A part of her wanted to tell him immediately, “Maybe he will care.
Maybe he will do the right thing.
But another part of her screamed, “What if he thinks you planned it? What if he thinks you’re trying to trap him?” She didn’t know.
She didn’t know.
And while Daisy was still battling her own thoughts, Anita was planning.
Anita had been waiting for the perfect moment.
Now Daisy was weak.
Now Ethan was visiting often.
Now the store was full of gossip.
So, Anita did what jealous people did best.
She created proof.
Fake chats, screenshots, messages that looked real, messages that said things like 100,000 for a full night.
Come to the hotel.
My wife can’t satisfy me like you can.
Anita spread it quietly first, then loudly.
She sent it to staff group chats.
She sent it to people outside.
She even let it accidentally reach the wrong eyes.
And soon Ethan’s internal investigation team heard the rumor.
They believed it.
Because rumors fit the stereotype people already wanted to believe.
And once people decide who you are, they don’t need evidence.
They only need confirmation.
Ethan’s team began preparing a confrontation.
That same morning, Mr.s.
Clara Admy heard the rumor, too, and it made her angry.
Not just because it involved Daisy, because it was too familiar, the way society punished women quickly and forgave men easily.
Mr.s.
Clara called Ethan immediately.
My son, she said sharply.
I’m hearing nonsense.
Ethan’s voice came calm.
What nonsense, Mom.
They’re saying the girl is a gold digger, Mr.s.
Clara said.
That she sleeps around.
Ethan didn’t answer immediately.
Mr.s.
Clara’s voice rose.
That is not the girl your father and I met,” she said firmly.
“Do you hear me? That is not her.
” Ethan’s silence on the line was heavy.
Mr.s.
Clara softened slightly.
“Ethan,” she said, “don’t let people’s jealousy lead you.
” That afternoon, everything exploded.
The boutique doors burst open and a woman stormed in like fire.
Her hair was perfect, her clothes were expensive, her face was twisted with rage.
This was Gloria O’iki.
And right behind her was a man who looked nervous, sweating, and embarrassed.
James Oiki, her husband.
Gloria didn’t come quietly.
She came to destroy.
Where is she? Gloria shouted.
Where is Daisy Okafor? Heads turned.
Phones started coming out.
Customers froze midstep.
Even staff members who had been gossiping quietly now looked excited.
Drama had arrived.
Daisy looked up from the counter, confused.
Then Gloria spotted her and marched forward up like a hunter.
“So, it’s you.
” Gloria hissed.
Daisy’s brows pulled together.
“Madam, I don’t know you.
” Gloria laughed coldly.
“Oh, you don’t know me.
” She turned sharply and grabbed James by the arm.
“Tell her.
Tell her who I am.
” James avoided Daisy’s eyes.
His voice came low.
“She’s my wife.
” Gloria shoved her phone toward Daisy’s face.
“You seduced my husband,” she shouted.
“You shameless thing.
You are sleeping with married men to sell your rubbish products.
” People gasped.
Some staff members murmured like they were watching a movie.
Anita stepped forward dramatically, pretending shock.
“What, Daisy?” Gloria tapped her phone wildly.
“And don’t pretend,” Gloria yelled.
“I have proof.
” She held the phone up so others could see.
Fake chat messages.
Messages from Daisy.
The crowd drew closer.
Annie Ume covered her mouth theatrically.
A customer shook her head and muttered, “I always knew these luxury girls.
” Daisy’s chest tightened.
Her hands began to tremble.
“This This is not me,” Daisy said quickly.
“I didn’t send that.
” Gloria laughed louder.
“You didn’t?” Gloria snapped.
So, who did ghost? Daisy forced herself to breathe.
Madam, she said, voice shaking but trying to be logical.
Check the time on that message.
It says it was sent at 2 pm the day before yesterday.
Gloria paused slightly, still angry.
Izzy continued fast because she could feel the crowd turning against her.
At 2 pm that day, I was closing a deal.
I was in the store.
I was working.
I didn’t have time to message anybody like that.
The crowd murmured.
Daisy swallowed.
“Someone must have used my phone,” she said.
“That’s the only explanation.
” Gloria scoffed.
“Lies,” she turned to the crowd.
“Look at her acting innocent.
” More voices joined.
“Disgusting, shameless girl.
She’s one of those.
” Then, like life was determined to crush Daisy completely, her home life entered the boutique.
The doors opened again, and two women stormed in.
One older, hard-faced, loud, angry.
One younger, sharp tonged, jealous, dramatic.
Daisy’s heart dropped to her stomach because she knew that face.
Her mother and her sister.
They lived in the same house.
They had noticed things.
Daisy vomiting, Daisy pale, Daisy skipping meals, Daisy waking up at night to breathe through fear.
They had pressed her.
They had watched.
And when Daisy tried to hide, they searched through her things.
They found the test strip.
That was how they knew.
Daisy’s mother pointed at her like she wanted to tear her apart.
Everybody look at her.
Her mother screamed, “A man got her pregnant, and we must collect money today.
” Daisy’s mouth fell open.
“Mama, please.
” But her sister jumped in quickly.
“If we don’t get money today,” her sister shouted.
“We will abort it.
Do you hear? We will abort it.
The boutique erupted.
Gloria’s eyes widened like she had found a new weapon.
You see, Gloria screamed.
So, you are pregnant and you still want to deny? She grabbed Daisy’s arm.
Cheap girl.
Gloria spat.
You seduced my husband and now you’re pregnant.
Daisy tried to pull back, but hands began to touch her.
Too many hands.
Too many voices.
Anita shouted, “Hold her.
She’s trying to run.
Someone grabbed Daisy’s shoulder.
Another person grabbed her wrist.
Daisy panicked.
Please, she cried.
Please let go of me.
Her mother pushed forward, screaming again.
James O’iki, you will pay today.
James stammered.
Madam, I swear nothing happened.
But nobody listened.
The crowd loved the story too much.
Daisy’s chest heaved as tears spilled down her cheeks.
I didn’t send those messages, she cried.
I didn’t.
Gloria raised her hand like she wanted to slap her.
You will pay today, Gloria screamed.
Daisy tried to protect herself, but the pressure increased.
Somebody shoved her.
Somebody held her down.
Daisy struggled, her body shaking as fear and pain mixed together.
“Please,” she cried again, voice breaking.
“I’m begging you.
There’s a baby.
” But the louder she begged, the more they shouted over her.
And right there, in the middle of that luxury boutique, Daisy Aaphor realized something painful.
In a world that already decided who you are, your tears don’t count as evidence, and her nightmare had only just begun.
Daisy’s body shook as hands still held her down.
Gloria’s voice was loud, ugly, full of rage.
Her mother was still shouting.
Her sister was still threatening abortion like it was a joke.
And the crowd, people Daisy had never met, kept pressing in like hungry animals enjoying the show.
Daisy’s tears fell without permission.
Her cheeks were hot.
Her throat felt like it was closing.
Then she felt it.
A sharp pull at her arm.
Another shove.
And suddenly the fear in her chest became something else.
A deeper fear.
Not for herself.
for the small life inside her.
Daisy gasped and instinctively wrapped both hands over her stomach, trying to protect it, even as her body trembled.
“Please,” she cried.
“Please don’t.
You can hurt my baby.
” But nobody cared.
Gloria leaned closer, her eyes wild.
“You want to trap my husband with pregnancy?” she spat.
“Today you’ll learn your lesson.
” Daisy’s mother screamed again.
“Where is the man? We need money now.
” her sister added, “If we don’t collect today, we will remove it.
” Daisy closed her eyes, shaking her head again and again.
They will hurt my baby.
They will hurt my baby.
And in that moment, Daisy realized something painful.
She didn’t have time to protect her reputation anymore.
She had to protect her child.
So, she opened her mouth and said the only truth that could stop them.
The baby.
Her voice cracked.
The baby is Ethan Admy’s.
Silence hit the boutique like a slap.
Then laughter.
It started small like a cruel cough, then spread like wildfire.
People laughed as if Daisy had told the funniest joke of the year.
Anita laughed the loudest.
Gloria laughed with her whole chest.
Even some staff members laughed.
Ethan Adammy.
Someone shouted.
The CEO.
Ah, so now you’re aiming higher.
another mocked as if a billionaire would touch you.
A billionaire cannot scoop so low.
Look at this girl.
She wants to use big name to cover her shame.
Daisy’s eyes filled again, but she didn’t lower her head.
She was tired of begging, tired of explaining, tired of being treated like dirt.
Her voice came out shaking but firm.
I’m not lying.
Gloria stepped forward, smiling like she had won.
Okay, she said loudly.
If you’re not lying, call him.
Anita folded her arms.
Yes, call him now.
Let’s see.
Someone else shouted.
Call him.
Call him.
The crowd became excited again, hungry for another round.
Gloria lifted her chin like a queen.
And if it’s true, she said, waving her hand dramatically.
I will kneel down and apologize.
Her mother scoffed and added, I will kneel, too.
Her sister laughed.
We will all kneel, but we know you are lying.
They all laughed again, sure of themselves.
Because in their minds, Daisy was too small for that kind of man.
Daisy’s fingers shook as she reached into her bag and brought out her phone.
Her throat was tight.
Her whole body was weak, but she dialed.
One ring, two rings, three rings.
Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest.
Then his voice came through calm and clear.
“Daisy,” just hearing her name from him made something break inside her.
“Ethan,” she whispered, voice cracking.
“Please, please come.
They want to hurt me.
They They want to hurt my baby.
” There was a pause.
Just one second.
But Daisy felt it like one whole year.
Then Ethan’s voice changed.
It became cold.
Not cold toward Daisy.
Cold toward danger.
Where are you? He asked sharply.
At the boutique, Daisy cried.
Eureka branch.
I’m coming, Ethan said.
Don’t move.
The call ended.
Daisy’s chest heaved.
She looked up at the crowd, her eyes swollen with tears.
I called him.
Gloria laughed harder.
Okay, she shouted.
Let’s wait.
Let’s see if he will come for you.
Anita leaned closer to Daisy’s face and whispered with poison in her voice.
When nobody comes, you’ll be finished.
Daisy didn’t answer.
She just held her stomach and prayed silently.
Minutes later, the boutique doors flew open again.
This time, it wasn’t a woman storming in.
It was power.
A group of men in black stepped in first.
Security.
Then Ethan Adami walked in behind them.
He didn’t rush like a confused man.
He walked like a man who owned the air in that room.
His suit was perfect.
His face was hard.
His eyes were dark.
And the moment he saw Daisy on the floor, held down crying, his jaw tightened so sharply it looked like it could crack.
Stop.
His voice wasn’t loud, but it cut through everything.
Every hand froze.
Every mouth closed.
Even Gloria’s breath caught.
Ethan took one step forward and his security men moved immediately, pulling people back and creating space like a wall.
Daisy sat up slowly, shaking, still holding her belly.
Ethan’s eyes flicked to her stomach for half a second, then back to her face.
“Are you hurt?” he asked her quietly.
Daisy couldn’t even speak.
She only shook her head quickly and cried harder.
Ethan straightened.
His eyes swept across the room and suddenly people started moving back like crabs.
Gloria’s confidence melted in one second.
Her face turned pale.
She started stepping away.
I I didn’t know.
