medicine woman, and even late-night rituals performed by the native priest. Still… nothing.Alexander rose from the bed, pacing the cold marble floor with heavy feet. A fire burned in the hearth, but it did little to tha
The morning sun filtered through the bright white curtains of their new apartment, casting golden rays across the hardwood floor. Lydia stirred beneath the duvet, her hand instinctively reaching out to the other side of the bed.Empty.She blinked, sat up, and glanced around. The soft scent of brewed coffee and toasted bread teased her nose. A smile curled on her lips.He’s in the kitchen again.Throwing on a light robe, she padded down the hallway and into the warm, open space where Gabriel stood shirtless, wearing joggers and flipping pancakes with an exaggerated chef’s flair.“You’re going to burn them,” Lydia teased, leaning against the doorframe.Gabriel turned, spatula in hand, and grinned. “And good morning to my beautiful wife.”She walked up to him, wrapping her arms around his waist from behind. “Good morning, chef husband.”He kissed the top of her head, then plated a stack of fluffy pancakes. “I thought we could eat on the balcony today. The sun’s not too harsh yet.”They
The early morning sun filtered through the intricate lattice windows of the palace, casting golden shapes across the polished floors. Drums beat faintly in the distance, signaling the dawn of a new day—and a new queen.Chisom sat quietly on the edge of a carved mahogany bed, her feet barely touching the polished ground. Around her, the royal maids fluttered like bees, tying her hair into delicate loops, rubbing her arms with perfumed oil, and whispering instructions she barely absorbed.“Your new robe, my queen,” one of the maids said, presenting a cloth woven with silver threads and royal blue patterns. “You must wear it before you greet the king.”Chisom nodded faintly, still unsure how to wear the title of "queen" in her heart. The palace air was thick—not just with incense, but with the weight of expectation. She could feel it in the walls, in the eyes of the elders who measured her with unspoken judgment, and in the stiff bow of the guards who had served another before her.As sh
The palace air brimmed with anticipation, thick like a brewing storm. Inside the grand hall, the scent of burning incense drifted from gold-plated bowls, curling in the air like whispers from the ancestors. Soft drums echoed in the background, played by two palace boys, steady and ceremonial. The marble floors had been scrubbed to glass-like shine, reflecting the rows of candles burning along the corridor.Alexander sat on the throne, robed in deep crimson, his royal crown resting heavy on his head. His face was unreadable—a mask of calm, yet behind his eyes, something stirred. Pain. Memory. Resignation. This was not how he envisioned choosing a queen.Beside him, a guard stood silently, holding a scroll with the names of the maidens. The chamberlain motioned, and the doors opened.One by one, the virgins began to enter.The first maiden, Awele, stepped forward with her head lowered, her feet bare, anklets chiming with each timid step. She was beautiful—smooth dark skin, full lips, an
The sky above the palace bled into a melancholic gray, the sun hiding behind thick clouds as though mourning with the king. The royal garden, once Daniela’s favorite place, stood untended. Wildflowers grew in stubborn defiance through cracks in the once manicured paths. The scent of blooming hibiscus clashed with the scent of time—that old, dusty silence that lingered in places where laughter had died.King Alexander stood still on the palace balcony, arms crossed behind his back, cloaked in heavy velvet. He wasn't the same man he was two years ago. The weight of loss had carved lines into his once-youthful face. His shoulders drooped beneath invisible burdens. Power still clothed him, yes, but it no longer fitted him like pride—it clung to him like grief.His eyes scanned the horizon—the same trail Daniela had once fled down with the child. The same trail the guards had failed to watch. His jaw clenched at the memory.Every now and then, he imagined seeing her figure walking back, ch
The evening of the engagement party felt like a dream to Lydia. The grand ballroom was bathed in warm, golden light. Crystal chandeliers hung high above, their glimmering reflections dancing across the polished marble floor. The walls were adorned with intricate tapestries, depicting stories of love, fortune, and legacy. Every corner of the room was carefully designed to evoke luxury, but it was the people who made it truly come alive.Guests murmured and laughed in soft clusters, champagne glasses clinking as they raised their toasts to Gabriel and Lydia. They had all come from different walks of life—wealthy socialites, business moguls, close friends of the family. But tonight, there was one thing that united them all: the promise of the future, the joining of two lives. Gabriel stood at the center of it all, a striking figure in a tailored suit, his posture confident but warm as he greeted guests. He was the picture of a man who had everything under control. But as his eyes scanned
The soft light of the morning sun was seen through the blinds, spilling its warmth over the living room of Gabriel’s apartment. Lydia sat on the sofa, her bare feet tucked under her as she scrolled through a wedding magazine, lost in thought. The room was filled with the rich scent of freshly brewed coffee, and the faint hum of the city outside only added to the quiet peace of the moment.Gabriel had just stepped out of the shower, a towel draped low on his hips, his hair still damp. He smiled as he saw her lost in the magazine, the occasional flutter of the page drawing her attention. It was one of those simple, perfect moments that made him feel like everything he’d ever wanted was right here.“You look like you’re plotting world domination,” Gabriel teased, stepping into the kitchen, his voice a warm caress.Lydia glanced up from the pages, offering him a playful scowl. “I’m plotting the perfect wedding, thank you very much. There’s a difference.”“Ah, my mistake,” he grinned, lean
Dark clouds thickened above the palace like a warning, casting long shadows that crept along the courtyard stones. A heavy silence hung in the air, broken only by the occasional rustle of dry wind against the banana trees that lined the palace fence.Alexander stood stiffly near the throne room window, eyes fixed on the sky. When the priest finally arrived, the guards ushered him in with reverence. The old man’s steps were slow, but his presence demanded respect. His hair, thick and snowy white, spilled down to his shoulders like ancestral feathers. His robe, dyed deep maroon with sacred herbs, carried the scent of ancient incense.He bowed slightly, then looked up. His eyes—milky but sharp—settled on Alexander’s face. “You sent for me, Your Highness?”Alexander gestured toward a mat. “Sit. There is trouble in the land.”The priest slowly lowered himself, folding his legs under him. “I know,” he said softly, voice like wind brushing through dried leaves. “The spirits whispered last ni