NewStats: 3,261,864 , 8,175,392 topics. Date: Friday, 30 May 2025 at 07:57 PM 1x712i

bigbauer:
ZaraIhua do you have the completed book available for sale anywhere?

No I don't. It's an ongoing book.
I'll try and update by weekend, I've not had the time to write.

ZaraIhua:


No I don't. It's an ongoing book.
I'll try and update by weekend, I've not had the time to write.

Thank you, i appreciate the efforts.

Hmm. What an amazing story. Well-done and thanks for the update

Land lady was right o, she saw d accident 😂

Am craving for update oo🥰🥰

Thanks Y'all 🙏❤️

Chapter 26

Ruby's sudden collapse sent a jolt of panic through me. I lunged forward, catching her just before she hit the floor, her body limp and unresponsive.

"Doctor!" I shouted, my voice echoing off the sterile walls.

Dr. Samuel rushed in, his calm demeanor replaced by urgency. He checked her vitals, his brow furrowing.

"Let's get her to a bed," he directed.
As we settled Ruby onto the nearest bed, I glanced over at the woman Ruby had called

"UD" Her eyes were wide with fear, her hand reaching out as if to touch Ruby but stopping short.

"Ini... please," UD whispered, tears streaming down her face.

Dr. Samuel istered a mild sedative to UD, calming her distress. He then turned his attention back to Ruby, performing a thorough examination.

"Is she going to be okay?" I asked, my voice trembling. I couldn't believe the depth of concern I felt for Ruby.

"Her vitals are stable," Dr. Samuel replied. "It seems the emotional shock overwhelmed her. She needs rest."

I sank into a chair beside Ruby's bed, my mind racing. What was the connection between Ruby and UD? The names they called each other, 'Ini' and 'UD', echoed in my thoughts. There was a story here, one I couldn't fathom yet.

Hours ed, the hospital's rhythmic sounds blending into a monotonous hum. Ruby stirred, her eyelids fluttering open.

Relief washed over me.

"Hey," I said softly, leaning closer. "How do you feel?"

She blinked, disoriented, then her eyes widened with recollection. "UD..... where is she?" Her voice was almost a whisper.

"She's here, resting," I assured her.

I watched her take a deep breath, then she relaxed on the bed. That seemed like a good sign.

The sudden scent of Dave's cologne signaled his arrival. I hadn't realized how much I needed his presence until that moment. I had managed to text him about the situation after his numerous calls. He said he was already in the state and would be at the hospital soon.

“S... Sir?” Ruby's voice was filled with shock as she noticed Dave. She obviously wasn't expecting him; I hoped she wouldn't faint again.

“I... I called him. I know I'm the last person you'd want to be with right now and didn't know who else to call. I figured he'd be perfect,” I explained, hoping to ease the tension in the room.

She rolled her eyes in response. Even in a terrible state, she still had an attitude. Well, I deserved that.

Leaving my position for Dave to take over, I stood by the door.

“How are you feeling?” Dave asked, his gaze intent on her.

I'm not surprised; he has always been intentional about her. Sometimes I'm forced to believe he has feelings for her, but I know better.

“I don't want to see you, neither do I want to see your devilish brother,” she spat, looking away from me as if I were some horrific sight.

Dave only chuckled. What was so amusing about the situation?

“I know... Richie certainly deserves that,” he looked at me casually then back to her, “and I do too. But you know what I don't deserve?” He asked as he reached out, taking her hand into his.

“... Seeing you like this.”

What is this slowpoke talking about? Has he gone nuts?

“I'm so sorry about everything. I may not know how this all happened, but I do know he didn't mean any of this to happen.”

Ruby scoffed as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Right over there is Uduak... my sister."

The revelation hit me like a tidal wave. I struggled to process the information. Ruby had never mentioned a sister.

"Your sister?" I echoed.

"Your sister?” Dave was as shocked as I was. "But... how?"

"Over there is my only sister, my only real family, in a terrible condition. All because of me! She almost died trying to save me from the demonic scheme plotted by your brother, and you sit here telling me he never meant that?”

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. My heart felt like it was being squeezed tighter and tighter.

Forcefully, she wiped off the tears rolling down her cheeks. “Why?... Why?... What have I ever done to deserve this from him? What?! Your brother left me in the middle of nowhere, terrified, alone, and scared, for what reason?” She asked, her voice choked with emotion.

“Hey, hey, hey, calm down, okay,” Dave's voice exuded comion and care. “All we have to think about right now is how to leave this place, okay? You and your sister will be fine. I promise,” he assured her.

Leaning towards her, he added, "We'll figure this out together, Ruby. Everything will be alright."

The way he held onto her gaze was something I couldn't relate to. I know Dave to be very protective of every employee, but with Ruby, he has always been a little extra.

Ruby nodded, squeezing his hand. "Thank you.”

I had never known how it feels to be so invisible.

Not until now.

Thank you for updating ❤️💕

Demit 🥰🥰. I will scatter my phone oo😂😂

Thanks for the update

Damilgodwin:
Demit 🥰🥰. I will scatter my phone oo😂😂

Pls don't 😅

Chapter 27

“What the Bleep, Richie?! What in heaven’s name is she talking about?” Dave barked.

We had stepped outside to talk, but I wasn’t sure this was a discussion…. I was being interrogated. The fury in his eyes burned through me, making me wonder if this was just about Ruby being an employee… or something else.

“Cat got your tongue?” he snapped, his fists clenching at his sides.

I sighed, rubbing a hand over my face. “I was mad at her for something and, stupidly, I left her to find her way back to the hotel.” I scratched my head, suddenly feeling small under his glare. “Look, Dave, I know it was a shitty thing to do. Trust me, I take full responsibility-”

“As expected, Richie,” he cut in sharply.

I scoffed, giving him a pointed look.

“What?” he asked.

“All this anger and fury…… is it really about me putting an employee in that situation, or is there more to it?” I asked, my gaze locked on him.

Throwing his hands in the air, he huffed. “I’m just concerned about her, and you know it. The overall well-being of our employees is-”

“Cut the crap, man. You think I don’t know you?” I let out a short laugh.

Dave’s jaw tightened, but he said nothing. I could see right through him. No matter how calm and composed he acted in front of Ruby, I knew seeing her in that hospital bed had rattled him, just like the night I had her locked in the office.

“You’ve never been nice to her, have you?” he continued. “So it’s only normal for me to conclude that you’ve graduated from being mean to wanting to murder her.”

Interesting.

I shoved my hands into my pockets, staring into the distance. Saying nothing.

“And how is it that the other lady is her sister?” Dave asked, echoing my own thoughts.

Clicking my teeth, I exhaled tiredly. “It’s crazy, bro.”

His face was masked with curiosity. “And?”

“There’s more,” I said, my lips curling into a smirk as I watched him. “Senator Sunday Williams is her father… their father.”

The blank look on his face had me chuckling. “Mind-blowing, right?”

He suddenly burst into hysterical laughter. “You’re joking, right? … How?!”

I ed him, shaking my head. We both laughed like two confused drunks, but deep down, we knew this was no joke.

“I’m serious, Dave,” I said, my tone sobering.

He paused, his gaze searching mine. “You’re dead serious?”

I nodded.

“But how?” His brows knit together. “She told me her father was an old plumber who lives in Akwa Ibom.”

“I thought the same thing,” I itted. “I was just as shocked when I found out during the conference.” I ran a hand over my face, still wrapping my head around everything myself.

Taking a deep breath, I told him everything I knew. I could tell he felt the same way I did when I first heard it; confused, lost, blindsided.

“There’s more to this…” he muttered, rubbing a hand over his head as he turned away.
“There’s really more to this. How come we never heard of him having female children? And how the hell does her sister look like someone who escaped from a zoo?”

I let out a dry chuckle. My thoughts exactly.

~~~~

Ruby's POV

As the brothers walked out of the room, I turned to face my sister…… my only sister, the one person in this world who’s always been by my side. The sight of her in that hospital bed, so fragile, broke my heart. I couldn’t help it; my eyes welled up again, the tears blurring my vision.

I wiped them away quickly, forcing a smile onto my face, but it felt weak, strained. “How are you feeling?” I asked, my voice shaky, though I tried to sound casual. My heart was cracking with every second I saw her like this.

She gave a weak smile in return, one that didn’t quite reach her eyes, before her expression faltered. It made me ache even more. I walked closer, taking a seat beside her, my eyes scanning her face. "What happened, Uduak?" I asked gently. "Why were you out there, on that road all alone? I thought you'd be with Emeka…"

She stared at the ceiling for a moment, her eyes distant. There was a heaviness in the air that I couldn’t ignore. I couldn’t make sense of it. "How did this happen? How did you get sexually assaulted?" The words left my mouth before I could stop them, and I immediately regretted it, but I needed answers. I needed to understand.

Uduak opened her mouth to speak, but then her lips shut, trembling slightly.

"Talk to me, Uduak," I urged, my voice softer now, filled with a desperation I didn’t want to it. "Please. I’m your sister. I want to help you."

For what seemed like forever, she remained silent, her fingers twitching slightly in her lap. I was on the verge of losing patience when she finally spoke, her voice barely above a whisper, “I couldn’t tell you, Ruby. I just couldn’t.”

My heart dropped. “Why?” I asked, feeling my chest tighten. “Why would you keep this from me? I’m your sister, Uduak! You know you can tell me anything.”

She shifted uncomfortably, her face masked with pain, not just from the physical injury, but something deeper….. something emotional that she hadn’t yet shared. “I didn’t want to burden you," she murmured, tears gathering in her eyes. "You’ve always fought for me, always been my protector. All this time, I should have been the one protecting you.”

My throat tightened as I tried to keep the tears in check. “You didn’t need to protect me, Uduak. We’ve always been in this together. All of it, all the pain... it’s been for both of us.”

She swallowed hard, avoiding my gaze. “It wasn’t just that... It’s been too much. I... I’m sorry. I didn’t know how to tell you, how to explain what had happened. Emeka was terrible….. the fact you warned me about him just made it even more difficult to tell you. He was condescending, manipulative, a chronic cheat and he hits me at any slight provocation….” She trailed off.

Hearing this revelation tore my heart into a million piece. We spoke almost every week and she usually sounded happy…. What then is this?

“......After I left Emeka’s house, I didn’t have anywhere else to go. I... I was robbed, Ruby. My purse, my phone... everything. I couldn’t even go to the police; I didn’t know who to turn to. I ended up in the streets. A stranger helped me….. she’s also a single mother... and that’s when... it happened.”

Her voice faltered, and I felt my heart shatter.
“I had no idea, Uduak. All this time, you’ve been hiding this from me. Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you let me help you?”

Her eyes welled with tears, and she finally let them fall. “I thought I was protecting you by not telling you,” she whispered through a sob.
“But all along, I’ve been running from everything that’s hurting me. And now… now I’ve put myself in even deeper trouble."

I wanted to scream, to shake her, to somehow fix everything for her, but I just pulled her into a tight embrace instead, holding her as she sobbed against me. I couldn’t believe all the pain she’d been carrying alone. My sister, my flesh and blood, had been silently suffering.

We stayed like that for a long time, the sound of her cries breaking my heart.

Suddenly, I felt her body tense in my arms, and I pulled back to look at her. “What’s happening? Uduak?”

Something felt wrong.

Her face had gone even paler, and her breathing was shallow. She looked at me with wide eyes, panic in her gaze.

“I... I don’t feel well, Ruby,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Before I could say anything, a soft beep from the monitor caught my attention. It was slow at first, then faster, more urgent.

I could hear the nurses rushing in, and I jumped up, heart pounding. “Uduak, what’s going on? What’s happening?”

The room filled with chaos as the medical staff worked quickly around her. I froze, unable to move, feeling the cold grip of fear sink into my bones.

"Ruby, get back," one of the nurses shouted as they tried to stabilize her.

But my eyes never left Uduak. Her face twisted in pain, and she grasped at the sheets, gasping for breath.

“Stay with me, Uduak,” I whispered, my hands trembling as I reached out to touch her.
"Please. Please don’t leave me.”
The nurse shouted again, but the words were drowned out by the beeping of the heart monitor. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know what was happening.

And then, her body tensed once more, and I knew, this wasn’t just a bad moment. This was a crisis.

The medical team shouted instructions, but it all became a blur. I felt like I was falling, like the ground beneath me had vanished.

Her breath was shallow, and the heart monitor’s beeping echoed in my ears. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think.

And in that terrifying moment, all I could do was hold her hand and pray.

Hmm. Thanks for the update writer

Chai, boss you are sweet 🥰🥰

Damilgodwin:
Chai, boss you are sweet 🥰🥰

.

ouzo1:




.

Happy Sunday, hope you are ready for update 😂

Happy Sunday Y'all 😊

Chapter 28

The steady beeping of the monitors in the hospital room should have been comforting, a sign that everything was under control. But nothing about this moment felt safe. Uduak lay on the hospital bed, her face pale, beads of sweat clinging to her skin as she struggled for breath. Her hands gripped the sheets, her fingers trembling with every sharp intake of air.

"Her blood pressure is skyrocketing!" one of the nurses shouted as Dr. Samuel barked orders at his team.

I stood frozen, my hands clenched into fists as my heart slammed violently against my ribs.

"What's happening to her?" My voice came out hoarse, barely above a whisper.

Dr. Samuel turned to me, his usually calm expression now lined with deep worry. "She's experiencing severe preeclampsia, Ruby. Her organs are under immense strain, and her blood pressure is dangerously high. If we don't act fast—"

"Then act!" I snapped, my vision blurring with tears. "Do something! You’re the damn doctor!"

The words barely left my lips when Uduak let out a pained cry, her body arching slightly off the bed before falling back, her chest rising and falling in erratic movements. My stomach twisted.

"The baby is in distress," one of the nurses informed. "We need to deliver now!"

A choked sound escaped me. It was too soon. Too damn soon.

Dr. Samuel's gaze locked onto mine, heavy with an unspoken truth. "Ruby…" He hesitated for a second, then exhaled. "We're at a crossroads. If we perform an emergency C-section, we might save the baby, but Uduak’s condition could worsen. She's at high risk of hemorrhaging. If we wait to stabilize her…" He didn’t need to finish. If they waited, the baby might not make it.

A hollow emptiness filled my chest as my gaze darted between Uduak and the monitors flashing red.

"No… No, no, no," I murmured, shaking my head. My breathing turned shallow. "There has to be another way."

"We don’t have time, Ruby," Dr. Samuel pressed, urgency thick in his tone. "You have to decide. Save Uduak or save the baby."

The words crashed into me, leaving me gasping. This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be. How the hell was I supposed to choose?

I moved closer, taking Uduak’s clammy hand in mine. Her eyelids fluttered weakly, and for a brief moment, she looked at me.

"Ruby…" Her voice was barely there, yet it shattered me.

"I'm here," I whispered, swallowing the lump in my throat.

A tear slid down her cheek as her lips parted.

"Save my baby."

The world around me stopped.

"No," I choked out. "Don't say that. You’re going to make it, Uduak."

She gave me the faintest smile, full of love and sorrow. "Please… take care of her."

"Uduak!"

The heart monitor blared a shrill warning. Her body convulsed slightly before her eyes rolled back, and everything fell into chaos.

"She's seizing!"

"Code blue!"

"Ruby, step back!"

A nurse grabbed my arm, pulling me away as the medical team swarmed around Uduak. My nails dug into my palms as a guttural scream tore from my throat.

Not like this. Not now.

"Uduak, stay with me!" I sobbed. "Please!"

I didn’t realize I had collapsed until I felt strong arms wrap around me. The familiar scent of cologne filled my senses, grounding me for just a second.

Dave.

"Let them do their work okay" he murmured, his grip tightening around me.

I squeezed my eyes shut, my entire body trembling.

But even as I clung to his words, I couldn't shake the fear that this time… something more terrifying may happen.

Ooooo this thing is too sweet and too short oo,because of you now ehn na beer parlor go gat ease me 😭😭

This story is too good!!! So much suspense! Take your flowers 🌹🌹🌹🌹

Eweeeee 🥰🥰 somebody has forgotten us oo😂

.

Happy Sunday 🥰

Sochee123:
This story is too good!!! So much suspense! Take your flowers 🌹🌹🌹🌹

Thank you 😊🙏

Damilgodwin:
Ooooo this thing is too sweet and too short oo,because of you now ehn na beer parlor go gat ease me 😭😭

😅😅

Chapter 29

The distant sound of approaching footsteps had me batting my lashes. Exhausted from crying, I lay beside Uduak, my body drained of all strength.

I had made the request that would take the life of my sister's unborn child. God! I feel like a monster, a terrible demon. I wonder if she'll ever forgive me

But what choice did I have? I can’t lose my sister. I can’t possibly ask them to save the child and let her go. She’s all I’ve got. From the very beginning, she's always been by my side. I won’t trade her life for the child of that bastard. Maybe that’s selfish. Maybe it’s cruel. But the world is cruel, and I refuse to let it take her from me.

A gentle hand rested on my shoulder. I hesitated before looking up. Richard.

He held a small bag in front of me. “You should eat,” he said, his voice sounding very concerned.

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. “Is that guilt dealing with you?” I asked, staring at him intently.

He ran a tired hand over his face and exhaled.
“Please eat something, Ruby.”

His plea was soft, genuine, almost desperate, but I didn’t care.

Sensing I wasn’t going to budge, he placed the food on the mini table and quietly walked out. Perfect.

Alone again, I focused on Uduak, who had been unconscious for what felt like an eternity. Just to be sure, I placed a hand over her nose to check if she was still breathing, a foolish action, considering the steady rise and fall of her chest.

I let out a shaky sigh and smiled weakly. my sister will be fine. I know she will.

Then, my phone rang. The screen had cracked as a result of the fall, I was surprised it still worked.

Landlady.

I quickly answered. “Ribbon!!” Her loud voice boomed through the speaker before I could even greet her.

“Landlady, good—”

“Oh my pikin, I just dey dream about you. How you dey?” Worry filled her voice.

I hesitated. Contemplating whether to tell her the truth or not.

“Ribbon, talk to me na.”

I swallowed hard. “Landlady, I no dey fine. I no dey alright.”

I heard her whisper something, as if she wasn’t alone.

“Wetin happen? Landlady don dey worry us say make we pray for you oh.” That was Emeka’s voice.

“Yes, Aunty Ruby, which day you go come back? I dey miss you oh,” another voice chimed in. Oh my darling Ekene.

My heart clenched at the warmth in their concern.

“I don’t know…” I whispered.

“She dey cry oh, she dey cry.”
I wasn’t sure who said it…. Amaka, maybe? Or someone else.

“Tell us now, we be your family. How you dey, wetin happen? My ajebutter, shebi I tell you say make you no dey cry cry anyhow. Make you strong gidigbam?” Landlady’s tone softened, though I could imagine her stamping her feet on the ground, her large ass shaking with the force.

A lump formed in my throat. “I…I….” I cleared my throat and forced the words out. “I dey hospital….”

The immediate uproar on the other end nearly deafened me. Questions flew from every direction, even Ekene’s voice was among them.

“Make una calm down make she talk now!” Agnes’ strong, masculine voice finally broke through. “Ruby, how? Wetin happen?”

I took a deep breath and turned to the window, watching the world move on outside, oblivious to my pain.

“I and my sister were involved in an accident.” I paused, letting the weight of the words settle before continuing. “I’m okay, but my sister is in a more critical condition.”

“I talk am!! That day that ogbanje cat cry for midnight, I know say bad thing wan happen. Na why I say make we pray, this small rat come dey talk rubbish,” Landlady’s voice shot up again, indignant. “Amaka, another day you go talk that rubbish again, eh, I go slap you slap wey your mama never give you before! Idiot!”

“Which one be say you go slap me? Landlady, no dey call my mama for here oh!” Amaka fired back.

My head throbbed. Are they really doing this right now? What was I even expecting?

“Which mama? If people wey get mama come out, you sef go come out? That one wey-”

“Landlady, please!” I snapped, exasperated.
“What’s all this now? In fact, I don’t want to talk to you guys again. Please just end the call.”

“My pikin, no vex, you hear? No vex.”
Their voices softened, filled with reassurance, warmth, and care. And despite their noisy, chaotic nature, I knew they meant well. They are my family. My Agadaga family.

The call continued for a little while longer, but when the doctor walked in, I had to hang up.

Turning back to Uduak, I reached for her hand, squeezing it gently.

“You’ll be okay,” I whispered. “We’ll both be okay.”

~~~~

“Good news,” Doctor Samuel said with a reassuring smile on his face, flipping through the chart. “Your sister is stable. She’s been through a lot, but she’s strong. She’ll wake up soon.”

I let out a breath I didn’t even know I was holding. “Are you sure? No complications? No surprises?”

He nodded. “She’ll be weak, but with rest, she’ll be fine.”

Giving a little sigh “Thank you, doctor.” I said, relief washing over me.

A few hours later, I felt Uduak stir beside me. Then, her lashes fluttered, and her eyes slowly opened.

I sat up immediately. “Uduak?”

She blinked a few times, adjusting to the light, then looked around in confusion before her gaze landed on me. At first, she looked relieved. But then something shifted in her expression.

Her hands moved to her stomach, her fingers pressing down as realization sank in.

“No…” Her voice was barely a whisper, her lips trembling. “Ini… where’s my baby?”

I swallowed hard, gripping the sheets. “Uduak, listen-”

“Where is my baby?!” Her voice cracked, and tears welled up in her eyes.

I reached for her, but she flinched away.
“Uduak, I had to make a choice. You were slipping away. It was either you or-”

Her body shook as she let out a choked sob. “You should have let me go, Ini! At least my baby would have lived!”

I froze, my heart dropping. “What?”

“My life has been nothing but pain! That little one was the only good thing I had left, and you took that away from me!” She wiped at her tears roughly. “You should have let me go.”

Anger bubbled inside me. “And then what? Let you die? Let me live knowing I could have saved you and didn’t? I wasn’t going to lose you, Uduak!”

She shook her head furiously. “You were selfish, Ini. You made the choice for me!”

“Because I love you, dammit!” My voice cracked. “I love you too much to let you die! I couldn’t-”

“Then you should have thought about what I wanted.” Her voice was quiet now, but the weight of her words hit me like a punch to the gut.

A thick and suffocating silence filled the room.
Then she turned away from me, her back facing me as she pulled the sheets up to her shoulders.

“Just go” she whispered. “I don’t want to see you right now.”

Her words felt like a slap, but I stood there, unmoving. My throat burned, but no words came out.

“Ini, I said leave!”

I wanted to explain. To make her understand.
But for the first time in my life, my sister, my best friend, didn’t want me near her.

And that broke me more than anything.

ZaraIhua:
Chapter 29

The distant sound of approaching footsteps had me batting my lashes. Exhausted from crying, I lay beside Uduak, my body drained of all strength.

I had made the request that would take the life of my sister's unborn child. God! I feel like a monster, a terrible demon. I wonder if she'll ever forgive me

But what choice did I have? I can’t lose my sister. I can’t possibly ask them to save the child and let her go. She’s all I’ve got. From the very beginning, she's always been by my side. I won’t trade her life for the child of that bastard. Maybe that’s selfish. Maybe it’s cruel. But the world is cruel, and I refuse to let it take her from me.

A gentle hand rested on my shoulder. I hesitated before looking up. Richard.

He held a small bag in front of me. “You should eat,” he said, his voice sounding very concerned.

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. “Is that guilt dealing with you?” I asked, staring at him intently.

He ran a tired hand over his face and exhaled.
“Please eat something, Ruby.”

His plea was soft, genuine, almost desperate, but I didn’t care.

Sensing I wasn’t going to budge, he placed the food on the mini table and quietly walked out. Perfect.

Alone again, I focused on Uduak, who had been unconscious for what felt like an eternity. Just to be sure, I placed a hand over her nose to check if she was still breathing, a foolish action, considering the steady rise and fall of her chest.

I let out a shaky sigh and smiled weakly. my sister will be fine. I know she will.

Then, my phone rang. The screen had cracked as a result of the fall, I was surprised it still worked.

Landlady.

I quickly answered. “Ribbon!!” Her loud voice boomed through the speaker before I could even greet her.

“Landlady, good—”

“Oh my pikin, I just dey dream about you. How you dey?” Worry filled her voice.

I hesitated. Contemplating whether to tell her the truth or not.

“Ribbon, talk to me na.”

I swallowed hard. “Landlady, I no dey fine. I no dey alright.”

I heard her whisper something, as if she wasn’t alone.

“Wetin happen? Landlady don dey worry us say make we pray for you oh.” That was Emeka’s voice.

“Yes, Aunty Ruby, which day you go come back? I dey miss you oh,” another voice chimed in. Oh my darling Ekene.

My heart clenched at the warmth in their concern.

“I don’t know…” I whispered.

“She dey cry oh, she dey cry.”
I wasn’t sure who said it…. Amaka, maybe? Or someone else.

“Tell us now, we be your family. How you dey, wetin happen? My ajebutter, shebi I tell you say make you no dey cry cry anyhow. Make you strong gidigbam?” Landlady’s tone softened, though I could imagine her stamping her feet on the ground, her large ass shaking with the force.

A lump formed in my throat. “I…I….” I cleared my throat and forced the words out. “I dey hospital….”

The immediate uproar on the other end nearly deafened me. Questions flew from every direction, even Ekene’s voice was among them.

“Make una calm down make she talk now!” Agnes’ strong, masculine voice finally broke through. “Ruby, how? Wetin happen?”

I took a deep breath and turned to the window, watching the world move on outside, oblivious to my pain.

“I and my sister were involved in an accident.” I paused, letting the weight of the words settle before continuing. “I’m okay, but my sister is in a more critical condition.”

“I talk am!! That day that ogbanje cat cry for midnight, I know say bad thing wan happen. Na why I say make we pray, this small rat come dey talk rubbish,” Landlady’s voice shot up again, indignant. “Amaka, another day you go talk that rubbish again, eh, I go slap you slap wey your mama never give you before! Idiot!”

“Which one be say you go slap me? Landlady, no dey call my mama for here oh!” Amaka fired back.

My head throbbed. Are they really doing this right now? What was I even expecting?

“Which mama? If people wey get mama come out, you sef go come out? That one wey-”

“Landlady, please!” I snapped, exasperated.
“What’s all this now? In fact, I don’t want to talk to you guys again. Please just end the call.”

“My pikin, no vex, you hear? No vex.”
Their voices softened, filled with reassurance, warmth, and care. And despite their noisy, chaotic nature, I knew they meant well. They are my family. My Agadaga family.

The call continued for a little while longer, but when the doctor walked in, I had to hang up.

Turning back to Uduak, I reached for her hand, squeezing it gently.

“You’ll be okay,” I whispered. “We’ll both be okay.”

~~~~

“Good news,” Doctor Samuel said with a reassuring smile on his face, flipping through the chart. “Your sister is stable. She’s been through a lot, but she’s strong. She’ll wake up soon.”

I let out a breath I didn’t even know I was holding. “Are you sure? No complications? No surprises?”

He nodded. “She’ll be weak, but with rest, she’ll be fine.”

Giving a little sigh “Thank you, doctor.” I said, relief washing over me.

A few hours later, I felt Uduak stir beside me. Then, her lashes fluttered, and her eyes slowly opened.

I sat up immediately. “Uduak?”

She blinked a few times, adjusting to the light, then looked around in confusion before her gaze landed on me. At first, she looked relieved. But then something shifted in her expression.

Her hands moved to her stomach, her fingers pressing down as realization sank in.

“No…” Her voice was barely a whisper, her lips trembling. “Ini… where’s my baby?”

I swallowed hard, gripping the sheets. “Uduak, listen-”

“Where is my baby?!” Her voice cracked, and tears welled up in her eyes.

I reached for her, but she flinched away.
“Uduak, I had to make a choice. You were slipping away. It was either you or-”

Her body shook as she let out a choked sob. “You should have let me go, Ini! At least my baby would have lived!”

I froze, my heart dropping. “What?”

“My life has been nothing but pain! That little one was the only good thing I had left, and you took that away from me!” She wiped at her tears roughly. “You should have let me go.”

Anger bubbled inside me. “And then what? Let you die? Let me live knowing I could have saved you and didn’t? I wasn’t going to lose you, Uduak!”

She shook her head furiously. “You were selfish, Ini. You made the choice for me!”

“Because I love you, dammit!” My voice cracked. “I love you too much to let you die! I couldn’t-”

“Then you should have thought about what I wanted.” Her voice was quiet now, but the weight of her words hit me like a punch to the gut.

A thick and suffocating silence filled the room.
Then she turned away from me, her back facing me as she pulled the sheets up to her shoulders.

“Just go” she whispered. “I don’t want to see you right now.”

Her words felt like a slap, but I stood there, unmoving. My throat burned, but no words came out.

“Ini, I said leave!”

I wanted to explain. To make her understand.
But for the first time in my life, my sister, my best friend, didn’t want me near her.

And that broke me more than anything.

God bless you for this post

Jhay100:
Thank you for the post

ZaraIhua:
Chapter 29

The distant sound of approaching footsteps had me batting my lashes. Exhausted from crying, I lay beside Uduak, my body drained of all strength.

I had made the request that would take the life of my sister's unborn child. God! I feel like a monster, a terrible demon. I wonder if she'll ever forgive me

But what choice did I have? I can’t lose my sister. I can’t possibly ask them to save the child and let her go. She’s all I’ve got. From the very beginning, she's always been by my side. I won’t trade her life for the child of that bastard. Maybe that’s selfish. Maybe it’s cruel. But the world is cruel, and I refuse to let it take her from me.

A gentle hand rested on my shoulder. I hesitated before looking up. Richard.

He held a small bag in front of me. “You should eat,” he said, his voice sounding very concerned.

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. “Is that guilt dealing with you?” I asked, staring at him intently.

He ran a tired hand over his face and exhaled.
“Please eat something, Ruby.”

His plea was soft, genuine, almost desperate, but I didn’t care.

Sensing I wasn’t going to budge, he placed the food on the mini table and quietly walked out. Perfect.

Alone again, I focused on Uduak, who had been unconscious for what felt like an eternity. Just to be sure, I placed a hand over her nose to check if she was still breathing, a foolish action, considering the steady rise and fall of her chest.

I let out a shaky sigh and smiled weakly. my sister will be fine. I know she will.

Then, my phone rang. The screen had cracked as a result of the fall, I was surprised it still worked.

Landlady.

I quickly answered. “Ribbon!!” Her loud voice boomed through the speaker before I could even greet her.

“Landlady, good—”

“Oh my pikin, I just dey dream about you. How you dey?” Worry filled her voice.

I hesitated. Contemplating whether to tell her the truth or not.

“Ribbon, talk to me na.”

I swallowed hard. “Landlady, I no dey fine. I no dey alright.”

I heard her whisper something, as if she wasn’t alone.

“Wetin happen? Landlady don dey worry us say make we pray for you oh.” That was Emeka’s voice.

“Yes, Aunty Ruby, which day you go come back? I dey miss you oh,” another voice chimed in. Oh my darling Ekene.

My heart clenched at the warmth in their concern.

“I don’t know…” I whispered.

“She dey cry oh, she dey cry.”
I wasn’t sure who said it…. Amaka, maybe? Or someone else.

“Tell us now, we be your family. How you dey, wetin happen? My ajebutter, shebi I tell you say make you no dey cry cry anyhow. Make you strong gidigbam?” Landlady’s tone softened, though I could imagine her stamping her feet on the ground, her large ass shaking with the force.

A lump formed in my throat. “I…I….” I cleared my throat and forced the words out. “I dey hospital….”

The immediate uproar on the other end nearly deafened me. Questions flew from every direction, even Ekene’s voice was among them.

“Make una calm down make she talk now!” Agnes’ strong, masculine voice finally broke through. “Ruby, how? Wetin happen?”

I took a deep breath and turned to the window, watching the world move on outside, oblivious to my pain.

“I and my sister were involved in an accident.” I paused, letting the weight of the words settle before continuing. “I’m okay, but my sister is in a more critical condition.”

“I talk am!! That day that ogbanje cat cry for midnight, I know say bad thing wan happen. Na why I say make we pray, this small rat come dey talk rubbish,” Landlady’s voice shot up again, indignant. “Amaka, another day you go talk that rubbish again, eh, I go slap you slap wey your mama never give you before! Idiot!”

“Which one be say you go slap me? Landlady, no dey call my mama for here oh!” Amaka fired back.

My head throbbed. Are they really doing this right now? What was I even expecting?

“Which mama? If people wey get mama come out, you sef go come out? That one wey-”

“Landlady, please!” I snapped, exasperated.
“What’s all this now? In fact, I don’t want to talk to you guys again. Please just end the call.”

“My pikin, no vex, you hear? No vex.”
Their voices softened, filled with reassurance, warmth, and care. And despite their noisy, chaotic nature, I knew they meant well. They are my family. My Agadaga family.

The call continued for a little while longer, but when the doctor walked in, I had to hang up.

Turning back to Uduak, I reached for her hand, squeezing it gently.

“You’ll be okay,” I whispered. “We’ll both be okay.”

~~~~

“Good news,” Doctor Samuel said with a reassuring smile on his face, flipping through the chart. “Your sister is stable. She’s been through a lot, but she’s strong. She’ll wake up soon.”

I let out a breath I didn’t even know I was holding. “Are you sure? No complications? No surprises?”

He nodded. “She’ll be weak, but with rest, she’ll be fine.”

Giving a little sigh “Thank you, doctor.” I said, relief washing over me.

A few hours later, I felt Uduak stir beside me. Then, her lashes fluttered, and her eyes slowly opened.

I sat up immediately. “Uduak?”

She blinked a few times, adjusting to the light, then looked around in confusion before her gaze landed on me. At first, she looked relieved. But then something shifted in her expression.

Her hands moved to her stomach, her fingers pressing down as realization sank in.

“No…” Her voice was barely a whisper, her lips trembling. “Ini… where’s my baby?”

I swallowed hard, gripping the sheets. “Uduak, listen-”

“Where is my baby?!” Her voice cracked, and tears welled up in her eyes.

I reached for her, but she flinched away.
“Uduak, I had to make a choice. You were slipping away. It was either you or-”

Her body shook as she let out a choked sob. “You should have let me go, Ini! At least my baby would have lived!”

I froze, my heart dropping. “What?”

“My life has been nothing but pain! That little one was the only good thing I had left, and you took that away from me!” She wiped at her tears roughly. “You should have let me go.”

Anger bubbled inside me. “And then what? Let you die? Let me live knowing I could have saved you and didn’t? I wasn’t going to lose you, Uduak!”

She shook her head furiously. “You were selfish, Ini. You made the choice for me!”

“Because I love you, dammit!” My voice cracked. “I love you too much to let you die! I couldn’t-”

“Then you should have thought about what I wanted.” Her voice was quiet now, but the weight of her words hit me like a punch to the gut.

A thick and suffocating silence filled the room.
Then she turned away from me, her back facing me as she pulled the sheets up to her shoulders.

“Just go” she whispered. “I don’t want to see you right now.”

Her words felt like a slap, but I stood there, unmoving. My throat burned, but no words came out.

“Ini, I said leave!”

I wanted to explain. To make her understand.
But for the first time in my life, my sister, my best friend, didn’t want me near her.

And that broke me more than anything.

If I say thanks a bunch, just know it's from my heart 🥰🥰, but if I say moreeeeeeeeeee just know it's from my brain 😭

You're doing well. Great work you have here

Nothing can be compared to a mother's love. I feel your pain Uduak..but your sister did what is right. Thanks for the update OP

Please can we drop out s without quoting the full writeup again?

I almost thought there was a new update just no 🥲

Thank y'all for your wonderful comments and encouragements🥰

And.... just as @Sochee123 had said, please drop your s or comments without quoting the whole chapter. Happy Sunday♥️