Life isn't all rain and sunshine—it's complicated.
There's a saying: "When life throws a dagger at you, you can either catch it by the blade and harm yourself, or by the handle and use it to fight through the obstacles ahead."
Those words struck Amelia deeply when her father died.
But before we dive into Amelia's heartbreak, let's shift our gaze to Amanda.
Amanda returned to Delta State to enroll at the University of Delta. Alongside her studies, she opened a small fashion design shop. It was ambitious and exhausting, but Amanda was determined. She began teaching ten students—though only two would eventually play a vital role in Amelia's personal and family life: Delilah Ozioma and Lily Daaluchineke. Their stories will unfold in due time.
Despite the stress of balancing school and her growing business, Amanda remained resilient.
One day, she and her classmates went on an excursion to Lagos. While the rest of the students returned to Delta, Amanda stayed behind to visit her cousin, Iris Adelola, who lived in Lagos with her husband and two children. They welcomed Amanda with open arms.
The next morning, Amanda went downstairs to fetch water for bathing and brushing her teeth. That's when she first caught the attention of the landlady—Mrs. Kate Abosede—who was instantly drawn to Amanda's charisma and beauty.
The very next day, Amanda was eating breakfast when a knock startled her.
"Who could that be?" she wondered.
She opened the door to find an elderly woman standing outside.
Amanda smiled warmly. "Good morning, ma."
The woman returned the smile and stepped inside as Amanda ushered her in.
"I'll get straight to the point," she said, her voice calm but direct. "My name is Kate Abosede. I'm the landlady of this building. I want you to marry my son. He's a fine young man, and you're beautiful. Just think about it—no pressure."
Amanda's eyes widened in disbelief.
Just then, Iris entered the room. "Who is that?"
"Mrs. Kate," Amanda replied.
Iris greeted the older woman and listened as Amanda filled her in on the conversation. Laughing lightly, Iris said she understood and promised Kate that Amanda would give it some thought. With that, Kate bid them goodbye.
Amanda stayed in Lagos for a week, but the strange yet sincere proposal continued to occupy her thoughts. Eventually, curiosity—and perhaps fate—led her back to Mrs. Kate's home.
She knocked. The door opened to reveal a tall, handsome man.
"Hi, good morning. I'm looking for Mrs. Kate," Amanda said politely.
"Please come in. I'm her son. And… you're beautiful," he added with a smile.
"Thank you. It's nice to meet you."
"I'll go get my mom. Please have a seat."
Amanda sat in the modest yet cozy living room. A few minutes later, Mrs. Kate entered with her son.
"Good morning, Amanda," Kate greeted.
"Good morning, ma. How are you today?"
"I'm doing well, thank you for asking. So—have you considered my proposal?"
Amanda took a breath. "Yes, I have. And… yes, I'll marry him. But first, I'd like to get to know him better. Is that okay?"
"That's fantastic! Of course, you can," Kate beamed. "I have two children—my son here, and a daughter who lives with her husband. My husband passed away years ago."
"I'm so sorry for your loss, ma'am," Amanda said gently.
"Thank you, dear. What about your family?"
"They're doing well back in Delta."
"I'd love to meet them someday. Now, I'll leave you two to talk."
As Kate exited, her son turned to Amanda with a soft smile.
"So… you're marrying me, huh?"
Amanda chuckled. "I guess so."
"My name is Elijah Abosede."
"And I'm Amanda Chukwudalu."
"Wow. That's a beautiful name for a beautiful woman. I'm lucky."
"Thank you," Amanda blushed. "I'd really like to get to know you better. I'm heading back to Delta tomorrow—please give me your number so we can talk every day."
"I'd be honored. Here it is—I'll always answer."
Amanda stood and smiled. "I'm off to pack now. Say hi to your mom and sister for me."
"I will. Safe travels."
But just as Amanda's life was starting to bloom, Amelia's world was beginning to crumble.
When Amelia was just four years old, she experienced what she now realizes was a childhood crush—an innocent fondness for her next-door neighbor, Oliver Fumnanya. He was sweet and always helped her out. But as the years passed, the feeling faded. It had never been romantic—just comfort.
Her true world was her parents.
Though they weren't the perfect couple, they tried. Misunderstandings, arguments, and late-night silences filled their home, but so did effort and love. Her father, Noah, was often overwhelmed by debt—owing money to multiple people. Yet, when he did have money, he squandered it on drinks and company instead of meaningful plans. Her mother, Scarlett, did her best to shoulder the weight, repaying what she could.
Then, without warning, Noah fell ill.
They rushed him to the hospital where Scarlett worked as a nurse. Desperate to help, she wheeled him toward the lab for testing.
But they couldn't find the key to the lab.
Precious minutes passed.
Before anything could be done, Noah took his final breath—in the very hospital his wife served, surrounded by unanswered prayers and chaos.