TORN LOYALTIES
1045 Words
The silence in Ethan’s car stretched on for what felt like an eternity as they sped through the glimmering lights of Nairobi’s night. Ayana sat in the passenger seat, arms crossed, heart pounding. Her thoughts tangled with confusion, fear, and an ache that refused to settle.
Zara had been right. Something bigger was happening something that even Ethan hadn’t fully shared. And Claudia… the ex-fiancée with an agenda and a viper’s smile. Why was she back now?
Ethan glanced at Ayana as he drove. His knuckles were white against the steering wheel. “You haven’t said a word since we left Zara’s hostel.”
Ayana looked out the window. “Because I’m trying to process everything. Claudia? Really, Ethan? You didn’t think I deserved to know?”
“I didn’t want to worry you,” he said quietly. “She’s not a threat.”
Ayana turned to him, her voice sharp. “Then why is she texting me? Threatening me? Dragging my sister into this?”
He didn’t have an answer. And that silence said more than any words could.
---
They arrived at the penthouse and entered with a tension so thick it could be sliced with a knife. Ethan tossed his keys on the marble counter while Ayana walked straight to the balcony, staring out at the city lights.
“She wants to destroy us, doesn’t she?” Ayana asked without turning around.
“Yes,” Ethan said after a moment. “And she’ll try.”
Ayana exhaled shakily. “Then why haven’t you done anything about it?”
“I am,” he said, stepping closer. “But Claudia… she’s more complicated than you think. Her family’s name still holds weight. Her father sits on two boards connected to the hotel group.”
Ayana finally turned to him. “So you’re protecting her?”
“I’m protecting you,” he said fiercely. “If I come after her directly, she’ll go to war. And she plays dirty. I’ve seen what she’s capable of.”
Ayana’s lips trembled. “I didn’t ask for this war. All I wanted was a simple life. My salon, my sister, peace…”
Ethan walked to her, placing a hand gently on her shoulder. “I know. And I swear to you, Ayana I’ll fix this. I just need time.”
But deep down, Ayana knew time might be the one luxury they no longer had.
---
Meanwhile, at Claudia’s Apartment
Claudia paced her high-rise apartment in Westlands, phone pressed to her ear.
“He’s panicking,” she said with a grin. “You should’ve seen his face when he realized I’d found the girl.”
A voice crackled on the other end low, male, cautious. “You said you’d keep this clean.”
“Oh, I am,” Claudia said sweetly. “For now. But don’t worry I won’t make my real move until they’re too entangled to escape.”
She hung up and turned toward her laptop, where photos were neatly laid out Ayana entering the penthouse, Ayana and Ethan at the crash site, Zara in her hostel. Each file was labeled. Each moment, documented.
“This isn’t just about revenge,” she whispered to herself. “This is about legacy. And Ayana Mwende? She’s just a stepping stone.”
---
Back at the Penthouse
Ayana sat in Ethan’s office, scrolling through emails and reports, trying to distract herself. But her phone buzzed again.
Unknown Number: "Your salon wasn’t the only place you were being watched."
Her stomach dropped. She opened the attachment. A photo.
It was her and Zara from earlier that day, hugging outside the hostel.
Ayana stood so fast the chair screeched against the floor.
“Ethan!” she called out.
He rushed in, reading the message over her shoulder. His jaw clenched. “She’s getting bold.”
“This has to stop,” Ayana said, breathless. “She’s watching everywhere.”
Ethan looked at her, firm. “Then we need to play her game. If she wants a show let’s give her one.”
Ayana blinked. “What does that mean?”
He opened a drawer and pulled out a thick envelope. “We’re going to your salon tomorrow. Together. Publicly. Let her see us strong.”
Ayana hesitated. “You’re sure that’s safe?”
“No,” he said. “But I’m sure it’s necessary.”
---
The Next Day — Ayana’s Salon, Umoja
The familiar scent of hair relaxer and shea butter filled the air as Ayana stepped into her salon for the first time in weeks. The girls paused mid-blow dry, eyes wide.
“Madam!” one of the staff squealed. “You’re back!”
Ayana smiled warmly, letting the familiarity wash over her. The salon had been her baby, her sanctuary. And now, standing beside Ethan in his tailored black shirt and Rolex, she felt both proud and nervous.
Ethan greeted the girls politely, even helping an elderly client adjust her seat. The staff giggled like schoolgirls.
As Ayana checked on the books in the back office, she heard one whisper, “That’s her man? Wueh! Hii Nairobi itabidi tuombee!”
But her smile faded as her phone lit up again.
Unknown Number: "Enjoy the calm, Ayana. The storm is closer than you think."
She didn’t show Ethan this one. Not yet.
---
Later That Night
Zara texted just as Ayana and Ethan returned home.
Zara: "Claudia’s number came up at uni. Someone says she used to fund a local influencer who went missing last year."
Ayana replied instantly.
Ayana: "Missing?? Like how?"
Zara: "Like no one’s seen her since Claudia dumped her. People said the girl tried to expose her. Then gone. Just like that."
Ayana’s blood ran cold.
Was this who they were up against?
Not just a jealous ex.
But a woman who erased problems.
Ethan came in with two mugs of tea. “Everything okay?”
Ayana looked up, hiding the tremble in her hands. “We need to talk about what happens if she comes for my family.”
Ethan sat beside her, voice steady. “Then she’ll learn the one thing she doesn’t know.”
“What’s that?” Ayana asked.
“That I’d burn the world down to protect you.”
- Writer
