ORNAMENTS✅

Chapter Twenty Nine.

Dasuki State, Nigeria.
2022.

Asad parked outside Zizi’s apartment. There were a few reporters standing near her door, likely waiting for Nabeel Shamaki—her supposed boyfriend—to show up. They were hoping to capture a scandal. Asad found it laughable and didn't want to get involved in any such drama. He quickly covered his face and walked past them.

He knocked on Zizi’s door, and she opened it, uninterested. “Come in,” she said curtly.

Asad stepped inside and pulled her into a bone crushing hug. “Baby,” he called softly. She tried to push him away, but he held her tightly.

"Why are you here?" she asked, looking up at him.

"I missed you," he replied, his voice smooth.

She scoffed. "You know you're lieing. All this time, you were just using me."

Asad sighed, deciding it was time to be honest. He turned her around to face him.

"Zizi, in a man’s life, there are girls we marry, and then there are girls we date and love. I love you, and it's official between us now. Let’s date," he said, holding her hand. "I won’t promise you marriage, but I promise you my heart. The heart of Asad Yabo is forever yours. Zizi," he continued, kneeling down and pulling a ring from his pocket. "Will you make me the happiest man and be my girlfriend?"

Tears welled up in her eyes. Asad felt a rush of satisfaction. Perhaps she was buying it. He didn’t need to try any harder; his looks and charm had worked once again.

"You're lying, Asad. You just want me to abort the baby. That's why you crawled back here. I know you like the back of my hand, Asad Yabo."

Damn. She knew him too well.

"Babe, I want you to abort the baby, but I’m sincere about dating you and enjoying everything with you by my side," he confessed, hoping she would relent.

Zizi shook her head, not believing him.

"Go away, Asad. You're lying," she said, opening the door to usher him out. Asad felt frustrated but knew he had to work on his acting skills. He would return, and she would do what he wanted.

After trying to convince her one last time and failing, he left her apartment. He was already in his car when her text came through.

"Don’t break my heart this time, okay?"

Asad immediately got out of the car and rushed back into her apartment, pulling her into a hug. "I won’t break your heart ever, okay babe?"

She smiled, and they went back to their physical intimacy. Asad knew Zizi needed it, and he couldn’t let anyone else have her. She was his. He was the first one to have her, and he would make sure he would always be the only one. She was his, and only his—his possession.

"Let’s keep the baby," she said quietly, breaking the silence.

"Why?" Asad asked, confused. What could they possibly do with a baby?

"Asad, your child with Umaimah was born dead," Zizi revealed. "Why don’t we keep this one?"

Dead? That was news to him. He didn’t even know about the child’s death.

"What do you mean born dead? A stillborn baby?" he asked, his voice betraying his shock.

She nodded. "I was there when Nabeel took her out. So why don’t we keep this baby?"

Asad paused for a moment. "Okay, let’s keep it," he agreed, though he had no idea why Zizi was so insistent on it.

The next moment, he was up, getting dressed. He needed to leave—he had to address the situation with Nabeel. "Zizi, take some rest, okay? I need to take care of something."