Bella
Do I really have to keep cooking for this man who keeps draining me? she asked herself as she walked toward the crowd gathered at her destination.
Earlier, she had met with her boyfriend, Davidson. He had told her there was a raid at the compound where he worked, and she had to leave earlier than planned.
By 6:30 p.m., she was walking back alone. No sign of the so-called boyfriend.
I have to take the long road, she thought.
As she got closer to her mother's shop, she saw him.
A living fantasy.
The kind she had only ever read about in books. Tall, confident, striking—he carried himself in a way that drew attention without effort. Bella found herself staring, completely captivated. For a moment, everything else faded away.
She didn't even notice at first that he was walking a lady home.
Even after he disappeared from sight, she remained lost in the moment. That brief encounter lifted her mood instantly. She forgot all about her exhausting boyfriend.
That night, she dreamt about him.
The next day, she realized the girl she had seen him with was someone she recognized—a beautiful girl she had always admired from afar.
By 6:30 p.m., Bella was already seated at a small shop close to the girl's house, hoping to see him again. She waited… but he never showed up. Instead, she saw the girl returning home alone.
Disappointed, she left angrily.
Days passed. A week went by, and Bella didn't see him again. Eventually, she gave up.
Her boyfriend, on the other hand, continued to drain her—emotionally, financially, and mentally. He manipulated her, made promises he never kept, and depended on her for everything.
She had given him gifts in January. Now February had come, and she had no intention of giving him anything for Valentine's Day.
She was preparing to return to school after the COVID-19 lockdown. Her mother had given her money for her school fees, but already, her boyfriend was asking for it—again claiming he wanted to start a business. It wasn't the first time.
Each time ended the same way.
The money would disappear. New clothes, slippers, and excuses would follow. And still, he would betray her trust.
She had even sold her phone once to support him. He promised to replace it but instead gave her something barely usable—then later took it back and sold it.
She never saw a dime.
Was I under some kind of spell? she wondered.
Because this… this isn't love.
Then her thoughts drifted.
A soft smile appeared on her face as she remembered the man she had seen—the stranger who felt like something out of a dream.
Her fantasy.
What drew Bella—also known as Maras—to him wasn't just his appearance.
It was the mystery.