The eviction notice was taped to Nina Cole’s front door.

It fluttered in the evening breeze, its edges curling from the damp air. She didn’t need to read it to know what it said. The landlord had been warning her for weeks.

Still, her eyes drifted to the bold black letters.

FINAL NOTICE.

Outstanding Rent: ₦280,000.

Vacate the premises within seven days if payment is not received.

A bitter laugh escaped her lips.

Seven days.

As if seven days could magically produce almost three hundred thousand naira.

She tightened her grip on the grocery bag hanging from her wrist. Inside were two packs of noodles, a loaf of bread, half a dozen eggs, and her mother’s medication. That was all she could afford after spending nearly everything in her account.

With a sigh, she peeled the notice from the door before any of the neighbors noticed it. Pity was the one thing she couldn’t stand.

She unlocked the apartment and forced a smile before stepping inside.

“I’m home.”

The tiny apartment smelled of tomato stew and boiled rice.

Grace Cole peeked out from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a faded apron. Although illness had stolen some of the fullness from her face, her smile remained as gentle as ever.

“There you are.”

“I brought your medicine.”

“You shouldn’t have spent so much.”

“I spent what was necessary.”

Grace looked at the grocery bag and frowned.

“And what about you? Did you buy anything for yourself?”

Nina chuckled as she placed everything on the table.

“I bought toothpaste.”

“I’m serious.”

“So am I.”

Grace shook her head.

“You’ve become just like your father.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

The older woman sighed but smiled anyway.

Dinner was simple. Plain rice, tomato stew, and one boiled egg they quietly shared without arguing over who deserved the larger half.

They had become experts at pretending everything was fine.

Halfway through dinner, Grace cleared her throat.

“Did your salary come today?”

Nina kept eating.

“No.”

“They delayed it again?”

“They said there are cash flow issues.”

Grace lowered her spoon.

“But the rent…”

“I’ll sort it out.”

“The hospital appointment is this week.”

“I know.”

“And Ethan’s tuition?”

“I know.”

Grace reached across the table and held her daughter’s hand.

“You don’t have to carry everyone.”

Nina smiled softly.

“I don’t mind.”

“That’s the problem.”

Before either of them could continue, someone knocked on the door.

Three slow, familiar knocks.

Nina closed her eyes.

“I’ll get it.”

She opened the door to find Mr. Balogun standing outside.

The landlord removed his cap and sighed.

“Good evening, Nina.”

“Good evening, sir.”

“I hate these conversations.”

“So do I.”

He scratched the back of his neck.

“I’ve been patient.”

“I know.”

“I have another family willing to pay six months in advance.”

She nodded quietly.

“I understand.”

“I don’t want to throw you and your mother out.”

“Then don’t.”

“I can’t keep waiting forever.”

“I just need a little more time.”

“How much?”

She hesitated.

“One week.”

He looked at her for several seconds before exhaling deeply.

“Seven days.”

“After that, I won’t have a choice.”

Relief flooded through her.

“Thank you.”

As he walked away, Grace appeared beside her.

“What did he say?”

“Seven days.”

Her mother’s shoulders slumped.

“I’m sorry.”

Nina immediately wrapped an arm around her.

“You’ve done nothing wrong.”

“If I wasn’t sick—”

“Mum.”

“If your father was still alive—”

“Mum.”

Her voice grew firmer.

“We promised not to live in ‘what ifs.’”

Grace nodded, blinking away tears.

That night, long after her mother had fallen asleep, Nina sat alone at the small dining table with her aging laptop open.

Job applications covered the screen.

Receptionist.

Executive assistant.

Customer service.

Virtual assistant.

Anything that paid better than her current job.

She submitted application after application until her eyes burned.

Then she opened her banking app.

Available Balance: ₦18,240.

She stared at the number.

Rent.

Food.

Transport.

Medicine.

The figures refused to make sense.

Just as she was about to close the app, another notification appeared.

An email.

Her heartbeat quickened.

Maybe payroll.

She opened it.

Instead, it was a reminder from her younger brother’s university.

Outstanding tuition fees due in five days.

Nina leaned back in her chair and covered her face.

For the first time in months, she allowed herself to cry.

The tears were silent.

Quick.

Gone almost as soon as they appeared.

She wiped her face and whispered into the empty room,

“You don’t get to fall apart.”

The alarm rang at five the next morning.

She was already awake.

After a quick shower, she ironed her only white office blouse, tied her curly hair into a neat ponytail, and slipped on her worn black flats.

Before leaving, Grace handed her a small lunchbox.

“I made sandwiches.”

“Mum…”

“I know they’re simple.”

“They’re perfect.”

Nina kissed her forehead before heading out into another hectic Lagos morning.

Yellow buses blared their horns.

Street vendors shouted over one another.

The city was already alive.

Forty-five minutes later, she arrived at Bennett & Brooks Consulting.

“Morning, Miss Nina,” the elderly security guard greeted with a smile.

“Morning, Uncle Joe.”

“You look tired.”

“I’ll sleep after I become rich.”

He laughed.

“You’ve been saying that for years.”

“And one day you’ll believe me.”

Inside, the office buzzed with activity.

Phones rang nonstop.

Printers hummed.

Employees rushed from one department to another.

Nina had barely switched on her computer when her manager appeared.

“Morning.”

“Good morning, sir.”

“I need the Henderson files.”

“They’re already on your desk.”

“The conference room?”

“Prepared.”

“The investor presentation?”

“Printed.”

He blinked.

“You’ve done everything?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good.”

He walked away without another word.

No thank you.

No acknowledgment.

Nina simply smiled to herself.

Some people only noticed your work when it wasn’t done.

Around noon, Maya appeared beside her desk carrying two paper cups.

“I saved your life.”

Nina looked up.

“Coffee?”

“And meat pie.”

“You didn’t have to.”

“I know.”

Maya sat on the edge of the desk.

“Now tell me what’s wrong.”

“Nothing.”

“Liar.”

Nina sighed.

“The landlord gave us seven days.”

Maya’s cheerful expression disappeared.

“What?”

She nodded.

“And my salary still hasn’t come.”

Before Maya could respond, every computer in the office chimed simultaneously.

A company-wide email.

Nina opened it.

Her smile vanished.

Due to ongoing financial restructuring, staff salaries have been delayed until further notice. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.

The office erupted with frustrated murmurs.

“This is the third time!”

“How are we supposed to pay bills?”

“This company is unbelievable.”

Nina didn’t hear any of it.

Her phone was ringing.

Mum Calling.

She answered immediately.

“Hello?”

“Nina… the hospital called.”

Her heart skipped.

“What happened?”

“The doctor wants me to come in tomorrow instead.”

“That’s okay.”

“They said I need another MRI scan before treatment.”

She swallowed.

“How much?”

Grace hesitated.

“Thirty-eight thousand naira.”

The world around Nina suddenly felt very quiet.

Thirty-eight thousand.

She didn’t even have twenty.

“I’ll get it.”

“You don’t have to keep doing this.”

“I’ll find a way.”

She ended the call before her mother could hear the fear creeping into her voice.

Outside the office windows, dark clouds gathered over Lagos.

Within minutes, heavy rain pounded against the glass.

Employees groaned as they watched the streets disappear beneath floodwater.

By closing time, most people ordered rides home.

Nina couldn’t afford one.

She carefully placed her mother’s medical records inside a brown envelope and tucked it safely into her handbag.

Those documents represented months of hospital visits.

She couldn’t risk damaging them.

“Wait for the rain to slow,” Maya pleaded.

“It won’t.”

“I’ll pay for your ride.”

Nina smiled gratefully.

“Thank you.”

“But no.”

She opened her umbrella and stepped into the storm.

Cold rain soaked the streets.

Traffic crawled through the flooded roads.

She lowered her head and continued walking, unaware that, just a few streets away, a black Rolls-Royce Phantom was speeding toward the same intersection.

Inside sat billionaire CEO Damien Knight, reviewing business contracts on his tablet.

Neither of them knew it yet.

But within the next sixty seconds…

Their lives would collide.