THE 365-DAYS WIFE

Chapter 7: The USB

Day 5. 2:17am.

Zara hadn’t slept in 2 days.

The USB was burning a hole in her mattress.

"NOT on his wifi. NOT on his laptop. Use a burner. Use hotspot."

Bola’s words.

Zara bought a ₦15,000 Tecno phone today. Cash. No trace.

Hotspot on.

She locked her door. Twice.

Pulled out her old laptop. The one Damian didn’t know about.

Hands shaking, she plugged in the USB.

One file. `AMINA_DASHCAM_0220.mp4`

She clicked play.

Static. Then night vision.

Dashboard. Steering wheel.

Amina’s voice: `“If you’re watching this, I’m dead. Damian did it.”`

Zara gasped.

Amina continued, voice shaky: `“I found out Okafor Holdings is laundering money through the charity. I have proof. He’s going to kill me. If I die, it’s not an accident.”`

Tires screeching.

A truck. No headlights. Coming straight at her.

Amina screamed. The screen went black.

Zara slammed the laptop shut. She was crying. She didn’t know when she started.

*Bam. Bam. Bam.*

Her door.

`“Zara. Open up.”` Damian’s voice. Cold.

Zara shoved the laptop under the bed. Hid the USB in her bra.

`“One minute!”` she yelled, wiping her face.

She opened the door.

Damian. In black sweatpants and a white shirt. Eyes red. Like he hadn’t slept either.

`“What’s wrong?”` he asked, scanning her room. The laptop bag. Her red eyes.

`“Nightmare,”` Zara lied. `“About my mom.”`

Damian stepped in and closed the door. `“You were up late. I saw the light.”`

`“I couldn’t sleep.”`

He walked to her desk. Picked up her phone. No messages.

Then he saw it. The Tecno phone charging in the corner.

He picked it up. `“New phone?”`

Zara’s heart stopped. `“It’s for my mom. In the hospital. Easier for the nurses to call.”`

Damian turned it on. No SIM. No contacts.

He looked at her. `“Why no SIM, Zara?”`

`“It’s... it’s new. I haven’t bought it yet.”`

Damian stared at her for 10 seconds. Then set the phone down.

`“Don’t lie to me,”` he said softly. `“Not again.”`

`“I’m not lying!”`

`“Then why were you in my study at 1am?”` he asked.

Zara froze.

`“I saw you on the camera,”` Damian continued. `“You took photos of the contract.”`

Zara’s mouth went dry. `“I... I was just reading it. I got scared. Clause 11.3—”`

`“You think I’m going to kill you?”` Damian laughed. But it wasn’t funny. `“Is that what Bola told you?”`

Zara stumbled back. `“How do you know about Bola?”`

`“I know everything that happens in my house, wife,”` Damian stepped closer. `“Including who you meet at Federal Palace.”`

Zara felt sick. He knew.

`“Damian, please—”`

`“Did you watch it?”` he interrupted. `“The USB?”`

Zara didn’t answer.

Damian sighed and rubbed his face. `“Amina was crazy, Zara. She was obsessed. Paranoid. The truck that hit her? Stolen. Driver never found. That’s all.”`

`“Then why hide it?”` Zara whispered.

`“Because I didn’t want you to get scared,”` he said. `“Because I need you to trust me for 365 days.”`

He reached out and tucked hair behind her ear. His touch was gentle.

`“Give me the USB, Zara.”`

Zara’s hand went to her bra. She could feel it there.

If she gave it to him, she had nothing.

If she didn’t, he’d know she was hiding something.

`“I... I don’t have it,”` she said. The lie burned.

Damian studied her. `“Okay,”` he said finally. `“I believe you.”`

He kissed her forehead. `“Get some sleep. We have a charity event tomorrow. You need to look perfect.”`

He left. Closed the door.

Zara waited until his footsteps faded. Then she pulled out the USB.

She had to hide it better.

She had 360 days left.

And Damian was watching her every move.

END OF CHAPTER 7