Chapter 10 Shadows

• Zara adjusted the strap of her bag and peeked into the mirror one last time. Her outfit was simple, stylish—perfect for a casual photoshoot. Kemi had already sent a text: “Outside your gate, babe. Let’s kill this shoot!”
• Zara smiled faintly, then exhaled. Modeling again felt like breathing fresh air after months of suffocation. For a few hours today, she would get to be herself. Just Zara. Not someone’s fiancée, not someone trapped in family politics, not the confused girl who overheard her father discussing secrets he shouldn’t have been.
• She slipped out the back door, her steps light and hurried. She met Kemi in the car and the girls shared an excited squeal before they drove off.