I shouldn't have followed him.
But I did.
Not because I wanted to obey.
Not because I was interested.
But because something inside me refused to accept that I was just a "contract" standing in his life.
I needed to see her.
The one they said he loved.
The one I was not.
The hallway outside his office felt colder than before. Every step I took behind him echoed softly, but he didn't slow down. He didn't look back either.
Like I wasn't important enough to worry about.
We stopped in front of a glass door.
Inside, I saw her before I even entered.
She was there.
Standing near the window like she belonged to the space.
Like the room was designed for her presence.
Damilare opened the door.
She turned immediately.
And smiled.
"Dami," she said again—soft, familiar.
My chest tightened at the way she said his name.
Not formal.
Not careful.
Just… natural.
Like she had said it a thousand times before.
My presence was noticed immediately.
Her eyes shifted to me.
Curious.
Then polite.
Then something else I couldn't fully read.
"You have guests," she said gently.
Damilare stepped inside first.
"I told you I had something to handle," he replied.
She nodded slowly.
Then her eyes came back to me.
Longer this time.
"Hi," she said warmly.
I forced myself to respond.
"Hello."
Awkward.
Heavy.
Unwanted.
There was a silence that followed.
Not uncomfortable for them.
Only for me.
Because I was the extra person in a picture that already existed before I arrived.
She walked closer to him.
Not touching him.
But close enough that it didn't matter.
"I thought you were busy all day," she said.
"I finished early," he repeated the same words from before.
I noticed it immediately.
His tone changed again.
Slightly.
Not soft.
But familiar.
She smiled like she understood him without needing explanation.
Then she looked at me again.
"Oh," she said softly. "You must be Amina."
I nodded slowly.
"Yes."
She tilted her head slightly.
"I've heard about you."
That sentence made my stomach tighten.
Heard about me?
From who?
How?
Before I could ask, she continued.
"I'm Lara," she said gently.
Of course she had a name.
A beautiful one.
Everything about her felt… easy.
Like she didn't struggle to exist in his world.
Unlike me.
I didn't respond immediately.
Damilare finally spoke.
"Lara," he said, calm but firm.
She turned to him.
"I was just being polite," she said lightly.
Then she looked back at me.
"You're very pretty," she added.
I blinked.
That was unexpected.
Not cruel.
Not mocking.
Just… observation.
"Thank you," I said quietly.
Another silence.
Then Lara stepped slightly closer to him.
"Are we still going for dinner later?" she asked.
My breath caught slightly.
Not because of the question.
But because of how naturally she asked it.
Like I wasn't even standing there.
Like my existence didn't interrupt anything between them.
Damilare didn't answer immediately.
That pause hurt more than words.
Finally, he said:
"I don't know yet."
Not no.
Not yes.
Just uncertainty.
For her.
I noticed that.
She didn't look upset.
Just patient.
Like she was used to waiting for him.
Used to him.
I looked away slightly.
Because suddenly, I understood something very clearly.
This wasn't just love.
This was history.
A past I wasn't part of.
And maybe never would be.
Lara turned to me again.
"So…" she said softly. "You're the one they're marrying him to."
My chest tightened.
"Yes."
She nodded slowly.
"I see."
No judgment.
No anger.
Just understanding.
Then she surprised me.
"I hope you're not too uncomfortable," she said politely.
I almost laughed.
"Uncomfortable is an understatement."
That made her pause.
Then… she smiled faintly.
"I like honest people," she said.
Damilare's voice cut in immediately.
"Lara."
One word.
Warning.
She raised her hands slightly.
"Okay, okay," she said gently.
Then she looked at me one last time.
"I won't take too much of your time," she said. "I just wanted to see you."
That confused me.
"See me?" I repeated.
She nodded.
"Yes."
Then she added something softer.
"I just wanted to know what kind of girl they chose for him."
My heart tightened.
"And now?" I asked quietly.
She studied me for a moment.
Then said:
"You don't look like someone who fits into his world."
Honest.
Not insulting.
Just true.
That hurt more than I expected.
Before I could respond, Damilare stepped forward slightly.
"Enough," he said calmly.
Lara nodded immediately.
"Okay," she replied.
Then she smiled at me one last time.
"It was nice meeting you, Amina."
And just like that… she left.
The room felt heavier after she was gone.
Silence settled between us.
I didn't look at him.
He didn't speak immediately.
Then finally:
"You don't need to compare yourself to her," he said.
I let out a small bitter laugh.
"I wasn't comparing," I replied. "I was replaced before I even arrived."
Silence.
I turned slightly toward him.
"She is everything I'm not," I said quietly.
A pause.
Then his voice dropped lower.
"You don't understand what she is."
I frowned.
"And you do?"
He didn't answer.
That silence again.
I shook my head slowly.
"I think I understand enough."
I turned toward the door.
This time, no one stopped me.
But before I left, I heard him say something quietly behind me.
Something I wasn't supposed to hear.
"Not yet."
And for some reason…
That scared me more than everything else.