Prologue

In the city of Abuja, where tradition and modernity unite, my life unfolded in ways I could never have predicted. Growing up in a family where the expectations of culture were as unyielding as the scorching Harmattan winds, I learned early on the importance of family, faith, and sacrifice. But no amount of preparation could have readied me for the storm that would come with love—a love I had no right to feel, yet one that anchored itself deep within my heart. From the moment I understood what it meant to yearn for someone, it was always him—Ubeid. He wasn’t just my cousin, nor merely the boy who shared my childhood laughter and mischief. He became the man who occupied my thoughts, the one whose presence made the world seem brighter, and whose absence made it unbearable.

It was a love I tried to bury, a secret I carried silently, even as life swept us along its relentless tide. Ubeid became a brother, a mentor, a friend—but never mine to claim. I watched as he carved his path, finding love with another, while I stood in the shadows, offering nothing but silent prayers for his happiness. Yet life, unpredictable as it is, had its own plans. The twists and turns brought us closer in ways I never imagined, yet also demanded sacrifices I wasn’t sure I could make. This is my story of love that defied boundaries, of family that weathered the storm of expectations, and of faith that became the guiding light through it all. It is a tale of heartbreak and healing, of duty and desire, and of the unyielding strength of a woman who dared to dream of a life beyond the confines of tradition. As I look back now, cradling the hands of the family I’ve built and the love I’ve found, I know one thing for certain: every tear, every struggle, and every prayer brought me to this moment.

And this, perhaps, was my destiny all along?