d not wake up to the usual

shouting, no sound of gospel

g she heard w

she hadn't

on her chest

echoed in her mind

this... You are the first d

had change

e had forced herself to call him that-standing beside her, proud and handsome. There was no mistaking it. That was the s

ld her mo

ses. And then...

h

mother to ro

danna, to suffer

fear. Fear of family. Fear of scandal.

s his shame

ears of being ignored, Ada

I burn this truth and

dy knew h

Mor

he one she saved for visiting the school princi

he white collar had long lost its br

them deep inside her bra. Then she tied a scarf over her ha

otted her and shouted, "Adann

d. "I get small some

a suspicious eyebrow. "Yo

king. She didn't owe anyon

ed at her, past the house where she had once begged for wate

tion was cl

walls, security dogs, electric gates, and

d, then took a danfo and lied that she was going to help her "aunt

of the Ikenna Estate, her

nle. Black metal with gold edges. There were two secur

a hes

hat the most powerful man i

ou exist to a fami

reath and st

" she said, forcing h

her gave her a once-o

o see Chief

a harsh sound. "You think thi

ell him my name is Adanna. He will

burst into l

uard said. "Omo, this one na

" she said firml

e before you embarrass your

d five minu

forward. "If you no como

ds tightened

cream. Cry. Beg

d pulled out the letter. She held it close,

e-anyone-read it. It's from my mot

his eyes. "Na w

Ngozi

eir attention.

narrowed his e

hind the mansion. The second guard eyed her like

stood

inutes

n t

fif

idn't

e gate open

urned, his fa

Come i

the M

her heart thuddin

fountain shaped like a lion. Cars parked in a neat line-black jeeps, a white

r seen anyth

ing her to a waiting room with ta

ing not to t

he room. She wore a silk blouse and tight pencil ski

your name

s,

ace Ikenna. C

na f

her... st

a queen, arms folded, eyes filled wit

"So when you bring a letter from the past, claiming

brought out the letter. Her ha

natched it an

wed. Then her

r and looked at Adan

d to lea

blinked

said flatly. "Whatever your m

rise in her chest

edited. Letters

not l

ken glass. "If you ever come back here, I will have

yes, but she didn't cry. N

to walk away,

to wherever you came from. Chasing

that, she

dam said I should es

llowed in

lammed shut behind

Out

of the estate, the

e you biscuit?" o

ed them and

her eyes, but she wo

come w

ft wit

They didn't want her. B

cknowledge her, then the

ld find

ld make

e-even if she had to br

.. Inside

ivate room, the lette

o album. Inside, hidden between pages, was an o

ed at the younger version o

is real," s

behind h

kno

e tu

ef Eze Ike

from the top of the s

said quietly. "Th

zed. "You told m

ught s

ur family. To the pres

irmly. "We'll handle

walked away,

ands were

.. the past

the face of a daughter