Life hasn't been a bed of roses, but it hasn't been a bed of Thorns either. Munachi grew up like every Igbo girl, sheltered from the harsh realities of life until she wasn't anymore. Finding a way to make ends meet when things became really difficult for her family, she had to face things she never knew was in existence. Making choices costs most of the time.
Prologue
A gasp left me as I took in the person in front of me. Standing before me is the exact stranger I insulted when he asked me for directions when he got lost.
If I begrudgingly thought he was handsome that day, then today he's more handsome than he was then, standing on the other side of the door wearing clothes that look as if it was specially made for him.
His hair was gelled back and whenever I inhale I perceive his sweet scent that's purely male.
What's he doing here,
how is he related to Mr. Kalu?
Maybe he's their errand boy?
I tried to convince myself, but based on his dressing, you can deduce he's nothing like the errand boy I pegged him as.
I browsed through my memory of how I looked that day.
Recalling how snappy I was that day made me blush hard in embarrassment.
Seeing him here made me regret applying for the job, what if he tries to exact his revenge on me?
What if he humiliates me in the presence of Mr. Kalu?
What if_?
"Earth needs your awesome presence, miss," he said in a smug.
I looked up to find him smiling at me with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Chapter 1
Looking back on this carriage life that they call life with a smile on your face, you will come to the same conclusions as I have.
#
The harmattan weather is always harsh.
This year's harmattan season isn't like the others. In Nigeria, harmattan season starts in December and stops around February time, but last year's harmattan season didn't start until February of this year after two months of intensive heat, making it the first late harmattan witnessed in Nigeria.
The streets were filled with layers of dust, a compliment of the season it is.
Snow falls in some countries during wintertime, but in ours ggetseye tearing dust.
I trudged along the paved way which is the only safe place to walk on if you want to escape the dust, although I was putting on three layers of clothing, I can still feel the stinging claws of harmattan on me.
My bones ache as though I ran a marathon with time.
Most of the children playing in the streets had split lips, and some unfortunate ones were burdened with calloused feet.
The stings of the season were mainly visible on the poor, they are recognized by the signature white of their body.
"Auntie good morning!!" Chorused the happy kids as I walked past their playing space.
They weren't bothered about the cold since they have friends to play with.
"Morning, ole otu unu di?" I smiled at them, "we are fine, thank you!!" They chorused as they resumed their game of tag.
I smiled at the cute little creatures, the children are the main reason I like walking to my mom's shop every morning instead of taking a motorcycle there, their smiles brighten my day as they have contagious smiles.
*
Walking towards Uzoma street, I frowned when I saw Kachi in his mother's shop, my brightened countenance turned sour.
I don't consider him an enemy, but he's certainly not a friend.
I turned my face towards the left pretending I haven't seen him, knowing it was a futile plan as he has already seen me, but it didn't deter me from hoping.
"Well, well, well, if it's not my pretty pretentious wife," he cooed pathetically as I side stepped him with my face still turned.
As much as I love walking to shop to see the children, his also the reason I hate walking to shop.
"You know you can't ignore me forever nwanyim, the more you run from me, the more I give chases", he threatened.
I didn't reply to his taunt I walked past him.
"You can't run forever!" he shouted as I turned a corner.
*
Almost near our shop, I stopped frowning.
I tried to smile, as my mom gets a kick whenever I frown.
"Madam sees the time you are coming to shop, I your maidservant has already swept the shop for you, "my friend Ifunanya joked.
I kept a long serious face, "oh sorry madam, I don't know you arrived earlier. I'm I apologize for my tardiness, it won't happen again," I sarcastically said.
She laughed at my poker face, "gama Biko, I don't have your time, your mom is expecting you, and you know how she is when she's kept waiting. " She joked.
I laughed as I entered our stall.
" This one you are smiling today, itutara counter? Federal government onyeregi scholarship?" mom joked.
"Some people are just enemies of progress, ekwutumekwu, my enemies must be put to shame.
So, you want me to be sad abi?, okwalagi," I chuckled as my mom lightly spanks me.
"I don't have your time," my mom countered as I walked into her production office.
My mom came from a rich, aristocratic family, but her entitlements were transferred to her younger sister when she got married to dad against her parent's wish.
They didn't only deprive her of her right, they disowned her.
My dad, on the other hand, came from a humble family of artisans, his father was a furniture maker and my father inherited his business when he _my grandpa_ passed on two years ago.
"Muna, Muna, Munachi!!" I jerked from my thoughts, my mom was giving me a funny look.
" Good to have you back, earth requires your presence," she looked at me as if I've committed an abomination by thinking.
"Mom, I was just lost I thought, you know", I babbled.
"You better not get lost again, and better still don't go there at all. What were you thinking of exactly?", she folded her arms.
"Wow woman, you've become an expert in bead making", I tried to beg the question, I can tell she knows what am up to, but decided to give me a break as she continued making the bead bag in question, I let out a breath of relief.
"A for being an expert, wait until you see the teddy bears and flower vase I made, that when you will truly realize you have a professional mother", she beamed with pride as she-cats walked out of the shop flaunting the beads she was putting on.
My mom was a model before she got married to dad, although she doesn't complain much about it, I know she misses those good ole days.
"You might be an expert in beading but you and I know am the professional wrapper, ana amakwanuaka?", I scoffed.
" Mtcheww, I don't blame you, I blame your father for spoiling you rotten with praises when it's obvious you didn't merit them",
"hmm, I don't have much to say, my work speaks for itself. Good wine doesn't need an advertisement", I pursed my lips.
We bickered back and forth as we got the shop ready for the day's sales.
Distance separated them, but fate brought them together. Separated when they were little because of a medical problem, Marble and Mabel grew up in different homes. Marble the sick one was sent to live with his biological father, while Mabel lived with the mother and father. Over time, they forgot about each other, until fate brought them back, together. They parent desperate to put a lid over a secret of many years, and you will get one dramatic novel. Other Info
Taking a stroll on a rainy night isn't what a sane person might do, but Rabel is far from normal with her snowy white hair. An injured Wolf lying close to your cottage isn't also considered as normal in a place often plagued with werewolves and their onslaught on humans. Despite her bitter feelings, she takes the wolf into her house out of the goodness of her heart; she nurtures it back to life, and the wolf left after it was fully healed. Weeks later, the rumored dead werewolf king is back with a vengeance; slaying the humans in a one-sided war. When a truce is called and peace pleaded; the werewolf king agrees to the words of agreement with only one condition: to have Rabel in his palace as his bride.
My boyfriend called, "Baby!" as he jumped out of bed and scrambled to pull his pants off the ground. "Please, I can explain my love." Shutting my eyes, I inhaled deeply and tried not to cry when I realized that my dream of the man not being my boyfriend had been dashed. "What?" I asked, "What do you want to explain?" How did you lie about having a business meeting while you were in bed enjoying yourself with my best friend, even though I told you I was in serious pain, is that it?" I stood there, my heart pounding, and tears streaming down my face...
Elodie took a deep breath and knocked, the sound echoing in the quiet corridor. A moment of silence passed, broken only by the pounding of her heart. Finally, the door snicked open, revealing a surprised Dashiell. 'Can't you see the Do Not Disturb sign? We don't want-' His initial frown quickly morphed into confusion at the sight of his wife. 'What are you doing here?' he demanded. 'Your girlfriend invited me,' Elodie replied, her voice laced with icy calm. She tried to peer past him, but his broad frame blocked the view. A saccharine voice chimed in from within the room. 'Elodie? Oh dear, we didn't mean for you to find out this way. It's just that-' Elodie cut her short. 'Oh please, Selene. Spare me the fake apologies. You wouldn't have sent me all those texts if you didn't want me to know.' Dashiell shifted uncomfortably, his face a mask of annoyance. 'What texts?' Elodie stepped past him, taking in the luxurious suite with a sardonic smile. The king-sized bed, the scattered rose petals, the lingering scent of sex – it all painted a vivid picture of their betrayal. She looked up at Dashiell, her gaze unwavering. 'I want a divorce.' ****** Dashiell lived a life of luxury, surrounded by the best things money could buy. But when a car accident left him vulnerable, he met Elodie, a seemingly ordinary woman who nursed him back to health. Mistaking her for just another employee, Dashiell entered into a loveless marriage with her solely for convenience. However, fate had a different script in store. Elodie, the 'ordinary nurse,' held a secret more precious than any diamond: she was the sole heiress to Northstar, a vast and powerful enterprise. Unaware of her true identity, Dashiell cast her aside when his ex-girlfriend returned, leaving Elodie humiliated. But Elodie was not one to be easily broken. She shed the facade of the meek nurse, reclaiming her rightful inheritance and stepping into the role of Northstar's CEO. Now, the woman Dashiell discarded was the one holding the reins of power. As Elodie thrives in her new role, Dashiell is consumed by regret. He finally sees Elodie for the extraordinary woman she truly is, realising the depth of his mistake. But will his remorse be enough to win back the heart he so carelessly discarded?
Desperate to handle her grandmother's towering medical bills, Gianna agreed to a contract marriage with Tristan, the enigmatic man she'd once shared a one-night stand with. She assumed they'd fulfill each other's needs and dissolve the arrangement once the terms expired. Unbeknownst to Gianna, this marriage was a dream Tristan had clung to for ten relentless years. Certain she was just filling someone else's role, Gianna prepared to leave when that other woman returned. But Tristan, his eyes burning with unspoken emotion, seized her trembling hand and declared, "You’re mine. Now and always."
Chloe Miler, a naïve young woman, waits shyly to spend Valentine's Day with her boyfriend, but is betrayed on that day when she witnesses him entangled in bed with her own sister. Chloe's heart is broken when her heartfelt love for him is trampled on in an instant. *** Lionel Williams, the mysterious billionaire, the top of the pyramid, is handsome as hell. His eyes are set high, but he is drugged, has a one-night stand with a strange woman, and is humiliated by that unknowing woman with her money! His instincts tell him it's not that simple, and he's going to find her out!
Rejected by her mate, who had been her long-time crush, Jasmine felt utterly humiliated. Seeking solace, she headed to a party to drown her sorrows. But things took a turn for the worse when her friends issued a cruel dare: kiss a stranger or beg her mate for forgiveness. With no other choice, Jasmine approached a stranger and kissed him, thinking that would be the end of it. However, the stranger unexpectedly wrapped his arms around her waist and whispered in her ear, "You're mine!" He growled, his words sending shivers down her spine. And then, he offered her a solution that would change everything...
It's true what they say about marriage: one partner's always happier than the other. ~~~ Julie's world is shattered when her husband, Ryan, reveals that he wants an open marriage. His reason: he needs a child as they've been unable to have one. Julie reluctantly agrees to save her marriage. The next day, Ryan returns home with his secretary, confirming Julie's long-held suspicion that their affair was taking place behind her back. Julie, heartbroken and enraged, seeks solace in a bar, where she meets a fascinating stranger named Luke, who changes the game. Julie confides in Luke over drinks, and he proposes a risky plan: he will act as her "boyfriend" to turn the tables on Ryan. Julie agrees, setting off a chain of events that will challenge everything she thought she knew about love, loyalty, and herself.