Love Found Me When I Wasn’t Looking (Episode 27)

Victoria’s POV

I arrived in Abuja late in the evening, the sky already dark and heavy with the quiet of a city preparing to sleep. The journey from Lagos had drained every bit of strength from my body. My head throbbed softly, my back ached, and my heart felt even more tired than my bones.

But the moment I stepped into my mother’s house, everything changed.

“Victoria!” she exclaimed, her voice bright with joy as she rushed toward me. She wrapped her arms around me tightly, like she was afraid I might disappear again if she let go. I could feel her happiness in that embrace warm, genuine, overwhelming.

Even though I was exhausted, I smiled. She kept touching my face, my hair, my hands, laughing softly.
“My daughter has grown,” she kept saying. “You’ve lost weight. Are they feeding you well in Lagos?”

She didn’t allow me rest immediately. She brought out food, insisting I must eat something, even if it was just a little. She kept moving around the house, talking, smiling, asking questions, clearly happy that I had finally come.

“I’m so glad you came,” she said at one point, looking at me with a satisfaction that made my chest tighten. “I’ve missed you more than you know.”

Later, when the excitement settled slightly and we sat down together, her tone changed just a little.

“Tomorrow,” she said, “you must dress very well.”

My heart skipped.

“The man and his father will be coming,” she continued confidently. “Once you set your eyes on him, you will change your mind immediately. Some things don’t need stress, Victoria. Love comes naturally.”

Her words washed over me, but I couldn’t fully hear them. My thoughts were far away, tangled in someone else’s voice, someone else’s presence.

Daniel.

I nodded politely, but my heart felt heavy. I wanted to tell her everything—that my heart already belonged somewhere else, that love had already found me in the most unexpected way. But I swallowed the words. This was not the time.

When I finally went to my room, I dropped my bag and sat on the bed, exhaling deeply. The room was quiet, unfamiliar, and filled with thoughts I didn’t want to entertain.

I reached for my phone and called Daniel.

He picked up after a few rings.
“Victoria,” he said softly. His voice sounded tired just like mine.

“I’ve arrived,” I told him. “I just got in this evening. I flew from Lagos to Abuja.”

“That must have been stressful,” he said. “Are you okay?”

“I’m tired,” I admitted. “But I’m fine. My mum was so happy to see me.”

We talked about the flight, the airport, the traffic, the little things that didn’t matter but somehow meant everything. His voice grounded me. Listening to him made the unfamiliar room feel less strange.

“You sound exhausted,” I said.

He chuckled lightly. “So do you.”

There was a pause a comfortable one. The kind where words aren’t necessary. I could hear his breathing, slow and steady, and it made my chest feel calm.

“Daniel,” I said quietly, “tomorrow is going to be… a lot.”

“I know,” he replied gently. “But whatever happens, remember you’re not alone.”

His words sat with me, warm and reassuring.

At some point, his responses grew slower.
“Daniel?” I whispered.

No reply.

I smiled softly when I realized he had fallen asleep. The call was still connected, his breathing faint but steady on the other end.

I held the phone closer, closed my eyes, and let myself relax for the first time since arriving.

That night, we slept off while talking two tired hearts resting in each other’s presence, even from miles apart.

Tomorrow would bring expectations, pressure, and decisions I wasn’t ready for.

But tonight… love gave me peace.

Sometimes the night before a storm is the quietest.

And sometimes, love is the only thing that helps you rest. Continue reading Episode 28