The invitation came in a gold envelope.
Amara stared at it for a long time, her fingers trembling slightly as she traced the embossed letters. She already knew what it was before she opened it. Something in her chest tightened , the kind of feeling that comes when you're about to lose something you never really had.
"
She slid her finger under the seal.
"You are cordially invited to the wedding of Daniel Adeyemi and Sophia Williams.
Her heart dropped.
Daniel.
The name alone brought back everything, late-night phone calls, stolen glances across crowded rooms, the way he used to say her name like it meant something. Like she meant something.
But he never claimed her.
And now… it was too late.
Amara laughed softly, but the sound cracked halfway through. She placed the invitation on the table and leaned back in her chair. Outside her apartment window, Lagos buzzed with life , horns blaring, people shouting, generators humming. But inside, everything felt painfully quiet.
Her phone buzzed.
It was him.
Daniel: Did you get it?
She stared at the message. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard
So he knew
Of course he did.
She typed, erased, typed again.
Amara: Yes. Congratulations.
The reply came instantly.
Daniel: Thank you… Are you coming?
She scoffed. The audacity
Years of confusion, mixed signals, and half-promises , and now he wanted her to sit in the audience and watch him marry someone else?
Amara: I'll think about it.
She dropped the phone and stood up, pacing the room. Her mind drifted back to the beginning.
Back to when Daniel first walked into her life.
Back to when everything felt possible
Back to when he looked at her like she was the only person in the world.
But he never chose her.
Never introduced her properly.
Never defined what they were.
"Let's just see where it goes," he used to say.
It went nowhere.
And now… he was marrying Sophia.
Amara walked to the mirror and looked at herself. She had changed , stronger, more guarded. The girl who once waited by her phone for his calls was gone
Or at least… she thought she was.
Her phone buzzed again.
Daniel: I really hope you come. There are things we need to talk about.
Her heart skipped.
Things we need to talk about?
Now
Three weeks before his wedding
She shook her head.
Too late.
Way too late.
But deep down, a tiny voice whispered…
What if he finally chooses you?
Amara picked up the invitation again and sighed.
This is going to be a disaster, she muttered.
And somehow… she knew she was going to attend.