ad decided Cynthia-

felt heavy, like something bad had already happened. When she

ions on her social media handles. Blogs, headlin

BEAUTY LINKED TO C

E TO BILLIONA

OR BUS

IDE L

D ABOUT CO

ands

she call

in, phone clutch

people are

se asked, though

ant relatives. Even

erly. "They didn't call w

er didn'

ide. "Cynthia, this th

slowly. "So this

that wasn't even finished an

**

r that day, wearing a cap and

pered loudly a

r be t

girl

tared t

elt n

it, breathing hard. Fear crawled under her skin. Not fe

Fredrick Mba. She stared at

wered.

e outside today,"

So now you're contr

ied. "I'm pro

ask for pr

tention either" he sai

le

continued. "If you accept

she asked. A pause

in." The call ended. Cynthia-Ro

"Say yes and the noise stops. S

***

ced. She didn't knock. She just walke

ked softly. Cynthia-

ainst the sofa. "I checked," Toke said. "This thi

's heart ski

now. But stories like this

ven if I say no," she said slowly,

me to

hia-Rose's eyes. "I just

hand. "Normal does

**

another me

orrow. You need t

ng, No ex

dn't r

k SUV waited downstairs. The dr

Chief

g in. If the city was already dragging her,

**

Ikoyi. Past Lekki.

a private estate

tood waiting. "You l

she re

s you still care." He led her insid

d. "Before the towers. Before the

howing me this

replied. "I am not. I am a man who lear

s. "So you replaced

th power." They sat. "You are afraid," h

"I don't want to lose

he said. "You

what people say before they d

id finally. "If you walk

agos will not forget you" he added.

ptly. "So this

lied. "This

ng out. "You really believ

. "Just not the kind y

**

thia-Rose could

eping on the sofa. At Chuka's

one. Typed, delet

ns after I

ame almost

stop pre

st tigh

ound the room

his struggle.

ven real

, Lagos

hispered the words she

on't have

he quiet, Chief Fr