Chapter 12 Unpacking Emotions

• Sitting on the sprawling terrace of Dare’s mansion, I found myself engulfed by the serenity of the sprawling gardens around me, yet inside, a tempest brewed. The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows that danced across the exquisite marble tiles. Despite the gorgeous view stretching to the horizon, my mind drifted elsewhere—lost in a whirlpool of memories that I couldn't shake.
• I leaned back in my chair, closing my eyes as hazy recollections of Tade washed over me like gentle waves, pulling me deep into the sweetness of our past. We had shared precious moments that felt like they belonged to another lifetime—quiet Sundays spent sprawled on the couch watching movies, his laughter echoing through my mind like a familiar song. I remembered the way he would wrap his arms around me, and we would talk about the dreams we thought we were building together.
• But as lovely as those memories were, they felt like a double-edged sword, sharp and piercing. The more I remembered, the more the betrayal gnawed at my heart—the reality of his choice to marry Bimpe, the betrayal so fresh, it stung like salt on a wound no matter how often I tried to heal.