Chapter 11

Zara flopped on her bed the moment she got home. The shoot with Kemi had gone surprisingly well, but the unexpected appearance of Regan and Imani at the eatery still rattled her. She couldn’t stop replaying the image of them sitting together, laughing—so familiar, so easy. The sight of them hadn’t been a coincidence. It couldn’t have been.

She hadn’t heard anything they said, of course. She and Kemi had quickly paid for their takeout and left. But the sight alone had stirred something in her chest that she couldn’t quite name. Was it jealousy? Annoyance? Or just confusion?

Kemi’s voice interrupted her thoughts.

“You can’t tell me that didn’t shake you a little,” Kemi said, dropping her bag on the floor and climbing onto Zara’s bed without permission.

“It didn’t,” Zara lied, scrolling through her phone like she hadn’t been thinking about it all the way home. “They probably just bumped into each other, like we did.”

“Oh please. The way they were seated? That wasn’t a coincidence. They were waiting for each other, babe,” Kemi said. “You think Regan’s still in love with her?”

Zara’s face twisted. “I don’t know, Kemi. And honestly, I don’t care.”

Kemi rolled her eyes. “You care. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t have gone quiet in the car.”

“I was thinking about my photoshoot,” Zara said quickly.

Kemi narrowed her eyes. “Right. And that’s why you barely said a word until we got home?”

Zara let out a deep sigh and sat up. “Look, even if he’s still talking to her, it’s none of my business. I didn’t want this marriage in the first place. If Regan wants to catch up with his ex, let him.”

“But you’re marrying him, Zara. Whether you like it or not, what he does affects you now,” Kemi said seriously. “And what if that girl starts feeling entitled?”

Zara opened her mouth, but her phone buzzed. She frowned, picked it up, and checked the screen.

UNKNOWN NUMBER: “You looked cute at the shoot today. Hope Regan thought so too.”

Zara’s stomach dropped.

She stared at the message, heart racing. She hadn’t posted anything from the shoot yet. How did whoever this was know about it?

Kemi noticed the sudden change in her face. “What is it?”

Zara slowly passed the phone to her. Kemi read the message and sat up straighter.

“What the hell? Who is this?” she asked.

“I don’t know. It’s not saved. This isn’t the first time I’ve gotten a message like this, though.”

Kemi’s eyes widened. “Wait, what? You’ve been getting weird messages and didn’t tell me?”

“I thought it was a prank. Maybe someone playing games,” Zara muttered.

Kemi stood. “No. This is giving stalker vibes. And what do they mean ‘Regan thought so too’? You don’t think…?”

“I don’t know,” Zara said quickly. “It can’t be Regan. He wouldn’t…”

“Wouldn’t what?” Kemi cut in. “Wouldn’t spy on you? Or wouldn’t have someone do it for him?”

Zara swallowed. “Or it could be Imani. Maybe she saw us. Maybe she’s just trying to get in my head.”

Kemi sat back down, clearly not convinced. “Whoever it is, they’re watching you. That’s not okay.”

Zara rubbed her forehead. “I don’t want to think about this right now. Not tonight.”

Zara stretched. “Come on. Let’s change into PJs. I need to clear my head.”

Kemi nodded, but her mind was clearly still turning. “You know, Zara… something about all this feels off. I don’t think we should ignore it.”

“I know,” Zara whispered. “But right now, I just want to rest.”

As they changed and got ready for bed, Zara’s phone buzzed again. She didn’t pick it up this time. She just stared at the screen, dread sinking deep into her chest.

She didn’t know who was watching her. Or why.

But someone was.

And they were getting too close.

Meanwhile, across the city, Regan sat on the balcony of his father’s mansion, nursing a drink and staring into the darkness. The day had been… complicated. Seeing Imani again had twisted something inside him, but it wasn’t longing—it was confusion. And guilt.

His phone buzzed. A message from Imani.

“We’re not done yet, Regan. You owe me that much.”

He stared at the message. He hadn’t responded to the earlier one. He didn’t want to. But she wasn’t letting go easily.

He called her.

“Wow,” Imani answered almost immediately. “You finally remembered how to use your voice.”

“Imani, what are you doing?”

“What do you mean what am I doing? You ghosted me, Regan. No warning. No explanation. Just—poof—you were engaged to someone else.”

“I didn’t choose this. You think I’d just throw away everything we had on a whim?”

Imani laughed, cold and bitter. “Oh, so now you’re playing the victim? Was your phone broken? Your fingers paralyzed? You couldn’t send one text?”

“I’m sorry.”

“No, you’re not. You’re just doing damage control.”

“I didn’t mean to hurt you. My dad… he made the call. And I—”

“Ah, so you are a daddy’s boy,” she cut in, mocking. “Do you need him to dress you in the mornings too?”

“Imani—”

“No. Save it. Honestly, thank God we didn’t end up together. I need a man, not a puppet.”

He bit back a reply, letting her venom pour out.

“Just one thing,” she said. “If you think I’m going to disappear quietly, you’re wrong.”

The call ended.

Regan sat in silence, staring at the screen. He knew Imani well enough to know that wasn’t just talk. And the worst part? He didn’t know who he was supposed to protect anymore—her… or Zara.