CHAPTER FOUR: Coffee and Boundaries
Amara wasn’t used to being seen anymore. Not truly. Not without Jason by her side like some polished accessory that made her presence “acceptable” in elite circles.
So when Darius called the next day and asked if she was free for coffee, her first instinct was to say no.
Too soon. Too risky. Too... complicated.
But she said yes.
They met at a quiet café tucked into a leafy corner of Lekki. No crowd. No pressure. Just two people with too much behind them and something uncertain between them.
Darius wore a deep blue shirt rolled at the sleeves. Confident, but relaxed. He ordered her ginger tea without asking — “You look like someone who needs warmth more than caffeine.”
He wasn’t wrong.
“So,” he began, “why haven’t I seen you in the industry before?”
“Because I was busy building someone else’s dream,” Amara replied, sipping the tea. “And now... I’m learning to build mine.”
“From the looks of that campaign, you’re not just building it. You’re dominating.”
She smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.
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“You ever feel like... winning after betrayal feels hollow? Like you want to shout your success from rooftops, but a part of you still whispers, ‘He should’ve seen this. He should’ve known what I was worth.'”
Darius leaned back, studying her with something like admiration and patience.
“I think,” he said, “you’re not trying to prove it to him. You’re proving it to the version of you that once believed you weren’t enough.”
Amara blinked. That hit deeper than she expected.
They talked for an hour. About business. Branding. Books they hadn’t finished. Divorces. Heartbreaks. Starting over. Not once did Darius flirt. Not once did he overstep.
As they stood to leave, he looked at her gently.
“I’m not asking for anything. Just... coffee. Whenever you need it.”
Amara nodded. “Thank you. That’s... rare.”
As she watched him walk away, she realized something strange.
For the first time in months, she didn’t feel like she had to defend her worth. She didn’t feel broken. She felt... seen.
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