Chapter 106: Shopping With The Girls

The early morning air still carried a faint chill as Clara, Hazel, Ruby, and Racheal made their way downstairs together, their steps light yet unhurried. The house rested in that peculiar silence that always lingered before the day fully began, yet something felt off the moment they reached the bottom of the stairs.

The scent reached them first. Rich, warm, and heavy with spice and oil, it curled through the air like an invitation they had not been expecting. Their steps slowed almost in unison, and by the time they entered the dining area, all four came to a complete halt.

The table was filled.

Jollof rice sat at the center, steam rising lazily into the air. Fried rice rested beside it, vibrant and fragrant, while egg fried rice and stir fried rice completed the spread in a way that felt almost excessive. Bowls, plates, and serving spoons were arranged with precise care, everything in its place, almost too perfect.

And at the center of it all stood Damian, a tray of fully grilled chickens in his hands. He moved toward the table and set it down with quiet ease, his sleeves rolled slightly and his expression calm.

To Clara, this was simply impressive.

To his wives, it was something else entirely.

They could see past the relaxed facade. There was something buried in his gaze, something faint yet unmistakable, a presence that did not belong.

Hazel’s brows drew together slightly. Ruby tilted her head, studying him. Racheal froze where she stood, her heart tightening in her chest as the unease she carried from the night before sharpened into something real.

Only Clara stepped forward, curiosity lighting up her face.

“Wow…” she breathed, her eyes widening as she approached the table. “You made all of this?”

Damian turned at the sound of her voice, and in that instant, a smile spread across his face.

“Good morning,” he said.

Clara looked from him to the table again, then back at him, her disbelief clear.

“It’s barely seven,” she said with a soft laugh. “How did you even manage this?”

Damian chuckled lightly, wiping his hands on a towel in a casual motion.

“Couldn’t sleep,” he replied.

His tone was easy, almost careless, but his eyes shifted.

They landed on Racheal for just a second.

Her breath hitched faintly, though she could not explain why.

Hazel and Ruby noticed. Neither spoke.

“Still… this is amazing,” Clara continued, completely unaware of the subtle shift in the atmosphere.

Damian gestured toward the table.

“Sit. Eat before it gets cold.”

Clara needed no further encouragement. She moved quickly, taking her seat with an excitement that felt almost childlike. Meanwhile, Hazel and Ruby exchanged a brief glance before both turned toward Racheal.

“Come with us,” Hazel said softly.

Racheal blinked.

“Now?”

Ruby did not wait. She reached out, grabbing her wrist lightly before pulling her toward the stairs.

“Now.”

Racheal stumbled slightly as they led her away, confusion growing with each step. They did not stop until they reached the upper floor, far enough that the sounds from below faded into silence.

Hazel turned sharply the moment they were alone.

“What did you say to him?”

Racheal blinked again, caught off guard by the sudden intensity.

“What?”

Ruby stepped closer, her eyes narrowing.

“Don’t play dumb. Something’s wrong with him.”

Racheal frowned, her brows knitting together as she searched her memory.

“I… we talked,” she said slowly. “About gods… about authority…”

Hazel shook her head, impatience creeping into her voice.

“No. After that.”

Racheal hesitated.

Her thoughts shifted, replaying fragments of the night. The conversation. The quiet that followed. Then, a faint flicker surfaced, something she had muttered while half asleep.

Her expression shifted slightly, but confusion still lingered.

“I don’t remember,” she admitted softly.

Ruby clicked her tongue in irritation while Hazel studied her for a moment longer before exhaling slowly.

“Whatever it was, it got to him,” she said.

Racheal’s chest tightened.

“Do you think I… hurt him?”

Ruby folded her arms and shook her head.

“He doesn’t look hurt. He looks… off.”

That single word lingered between them.

Hazel glanced toward the stairs, her expression settling into calm control.

“We’ll figure it out, but not like this.”

Racheal nodded slowly, and together they made their way back downstairs.

By the time they returned to the dining area, Damian was already seated, casually serving food onto Clara’s plate while she spoke animatedly, her voice bright with enthusiasm. He nodded along, offering small responses, his demeanor steady.

Everything looked normal.

Hazel took her seat. Ruby followed. Racheal sat last.

The conversation flowed easily, driven mostly by Clara’s energy. She praised the food, asked questions, and laughed freely. Damian responded when needed. Just like the night before, he tried to stay at the edges of the conversation, but his wives would not allow it.

Hazel leaned forward slightly, her gaze steady.

“You couldn’t sleep?” she asked casually.

“Just one of those nights,” Damian replied with a shrug.

Ruby tapped her fingers lightly against the table.

“Thinking about something?”

“Maybe.”

“What?”

Damian looked at her, a faint smile forming.

“You ask too many questions in the morning.”

He said it lightly, almost teasing, but Ruby snorted in mild annoyance. Hazel’s eyes softened, though her tone remained probing.

“Is it work?”

“Nothing serious,” Damian said, shaking his head.

Racheal remained silent, watching him closely. There was no tension in his voice, no visible crack in his composure, yet she could feel it. Something had shifted.

The meal continued, laughter and conversation filling the space as if nothing was wrong. By the time they finished eating and cleared the table, preparations for their outing began.

Clothes were changed, hair adjusted, final touches made.

When Damian stepped out, he looked almost unrecognizable.

A black face cap cast a shadow over his eyes. A mask covered the lower half of his face. His all black attire was completed with a sleek leather jacket that fit him perfectly.

Clara blinked at the sight of him.

“Are you hiding from someone?” she asked, half amused.

“Something like that,” Damian replied without hesitation.

He had no intention of explaining how he now needed to hide his identity while moving around, not after becoming something of a public figure in the state.

“More like hiding people from him,” Ruby added with a smirk.

They left shortly after.

The drive was smooth, the city gradually waking around them as morning gave way to day. Their destination became clear the moment they arrived.

Luxury.

High end boutiques stretched out in every direction, each one displaying items that cost more than most people would earn in a year.

Clara stopped walking the moment she saw it.

“Wait…” she said, her voice dropping. “This place…”

“Come on,” Hazel said gently.

Clara hesitated.

“This is too much…”

She tried to protest, but Ruby grabbed her arm and pulled her forward.

“Stop thinking and start enjoying. It’s my husband paying, after all.”

Racheal moved to her other side, her presence softer but just as persuasive.

“Yeah. Who says no to free money?”

Clara looked between them, then at Damian.

He simply nodded with a faint smile.

That was enough.

They entered the first store, and what followed was chaos.

Clothes came in waves. Dresses, swimwear, casual outfits, luxury pieces that felt too expensive to even touch. Clara resisted at first, her voice filled with hesitation, but with Ruby beside her, there was no escape.

Hazel guided her gently. Racheal encouraged her quietly.

And Damian watched.

He stood at the side, observing them with a calm expression, a faint smile resting on his lips. Yet there were moments when his gaze drifted, when his focus slipped away from the present and into something distant. His expression would still, his thoughts pulling him elsewhere.

Hazel noticed.

Ruby noticed.

Racheal felt it most of all.

They said nothing.

For now.

Because they already knew.

This was something they would have to confront when they returned home.

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