Scars in the Mirror.

Chapter 19: Forgotten Shadows.

Somto sat quietly in the dimly lit room, the faint hum of the ceiling fan cutting through the thick evening air. His mind was clouded with uncertainty. The accident had taken so much from him, his confidence, his strength, and his sense of purpose. The doctors had tried everything, but it was clear: the accident had left him impotent, unable to father a child. The thought weighed heavily on him, gnawing at his pride. He had tried countless methods, from fertility treatments to natural remedies, all in the hopes of regaining what he had lost. But nothing worked. The bitter truth was he would never have a child of his own. His thoughts drifted back to the days before the accident. He remembered a time when his future seemed bright, when everything was possible. But now, as he sat in his mother's modest home in Nsukka, he felt a sense of emptiness. His mother, sitting across from him, sensed the sadness in his silence. She had known her son too well. "Somto," she said, her voice soft yet firm, "there's something I need to remind you of. Something from your past." Somto turned his head, curiosity piqued. He had heard enough of his mother's stories from the past, the ones she always told with a distant look in her eyes, as though she was trying to remind him of things long forgotten. "What is it, Ma?" he asked, his tone weary. His mother leaned forward, her gaze intense. "Do you remember a girl named Ezinne? She came to see me a long time ago... claiming that she was pregnant with your child." Somto's breath hitched. Ezinne. The name hit him like a bolt of lightning. The memories rushed back, his reckless youth, his carefree attitude, the way he had treated Ezinne. He had never thought much about her after that, assuming she was just another fleeting part of his past. But now, his mind was reeling. Could it be? Could he really have a son? His mother continued, her voice now softer, almost pleading. "I never forgot her. She seemed so young, so vulnerable. I didn't know what became of her, but... she was insistent. She said she was carrying your child. And after she left, I never heard from her again." Somto's mind was racing, the implications of his mother's words sinking in like stones in a pond. A child? His child? He had never known. And now, with his own inability to have children, the realization that there might be a son out there, someone who carried his blood struck him hard. He stood up abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor. "Where is she now?" he demanded. His mother shook her head, her face creased with worry. "I don't know, Somto. It's been years. But if she had a son, he's grown now. You need to find her. You need to find your child." The thought of Ezinne and her son stirred something dark within him. He had no desire to play the role of a father, especially not now, not with his life in ruins. But the idea of a son, a child who could carry on his name, stirred a deep and dangerous craving in his heart. "Find her," his mother urged again, her voice growing more insistent. "Do whatever it takes. You owe it to yourself. And to the boy." Somto's thoughts were a blur. A son. He had a son. He didn't know what would come of this, but one thing was certain, he couldn't leave it to chance. He would find Ezinne. He would find his son, no matter the cost. Somto turned away, his mind already plotting the next steps. "I will find them," he muttered under his breath, his voice cold with determination. And with that, he walked out of the house, the weight of his new mission pressing down on him. The darkness of the night seemed to mirror the shadow that had fallen over his life, but Somto was ready. He would stop at nothing to find Ezinne and his son and when he did, he would ensure they never forgot him. The game had begun.