*THE RESTORER'S DAILY GUIDE*

DATE: SUNDAY 22ND JUNE 2025

THEME: *LEARN FROM WOLVES*

MEMORIZE
Proverbs 14:28
In the multitude of people is the king's honour: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince.

READ
Psalms 133:1-3
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
*Unity is strength and shield*

MESSAGE
Wolves are a special breed of the canine family worth learning from.

They often travel as a pack. They are led by their elders who usually stay in the front to lead the pack, they are usually old ones or the sickest amongst the pack, they're no longer strong as they used to be, but are wiser than the whole pack because of their experiences.

Following these elders is a group of very strong wolves who can defend the elders in case of a surprise attack. Following these ones are the rest members of the packs. At the further end, there are usually five strong wolves also strong enough to defend the pack from the rear in a potential ambush. At last, alone is the alpha wolf; the leader of the park. Wolves are strategically organised like a military regiment ready in combat

In summary, they follow the pace of the elders. They are under the command of the leader. They don't leave anyone behind.

A wise man once said "The modern world loves the lone wolf myth; movies are acted to push the idea that isolation is power and going alone is wisdom; the lone wolf is a fifth generation warfare strategy.
It is a weaponised ideology designed to isolate and weaken the next generation."

Every great movement and revolution was built on alliances, not individuals, even in nature, wolves move in packs. The lone wolf will die in cold of the winter; the lone wolf myth is a joke.

Unity is strength and shield. Everyone needs everybody, not just somebody...

The king that died alone was defeated in isolation; otherwise, it is difficult to kill a king who is in the midst of his loyal subjects.

Greatness is the achievement of a people, not the effort of one person.

It is unwise to walk the road of life alone when God has given us like-minded people all around us.

Open your eyes to see your true family and connect.

Shalom, maranatha!

ACTION STEPS
1. Prayerfully meditate on today's devotional guide again.
2. Ask the Lord to deliver you from the lone wolf mentality.
3. Pray for the restoration of all isolated embattled believers, especially in these sensitive times.

REMEMBER
*Unity is strength and shield.*

PRAYERS
Dear heavenly Father, Thank you for today's devotional guide. Surround me with the fellowship of true saints and friends and make me a blessing to people who are going through lonely times in Jesus' name. Amen.

AUTHOR: JEDIDIAH DAVID

DAILY READING: Isaiah 47-48; Galatians 1-2;

HYMN
There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus,
No, not one ! no, not one !
None else could heal all our soul's diseases,
No, not one ! no, not one !

Jesus knows all about our struggles,
He will guide till the day is done ;
There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus,
No, not one ! no, not one !

2
No friend like Him is so high and holy,
No, not one ! no, not one !
And yet no friend is so meek and lowly,
No, not one ! no, not one !

3
There's not an hour that He is not near us,
No, not one ! no, not one !
No night so dark but His love can cheer us,
No, not one ! no, not one !

4
Did ever saint find this Friend forsake him ?
No, not one ! no, not one !
Or sinner find that He would not take him ?
No, not one ! no, not one !

5
Was e'er a gift like the Saviour given ?
No, not one ! no, not one !
Will He refuse us a home in heaven ?
No, not one ! no, not one !

PLEASE SHARE

RELAX! SINGLENESS IS NOT A CURSE

I read about a beautiful lady who was waiting on God for a husband. She continued to wait but eventually began to groan with impatience. At every church meeting, she would approach her pastors and lament her ordeal, and they would encourage her to keep waiting.

One day, at a church program, she approached her pastor, looked him in the eyes, and expressed her feelings of despair. "Daddy, I have waited enough... I am getting weak. I have tried my best... I am getting tired already... Daddy, I repeat, I have waited enough..."

Her pastor looked back at her firmly and said, "If you are tired of waiting for the Lord, what else would you do? Would you return to the world simply because you are waiting for a partner? After all this waiting, there is only one option left for you: Wait for the Lord."

The next time her pastor saw her, she came to another program with her wedding pictures—she had married! Her pastor was taken aback. She was beaming with joy, smiling all around. We all thanked the Lord for her life and for answered prayers, even though it seemed strange.

However, not long after that, her pastor didn't hear from her again for some time. Then the news came that she had di€d. She passed away in the hospital after a long illness, with no one even noticing her absence. It was shocking that she di€d so quietly, and there wasn’t even an announcement of her d€ath among the congregation. She had been buri€d before her pastors learned the news. They later discovered that she had married a married man, and the brief time she spent after her wedding was a t€rrible experience. Eventually, she became seriously ill and passed away.

Dear Singles, Be patient... At the right time, God will settle you.

A relaxed sister is better positioned for marriage than a tensed up lady who is over-eager to shout "Yes" to any marriage proposal. ☹

Those who are too anxious to get married usually make marital mistakes. Until Adam was put to sleep, God couldn't reveal his wife to him. A relaxed mind is the magnet of God's miracle.

Do not coax people to propose to you. Do not scare potential suitors away by putting marriage thoughts in their mind.

There is nothing like getting too old for marriage.

I have never seen anyone di€ of marrying late. But I have seen many di€ because they marry wrong.

It is better to marry an angel at 40 than to marry a devil when you are 25. Do not make marriage look like a "do or die affair".

Singleness is not a Sin
Singleness is not a Bondage
Singleness Is Not A Curse
Singleness Is Not A Sickness,
Singleness Is Not A Pr0blem,
Singleness Is Not A Limitation.
Singleness Is Not A Shame.

You Can Be Single and Be All You Can Be
You Can Be single And Happy,
You Can Be single And Spiritual
You Can Be Single And Anointed,
You Can Be Single And Sound,
You Can Be Single And Successful,
You Can Be Single And Be Unique,
You Can Be Single And Be Fulfilled..

Never mourn Your Singleness because your present state is not your final state.

Marriage is glorious, beautiful, marvelous, exciting, tremendous, and very sweet but so also is singleness. So enjoy your singleness, make good use of it before getting married.

If you have not received a marriage proposal yet it simply means that you are too special for God to throw just anyone at you.

Relax. Don't lose hope and don't be too desperate. Trust in the Lord.

As the Lord lives, you are the next to be celebrated in Jesus name.

Kindly share this message with your loved ones

RELAX! SINGLENESS IS NOT A CURSE

I read about a beautiful lady who was waiting on God for a husband. She continued to wait but eventually began to groan with impatience. At every church meeting, she would approach her pastors and lament her ordeal, and they would encourage her to keep waiting.

One day, at a church program, she approached her pastor, looked him in the eyes, and expressed her feelings of despair. "Daddy, I have waited enough... I am getting weak. I have tried my best... I am getting tired already... Daddy, I repeat, I have waited enough..."

Her pastor looked back at her firmly and said, "If you are tired of waiting for the Lord, what else would you do? Would you return to the world simply because you are waiting for a partner? After all this waiting, there is only one option left for you: Wait for the Lord."

The next time her pastor saw her, she came to another program with her wedding pictures—she had married! Her pastor was taken aback. She was beaming with joy, smiling all around. We all thanked the Lord for her life and for answered prayers, even though it seemed strange.

However, not long after that, her pastor didn't hear from her again for some time. Then the news came that she had di€d. She passed away in the hospital after a long illness, with no one even noticing her absence. It was shocking that she di€d so quietly, and there wasn’t even an announcement of her d€ath among the congregation. She had been buri€d before her pastors learned the news. They later discovered that she had married a married man, and the brief time she spent after her wedding was a t€rrible experience. Eventually, she became seriously ill and passed away.

Dear Singles, Be patient... At the right time, God will settle you.

A relaxed sister is better positioned for marriage than a tensed up lady who is over-eager to shout "Yes" to any marriage proposal. ☹

Those who are too anxious to get married usually make marital mistakes. Until Adam was put to sleep, God couldn't reveal his wife to him. A relaxed mind is the magnet of God's miracle.

Do not coax people to propose to you. Do not scare potential suitors away by putting marriage thoughts in their mind.

There is nothing like getting too old for marriage.

I have never seen anyone di€ of marrying late. But I have seen many di€ because they marry wrong.

It is better to marry an angel at 40 than to marry a devil when you are 25. Do not make marriage look like a "do or die affair".

Singleness is not a Sin
Singleness is not a Bondage
Singleness Is Not A Curse
Singleness Is Not A Sickness,
Singleness Is Not A Pr0blem,
Singleness Is Not A Limitation.
Singleness Is Not A Shame.

You Can Be Single and Be All You Can Be
You Can Be single And Happy,
You Can Be single And Spiritual
You Can Be Single And Anointed,
You Can Be Single And Sound,
You Can Be Single And Successful,
You Can Be Single And Be Unique,
You Can Be Single And Be Fulfilled..

Never mourn Your Singleness because your present state is not your final state.

Marriage is glorious, beautiful, marvelous, exciting, tremendous, and very sweet but so also is singleness. So enjoy your singleness, make good use of it before getting married.

If you have not received a marriage proposal yet it simply means that you are too special for God to throw just anyone at you.

Relax. Don't lose hope and don't be too desperate. Trust in the Lord.

As the Lord lives, you are the next to be celebrated in Jesus name.

Kindly share this message with your loved ones

*Hellooo beautiful souls, it ’s Friday! how are you holding up today?*

Just checking in to say:

If your week was a pizza, I hope today is the extra cheese!"
If not, don’t worry we’re all a bit crusty before coffee

Let’s inhale courage...
Exhale doubt...
And maybe scream into a pillow for 2 minutes just for balance. (Totally therapeutic. Try it.)

Remember:
You are not behind in life. You're just marinating for greatness.
And if laughter is medicine, smile always

Now go out there and be someone's reason to giggle even if it’s just by dancing like nobody's awake yet.

Happy Friday and weekend a head Earthlings! Let’s feel, heal, and be real.


Transforming potential into progress 💪🏽
Love you all !

THE LOVE OF MONEY

The love of money can be a complex and multifaceted topic. Some people view money as a means to achieve freedom, security, and opportunities, while others see it as a source of stress, anxiety, and conflict.

Having a healthy relationship with money involves striking a balance between financial stability and personal values. It's essential to recognize that money is a tool, not the ultimate goal.

The love of money can also lead to an excessive focus on material possessions and wealth, potentially negatively impacting relationships and overall well-being.

What are your thoughts on the love of money? How do you think it affects people's lives?

*SOME NIGERIAN NEWSPAPER HEADLINES+, 20/06/2025*

FG’ll unlock potential of all states, says Tinubu

Kaduna now model of peace under Sani, says Tinubu

Food inflation: NSA, 36 states launch joint action

542 senior military officers retire

National Economic Council postpones planned 150th meeting

Organisers laud entry turnout for AFRIMA 2025

Benue IDPs protest bad conditions in camp

Lagos seals Oko-Oba Abattoir over environmental violations

Israel threatens Khamenei after Iranian missiles wound 240

Trump to make Iran war decision in ‘next two weeks’

Nigeria, Germany sign €20m renewable energy deal

Russia offers 220 Nigerians scholarships

FCCPC seals France, Belgium, Italy visa centres in Abuja


-------------------------------
*DID YOU KNOW?*

* Bluetooth gets its name from Harald “Bluetooth” Gormsson, a 10th-century Danish king who united Denmark and Norway. It was chosen as a codename during the technology’s development by Jim Kardach of Intel, as a nod to the king’s ability to unify different factions, similar to how the technology unites different devices.

* Ants are incredibly strong for their size, capable of carrying 50 times their own weight.
-------------------------------

Tinubu inaugurates Institute of Vocational Training, 100 CNG buses in Kaduna

‘Leave him alone,’ Tinubu tells security as man approaches president in Kaduna

Tinubu confers CFR honour on Dangiwa Umar for role in defending democracy

85% of Rivers N1.48tn budget was drafted by Fubara — Senate

Tinubu has no rival in Kaduna for 2027 — Speaker Abbas

Appeal Court overturns GTBank’s foreclosure of Abiola family’s Ikoyi mansion

GTBank loses bid to reclaim MKO son’s Lagos mansion

Defamation: Court grants Natasha N50m bail

Court admits DSS report linking Kanu to #EndSARS violence

#EndSARS protest: 233 security agents killed at Kanu’s incitement – DSS’ witness

Alleged terrorism: I’ve no case to answer, Kanu tells court

Man jailed 76 years for child pornography, fraud

Two Islamic clerics arraigned for scamming doctor N280m

EFCC nabs seven suspected internet fraudsters in Abuja

Benue killings: Residents sheltered attackers, gave them food, women — CDS

Benue massacre: Troops got faulty info on herders’ movements —CDS

6,260 terrorists killed, 5,365 hostages rescued in two years –DHQ

ECOWAS must boost intra-regional trade to avoid neo-colonialism – Tuggar

REA, FCMB seal N100bn renewable energy deal

DMO raises N91bn from green bond

Fight inflation with credit schemes, OPS urges govt

FG, Kano to build manufacturing hub, boost industrial growth

TCN: Vandalised towers hit 178 in six months

Telecom sector bouncing back after forex crisis, says NCC boss

Japa: FG begins housing scheme for doctors

Wike slams Abuja’s ‘big men’ for poor tax compliance

Tinubu, NASS failed to secure Nigerians — SMBLF

50 million Nigerians are sickle cell carriers – Experts

USSD debt: Telcos recover N170bn from banks

DLM Capital unveils N30bn sovereign-backed credit bond

Stanbic IBTC rights issue oversubscribed by 121.97%

Oye steps down as NACCIMA, OPSN Chairman

Pharmacy council shuts 67 illegal drug outlets in Lagos

Odua Cooperative eyes grant to revive S’West economy

Ojude Oba: Glo celebrates 20 years of sponsorship, presents cars

Bank customers petition CBN over excess charges

Body to scale up bambara nut production

Security beefed up in A’Ibom as Tinubu, Akpabio set to receive Eno to APC on Saturday

Katsina: 287 former aspirants, candidates dump PDP for coalition

AAC seeks justice for 20-year -old assaulted deaf girl

PDP, APC trade words as EFCC arrests 15 ex-Plateau lawmakers

LG fund: APC Rep warns Adeleke as Osun Assembly fumes

Adeleke hails Osun lawmaker for empowering 700 business owners

Abia won’t tolerate crime, Otti warns criminals

Kano senator rewards Qur’anic reciters with new homes

Anambra govt goes tough on landlords, gives July 1 ultimatum

Lagos, Oyo back safer gambling to curb addiction

Housing: Lagos moves to regulate agency charges

Anambra civil service commission receives ICT tools

Gombe approves additional N5,000 allowance for LG, LGEA workers

Kebbi boosts water supply, rehabilitates boreholes to solar power

LASTMA accused of covering up N70m excavator theft at Lagos yard

Imo LG bans non-govt approved vigilante groups

Kebbi CAN debunks rejection of N30m gift, says fund was for Christian crusade, projects

Niger flood: Two more decomposed corpses recovered

Kano CP orders offensive against criminal hideouts

Gombe Police abolish use of truck horns by motorcyclists

Niger police conduct Suleja raid, nab 20 suspects

Uromi killings: Kano, Edo silent as hunter compensation talks stall

-------------------------------

*TODAY IN HISTORY*

* On this day in 1991, the German parliament moved to Berlin. Bonn had been the capital of West Germany until the country’s reunification in 1990. The “Hauptstadtbeschluss” (capital decision) stipulated that the seat of government and the parliament also be moved to the “new” capital Berlin.

-------------------------------

No individual can win a game by himself. – Pele


Good morning

*Compiled by Hon. Osuji George [email protected], +234-8122200446*see

RELAX! SINGLENESS IS NOT A CURSE

I read about a beautiful lady who was waiting on God for a husband. She continued to wait but eventually began to groan with impatience. At every church meeting, she would approach her pastors and lament her ordeal, and they would encourage her to keep waiting.

One day, at a church program, she approached her pastor, looked him in the eyes, and expressed her feelings of despair. "Daddy, I have waited enough... I am getting weak. I have tried my best... I am getting tired already... Daddy, I repeat, I have waited enough..."

Her pastor looked back at her firmly and said, "If you are tired of waiting for the Lord, what else would you do? Would you return to the world simply because you are waiting for a partner? After all this waiting, there is only one option left for you: Wait for the Lord."

The next time her pastor saw her, she came to another program with her wedding pictures—she had married! Her pastor was taken aback. She was beaming with joy, smiling all around. We all thanked the Lord for her life and for answered prayers, even though it seemed strange.

However, not long after that, her pastor didn't hear from her again for some time. Then the news came that she had di€d. She passed away in the hospital after a long illness, with no one even noticing her absence. It was shocking that she di€d so quietly, and there wasn’t even an announcement of her d€ath among the congregation. She had been buri€d before her pastors learned the news. They later discovered that she had married a married man, and the brief time she spent after her wedding was a t€rrible experience. Eventually, she became seriously ill and passed away.

Dear Singles, Be patient... At the right time, God will settle you.

A relaxed sister is better positioned for marriage than a tensed up lady who is over-eager to shout "Yes" to any marriage proposal. ☹

Those who are too anxious to get married usually make marital mistakes. Until Adam was put to sleep, God couldn't reveal his wife to him. A relaxed mind is the magnet of God's miracle.

Do not coax people to propose to you. Do not scare potential suitors away by putting marriage thoughts in their mind.

There is nothing like getting too old for marriage.

I have never seen anyone di€ of marrying late. But I have seen many di€ because they marry wrong.

It is better to marry an angel at 40 than to marry a devil when you are 25. Do not make marriage look like a "do or die affair".

Singleness is not a Sin
Singleness is not a Bondage
Singleness Is Not A Curse
Singleness Is Not A Sickness,
Singleness Is Not A Pr0blem,
Singleness Is Not A Limitation.
Singleness Is Not A Shame.

You Can Be Single and Be All You Can Be
You Can Be single And Happy,
You Can Be single And Spiritual
You Can Be Single And Anointed,
You Can Be Single And Sound,
You Can Be Single And Successful,
You Can Be Single And Be Unique,
You Can Be Single And Be Fulfilled..

Never mourn Your Singleness because your present state is not your final state.

Marriage is glorious, beautiful, marvelous, exciting, tremendous, and very sweet but so also is singleness. So enjoy your singleness, make good use of it before getting married.

If you have not received a marriage proposal yet it simply means that you are too special for God to throw just anyone at you.

Relax. Don't lose hope and don't be too desperate. Trust in the Lord.

As the Lord lives, you are the next to be celebrated in Jesus name.

Kindly share this message with your loved ones

Breaking News

USA doomsday Plane makes unexpected Flight to DC as Trump weighs Iran Strike .

The E-4B "Nightwatch,"dubbed the "Doomsday Plane" is a militarized Boeing 747. The movement of this aircraft, which was last notably deployed on 9/11, suggests preparation for potential intercontinental ballistic missile strikes. The plane allows the US President to safely control forces from an airborne platform, a concept devised during the Cold War .

Could it be that the USA is about to fire missiles ?

Moral lesson : STAY with us as we bring more updates .

**From Waste to Wealth: Transforming Our Future**

**Embrace the Circular Economy!**

Did you know that what we consider waste can actually be a valuable resource? The concept of "From Waste to Wealth" highlights the incredible potential of recycling, upcycling, and reusing materials to create new products and opportunities.

Follow me page as I take you through how you can contribute your quota in saving the planet.💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾

Together, we can turn waste into wealth and build a more sustainable future for generations to come!

**Let’s make a difference! **

**From Waste to Wealth: Transforming Our Future**

**Embrace the Circular Economy!**

Did you know that what we consider waste can actually be a valuable resource? The concept of "From Waste to Wealth" highlights the incredible potential of recycling, upcycling, and reusing materials to create new products and opportunities.

Follow me as I take you through how you can contribute your quota in saving the planet....

Visit my page @ GREENWORLD here in Gada.chat💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾

Together, we can turn waste into wealth and build a more sustainable future for generations to come!

**Let’s make a difference! **

THE DEVIL'S MISTRESS
PART 15
Nine months. The city of Lagos breathed, pulsed, and roared beneath a relentless sun, oblivious to the silent war waged within the gilded cage of Sebastian Scar’s world. Time had scarred over the raw wound of the poisoning, leaving a thick, knotted tissue of suspicion, bitterness, and a haunting absence.
Scar stood at the penthouse window, a tumbler of untouched whiskey in his hand. The view was the same – the sprawling, vibrant chaos of the city he commanded. Yet, it felt alien, muted. Amanda flitted around the living room behind him, the sharp click of her designer heels a constant, grating counterpoint to the silence in his soul. She’d embedded herself like a persistent thorn, a constant presence draped in silks and poisonous concern. She managed his schedule, filtered information, played the devoted caretaker – the role of the wronged fiancée finally vindicated. But her attempts to reignite their past, to seduce him, were met with a cold, impenetrable wall. He tolerated her, used her efficiency, but the chamber of his heart she once occupied was now a locked vault filled only with echoes of betrayal and the phantom scent of jasmine.
Jessica. The name was a ghost that walked the halls. His men – the best trackers, the most connected shadows in the city – had turned Lagos upside down. Rivers dredged, slums combed, borders watched, informants squeezed dry. Nothing. Not a whisper, not a footprint. She and Ghost had vanished as if swallowed by the earth. The frustration was a constant, low hum beneath his rage. He didn’t just want her dead anymore; a deeper, more torturous need had taken root. He needed to *see* her. To look into the eyes he’d once drowned in and demand, with the last breath she’d ever draw, *“Why?”* Why shatter the sanctuary he’d built for them? Why poison the hand that gave her everything? Why betray a love that had thawed his frozen heart? The unanswered question festered, poisoning his days more insidiously than the aconite ever had.
Her family remained a confusing testament to that shattered past. Still under house arrest in the mansion he’d gifted them, guarded by men whose loyalty was now solely to him. Amanda railed against it constantly. "They know something, Sebastian! They’re her blood! They’re laughing at you, hiding her!" she’d hiss, her eyes flashing with malice. But Scar had held firm. "They stay. Unharmed." It was a command born not of mercy, but of a grim, unresolved thread. Harming them felt like closing a door he wasn’t ready to shut, admitting a finality he couldn’t face. Were they hostages for a ghost? Or a lingering, irrational hope that their presence might somehow draw her out? He didn’t know anymore.
Ghost… his betrayal stung with a unique venom. A man forged in the same fires of loyalty, whose silence had always been his strength. He’d reappeared weeks after the poisoning, materializing one night in Scar’s study as if stepping from a shadow. His story was chillingly plausible, delivered with his usual impassive calm. He’d tracked a lead on a rival faction potentially linked to the poison, deep into the Niger Delta. Communications compromised. Ambushed. Left for dead. He’d only just recovered. He vehemently denied helping Jessica escape. "Boss, I would die before betraying you. She must have had other help, or she was far more resourceful than we knew. I failed you. I should have been there." The explanation was tight, logical. Scar had stared into Ghost’s unreadable eyes, searching for a flicker of deceit. He found none. But the absence of proof wasn’t proof of innocence, and a seed of doubt, carefully nurtured by Amanda’s whispers, remained. Ghost was reinstated, his duties curtailed, watched.
Meanwhile, miles away yet impossibly close, hidden in a modest, unremarkable apartment building just five streets from the towering opulence of Scar’s villa, Jessica lived in the fragile eye of the storm. Ghost’s gamble had been audacious. Bringing her back to the lion’s den, to a safehouse nestled within the very territory crawling with men hunting her. It was a move born of necessity and audacious strategy – the last place Scar would think to look.
Jessica’s world was confined to three small rooms. The weight she carried now wasn't just fear, but the profound, undeniable swell of her pregnancy. Eight months. Her body was a landscape of taut skin, aching bones, and the ceaseless, miraculous flutter of life within. Chioma, Ghost’s fiercely protective fiancée, was her anchor, her midwife, her confidante. She tended to Jessica with quiet competence, brewing herbal teas for the swelling in her ankles, massaging the knots from her back, her eyes holding a constant, watchful worry.
The apartment was a world away from the penthouse luxury, filled with the smell of simmering stews and the sound of distant city life filtering through thin walls. Jessica spent her days by a small window overlooking a dusty courtyard, her hands often resting on the hard curve of her belly. She traced patterns, whispered secrets to the life inside – stories of its father, not the man baying for her blood, but the man who had held her like she was the world, who had whispered love against her skin. "Your Papa, Sebastian," she’d murmur, tears often blurring her vision. "He’s strong. He’s brave. And he’s lost right now. But we’ll find him, little one. We’ll make him see."
Fear was a constant companion. Every footstep on the stairwell, every raised voice in the courtyard, sent her heart racing. But it was tempered now by a ferocious, maternal resolve. She carried Scar’s heir. This child was her truth, her weapon, her reason to fight. She couldn’t run forever. She had to clear her name, for herself, for her child, and for the man whose love had created this life, even if he now sought to end hers.
Unbeknownst to Jessica and Scar, a quiet revolution was brewing among the ranks. William, Scar’s steadfast second-in-command, had become the epicenter of doubt. The initial rage had cooled, replaced by cold logic and gnawing inconsistencies. The missing CCTV footage – too clean, too convenient. Amanda’s constant presence, her manipulation of information, her eagerness to see Jessica’s family harmed. Ghost’s improbable, yet unchallenged, alibi. And Jessica… the girl from the slums who’d fought tooth and nail for an education, who’d sent money home religiously, who’d looked at Scar with an adoration William had never seen in Amanda’s calculating eyes. Did that woman poison the man she loved?
William began cautiously. Late-night meetings in secure garages, hushed conversations with other senior lieutenants – men who’d witnessed Jessica’s quiet strength, who remembered Scar’s transformation when she was near. Men like Kola, the head of security, who’d privately questioned the lack of physical evidence tying Jessica to the poison beyond proximity. Slowly, carefully, a network of doubt solidified into a conspiracy of truth. They shared fragments: Amanda making unexplained calls before the poisoning, her subtle influence over certain guards, her unnatural calm amidst the chaos. They couldn’t prove anything yet, but the conviction grew – Jessica was innocent. Amanda had orchestrated it all. And Ghost… his role was still murky, but his return and Jessica’s continued disappearance pointed towards something more complex than betrayal.
Their plan was dangerous, embryonic. Gather irrefutable proof. Find Jessica. Expose Amanda before she consolidated her power or eliminated them. They moved like shadows within shadows, aware that one misstep meant death.
Back in the penthouse, Amanda felt the shifting sands. Scar’s coldness was a fortress she couldn’t breach. Her seduction attempts – lingering touches, suggestive whispers, expensive lingerie showcased under flimsy robes – were met with indifference or curt dismissal. He slept in his own room, the door locked. The engagement ring she’d subtly placed on her finger remained unacknowledged.
One evening, fueled by desperation and expensive wine, she cornered him in his study. He was reviewing weapons manifests, his profile harsh in the lamplight. She approached, the scent of her perfume cloying. "Sebastian," she purred, draping herself over the arm of his chair, her hand sliding onto his thigh. "It’s late. You work too hard. Let me… ease your mind." Her fingers crept higher.
Scar didn’t look up. His hand shot out, not violently, but with crushing finality, clamping around her wrist and removing it from his leg. His touch was ice-cold. "Don't," he said, his voice devoid of any inflection, his gaze still fixed on the papers. "Leave, Amanda."
Humiliation burned her cheeks. "Why?" she hissed, the mask slipping. "Why cling to the ghost of that treacherous whore? I’m *here*. I’ve *always* been here! We’re meant to be together!"
Finally, he looked at her. His eyes, dark and fathomless, held not anger, but a chilling emptiness. "Meant to be?" he echoed, a hollow laugh escaping him. "That childhood contract died the day you shot an unarmed woman in my house. It was buried when you poisoned me and framed Jessica. You are here because you manipulated your way in. Not because I want you. Not because I *ever* will." He stood, towering over her, the sheer force of his presence pushing her back a step. "You serve a purpose, Amanda. For now. Don't mistake tolerance for desire. Now get out."
She fled, not in tears, but in a silent, shaking rage that promised retribution. The walls were closing in. William’s subtle resistance, Scar’s impenetrable coldness, the persistent, maddening silence of Jessica’s whereabouts – it was all unraveling.
As Amanda seethed in her suite, and Scar stared sightlessly at the city lights, wrestling with ghosts and unanswered questions, Jessica lay in the stifling heat of the safehouse apartment, Chioma gently rubbing cooling balm onto her swollen feet. The baby kicked vigorously, a powerful reminder of the life pulsing against all odds. Five streets away, William and Kola met in a dimly lit back room, a stolen security log spread between them, their voices low and urgent. The storm was no longer gathering; it was on the horizon, a tempest fueled by love, betrayal, and the desperate hope held within a heavily pregnant woman hidden in plain sight. The reckoning was coming, and the heir to the Scar empire would be born amidst its fury.
TO BE CONTINUED...