Ochieng sat in the dimly lit corner of the university café, his fingers tracing the rim of his untouched coffee cup. The chatter around him was nothing but a distant hum, drowned out by the whirlwind of thoughts racing through his mind.
Last night at the Grand Regency Hotel had changed everything.
He had seen it with his own eyes—Caroline and Professor Daniel, slipping away into the shadows, their movements laced with secrecy. It wasn't just an affair. No, this was something deeper, something tangled in power, ambition, and betrayal.
He had spent years perfecting the art of control, reading people like open books. But Caroline… she had slipped through the cracks.
A chair scraped against the floor, jolting him from his thoughts.
Linet.
She sat across from him, her sharp gaze pinning him down. "You look like a man with a storm inside his head," she said, smirking.
Ochieng leaned back, his expression unreadable. "You always had a talent for stating the obvious."
Linet chuckled. "And you always had a talent for avoiding answers. So, spill it. What happened?"
Before he could respond, a shadow loomed over the table.
Caroline.
Her face was pale, her fingers clutching the strap of her handbag tightly. "We need to talk," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Linet arched an eyebrow, looking between them. "Am I missing something?"
Ochieng didn't answer. He simply stood and motioned for Caroline to follow.
They walked in silence, moving through the empty hallways of the university until they reached one of the lecture halls. Ochieng stepped inside first, waiting as Caroline hesitated before closing the door behind her.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
Then, Ochieng turned to face her, his dark eyes unreadable. "Professor Daniel?"
Caroline inhaled sharply, her hands trembling. "Ochieng, it's not what you think."
His lips curled into a slow, dangerous smile. "Oh? Then why do you look so guilty?"
She opened her mouth, then closed it, struggling to find the right words. "I didn't mean for it to happen."
Ochieng let out a quiet chuckle. "That's a lie. Everything you do is calculated, Caroline."
Her eyes darted to the door, as if contemplating escape. But there was no running from him. Not anymore.
"Are you going to tell anyone?" she asked, her voice small.
Ochieng studied her for a moment before stepping closer, lowering his voice to a whisper. "That depends."
She swallowed. "On what?"
His smirk deepened. "On how much this secret is worth to you."
Caroline's face drained of color.
Ochieng had just turned the game in his favor.