Chapter 387: Our Little Secret
Morning light slipped through the thin curtains and spread quietly across the small living room. The apartnt was calm in the way hos sotis beco after a long night with a baby. Toys lay scattered on the rug, a half-folded blanket rested on the couch, and the soft hum of a baby monitor sat like background music in the corner.
Luna sat on the floor with her back against the couch, one leg stretched out, the other folded slightly beneath her. In her arms was the small bundle that had quietly changed the direction of her life.
Jennifer.
Two months old, still small enough to curl perfectly into Luna’s chest, wrapped in a light blanket that kept slipping off because the baby’s tiny hands kept pushing it away.
Luna smiled down at her.
Jennifer was awake, wide eyes blinking slowly as she stared upward like the world was still sothing she was trying to understand.
"Good morning, my little troublemaker," Luna whispered softly.
Jennifer made a small sound in response, the kind babies make when they’re still learning how their voice works.
Luna laughed under her breath.
"You’re talking already?"
Jennifer stretched one hand up, tiny fingers grabbing at Luna’s hair.
"Ow—hey, hey," Luna murmured, gently loosening the little grip. "You’re stronger than you look."
She shifted slightly and lifted the baby a little higher so she could see her face better.
Every ti Luna looked at her daughter, the sa feeling returned.
Warm.
Heavy.
Beautiful.
Terrifying.
Jennifer blinked again, staring straight at Luna, and Luna felt that familiar wave in her chest.
"God..." she murmured quietly.
She brushed a finger across the baby’s cheek.
"You look more like him every day."
It wasn’t subtle.
At first Luna thought it was just coincidence. Babies changed so much in the first few weeks that it was easy to dismiss things as imagination.
But now?
Now it was undeniable.
The eyes.
The shape of the eyebrows.
Even the quiet way Jennifer stared at things, as if studying them.
Luna exhaled slowly.
"If soone looked closely..." she murmured.
Jennifer suddenly let out a small laugh, the kind of random baby giggle that ca out of nowhere.
Luna blinked.
Then she laughed too.
"Oh you think that’s funny?"
Jennifer kicked her legs, clearly pleased with herself.
Luna shook her head.
"You’re going to be trouble.Just like your Dad." She said the last part at a very low voice like she was trying to avoid saying it.
For a mont she just sat there watching her daughter.
The world outside the apartnt felt far away.
And honestly...
She preferred it that way.
The entertainnt industry.
The caras.
The endless schedules.
The expectations.
It all felt like a different lifeti now.
Luna leaned her head back against the couch.
She had walked away from it all.
Not because she wanted to.
But because she had to.
When she first learned she was pregnant, the entire world inside her head had turned upside down.
There were managers.
Contracts.
Appearances.
Tours already being discussed.
People who depended on her career.
But then there was this.
Jennifer.
Luna looked down at her daughter again.
There had never really been a choice.
So sacrifices didn’t feel like sacrifices once you held the reason in your arms.
Jennifer suddenly grabbed Luna’s finger.
Luna smiled.
"Yeah... I know."
Just then the front door opened.
Amanda stepped inside carrying two grocery bags.
She kicked the door closed with her foot and sighed.
"Please tell
soone in this house slept last night."
Luna glanced up.
"You an you?"
Amanda dropped the bags onto the kitchen counter.
"Yes, ."
She walked into the living room and imdiately crouched down.
"Oh my God, look at her."
Jennifer stared up at Amanda with the sa curious expression.
Amanda’s face softened instantly.
"Hi, princess."
Jennifer waved one arm randomly.
Amanda laughed.
"See? She recognizes
already."
Luna rolled her eyes.
"She recognizes movent."
"Let
have my mont."
Amanda reached out and gently tapped Jennifer’s tiny nose.
"How are you today, little celebrity?"
Luna raised an eyebrow.
"Celebrity?"
Amanda shrugged.
"You never know."
Luna chuckled.
Amanda sat beside them on the floor.
"So," Amanda said, glancing at Luna. "How are you holding up?"
Luna leaned back slightly.
"Honestly?"
"Yes."
"Better than I expected being a mom is amazingly strange and stressful."
Amanda nodded slowly.
She had watched Luna’s entire journey after all she was her friend before she beca her agent and she knew how the story went.
The pregnancy.
The decision.
The quiet disappearance from the public eye.
And the sacrifice Luna had made.
The industry had been Luna’s world.
She had built years of reputation, attention, and opportunity.
Walking away from it had not been easy.
And this was the second ti and unlike the first ti it hurt more.
Amanda reached out and adjusted Jennifer’s blanket.
"She’s growing fast."
Luna smiled.
"I know."
Amanda leaned closer.
"She looks like—"
Luna interrupted quickly.
"I know."
Amanda stopped.
The silence lasted a second.
Then both won glanced toward the television across the room.
The screen was already on, muted, playing so morning entertainnt program.
Luna hadn’t even noticed when it started.
Amanda reached for the remote and turned the volu up slightly.
"...breaking entertainnt updates from Lagos this morning..."
The voice of a news presenter filled the room.
"...global music figure Dayo has once again captured international attention after appearing in Nigeria this week. Reports confirm he is currently collaborating with one of Africa’s biggest artists, sparking excitent across the music industry."
Luna froze.
Amanda noticed imdiately.
Neither of them spoke.
The television screen showed footage from Lagos.
Crowds.
Caras.
Then finally...
Dayo.
Standing beside another artist, smiling casually during an interview.
"...this marks another mont of cultural connection as Dayo continues expanding his global presence while embracing his African roots..."
The second reporter laughed slightly.
"Honestly, the man is unbelievable. Music, film production, directing, languages... he even released a full album in Korea."
The first reporter nodded.
"Yes! And I don’t know if you’ve heard the new songs yet. ’Roo and Juliet’.’"
"I have," the other replied. "And I’m not going to lie, the accent surprised . I didn’t even know he could sing like that."
Amanda slowly glanced toward Luna.
Luna’s eyes were still fixed on the television.
"...and from what we’re hearing, this Lagos visit might lead to even bigger collaborations with Nigerian artists..."
Amanda quietly picked up the remote.
Click.
The television went silent.
The room fell into a strange calm.
Luna looked down at Jennifer again.
Amanda sighed softly.
"You didn’t have to turn it off."
Luna shrugged.
"It’s fine."
Amanda studied her.
"Is it?"
Luna didn’t answer.
Jennifer made another small sound, drawing Luna’s attention back.
Luna gently lifted her daughter closer.
Amanda spoke carefully.
"You still love him.... right ?" Even she asking didn’t know if she asked a question or made a statent.
Luna laughed quietly.
"That’s a dangerous question."
Amanda didn’t smile.
"You know what I an."
Luna looked at Jennifer again.
Her daughter’s eyes blinked slowly.
Then Luna whispered softly.
"You look so much like your father."
Amanda heard it.
And her expression changed.
She leaned forward slightly.
"Luna."
Luna closed her eyes for a mont.
Amanda continued carefully.
"Have you thought about it?"
Luna already knew the question.
She sighed.
"You ask
that every week."
"And every week you avoid answering."
Luna finally looked at her.
"I don’t know."
Amanda crossed her arms.
"You do know."
Luna looked down at Jennifer again.
The baby was smiling now.
Amanda spoke gently.
"You know if he knew... he would run across the world to see her."
Luna’s jaw tightened slightly.
"You’re assuming a lot."
Amanda shook her head.
"No. I’m not And we both know that."
The silence stretched again.
Amanda continued softly.
"You know him better than most people. You know what kind of person he is."
Luna looked away.
"He’s at the peak of everything right now."
Amanda frowned.
"So?"
"So imagine what happens when the dia finds out he secretly has a daughter."
Amanda leaned back.
"That’s not a scandal."
"It becos one if people want it to."
Amanda sighed.
"You’re protecting him Is that what you think."
Luna didn’t deny it.
Amanda continued.
"And what about her?"
She nodded toward Jennifer.
Luna stared at her daughter.
The tiny baby was staring back.
For a mont Luna imagined a different reality.
One where Dayo was sitting here.
Holding Jennifer.
Seeing her smile.
Hearing her laugh.
The thought hit her chest like a wave.
She pushed it away quickly.
Amanda watched her carefully And she could see right through Luna’s thought after all she has known her for so long.
"You’re scared."
Luna didn’t respond.
Amanda stood up slowly.
"Look, I’m not telling you what to do."
She walked toward the kitchen.
"As your assistant or your friend."
She paused.
"But you should think about it."
Luna sat silently.
Jennifer grabbed her finger again.
Luna whispered softly.
"You’re lucky."
Jennifer blinked.
"You don’t have to deal with the world yet."
She smiled faintly.
"My little secret."
Amanda returned with two cups of tea.
She handed one to Luna.
Then sat back down.
Neither of them spoke for a while.
Finally Luna leaned her head back and whispered.
"It’s better this way."
Amanda didn’t argue.
But she wasn’t convinced.
Across the room the television screen flickered silently.
Showing footage of Dayo again.
Thousands of miles away.
Unaware.
Unaware that the quiet apartnt in another part of the world held soone who shared his eyes.
Unaware that sowhere, his daughter was laughing.
Luna gently rocked Jennifer in her arms.
The baby giggled again.
Luna smiled softly.
"Yeah," she whispered.
"Let’s keep it simple."
But deep inside she knew sothing Amanda had already understood.
Secrets like this never stayed hidden forever.
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