CHAPTER TEN

She entered the compound, hearing the distant sound of Jessica engrossed in a Barbie movie.

Richard's call earlier on how he had helped pick up Jessica from school had eased the stress from her long day at work.

Her younger brother, Jeremiah, who was twenty-five and a lively radio presenter at Sound FM, was at their place.

As usual, he hadn't informed her he was coming.

He always preferred her house over Kelly's.

Kelly, her immediate younger brother, was twenty-eight, happily married to Matilda, and they were expecting their first child.

Jerry's reluctance to help Kelly's pregnant wife was a sharp contrast to how supportive he'd been during her pregnancy with Jessica.

Both brothers were doing well in their fields—Kelly as a medical doctor and Jerry as a popular radio presenter and social media celebrity with millions of followers.

Her brothers had always been her soft spot, especially after they endured profound poverty following their father's tragic death on a flight to the United States.

It had been thirteen years since he passed away.

In the kitchen, Jerry and Richard were chatting, their bond strengthened by the struggles they'd both faced.

Seeing how close they were made her smile at the unspoken connection between them.

When she entered the house, Jessica excitedly greeted her, and Anna, full of affection, hugged her younger sister.

As they headed to the room she shared with her husband, Anna carried Jessica in her arms.

Later, when dinner was ready, Richard went to call Anna in the room, and Jessica eagerly ran out of the room to answer the call for dinner.

Richard stood at the door, watching Anna, who had just showered and was wearing a floral dress."Let me help with the zip," he offered, gently zipping up her dress.

"Thank you, Richard," she said without turning to face him.

"How was work today? Was it too stressful?" His voice was soft.

She turned to him, surprised by the question. "You're not angry with me anymore?"

He shrugged. "Can I control my heart? No matter how much I try, I care about you so much, and I can't help it."

She smiled, looking into his eyes. "Thank you, Richard."

She could always feel how much he loved her.