All Chapters of The reluctant vow: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

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

Zara blinked, her steps faltering as she entered the kitchen and caught sight of Regan—bare-chested, sweatpants hanging low on his waist, his muscular frame bent over the water dispenser as he filled a glass. The silver jug shimmered beneath the fluorescent light, but all she could focus on was the stranger in her house. Again.He looked up briefly, their eyes locking for half a second before he turned away, cool and unbothered. Not a single word. Not even a nod. Just silence.Zara’s brows furrowed in confusion and mild irritation as she backed away and turned down the corridor, storming toward her mother’s room.“Mummy,” she called, pushing open the half-closed door. “Why is Regan in our kitchen?”Mrs. Tunde looked up from where she was folding a wrapper. “Because he’s staying here, Zara.”Zara blinked. “Staying? As in… sleeping over?”Her mother sighed. “Yes. The Kareems are spending the weekend here. Both families agreed. We’re going to start planning the engagement, and this will

Zara paced the length of her room, her fingers trembling with excitement as she stared at the message on her screen. “Your shoot is confirmed for today at 6 PM. Location: VI. Don’t be late.” She could almost hear Kemi’s voice squealing in her head. It was finally happening.This shoot wasn’t just any shoot—it was a potential launchpad. The kind of opportunity that could change everything.She quickly changed into something casual but sleek, just enough to make it seem like she was going out for something ordinary. If she played this right, she’d be back before dinner. No one would even notice.But her plans shattered the moment her mother’s voice echoed up the stairs.“Zara! Be downstairs in twenty minutes. We’re going to dinner with the Kareems.”Zara froze. “Dinner again?” she muttered under her breath. Her brows furrowed. “Why? We’ve had breakfast, lunch, dinner… brunch… more food than conversation.”Still, she descended the stairs slowly, calculating what excuse to give. Maybe she

The morning after the engagement ceremony came too soon. Sunlight spilled across Zara’s room like an unwelcome guest—golden and soft, but to her, it felt harsh, exposing. She lay on her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling as the events of the previous day replayed in her mind like a cruel movie on repeat. The music, the forced smiles, the weight of tradition, and—most hauntingly—the muffled conversation she’d overheard between her father and Chief Kareem.She didn’t want to think about it.She didn’t want to remember her father’s voice trembling—not with fear, but with unease—as he whispered, “You promised this would never come back to us.”Zara squeezed her eyes shut, as if that could force the memory out. She didn’t know what they were hiding, and deep down, she feared the answer. But fear wasn’t something she could afford right now. Not when her dreams were dangling by a thread and her freedom was on a timer.Pushing herself off the bed, she reached for her phone. The one person wh

Zara adjusted the strap of her bag and peeked into the mirror one last time. Her outfit was simple, stylish—perfect for a casual photoshoot. Kemi had already sent a text: “Outside your gate, babe. Let’s kill this shoot!”Zara smiled faintly, then exhaled. Modeling again felt like breathing fresh air after months of suffocation. For a few hours today, she would get to be herself. Just Zara. Not someone’s fiancée, not someone trapped in family politics, not the confused girl who overheard her father discussing secrets he shouldn’t have been.She slipped out the back door, her steps light and hurried. She met Kemi in the car and the girls shared an excited squeal before they drove off.“I got this really cool photographer,” Kemi said, eyes sparkling. “And the location? Girl, you’ll love it. Think vintage café meets street style.”Zara nodded eagerly. “I just wanna feel alive again.”The shoot was magic. Zara changed into two outfits, posed under dusky light and cobblestone alleyways, the