Chapter 8 - The Secret WitnessThe stranger introduced himself as Daniel Azu.

He claimed he had worked for Donald for years.

Security.

Drivers.

Private transfers.

Dirty jobs.

“I left after Kelvin died,” he said.

“Why come back now?”

“Because Donald ordered me to kill Emeka.”

Chioma stared at him.

“You refused?”

“Yes.”

“He would kill you.”

“He tried.”

Daniel pulled back his shirt.

A long scar ran across his ribs.

“He thought I was dead.”

Mr. Nwosu sat down.

“How did you survive?”

“Someone helped me.”

“Who?”

Daniel looked at Chioma.

“Kelvin.”

Chioma's eyes widened.

“Kelvin was dead.”

“Yes.”

“But…”

Daniel shook his head.

“He survived the attack long enough to escape.”

Chioma stared.

“Then who died?”

Daniel's answer was quiet.

“An innocent man.”

Silence filled the room.

“Donald used another body.”

Chioma's blood turned cold.

“He staged his brother's death?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Kelvin had discovered the money network.”

Emeka stepped forward.

“Where is Kelvin now?”

Daniel looked toward the door.

“Dead.”

“Then what did you mean when you said he helped you?”

“Before he died, he gave me something.”

“What?”

“A recording.”

Daniel handed over a tiny memory card.

Chioma watched Dubem insert it into the laptop.

A video appeared.

Kelvin sat in a dark room.

His face was bruised.

“If you are watching this,” he said, “Donald is probably already trying to clean everything.”

He looked directly into the camera.

“I made one mistake.”

A pause.

“I trusted Ebere.”

Chioma stopped breathing.

Kelvin continued.

“She knew Donald wanted Chioma because of the land.”

Ebere began crying.

“She helped him approach her.”

Chioma turned away.

“But Ebere did not know what Donald would eventually do.”

Kelvin's face tightened.

“He intends to take the family land after Chioma marries him.”

Chioma whispered:

“He never got it.”

Kelvin nodded in the recording.

“Because I changed the documents.”

Chioma looked back.

“The land can only transfer if Chioma signs a specific agreement.”

“What agreement?”

Kelvin said:

“Not a marriage agreement.”

“Then what?”

“A business transfer.”

Chioma's blood ran cold.

Donald had been trying to make her sign something all these years.

The contract she once thought was for a charity foundation.

She had never completed it.

That meant the land was still hers.

Kelvin continued:

“If Donald fails to get the signature, he will destroy Chioma.”

The recording ended.

Chioma sat in silence.

“He did destroy me.”

Emeka looked at her.

“He thought fear would make you sign.”

“So now what?”

Daniel answered.

“He will try something else.”

As if summoned by the words, Chioma's phone rang.

Unknown number.

She answered.

“Chioma.”

Donald's voice.

“What do you want?”

“You have something that belongs to me.”

“No.”

“The land.”

“It was never yours.”

Donald laughed softly.

“You think this is about land?”

Chioma said nothing.

“There is another document.”

“What document?”

“The marriage settlement.”

Her stomach tightened.

“I don't have it.”

“Your mother does.”

Chioma turned toward Ebere.

Donald continued:

“She signed it before your wedding.”

“What?”

“She transferred the land through your mother's name.”

Ebere's face collapsed.

Chioma stared at her.

“Mama?”

Donald said:

“Ask her.”

The call ended.

Chioma stood.

“Is it true?”

Ebere was shaking.

“I signed something.”

“What?”

“I thought it was a loan guarantee.”

“Show me.”

Ebere did not move.

“Where is it?”

“Hidden.”

“Where?”

Ebere looked toward the old bedroom.

“Under your father's floorboard.”

They ran there.

Dubem pulled up the board.

Nothing.

Chioma looked around.

Then she noticed a loose brick beneath the bed.

She removed it.

A metal box lay underneath.

Inside was a contract.

But there was something else.

A photograph.

Chioma picked it up.

She nearly dropped it.

The photograph showed her mother standing beside Donald's father.

And in the background was a little boy.

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A little boy Chioma recognized.

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