The morning light was cruel.
Amara lay tangled in her sheets, staring at the ceiling as the sun painted the room with gold and shame. Her body still carried the ghost of Tunde's touch, every nerve raw with memory. She pressed a hand to her chest as if she could calm the storm inside, but it only reminded her of the way his heart had thundered against hers when they'd given in.
Her lips still tingled. Her skin still burned. And her conscience was already tearing her apart.
She sat up abruptly, clutching the sheets to her chest as though they could shield her from the truth. Her phone buzzed on the nightstand. She didn't need to look to know who it was. Tunde hadn't stopped since she left him in the garden.
Don't ignore me.
We need to talk.
Amara, answer me.
She threw the phone face down, her hands trembling. Every word was a temptation, a reminder of how recklessly she had crossed a line she could never uncross. Kelechi's name echoed in her head like a curse. His laugh, his gentleness, the way he trusted her; how could she face him now, with Tunde's scent still clinging to her skin?
Her door creaked, and she nearly jumped.
"Amara? You're awake?"
Her roommate, Chika, peeked in, her eyes curious. "I made breakfast. You look like you didn't sleep."
Amara forced a smile, though it wavered. "Just… tired. Thanks."
Chika frowned but didn't press. She closed the door softly, leaving Amara alone with her guilt.
She dragged herself to the shower, standing under the spray as if the water could wash away her sins. But every droplet only reminded her of his hands, his mouth, the way she had begged him not to stop. By the time she stepped out, she was trembling; not from cold, but from the knowledge that she wanted it again.
Her phone buzzed once more. This time, she couldn't resist.
I can't stop thinking about you. Meet me tonight.
Her pulse spiked. She typed, deleted, typed again. Finally, she threw the phone onto the bed, pressing her palms to her face. She couldn't. She shouldn't. And yet—
Her thoughts shattered when the phone rang. Her stomach dropped. It wasn't Tunde.
It was Kelechi.
Her heart nearly stopped as she answered, her voice shaking. "Hello?"
"Amara," his deep voice came through, warm and steady. "I'm back in Lagos. I want to see you."
The room spun. He was back. He wanted to see her. And all she could think about was how she had betrayed him before he even stepped foot home.
She forced cheer into her tone. "That's… that's wonderful. When?"
"Tonight. I'll come by after dinner with my parents."
Her chest tightened. Tonight. The same night Tunde wanted her.
The universe was cruel.
She ended the call quickly, her knees giving way as she sat on the edge of the bed. Her reflection in the mirror across the room stared back at her, accusing, broken. She buried her face in her hands, torn between two brothers and the weight of her choices.
The day dragged mercilessly. Every tick of the clock was another reminder that she was running out of time. She wandered through work like a ghost, her coworkers' chatter fading into meaningless noise.
By evening, she couldn't take it anymore. She slipped out early, ignoring her boss's raised brow, and walked until her legs ached. Lagos buzzed around her, the markets alive with color and sound, but she felt out of place, like a thief hiding in plain sight.
Her phone vibrated again. Tunde.
"Don't let him steal what we have".
She gritted her teeth, shoving the phone into her pocket. But her resolve wavered when a hand closed gently around her arm.
She turned and froze.
Tunde stood there, his eyes burning with that same intensity that had undone her the night before. "You're avoiding me," he said quietly, though his voice carried the weight of an accusation.
"Tunde, please. Not here." She glanced around, but the crowd seemed blind to them.
He didn't let go. "Tell me you don't feel it. Tell me last night meant nothing."
Her throat tightened. She couldn't lie, not with his eyes pinning her like truth itself. She shook her head, barely a whisper. "I can't."
His jaw clenched, but his grip softened. "Then don't run from me. Don't run from us."
Before she could respond, her phone rang again. She pulled it free, and her blood turned to ice.
KELECHI.
Her voice faltered. "I… I have to go."
Tunde's hand lingered on her arm, his touch both a plea and a promise. "This isn't over."
She tore herself free and answered, her voice bright with forced calm. "Kelechi? Yes… I'm almost home."
Tunde watched her go, his expression dark, unreadable.
The evening air carried the scent of roasted corn and diesel as Amara hurried back to her apartment, her heart a storm of guilt and longing. She paced her room, straightening pillows, adjusting curtains, anything to keep her hands busy as she waited for the knock she dreaded and craved.
When it finally came, her breath caught. She opened the door; and there was Kelechi, smiling, his eyes warm as ever. He stepped inside, pulling her into an embrace that should have felt like home. Instead, it felt like chains tightening around her.
"I missed you," he murmured into her hair.
Her throat burned. She wanted to say it back, but the words stuck. Tunde's touch still lingered on her skin, mocking her silence.
Kelechi leaned back, searching her eyes. "You're quiet. Is everything okay?"
Amara forced a smile, her heart breaking. "Just… tired. I've missed you too."
He kissed her then, gentle and familiar, but all she felt was the echo of the fire Tunde had set ablaze inside her.
And as Kelechi deepened the kiss, her phone buzzed where it lay forgotten on the couch.
A single message lit the screen.
"This isn't the end. Choose me". - Tunde.
Her eyes flew open, her breath caught between guilt and desire. Kelechi's lips moved against hers, but all she could hear was the echo of Tunde's voice in her head.
And in that moment, Amara knew her world was about to unravel.