The Woman From His Past
1658 Words
The following morning, Daniella arrived at Adebayo Prime Realty before eight.
She barely slept the night before.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Stephen standing behind his desk, staring at her as if he were trying to remember something.
Have we really never met?
The question kept replaying in her mind.
She had spent eleven years preparing herself for the possibility that they might meet again.
But she had never prepared herself for the possibility that Stephen might actually remember her.
Daniella entered the building and greeted the receptionist before heading toward her new office.
She had barely sat down when an assistant approached her.
“Miss Daniella?”
“Yes?”
“Mr. Adebayo wants to see you.”
Her stomach tightened.
“Now?”
“Yes.”
She took a deep breath before following the assistant upstairs.
When she entered Stephen’s office, he was already waiting.
He stood beside his desk with a file in his hand.
“Good morning,” Daniella said.
“Good morning.”
His expression was unreadable.
“Close the door.”
She did.
Stephen pointed toward the chair.
“Sit.”
Daniella sat.
He placed the file in front of her.
“This is one of our upcoming developments.”
She opened it.
The project was a luxury residential development in Victoria Island.
“I want you to review the marketing strategy.”
Daniella studied the documents.
After several seconds, she looked up.
“There is a problem.”
Stephen raised an eyebrow.
“What problem?”
“The target market.”
He leaned against the desk.
“Explain.”
“You’re marketing this property mainly toward established families. But the location and design would appeal more to young professionals and investors.”
Stephen crossed his arms.
“And your solution?”
“Change the campaign.”
“How?”
“Focus on investment opportunities, rental returns, security, and convenience. The advertisements should show people who are building their careers, not just families looking for homes.”
Stephen stared at her.
“How much do you think sales could increase?”
“If the campaign is executed properly, between fifteen and twenty percent.”
He was silent.
“You’re confident.”
“I know the market.”
“Apparently.”
He picked up the proposal.
“You’ll lead the campaign.”
Daniella blinked.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“I’m new here.”
“I know.”
“Then why give me such an important project?”
“Because I want to know if you’re as good as your résumé claims.”
She smiled faintly.
“I won’t disappoint you.”
The words escaped her before she could stop them.
Stephen’s expression changed.
For a brief second, something flickered in his eyes.
Daniella remembered saying those words to him years ago.
I won’t disappoint you.
She had said them when he was preparing for an important examination.
Stephen had failed several tests and wanted to give up.
She had stayed beside him until he finally passed.
Now he was looking at her as if he remembered something.
“You’ve said that before,” he murmured.
Daniella’s heart stopped.
“What?”
Stephen shook his head.
“Nothing.”
She stood.
“I’ll get started.”
As she turned toward the door, Stephen spoke again.
“Daniella.”
She stopped.
“Where did you go after secondary school?”
Her fingers tightened around the file.
“University.”
“I know.”
“Then why ask?”
“Because you disappeared.”
She slowly turned around.
Stephen’s eyes were fixed on her.
“You disappeared from everyone’s life.”
Daniella swallowed.
“I had personal reasons.”
“What reasons?”
“Family.”
“That’s all?”
“Yes.”
Stephen stepped closer.
“You expect me to believe that?”
She looked away.
“I don’t expect anything from you.”
Something about her answer irritated him.
“Then why did you apply to my company?”
Daniella looked at him.
“Because I needed a job.”
“Only that?”
“Yes.”
He studied her for another moment.
“Go.”
Daniella left.
The moment she returned to her desk, she released the breath she had been holding.
She couldn’t continue like this.
Every conversation with Stephen brought her closer to the truth.
And she wasn’t ready for him to discover Daniel.
Not yet.
Her phone vibrated.
A message from her son appeared.
Mommy, are you coming home early?
A smile immediately appeared on her face.
Yes, baby.
Can we have ice cream?
She laughed softly.
Of course.
She locked the phone.
But across the office, Stephen was watching her through the glass wall.
He couldn’t understand the change in her expression.
She had been tense all morning.
Then one message had made her smile.
He wondered who had sent it.
His assistant entered.
“Sir, the background report you requested.”
Stephen took it.
“Thank you.”
He opened the file.
Daniella’s education.
Her employment.
Her family.
Then he saw the section about her child.
Daniel — Male, eight years old.
Stephen stared at the name.
Something inside him shifted.
Eight years.
He did the calculation.
He immediately pushed the thought away.
It was ridiculous.
There was no connection.
Daniella had left him before university.
She couldn’t have had his child.
Could she?
He closed the file.
“No.”
His assistant looked at him.
“Sir?”
“Nothing.”
⸻
That afternoon, Stephen attended a business meeting with his girlfriend, Vanessa.
Vanessa was elegant, sophisticated, and beautiful.
She was the kind of woman who attracted attention whenever she entered a room.
She had been with Stephen for almost three years.
Everyone assumed they would eventually marry.
Vanessa certainly did.
She sat beside him during the meeting, holding his hand.
But Stephen barely noticed.
His mind was somewhere else.
With Daniella.
With the bracelet.
With the memories that refused to stay buried.
After the meeting, Vanessa noticed his silence.
“You’ve been distracted.”
“Work.”
She smiled.
“You always say that.”
Stephen didn’t respond.
“Is something wrong?”
“No.”
Vanessa studied him.
Then she asked casually, “Who is Daniella?”
Stephen’s eyes immediately moved toward her.
“How do you know her name?”
“I heard your assistant mention it.”
He said nothing.
Vanessa smiled.
“She works here?”
“Yes.”
“Is she important?”
“No.”
But something in his voice made Vanessa suspicious.
“Are you sure?”
Stephen stood.
“I have work to do.”
Vanessa watched him walk away.
Her smile disappeared.
She had never seen Stephen react that way to another woman’s name.
⸻
That evening, Daniella returned home.
Daniel ran toward her the moment she entered.
“Mummy!”
She bent down and hugged him tightly.
“How was school?”
“Fine.”
He looked at her carefully.
“Are you tired?”
“A little.”
“Then I’ll help you.”
She smiled.
“My sweet boy.”
Daniel kissed her cheek.
“Did you get the job?”
“Yes.”
His face brightened.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Does that mean I can stay in my school?”
Daniella’s smile faded slightly.
“Yes, baby.”
She hugged him again.
Daniel pulled away.
“What company?”
Daniella hesitated.
“Adebayo Prime Realty.”
Daniel’s eyes widened.
“Is that the big building in Ikoyi?”
“Yes.”
He smiled.
“That’s where Daddy works?”
Daniella froze.
Daniel had always asked questions about his father.
She had never given him a name.
“Daniel…”
“You said my daddy works somewhere in Lagos.”
“I said that?”
“Yes.”
Daniella looked away.
“I don’t know where your father works.”
Daniel frowned.
“But do you know who he is?”
She couldn’t answer.
Her silence was enough.
Daniel stared at her.
“Mummy?”
She knelt in front of him.
“Some things are complicated.”
“Do you love him?”
The question broke her heart.
Daniella forced a smile.
“I once did.”
Daniel nodded slowly.
Then he touched her bracelet.
“Is this from him?”
She looked down.
“Yes.”
“Did he give it to you?”
“No.”
“I gave it to him.”
Daniel looked confused.
“Why?”
“Because I loved him.”
Before he could ask another question, Daniella’s phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
Unknown number.
Her heart tightened.
She answered.
“Hello?”
A woman’s voice came through.
“Daniella.”
She immediately recognized it.
Stephen’s mother.
Daniella stood slowly.
“What do you want?”
“I told you to stay away from my son.”
“I didn’t go looking for him.”
“You work in his company.”
“I needed a job.”
“You have no business being near him.”
Daniella’s hands trembled.
“I haven’t told him anything.”
“Make sure you don’t.”
The call ended.
Daniella stared at the phone.
She thought the nightmare was over.
She had been wrong.
Across Ikoyi, Stephen stood in his office, staring at the same bracelet.
Then his phone buzzed.
A message from his assistant.
Sir, I found something unusual in Daniella’s old records.
Stephen opened it.
His eyes narrowed.
There is no record of her contacting anyone from her past during the years she was away.
He frowned.
Then another message arrived.
But there is one person connected to her disappearance: your mother.
Stephen froze.
For the first time in eleven years, he began to question the story he had always believed.
And if his mother had lied to him about Daniella…
What else had she hidden?
To be continued…
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