The Billionaire’s Forgotten Act of Kindness
Episode 1
— Episode 1
The air in Ibadan was thick with the scent of roasted corn and fresh rain as Amara balanced the tray of chin-chin on her head, navigating the muddy market paths with practiced ease. Her slender arms swung rhythmically by her side, and her worn-out slippers slapped against the ground as she called out to potential buyers.
“Come and buy sweet chin-chin o! Freshly made! Very crunchy!” she sang, her voice cutting through the din of the bustling marketplace.
It was another ordinary day in Amara’s life—ordinary in its struggle, in its hustle, and in its dreams. She was only seventeen but carried the weight of an entire family on her shoulders. Her mother, bedridden from a stroke, relied on her for food and medicine, while her younger brother, Chike, needed school fees. Amara was determined not to let him drop out as she had.
As she rounded the corner to the main junction, she spotted a shiny black Mercedes parked on the roadside. The car looked out of place among the battered yellow buses and the crowd of noisy traders. Curious eyes turned towards the vehicle, but no one dared to approach it. Amara, on the other hand, barely spared it a glance. Expensive cars in the market meant nothing to her; they belonged to a world she could never dream of entering.
But then, a man stepped out of the car, and the crowd seemed to hold its breath. He was tall, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit, and wore sunglasses that hid his eyes but not his commanding presence. He moved like someone used to being obeyed, his polished shoes gleaming even in the muddy chaos of the market.
The man scanned his surroundings before his gaze landed on Amara. She froze mid-step, unsure of why he was looking at her. Then, with a nod, he gestured her over. The crowd’s attention shifted to Amara, and she felt the heat of their stares as she hesitated. What did a man like that want with someone like her?
“You, come here,” he said, his deep voice carrying above the noise.
Amara’s legs moved before her brain could catch up. As she approached, she noticed the slight furrow in his brow and the faint trace of impatience on his face. Up close, he looked even more intimidating, his suit perfectly tailored to his broad shoulders, his wristwatch gleaming with the kind of wealth she had only seen in magazines.
“How much for everything on your tray?” he asked, gesturing at the chin-chin.
Amara blinked, momentarily stunned. She quickly calculated the total in her head.
“Ten thousand naira, sir,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
Without a word, the man reached into his pocket and pulled out a crisp bundle of notes. He handed her twenty thousand.
“Keep the change,” he said. “And take the day off. You look like you need it.”
Amara stared at the money in her hand, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. Twenty thousand naira was more than she made in a week. She couldn’t understand why a man like him would show such generosity to someone like her.
“T-thank you, sir,” she stammered, tears welling up in her eyes.
He gave her a small nod before turning back to his car. Amara watched as he disappeared into the sleek vehicle, the sound of the engine drowning out the noise of the market as it drove away.
The crowd erupted into murmurs, and a few people approached Amara, asking who the man was. She shook her head, unable to provide any answers. All she knew was that her family’s immediate worries had been lifted, even if just for a little while.
Back at home, Amara recounted the story to her mother, who clutched the money with trembling hands, tears streaming down her face.
“God will bless that man wherever he is,” her mother prayed fervently.
What Amara didn’t know was that this brief encounter would ripple far beyond the boundaries of her small world. The man in the Mercedes, Obinna Okafor, had no recollection of the act of kindness he had performed that day. To him, it was a simple gesture, one among many. But to Amara, it was the beginning of a story she could never have imagined.
Little did they both know that fate was already weaving their lives together in ways they could not foresee.
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Hey, just wanna let you know that this is more suitable to be posted in the Fiction community 😊