Chapter 1: A COLD RECEPTION

"Richard is back!" Patricia yelled excitedly into the phone. Her voice brimmed with joy, but on the other end, Stella didn’t share the same enthusiasm. Hesitant and unsure, she struggled to process the unexpected news.

"Richard is back?" Stella muttered, disbelief creeping into her tone.

"How come?" she wondered aloud, though it was meant to stay in her thoughts.

Patricia caught it anyway. "‘How come’? Don’t be silly! Your fiancé is back after three long years, and you’re asking ‘How come? You should be over the moon, darling!"

"Of course, I am," Stella replied, her voice wavering. "It’s just… surprising. Richard would’ve told me if he was coming back to Nigeria. I mean, I should’ve been the first to know—well, aside from his family, of course."

Patricia chuckled. "Oh, come on! You don’t have to overthink it. He probably wanted to surprise you. Isn’t that romantic? Hmm? Or what do you think?" she said, her tone light and teasing, trying to lift Stella’s doubts.

"Well, you may be right," Stella conceded reluctantly, though unease buzzed in her mind. She wanted to believe Patricia, but something felt... off.

Patricia didn’t seem to notice. "Guess what?" she continued eagerly. "I heard his family is throwing him a welcome party, and we’re all invited! It’s going to be amazing. We’ll celebrate his safe return together."

Stella’s heart skipped a beat. The pieces didn’t add up. "Wait, Patricia," she said, her voice sharp with worry. "How do you know all this? About his homecoming? The party? How come you seem to have all this information, and I don’t? Even if this was meant to be a surprise, it just doesn’t feel right."

Patricia sighed, her excitement dimming slightly. "Stella, I don’t know why you’re being so skeptical. I told you—it could be an unusual kind of surprise. Richard’s full of surprises, isn’t he? Just trust me, okay? Let’s go to the party. Dress your best! You’ll finally see the love of your life again. Isn’t that what you’ve been waiting for?"

Stella bit her lip, her heart torn between doubt and hope. "I hope you’re right, Pat. I really hope so," she said, before hanging up the phone.

---

The day of the party arrived, and Stella showed up in her finest dress. But as soon as she stepped into the celebration, something felt wrong. Richard’s family barely acknowledged her. Whenever she tried to greet his siblings, they would walk away or act as if she wasn’t there. Confused and uneasy, she decided to approach Richard’s mother, who seemed too busy to spare her a moment.

"Maybe I’ll just talk to Richard when he shows up," Stella thought to herself, forcing a smile. The thought of finally seeing him after all these years kept her going. She had waited so long for this moment, dreaming of the day he would come home to her.

But the joy of anticipation was quickly overshadowed by doubt. "Why hasn’t he called me back? I tried so many times to reach him, but his number was always unreachable. Why hasn’t he reached out at all?" Her thoughts spiraled until she was jolted back to reality by Patricia’s voice.

"Richard!" Patricia called out excitedly as she ran toward him. He had just entered the room, and Patricia threw her arms around him. Richard embraced her warmly, his face lighting up.

Stella’s heart sank. Jealousy and confusion churned within her, but she told herself Patricia was just thrilled to see him, just like she was. She stepped forward, her own heart racing, ready to greet the man she had longed for.

"Richard!" Stella called softly, walking toward him. But as she reached out for a hug, Richard abruptly stepped away, his face cold. Without a word, he turned and walked past her, leaving her frozen in place.

Her heart shattered. What was happening? Why was Richard treating her like a stranger? Around her, the room seemed to close in, the laughter and celebration now feeling distant and hollow. Stella stood there, trying to hold back tears, as the man she thought she knew drifted further and further away.