Tai_Sisi_London1

Even seemingly quiet lives hold deep, dramatic stories
Adelani has always been the kind of woman people overlook-a quiet, conservative church girl, dutiful and measured. But beneath her composed exterior lies a woman shaped by displacement, heartbreak, and a hidden wild streak she dares not name. After years of moving between cities in Nigeria, she has finally settled in Norwich, UK, where she is still finding her footing. Yet, home is a slippery thing when you carry the weight of expectation on your shoulders.  

When her paths crossed again with Alexander an older, professor from her time in university - her world tilts. He is unlike anyone she expected to love, and their attraction is immediate, undeniable. But love is never simple, especially when ghosts of the past refuse to be buried. A familiar name reappears-Dayo, the Nigerian ex who once shattered her trust. And with it, a triangle of longing, loyalty, and unresolved history begins to take shape.  

As Adelani navigates love, family, and the cultural pressures of being a Nigerian woman who dares to want something different, she harbors a truth that defies expectation: she does not want children. It is a choice that shocks those around her-a quiet rebellion against tradition, against the life that was supposed to be hers.  

But the past has its own way of creeping back, and when a secret side of her life comes to light, everything she has carefully built is at risk of unraveling. 

Bold yet intimate, *No Small Lives* is a deeply personal exploration of identity, love, and the quiet revolutions that shape us. Because even the quietest lives carry storms within them-and no life is ever truly small.

No small lives

The alumni event was winding down, but Adelani still felt on edge.

She had smiled, nodded, exchanged pleasantries with old classmates whose names she barely remembered. She had even managed to laugh at Tara's snarky commentary on the night's fashion choices. But beneath it all, a quiet unease clung to her.

Someone had seen her, had singled her out in a way that felt too personal, too precise.

Alexander had occupied enough of her mind for one night, but now, as she sipped what was left of her water, she wondered if he could have been the one who sent it. Could he have found her anonymous Twitter? No, that didn't make sense. He didn't seem like the type.

Then again, neither had Dayo—until he had.

"You're thinking too hard," Tara muttered beside her, swirling the last of her wine in her glass.

"You get this look when you're overanalyzing something," Tara said, studying her. "A mixture of intense concentration and existential dread."

Before she could finish, her phone buzzed again.

Unknown:" I hope you had a good evening. You always did prefer the edges of a room to the center."

A chill crawled down her spine. This wasn't just about seeing her tonight. Whoever this was knew her. Had known her.

Tara peeked at the message and let out a low whistle. "Okay, yeah. That's creepy."

Adelani's grip tightened on her phone. "If this is a joke, it's not funny."

"Do you think it's him?" Tara asked, voice quieter now.

The name sat between them, heavy and unspoken.

She didn't want to say it. Didn't want to give him power over this moment. But who else could it be?

Before she could answer, the hairs on the back of her neck rose.

Slowly, carefully, she turned her head—

He was across the room again, leaning against the bar, one hand in his pocket, the other holding a half-full glass of whiskey. Unlike before, he wasn't mid-conversation. He was just… looking at her.

Not in the way people glance at familiar faces. Not in passing.

Then, as if he hadn't just sent a shiver down her spine, he raised his glass slightly a silent acknowledgment.

Adelani exhaled and turned back to Tara.

Tara didn't argue. She simply downed the rest of her wine and linked arms with her.

As they stepped into the cold night air, Adelani checked her phone one last time.

The message was still there. No follow-up. No name.

Chapter Five: Whispers in the Dark