ABOUT THIS BOOK
Description
Early Morning Restlessness
He lay half-awake on his luxurious 6-by-6 bed — the kind Nigerians boast about. The soft mattress and snow-white bedsheet looked expensive even to the eye. His shallow breathing, the sighs he released, and the sweat glistening on his body revealed he had just returned from training. Dressed only in short sports shorts and a jersey, with football boots still on his feet, he lay there exhausted. After a while, he exhaled heavily, opening his deep-set eyes that reflected fatigue rather than peace. His face showed no trace of joy — darker, colder, and more withdrawn than the lively man everyone once knew.
With a sudden burst of strength that showed his physical fitness, he sat up, muttered a faint hiss, and began removing his boots. He tossed them aside, stood up, and angrily pulled off his jersey, throwing it to the floor. Moving toward a large wall-sized glass partition in his stylish bedroom, he pressed a small green button — the glass door slid open slowly. Entering his sleek, modern bathroom, he walked straight under the shower, letting cold water pour down his head as he released a deep, heavy sigh.
This was Aliyu Mika’il Idris Mawashi, popularly known as Smart Mawashi — the rising football star. Barely three months had passed since his return from the UK, where he had signed for Queen City FC, a small club with big dreams. Once known for being calm and introverted, Smart had now grown colder — aloof, withdrawn, and hardened by the painful experiences of the past three months, at the very peak of his career and love life.
The Painful Disappearance
It all began the day he rushed home, filled with guilt and concern for Lulu — the woman he had hurt. When he arrived, he found only his mother and sister Maryam at home. His mother, thinking Lulu was unwell, hurriedly told Maryam to accompany him. They packed some food and left immediately.
When they arrived, the front door was open and Lulu’s book lay on the floor — an ominous sign. Inside, her wardrobe was ransacked; clothes and one suitcase were missing. Smart’s heart sank as he found a note on the bed:
> “I hate you, Aliyu. I never want to see you again. Go live your life, you deceiver. Forget me forever, for between us lies the distance of heaven and earth. Even if the world forces me, I will never return to you — not even if Uncle Yousuf commands it.”
The note dropped from his trembling hands as dizziness overtook him. When Maryam found him, he was pale and broken. He ordered her to leave the room. She ran out in fear and immediately called Ahmad, who rushed over. When Ahmad arrived, Smart only muttered faintly, “She left the house.”
Calls were made — first to Uncle Yousuf, then to Lulu’s aunt Saliha — who revealed shocking news: Lulu had called her earlier in distress, but moments later sent a text message telling them not to come, claiming she had gone far away and demanded a divorce. Moments before that, a neighbor had seen Lulu being escorted into a black car with tinted windows, her suitcase loaded in the back.
That was the last time anyone saw her.
The Search and the Blame
Days turned into nights — three full days passed without a trace of Lulu. Smart lost his appetite; he drank only water. Even Coach had to force him to eat and rest. By the fifth day, prayers had spread across the community. Then, police investigations began — and suspicions turned toward Dada, an old woman in the family’s household.
A neighbor claimed to have seen Dada with Lulu and a strange young man the day she disappeared. Dada became nervous and defensive, denying any involvement. Smart stared at her with burning eyes, his anger barely contained. Even Daddy and Uncle Yousuf were shocked; tension filled the house.
The police insisted on taking Dada in for questioning, but connections intervened, and she was released. Then, before the entire family, Dada swore she would never reveal Lulu’s whereabouts unless Smart divorced her.
For the first time since Lulu vanished, Smart smiled — a bitter, burning smile that chilled everyone in the room. It was the kind of smile that could ignite a storm.
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