MY LOVELY BLACK ROSE

It was 2018 in the bustling city of Lagos, Nigeria, they lived a beautiful young girl named Amaka. Amaka worked hard at her job in a local restaurant, trying to save up enough money to pay for her sister’s University fees. She had no time for boys -that is, until she met Li, the charming and handsome Chinese heir to the Chu family.

Li was visiting Lagos on business, and he had come to the restaurant to try local cuisines. Amaka was immediately drawn to his friendly smile and his effortless confidence. As they talked, she found out that Li was the only son of his family. He was expected to follow his father’s footsteps and run the family business empire, but he had always dreamed of exploring the world and experiencing different cultures.

Despite their different backgrounds Amaka and Li quickly fell in love. To the surprise of their friends, they began a passionate affair, sneaking off to secluded corners of the city to steal kisses and whisper sweet nothings. Amaka was captivated by Li’s intelligence, humor and adventures spirit, and Li was entranced by Amaka’s beauty, grace, and generosity.

As their relationship deepend, however, Amaka and Li began to realize just how difficult it would be to bridge the cultural divide between them. Their friends were skeptical of their affair, especially Li’s friends knowing his parents wanted him to marry someone from a traditional Chinese family. Amaka’s sisters were envious of her relationship with Li and accused her of abandoning her roots. Even strangers on the street sometimes would stare at them in disbelief, some would pass nasty comments, wondering how two people from different worlds could find love.

Despite these challenges Amaka and Lee were determined to stay together. They continued to steal moments of joy and intimacy whenever they could even as Li's time in Lagos drew to a close. When he finally had to leave, they promised to stay in touch and find a way to be together again.

Over the next few months Amaka and Li exchanged letters and photos pouring out their hearts to each other and dreaming of a future together. It was in winter when Li and his father has gone on a short business trip that a letter came from Amaka and it was received by Li’s mother, she was shocked, disappointed, and sought a way to kill this relationship. When Li came back his mother confronted him and he accepted that she was the love of his life, but his parents would not have it. His parents continued to pressure him to forget about Amaka and to focus on his duties as the son and the heir of the Chu family, but he could not shake his love for her, and he longed to return to Lagos to be with her again.

The years passed by Li still could not convince his parents about Amaka, he vowed to stay single and never get married if they would not allow him to be with her. After longing for an heir Li’s parents decided to let him go back to Lagos and find his love. When he arrived, he found her waiting at the airport, dressed in a beautiful traditional African outfit. They embraced and kissed, oblivious to the stares of the other passengers.

For next few weeks, Amaka and Li savored each other’s company as they explored Lagos and traveled to nearby towns and villages, they discovered that, despite their differences, they shared many values and aspirations. They both wanted to make the world a better place, to help those in need and to experience the richness of different cultures. As they enjoyed their time together sadness filled Amaka’s heart as she was harboring a secret from Li which would change their lives forever.

As Li’s departure drew closer Amaka and Li began to feel a sense of sadness and resignation they knew that they would have to be apart again and that it would be even harder this time but is Li also knew that their love was real and deep and that he would find a way to be together again he a pact to continue writing and planning and to stay strong in the face of whatever obstacles that might come their way. Immediately Amaka burst into tears, as Li was concerned, he comforted her and she told him the secret she was keeping, Her father had arranged a marriage for her in the next four months and she didn’t have a choice but to obey her father.

And so, when Li finally bid goodbye to Amaka at the airport tears streaming down both their faces they knew that their love affair was for them to carry in their hearts for eternity and they had to go their separate ways. Their love was a flame that would burn bright and strong, no matter what the future might bring. They embraced each other one last time and Li disappeared into the crowd carrying a piece of Amaka’s heart with him as he went back to China.