💔 NEVER LET GO — Episode Thirteen: “Echoes From the Past”
After Ivy received the strange call from the unknown woman, her entire spirit became unsettled. She moved around the house trying to pretend everything was normal, but her eyes gave her away. Her smiles were brief, her gestures stiff, and every time her phone vibrated even by mistake, her fingers trembled.
Stanley noticed instantly. He had been observing her quietly from the couch, his brows drawn together.
“Ivy,” he called softly. “Come here.”
She turned with a quick smile that looked too tight. “Yes? What is it?”
Stanley studied her face. “Are you alright? You have been acting… different.”
“I am fine,” she replied quickly. Too quickly.
“You sure?” he pressed gently. “Your hands are shaking. You barely said two words all evening. And each time your phone lights up, your heart jumps. What is going on?”
Ivy laughed nervously and looked away. “It is nothing serious. I am just tired, that is all.”
“Tired but anxious?” Stanley asked, stepping closer. “Talk to me. Did something happen?”
“No, nothing happened,” Ivy insisted, forcing another smile. “Please do not worry yourself.”
Stanley reached for her hand. “I will always worry about you. Tell me the truth.”
Ivy’s eyes flickered with fear for a brief moment before she pulled her hand back gently. “I promise you, everything is fine. I just need some rest.”
Stanley watched her for a long moment, his suspicion growing, but he did not want to push too hard. “If anything is wrong, you know you can tell me. Right?”
Ivy nodded slowly. “Yes. I know.”
But her voice trembled as she said it.
And as she walked away, Stanley’s heart tightened, sensing that something dark was approaching… yet completely unaware of how dangerous it truly was.
The day before the appointment with the mysterious woman, Stanley finally revealed what had been burning in his heart. That evening, he took Ivy to a quiet hotel, the most luxurious in the city. Only the rich and powerful visited that place, and even among them, only a privileged few were allowed to lodge there. Ivy was captivated by its warm lights, elegant paintings, and soft classical music echoing through the marble corridors. The atmosphere felt like a dream.
Inside the private room, the soft fragrance of scented candles floated through the air. The dim glow reflected on the glass walls, giving the entire place a warm, dreamy atmosphere. Ivy looked around with wide eyes, completely enchanted.
“Stanley… this place is beautiful,” she whispered.
Stanley smiled gently, but there was something nervous in the way he exhaled. “I wanted somewhere quiet. Somewhere where you would feel… special.”
Ivy turned to him with a shy smile, unaware of the storm moving inside him.
He took a slow step toward her. “Ivy,” he said softly.
“Yes?” she answered, her heart suddenly beating faster at the tone of his voice.
Stanley swallowed hard. Then slowly, he went down on one knee.
Ivy gasped. “Stanley… what are you—”
“Please,” he said, his voice trembling as he looked up at her. “Let me finish.”
Her hands flew to her mouth.
“Ivy, you walked into my life like a blessing I never deserved. You changed me, healed parts of me I did not even know were wounded. I cannot imagine waking up tomorrow and not seeing you. I cannot imagine a life where you are not mine.”
Tears filled her eyes instantly.
Stanley brought out the ring with shaky fingers. “Please… please do me the honor of becoming my wife.”
Ivy froze. For a moment she could not breathe. She covered her mouth, shaking. “Stanley… are you sure? Are you truly sure?”
“I have never been more certain about anything in my life,” he whispered. “Ivy, I love you. I want you with me. Forever.”
Her tears streamed down her cheeks as she dropped to her knees in front of him and pulled him into a tight, trembling embrace.
“I love you too,” she cried softly against his shoulder. “Yes Stanley. Yes. I will marry you.”
His hands cupped her face gently as if she might disappear. Their foreheads touched, and they both released shaky breaths that carried all their joy and relief.
When he finally slid the ring onto her finger, Ivy looked at it with tears shining in her eyes.
“Stanley… this is too much,” she whispered.
“No,” he replied, brushing her cheek with his thumb. “You are worth more than this. So much more.”
Their eyes met. The air shifted. And then, without rushing, they leaned closer until their lips met in a soft, slow kiss that felt like a promise written with their hearts.
They held each other, laughing through tears, dancing slowly to the silent music in the room. In that moment, it felt as though the world itself had paused just to witness their happiness. Their hearts beat as one, as though they were created to find each other.
The next morning, Ivy excitedly told Nkechi and Bianca about the proposal. Their screams echoed through the house as they hugged her and showered her with congratulations. Even Mrs Grace was glowing with pride. She felt as though her world had shifted into perfect alignment because her once stubborn son had finally embraced the idea of settling down.
But the joy did not last.
The strange woman called again the next day to remind Ivy of their meeting. The moment Ivy picked up the call, her hands trembled slightly.
“Do not forget,” the woman’s cold voice echoed. “Be ready. I will wait.”
Ivy swallowed nervously. “Alright… I will come.”
She ended the call and tried to steady her breathing as she dressed up. Her movements were stiff, almost robotic. Nkechi, who had been watching her from the doorway, frowned deeply.
“Ivy,” Nkechi called, folding her arms. “Where exactly are you rushing to? You look too anxious for someone who is just going out.”
Ivy forced a smile. “It is nothing serious. I am just stepping out for something small.”
“Something small?” Nkechi repeated with suspicion. “You have been acting strange since yesterday. What is going on? Tell me.”
“I said it is nothing,” Ivy replied quickly, avoiding her eyes.
Nkechi stepped closer. “Let me follow you then. At least two of us can go together.”
“No,” Ivy said sharply, almost too sharply. “I do not need company. I can handle myself.”
Nkechi blinked in surprise. “Why are you talking like this? Ivy, this is not you.”
“I am fine,” Ivy insisted. “Please do not make it a big deal.”
Nkechi stared at her for a long moment, her worry increasing. “Are you going to see Stanley?”
“No,” Ivy answered too quickly again. “Look, Nkechi, I just… I just need to step out and come back. That is all.”
Nkechi sighed heavily. “I do not like this. My spirit is not settled.”
Ivy paused, looking guilty for a second, then forced another strained smile. “Stop worrying. I will be okay.”
“You sure?” Nkechi pressed.
“I am sure,” Ivy whispered.
Nkechi watched her pick up her bag and move toward the door. Her instincts screamed at her. She almost dialed Stanley’s number right there.
“Should I call brother?” she muttered under her breath.
Ivy turned, sensing her hesitation. “Nkechi, please… do not call him. I am fine.”
Nkechi frowned. “But he will be angry if he hears you left alone.”
“I will handle it,” Ivy replied. “Trust me.”
Nkechi reluctantly stepped back. “I hope you know what you are doing, Ivy.”
Ivy smiled weakly. “I hope so too.”
But as Ivy walked out and closed the door behind her, Nkechi remained standing there, uneasy, her heart tight with worry.
To Be Continued ✍️✍️✍️ #NeverLetGo #EpisodeThirteen #NigerianStories #FictionSeries #IvyAndStanley #LoveAndSecrets #PlotTwistLoading #EmotionalDrama #StoryUpdates #AfricanNarratives
After Ivy received the strange call from the unknown woman, her entire spirit became unsettled. She moved around the house trying to pretend everything was normal, but her eyes gave her away. Her smiles were brief, her gestures stiff, and every time her phone vibrated even by mistake, her fingers trembled.
Stanley noticed instantly. He had been observing her quietly from the couch, his brows drawn together.
“Ivy,” he called softly. “Come here.”
She turned with a quick smile that looked too tight. “Yes? What is it?”
Stanley studied her face. “Are you alright? You have been acting… different.”
“I am fine,” she replied quickly. Too quickly.
“You sure?” he pressed gently. “Your hands are shaking. You barely said two words all evening. And each time your phone lights up, your heart jumps. What is going on?”
Ivy laughed nervously and looked away. “It is nothing serious. I am just tired, that is all.”
“Tired but anxious?” Stanley asked, stepping closer. “Talk to me. Did something happen?”
“No, nothing happened,” Ivy insisted, forcing another smile. “Please do not worry yourself.”
Stanley reached for her hand. “I will always worry about you. Tell me the truth.”
Ivy’s eyes flickered with fear for a brief moment before she pulled her hand back gently. “I promise you, everything is fine. I just need some rest.”
Stanley watched her for a long moment, his suspicion growing, but he did not want to push too hard. “If anything is wrong, you know you can tell me. Right?”
Ivy nodded slowly. “Yes. I know.”
But her voice trembled as she said it.
And as she walked away, Stanley’s heart tightened, sensing that something dark was approaching… yet completely unaware of how dangerous it truly was.
The day before the appointment with the mysterious woman, Stanley finally revealed what had been burning in his heart. That evening, he took Ivy to a quiet hotel, the most luxurious in the city. Only the rich and powerful visited that place, and even among them, only a privileged few were allowed to lodge there. Ivy was captivated by its warm lights, elegant paintings, and soft classical music echoing through the marble corridors. The atmosphere felt like a dream.
Inside the private room, the soft fragrance of scented candles floated through the air. The dim glow reflected on the glass walls, giving the entire place a warm, dreamy atmosphere. Ivy looked around with wide eyes, completely enchanted.
“Stanley… this place is beautiful,” she whispered.
Stanley smiled gently, but there was something nervous in the way he exhaled. “I wanted somewhere quiet. Somewhere where you would feel… special.”
Ivy turned to him with a shy smile, unaware of the storm moving inside him.
He took a slow step toward her. “Ivy,” he said softly.
“Yes?” she answered, her heart suddenly beating faster at the tone of his voice.
Stanley swallowed hard. Then slowly, he went down on one knee.
Ivy gasped. “Stanley… what are you—”
“Please,” he said, his voice trembling as he looked up at her. “Let me finish.”
Her hands flew to her mouth.
“Ivy, you walked into my life like a blessing I never deserved. You changed me, healed parts of me I did not even know were wounded. I cannot imagine waking up tomorrow and not seeing you. I cannot imagine a life where you are not mine.”
Tears filled her eyes instantly.
Stanley brought out the ring with shaky fingers. “Please… please do me the honor of becoming my wife.”
Ivy froze. For a moment she could not breathe. She covered her mouth, shaking. “Stanley… are you sure? Are you truly sure?”
“I have never been more certain about anything in my life,” he whispered. “Ivy, I love you. I want you with me. Forever.”
Her tears streamed down her cheeks as she dropped to her knees in front of him and pulled him into a tight, trembling embrace.
“I love you too,” she cried softly against his shoulder. “Yes Stanley. Yes. I will marry you.”
His hands cupped her face gently as if she might disappear. Their foreheads touched, and they both released shaky breaths that carried all their joy and relief.
When he finally slid the ring onto her finger, Ivy looked at it with tears shining in her eyes.
“Stanley… this is too much,” she whispered.
“No,” he replied, brushing her cheek with his thumb. “You are worth more than this. So much more.”
Their eyes met. The air shifted. And then, without rushing, they leaned closer until their lips met in a soft, slow kiss that felt like a promise written with their hearts.
They held each other, laughing through tears, dancing slowly to the silent music in the room. In that moment, it felt as though the world itself had paused just to witness their happiness. Their hearts beat as one, as though they were created to find each other.
The next morning, Ivy excitedly told Nkechi and Bianca about the proposal. Their screams echoed through the house as they hugged her and showered her with congratulations. Even Mrs Grace was glowing with pride. She felt as though her world had shifted into perfect alignment because her once stubborn son had finally embraced the idea of settling down.
But the joy did not last.
The strange woman called again the next day to remind Ivy of their meeting. The moment Ivy picked up the call, her hands trembled slightly.
“Do not forget,” the woman’s cold voice echoed. “Be ready. I will wait.”
Ivy swallowed nervously. “Alright… I will come.”
She ended the call and tried to steady her breathing as she dressed up. Her movements were stiff, almost robotic. Nkechi, who had been watching her from the doorway, frowned deeply.
“Ivy,” Nkechi called, folding her arms. “Where exactly are you rushing to? You look too anxious for someone who is just going out.”
Ivy forced a smile. “It is nothing serious. I am just stepping out for something small.”
“Something small?” Nkechi repeated with suspicion. “You have been acting strange since yesterday. What is going on? Tell me.”
“I said it is nothing,” Ivy replied quickly, avoiding her eyes.
Nkechi stepped closer. “Let me follow you then. At least two of us can go together.”
“No,” Ivy said sharply, almost too sharply. “I do not need company. I can handle myself.”
Nkechi blinked in surprise. “Why are you talking like this? Ivy, this is not you.”
“I am fine,” Ivy insisted. “Please do not make it a big deal.”
Nkechi stared at her for a long moment, her worry increasing. “Are you going to see Stanley?”
“No,” Ivy answered too quickly again. “Look, Nkechi, I just… I just need to step out and come back. That is all.”
Nkechi sighed heavily. “I do not like this. My spirit is not settled.”
Ivy paused, looking guilty for a second, then forced another strained smile. “Stop worrying. I will be okay.”
“You sure?” Nkechi pressed.
“I am sure,” Ivy whispered.
Nkechi watched her pick up her bag and move toward the door. Her instincts screamed at her. She almost dialed Stanley’s number right there.
“Should I call brother?” she muttered under her breath.
Ivy turned, sensing her hesitation. “Nkechi, please… do not call him. I am fine.”
Nkechi frowned. “But he will be angry if he hears you left alone.”
“I will handle it,” Ivy replied. “Trust me.”
Nkechi reluctantly stepped back. “I hope you know what you are doing, Ivy.”
Ivy smiled weakly. “I hope so too.”
But as Ivy walked out and closed the door behind her, Nkechi remained standing there, uneasy, her heart tight with worry.
To Be Continued ✍️✍️✍️ #NeverLetGo #EpisodeThirteen #NigerianStories #FictionSeries #IvyAndStanley #LoveAndSecrets #PlotTwistLoading #EmotionalDrama #StoryUpdates #AfricanNarratives
