The Lagos heat was relentless that afternoon, pressing down on the city like an unforgiving weight. Inside her small shop, Danika wiped beads of sweat from her forehead, forcing a smile for a new client despite the storm brewing inside her.
Her mother's words from the night before still echoed in her mind. The harsh truths, the unspoken accusations, and the fragile love tangled in every sentence. Danika wanted to believe they could mend the rift, but the cracks felt too deep.
Her phone buzzed again this time with a video call from Mike.
She hesitated but answered.
His face appeared, tired but hopeful.
"Hey, D," he said softly. "How are you holding up?"
She forced a smile. "Trying. The shop is busy, but it's... exhausting."
Mike nodded, understanding in his eyes. "I wish I could be there to help."
"I wish you were," she admitted, voice wavering.
They talked for a while, sharing small moments, laughter, and tears, but the distance was palpable a quiet barrier neither could cross.
Suddenly, her phone buzzed with a text from her mother:
"Don't let him fool you. He's not the man you think."
Danika's fingers trembled. She glanced at Mike's face, the connection still alive, then locked the screen and stepped outside.
The tears she held back all day finally spilled.
At the incubator, Mike wrestled with his own demons. The stress of the program, the political games, and the distance from Danika gnawed at his resolve. A missed call from Danika, followed by a cryptic text, unsettled him.
"We need to talk when you get back."
His heart pounded. What was happening in Lagos that she couldn't tell him over the phone?
He called Lance, seeking advice. "Man, I don't know if I'm strong enough for this."
Lance's voice was steady. "You've made it this far, bro. Don't let fear win."
But Mike's fears felt like chains tightening around his chest.
Days later, Danika confronted her mother in a rare moment of vulnerability.
"I'm scared," she confessed. "Scared of losing Mike, scared of failing myself."
Her mother softened, reaching out. "I'm scared too, but I believe in you."
They held each other tightly, a fragile truce forming.
Meanwhile, Mike faced a turning point at the incubator an opportunity that could change everything but required a sacrifice. The question lingered:
What was he willing to lose for success? And was love enough to hold them together?