The air inside Malik's office was thick with the smell of expensive cigars and tension. Kelechi's presence had shifted the energy, bringing an undeniable chill into the room. Malik watched her, his eyes calculating, never blinking. As though trying to assess how much of the woman before him was still the same girl he used to trust, and how much was the cold, hardened woman who stood before him now.
"You're not the same," Malik said finally, leaning back in his leather chair, his fingers steepled in front of his lips. "You've changed, Kelechi."
Kelechi didn't respond. She didn't need to. She knew he was right. She had changed. The girl who once smiled at him, who had trusted him with everything, was dead.
"I'm not here to relive the past, Malik," she said, her voice like ice. "I'm here for Seyi. Where is she?"
Malik let out a low chuckle, but there was no humor in it. "Always straight to the point. Don't you miss the game, Kelechi? The thrill of playing everyone around you?"
Kelechi's eyes narrowed. The game was over for her. She had no time for his nostalgic musings.
"The thrill of betrayal doesn't appeal to me anymore," she said, her words deliberate. "If you want to keep playing, go ahead. But if you stand in my way, I'll make sure this is the last time you ever get involved with my family."
Malik's gaze hardened. The smile faded. "You think you can just waltz back into this world and make threats like you're still the one in control? This world doesn't work that way, Kelechi. You know that better than anyone."
Kelechi stepped closer, her heels clicking ominously on the marble floor. "I'm not here for control," she said softly. "I'm here to destroy the ones who ruined everything."
For a moment, neither spoke. The weight of her words hung in the air like smoke.
Malik exhaled slowly, his demeanor shifting.
"You were always good at making enemies. You should've known that when you left, they wouldn't let you go so easily. Now, you're back, and they've got their sights on you. You and your sister."
Kelechi's heart skipped. The mention of her sister felt like a slap. "What do you know about Seyi?"
"More than you think," Malik said with a sneer.
"You've been out of the game for too long, Kelechi. Your sister has made some interesting friends. She's gotten herself entangled with people who don't forgive easily."
Kelechi's pulse quickened, a knot tightening in her stomach. She had warned Seyi, told her to stay away from certain people. But Seyi was always too stubborn, too naïve.
"You're telling me Seyi's involved with them?" Kelechi asked, the words tasting like poison in her mouth.
Malik's eyes glinted. "You've already paid the price for your loyalty, Kelechi. And now it's your sister's turn."
Kelechi's world tilted for a moment. "What do you mean?"
Malik didn't answer immediately. Instead, he rose from his chair and walked toward the window, staring out at the sprawling city below. The Lagos skyline had always been both beautiful and suffocating. But to Malik, it was just another game board.
"They've been watching Seyi for months," he said, his voice low, almost nostalgic. "They know what she's worth, and they're making their move. She's tangled in something far worse than you can imagine. And she doesn't even know it yet."
Kelechi's blood ran cold. She didn't care how bad things had gotten—no one would touch her sister. Not again.
"You're not helping me, Malik," Kelechi said, turning on her heel to leave. "I'm done with you. I'll find Seyi on my own."
Malik's voice stopped her before she could reach the door. "Don't think you're doing this alone, Kelechi. You may have walked away, but they never let go of you. You're still part of the game. Whether you like it or not."
The door clicked shut behind her, but Kelechi didn't look back. Malik's words rang in her ears, louder than the city's noise. She was back in the game whether she liked it or not.
And this time, there would be no running.
She pulled out her phone as she stepped into the elevator, dialing the number she had sworn never to call again. It rang once. Twice.
"Talk to me," came the cold voice on the other end.
"I need your help," Kelechi said, her voice tight. "We need to move fast. Seyi's in danger."
The man on the other end was silent for a moment. Then, the familiar edge of his voice cut through the air.
"Fine. But this time, no one's getting out without paying their price."
Kelechi didn't flinch. She was used to paying the price. She always had been.