karunwi_ayobami

The Shadows Beneath My Name


At just 20 years old, Patience Adeyemi had her life neatly arranged—second-year university student, raised in a loving Christian home, and engaged to the man she believed was sent from heaven. But everything crumbles in one night.

On her birthday, Patience discovers the unthinkable: she’s adopted.

Before she can make sense of this revelation, an even deeper wound is uncovered—her fiancé, the man she trusted most, has been keeping secrets that cut through her like a knife.

Suddenly, the people she called family become strangers. The love 
she built her dreams on turns to dust. As heartbreak collides with academic pressure, peer influence, and a crisis of faith, Patience begins to lose her sense of identity and belonging.

But in the silence of her shattered world, she begins to hear another voice—the still, healing voice of God.

As long-buried truths come to light and pain gives way to purpose, Patience must decide: will she allow her brokenness to define her? Or will she embrace the deeper truth that her identity is not in bloodlines or broken promises—but in the One who never lies?

Shadows Beneath My Name is a stirring Christian fiction tale of betrayal, discovery, and the redemptive power of grace.

The shadows beneath my name

The car ride back from the hospital was quiet, thick with thoughts neither parent dared voice. Streetlights flickered across the windshield, casting brief shadows across their faces. Inside the vehicle, emotions warred in silence—fear, guilt, frustration.

As they pulled into the compound, Mrs. Adeyemi exhaled deeply. "Why does it feel like everything keeps falling apart?"Honey you are yet to tell me what the doctor told while we were about leaving

Mr. Adeyemi didn't answer at first. He waited until they had parked, hands gripping the steering wheel tighter than necessary.

"Doctor said Peace needs a blood transfusion," he said finally. "Urgently. Her levels are dangerously low."

She turned sharply toward him. "What? Do you plan to keep that away from from me? You should have told me before leaving the hospital!"

"He pulled me aside after we left the room," and you saw it he replied calmly. "There's no B-positive blood available in the bank. We need a direct donor."

"And you waited till now?" she asked, her voice rising slightly.

He stepped out of the car. "I didn't want you to panic. But I've thought of a solution. Patience is AB-positive. She can donate to Peace."

Mrs. Adeyemi's eyes widened. "No. That's not safe."

"She's the best shot we have!" he snapped. "Do you want to sit around while Peace's body breaks down more by the hour?"

"We don't even know if Patience is fit enough to donate," she argued. "She was with Peace on that outreach. She needs to be tested too—what if she also has malaria?"

He slammed the door shut and walked toward the front porch. "Why are you so compassionate about her?"

"She's my daughter too," she said.

But he turned, slowly, voice low and bitter. "No. She's your adopted daughter."

The word cut through the air like a blade.

Patience waited in the living room, perched at the edge of the couch. The moment she heard the front door open, she rushed to them.

Her mother's tired eyes met hers. "She's fine," she replied quickly, walking past her.

That word. Fine. Patience heard the weight it carried—too empty, too final. Her father offered no words, only a nod, before following his wife toward their room.

Her mother returned briefly and handed her a list. "Please pack these for Peace. I'll be back downstairs soon."

Patience took the list silently and walked toward the bedroom. Her mind was swirling. Why won't they tell me what's really going on? Why are they both so quiet, so tense?

As she gathered clothes, lotion, and a few toys and snacks, her heart beat faster. The silence in the house felt unnatural, too heavy. Then, as she approached her parents' bedroom to hand her mum Peace's favorite scarf, she heard voices—raised, angry.

"She should donate. She took Peace on that outreach. If not for her—"

"She needs to be tested first! You can't risk both of them!"

"She was with Peace in that same mosquito-ridden area—she could be infected too."

"And what if she's not? What if she's fine? You're just protecting her like always."

Don't forget to always add "adopted "

Could it be she heard? Could it be her showing symptoms?

Hidden Things and Shattering Sounds