pte

ra

uj

anymore-but he

everything was already in motion. Lead Consultant on the Alhazara Digital Infrastructure Project. Months of pitching, late nights, and high-stakes meetings had finally pa

've been c

was. S

the next calendar alert, her thoughts kept drif

e

e that strange twist of fate dropped her in the path of a humble, soft-spoken farmer

elped her. And then vanished

been nothing

curious. But because something about him had disarmed her-quietly, deeply. There was n

l to

s-trying to feel normal in a city that was begin

iar cough of a stubb

d, alread

of his bike, hands streaked with dust, talking to a young b

e look

eir ey

slowed, just long enoug

the back of his jeans, and she felt her

ay he said her name-it was car

oing quiet, embarra

ust enough, the beginnings of sweat on his brow, that

Abuja now

he contract. I'm l

ssed but not surprise

nd then hesitated. "I me

ut you didn't h

ged silence in the buzz o

that now," sh

t and handed her a slip o

"You were c

le. "You always struck me as t

she just held the paper a little too tig

of diesel. He told her about an empty plot he was eyeing just outside the city

time, she wa

he li

ked at her like she was

d

hesi

ugh that her aunties would shake their heads and talk under their breath. A ric

mething she said and offered to walk her to her car, sh

t be so

brave enoug

she was back in her car before she finally let t

n. For the market walk.

eared. Then di

ou were worth waiting for th

the words fo

the chat thread

his

emi Fa

oadsid

t F

a long time, she didn't fe

elt..

iv

fied,

lso r