Chapter Five: Face to Face
Maria felt like her heart was on a timer—counting down each second until everything crashed. For two days she stayed indoors, avoided the market, even stopped Junior from going outside to play. But how long could she hide? Lagos wasn't kind to the poor. If she didn't work, they wouldn't eat.
On the third morning, she made up her mind.
"I just dey go sell small-small," she told her neighbour. "If anybody ask for me, say you no know."
Clutching her faded handbag and holding Junior's hand tightly, she made her way back to the market. Her stall looked untouched, but the atmosphere felt different—heavier, like someone had been watching.
She set up quickly and tried to focus.
But her hands wouldn't stop shaking.
Around noon, she looked up—and froze.
He was standing right there.
Alexander Madu.
Same calm expression. Same powerful presence. Only now, he wasn't just a billionaire. He was the father of her child.
People moved around them, but time seemed to stop. He stepped closer, slowly, like he didn't want to scare her.
"Maria," he said softly.
Her lips parted, but no words came out.
Junior looked between them, then back up at her. "Mummy, who's this man?"
Maria gripped his small shoulder.
Alexander's eyes shifted to the boy. He crouched, looked him in the eyes, and for a moment—just a moment—his heart broke.
"I'm someone… who should've been there."
Maria pulled Junior behind her protectively. "What do you want?" she asked coldly.
He stood up straight. "I just want to talk."
"There's nothing to talk about."
"There's everything to talk about."
She looked away, blinking fast.
"Please," he said, his voice lower now. "Just give me ten minutes. For him. For you. For what I never gave you the chance to say."
Silence stretched between them.
Then, with a heavy sigh, Maria nodded once.
"Ten minutes."