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 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
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 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 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