BENEATH THE GOLD
Chapter 1: The Promise
The sun was just beginning to set, casting a soft orange glow across the Lagos skyline. The air was warm, scented faintly with hibiscus and the smoke of roadside suya grills. Kate sat beside David on a bench near Freedom Park, her fingers lightly brushing his. His hand closed around hers, firm and familiar.
“You know I’d marry you tomorrow if I could,” David said, his voice calm, steady—like everything he was. “Even if all we had was a one-room apartment and dreams.”
Kate smiled, but it trembled. “I know, David. And I love you for it. I really do.”
He turned to face her fully, brows slightly furrowed. “But?”
She exhaled slowly. “Sometimes love doesn’t feel like enough. Not with the way things are. The world… it moves fast. I see what others have, and I wonder if we’ll ever get there.”
David’s face fell, but he nodded. He always listened, even when the truth stung.
Her heart tugged. She loved him deeply. He was kind, hardworking, and thoughtful. But lately, Kate had found herself dreaming of more. Not just comfort, but luxury. A life where she wouldn’t have to worry about transport fare or splitting bills or whether NEPA would take the light during dinner.
And then, like a scene from one of those Nollywood films, Dominic Owolabi entered her world.
She met him at a charity gala her friend had begged her to attend. He wore confidence like a tailored suit, his laughter loud and infectious, his eyes focused and intense. When he spoke, people listened. And when he looked at Kate, she felt seen in a way that scared her.
“You deserve to be taken care of,” Dominic had told her that night, offering a drink she hadn’t even asked for. “A woman like you shouldn’t have to hustle. You should be adorned.”
Adorned.
It was a word David would never use. He would say “respected,” “loved,” or “cherished.” But not adorned. And maybe, foolishly, that difference had begun to matter.
Back at the park, David stood and helped her up. He didn’t pressure her. He never did. But as they walked slowly toward the bus stop, his silence spoke volumes. She knew he felt her slipping away, and she hated herself for letting him feel it.
Later that night, she sat in her room, staring at her phone. One message from David “Goodnight, Kate. I’ll always choose you.”
And one from Dominic “Thinking about you. Dinner tomorrow? I’ll send the driver.”
Kate stared at both messages, her heart aching in two directions. One steady, real, and warm. The other dazzling, unpredictable, and cold.
And so the choice began.
Question
1. Who is Kate's fiancé?
2. What are some of the reasons Kate begins to question her relationship with David?
3. How does Dominic first make an impression on Kate?
4. How does David feel about their relationship?
5. What decision does Kate begin to struggle with?
Vocabulary Guide
1. Furrowed: Wrinkled or creased, especially on the forehead, often as a result of worry or concentration.
Example: “He turned to face her fully, brows slightly furrowed.”
2. Exhaled: Breathed out air.
Example: “She exhaled slowly.”
3. Adorned: Decorated or made more beautiful.
Example: “You should be adorned.”
4. Infectious: Easily spread from one person to another—often used for emotions or attitudes like laughter or excitement.
Example: “His laughter was loud and infectious.”
5. Hustle: To work hard, often in a tough or challenging situation, or to struggle to survive or make money.
Example: “A woman like you shouldn’t have to hustle.”
6. Dazzling: Extremely bright, beautiful, or impressive.
Example: “The other was dazzling, unpredictable, and cold.”
7. Steady; Constant, dependable, not easily shaken or changed.
Example: “One steady, real, and warm.”
8. Tugged: Pulled or jerked something suddenly.
Example: “Her heart tugged.”
9. Whirlwind: Something that happens quickly and with a lot of energy or emotion.
Example: “Caught in a whirlwind of glamour.”
10. Glamour: An attractive or exciting quality that makes something or someone seem special or desirable.
Example: “Caught in a whirlwind of glamour.”