THE SECOND PROPOSAL
PART 1
Lagos buzzed with its usual energy—honking cars, the smell of roasted plantain from street vendors, and the distant sound of Afrobeat music floating through the humid air. Inside *La Belle*, one of the most upscale restaurants in Victoria Island, the soft glow of golden chandeliers reflected off polished silverware. The place was known for romance, for celebrations, for moments.
And tonight, it would witness one.
Emeka adjusted his navy-blue agbada for the fifth time, his fingers brushing over the embroidered patterns. His heart hammered against his ribs. Across from him, Nneka sat, radiant in a fitted red dress, her dark skin glowing under the warm light. She sipped her Chapman, her long lashes fluttering as she laughed at something he’d said.
She has no idea what’s coming.
The thought made his palms sweat. He had planned this for weeks—the perfect ring, the perfect setting, the perfect words. He had even rehearsed in front of the mirror, adjusting his tone until it sounded just right.
"Everything okay?" Nneka tilted her head, her burgundy-painted lips curving into a playful smile. "You’ve been quiet."
Emeka cleared his throat. "Yeah, yeah. Just… thinking."
"About?"
About how my life changes after tonight.
He reached for his glass of water, buying time. Nneka had been his girlfriend for two years, and in that time, she had become everything to him—his confidant, his peace, his joy. She was smart, ambitious, and had a laugh that could light up the darkest room.
But there was something else.
Something he had noticed but never voiced.
Nneka had a way of steering things—his decisions, his friendships, even his outings. At first, it felt like care, like she just wanted the best for him. But sometimes, when she thought he wasn’t looking, he caught a glint in her eyes. A calculated gleam.
Maybe I’m overthinking.
The waiter arrived with their food—grilled lobster for her, peppered snail for him. Nneka clapped her hands in delight. "Ah! See what you’ve done, making me eat all these expensive things. You want to spoil me!"
Emeka grinned. "You deserve it."
She reached across the table, squeezing his hand. "You’re too good to me."
His heart swelled. This was it. The moment.
As they ate, he kept glancing at the small velvet box hidden in his pocket. His mind flashed back to the first time he met Nneka—at a mutual friend’s wedding. She had been the one to approach him, striking up a conversation with effortless charm. Within weeks, they were inseparable.
But before Nneka, there had been someone else.
Chioma.
Chioma had been his first love—sweet, kind-hearted, the kind of woman who remembered his mother’s birthday without being reminded. They had dated for three years, and he had been sure she was the one. Until the day he proposed.
Right here. At this very restaurant.
That night, Chioma had hesitated, her smile faltering. Then, with trembling lips, she had said the words that shattered him:
"I can’t, Emeka. I’m sorry."
No explanation. No discussion. Just a quiet rejection before she walked out of his life for good.
He had been broken for months. Then Nneka appeared, picking up the pieces, making him believe in love again.
Now, he was ready to move on. To start fresh.
"Nneka," he said suddenly, his voice firmer than he expected.
She looked up, her fork paused mid-air. "Hmm?"
He pushed his chair back and got down on one knee. Gasps erupted from nearby diners. A woman at the next table clutched her chest.
Nneka’s eyes widened. "Emeka…?"
He pulled out the ring box, opening it to reveal a dazzling diamond. "Nneka, you’ve made me happier than I ever thought I could be. Will you—"
But before he could finish, her hands flew to her mouth, tears welling in her eyes. "Yes!" she blurted out, laughing through her shock. "Yes, yes, yes!"
The restaurant erupted in applause. Emeka stood, lifting her into a spinning hug, her joy contagious.
As they kissed, he felt complete.
He had no idea that Nneka had been there the night he proposed to Chioma.
No idea that she had whispered in Chioma’s ear just before the proposal, planting doubts, twisting truths.
No idea that this entire relationship had been her design.
And now, she had won.
TO BE CONTINUED...