Maria woke up to the smell of pancakes and laughter.
Junior's giggle echoed from the kitchen, where Alexander was helping him pour syrup onto his plate. For a brief moment, it felt like a normal family morning.
She stood at the doorway, arms folded, silently watching.
Alexander noticed her and smiled. "Good morning."
"Morning," she replied softly.
Junior waved a sticky hand. "Mummy! Daddy made pancakes!"
She smiled at the sight, but her mind was elsewhere.
On her phone screen was a new article from a popular blog:
"The Billionaire, The Baby Mama, and The Boardroom: Is Maria Obasi Lagos' New Cinderella?"
She hated the title. Hated how it twisted her story into something shallow.
She showed it to Alexander.
"I thought the press would back off," she said.
"I hired a team to clean it up. But the truth? The more silent we are, the louder they shout."
Maria exhaled. "Then maybe it's time I speak."
Alexander looked at her carefully. "You sure?"
She nodded. "I've let everyone tell my story—except me."
---
That afternoon, Maria sat down with a reputable journalist, one she chose herself.
No makeup team. No rehearsed script. Just her voice.
She told the truth—how she met Alexander, what happened, what she suffered, how she raised Junior.
No drama. No scandal. Just the truth.
The interview dropped three days later.
The public response was overwhelming.
Some people mocked. Others supported. But many… listened.
Maria Obasi was no longer a faceless "maid" in a billionaire's fantasy.
She was a woman with power in her voice.
And that changed everything.