velope Onari had given her. The sound of children playing echoed from some

cate burned in he

had questione

s staring back at

ame: Chief

weak. It wasn't just about being his daughter anymore. It w

about this was

ger just Adann

eiress - and the world

at

when she got back. Her arms were fo

ou?" she aske

esitated

been disappearing since that phon

not that I don't trust you

I'm your best friend, Ada. Don't shut me

u were right. Someone's helping me. S

s widened.

him before Grace took over everyth

h fell open.

ts. Even my original

his is huge. You could- you could

f I make the wrong move, Onari could get hurt. My face i

ny said quietly

in the Iken

o her private study, sla

t. Her assistant, Amaka, stood

ed," Amaka said carefully

om

. And fro

conscience all of a sudden. Hiding in his office

her. She hasn't said much online, but the silence is working

istraction. Something louder. Messier. Something th

d. "You want

ng. Dig into her. Her school. Her past. Even her m

id in Pla

d three strangers waiting by the school gate. Two

men stepp

danna A

es

ion unit under Lagos state. We received a report that you may b

blinked

ivately. At our office. Your sch

ching everything with narrowed eyes. Somethin

d to come with m

ntial interview," Mr. Idri

not going

s's face

lp you. You've become a media target. The people w

't for sale,"

e, she turned and walked stra

y's

d Adanna sat in the dusty cor

y said. "My mum works with youth services.

id. "They were prob

what

tared at

at them at th

p. "You're going p

et them think I'm afraid. Let the

ned. "That

pulled up to her chest. The early sun cut through the

replaying wh

ng public,

Her heart told her yes.

uld it help? Or would they crush

r phone

te

Unknow

s. They're mak

est ti

- her only source of live news besides her cheap da

ims made by a teenage girl who alleges to be his daughter. In an official statement released this morning, the Ikennas deny ever havin

s throa

e it

er had denie

orld

nt spread l

social media influencers praised the couple for "handl

eone when her face lo

et: money doesn

- some defending the Ikennas,

heir room at noon,

see this," she s

n followers had just posted a side-b

l," she captioned. "This girl

ared at t

attention - reall

gave he

ideo

t under the single flickerin

like this," Adanna said, h

"We don't need fancy. Jus

speech. Nothing dra

anna hi

Vi

I am seventeen years old.

bi Uzor. She worked hard. She wa

He is a billionaire. A philanthr

s den

I ex

ame. Or pity. Or mone

like me - every rejected daugh

oing to d

ft smile and looked st

witter, Instagram, and TikT

jected

torm

deo ex

ad 400,000 views

reels, trending under hashtags like #Ju

d even in Ghana, South Afric

ies repo

ood actres

is. But her truth feel

musician

many powerful men. Le

d it up again - thi

els TV ran

he Girl Making th

uldn't be

as tr

to - but because she

he Enemy

ng room, her fingers clenched

s playing ag

hat soft smile. The face that

too eff

cl

ed off t

e called,

is expression weary. H

Grace said coldly. "You sa

bbing his temple

sed a bro

ered. "Adaobi was quiet. Private. Bu

n the table. "Don't roman

her. "To what

e fr

defend

g up. "But if you think silenc

alke

in years, Grace f

e

prise

received a message

icked

heRealMu

u'll trust me. But I'm your ha

ropped t

ands

from the table.

owed her

d. "Wait...

whispered. "

a's only

golden

clutched tightly in hand. Zinny sat frozen on the

said. "What if it's fake?

bit h

. It's her verified page. She has

hone to show Zin

RealMu

e. Daddy never said your name, but... he changed after your mom died.

ound angry. You just sound... tired. And I believe

eyebrow. "So wha

led down and

. Letters. Files. One of them is a letter your mo

n down Ada

eserved somewhere in the sam

everything,"

-

Type o

buzz hadn't died down - if

old photos of her mother, Adaobi Uzor. They found one taken at

icture was enough

ags kept

ticeFo

jected

nnaT

es, things were get

ietly guiding Adanna,

Adanna received a shor

not try to find me. Focus on th

that, Onari di

-

the Lio

ish bedroom. Her heart pounded in her chest as she p

found what she was looking for - a small leat

it with tre

ed with age but still intact. On th

obi. Read this if

wallow

he letter to the envelope and tucked it back in place. She

ad been snooping

't risk be

s directly to Adanna

d only o

ld needs to see what

-

Strike

ce was watching every

it: someone from inside was

as Muna yet, but she

set a

story about a meeting between Adanna an

e news droppe

less tha

tion - wearing a scarf and g

men were

napped

resting her, Grac

mages and sent t

Is The Woman Behi

to shift again. Was Adanna bei

ldly as she wat

said to herself. "An

-

ounte

at the headlin

i's

ss the blogs l

o scream. To

membered the le

ened i

written years ago,

t want our child to have a name. A hom

led Adann

r braids back into a bu

one hi

m the bed. "What ar

her phone. "I'm g

-

Inte

ve interview with Adanna - arranged by a journalist

irt and jeans, Adanna sat on

forward. "Adanna

d straight a

those who want the truth buried

Chief Eze Ikenna is your fat

ook out

de w

th cert

ith matching pa

letter her mot

her beside Muna - ar

. "But my heart already knows the t

t for a long momen

ow and offered you the Ikenna

smiled

t his money. I

-

the

ent viral in un

forms. Celebrities reposted it.

Chief Eze Iken

rly two decades - he ca