THE SECRET IN UMORU FAMILY

Veronica never imagined that marrying Daniel would change her life so completely. When she first arrived at the Umoru family home as Daniel’s wife, she was nervous. The house was larger than the modest place where she had grown up, and everyone seemed to have an opinion about how things should be done. Umoru, Daniel’s father, was a stern man who rarely smiled. His wife, Mama Umoru, was warmer but watched everything closely. Veronica knew she had to be careful if she wanted to earn their respect. For the first few months, everything went smoothly. Daniel treated her kindly, and Veronica slowly became comfortable in her new home. She helped Mama Umoru in the kitchen, joined family conversations and tried her best to avoid unnecessary arguments. Then, one morning, Veronica discovered something that made her hands tremble. She was pregnant. She stared at the test for several minutes before a smile spread across her face. When Daniel returned that evening, she waited until they were alone before giving him the news. For a moment, he simply stared at her. Then he pulled her into his arms. “You're serious?” he whispered. Veronica laughed through her tears. “Very serious.” Daniel was overjoyed. The next day, they told his parents. Mama Umoru immediately embraced Veronica, thanking God for the good news. Even Umoru's stern expression softened. “My first grandchild,” he said quietly. Everyone celebrated. But their happiness did not last long. A few weeks later, Veronica noticed that Daniel had become unusually distant. He began coming home late and spending long periods on his phone. Whenever she asked what was wrong, he insisted that everything was fine. She wanted to believe him. Then she found a message. It was from a woman whose name Veronica didn't recognize. “Daniel, you promised you would tell her the truth.” Veronica's heart sank. She read the message again, hoping she had misunderstood it. Before she could investigate further, Daniel walked into the room. He froze when he saw the phone in her hand. “Veronica…” She slowly looked up. “Who is she?” Daniel said nothing. That silence hurt more than any explanation could have. Veronica placed the phone on the table. “I am carrying your child, Daniel. If there is something I need to know, tell me now.” Daniel lowered his head. “There is something I should have told you before we got married.” Veronica's heart began pounding. “What?” He took a deep breath. And before he could say another word, someone knocked loudly on their bedroom door. It was Umoru. “Daniel,” his father called from outside. “Open this door. We need to talk.” Daniel looked terrified. Veronica immediately knew that whatever secret he had been hiding was much bigger than she had imagined. TO BE CONTINUED......