---
Parking Lot — Justin's POV
Justin stepped out of the restaurant into the cool night air, tugging his jacket tighter as he made for the parking lot. The evening had been dragging for him — the conversations, the forced smiles. He needed air, distance. Space to clear the nagging ache gnawing at his chest since chioma got dragged out by kelvin like that.
He rounded the corner, keys in hand, but froze mid-step.
There, by the far end of the lot, partially hidden by the dim lighting, was Kelvin.
And Chioma.
Kissing.
Not a simple, casual kiss — but a deep, possessive one. Kelvin's hand tangled in her hair, her body pressed flush against his. The kind of kiss that said mine. The kind Justin had once imagined giving her, had once ached to claim, but never dared.
For a long, suspended heartbeat, Justin couldn't move. Couldn't breathe.
He'd told himself he was over this. Over her. That the distance, the months, the convictions he clung to would burn those feelings to ash. But standing there now, watching them, he realized the lie he'd built his world on.
It still hurt. God, it hurt.
Worse than he ever imagined it would.
Something in him shattered — a low, heavy crack beneath his ribs.
He swallowed hard, turned on his heel, and walked away, though his legs felt boneless, his chest so tight it was a wonder he could breathe at all.
---
Bar Scene — Justin's POV
The whiskey burned, but it wasn't enough.
Justin downed another shot, motioning to the bartender for a refill. The music was low, the air thick with smoke and the sharp scent of regret.
He couldn't shake the image from his head — Chioma, in Kelvin's arms. The look on her face. The way Kelvin touched her like she was something precious.
He should've fought for her. Should've ignored his damn rules, his fears, his convictions about age and consequences. Because now, sitting in this godforsaken bar, all he could feel was loss. And self-loathing.
"Stupid," he muttered, running a hand over his face.
A man two stools down clapped him on the shoulder, a stranger with kind eyes. "You good, man?"
Justin gave a hollow laugh. "Never better."
An hour later, as he stumbled out toward his car, keys jingling in his palm, someone called out, "Hey — you sure you're okay to drive?"
"I'm fine," Justin slurred, forcing a crooked smile. "I've driven worse."
But as he slid behind the wheel titled slightly, and for the first time in a long time... Justin didn't care what happened next
---
Next morning__
Chioma stirred first, the hazy dawn light painting soft stripes across the bed. She reached for Kelvin, found him still half-asleep beside her, one arm draped lazily over her waist.
She smiled.
Until her phone buzzed.
Then another. And another.
Kelvin groaned, rubbing a hand over his face. "What time is it?"
"Early. Too early."
Moments later, there was a knock on the door. Emeka's voice filtered through.
"Boss… morning. I just booked your flights. We're heading back to Owerri in two hours. Staff's been informed."
Kelvin sighed, sitting up. "Alright."
They dressed in silence, the weight of unspoken things lingering between them. But the tenderness hadn't faded.
As their car sped toward the airport, Kelvin's phone rang.
He glanced at the caller ID — unknown number.
"Hello?"
"Mr. Kelvin D.Akachukwu?"
"Yes."
"This is Doctor Olumide from Saint Raphael's. You're listed as the emergency contact for a Mr. Justin Onyeukwu."
Kelvin's heart dropped. "What happened?"
"There's been an accident. He was brought in last night. You should come as soon as possible."
For the first time in a long time, Kelvin felt his world shift.
And this time, it wasn't because of Chioma.
The call left a cold weight in Kelvin's chest. He let the phone fall to his lap, his jaw tight, eyes staring blankly out the window.
Chioma noticed the shift instantly. "Kelvin… what is it?"
He hesitated, debating whether to shield her from it. But what was the point? She wasn't just anyone anymore.
"It's Justin," he said quietly. "He was in an accident last night."
Her breath caught. "What? Is he—"
"I don't know." His voice was rough. "They called me… I need to get to the hospital."
Without missing a beat, Chioma reached for his hand. "I'm coming with you."
Kelvin turned to look at her, the wariness in his eyes softening just a little at the fierce determination in hers. "You sure?"
"I need to see him too."
He gave a short nod. "Alright."
He made a quick call to Emeka, informing him that the staffs should head back first. Then he told the driver to head straight for Saint Raphael's.
---
Hospital — Waiting Room
The hospital smelled like antiseptic and anxiety. Kelvin walked with a hard, steady pace, his palm on the small of Chioma's back as though anchoring both of them.
At the front desk, he announced himself, and moments later, a middle-aged doctor approached them, his face grim.
"Mr. Akachukwu?"
Kelvin stepped forward. "Yeah."
"I'm Dr. Olumide. I was the attending physician when your friend was brought in."
"How is he?" Chioma asked, her voice tight.
The doctor exhaled slowly. "He had a fatal accident late last night. From what we gathered, he was heavily intoxicated… drove himself straight into a divider."
Kelvin cursed under his breath, scrubbing a hand over his face.
"The impact caused severe trauma to his head," Dr. Olumide continued. "He's stable now, but unconscious. We won't be able to fully assess the extent of the brain injury until he wakes up."
Chioma swayed slightly, and Kelvin instinctively reached for her waist to steady her.
"Is he… is he going to wake up?" she asked, her voice cracking.
"We're hopeful. His vitals are holding, and there were no critical fractures aside from the head injury. But until he regains consciousness, we won't know if there's lasting damage — memory, cognition, motor functions. It could be hours… or days."
Kelvin's throat worked around a knot of emotion he didn't want to acknowledge. Justin was his brother. His best friend. And despite everything between them now, the thought of losing him twisted something sharp in his chest.
"Can we see him?" Kelvin asked, voice low.
The doctor nodded. "Only for a moment. He's in the ICU."
---
ICU Room
The beeping machines were the only sound in the sterile room.
Justin lay there, so still it hardly seemed real. His head was bandaged, a cut on his cheek, a pale hospital gown covering him. The life in him — the sharp, cocky Justin — seemed a distant memory in that moment.
Chioma's hand clutched Kelvin's arm tighter, her lips trembling. Kelvin didn't let go.
They stood there, side by side, staring at the man who had in so many ways tied their fates together.
Kelvin swallowed thickly. "You idiot," he whispered under his breath.
Chioma's eyes welled, but she bit her lip hard to keep control. She wasn't sure what hurt more — seeing Justin like this, or knowing the last look he gave her was one of pain.
She reached out and gently brushed a hand over his.
Kelvin watched her, a storm of emotions crossing his face. But he said nothing.
For now, it wasn't about him.
It was about the man lying between them — and whatever came next.