The cool night air wrapped around Majek like a shroud as he stood outside Agnes's apartment building. The streetlamp flickered overhead, casting long shadows on the cracked pavement, as if the city itself was hesitant, waiting for what was to come.
He clutched the small leather-bound notebook he had started years ago, filled with dreams and half-formed plans, now worn at the edges like the fragile hope inside him. The phone call from earlier that day replayed in his mind—the chilling warning, the voice that promised danger if he dared move forward.
But he wasn't going to back down. Not this time.
Taking a deep breath, he stepped inside and made his way up to Agnes's floor.
Agnes's Apartment — A Fragile Sanctuary
Agnes sat by the window, the city lights sparkling like distant stars beneath the night sky. Her fingers absently traced the rim of a coffee mug, the warmth a small comfort in a world that suddenly felt colder.
Since the offer from Geneva, everything had shifted.
It wasn't just the job. It was the possibility of freedom—and the terrifying cost it demanded.
She thought of her father's steely expectations, Lami's poisonous threats, and the fractured pieces of herself she was still trying to gather after the shooting.
Her phone buzzed softly.
A message from Majek: I'm coming upstairs.
Her heart skipped. Despite the danger, despite the uncertainty, she wanted to see him. To feel the solidness of someone who wasn't part of the empire she was supposed to inherit but who had quietly become her anchor.
Reunion
The door clicked open, and Majek stepped inside, shedding his jacket with the fatigue of a man who had been carrying the world.
Agnes rose and wrapped her arms around him, the embrace tentative but desperate. For a moment, the chaos outside ceased to exist.
"I don't know if I'm ready for this," Agnes whispered into his chest.
Majek held her tighter. "Neither am I. But maybe readiness isn't the point. Maybe it's about choosing each other anyway."
She pulled back, searching his eyes. "What if we fail? What if this love… isn't enough?"
Majek smiled softly. "Then we fight harder."
The Weight of Expectations
Agnes glanced at the framed photo on her dresser—the one with her mother's gentle smile.
"She wanted me to have a better life," Agnes said, voice trembling. "But this life... feels like a cage."
Majek nodded. "Your father, Lami… they think they can control you because of your family name."
"Because of the pact," Agnes said bitterly. "The promise that my life is not mine to choose."
Majek's jaw clenched. "But it is yours. And I won't let anyone take that away."
A Plan Takes Shape
The next morning, Majek sat at his cluttered desk, piecing together documents and notes. He had spent the night researching—legal loopholes, corporate bylaws, and everything in between.
If Agnes was to take the Geneva offer, he wanted to make sure she could do so on her own terms.
His phone buzzed again—another anonymous threat warning him to back off.
He stared at the screen, fists clenched. "I'm done being scared."
An Unexpected Visitor
Later that day, as Majek was leaving his apartment, there was a sharp knock on the door.
He opened it to find a middle-aged man in a tailored suit—someone unfamiliar but with an air of quiet authority.
"Mr. Goriola," the man said, flashing a business card. "I'm Samuel Adewale. I represent a faction interested in SMG's internal affairs. We believe you might be useful."
Majek narrowed his eyes. "Useful how?"
Adewale smiled thinly. "Let's just say... we want to ensure the future is shaped by those with integrity. Not by threats and manipulation."
Majek's mind raced. Was this a trap? Or an unexpected ally?
"I'll think about it," he said carefully.
Adewale nodded. "You don't have much time."
Agnes's Conflicted Heart
That evening, Agnes sat at the grand piano again, fingers trembling above the keys.
The melody she played was hesitant—unfinished.
Her phone vibrated with a call from her father.
"Agnes," Mr. Lewis's voice was cold but edged with something fragile. "Have you made your decision?"
Agnes swallowed. "I'm thinking about it."
"You know what this means," he said. "Turning your back on the family isn't something I'll allow easily."
She closed her eyes. "I'm not turning my back. I'm trying to find myself."
A Moment of Vulnerability
After the call, Agnes texted Majek.
"Can we meet? I need to talk."
They met at their café sanctuary, both aware this could be the last time before everything changed.
"Geneva's not just about the job," Agnes said, voice breaking. "It's about reclaiming my life. But it scares me to think of leaving you behind."
Majek reached across the table, taking her hand. "You're not leaving me behind. You're taking me with you—in your heart."
She smiled through tears. "What if your heart can't keep up?"
"Then I'll run after you," Majek whispered.
The Threat Tightens
As they left the café, Majek's phone buzzed again—a text with no sender.
"Stop this now, or there will be consequences."
Agnes glanced around nervously. "Who's watching us?"
Majek shook his head. "I don't know. But I won't let fear win."
They walked through the dark streets, side by side, two fragile souls daring to hope.
The Decision Looms
Back in her apartment, Agnes sat with her suitcase open, clothes half-packed.
Her phone buzzed one last time—a video message from Lami.
He was calm but menacing.
"You can run to Geneva, Agnes. But you can't run from me."
The screen went black.
Agnes's hands trembled, but her eyes burned with new resolve.
She wasn't a pawn.
She was a woman fighting for her own destiny.
Epilogue of the Chapter
Majek stared out at the city skyline from his apartment, the notebook open on his lap.
His words written years ago now felt like a prophecy.
"Courage isn't the absence of fear. It's the choice to act despite it."
He picked up his phone and dialed Agnes's number.
"Whatever happens," he said when she answered, "we face it together."
"Together," Agnes whispered.