Chapter Twenty One

Angella sat on her bed, staring blankly at the pink designer bag Jamal had gifted her just

days ago. The room felt suffocating despite the air conditioning. The truth about Kunle had

left her shattered. How could she have been so naive? She had trusted him, envisioned a

future with him, and now, every sweet moment they'd shared felt like a lie.

Her phone buzzed, but she ignored it. Kunle had called several times since she'd sent him

the message calling him a monster. She had blocked his number right after, unable to bear

hearing his voice again. She wanted to erase him from her life completely, but his memory

lingered like an unwelcome guest in her thoughts.

By mid-afternoon, Bella, her best friend, came over after receiving her frantic call the

previous night. Bella hugged Angella tightly as soon as she walked in, sensing the emotional

wreck her friend had become. They sat on the bed together, Angella recounting every

detail—how Kunle had swept her off her feet, how much her father and Olatunde disliked

him, and ultimately, how his dark truth had come to light.

Bella listened intently, occasionally shaking her head in disbelief. "Angella, I get it. What he

did in the past is horrible. But what if he's telling the truth about changing? People can

change, you know."

Angella frowned. "Bella, you didn't see the evidence Olatunde showed me. He's dated

countless women—rich, successful women—and used them. How can I trust someone like

that? What if he was just using me, too?"

Bella shrugged. "I get your anger, but didn't he treat you well while you were together? Did

he ever ask you for money or make you feel like you were being used?"

Angella hesitated. That was the frustrating part. Kunle had always been respectful and kind

to her. He never asked for anything except her time and attention. He always made her feel

cherished, even during her bad days. She buried her face in her hands, unsure of what to

think.

"Look," Bella continued, "I'm not saying to forgive him or take him back. I'm just saying

maybe you shouldn't close off your heart entirely. What if he really cares about you? You

said he told Olatunde he's changed, right?"

Angella sighed deeply. "That's what he said, but how do I know he's not lying? It's just... too

much to process."

Bella placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Take your time. But don't let bitterness

control your decisions. You owe it to yourself to think things through. If you're done with him,

fine. But if there's even the tiniest part of you that believes he might be genuine, then maybe

you should talk to him one last time."

Angella stared out the window, her mind racing. Could Bella be right? Could Kunle really

have changed? Or was she just being foolish, falling into the same trap again?

For the rest of the day, Angella tried to distract herself with work, but Kunle's face and their

shared moments kept intruding on her thoughts. She remembered his laughter, the way he

looked at her, and how he always seemed genuinely interested in her dreams and goals.

Late that night, Angella found herself scrolling through their old messages, trying to find

some clue to his true intentions. Tears welled up in her eyes as she realized just how much

she had cared for him. Bella's words echoed in her mind. Maybe she needed closure. Or

maybe she just wasn't ready to let go entirely.

She wiped her tears and resolved to take things one day at a time. But deep down, she

knew the journey to healing—or to finding the truth—had only just begun.

The next day, Olatunji arrived in Lagos and headed straight to Temilade's shop. She

welcomed him warmly, her face lighting up with a radiant smile as he stepped inside.

"Welcome, Olatunji!" she said, ushering him to her private space at the back of the shop.

Olatunji smiled as he sat down. "Thank you, Temilade. Your shop looks amazing, just like

you."

She laughed lightly and handed him a chilled soft drink. "Here, take this. You must be thirsty

after your journey."

"Thank you," he said, accepting it graciously.

After a moment, Olatunji presented her with a small bag of carefully chosen gifts. "I got you

something," he said, watching her face for her reaction.

Temilade opened the bag and gasped. "Wow! These are beautiful. Thank you so much,

Olatunji."

"It's the least I could do for someone as special as you," he replied, his tone warm.

Shortly after, Temilade served him a meal. The aroma was tantalizing, and Olatunji was

visibly impressed as he began to eat.

"This is delicious!" he exclaimed. "I thought I was a good cook, but now I think I need

lessons from you. This is a million over ten!"

Temilade laughed. "I'm glad you like it."

After the meal, she cleared the plates, and they settled down to talk.

"I've told my parents about you," Olatunji began, leaning slightly forward. "They can't wait to meet you."

"I can't wait to meet them either," Temilade said with a shy smile.

"But, baby," Olatunji continued, "you said you wanted to talk about something when we

meet. I'm listening now."

Temilade adjusted her seat and took a deep breath. "First of all, why do you think I should

marry you? And why do you want to get married?"

Olatunji chuckled nervously. "I guess I'm in the hot seat now," he joked. "Well, I want to

marry you because I love you. From the moment I first saw you in the car, stuck in traffic and

looking so frustrated, I couldn't stop smiling. There was something about you that drew me

in, something I couldn't ignore."

Temilade listened intently as he continued.

"I told my younger brother about you that same day," he added, "and he told me to believe in

fate. I couldn't believe it when I saw you again at the wedding. Temilade, I truly love you, and

I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Temilade smiled faintly. "What if I hadn't gotten pregnant earlier?"

"Children are important," Olatunji said, "but I'm not marrying you because of that. I want a

partner, someone I can rely on, someone who truly understands me. And that's you,

Temilade."

"What if I only give birth to girls?" she asked, testing him.

Olatunji grinned. "Girls are priceless treasures. Honestly, I'd love to have more daughters

than sons. But whether we have boys or girls, it doesn't matter. What matters is that we'll

raise them with love and give them the best life possible."

Temilade blushed. "I'll marry you, Olatunji."

Olatunji's face lit up. "You've just made me the happiest man alive. I promise to cherish you

forever."

"So, how's it going to be?" she asked.

"I'll book our tickets to Abuja tomorrow," he said. "Would you like to see my place before we

visit my parents?"

"That sounds fine," she replied.

"Thank you so much, Ifemi," Olatunji said. "I'll check into a hotel tonight. Tomorrow, we'll meet here and head to the airport together."

"Alright," Temilade agreed.

That same day, Bella visited the house to check on Angella. This time, Olatunde was in the

living room, working on his laptop. When he saw Bella, his face immediately darkened, and

he closed his laptop with a snap.

"What are you doing here?" he asked coldly.

"I'm here to see Angella," Bella replied, taken aback by his hostility.

"And for what?"

"I just want to check on her," she said, trying to remain calm.

"Really?" Olatunde scoffed. "You want to confuse her again? After introducing her to a bad

man? Why don't you leave my sister alone? Why do you want to spoil her, just like you've

spoiled yourself?"

Bella was shocked. She knew Olatunde didn't like her, but she hadn't expected such harsh

words.

"I'm not spoiled," she said, her voice trembling. "And I didn't introduce him to her. We met

him the same day."

"If you hadn't taken her to those useless places, she wouldn't have met him," Olatunde

snapped.

Bella tried to explain. "I'm sorry about that, but she was the one who said she liked him. I

even advised her to be careful. Besides, everyone deserves a second chance. We all make

mistakes."

"Is that why you still sleep around with men?" Olatunde shot back.

Bella gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. She turned and stormed out of the house, her

face flushed with anger and humiliation.

Angella, hearing the commotion, came out of her room just in time to see Bella leaving.

"Bella!" she called out, but Bella didn't respond.

Angella rushed downstairs. "What did you say to her?" she demanded.

"Go back to your room," Olatunde ordered.

"Why? What did you tell her?"

"Don't question me, Angella. Go back to your room now," he said firmly.

Reluctantly, Angella returned to her room and tried calling Bella, but her calls went

unanswered. When she tried again, she realized Bella had blocked her.

Meanwhile, Olatunde sat in the living room, feeling conflicted. Had he gone too far? He

couldn't understand why Bella bothered him so much. He liked her as Angella's friend, but

the day he saw her laughing with a group of guys, one of them lifting her playfully, something

in him changed. Why did she have to surround herself with men like that?