Alice stood frozen at the apartment entrance, her luggage clutched tightly in her hands. Her eyes widened as they landed on Jedidiah—elegant in his dark suit—and his ever-composed assistant, Ava, standing beside him.
Her voice trembled with shock. "What are you doing here? … Wait. How do you even know where I live?"
Jedidiah's expression didn't falter. His voice was calm, deep, and commanding.
"We're here for the hunt. Get in. The company needs help."
The words hit both women like a thunderclap. Alice's brows shot up in disbelief, and Ava's mouth dropped open in protest.
"Hold up!" Ava interjected, clearly flustered. "You can't just drag me into this. I haven't packed my clothes, my shoes, my accessories—and don't even get me started on my makeup kits—"
Jedidiah's mouth curved into a teasing smirk. "Clothes? Shoes? I'll buy you whatever you need when we arrive. But makeup kits?" He shot her a sideways glance. "Ava, you already have three in my car. And you want to bring more? Damn. I'm glad I'm not a woman."
Ava pouted like a sulking child, folding her arms across her chest with exaggerated indignation. "You just don't get it," she muttered under her breath.
Jedidiah chuckled softly, shaking his head before turning back to Alice. His tone hardened.
"You coming? I won't wait long, you know."
Alice blinked rapidly, her heart racing. "You still haven't answered me."
"I've always known where you were," Jedidiah replied simply, his eyes locking on hers. His voice lowered, carrying weight. "I just wanted you to make the first move." With that, he slipped back into the driver's seat.
Alice's breath caught. She stood stunned for five long seconds, her chest tightening as the realization sank in. He knew… all along.
A small, self-deprecating laugh escaped her lips. She shook her head at her own naivety, then quickly loaded her luggage into the trunk. With one last glance at them both, she climbed in.
Their journey began.
Hours later, the plane touched down in Nigeria. The three of them—Alice tense, Ava anxious, and Jedidiah unshakably firm—stepped into the warm air of home. For Alice and Ava, every breath was heavy with apprehension. For Jedidiah, it was different. His chest rose with something sharper—resolve. He was a man ready to hunt.
A Few Hours Earlier – Dr. Raymond's Residence
Kennedith sat in silence, his mind still tangled in Sophia's revelation: the decision to bring Jedidiah back into the company. The thought gnawed at him, leaving him dazed.
A voice sliced through his thoughts. "How lovely," Kate sneered, sarcasm dripping from every syllable. "Worrying about Alice again?"
Kennedith's jaw clenched as he turned toward her, irritation flashing in his eyes. Without a word, he rose and walked past her toward the living room. But Kate wasn't done. She followed, her words growing sharper, more venomous.
"You've always been second choice," she spat. "Alice's second choice… and mine as well."
The blow landed. The words hit him like a blade twisting in his chest. Kennedith froze mid-step, fists clenching so tightly his knuckles turned white.
The room fell silent. Michael, Michelle, and Jane—who were lounging on their phones—looked up, their eyes darting nervously between the two.
Kate's face paled. She hadn't meant to let it slip—not like that—but it was too late. The venom was out.
Kennedith didn't argue. Didn't even look at her. He simply turned and walked out of the house, leaving a suffocating silence behind him.
Kate stood rooted, stunned by her own cruelty. Jealousy burned her insides, but she masked it with anger, storming back into her room where she raged in private. Alone, she replayed every glance Kennedith had stolen toward Alice. At meetings. At family gatherings. Even when he scolded her for disrespecting Alice. That jealousy had festered for years, and now it was tearing her apart.
Meanwhile, Hayden remained locked in his room. Days had passed since the company scandal. His courage was gone, his popularity destroyed, his reputation drained until nothing was left but a hollow shadow.
KNOCK. KNOCK.
"Sir, are you hungry?" a maid's timid voice asked at the door. No response. After a few more tries, she gave up, her footsteps fading.
Dr. Raymond had observed all of it. He said nothing—until his phone rang.
"Dad!" Sophia's frantic voice cried from the other end. "Come now! There's trouble—Mom's garden, where she's buried—please, come quickly!"
Shock struck him like lightning. He bolted upright, rushing for the door. On the way, he called Kennedith. "Meet me at the garden. Now."
At the Garden
The scene was chaos. Sophia stood alone before an angry crowd of contractors and men with tools. Her arms were spread, her body acting as a fragile barrier to her mother's resting place.
"Stop! Please!" she cried, desperation breaking in her voice. "This is sacred ground!"
One man shoved her aside. She stumbled, hitting the ground hard. Pain shot through her body, but she scrambled up, throwing herself against his leg, clinging to him desperately.
"You can't—please! You can't take this from us!"
Fury twisted the man's face. He raised his boot and stomped down on her arm. She cried out but refused to let go.
The crowd surged forward, emboldened, ready to trample her—
THUD!
The crack of knuckles silenced everything. The man dropped to the ground, clutching his jaw. Kennedith stood above him, his fist still trembling with rage. His voice boomed over the stunned crowd.
"DON'T. TOUCH. HER."
"ENOUGH!" Dr. Raymond's voice roared a moment later, slicing through the chaos like a blade. His presence alone stilled the mob.
As he addressed the crowd, Kennedith bent down, gently lifting a sobbing, bruised Sophia into his arms. Her tears soaked his shirt as he carried her away.
Back at the Raymond residence, the air was heavy with grief. Sophia tried to protest from the car, her voice hoarse. "No… don't take me back. Please… I need to go back to the garden—"
Her pleas fell on deaf ears. Kennedith's arm stayed firm around her as he carried her inside.
Gasps rippled through the household when the family saw Sophia's condition. Michael, Michelle, and Jane rushed forward in shock, housekeepers following with worried cries.
She was lowered gently onto the couch, Dr. Raymond barking orders. "Call the family doctor. Now."
Before anyone could move, Kennedith knelt beside her with a bowl of warm water and the first aid kit. His hands worked with precision, steady and practiced.
"Let me clean it first," he murmured softly. "The doctor will check you after."
The water stung against her bruises, but his touch was careful—almost tender. For a moment, Sophia's breath caught as memories rushed in.
Years ago… she was always in fights. Always standing up for Alice. And every time, it was Kennedith who treated her wounds. She had even picked fights on purpose, just to feel the warmth of his care.
Her heart ached with nostalgia. How much had changed… and yet, here he was again.
The spell was broken when a sharp splash of water echoed.
Kate had entered the living room. Her eyes narrowed at the sight before her, venom lacing her voice.
"Well, well. How shameless. Some people never stop throwing themselves at another woman's husband."
Her next words dripped like acid.
"I suppose your mother never taught you any better—"
SLAP.
The sound cracked like thunder. The entire room froze.
Dr. Raymond's hand hung in the air, his face dark with fury. His voice thundered, each word trembling with restrained rage.
"Enough. Silence clearly isn't built into your nature, Kate. But hear me now—you will show respect. Sophia risked her life for this family, for her mother's memory. And you dare call her shameless?"
Kate staggered, her face pale.
Dr. Raymond's voice shook the room. "He knew her before he even knew you. Don't you ever disrespect my daughter—or my wife, even in death. That goes for everyone here." His glare swept the household like a blade.
Turning back, he pointed sharply at Jane. "And you—control your mother." His eyes then landed on Kennedith, his voice bitter. "And you… I don't know what possessed you to choose her."
But Kennedith didn't flinch. He kept cleaning Sophia's wounds with quiet patience, his focus unshaken.
And then—
The front door opened.
All eyes turned, jaws dropping in disbelief.
Jedidiah, Alice, and Ava walked in casually, as though the storm brewing inside belonged to someone else.