Tales by Xty

Tales by Xty Heartwarming love stories and couple conversations you will love to read and watch.
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THE FORBIDDEN LOVEEpisode 16 —I had spent months convincing myself that my feelings for Amaka would disappear. That even...
26/09/2026

THE FORBIDDEN LOVE
Episode 16 —I had spent months convincing myself that my feelings for Amaka would disappear. That evening, she made me realise I was only deceiving myself.»

After my conversation with Chief, I became very careful around Amaka.

I didn't want to give him any reason to suspect that there was something between us.

So I started keeping my distance again.

If she came to the shop, I greeted her and continued working.

If we met in the compound, I kept our conversations short.

Sometimes, I would see her looking at me as if she wanted to say something.

But I would pretend not to notice.

It was painful.

But I kept telling myself that it was the right thing to do.

After all, I had too much to lose.

One evening, I returned from the market later than usual.

I was tired, dusty and hungry.

As I walked into the compound, I saw Amaka sitting alone on the veranda.

She looked at me.

"You are back."

"Yes."

She watched me put down the bag I was carrying.

Then she said,

"Chukwu, can I ask you something?"

I already knew where the conversation was going.

"What?"

"Why are you avoiding me?"

I looked away.

"I'm not avoiding you."

She gave me a look.

"You are."

I said nothing.

She stood up.

"You used to talk to me."

"I still do."

"No. You answer me when I speak, but you don't talk to me anymore."

I couldn't argue with that.

She came closer.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No."

"Then what changed?"

I took a deep breath.

"You didn't do anything."

"Then why?"

I looked at her.

For a moment, I wanted to tell her everything.

But fear held me back.

"Because I don't want to disrespect your father."

She became quiet.

"What does talking to me have to do with disrespecting my father?"

"It's not just talking anymore."

The words came out before I could stop them.

She stared at me.

"What do you mean?"

I looked away.

"Nothing."

"No, Chukwu."

She stepped closer.

"You said it's not just talking anymore. What does that mean?"

I couldn't answer.

She waited.

Finally, she said softly,

"Is it because of the way you feel about me?"

My heart stopped.

I looked at her.

She wasn't smiling anymore.

She was waiting for an answer.

I swallowed.

"I don't know."

She shook her head.

"You know."

I looked down.

"Amaka, I shouldn't feel this way about you."

"Why?"

"Because you are your father's daughter."

"And you are his apprentice."

"Exactly."

She was quiet for a moment.

Then she said,

"Does that mean you don't care about me?"

I looked at her.

"That's the problem."

Her eyes softened.

"I care too much."

Neither of us spoke.

The compound was quiet.

For the first time, I had said the truth out loud.

I had spent months trying to hide it, but there it was.

Amaka looked at me for a long time.

Then she slowly reached for my hand.

I hesitated.

But I didn't pull away.

She held my hand gently.

"Then stop running from me."

I looked into her eyes.

"I am scared."

"So am I."

"What if your father finds out?"

She took a breath.

"I don't know."

"What if he sends me away?"

She looked down at our hands.

"I don't know."

"What if he never accepts us?"

She looked back at me.

"Then we will face that when the time comes."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

She wasn't promising that everything would be easy.

She wasn't asking me to run away with her.

She was simply telling me that I wasn't alone anymore.

I squeezed her hand gently.

"Amaka..."

She smiled.

"Don't say anything."

We stood there quietly.

And in that moment, something changed between us.

We were no longer pretending that our friendship was just friendship.

We both knew there was something more.

Then we heard the sound of a car entering the compound.

We quickly released each other's hands.

My heart started pounding.

The car stopped.

Chief stepped out.

He looked towards us.

He didn't say anything.

He simply stared for a few seconds before walking into the house.

Amaka looked at me.

I looked at her.

Neither of us spoke.

But I knew something had changed.

Because from that evening, our secret was no longer only inside my heart.

We both knew what we felt.

And now, the biggest question was no longer whether we loved each other.

It was whether we could survive what would happen when her father finally found out.

TO BE CONTINUED...

THE FORBIDDEN LOVEEpisode 15 —When my Oga asked me how close I was to his daughter, I knew he had started seeing somethi...
24/09/2026

THE FORBIDDEN LOVE
Episode 15 —When my Oga asked me how close I was to his daughter, I knew he had started seeing something I had been trying so hard to hide.

I stood in front of Chief's desk, trying to keep my face calm.

He looked at me without saying anything.

Then he repeated the question.

"How close are you with my daughter?"

My heart was beating so hard that I could almost hear it.

I swallowed.

"We are not close, sir."

Chief leaned back in his chair.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, sir."

He studied my face.

I didn't look away, but inside me, I was panicking.

I knew I couldn't tell him the truth.

Not now.

Not when I was still living under his roof.

Not when I had barely started building the future I came to Lagos for.

Chief folded his hands.

"Chukwu, I have watched you since you came into this house."

I remained silent.

"You are a good boy. You work hard. You respect me and my wife."

"Thank you, sir."

"But there is one thing I will not tolerate."

I waited.

"My daughter."

I looked at him.

He continued.

"She is my only child. I don't joke with her."

"Yes, sir."

"She has her own life. You have your own life. Don't confuse the two."

My throat suddenly became dry.

"I understand, sir."

"Good."

He pointed towards the door.

"That's all."

I turned to leave.

But before I reached the door, he called me again.

"Chukwu."

I turned.

"Yes, sir?"

"Don't make me regret trusting you."

Those words followed me out of the room.

---

I walked into the compound and saw Amaka standing near the staircase.

I immediately knew she had been waiting.

"Chukwu."

I stopped.

She looked worried.

"What did my father want?"

"Nothing."

She frowned.

"Don't lie to me."

I looked away.

"He asked about us."

She became quiet.

"Us?"

I nodded.

"What did you tell him?"

I hesitated.

"That we are not close."

Her expression changed.

For a moment, she looked hurt.

"So that's what you think?"

"No. That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?"

I moved closer.

"Amaka, I am trying to protect both of us."

"From what?"

"Your father."

She looked at me.

"And what exactly are you afraid he will find out?"

I couldn't answer.

She waited.

I looked into her eyes.

That was when I realised there was no point pretending anymore.

I lowered my voice.

"Because I think about you more than I should."

She didn't move.

Neither did I.

For a few seconds, we just stood there looking at each other.

Then she asked quietly,

"Is that why you've been avoiding me?"

I nodded.

"Yes."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because you're his daughter."

She took a step closer.

"And you're Chukwu."

I looked at her.

She smiled faintly.

"You keep talking about who my father is. But you haven't asked me what I want."

I didn't know what to say.

She looked down for a moment.

Then she said,

"Maybe you should."

She walked away.

I stood there completely confused.

But deep inside me, something had changed.

For the first time, I wasn't wondering whether I was falling in love with Amaka.

I knew I was.

The question now was whether she felt the same way.

And after what she had just said, I was beginning to believe she did.

But there was one problem.

Her father was already watching us.

And I had a feeling the next time Chief called me into that office, it wouldn't be a simple conversation.

TO BE CONTINUED...

THE FORBIDDEN LOVEEpisode 13 - I don't know exactly when it happened, but one day I looked at Amaka and realised she wa...
22/09/2026

THE FORBIDDEN LOVE
Episode 13 - I don't know exactly when it happened, but one day I looked at Amaka and realised she was no longer just my master's daughter. I was beginning to fall in love with her.

By the fifth month of my apprenticeship, life had become almost normal.

I had my routine.

I worked hard at the shop during the day, came home in the evening, ate with the family when I could, and slept.

Nothing dramatic was happening.

At least, that was what I thought.

My friendship with Amaka had also grown.

We talked more often.

Sometimes she would sit with me outside after dinner.

Sometimes she would come to the shop and ask how business was going.

Sometimes we would tease each other over little things.

I never thought much about it.

Until one evening.

I had returned home late from the market.

I was tired and hungry, so I went straight to the dining table.

Amaka was already there.

She looked at me and smiled.

"You are late."

"Business was busy."

"Did you eat?"

"No."

She got up.

"Wait."

She went into the kitchen and returned with a covered plate.

"I kept this for you."

I looked at the food.

"You kept this for me?"

"Yes. Mummy said you hadn't eaten."

I smiled.

"Thank you."

She sat across from me while I ate.

We started talking about the day's events.

Nothing unusual.

But while she was talking, I found myself staring at her.

The way she smiled.

The way she moved her hands when she spoke.

The way she remembered little things about me.

Suddenly, I became uncomfortable with myself.

I looked down at my food.

She noticed.

"Why are you quiet?"

"I'm fine."

"You've said that before."

I laughed.

"I'm just tired."

She smiled.

"Then eat."

I nodded.

But my mind was no longer on the food.

That night, when I got to my room, I sat on my bed for a long time.

I tried to convince myself that I was imagining things.

"She's your friend's daughter."

I stopped.

Then corrected myself.

"She's your master's daughter."

I knew the difference mattered.

Very much.

I had no business thinking about her that way.

Chief Nwosu had trusted me.

He had brought me into his home.

He was teaching me a trade that could change my life.

How could I repay him by falling for his only daughter?

I shook my head.

"No."

I decided I would keep my distance.

The next morning, I tried.

I focused on work.

I avoided unnecessary conversations.

When Amaka came to the shop, I greeted her and immediately found something else to do.

But she noticed.

That evening, she stopped me outside the house.

"Did I offend you?"

I looked at her.

"No."

"Then why are you avoiding me?"

"I'm not avoiding you."

"You are."

I didn't know what to say.

She looked at me for a few seconds.

Then she asked quietly,

"Did I do something?"

I shook my head.

"No, Amaka. You didn't do anything."

"Then what is wrong?"

I looked away.

The truth was sitting on the tip of my tongue.

But I couldn't say it.

Not there.

Not in that house.

Not to her.

So I simply said,

"Nothing is wrong."

She didn't believe me.

I could see it in her eyes.

She walked away without saying another word.

I watched her disappear into the house.

And that was when I finally admitted the truth to myself.

I was falling in love with my master's daughter.

I didn't know if she felt the same way.

I didn't know what would happen if Chief ever found out.

I only knew one thing.

For the first time since I came to Lagos, I was afraid of something that had nothing to do with business.

I was afraid of losing someone I had not even confessed my feelings to.

And the worst part?

I had a feeling that Amaka was beginning to notice.

TO BE CONTINUED...

22/09/2026

I skipped episode 13 of "The Forbidden love".
I'm sorry about that. I will be posting it shortly.

THE FORBIDDEN LOVEEpisode 14 -I thought keeping my distance would make my feelings disappear. Instead, it made Amaka not...
21/09/2026

THE FORBIDDEN LOVE
Episode 14 -I thought keeping my distance would make my feelings disappear. Instead, it made Amaka notice something was wrong—and then she started avoiding me too.

After that evening, I decided to be careful.

I knew what I was beginning to feel, and I didn't want it to grow.

Amaka was my master's daughter.

I was an apprentice living under her father's roof.

There were lines I was not supposed to cross.

So I tried to put some distance between us.

If she came into the shop, I greeted her and went back to work.

If she sat in the living room, I found an excuse to leave.

If she came outside while I was there, I suddenly remembered something I needed to do.

At first, I thought I was doing the right thing.

But after a few days, I noticed something strange.

Amaka had also changed.

She stopped coming to the shop as often.

She no longer sat outside in the evenings.

When we met in the house, she would simply greet me and walk away.

I told myself it was better that way.

But honestly, I didn't like it.

One evening, I was sitting outside after dinner when she walked past me.

"Good evening."

"Good evening."

She kept walking.

I watched her disappear inside.

Something inside me hurt.

I didn't understand how a person could become important to you without you even planning it.

A few minutes later, I heard footsteps.

It was her.

She stood near the doorway.

"Chukwu."

I looked up.

"Yes?"

She hesitated.

"Are you ángry with me?"

"No."

"Then why have you been acting differently?"

I didn't answer.

She came closer.

"Did I do something?"

"No, Amaka."

"Then tell me what happened."

I looked away.

How could I tell her?

How could I say, I am avoiding you because I am beginning to love you?

Those words could destróy everything.

So I said the safest thing I could think of.

"I just think we should remember who we are."

She frowned.

"What does that mean?"

"You are your father's daughter."

"And?"

"I'm his apprentice."

She was quiet.

Then she asked,

"So?"

I looked at her.

"Amaka, your father trusts me."

She understood what I was trying to say.

For a few seconds, she didn't speak.

Then she smiled sadly.

"I understand."

She turned to leave.

I felt a strong urge to stop her.

But I didn't.

She took a few steps.

Then stopped.

Without turning around, she said,

"You know, Chukwu, sometimes people don't need to do anything wrong before things become complicated."

Then she walked inside.

I remained there, thinking about her words.

That night, I couldn't sleep.

I kept replaying the conversation.

The truth was becoming harder to hide.

But there was something else I had started noticing.

Amaka wasn't avoiding me because she was angry.

She was avoiding me because she was feeling something too.

I couldn't prove it.

She hadn't said anything.

Neither had I.

But sometimes, you don't need someone to confess before you know that something has changed.

And the next morning, something happened that made me even more certain.

Chief called me into his office.

He looked at me for a long moment before speaking.

"Chukwu, I want to ask you something."

My heart suddenly started beating faster.

"Yes, sir?"

He leaned back in his chair.

"How close are you with my daughter?"

I froze.

TO BE CONTINUED...

THE FORBIDDEN LOVEEpisode 12 —I had always known my Oga as a strict man. But one evening, I saw him do something that co...
19/09/2026

THE FORBIDDEN LOVE
Episode 12 —I had always known my Oga as a strict man. But one evening, I saw him do something that completely changed the way I looked at him.

By the fourth month of my apprenticeship, I had settled into life in Lagos.

The market no longer frightened me.

The long hours no longer surprised me.

Even Chief's strictness had become something I understood.

He wanted things done properly.

If you made a mistake, he corrected you.

If you did well, he noticed.

I had also learnt that Chief wasn't always the hard man he appeared to be.

I just hadn't seen that side of him often.

Until one particular evening.

We had just closed the shop when a young boy came running towards us.

He couldn't have been more than fifteen.

His clothes were dirty, and he looked exhausted.

He stopped in front of Chief.

"Chief, please."

Chief looked at him.

"What is it?"

The boy explained that his father had been sick for weeks and his family couldn't afford the hospital bills.

He wasn't asking for much.

He just needed help.

I stood quietly beside Chief.

I expected him to tell the boy to leave.

Instead, Chief asked,

"Where is your father?"

"At home, sir."

"Which hospital?"

The boy mentioned the hospital.

Chief reached into his pocket.

He brought out some money and handed it to him.

"Take this."

The boy stared at the money.

"Thank you, Chief."

"Go and pay the hospital first. Don't waste it."

The boy nodded quickly.

"God bless you, sir."

He ran away.

I looked at Chief.

He didn't say anything.

He simply started walking towards the car.

I followed him.

On our way home, I couldn't stop thinking about what I had seen.

Finally, I asked,

"Sir?"

"Hmm?"

"About that boy..."

Chief glanced at me.

"What about him?"

"You helped him without even knowing him."

Chief was quiet for a moment.

Then he said,

"Someone helped me when I was young."

I looked at him.

He continued driving.

"When I came to Lagos, I had nothing. There were days I slept hungry. There were people who gave me food without asking for anything."

He paused.

"So when I see someone struggling, I remember where I came from."

That was the first time I heard Chief speak about his past.

The man I had always seen as powerful and successful had once been just like me.

A young man trying to survive.

For the first time, I understood him a little better.

---

When we got home, Amaka was sitting in the living room with her mother.

Chief walked inside.

Mama Nwosu asked,

"You're back?"

"Yes."

Amaka looked at him.

"Daddy, did you eat?"

"I'm fine."

He walked past them.

Then Amaka looked at me.

"What happened?"

I smiled.

"Nothing."

But I couldn't keep it to myself.

I told them about the boy.

Mama Nwosu smiled knowingly.

"That's your father."

Amaka looked towards the room where her father had gone.

"He doesn't like people knowing when he helps them."

I laughed.

"I noticed."

She looked at me.

"You see? He's not as difficult as you think."

I smiled.

"I never said he was."

She laughed.

"Your face says it sometimes."

I laughed too.

That evening changed something in me.

I had always seen Chief as my master.

The man who paid for my food.

The man who taught me the business.

The man whose approval I desperately wanted.

But that day, I saw him as something else.

A man who had struggled before he became successful.

A man who remembered where he came from.

And somehow, that made me respect him even more.

I didn't know then how important that respect would become.

Because months later, when my life became complicated, I would remember that evening.

And I would have to ask myself a painful question:

What happens when the man who gave you your second chance becomes the same man standing between you and the person you love?

I had no answer.

Not yet.

TO BE CONTINUED...

THE FORBIDDEN LOVEEpisode 11 -My Oga gave me a large amount of money and sent me alone to buy goods. I knew one mistake ...
18/09/2026

THE FORBIDDEN LOVE
Episode 11 -My Oga gave me a large amount of money and sent me alone to buy goods. I knew one mistake could end everything I had worked for.

By the third month of my apprenticeship, I had changed.

Not completely, but enough for people to notice.

I was no longer the young man who stood quietly in the corner of the shop, afraid of touching anything.

I knew the business better.

I could identify most of the products.

I knew some of our regular customers by name.

I could even negotiate with some suppliers without immediately running to Chief.

But there was still one thing I hadn't expected.

Chief had started trusting me.

One Monday morning, business was unusually busy.

Customers were coming in and out.

Phones kept ringing.

Chief was writing something in his notebook when he suddenly called me.

"Chukwu."

"Yes, sir?"

"Come."

I walked over.

He handed me a piece of paper.

"Take this list to the warehouse."

I looked at it.

"Yes, sir."

Then he brought out an envelope.

"Take this too."

I collected it.

When I opened it slightly and saw the money inside, my heart jumped.

It was a lot of money.

I looked at Chief.

"Sir, should I take this to the warehouse?"

"Yes."

He looked directly into my eyes.

"Count everything before you leave there. Don't allow anybody to confuse you."

"Yes, sir."

"And Chukwu..."

"Sir?"

"Be careful."

I nodded.

"I will."

As I walked out of the shop, I couldn't stop thinking about the trust he had placed in me.

If something happened to that money, I didn't even know how I would explain it.

I held the envelope tightly.

That journey felt longer than usual.

When I finally returned, Chief checked everything.

The goods were complete.

The money was complete.

He looked at me and nodded.

"Good."

I smiled.

"Thank you, sir."

He returned to what he was doing.

But for me, that moment meant something.

Chief was beginning to see me differently.

Not just as the boy who came to serve him.

He was beginning to see me as someone he could depend on.

And that meant a lot to me.

---

That evening, when we got home, Mama Nwosu was preparing dinner.

She looked at me.

"Chukwu, you look happy today."

I laughed.

"Chief trusted me with some money."

She smiled.

"That's good."

"He sent me alone to the warehouse."

"Then he trusts you."

I nodded.

"Yes, ma."

Amaka walked into the room carrying a glass of water.

"What happened?"

Mama looked at her.

"Your father is beginning to trust Chukwu with important things."

Amaka looked at me.

"Really?"

I nodded.

She smiled.

"Congratulations."

"Thank you."

She sat down.

"You know, Daddy doesn't trust people easily."

"I know."

She looked at me for a moment.

"You must have worked hard."

I smiled.

"I just try to do what I'm told."

She laughed.

"That's probably why he trusts you."

Then Mama called her from the kitchen.

"Amaka, come and help me."

"I'm coming."

She stood up and left.

I watched her go for a second before turning my attention back to my phone.

At that time, I still didn't think anything was happening between us.

We were simply people living under the same roof.

She was my master's daughter.

I was his apprentice.

There was a clear line between us.

And I had no intention of crossing it.

In fact, if someone had told me then that one day I would risk everything because of Amaka, I would have laughed at them.

I had come to Lagos for one reason.

To learn a trade and build a future.

I didn't come looking for love.

But sometimes, life introduces you to something you never planned for.

And before you realise it, that thing has become part of your life.

I just didn't know how far this one would go.

TO BE CONTINUED...

17/09/2026

My oga watched me silently as I spoke to a custômer. What he did next shócked me.

THE FORBIDDEN LOVE - Episode 10. For the first time since I came to Lagos, my Oga praised me in front of other people. I...
17/09/2026

THE FORBIDDEN LOVE - Episode 10.
For the first time since I came to Lagos, my Oga praised me in front of other people. I was so happy that I didn't notice who was watching me.

By then, I had been in Lagos for almost two months.

When I first arrived, everything frightened me.

The market was too noisy.

The work was too much.

Even the way people spoke in Alaba was different from what I was used to.

But slowly, I was changing.

I was becoming more confident.

I could attend to customers without shaking.

I knew how to check some of the goods.

I could calculate prices faster.

And most importantly, I was beginning to understand the business.

One morning, Chief called me while he was speaking with a customer.

"Chukwu, come here."

I walked over.

"Yes, sir."

He pointed at the customer's television.

"Explain the difference between this one and the other model."

I took a breath and started explaining everything I had learnt.

The customer listened carefully.

Then he asked me a few questions.

I answered them.

Chief remained quiet.

Eventually, the customer nodded.

"I'll take this one."

After the customer left, Chief looked at me.

"You're learning."

I smiled.

"Thank you, sir."

He turned to the other people in the shop.

"This boy is serious. If he continues like this, he will do well."

I didn't know what to say.

I simply smiled.

Those words meant a lot to me.

Chief had never really praised me before.

That evening, while we were closing the shop, Emeka looked at me.

"See you now."

I laughed.

"See me where?"

"Chief is beginning to like you."

I shook my head.

"I'm only doing my work."

"That's how it starts."

I didn't understand what he meant.

I ignored him.

---

When I got home that evening, Mama Nwosu was sitting in the living room.

She looked at me.

"Your face is shining today."

I laughed.

"Chief praised me."

She smiled.

"Really?"

"Yes, ma."

"Then you deserve it."

Amaka walked in just as she heard that.

"Daddy praised you?"

I nodded.

She smiled.

"I told you."

"Told me what?"

"That you would get better."

I laughed.

"You were right."

She sat down.

"So, what did he say?"

I told her.

She listened and smiled.

"I'm happy for you."

"Thank you."

There was something about hearing those words from her that made me feel good.

Not because she was Chief's daughter.

Not because I wanted anything from her.

I simply liked that she believed I could become something.

After a while, she asked,

"Have you called your mother recently?"

I suddenly became quiet.

"No."

"Why?"

"I've been busy."

"You should call her."

I nodded.

"You're right."

That night, I called my mother.

The moment she heard my voice, she became excited.

"My son!"

"Mama."

"How are you?"

"I'm fine."

"Are they treating you well?"

I smiled.

"Yes."

"Are you learning the business?"

"Yes, Mama."

Then I told her that Chief had praised me.

She became quiet for a moment.

Then she said,

"I told you that you would make me proud."

I smiled.

After the call ended, I sat quietly on my bed.

For the first time, I felt like I was actually moving forward.

I had come to Lagos with nothing.

Now I had a skill I was learning.

I had people who were beginning to trust me.

And I had a family that was slowly making me feel at home.

I didn't know that one day, I would have to choose between the family that gave me an opportunity and the woman who would become the most important person in my life.

At that point, though, there was no love story.

There was only a young apprentice trying to build his future.

And a friendship that was quietly growing.

TO BE CONTINUED...

THE FORBIDDEN LOVE - Episode 9. I didn't know a simple question from my master's daughter would stay in my mind for days...
17/09/2026

THE FORBIDDEN LOVE - Episode 9.
I didn't know a simple question from my master's daughter would stay in my mind for days. At that time, I thought she was only being curious.

By the time I had spent more than a month in Lagos, I was beginning to settle down.

I was still an apprentice, but I no longer felt completely new.

Chief trusted me enough to leave me in the shop for short periods.

Emeka and I had also become more comfortable around each other, although I could tell he was still watching me closely.

But the biggest change was at home.

I was no longer eating alone.

Mama Nwosu would sometimes call me when food was ready.

"Chukwu, come and eat before the food gets cold."

"Yes, ma."

Sometimes Chief would ask about my day.

Sometimes we would all sit in the living room in the evening.

I was beginning to feel like part of the family.

And that was dangeroûs.

I just didn't know it yet.

One Saturday afternoon, Chief travelled to meet a supplier.

Mama Nwosu was in the kitchen.

I had just returned from the market when I saw Amaka sitting in the compound, reading something on her phone.

She looked up.

"You're back."

"Yes."

She smiled.

"You work every day?"

"Almost."

"Don't you get tired?"

I laughed.

"Of course I get tired."

"So why don't you rest?"

I dropped the small bag I was carrying.

"If I rest too much, who will build my future for me?"

She looked at me for a moment.

"You're really serious about having your own business."

"Very serious."

"What will you call your shop?"

I laughed.

"I haven't thought about that."

"You should think about it."

"Why?"

"So that when you become rich, I can tell people I knew you before you became a big man."

I laughed.

"Who told you I will become rich?"

"I can tell."

"How?"

She shrugged.

"You don't give up easily."

I didn't know what to say to that.

Nobody had ever described me that way before.

After a short silence, she asked,

"Chukwu, can I ask you something?"

"Yes."

"Why did you choose electronics?"

I thought about it.

"My father used to repair electrical appliances."

She looked surprised.

"Really?"

"Yes. I used to watch him when I was younger."

I smiled.

"He always told me that if I learnt the business properly, I would never have to beg anybody for food."

"What happened?"

"My father died before I could learn enough from him."

Her smile disappeared.

"I'm sorry."

I nodded.

"That's life."

She was quiet for a moment.

Then she said,

"You must miss him."

"Every day."

She didn't try to say anything to make me feel better.

She just sat there.

And somehow, that made me appreciate her even more.

After a while, she stood up.

"I'll see you later."

"Okay."

She walked inside.

I remained where I was.

I kept thinking about the conversation.

There was nothing romantic about it.

Nothing happened.

She had simply asked me about my life.

But that was the first time I realised something about Amaka.

She wasn't just Chief Nwosu's daughter.

She was someone who actually wanted to know me.

And without knowing it, I was beginning to want to know her too.

I didn't know where that would lead.

I only knew that something was slowly changing.

And I was not paying enough attention to it.

TO BE CONTINUED...

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