Chapter 1: Cast Away
In the quiet village of Umuofia, the rooster crowed lazily as the morning sun stretched its fingers over the thatched rooftops. But inside one small mud house, peace was the one thing missing.
Seventeen-year-old Ada knelt on the cold, bare floor, her face soaked with tears. Her hands trembled over the slight swell of her stomach—small, but undeniable. A secret no longer hidden.
"Mama, please… I didn't mean to get pregnant. I'm sorry..." her voice cracked with desperation.
Her mother, Mama Nkechi, towered above her like a storm cloud ready to strike, eyes blazing with a mixture of rage and betrayal.
"Sorry?" she hissed. "You bring shame to my name and say sorry? You lie on your back like a married woman, but you're still eating my food? Still calling me mother?"
Before Ada could answer, a hot slap rang across her cheek.
"GET OUT! Before I disown you completely!" Mama Nkechi shouted, voice echoing through the compound like a curse.
The door banged shut behind her as Ada stumbled into the harsh morning light, holding her cheek with one hand, a small nylon bag with the other. No money. No destination. Just pain, fear, and a life growing inside her.
She wandered along the dusty village path, eyes scanning the shadows, heart pounding. Thunder grumbled in the distance as clouds rolled in. Not a soul dared open their door to the girl they now whispered about.
Hours passed.
Eventually, her tired knuckles tapped on a crooked wooden door.
It creaked open.
An old woman, face lined with age and secrets, stared out through half-blind eyes.
"Mama Ijeoma?" Ada whispered.
The herbalist studied her, eyes sharp despite their fog.
"You wan hide the belle—or remove am?" she asked bluntly.
Ada's lips trembled. Her throat tightened. She looked down, then up again.
"I don't know... I just want peace."
Mama Ijeoma said nothing. She stepped aside.
Ada walked in.
And the door closed behind her with a slow, final thud.