CHAPTER THREE: “Her room her rules
439 Words
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POV: Ify Okoye
Ify sat at the edge of the guest room bed, hands cold. The house was too quiet now. Just hours ago, there was music, shouting, singing. Now? Silence.
She stared at the stained wedding dress folded in a clear evidence bag on the dresser. Her sister’s dress.
The police told everyone to stay close. No one could leave the house. Phones were taken. She hadn't called anyone. Not even her mother. Her mother was on a flight back from Dubai. She didn’t know her daughter was dead.
Ify hadn’t cried yet.
She wanted to.
But her mind was too loud.
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She remembered seeing Adanna that morning.
The makeup artist was finishing her eyes. Adanna looked perfect. Almost unreal.
> “Do you think I look happy?” she asked.
Ify didn’t answer. She just nodded and handed her the gold necklace. The one their late grandma gave her. Adanna held it, smiled, and said:
> “After today, I’ll finally be free.”
That was the last thing she said to her.
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The police had called her to speak next. She hadn’t moved. Her hands were still on her lap. Her fingers twisted the hem of her wrapper. She wanted to throw up.
Adanna wasn’t perfect. But she was the kind of person who always got what she wanted. Even if she had to force it. She was loud, bold, too honest.
And she had enemies. A lot of them.
But Ify didn’t think her sister would end up dead on her own wedding day.
She had questions.
Where was Chuka?
Why was Lola shaking when she came out of the bridal suite?
Why was the wedding planner whispering into her phone before the police came?
And that letter Adanna left in the bouquet. The one the inspector pulled out, read, and folded without saying a word.
No one had told Ify what it said.
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She stood and walked to Adanna’s old room. Everything was still the same. Neat. Organized. Almost too clean. Adanna always said:
> “I like things exactly where I left them.”
But something was off.
Her desk drawer was open. And inside, Ify saw an envelope. It had no name on it. Just a lipstick stain on the flap.
She picked it up. Opened it.
Inside, there were photos.
Black and white. Printed.
A man. A car. A woman. Dates written on the back. Some were circled.
Ify didn’t understand. But she knew one thing—Adanna had been watching someone.
And whoever it was…
She wanted the world to know.
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End of Chapter 3.
- Writer
