The morning had started quietly.
Birds chirped softly outside the windows, and the smell of fresh pap and akara floated from the kitchen. The Oluwafemi family's countryside home was smaller than the mansion Zayne had grown up in, but it was filled with a certain kind of peace—a peace he was slowly getting used to.
Zayne sat by the window, legs stretched out, head leaning against the wall. His phone was in his hand, but his mind wasn't on it. He was replaying everything—Liana's soft laughter, the way she looked when she said, "Thanks for walking with me," and the gentle "hmm" she'd texted the night before.
Just then, Mama Tayo, his grandmother, stepped into the room with a serious look on her face. She wiped her hands on her wrapper and sighed before speaking.
"Zayne," she began, "we need to talk."
He sat up slowly.
"Yes, ma?"
She folded her arms, looked at him directly, and said:
"Your parents called. They've finished arrangements. You and Stella will be introduced at the upcoming board dinner."
Zayne froze.
The words dropped like a stone into his chest.
"Stella?" he repeated.
His grandmother nodded. "Yes. Stella Adeyemi. The daughter of Mr. Olwafemi your dad's business partner. Beautiful, educated, polished… a good girl. She fits the empire."
Zayne stood now, pacing.
"So… that's it? You're all just handing me over like a business agreement?"
"Zayne," Mama Tayo said, "you're the only heir. The future of F & Co rests on your shoulders. You have to marry wisely—someone with influence, someone who understands what it means to carry legacy."
He turned to her, jaw tight.
"What if I already have someone in mind?"
His grandmother's smile faded.
"Then delete her from your mind," she said sharply. "Because that someone is not Stella. And anything that is not Stella will not be accepted."
Her words stung. More than he expected.
He turned away, fists clenched at his sides. His whole life had been like this—controlled. Every move calculated. Every friendship watched. Every choice predetermined.
He had been escaping that world when he came to this small town.
Escaping arranged meetings, fake smiles, and the empty world of gold and glass.
And just when he thought he had found something real…
Just when he felt the first taste of a different kind of joy…
His grandmother was telling him to delete it.
Zayne walked back to his room in silence. He sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the floor. For a long time, he didn't move. The weight of expectation sat on his shoulders like a mountain.
Then… his phone buzzed.
He picked it up slowly.
And saw the name.
Liana 🌸
Her message was short. Simple. Innocent.
Liana [11:22 AM]
Hey 😊
Three letters. One emoji.
But somehow, that single word made everything stop.
His heart jumped. His chest softened. His fingers trembled slightly.
"She texted me…"
He smiled before he could stop himself. A real one. One that warmed his face and pulled him out of the darkness.
But just as quickly, that smile faded.
Because even though she had made his morning…
The truth his grandmother had just told him still echoed in his mind like thunder:
"Delete her from your mind."
He stared at her message, heart full and breaking at the same time.
"If only you knew…" he whispered.
"If only you knew what I feel every time I see your name on my screen."
He didn't reply immediately. Not because he didn't want to—but because he didn't know how. How could he talk to the one girl who made him feel free… when his world was trying to chain him back into the life he ran from?
He set his phone down and lay back on the bed.
Staring at the ceiling.
Half happy.
Half heartbroken.
And all because of one girl who had no idea how dangerous her smile had become.