Chapter 15 — The Girl Who Stayed Behind
246 Words
At dawn, Abuja was golden and restless. Traffic honked through the humid air as markets came alive with color and noise.
Lila stepped out of the car, breathing in the city’s heartbeat — the smell of rain, dust, and fried akara.
“This is where my father used to work,” she said quietly, pointing to a faded sign: Hart Foundation Project Office — Closed.
Inside, dust coated the empty desks. On one wall hung a photograph of her parents shaking hands with a group of donors — and among them, a young Charles Vale.
Ethan exhaled. “He was here.”
Before they could process it, a voice called from the doorway. “Lila?”
Lila turned — and froze.
A woman in her late twenties, in a bright headscarf, stood there smiling through tears.
“Aisha?” Lila whispered.
Her childhood friend rushed forward, hugging her tight. “You vanished after the fire. We thought you were gone forever.”
Lila smiled weakly. “Maybe part of me was.”
Aisha glanced at Ethan, then back at Lila. “You picked an interesting time to come home. There’s talk — someone’s asking about the old foundation records.”
Lila exchanged a tense look with Ethan. “Who?”
“Men who don’t like being remembered.”
Aisha lowered her voice. “One of them left this behind.” She handed Lila a business card stamped with a silver logo:
Vale Industries West Africa Division.
- Writer
