https://www.facebook.com/219013094639826/

Mgbeodichinma Catherine Nduka STARS, shady spring Avenue rosedale MD, Rosedale, MD (2025)

Q: What is the address?

Shady Spring Avenue Rosedale MD

12/07/2025

THE EVIL INSTAGRAM HAIR VENDOR

Mgbeodichinma Catherine Nduka STARS

EPISODE 3

Juliet screamed so loud her voice shook the whole room.
The snake on the TV was **real**, not like the fake ones they show in movies. Its eyes were bright red, and its tongue moved slowly as if it wanted to come out of the screen.

Juliet jumped back and pushed her bowl of popcorn to the floor. Her hands were shaking badly.
“No! No! No!” she cried.

She didn’t wait another second. She ran out of her room without packing anything. She didn’t even remove the wig. She just ran as fast as she could.

The night was dark and quiet, but Juliet didn’t stop until she reached Lucy’s apartment.

*Knock! Knock! Knock!*
“Lucy open! Please open!”

Lucy opened the door, surprised.
“Juliet? Why are you shouting? What happened?”

Juliet rushed inside, breathing heavily. Her face was pale.
“There was… there was a snake… on my TV!” she cried. “A big one! Real! It looked at me!”

Lucy’s eyes widened.
“A snake? In your room?”

“No! On my TV screen! It was watching me like… like it knew me.” Juliet hugged herself.

Lucy looked at Juliet’s wig again, and cold chills ran through her back. Something didn’t feel right about that hair. It looked too shiny, too alive. But Lucy kept quiet. She didn’t want to provoke Juliet or make her feel worse.

“Don’t worry,” Lucy whispered. “You’re safe here.”

That night, Lucy prepared her room for both of them. Before sleeping, she knelt down to pray like she always did. She prayed quietly, asking God for protection.

Juliet watched her but didn’t join. She was too scared, too confused, too tired. When Lucy finished, they both lay down. Juliet tried to sleep, but her mind kept replaying the image of the snake on the TV.

It took a long time, but finally, she slept.

Her dream started immediately.
She found herself standing alone in a dark, empty space.

Then she heard it.
A voice.
Deep. Strong. Angry.

**“Return my wigs…”**

Juliet spun around, but she saw no one.
The voice came again, louder.
**“Return my wigs.”**

Her heart raced.
It didn’t sound like a dream.
It sounded too real, too close.

She tried to run, but her legs couldn’t move.

The voice rose again, now sounding like a hiss.
“Return my wigs.”

Juliet screamed—
and her eyes flew open.

She woke up sweating, breathing loudly.
But something was wrong.

Someone… or something… was standing in front of her.

Juliet’s eyes widened in horror.
It wasn’t Lucy.

It was a woman.
A beautiful woman with glowing eyes and long, silky hair—exactly like the wig Juliet was wearing.
The woman smiled slowly… but it wasn’t a human smile.

Then Juliet noticed something behind her.
She wasn’t standing on legs.

She had the tail of a snake.
Long. Thick. Covered in shining scales.

A human snake.

A creature of beauty and fear.
Half woman… half serpent… staring directly at Juliet.

Juliet couldn’t breathe.
She couldn’t scream.
She couldn’t move.

The woman’s voice echoed again, the same voice from the dream—

“Return my wigs."

TO BE CONTINUED

12/07/2025

TOMORROW OUR STORY COMPETITION CONTINUES

12/07/2025

I don't really blame the boy.
How can you tell someone sweet dreams on this type of foam abeg

12/07/2025

THE EVIL INSTAGRAM HAIR VENDOR

Mgbeodichinma Catherine Nduka STARS

EPISODE 2

Juliet stood in the darkness, her breath loud in her ears.
“How did the lights turn off on their own?” she whispered.

Her hands trembled as she slowly walked to the main switch on the wall. She pushed it up.
Click.

The lights came on again, bright and normal. Juliet let out a shaky sigh.
But before she could take one step, the lights went off again.

Pitch darkness.

Fear gripped her instantly.
Her heart started beating fast.
“What is happening?” she whispered.

For a few seconds she stood still, scared to move. Then she tried to calm herself.
“Maybe the fuse is faulty,” she said, trying to convince herself.
“It happens sometimes.”

She removed the wig quickly and dropped it on her bed. The room felt less heavy after that, but she didn’t notice. She stayed awake for a long time, staring at the ceiling until sleep finally came.

The next morning, the sun woke her up. She looked at the wig lying on her bed. It looked so beautiful, so smooth… like nothing was wrong.
She touched it.
It was warm.

Juliet ignored the strange feeling and wore the wig. She smiled at herself in the mirror.
“I look good,” she whispered.

When she got to class, everyone stared at her.
“Wow, Juliet you look so pretty!”
“Where did you buy this hair?”
“This is luxury hair o!”

The compliments made her blush. Juliet felt like a queen. She walked with confidence she had never felt before.

Her friend Lucy came closer.
“Babe, you look different today,” Lucy said.

Juliet smiled proudly. “Na the new wig o.”

Lucy touched the wig gently, then suddenly pulled her hand back. A strange feeling ran through her body—cold and sharp—but she didn’t want to sound weird.
“It’s beautiful,” she forced a smile.

Juliet didn’t notice anything. She just enjoyed all the admiration she got throughout the day.

By evening, she returned to her small room, tired but happy. She changed into something comfortable, sat on her bed with a bowl of popcorn, and turned on her TV. A Bollywood movie was showing—full of dancing and drama.

Juliet laughed as she ate her popcorn.
“Ah, these Indians can act,” she said to herself.

Everything was peaceful. The room was calm. The only sound was the movie playing.

Then suddenly—

The TV went off.

Just like that.

Juliet froze, her hands still in the popcorn bowl.
Her heart jumped.
Not again.

She stared at the black screen.
“Why would the TV turn off on its own?” she whispered.

Slowly, she reached for the remote and pressed the power button.
Nothing.

She pressed it again.
Nothing.

The room felt colder.
Her breathing became shaky.

Then—

The TV turned on by itself.

Juliet gasped and dropped her popcorn.
But the movie was gone.
The screen wasn’t showing any channel.

Instead…

A huge SNAKE appeared on the screen.

Its eyes were red.
Its tongue moved slowly.
It stared straight at her as if it could see her.

Juliet’s scream got stuck in her throat.
She couldn’t move.
She couldn’t blink.

The snake began to open its mouth wider… and wider…

TO BE CONTINUED...

12/07/2025

THE EVIL INSTAGRAM HAIR VENDOR

EPISODE 1

Mgbeodichinma Catherine Nduka STARS

Juliet was a beautiful young woman in the university. Everyone admired her smooth skin, her bright smile, and her quiet confidence. But there was one thing she always wished for—a luxury wig.

All her friends and coursemates owned expensive wigs: long bone-straight hair, curly Peruvian hair, and the famous 30-inch luxury frontal. They wore them proudly, flipping their hair as they walked around campus. Whenever Juliet saw them, her heart squeezed.

She wanted one too. She dreamt of walking into class with a beautiful wig that would make people turn and stare. But she couldn’t afford it.

Juliet came from a poor home. Her parents struggled to pay her school fees. She worked part-time in a small restaurant just to take care of her feeding and rent. After paying bills, nothing remained. The idea of buying a luxury wig was only a dream.

One Friday evening, after a stressful day of lectures and work, Juliet lay on her small bed and opened Instagram to relax her mind. She was just scrolling through funny videos when an advert flashed on her screen.

It was a hair advert.

“CHEAP BUT QUALITY LUXURY WIGS!!! REAL BONE STRAIGHT!!! 70% DISCOUNT!!!”

Juliet frowned. Cheap? Bone straight? Impossible.

She clicked the page out of curiosity. The pictures were beautiful. The reviews were shocking—hundreds of five-star comments from young ladies saying the hair was original, soft, and very affordable.

Her heart began to beat fast.
Maybe… maybe this is my chance.

She checked the price again. It was unbelievably cheap, almost suspicious.
*Why is it so cheap?* she asked herself.

But another voice inside her whispered, Just buy it. You may never get this chance again.

After thinking for almost an hour, Juliet finally placed the order. She used almost all the money she saved for the month.

Two weeks later, a loud knock woke her up early in the morning.

“Delivery for Juliet!” a man shouted.

Her eyes widened with excitement. She rushed to the door. The delivery man handed her a small but neatly sealed package. Juliet thanked him quickly and closed the door.

Her hands were shaking as she opened it.

Inside was the most beautiful wig she had ever seen. Long, silky, shiny bone straight hair that looked far more expensive than the price she paid.

She gasped.
“It is real… It is real bone straight,” she whispered.

For a moment, she remembered the cheap price and felt a small worry in her chest.
Why was it so cheap?

But the happiness was too much. She pushed the thought aside.

Juliet grabbed the wig and put it on her head. The hair fell down her back smoothly. It felt almost… alive.

Suddenly, she felt a strange coldness on her neck, like invisible fingers touching her skin. She gently rubbed the spot.
Maybe it’s just excitement, she said to herself and laughed nervously.

She walked to the mirror to see her new look.

She barely took one step when—

POP!

All the lights in her apartment turned off by themselves.

Darkness swallowed the whole room.

Juliet froze.
Her heart stopped for a second.
The wig felt heavier on her head.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

TO BE CONTINUED...

12/06/2025

Mr. Nice Guy: In Love with a Human Tr@fficking Victim...

Written By: Mgbeodichinma Catherine Nduka STARS
..

CHAPTER 10

The message on Lana’s phone was short, but it hit like a bull.et:

“You think say Rico be the real boss? You never see anything.”

Jonathan read it twice, his pulse quickening. “Who send this message?”

Lana’s fingers trembled slightly as she gripped the phone. “I no know… but if na who I dey think.." She swallowed hard. “then we dey deeper than wetin we think”

Jonathan leaned forward. “Talk to me, Lana. Who are you suspecting?”

Before she could answer, the door burst open. Tunde rushed in, sweat on his forehead, laptop bag slung across his shoulder.

“I get something,” he said breathlessly. “I trace the IP address wey send that message. E come from Abuja.”

Jonathan frowned. “Abuja? From which side?”

Tunde opened the laptop, typing fast. “From inside a government building, Ministry of Women Affairs.”

Lana froze. The color drained from her face. “No… it can’t be her.”

Jonathan turned sharply. “Who?”

She hesitated, then said quietly, “Madam Stella.”

Tunde blinked. “That NGO woman? The one wey dey do all those ‘Save the Girl Child’ campaigns?”

Lana nodded, voice low. “She be the one wey first recruit me. Na she been give me hope when I no get anything. But behind the NGO, she dey run Tr@fficking. Rico just be one of her street enforcer.”

Jonathan’s expression hardened. “So na her hand everything dey behind all along.”

Lana’s eyes filled with tears. “She use me, Jonathan. I believe say she dey help me, but all those times, she dey destroy girls like me.”

Jonathan touched her shoulder gently. “Then we will end it. For real, this time.”

---

By the next morning, they had a plan.

Tunde’s fingers flew across his keyboard, pulling data and fake credentials. “She dey host one empowerment summit for Abuja tomorrow morning. All the big names go dey there, ministers, governors, foreign sponsors. If we expose her live, she no go fit deny am.”

Jonathan nodded. “We will need disguises.”

Lana gave a tired smile. “And a very big courage too.”

---

The summit was grand, chandeliers, security guards, cameras flashing, reporters moving like bees.

Madam Stella stood on stage, radiant in her white lace and gold headwrap, her voice smooth as she spoke about “empowering the girl child and fighting exploitation.”

Lana sat quietly in the crowd, her hands clenched in her lap. Jonathan sat beside her, scanning every corner of the hall.

“This woman dey lie with confidence ehn.." Lana whispered.

Jonathan passed her a tiny mic. “Then time don reach to speak truth.”

---

When the Q&A session began, a few journalists asked soft questions. Then Lana stood up.

Her voice was calm, but it carried weight through the room. “Madam Stella” she said, “you remember me?”

The crowd turned. Cameras swiveled toward her.

Stella blinked. “Excuse me? Who you be?”

“I be Lana,” she said, her voice shaking but steady. “You train me. You use me come send me to Rico.”

Gasps rippled across the hall.

Stella gave a nervous laugh. "I don't know what you're talking about. Somebody stop this woman.."

Lana raised her voice. “You fit deny me, but you no fit deny the truth.” She held up a flash drive. “This one get your voice notes, your bank records, and your videos. You dey traffick girls while you preach about saving them!”

Security began to move toward her.

But suddenly, the large projector screen behind Stella flickered, and came alive.

Tunde had hacked the feed.

On the screen, a video played: Stella sitting in her office, counting stacks of dollars, laughing with Rico.

The hall erupted.

Journalists surged forward. Cameramen captured every second. EFCC agents, who had been tipped off, stormed the room.

Madam Stella panicked. “It’s fake! It’s fake!” she screamed.

But it was too late.

Jonathan stepped in front of her as she tried to escape through the side exit. “You no dey go nowhere,” he said quietly.

Her eyes widened. “You no understand wetin you dey do. I get people wey...”

Jonathan cut her off. “And we get truth.”

He handed her over to the agents.

---

Outside, the Abuja sun was fierce.

Lana stood beside Jonathan, watching as Madam Stella was shoved into a black EFCC van.

The crowd cheered. Reporters shouted questions. For the first time, Lana didn’t hide.

Jonathan looked at her, exhaustion written all over his face. “It’s over,” he said softly.

She shook her head, eyes on the horizon. “No. It just begin. But at least now… we dey free.”

Jonathan smiled faintly. “Then we go face am together.”

She turned to him, her voice low. “You sure?”

He nodded. “I no be just Mr. Nice Guy again. I be your guy.”

She laughed, a real laugh, the kind she hadn’t felt in years. And for once, it sounded like peace.

---

One Year Later

The compound in Enugu was quiet and bright. A simple sign stood in front of a freshly painted building:

The Lana Foundation, For Girls Who Want to Start Again

Inside, girls sat in a small classroom, laughing softly as Lana taught them about self-worth, boundaries, and new beginnings.

In the office next door, Jonathan balanced the books while Tunde fixed a computer in the corner.

They had turned their scars into something powerful, a place of healing.

Every time a new girl walked through that gate, Lana whispered to herself, “You get second chance.”

And though the ghosts of their past still lingered, they had found something stronger than fear.
Lana walked into the office Jonathan sat and wrapped her hands around his neck and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you, Jonathan. I no know wetin I for don do if to say I no get you behind me." she said, her eyes speaking genuine appreciation.

Jonathan smiled and this time, kissed her gently on the lips "you don't need to thank me, Lana. I'm glad you're happy and everything happening today? All happened as a result of the choice you made in life and I'm so proud of you for that." he said and for once in her life, Lana smiled proudly.

"Thank you, Johnathan. I love you." she said and Jonathan's eyes widened in surprise and happiness..

"oh. Wow! Somebody finally said it out." he exclaimed and Lana laughed.

"I love you, Mr. Nice Guy." she added again coyishly and Jonathan laughed out loud looking at her.

"Mr. Nice Guy indeed. Come here, my strong fighter." he said and she walked into his arms hugging him tightly with smiles all over.

And with this, they understood they had found each other for a purpose.
..

THE END!

12/06/2025

Mr. Nice Guy: In Love with a Human Tr@fficking Victim...

Written By: Catherine Nduka
..

CHAPTER 9

Morning came slow in Nsukka. The sun rose lazily over the red rooftops, spilling golden light through dusty windows. But inside the hideout, peace was the last thing on Jonathan’s mind. He and Lana hadn’t slept a wink. Both of them knew what the silence meant, the storm was coming.

Tunde arrived just after dawn, carrying a laptop and a brown envelope that looked like it had seen too much. His face was tired but alive with urgency.

“I get something,” he said, setting the bag on the table. “One of Rico’s boys, the one wey Jonathan wound for bush, him don talk.”

Jonathan straightened. “Talk wetin?”

Tunde opened the envelope, spreading photos and documents on the table. “He say Rico dey plan another escape. This time, e no be river matter. The guy don book private jet for one small airstrip near Asaba. Him get senator backup.”

Lana clenched her jaw. “So the rat wan fly now. We need stop am before e disappear for good.”

Tunde nodded. “Exactly. If we catch am there, we fit end this whole thing.”

---

By midmorning, their small team had mobilized. Tunde’s journalist friend, the same one who had dropped the first big story, was already waiting for fresh proof. Together, they compiled new evidence: audio recordings, bank transfers, pictures, and text messages linking Rico to top officials.

The journalist’s voice came through the phone: “If una fit get footage of the arrest, real-time, I go publish am instantly. Once it hit social media, nobody go fit cover it again.”

“Copy that,” Tunde said.

Lana looked at Jonathan. “You dey ready?”

He checked his p!stol, then exhaled. “Born ready.”

---

The road to Asaba was long and quiet. The tinted SUV hummed as it sped through the highway, the air tense with unspoken fear. Jonathan sat in the back with Lana and two other operatives.

Nobody talked much. The plan was simple, get Rico alive, record everything, and let the whole country see the truth.

But Jonathan couldn’t stop thinking about something Lana said earlier: If I d!e today, you go still believe say I be good person?

He looked at her now. Her eyes were steady, but her fingers trembled slightly.

He reached out, touched her hand. “We go come back together. You hear?"

She nodded faintly. “Yes. We must.”

---

By the time they reached the airstrip, the sun was dipping low, painting the runway gold.

Rico was already there.

He stood beside a sleek private jet, dressed in white kaftan and designer shades, barking orders at his men. A senator, tall, pot-bellied, and nervous, stood beside him, pretending to laugh.

From behind a parked fuel truck, Jonathan and Lana watched, hearts pounding.

“Now,” whispered one of the operatives. And...They moved.

---

The first gun.sh0t cracked the evening air. Chaos erupted.

Rico’s men scattered like ants. The senator ducked and sprinted toward the plane. Lana broke from cover, chasing after him between stacks of cargo.

Jonathan and Tunde engaged Rico’s guards in a flurry of bull.ets and shouts. The air stank of smoke and jet fuel. Jonathan rolled behind a barrel, fired twice, one guard dropped. He rushed forward, slammed Rico to the ground.

Rico spat bl0od, his sunglasses shattered. “You no go fit stop me. I get people pass you, small boy.” he threatened.

Jonathan pressed a small recorder against his chest. “Very good. Now, tell them say you dey fear me.”

Rico glared. “You go regret this.”

Jonathan smirked. “We go see who regret am.”

---

Across the field, Lana cornered the senator near the hangar. He raised both hands, panting heavily.

“You no fit touch me!” he shouted. “I be senator of the Federal Republic!”

Lana stepped closer, gu.n steady. “And I be woman wey don lose everything because of men like you.”

Before he could respond, she yanked his hands behind him and cuffed him. “Government no dey save cr!minals.”

---

By nightfall, every news station in Nigeria was buzzing.

“Rico Okafor and Senator Obasi Caught at Private Airstrip, Human Tr@fficking Ring Exposed!”

The footage was everywhere, Channels TV, Twitter, Instagram, radio stations. The journalist had kept his word.

The EFCC couldn’t pretend anymore. They took Rico and the senator into custody under full public watch.

For the first time, justice actually looked real.

---

Back in Nsukka, Jonathan and Lana sat quietly on the veranda, watching the night settle over the hills.

“You did it,” Jonathan said softly.

Lana shook her head. “No. We run am together.”

He turned to her. “Will you testify?”

She nodded slowly. “I go face everything. I no go run again, Jonathan.”

Jonathan smiled faintly. “No worry. I go dey with you. Always. You hear?”

Lana leaned her head on his shoulder, a tired smile spreading across her face. “You still be Mr. Nice Guy.”

He laughed. “Maybe. But now, I don get small stubbornness join.”

For a brief moment, everything felt still, safe, even.

Then Lana’s phone buzzed on the table.

She reached for it, frowned, and showed the message to Jonathan.

“You think say Rico be the real boss? You never see anything.”

Jonathan stared at the screen, the laughter fading from his face.

The wind rustled through the trees, and in the distance, thunder rumbled again and it meant only one thing.

The war wasn’t over.

It had only just begun.

---

To be continued...

12/06/2025

Mr. Nice Guy: In Love with a Human Tr@fficking Victim...

Written By: Mgbeodichinma Catherine Nduka STARS
..

CHAPTER 8

The hills of Nsukka were quiet...too quiet. The kind of silence that hums beneath your skin and makes you feel something is coming.

For two days, Jonathan and Lana had lived like normal people, cooking, laughing, teasing each other, sleeping without fear. For the first time in a long while, they weren’t fugitives. They were just… two people trying to start over. But in Nigeria, peace was never a permanent thing, not for people like them.

On the third morning, Lana woke up early. The mist had rolled thick over the valley, soft and white, like a blanket trying to hide the world. She stood barefoot on the veranda, staring at the clouds below. Jonathan joined her, holding two steaming cups of coffee.

“What're you thinking about?” he asked quietly, handing her one.

She slowly shook her head. “No..I dey remember.”

He leaned against the railing looking at her. “Wetin you dey remember?”

Lana hesitated, her fingers tightening around the mug. “The first girl wey I been recruit. Her name na Amaka. She been just seventeen. I tell her say she go model for South Africa.” She paused, her voice trembling slightly. “But I know say na lie.”

Jonathan froze. “Lana…”

“I dey carry that guilt every day,” she whispered. “Even now.” she added tears rolling down from her eyes.

Jonathan looked at her, really looked at her. “At least, you dey try make am right, Lana.”

She turned to him, eyes red from the tears. “But if I d!e today, you go still believe say I be good person?”

He didn’t answer immediately. Then softly, he said, “I go believe say you try.”
"and...one more thing.." he added "you no go d!e. You hear?"

They stood there in silence, the mist swallowing their words.

---

Later that afternoon, Jonathan’s phone buzzed. It was Tunde.

“Bad news dey o..” his voice crackled through the line. “Rico don escape custody.”

Jonathan sat up straight. “How?!”

“Dem say na inside job. Person help am. The guy just vanish. Nobody fit trace am.”

Lana’s heart sank. She snatched the phone. “Tunde, we gats move, now!”

“I go send new location,” Tunde replied. “But una need dey careful o.. Rico go surely come for una first.”

The line went dead.

---

They started packing in silence. Jonathan zipped the bag, then noticed something, a second SIM card sitting beside Lana’s phone.

He frowned. “Wait… who you dey call with this one?”

Lana froze mid-step.

Jonathan’s tone sharpened. “Lana, talk to me. You dey talk to Rico?”

She shook her head quickly. “No be like that.”

“Then wetin e be like?”

She exhaled, frustrated. “I dey talk to somebody wey dey inside Rico camp. I dey try get information, Jonathan. Information wey go dey useful for us.”

Jonathan stared at her, suspicion creeping into his eyes. “You sure say you no dey play both sides?”

Lana stepped forward, desperate. “I swear. I dey fight for us, Jonathan. You suppose know me reach that.”

But Jonathan looked away. Trust was a fragile thing, and his had started to crack.

---

They left the safe house just before dusk, heading down a narrow path toward Nsukka town. The evening air was heavy with the smell of rain and red earth.

Then came the roar of a motorbike.

Jonathan turned sharply. Two men jumped off, their gu.ns gleaming under the fading sun.

“Una don go far!” one of them sneered.

Lana’s voice broke the stillness. “Run!”

They sprinted into the bush, branches snapping against their legs. Gu.nsh0ts tore through the trees. Jonathan tripped, rolled on the ground, and fired back blindly. One of the attackers dropped with a scream.

But the other kept chasing Lana.

Jonathan scrambled up, ble.eding from his arm, and ran after them. He found her near a stream, cornered, the man’s gu.n aimed at her chest.

Without thinking, Jonathan lunged forward, tackling him. They crashed into the mud, punching, kicking, rolling. Adrenaline drowned out the pain. Jonathan grabbed a rock, swung once, twice, the man collapsed.

Jonathan staggered back, panting, bruised, trembling.

Lana rushed to him. “You dey okay?”

He nodded weakly. “We need to leave. Now.”

---

By the time they reached the new hideout, a small flat above a tailor’s shop in Nsukka town, night had fallen. The place smelled of fabric, dust, and engine oil.

Tunde arrived soon after with supplies and a tired face. “Una lucky say una escape,” he said, shaking his head. “But Rico no go stop until he finishes this.”

Jonathan exchanged a glance with Lana. His jaw tightened. “Then we finish it first.”

Lana nodded slowly. “One way or another.”

---

That night, as they lay on the thin mattress, Jonathan stared at the ceiling fan spinning lazily above them.

“Lana,” he whispered. “If anything happen to me...”

She pressed a finger gently to his lips. “shhh...Nothing go happen, Jonathan. Sleep. I no go let anything happen to you.”

He smiled faintly, pulling her closer. Her head rested on his chest, his heartbeat steady beneath her ear.

Outside, the rain had started again, soft, endless, and cold. But in the shadows just beyond the window, a figure watched.

And this time, it wasn’t Rico.

---

To be continued...

12/05/2025

Mr. Nice Guy: In Love with a Human Tr@fficking Victim...

Written By Mgbeodichinma Catherine Nduka STARS
..

CHAPTER 7

After everything that happened in Onitsha, Lana and Jonathan were drained, body, mind, and soul. They’d managed to secure Rico, but the danger still lingered like smoke after a fire. Whispers filled the air that his men were regrouping. Eyes were still watching from corners they couldn’t see.

The agency arranged a safe house for them, a quiet bungalow hidden deep in the hills of Nsukka, surrounded by tall trees and endless silence. No phones. No signal. No noise. Just time to breathe and recover.

The house itself was plain but comforting. A tiny kitchen, two small rooms, and a veranda that opened to a misty valley below. The smell of rain hung in the air. For the first time in weeks, they could actually rest without checking over their shoulders.

Jonathan sat on the veranda, sipping tea from a chipped mug. The steam fogged his glasses. Lana came out, wrapped in a thick blanket, her hair a little messy but soft around her face.

“You ever imagine say your life go turn out like this?” she asked, settling beside him.

Jonathan smiled faintly. “I imagined peace… but definitely not with gunshots and flash drives.”

Lana chuckled. “So, you still dey call yourself Mr. Nice Guy?”

He glanced at her with a smirk. “I no sure again. Maybe I don turn Mr. Changed Guy... because of love. I don mumu for love."

She laughed quietly. “You still dey nice, Jonathan. You still dey care… even when I no deserve am.”

He turned to her fully this time holding her hands. “You deserve love, Lana. You deserve peace too. I know you made some mistakes in the past but all human beings make mistakes and you're not exceptional. All you need is to be treated with love and care. You deserve happiness too, Lana"

She looked away, blinking fast to avoid the tear that stung at the corner of her eyes from rolling down. “I dey try believe that, but e hard sometimes.”

They went quiet for a while, listening to the wind hum through the trees. Then, they spent the rest of the day doing ordinary things, things that almost felt sacred now. Cooking noodles together, teasing each other about who added too much pepper, talking about old memories.

Lana told stories about her childhood in Warri, the laughter, the loss, the street corners that shaped her. Jonathan shared how he once dreamed of opening a youth center, a place where boys like his late brother could find hope instead of the streets.

As night crept in, the rain started again, soft, steady, and comforting. The rhythm against the roof sounded like a lullaby. They sat by the window, watching raindrops slide down the glass in lazy lines.

Lana leaned her head on Jonathan’s shoulder. “You dey make me feel safe, Jonathan.” she murmured.

He squeezed her hand gently. “You make me feel alive, Lana.”

For a long time, they just sat there, no plans, no missions, no masks. Just quiet breathing and the sound of rain. Later, they talked about their fears, their mistakes, and the kind of people they wanted to become.

Lana cried at one point, the kind of tears that come from deep inside. Jonathan didn’t say much, he just listened, holding her hand until the sobs faded.

And for the first time in a long while, they weren’t fugitives or fighters. They were just two people trying to heal... together.

---

To be continued...

12/05/2025

Mr. Nice Guy: In Love with a Human Tr@fficking Victim...

Written By: Mgbeodichinma Catherine Nduka STARS
..

CHAPTER 6

Gu.nsh0ts shattered the quiet compound, breaking the early morning calm like thunder.

Jonathan dove to the floor, dragging Lana down with him as bul.lets ripped through the zinc roof. Sparks, dust, and splinters filled the air. Mama Ifeoma screamed and ran into the house, her wrapper flying behind her.

Chuka and two masked men stormed through the gate, rifles raised and fingers ready on the trigger.

Thinking fast, Jonathan grabbed a stool and smashed the light switch beside the door. The house went dark instantly.

“Lana, move!” he shouted.

They crawled toward the back door, breathing hard. Lana kicked it open, and they burst into the narrow alley behind the compound, feet pounding against the wet ground.

Chuka f!red again, the bullet whizzing past Jonathan’s ear. They didn’t look back.

---

They ran through the twisting streets of Abakpa, dodging startled vendors and barking dogs. The mist was heavy, clinging to their clothes and skin. By the time they ducked into an old mechanic’s shed, Jonathan’s chest was heaving.

He leaned against a wall, trying to catch his breath. “We need help.”

Lana pulled out her phone.

“Who you wan call?” he asked, suspicion in his voice.

She hesitated. “Someone wey no suppose help me… but fit help us.”

---

Back at the compound, Chuka’s fury was burning hot. He grabbed Mama Ifeoma by the neck and sl@mmed her against the wall.

“Where dem go?” he demanded.

Bl0od dripped from her lip, but her eyes were steady. “You go k!ll me be that o..because I no dey talk.”

Chuka smiled coldly. “No worry. I fit do both.”

---

In the shed, Lana made her call. Her voice was low but firm. “It’s me. I need extraction. Now!”

Jonathan stared at her, confused. “Extraction? What are you talking about?”

She met his eyes. “I no tell you everything. I dey work with a covert group. We dey fight Tr@fficking underground. I be informant.”

Jonathan froze. “So you no just be victim and Tr@fficking assistant? How many secrets you get, this girl?”

She nodded slowly. “Yes. I be we@pon too."

---

Ten minutes later, a black Hilux truck screeched to a stop outside the shed. Two men in tactical gear jumped down, their movements sharp and practiced.

“Lana,” one of them said. “We’ve been tracking Rico. He’s in Onitsha. We need you.”

Jonathan stepped forward. “I'm going too.”

The man looked at Lana questioningly. “Did he train?”

Lana didn’t hesitate. “He get heart.”

The man tossed Jonathan a pist0l. “You will need it.”

---

They drove fast through the back roads, avoiding checkpoints and main routes. The air inside the truck was heavy with tension. Lana briefed Jonathan quietly.

“Rico dey plan escape. Him get boat for River Niger. If he cross, we no fit touch am again.”

Jonathan tightened his grip on the gu.n. “We will stop him before he moves.”

---

In Onitsha, Rico was pacing inside a warehouse filled with crates of cash and fake passports. Sweat glistened on his forehead. His phone rang, and he snatched it up.

“Chuka?”

“Dem escape,” came the reply. “But I go find dem.”

Rico cursed under his breath. “Make sure you do. If that flash drive leak again, I go bury everybody! Including you. You dey hear me so?!” he shouted in rage.

---

At the riverbank, the Hilux stopped a short distance from the dock. The air was still and thick, the only sound coming from the gentle splash of water against the boats.

Lana, Jonathan, and the two operatives moved quietly through the shadows. Ahead of them, a small motorboat waited with its engine running. Rico stood beside it, shouting orders to his men.

Jonathan’s heartbeat quickened.

Lana leaned close. “We go split. You go left. I go right.”

He nodded.

They moved into position, but before they could strike, a single gu.nsh0t ripped through the silence.

Rico’s men turned instantly, shouting and firing. Bul.lets tore through the night. Jonathan dropped behind a barrel and returned fire. One guard went down. Lana rolled across the sand and took out another.

Rico made a dash for the boat. Jonathan sprinted after him.

They reached the dock almost at the same time. Rico spun around, g.un in hand. His face twisted with anger.

“You dey follow woman wey go betray you?” he said, his voice shaking, then he burst out laughing mockingly.

Jonathan didn’t back down. “That one no concern you and no be the matter now. The matter for ground be say you dey run from justice.”

Rico pulled the trigger.

Jonathan dove, rolled on the ground, and fired back. His shot hit Rico in the shoulder. The g.un fell from Rico’s hand as he stumbled backward, clutching his wound.

Lana appeared beside Jonathan, her eyes cold and steady. Then, she looks at Rico coldy.

“You go talk.” she said, stepping closer.

Rico spat bl0od. “You go regret this thing wey you dey do so..”

Lana’s voice was calm but full of pain. “I don already regret.”

---

To be continued...

Mgbeodichinma Catherine Nduka STARS

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