Episode 31&32
1366 Words
Episode 31
The Message in the Dark
Didi stared at her phone long after reading the message.
"The truth about your father is only the beginning."
The words seemed simple.
Yet something about them felt threatening.
Cold.
Deliberate.
As if whoever sent them wanted her to know they were watching.
Slowly, she sat on the edge of her bed.
Her heartbeat accelerated.
The apartment was quiet.
Her mother had already fallen asleep.
Outside, the neighborhood was peaceful.
But inside Didi's mind, chaos had begun.
Who sent it?
Why?
And what truth were they talking about?
She immediately called the number.
The call connected.
Then disconnected.
No answer.
She tried again.
Nothing.
A third attempt.
Still nothing.
The number was switched off.
Didi lowered the phone.
A terrible feeling settled inside her chest.
The kind of feeling that warned a person something bad was coming.
---
The following morning, she showed the message to Adrian.
His expression immediately became serious.
"When did this arrive?"
"Last night."
"Did you recognize the number?"
She shook her head.
"No."
Adrian stared at the screen.
His instincts as a doctor had taught him to notice details.
And his instincts now told him one thing.
This wasn't random.
Someone wanted Didi afraid.
Someone wanted her attention.
"Have you told your mother?"
"No."
"Good."
Didi frowned.
"Good?"
"She has been through enough."
He wasn't wrong.
Mama had suffered for years.
The last thing she needed was another reason to worry.
Still, Didi couldn't ignore the growing fear inside her.
"What if this is connected to the old case?"
Adrian remained silent.
Because he had been thinking the exact same thing.
---
Later that afternoon, Adrian met his father.
The older man looked exhausted.
Recent developments had reopened wounds he thought were buried forever.
The hospital director listened carefully as Adrian explained the message.
When he finished, the older man leaned back in his chair.
His expression darkened.
"I don't like this."
"You think it's connected?"
His father nodded slowly.
"Possibly."
The room fell silent.
Then the older man stood and walked toward the window.
For several moments, he simply stared at the city below.
Finally he spoke.
"There are things you don't know."
Adrian immediately became alert.
"What things?"
His father sighed.
"The old investigation wasn't the only problem."
The statement shocked him.
"What do you mean?"
The older man's expression became troubled.
"There were powerful people involved."
"Vanessa's family?"
"Not just them."
Silence.
Then came the sentence Adrian wasn't expecting.
"There were politicians."
The room became completely quiet.
Because suddenly everything felt much bigger.
Much more dangerous.
Much more complicated.
---
Meanwhile, Vanessa sat alone in her apartment.
The confrontation with Adrian continued replaying in her mind.
Every word.
Every expression.
Every painful moment.
She hated how much it hurt.
For years she had imagined a future with him.
Years.
Yet now he looked at her as though she were the enemy.
The realization was unbearable.
Her phone rang.
She answered immediately.
"What?"
The investigator's voice sounded nervous.
"We have a problem."
Vanessa frowned.
"What problem?"
"Someone else is looking into the case."
Silence.
Then her expression hardened.
"Who?"
"We don't know yet."
For the first time in weeks, genuine concern entered her eyes.
Because if another player had entered the game...
Everything could change.
---
That evening, Didi received an unexpected visitor.
A knock sounded at the apartment door.
When she opened it, she froze.
Her father stood outside.
He looked worried.
Very worried.
"What happened?"
Without answering, he stepped inside.
Mama immediately noticed his expression.
"What's wrong?"
The older man sat down slowly.
Then he removed a newspaper from his bag.
"What is this?"
Didi asked.
Instead of answering, he handed it over.
She looked down.
And immediately her blood ran cold.
The newspaper contained an article about the old scandal.
But that wasn't what shocked her.
The shocking part was the headline.
FORMER EMPLOYEE MAY HOLD KEY TO MULTI-MILLION NAIRA CORRUPTION CASE
Below it was a photograph.
Her father's photograph.
Someone was bringing the story back into public attention.
And this time, it wasn't just gossip.
It was news.
Real news.
The situation was escalating.
Fast.
---
That night, nobody slept well.
Not Didi.
Not her mother.
Not her father.
Fear had entered the apartment.
And fear rarely left quietly.
---
Episode 32
The Woman From the Past
Three days later, university registration officially began.
Despite everything happening around her, Didi refused to let fear destroy her future.
She had worked too hard.
Sacrificed too much.
Cried too many tears.
Nothing would stop her now.
Nothing.
At least that was what she told herself.
---
The campus buzzed with excitement.
New students moved everywhere.
Parents accompanied their children.
Laughter filled the air.
For most people, registration day was a celebration.
For Didi, it felt like a battle.
Because even while completing forms, her mind remained occupied by the scandal.
By the message.
By the growing mystery.
Yet she forced herself to focus.
One step at a time.
One form at a time.
One dream at a time.
Eventually, she completed everything.
As she exited the administration building, relief washed over her.
She was officially a university student.
The realization made her smile.
A genuine smile.
The kind she hadn't worn in a long time.
Then someone called her name.
"Didi."
She turned.
And froze.
Standing several feet away was a woman she had never seen before.
The woman looked to be in her late forties.
Elegant.
Well dressed.
Confident.
Yet there was something unusual about her expression.
Something emotional.
As though she couldn't believe what she was seeing.
"Didi?"
The woman repeated.
"Yes?"
For several seconds, the stranger simply stared at her.
Then tears appeared in her eyes.
The reaction immediately made Didi uncomfortable.
"Do I know you?"
The woman laughed softly through her tears.
"No."
"Then why are you crying?"
The woman hesitated.
As if struggling with an internal battle.
Finally she spoke.
"Because you look exactly like your grandmother."
Silence.
Complete silence.
Didi frowned.
"What?"
The woman swallowed.
"I knew your family."
Her heartbeat accelerated.
"My family?"
The woman nodded.
"Years ago."
The world suddenly felt smaller.
Because strange people didn't just appear out of nowhere claiming to know her family.
Especially not now.
Not when the past was already causing problems.
"Who are you?"
The woman looked away briefly.
Then answered.
"My name is Grace."
Something about the name felt familiar.
Very familiar.
Yet Didi couldn't place it.
"You knew my father?"
The woman nodded slowly.
"Very well."
Immediately dozens of questions exploded inside Didi's mind.
Before she could ask them, the woman spoke again.
"There's something you need to know."
Her tone had changed.
Become serious.
Almost urgent.
Didi's stomach tightened.
"What?"
Grace looked around carefully.
As though making sure nobody was listening.
Then she lowered her voice.
"The people behind your father's downfall are still active."
The statement hit like a thunderbolt.
"What?"
"They never stopped."
Didi stared at her.
Unable to speak.
Unable to think.
Unable to breathe properly.
Grace continued.
"And now they're afraid."
"Afraid of what?"
The woman looked directly into her eyes.
"The truth."
Silence.
Then she reached into her handbag.
Slowly.
Carefully.
And removed a small envelope.
"This belonged to your father."
Didi accepted it with trembling hands.
The envelope looked old.
Very old.
As though it had been hidden for years.
"What is inside?"
Grace's expression became solemn.
"Answers."
The single word sent chills down Didi's spine.
Because answers were exactly what she had been searching for.
And sometimes...
Answers changed everything.
As Grace walked away, Didi remained frozen.
The envelope felt surprisingly heavy in her hands.
Not because of its weight.
Because of what it might contain.
Far away, inside a black vehicle parked across the street, an unknown man lowered a camera.
He had photographed everything.
Grace.
Didi.
The envelope.
Every detail.
Then he picked up his phone.
"The package has been delivered."
A voice answered from the other side.
"Good."
The call ended.
And somewhere in the city, hidden forces were already moving.
Preparing.
Waiting.
Watching.
Because the truth was finally getting closer.
And not everyone wanted it revealed.
End of Episodes 31 & 32.
- Writer
