CHAPTER TWO— The Girl in the Photograph

Three months into knowing Daniel, Amara had stopped questioning how naturally he had entered her life.

He was simply there.

In the mornings, he waited for her near the school gate.

During lunch, he saved her a seat.

In the evenings, they talked until one of them remembered they had homework.

It felt easy.

Safe.

Almost too good to question.

But Favour was still watching.

She had noticed something Amara hadn't.

Daniel knew things he shouldn't have known.

Small things.

Things Amara had never told him.

One afternoon, Favour finally asked.

"How did Daniel know your mum doesn't like you staying out late?"

Amara looked up from her phone.

"I probably told him."

"No, you didn't."

"Maybe I did."

Favour shook her head.

"Amara, I've known you for years. You never told him."

Amara smiled.

"You're overthinking it."

"I hope I am."

That was all Favour said.

But she couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right.

---

The following Saturday, Amara was helping her mother clean the sitting room when an old photograph fell from a drawer.

She picked it up.

It was faded.

A picture of her mother standing beside a younger woman.

Amara frowned.

"Mum?"

Her mother looked over.

"What is it?"

"Who is this?"

The room suddenly became quiet.

Too quiet.

Her mother walked toward her and took the photograph.

For a moment, she stared at it.

Then she turned it face down.

"Where did you find this?"

"In the drawer."

Her mother's expression changed.

"Put it back."

"Why?"

"Amara, please."

There was something in her mother's voice that made Amara stop asking.

But before she could walk away, she noticed writing on the back of the photograph.

Two names.

Nadia.

And underneath it:

Daniel.

Amara froze.

"Mum..."

Her mother immediately took the photograph from her.

"Who is Daniel?"

Her mother's face went pale.

"Where did you hear that name?"

"At school."

"Amara, stay away from that boy."

The words came so quickly that Amara almost laughed.

"Why?"

Her mother didn't answer.

"Who is he?"

Still nothing.

"Why is his name on your photograph?"

Her mother looked away.

And that was when Amara knew.

Her mother knew Daniel.

---

That evening, Amara couldn't concentrate.

She sat on her bed, staring at her phone.

Daniel had messaged her twice.

Daniel: You okay?

Daniel: You disappeared today.

She typed.

Who is Nadia?

The typing indicator appeared.

Then disappeared.

Appeared again.

Then disappeared.

Finally:

Daniel: Why are you asking?

Amara's heart began pounding.

Amara: Just answer me.

There was a long pause.

Then:

Daniel: Where did you hear that name?

Amara stared at the screen.

He hadn't asked who Nadia was.

He had asked how she knew.

That frightened her more.

Before she could reply, another message arrived.

Daniel: Amara, please don't ask questions about things you don't understand.

She immediately called him.

He didn't answer.

She called again.

Nothing.

Then her phone rang.

It was Favour.

"Amara?"

"Yes?"

"Where are you?"

"At home."

"I found something."

"What?"

"Come outside."

---

Ten minutes later, Favour stood outside Amara's gate holding her phone.

"I searched Daniel's name."

Amara's stomach tightened.

"And?"

Favour showed her the screen.

There was an old photograph.

A woman.

A little boy.

And beside them, another young woman.

Amara recognized her immediately.

Her mother.

She looked at Favour.

"What is this?"

"I don't know."

Amara stared at the picture.

Then she noticed the little boy.

It was Daniel.

But there was something else.

Written beneath the photograph were four words:

The children were separated.

Amara's breathing slowed.

"What children?"

Favour didn't answer.

Because another photograph had appeared on the screen.

This one showed two children.

A boy.

And a little girl.

The boy was Daniel.

The girl...

was Amara.

---

Amara's hands began to shake.

"No."

Favour stared at her.

"Amara..."

"No. That's impossible."

But she knew.

The little girl in the photograph had the same small birthmark near her eyebrow.

The same one Amara had.

The photograph was dated seventeen years earlier.

Before Amara could process what she was seeing, her phone rang.

Unknown number.

She answered.

"Hello?"

Silence.

Then a woman's voice.

"Amara?"

"Who is this?"

The woman breathed quietly.

"You need to stop seeing Daniel."

"Why?"

"Because he isn't who you think he is."

The call ended.

Amara stared at the phone.

Favour looked terrified.

Then another message appeared.

This time, from Daniel.

We need to talk.

A second message followed.

There is something I've been trying to tell you.

Then a third.

Nadia is my mother.

Amara looked at the photograph again.

Her mother's face.

Nadia's face.

Daniel's face.

And hers.

Suddenly, the question wasn't whether Daniel loved her.

The question was much bigger.

Why had their families kept them apart?

And why had Daniel entered her life without telling her the truth?

Amara didn't know it yet, but the answer would change everything she thought she knew about her family.

And Daniel's secret wasn't the only secret being kept.

Her mother had one too.

CHAPTER THREE.....