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The sound of my husband’s car horn sliced through the afternoon like a knife.
My heart hammered so violently I thought it might burst through my chest. I stood frozen by the locked gate while our gateman, Musa, smiled with unsettling calm.
“You cannot leave, madam,” he said softly.
“What are you talking about?” I shouted, pulling desperately at the iron gate. “Open this gate right now!”
He shook his head.
“I cannot.”
The horn sounded again.
Obinna had arrived.
I spun around just as his black SUV rolled into the compound. He stepped out wearing one of his perfectly tailored suits, carrying a bouquet of white lilies.
To anyone watching, he looked like the ideal husband.
Only I knew what lay beneath our bedroom floor.
Only I had seen the woman.
The woman who looked exactly like me.
He smiled as he approached.
“My beautiful wife.”
I backed away instinctively.
His smile faded.
“You looked under the bed.”
It wasn’t a question.
It was a statement.
My mouth went dry.
“I… I dropped an earring.”
He sighed heavily, almost disappointed.
“I begged you not to.”
“You lied to me!” I screamed. “Who is she?”
His expression became unreadable.
Instead of answering, he gently took my hand.
“Come inside.”
“I am not going anywhere with you.”
“You don’t have a choice.”
The way he said it chilled every part of me.
Musa quietly unlocked the gate—not to let me escape, but to allow Obinna to guide me back toward the house.
Inside, he poured himself a glass of water and sat calmly in the living room.
“You deserve the truth,” he finally said.
I remained standing near the door, ready to run if I saw even the smallest opportunity.
“The woman you saw…”
He paused.
“…is my first wife.”
I stared at him.
“What?”
“Her name is Ada.”
“But she looks exactly like me!”
“I know.”
“That’s impossible!”
He closed his eyes.
“When I met you, I thought destiny had finally shown mercy.”
I felt sick.
“What have you done to her?”
“I’ve kept her alive.”
The words sounded even worse than if he had admitted killing her.
“You’ve imprisoned her!”
His jaw tightened.
“You don’t understand.”
“Then explain it!”
He stood and walked toward the bedroom.
“Come.”
Every instinct told me to run.
But I needed answers.
We entered our room.
He pulled back the rug and pressed something hidden beneath the bedframe.
The thick glass panel slowly slid open with a mechanical hum.
Stairs appeared beneath it.
Real stairs.
Leading underground.
He looked at me.
“I built this years ago.”
“You built a prison.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“A hospital.”
Against every ounce of common sense, I followed him down.
The underground room was far larger than I’d imagined.
It wasn’t dark or filthy.
It was spotless.
Medical equipment lined one wall.
Shelves overflowed with medicine.
Air purifiers hummed quietly.
The pregnant woman lay on an adjustable hospital bed.
When she saw me again, tears rolled down her cheeks.
She whispered,
“You came back.”
I rushed toward her.
“I’m going to help you.”
Before I could touch her, Obinna gently stopped me.
“Don’t.”
“Get away from me!”
“Ada isn’t a prisoner.”
She slowly reached for my hand.
Her fingers were ice cold.
She smiled weakly.
“He finally told you.”
I blinked.
“You… you’re not trapped?”
“I asked him to lock the doors.”
Nothing made sense anymore.
“What?”
Ada struggled to sit upright.
“There are people looking for me.”
I looked between them.
“What people?”
She swallowed painfully.
“My family.”
I frowned.
“They’re trying to kill me.”
Silence filled the room.
Obinna knelt beside her.
“Tell her everything.”
Ada nodded.
“My father led a criminal organization.”
My stomach twisted.