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Chapter 22
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2025-04-26 09:46:20Zara stared at her screen, blinking hard as the email glowed back at her.
Subject: URGENT – Invitation to Abuja Modeling Campaign Shoot From: Prestige Faces Africa “Congratulations, Zara Tunde. Following your recent shoot with Ajah Agency and the widespread attention it garnered, we’re pleased to invite you to a high-profile commercial shoot in Abuja this weekend. All travel and accommodation will be covered. Talent compensation: $1,000 USD flat rate.” Her heart skipped. Her hands began to shake. One thousand dollars? For one shoot? She covered her mouth and sank slowly onto the edge of her bed, eyes still fixed on the email. This wasn’t a scam. It was real. This was the kind of break she had dreamed about. No catwalk, no competition—just a booked, paid commercial. She quickly dialed Kemi. “Kemi…” she whispered the moment the line connected. “They want me in Abuja. It’s real, Kemi. It’s happening. A thousand dollars!” “What?!” Kemi screamed. “Zara, are you joking right now?!” “No o! I swear! It’s from this agency in Abuja. They saw the Ajah pictures and contacted me through them. I have to go this weekend. They’ll cover everything!” Kemi screamed. “Wait—what?! Did you say a thousand—Zara! That’s huge!” Zara grinned. “I know! But I’m scared. My dad—” Kemi cut her off. “Please. Don’t even bring him up. You are going.” “But my dad… you know I can’t tell him the truth.” Kemi was quiet for a second. Then her voice dropped to a mischievous tone. “Then we lie. What do you think I’ve been doing all this while?” Zara giggled nervously. “Okay. What do we say?” They brainstormed, giggling like high schoolers sneaking out for a party. “Let’s keep it simple,” Kemi said. “Work seminar. A company training session for new staff. Very last-minute.” “I’ll say they’re covering travel and accommodation. It’s too short-notice to say no.” “And you’ll leave Friday evening, back by Sunday. Make sure your story stays straight.” Later that night, Zara sat with her parents during dinner, barely touching her food. “Daddy,” she said, trying not to tremble, “I was told today I have to attend a compulsory work seminar in Abuja this weekend. For all new staff.” He raised a brow. “This late? Why didn’t they inform you earlier?” “I don’t know, sir. They just gave me the memo today. It’s two days only. Everything’s covered.” He eyed her silently. “You know I don’t like sudden travel.” “Yes, sir. But I don’t have a choice.” He grunted, unimpressed but too tired to argue. “Be ready before dawn on Friday. I don’t want calls.” Zara exhaled in relief. “Thank you, Daddy.” But after she left, her father’s suspicion brewed. He picked up the landline and called a contact who worked in the same firm. “No sir,” the man responded. “There’s no seminar planned for any junior staff this weekend.” Her father hung up slowly, face darkening. After dinner that night, Zara retired to her room Her only place of comfort around the house Zara stared at her screen, hands trembling as she read the email again. Subject: URGENT – Invitation to Abuja Modeling Campaign Shoot From: Prestige Faces Africa “Congratulations, Zara Tunde. Following your recent shoot with Ajah Agency and the widespread attention it garnered, we’re pleased to invite you to a high-profile commercial shoot in Abuja this weekend. All travel and accommodation will be covered. Talent compensation: $1,000 USD flat rate.” She couldn’t breathe. One thousand dollars. A paid job. Not a promise, not a dream—this was real. A light knock came on her door. “Zara?” It was her mother. Zara quickly minimized the email and cleared her throat. “Come in, Mum.” Her mother stepped in, arms folded with that calm, perceptive look she always wore when she already knew something. “Zara, omomi,” she said gently, “I know you’re not going to Abuja for any office seminar. Just tell me the big news.” Zara blinked, shocked. “Mum…” Her mother smiled faintly and sat beside her on the bed. “I may not say much, but I see everything. What is it?” Zara hesitated, then pulled up the email and turned the screen toward her. “This,” she whispered. “This is what I’ve been praying for.” Her mother read the message, eyes softening. “A thousand dollars?” “It’s a commercial shoot. For a big brand. Prestige Faces Africa. They saw my Ajah pictures online… Mum, I didn’t even apply. They reached out to me.” Her mother looked at her for a long moment, then reached out and touched her cheek. “I’m proud of you,” she said. “But you know your father won’t understand.” Zara nodded. “I know.” Meanwhile, across the city, Regan reclined on a leather chair in his study while his investigator stood before him. “She’s traveling this weekend,” the man said. “But it’s not office-related. That much I’m sure of.” Regan narrowed his eyes. “Then what is it?” The man shook his head. “I haven’t figured that out yet. But I did manage to trace the hotel she’ll be hosted in. It’s in Wuse II, Abuja. Five-star.” Regan’s jaw clenched. “Send me the address.” Friday arrived swiftly. Zara packed lightly but with excitement buzzing through every limb. Her mother kissed her cheek and handed her a small envelope. “Just in case you need extra cash,” she said with a wink. As the car pulled away, Zara had no idea another flight was being booked at the same time. Regan Kareem was heading to Abuja. Not because he knew what she was doing… But because something told him— Zara was hiding again. In Abuja, Zara arrived to five-star treatment. A personal driver picked her up from the airport. The hotel suite was jaw-dropping—glass walls, gold accents, a soft king-sized bed that looked like a cloud. She and Kemi texted nonstop. Kemi: You’re literally living my dream. Have you seen the room service menu? Zara: I almost cried when I saw the bathtub. Her fitting was perfect. Hair and makeup were done by pros who treated her like royalty. It felt unreal—until she stepped onto the shoot floor. The lights flared. The director gave orders. Cameras clicked. Then she saw him. Regan. Leaning against a corner, arms folded, gaze fixed. She froze for just a second before snapping into pose again. He didn’t move. Just watched. By the time the shoot ended, he was gone. Or so she thought. She checked her phone. One message. Regan: Nice seminar, by the way. High heels and foundation must be the new dress code. Zara’s stomach dropped. Then her screen lit up again. Dad. Calling. She declined the call, her fingers shaking. Then she texted Kemi: Zara: He knows. And Regan is here. In Abuja.
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Zara’s fingers trembled as she hit send on the message: “Regan is here and I think my dad knows I lied.”Within seconds, her phone buzzed with an incoming video call. Kemi.Zara picked up and barely got out a greeting before Kemi said, “Turn your camera. I want to see for myself. Are you sure it’s him?”Still catching her breath, Zara turned the camera shakily toward the corridor where she’d last seen Regan, but the hallway was empty now.“What the actual hell? He was just there! I swear—Kemi, I’m not losing it—I saw Regan!”“Babe, maybe it was someone that looked like him,” Kemi offered, her tone soft but unsure.“No, no, Kemi—I know what I saw. It was him. He even sent me a text!”“Wait, text?” Kemi sat up straighter. “What did it say?”Zara switched to her other phone, quickly screenshotting Regan’s message: “Your lies are getting better, but not good enough.”She forwarded it to Kemi.Kemi stared at it and exhaled slowly. “Okay, he’s definitely close by. But try not to panic. You’
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Zara stirred beneath the sheets, the early morning light pouring through the curtains, painting golden streaks across the hotel room. Her body ached in places that reminded her of the night before—the way Regan had kissed her, touched her, held her like he couldn’t breathe without her.Her eyes blinked open slowly.And there he was.Lying next to her, half the sheets kicked off his body, arm draped lazily over his head. Peaceful. Warm. Infuriatingly attractive.Zara turned to her side, slowly, quietly… willing her breath to steady. Her mind was a mess. What had she done? She wasn’t supposed to fall into his arms like that. Not after everything. Not with all the secrets between them.She sat up gently, pulling the sheet with her to cover her chest. Her gaze flicked to the clock.7:13 AM.The shoot was by 10. She needed to freshen up, call Kemi, get mentally back on track. She tiptoed out of bed, picked up her clothes from the floor, and headed toward the bathroom.But halfway there, hi
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The Abuja sun blazed high as Zara stepped out of the white-walled studio, her feet aching from the black heels she had worn for the final shoot. The commercial was finally a wrap. Her skin glistened with sweat, makeup melting slightly, and her body ached from all the dramatic poses. But she had nailed every single frame.“Yes! That’s it! Hold that pose. Eyes softer… perfect!” the photographer shouted, clicking away.A stylist rushed in to adjust her necklace mid-shoot. “Your neckline is too hidden. Let’s show off the product.”Zara nodded, standing still like a mannequin while hands fussed around her.The makeup artist whispered after the shoot, “Girl, you just ate that shoot. You might get picked for next month’s cover job.”Zara smiled faintly, exhausted but giddy. Her heart pulsed with joy. She wasn’t just playing dress-up—she was finally living her dream. Her first paid modeling gig had just ended, and it felt like a beginning.She stepped outside, the heat of the day wrapping aro
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Regan’s fingers trembled slightly as he ended the call. The words “I’m two months pregnant” echoed in his head like a loud bell refusing to be silenced. He stared at the ceiling, heart pounding, mind spinning in a thousand directions. Imani. Pregnant. Two months.“No, no… this has to be a mistake,” he muttered to himself, sitting up abruptly on the bed.He rubbed his hands over his face, then grabbed his phone again. Within minutes, he had booked the next flight to Lagos. He couldn’t breathe properly until he got answers face to face. If what Imani said was true, everything he’d started to build with Zara was about to come crashing down like a fragile house of cards.While Regan scrambled to deal with the storm unfolding, Zara rolled her suitcase through the familiar gates of her father’s house in Lagos. Her heart thumped with a strange mix of fear and curiosity. She hadn’t seen her parents since leaving for Abuja. And knowing her father, there was no telling what awaited her inside.
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The streets of Lagos blurred past as Regan gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles pale against the leather. He wasn’t headed anywhere in particular — just driving, trying to outrun the chaos swirling in his chest. The confrontation with Imani played in loops through his head like a haunting tune he couldn’t turn off.A baby.She claimed she was pregnant with his child. And the timeline… two months ago? That night. That stupid, foggy night when they ran into each other at that bar, both downing more drinks than they should have. He remembered being with her… vaguely. The bar. Her laugh. The taxi ride. Her apartment. But nothing intimate. Nothing sexual.Still, Imani had recounted everything with confidence — where they sat, what they drank, how he had kissed her. He had no recollection of even holding her hand.Could she be lying?His head throbbed. He thought of Zara, her soft laugh, the way she’d curled into his chest in Abuja. How, for the first time in a long time, something had
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“You know your father has made the decision. That’s final.”Zara’s eyes widened in disbelief as her mother’s voice echoed through the living room, sharp and unwavering. “So nobody cares about me or my dreams? Not even my happiness?”Mrs. Tunde stood still, arms folded across her chest. Her lips were pressed into a thin line, like she was trying to stay calm, but the tension between them was too thick to ignore.“I don’t love Regan. I don’t even know him!” Zara burst out, voice trembling as she stood in the middle of the room, her fists clenched by her side.“You don’t need to know him or love him.” Mr. Tunde’s deep baritone cut through the air as he stepped into the living room. His expression was unreadable—cold, commanding, final. “All you need to know is that the marriage is happening. You, Zara Tunde, are going to be the wife of Regan Kareem.”Zara felt her chest tighten. Her legs wobbled beneath her. “You can’t do this to me,” she said, almost in a whisper.“We already have,” her
Last Updated : 2025-04-17The reluctant vow Chapter 2
The house felt quieter than usual, but it wasn’t peaceful. It was the kind of silence that carried weight—unspoken words, wounded pride, and burning disappointment all wrapped into one. Zara had barely slept the night before. Her body had collapsed into bed, but her mind had wandered restlessly, dancing between hope and helplessness.The email still sat open on her phone. She had read it more than a dozen times. Each line, each sentence, carried the promise of freedom, of escape. A chance to start fresh, to step into the world she had dreamt of since she was a teenager. Yet that future now clashed with the one her parents were forcefully designing for her.Downstairs, the hum of conversation floated up to her room. Footsteps echoed off the polished tiles, followed by the sound of a chair scraping against the floor. Zara slowly sat up, her heart thudding with anxiety. She could already sense what was coming.The door creaked open without a knock.“Zara, come downstairs,” her mother sai
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The living room buzzed with stifled tension. Chief Kareem’s deep voice floated in and out of Zara’s consciousness as he discussed “family values” and “merging legacies” with her father. Regan sat across from her, back stiff, eyes occasionally glancing her way, unreadable as always.Zara’s fingers twitched in her lap. She couldn’t breathe in here—couldn’t think straight. With a polite smile that barely masked her frustration, she excused herself.“Excuse me, I need to get something upstairs,” she muttered, not waiting for permission.Once in her room, she locked the door behind her, slumped onto the bed, and grabbed her phone. Her heart beat faster as she pulled up her messages, scrolling until she saw the email again—the one that had flipped her world upside down just hours ago.Congratulations Zara Tunde, you have been shortlisted as one of the finalists for the House of Aramé Model Search. The final selection will take place in three months. Prepare to bring your A-game.She stared
Last Updated : 2025-04-17
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The streets of Lagos blurred past as Regan gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles pale against the leather. He wasn’t headed anywhere in particular — just driving, trying to outrun the chaos swirling in his chest. The confrontation with Imani played in loops through his head like a haunting tune he couldn’t turn off.A baby.She claimed she was pregnant with his child. And the timeline… two months ago? That night. That stupid, foggy night when they ran into each other at that bar, both downing more drinks than they should have. He remembered being with her… vaguely. The bar. Her laugh. The taxi ride. Her apartment. But nothing intimate. Nothing sexual.Still, Imani had recounted everything with confidence — where they sat, what they drank, how he had kissed her. He had no recollection of even holding her hand.Could she be lying?His head throbbed. He thought of Zara, her soft laugh, the way she’d curled into his chest in Abuja. How, for the first time in a long time, something had
The reluctant vow Chapter 26
Regan’s fingers trembled slightly as he ended the call. The words “I’m two months pregnant” echoed in his head like a loud bell refusing to be silenced. He stared at the ceiling, heart pounding, mind spinning in a thousand directions. Imani. Pregnant. Two months.“No, no… this has to be a mistake,” he muttered to himself, sitting up abruptly on the bed.He rubbed his hands over his face, then grabbed his phone again. Within minutes, he had booked the next flight to Lagos. He couldn’t breathe properly until he got answers face to face. If what Imani said was true, everything he’d started to build with Zara was about to come crashing down like a fragile house of cards.While Regan scrambled to deal with the storm unfolding, Zara rolled her suitcase through the familiar gates of her father’s house in Lagos. Her heart thumped with a strange mix of fear and curiosity. She hadn’t seen her parents since leaving for Abuja. And knowing her father, there was no telling what awaited her inside.
The reluctant vow Chapter 25
The Abuja sun blazed high as Zara stepped out of the white-walled studio, her feet aching from the black heels she had worn for the final shoot. The commercial was finally a wrap. Her skin glistened with sweat, makeup melting slightly, and her body ached from all the dramatic poses. But she had nailed every single frame.“Yes! That’s it! Hold that pose. Eyes softer… perfect!” the photographer shouted, clicking away.A stylist rushed in to adjust her necklace mid-shoot. “Your neckline is too hidden. Let’s show off the product.”Zara nodded, standing still like a mannequin while hands fussed around her.The makeup artist whispered after the shoot, “Girl, you just ate that shoot. You might get picked for next month’s cover job.”Zara smiled faintly, exhausted but giddy. Her heart pulsed with joy. She wasn’t just playing dress-up—she was finally living her dream. Her first paid modeling gig had just ended, and it felt like a beginning.She stepped outside, the heat of the day wrapping aro
The reluctant vow Chapter 24
Zara stirred beneath the sheets, the early morning light pouring through the curtains, painting golden streaks across the hotel room. Her body ached in places that reminded her of the night before—the way Regan had kissed her, touched her, held her like he couldn’t breathe without her.Her eyes blinked open slowly.And there he was.Lying next to her, half the sheets kicked off his body, arm draped lazily over his head. Peaceful. Warm. Infuriatingly attractive.Zara turned to her side, slowly, quietly… willing her breath to steady. Her mind was a mess. What had she done? She wasn’t supposed to fall into his arms like that. Not after everything. Not with all the secrets between them.She sat up gently, pulling the sheet with her to cover her chest. Her gaze flicked to the clock.7:13 AM.The shoot was by 10. She needed to freshen up, call Kemi, get mentally back on track. She tiptoed out of bed, picked up her clothes from the floor, and headed toward the bathroom.But halfway there, hi
The reluctant vow Chapter 23
Zara’s fingers trembled as she hit send on the message: “Regan is here and I think my dad knows I lied.”Within seconds, her phone buzzed with an incoming video call. Kemi.Zara picked up and barely got out a greeting before Kemi said, “Turn your camera. I want to see for myself. Are you sure it’s him?”Still catching her breath, Zara turned the camera shakily toward the corridor where she’d last seen Regan, but the hallway was empty now.“What the actual hell? He was just there! I swear—Kemi, I’m not losing it—I saw Regan!”“Babe, maybe it was someone that looked like him,” Kemi offered, her tone soft but unsure.“No, no, Kemi—I know what I saw. It was him. He even sent me a text!”“Wait, text?” Kemi sat up straighter. “What did it say?”Zara switched to her other phone, quickly screenshotting Regan’s message: “Your lies are getting better, but not good enough.”She forwarded it to Kemi.Kemi stared at it and exhaled slowly. “Okay, he’s definitely close by. But try not to panic. You’
The reluctant vow Chapter 22
Zara stared at her screen, blinking hard as the email glowed back at her.Subject: URGENT – Invitation to Abuja Modeling Campaign ShootFrom: Prestige Faces Africa“Congratulations, Zara Tunde. Following your recent shoot with Ajah Agency and the widespread attention it garnered, we’re pleased to invite you to a high-profile commercial shoot in Abuja this weekend. All travel and accommodation will be covered. Talent compensation: $1,000 USD flat rate.”Her heart skipped. Her hands began to shake. One thousand dollars? For one shoot?She covered her mouth and sank slowly onto the edge of her bed, eyes still fixed on the email. This wasn’t a scam. It was real. This was the kind of break she had dreamed about. No catwalk, no competition—just a booked, paid commercial.She quickly dialed Kemi.“Kemi…” she whispered the moment the line connected. “They want me in Abuja. It’s real, Kemi. It’s happening. A thousand dollars!”“What?!” Kemi screamed. “Zara, are you joking right now?!”“No o! I
The reluctant vow Chapter 21
The car ride home from the shoot was quiet, but Zara felt anything but still. Her chest swelled with a cocktail of relief, excitement, and disbelief. The shoot had gone way better than she imagined. Even without Kemi’s usual backup, she pulled it off—and when she spotted her best friend in the crowd with that familiar smirk, it felt like her wings spread wide again.But now, with her makeup cleaned off and her hoodie wrapped tightly around her braids, she looked and felt like the normal Zara again—just a girl from Surulere with a father who didn’t want her to dream too loud.When she walked into the house, nothing felt off. The atmosphere was normal. Her mum was in the kitchen humming as she fried plantain, and her dad was on a call in the sitting room, his glasses hanging low on his nose. Zara quickly greeted him and walked to the kitchen to steal one or two pieces of plantain, then helped set the table.Dinner that evening was one of the few peaceful ones they’d had in a while. Her
The reluctant vow Chapter 20
Zara sat curled on her bed, her knees hugged to her chest as the afternoon sun poured lazily through her window. The email from the modeling agency was still open on her phone screen, its bright text almost mocking her. They had given her a second chance—a golden opportunity she never expected after backing out the first time.She should’ve been thrilled. She should’ve been out picking an outfit or practicing poses. But instead, she was stuck in a spiral of doubt, fear, and loneliness.Her eyes stung with unshed tears.She hadn’t spoken to Kemi all day. No playful banter. No encouraging messages. No Kemi offering to come over and help her prepare. Just silence. It was a silence that echoed louder than any argument could. Kemi’s words from the night before haunted her.“I have better things to do. Your dad will still call you to run back home… and like always, you will.”Zara closed her eyes tightly, biting her lower lip. Kemi was angry—and maybe she had every right to be. But it didn’
The reluctant vow Chapter 19
Zara adjusted the strap of her black sling bag over her shoulder and ran a hand through her curls, trying to suppress the anxious flutter in her stomach. Today was the first official visit to the modeling agency—a quick consultation and test shoot—and Kemi had pulled every string she could to make it happen discreetly. Dressed in wide-leg jeans and a crisp white blouse tucked in neatly, she looked effortlessly stunning. Her face bore minimal makeup, just enough to highlight her natural features. She had told her parents she was going to Kemi’s house again for another girls’ day, and thankfully, they hadn’t asked too many questions.Kemi, already waiting in front of the gate, waved from her small car. Zara jogged toward her, heart pounding with excitement and nerves.“You ready?” Kemi beamed as she opened the door.“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Zara muttered, sliding in. “Let’s go before someone changes their mind.”The drive was filled with excited chatter. Kemi hyped her up, played the
