ONCE UPON A DREAM 💖

Chapter one

To dupeadedej i

For her ceaseless love and support.

You are the best dear 🤩

.

5:30 AM

"BRINNNNNNNNNG!"

The shrill sound of her alarm shattered the early morning silence, jolting Matilda Wright awake. She shot out of bed like a soldier responding to a battle call, her heart hammering against her ribcage. In her rush, her foot caught the edge of her duvet, sending her stumbling forward.

"Damn it!" she gasped, catching herself just in time.

Shaking off the drowsiness, she hurried to her wardrobe, yanking it open with more force than necessary. In a practiced motion, she pulled off her night robe, replacing it with her usual workout attire—a pair of snug black bum shorts and a faded gray singlet that had seen better days.

She caught her reflection in the mirror. Large brown eyes stared back at her, framed by thick lashes. Her arrow-shaped nose and full pink lips, slightly parted in exhaustion, were features that had once drawn admiration. And then, of course, there were her curves—generous, defined, the kind that could make men lose their sense of reason.

Not that she cared.

Matilda ran a hand through her thick dreadlocks, a small smirk playing on her lips. She had never been the girlish type—never the kind to obsess over dresses, heels, or those silly romance novels that Cassandra and Belinda devoured. Football and basketball had always been her escape, her true love.

Grabbing her headphones, she stepped outside, inhaling the crisp morning air as she began her jog. The rhythmic pounding of her feet against the pavement was a comfort, each step grounding her in the present. But after several kilometers, sweat coated her skin, and her breath came in short, uneven gasps. A sharp, unexpected pain sliced through her right calf.

She stopped abruptly, pressing a hand against her thigh to steady herself.

And then her phone buzzed.

She fished it out of her pocket, her brows furrowing at the caller ID.

Cassandra.

Matilda sighed. It was too early for her sister’s drama.

Still catching her breath, she swiped to answer. "Hello?"

"You haven't been picking my calls lately," Cassandra's voice came through, clipped and impatient, skipping any form of greeting.

Matilda rolled her eyes. Here we go again.

Cassandra, the eldest of the Wright sisters, had made it her life’s mission to nag Matilda about everything—especially her fashion sense. Not that it ever worked.

"We're back in Nigeria—Gray and I," Cassandra continued, her voice dripping with excitement. "We had the most romantic honeymoon in Maldives—"

"Whatever," Matilda cut her off, deadpan.

Cassandra let out a sharp sigh but didn’t press. She knew Matilda too well to expect enthusiasm. "Fine. Since you’re not interested in that, let’s get to the point. We’re hosting a dinner party at the Brigg’s Mansion this weekend. Pack your things—you’ll be staying over."

Matilda almost groaned aloud. Not a party. Anything but that.

She could already feel the headache forming.