CHAPTER FIVE: The Truth He Hid
Chidimma couldn't focus.
Not on the files in front of her.
Not on the calls she was supposed to make.
Not even on the quiet office around her.
Her mind kept replaying everything.
Julian.
Vanessa.
"Future husband."
She tightened her grip on the pen in her hand.
Why does it still hurt this much?
She hated it.
Hated how he could walk back into her life and shake everything she had tried so hard to rebuild.
"Miss Chidimma?"
She looked up quickly.
"Yes?"
"Mr. Julian asked for this file," a staff member said, placing a document on her desk.
"Okay, I'll take it to him."
Anything to distract herself.
Standing in front of his office again felt different this time.
Heavier.
More personal.
She knocked.
"Come in."
Chidimma stepped inside, keeping her expression neutral.
"You asked for this," she said, placing the file on his desk.
Julian nodded but didn't open it.
Instead, he looked at her.
Quietly.
Intensely.
"What?" she asked, already feeling uncomfortable under his gaze.
"We need to talk," he said.
Chidimma laughed dryly.
"About what? Work or the past you refuse to explain?"
Julian stood up slowly.
"This isn't a joke."
"Then say what you want to say," she replied, crossing her arms.
Silence.
For a moment, it seemed like he was fighting with himself.
Like he didn't know where to begin.
Then finally—
"Two years ago… I didn't leave because I wanted to."
Chidimma froze.
Her heart skipped.
"What are you talking about?" she asked quietly.
Julian exhaled slowly, his eyes no longer cold—but heavy.
"My father forced me to end things with you."
The words hit her like a shock.
"What?"
"He found out about us," Julian continued. "And he made it clear—I had a choice."
Chidimma's chest tightened.
"What choice?" she asked, her voice barely steady.
"You… or my family."
Silence filled the room.
"You're lying," she said, shaking her head. "That doesn't make sense. You could have told me."
"I wanted to," he replied. "But he threatened you."
That stopped her completely.
"What do you mean?" she whispered.
Julian's jaw clenched.
"He said if I didn't leave you… he would make sure your life became miserable. Your family, your future—everything."
Chidimma felt her legs weaken slightly.
"No… he wouldn't…"
"You don't know him," Julian said sharply. "I do."
Tears slowly filled her eyes, but she blinked them back.
"So your solution was to hurt me?" she asked. "To walk away without a word? To make me feel like I meant nothing?"
His eyes softened slightly.
"I thought it was the only way to protect you."
She let out a painful laugh.
"Protect me?" she repeated. "You broke me."
The words hung in the air.
Heavy.
Painful.
True.
Julian didn't respond immediately.
Because he knew…
She wasn't wrong.
"So everything…" Chidimma said slowly, trying to process it. "Everything was a lie?"
"No," Julian said firmly. "Never that."
She looked at him, searching his face.
"For two years, I thought you stopped loving me," she whispered.
His expression changed.
Something deep.
Something real.
"I never stopped," he said quietly.
Her heart skipped again.
And for a moment…
Everything felt confusing.
The anger.
The pain.
The love she thought was gone.
Before either of them could say anything else—
The office door opened suddenly.
Vanessa.
She stood there, looking between them.
Her eyes sharp.
Suspicious.
"What's going on here?" she asked.
Chidimma quickly stepped back.
"Nothing," she said, her voice slightly unsteady.
But Vanessa wasn't convinced.
Her gaze moved to Julian.
Then back to Chidimma.
And in that moment—
She knew.
Something wasn't right.
Chidimma grabbed the file from the desk.
"I should get back to work," she said quickly.
And without waiting for a response, she walked out.
Her heart was racing.
Her mind spinning.
Everything she believed for two years…
Was a lie.
Or maybe—
Not a lie.
Just a truth she was never told.
Inside the office, Vanessa crossed her arms.
"You want to explain?" she asked.
Julian didn't answer.
Because for the first time in a long time…
He had lost control of the situation.
And outside that door—
Chidimma was finally starting to see the truth.
But the more she discovered…
The more dangerous everything would become.