The Man I Promised to Hate

Chapter Ten — The Rules

Amara didn't speak to Daniel the next morning.

Not because she was angry.

Anger would have been easier.

She was confused.

She sat at the breakfast table in silence, staring at a cup of tea that had gone cold.

Daniel sat across from her.

He hadn't touched his coffee either.

For once, the silence between them wasn't comfortable.

It was heavy.

Finally, Daniel spoke.

"You should eat."

"I'm not hungry."

"You haven't eaten since yesterday afternoon."

She looked up.

"How do you know?"

"I noticed."

Amara looked away.

That was the problem.

He noticed everything.

When she was tired.

When she was nervous.

When she was hungry.

When she was afraid.

And somehow, despite everything he'd hidden from her, she was beginning to care that he noticed.

She hated that.

"Daniel."

"Yes?"

"I need to ask you something."

"Anything."

"Do you regret hiring me?"

He looked surprised.

"No."

"Even after everything?"

"Especially after everything."

"Why?"

He was quiet for a moment.

"Because I don't think meeting you was a mistake."

Her heart tightened.

"Don't say things like that."

"Why?"

"Because they make everything more complicated."

Daniel leaned back.

"Everything is already complicated."

She sighed.

"That's exactly why we need rules."

His eyebrow rose.

"Rules?"

"Yes."

"All right."

"No personal questions."

"Okay."

"No discussing my family unless it's related to the investigation."

"Fine."

"No unnecessary touching."

Daniel's lips twitched.

"I haven't touched you unnecessarily."

She gave him a look.

"You know what I mean."

"I do."

"And no flirting."

He looked amused.

"I don't flirt."

"You almost kissed me."

"You almost kissed me."

"I did not."

"You didn't move away."

"Neither did you."

"Exactly."

Amara's cheeks warmed.

"That's why we're making rules."

Daniel nodded.

"Anything else?"

She thought.

"Work comes first."

"Agreed."

"And when this investigation is over..."

She hesitated.

"We go our separate ways."

Daniel's expression changed.

"Is that what you want?"

Amara looked at him.

"I think it's what we need."

He nodded slowly.

"Then I'll respect it."

She looked down.

She hadn't expected that answer to hurt.

They returned to Accra that afternoon.

The drive was different.

They spoke about work.

Nothing else.

No personal questions.

No teasing.

No lingering looks.

At least, that was the plan.

When they arrived at Asare Holdings, Amara went straight to her office.

She opened her laptop.

There were emails waiting.

Twenty-three of them.

She groaned.

"Welcome back."

She looked up.

Lydia was standing at the door.

"Please don't tell me there's more work."

"Actually, there's something else."

"What?"

Lydia handed her an envelope.

"This came for you."

Amara looked at it.

There was no sender.

"What is it?"

"I don't know."

Amara opened it.

Inside was a photograph.

She froze.

It showed her father standing outside a building.

Next to him was Daniel.

But Daniel was younger.

Nineteen.

The same night.

Amara turned the photograph over.

There was a handwritten message.

You don't know the whole story.

She looked at Lydia.

"Where did this come from?"

"It was delivered downstairs."

"By who?"

"The courier left before security could question him."

Amara stared at the photograph.

Daniel had told her he was there.

But why was there a photograph?

And who had taken it?

Her phone rang.

Daniel.

She answered.

"Hello?"

"Come to my office."

"Why?"

"I need to show you something."

She stood.

"I'll be there."

Daniel was standing behind his desk when she entered.

He looked serious.

"Close the door."

She did.

"I received this."

She handed him the photograph.

His face changed.

"Where did you get this?"

"It was delivered to my office."

Daniel studied it.

"Who took this?"

"I don't know."

He turned it over.

His expression hardened.

"You shouldn't have this."

"Why?"

"Because my father had every photograph from that night destroyed."

Amara stared at him.

"How do you know?"

"Because I watched him burn them."

Her stomach tightened.

"Then who took this?"

"I don't know."

Daniel placed the photograph on the desk.

"This means someone else was there."

"Someone who saw everything."

"Yes."

"And they're trying to tell me something."

"Or manipulate you."

Amara looked at him.

"What's the difference?"

Daniel didn't answer.

She walked toward the window.

"Your mother knows more than she's telling us."

"I know."

"Your uncle knows something."

"How do you know?"

"I called him."

Daniel looked at her.

"What did he say?"

"He told me to stop asking questions."

Daniel's expression darkened.

"Your uncle disappeared after your father's death."

"What?"

"He left Ghana."

"My family told me he moved abroad."

"He did."

"How do you know?"

"Because my father helped him."

Amara turned sharply.

"What?"

Daniel nodded.

"Your uncle worked for my father."

The room fell silent.

"My uncle worked for your father?"

"Yes."

"For how long?"

"Several years."

"Doing what?"

"I don't know."

Amara stared at him.

"Everything about our families is connected."

Daniel nodded.

"Yes."

"And someone has spent twelve years hiding the truth."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because the truth is dangerous."

She walked closer.

"Then let's find it."

Daniel looked at her.

"I agree."

"Together?"

He hesitated.

Then nodded.

"Together."

She smiled faintly.

It was the first time she had smiled at him since the previous night.

Daniel couldn't help smiling back.

Then she remembered the rules.

Her smile disappeared.

"Don't."

"What?"

"Smile like that."

"Like what?"

"Like you're happy."

"I am."

"Why?"

"Because you smiled."

Her heart skipped.

She looked away.

"Rule number five."

"No flirting."

"Exactly."

"I'm not flirting."

"You are."

"I'm telling the truth."

She sighed.

"This is going to be difficult."

Daniel smiled again.

"Probably."

That evening, Amara stayed late.

She was reviewing the old property records when she found something unusual.

A file dated August 2014.

She opened it.

Most of the documents were missing.

But one page remained.

A handwritten list of names.

Kofi Asare.

Kwame Mensah.

Samuel Mensah.

And one unfamiliar name.

Evelyn Asare.

Daniel's mother.

Amara stared at the list.

Why were all four names together?

Then she noticed something written underneath.

Meeting — August 14 — 11:30 p.m.

Her heart began pounding.

That was the night her father died.

She took a photograph of the page.

Then the lights suddenly went out.

Amara froze.

The entire floor was dark.

She reached for her phone.

No signal.

Then she heard footsteps.

Slow.

Deliberate.

Coming from the hallway.

She stood.

"Hello?"

No answer.

The footsteps stopped outside her office.

Her heart pounded.

The door handle moved.

Once.

Twice.

Then the door opened.

Amara stepped backward.

A shadow entered the room.

She tried to scream.

A hand covered her mouth.

Then a familiar voice whispered in her ear.

"Don't make a sound."

Daniel.

Amara exhaled in relief.

He removed his hand.

"What are you doing here?"

"The security system went down."

"Someone was trying to enter."

"I know."

He looked toward the hallway.

"Did you see who?"

"No."

Daniel took her hand.

"We're leaving."

She looked at their hands.

"Daniel..."

He released her immediately.

"Sorry."

They moved toward the exit.

Then Amara noticed something on the floor.

A small piece of paper.

She picked it up.

Three words were written on it.

Ask your mother.

Amara's blood ran cold.

"My mother?"

Daniel looked at the message.

His expression changed.

"Why would they tell you to ask your mother?"

"I don't know."

"Maybe because she knows."

Amara shook her head.

"My mother has never mentioned anything."

Daniel looked at her.

"Then maybe it's time she did."

Her phone suddenly rang.

It was her mother.

Amara answered.

"Mom?"

Her mother's voice was trembling.

"Amara..."

"Yes?"

"Where are you?"

"At work."

"Are you with Daniel?"

Amara looked at him.

"Yes."

There was a long silence.

Then her mother whispered:

"Don't trust him."

Amara's heart stopped.

"Mom, what are you talking about?"

"You don't know what his family did."

"Then tell me."

Her mother began crying.

"Your father didn't die because of the land."

Amara's breathing stopped.

"Then why did he die?"

Her mother whispered the words that would change everything.

"Because he discovered who was stealing from the company."

The call ended.

Amara stared at her phone.

Daniel looked at her.

"What did she say?"

Amara slowly raised her eyes.

"My father discovered someone was stealing from the company."

Daniel's face hardened.

"And?"

She swallowed.

"She said that's why he died."

Neither spoke.

Then Daniel's phone vibrated.

A message.

He looked at it.

His expression turned cold.

Amara watched him.

"What?"

He showed her the screen.

You are getting too close.

Then another message appeared.

The next person who dies will be someone you love.

Daniel looked at Amara.

For the first time, the rules they had made seemed meaningless.

Because whatever was happening was no longer just about their families.

It was becoming personal.

And neither of them was prepared for what would happen when the person behind the threats realized exactly how much Daniel had begun to care about Amara.