Genre Ranking
Get the APP HOT
THE BOYFRIEND BETWEEN US
img img THE BOYFRIEND BETWEEN US img Chapter 3 PRESSURE FROM BOTH SIDES
3 Chapters
Chapter 6 MEKKA'S LAST HOLD img
Chapter 7 MEKKA'S LAST HOLD img
Chapter 8 Shedrack promise img
Chapter 9 WHEN LOVE STARTS TALKING img
Chapter 10 THE NIGHT EVERYTHING FALLS APART img
Chapter 11 THE BEGINNING OF SOMETHING REAL img
Chapter 12 SLOW AND STEADY img
Chapter 13 When the World Pushes Back img
Chapter 14 When distance teaches the truth img
Chapter 15 Lines That Cannot Be Uncrossed img
Chapter 16 The Space Between What Was and What Could Be img
Chapter 17 Conversations That Change Shape img
Chapter 18 When the Past Knocks Loudly img
Chapter 19 The Cost of Standing Tall img
Chapter 20 When the World Pushes img
Chapter 21 Lines That Can't Be Crossed img
Chapter 22 WHEN REALITY KNOCKS img
Chapter 23 LINES THAT CAN'T BE ERASED img
Chapter 24 WHEN THE WORLD PUSHES BACK img
Chapter 25 THE PRICE OF BEING SEEN img
Chapter 26 WHEN THE GROUND SHIFTS img
Chapter 27 WHEN TRUTH WALKS INTO THE Room img
Chapter 28 THE THINGS WE THOUGHT WERE over img
Chapter 29 THE PAST DOES NOT ASK FOR PERMISSION img
Chapter 30 WHERE GROWTH HURTS img
Chapter 31 THE COST OF BEING SEEN img
Chapter 32 WHEN DISTANCE LEARNS YOUR NAME img
Chapter 33 THE SPACE BETWEEN CALLS img
Chapter 34 WHAT THE WORLD SEES img
Chapter 35 THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US img
Chapter 36 WHEN THE PAST COMES KNOCKING img
Chapter 37 WHEN THE WORLD IS WATCHING img
Chapter 38 THE WEIGHT OF BEING SEEN img
Chapter 39 WHAT THE LIGHT REVEALS img
Chapter 40 THE DAY EVERYTHING CRACKED img
Chapter 41 WHEN THE TRUTH SPOKE BACK img
Chapter 42 THE ROOM THAT DECIDES MEN img
Chapter 43 THE THING YOU DON'T OUTRUN img
Chapter 44 THE COST OF STANDING STILL img
Chapter 45 WHEN THE GROUND SHIFTS img
Chapter 46 : THE SPACE BETWEEN US img
Chapter 47 WHEN TRUTH WALKS INTO THE Room img
Chapter 48 THE WEIGHT OF WHAT CAME BEFORE img
Chapter 49 WHEN THE WORLD PUSHES BACK img
Chapter 50 THE COST OF STANDING TALL img
Chapter 51 WHEN THE GROUND SHIFTS img
Chapter 52 THE DAY HER NAME BECAME A HEADLINE img
Chapter 53 THE WHISTLE AND THE FIRE img
Chapter 54 THE HEARING ROOM img
Chapter 55 THE OFFER img
Chapter 56 FAULT LINES img
Chapter 57 THE THINGS WE DON'T SAY img
Chapter 58 THE OFFER THAT POISONS EV img
Chapter 59 WHEN THE SILENCE BROKE HER img
Chapter 60 THE COST OF SPEAKING img
Chapter 61 WHAT HE DIDN'T SAY img
Chapter 62 WHEN TRUTH STANDS UP img
Chapter 63 THE WEIGHT OF CHOICE img
Chapter 64 WHEN THE NOISE RETURNS img
Chapter 65 THE NAME NO ONE SPEAKS img
Chapter 66 THE COST OF CHOOSING img
Chapter 67 WHEN THE TRUTH STANDS UP img
Chapter 68 THE COST OF STANDING img
Chapter 69 LINES THAT CAN'T BE UNDRAWN img
Chapter 70 WHEN THE GROUND SHIFTS img
Chapter 71 COLLISION COURSE img
Chapter 72 FAULT LINES img
Chapter 73 THE COST OF STANDING img
Chapter 74 WHEN THE GROUND SHIFTS img
Chapter 75 LINES OF BATTLE img
Chapter 76 THE PAST DOESN'T STAY QUIET img
Chapter 77 WHEN POWER SHIFTS img
Chapter 78 THE COST OF CHOOSING img
Chapter 79 THE COST OF BEING SEEN img
Chapter 80 WHEN THE GROUND PUSHES BACK img
Chapter 81 THE COST OF STANDING img
Chapter 82 LINES THAT CAN'T BE UNSEEN img
Chapter 83 CRACKS BENEATH THE CALM img
Chapter 84 WHEN LINES ARE DRAWN img
Chapter 85 WHAT THE MORNING REVEALS img
Chapter 86 THE WEIGHT OF BEING SEEN img
Chapter 87 Lines That Cannot Be Unseen img
Chapter 88 What the Silence Reveals img
Chapter 89 When Strength Is Tested img
Chapter 90 Lines That Can't Be Crossed img
Chapter 91 When the Past Knocks Loudly img
Chapter 92 Lines We Don't Cross (Until We Do) img
Chapter 93 The World Notices img
Chapter 94 Lines We Choose Not to Cross img
Chapter 95 Lines We Choose Not to Cross img
Chapter 96 What the World Thinks It Sees img
Chapter 97 The Weight of Quiet Decisions img
Chapter 98 Lines That Shouldn't Blur img
Chapter 99 The Weight of First Impressions img
Chapter 100 Beyond the Contract img
img
  /  1
img

Chapter 3 PRESSURE FROM BOTH SIDES

PRESSURE FROM BOTH SIDES

Ema stood quietly beside the gate of her compound, her fingers rubbing the strap of her handbag nervously. The late evening breeze brushed her skin, but it didn't cool the tightening in her chest. Chuka's text still sat on her screen, sharp like a warning.

"I'm close. Don't make me wait."

She spotted his red Corolla turning onto the street, music booming before the car even stopped. She forced a smile as he parked, even though her heart was not smiling with her.

Chuka stepped out tall, athletic, tattoos snaking up his left arm, gold chain dancing on his chest. He wasn't a bad-looking guy. In fact, most girls admired him. But those who knew him closely understood the truth:

His temper was a knife-sharp, unpredictable.

"Baby," Ema greeted softly.

He looked her up and down.

"You're finally outside."

"III-I was just closing the shop."

"Hmm." He leaned forward and kissed her forehead, his grip on her chin a little too firm. "Get in."

Ema entered the car quietly.

The inside smelled of expensive cologne mixed with cigarette smoke. He turned down the loud music and began driving, but his silence wasn't peaceful it was heavy, like he was holding something.

She knew that silence.

"Are you okay?" she asked carefully.

Chuka scoffed. "You tell me. You didn't pick up your calls this morning. And when I invest in a woman, I expect loyalty. Full loyalty."

Ema swallowed hard.

Here we go...

"I was busy with deliveries. The network was

"Network?" He laughed sharply. "Ema, you think I'm stupid?"

She looked away, staring out the window.

Chuka continued, "Tell me why you dey waka around with dirty dress today. I saw mud on your leg."

Her chest tightened.

She didn't want to mention the stranger.

Or the car.

Or the voice that still echoed in her mind.

"It was nothing," she whispered. "A car splashed water. That's all."

Chuka turned his head slowly and stared at her with narrowed eyes.

"What kind of car?"

"Just... big black SUV. I don't know the brand."

His eyes flashed.

"You didn't collect the driver's number? Didn't you drag him? Ema, wetin dey do you? Are you this slow?"

"It was an accident," she whispered.

He shook his head. "Na so you want to make people embarrass you up and down? I don't like it."

He said it like he was protecting her, but Ema knew better; this wasn't protection.

This was ownership.

.............

Meanwhile, across town...

In his penthouse office, Shedrack stood by the massive glass window that overlooked the city, arms folded, eyes distant.

"Sir, this is the footage you requested," his driver said, placing a laptop on the desk.

Shedrack nodded.

The driver played the video.

CCTV from a supermarket camera nearby showed the moment his SUV passed the junction... the splash... and then her.

Ema.

The video quality wasn't perfect, but it was enough. Shedrack stepped closer, studying her face. Something in his chest tightened.

She wasn't drop-dead glamorous.

Not overly flashy.

Not dressed to impress anyone.

But she had something much rarer.

A soft dignity.

A quiet strength.

A presence that wasn't loud but couldn't be ignored.

"What do you want to do about it, sir?" the driver asked.

Shedrack stared at the frozen image on the screen.

"Find out her name. And where she works."

The driver hesitated, confused but obedient, responded;

"Yes, sir."

As he left the office, Shedrack exhaled slowly and rubbed his jaw.

He didn't chase women.

He didn't do emotions.

He didn't do distractions.

But this girl had unsettled him in a way he couldn't explain.

Why her?

Why now?

He didn't have the answer.

And for the first time in a long time... he wanted one.

..........

The car stopped in front of a local grill restaurant. Chuka removed the key and turned to her.

"Ema," he started, his voice calmer now. "I want to tell you something."

She nodded.

"You know everything I've done for you, right?"

She nodded again.

"I helped you start the wig business. I cleared your debts. I even spoke to that supplier in Lagos for you."

"Yes... You did," she whispered.

"So you belong to me and I don't share."

Ema's stomach twisted.

Belong.

Not Love, not Partner.

But, Belong.

"Babe... I didn't do anything wrong," she whispered.

Chuka leaned closer, his hand cupping her cheeks gently, but with pressure.

"You better not. Because I swear, Ema... if any man tries to take you from me, I'll show him that I'm evil."

Her breath hitched.

Chuka smiled, kissed her cheek, and stepped out to open her door, gentleman style, but with a threat buried under it.

Ema followed him into the restaurant, her heart heavy.

She wasn't cheating.

She wasn't even considering it.

So why did she feel like she was standing on a thin rope over fire?

............

Later that night, Shedrack stood in his apartment, shirt off, towel around his waist after a hot shower. But instead of relaxing, he found himself scrolling through business reports with half his mind elsewhere.

Her.

The muddy splash moment replayed again and again.

She didn't shout.

She didn't beg.

She didn't flirt.

She didn't act like she knew who he was.

She simply carried herself with quiet grace.

He liked that.

He wasn't supposed to like anything right now not with the investors' meeting coming up, not with the company expansion.

But something told him this girl mattered.

And Shedrack had learned to trust his instincts.

He closed his laptop with a soft click.

"Tomorrow," he murmured to himself.

"I'll find her tomorrow."

..............

Back in her small apartment, Ema sat on her bed, removing her earrings slowly. The house was quiet. Too quiet. She could still hear Chuka's voice in her head.

"You belong to me."

She closed her eyes and exhaled shakily.

"Why does love feel like a cage sometimes?"

Her mind drifted to the stranger in the SUV.

His voice.

His aura.

His unexpected concern.

For a brief second, she wondered what kind of life a man like that lived... what world he came from... and why he felt different.

But she shook her head immediately.

It didn't matter.

Their paths crossed once.

That was all.

She lay down, pulled the blanket over herself, and tried to sleep.

Little did she know that across the city, a billionaire was already looking for her name.

And her boyfriend was getting more possessive by the day.

And fate silent but powerful was moving things into place.

Two worlds were about to collide again.

Stronger.

Deeper.

Irresistible.

And this time...

They wouldn't walk away unchanged.

Previous
            
Next
            
Download Book

COPYRIGHT(©) 2022