The sun, setting on the horizon, cast a golden glow on the sandy beach. Teniola sat in a weathered chaise lounge with her feet buried in the soft sand. The sound of the waves crashing against the shore provided the perfect background for her afternoon escape. Behind her, a turquoise beach umbrella stood tall, while a straw hat rested on the sand next to her chair. The scent of coconut sunscreen hung in the air, reminding her of lazy summer days and carefree moments.
Teniola’s skin, the color of rich mahogany, absorbed the sun’s warmth, while her hair, a halo of tight curls, framed her face. Her oversized sunglasses glinted in the sun, shielding her eyes from the brilliance of the day.
She held a well-loved copy of Red Lines, a novel that promised love, betrayal, and high-stakes drama. The book cover depicted the silhouette of two intertwined hearts, their edges blurred by the salty sea breeze. She’d discovered the book during a chance encounter at a local bookstore and was drawn to its captivating story.
Occasionally, she glanced up from the pages, her eyes resting on the shoreline as the waves lapped at her ankles, seagulls danced overhead, children chattered as they built sandcastles, and couples strolled hand in hand. Turning the sun-kissed pages of Red Lines, the scenes seemed to come alive, merging fiction with reality.
Teniola imagined herself as the heroine of the book, torn between two powerful men vying for her heart. She pictured herself in the realm of the Ajibade twins, Folu and Fola, co-owners of Bade Inc., as they battled for supremacy in the cutthroat world of investment banking. Their sibling rivalry escalated when they both fell for the same woman, Bekere.
Teniola chuckled at the thought of her life being as dramatic as the characters in the book. She wondered if her love story would ever begin, be as tumultuous as that shared between Bekere and the Ajibade twins. A sudden ocean breeze tugged at the pages, threatening to whisk them away, but she held on, lost in both worlds—hers and the book she read.