Chapter 1
CHAPTER 1THE PERFECT FAMILY
It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon in Lagos.
The sun was bright, the streets were busy, and the sound of cars filled the city. But inside one of the most beautiful mansions in Lagos, everything felt peaceful.
Laughter filled the house.
In the large living room, Johnson sat with his wife, Javine, and their only daughter, Praise.
Praise was eleven years old, full of energy and always ready to play.
She ran across the large sitting room as her father chased after her.
“Come here, young lady!” Johnson laughed.
“No, Daddy!” Praise screamed playfully as she quickly ran behind her mother.
Javine burst into laughter.
“Johnson, leave this girl alone. You know you can’t catch her.”
Johnson looked at his daughter and smiled.
“Is that a challenge?”
Praise peeked from behind her mother.
“Daddy, you can’t catch me!”
Johnson immediately stood up.
“Okay. Today, I will show you who is the fastest in this house.”
Praise screamed and ran.
Johnson chased after her while Javine watched them, laughing.
For those few minutes, nothing else mattered.
No business meetings.
No phone calls.
No security concerns.
Just a father, a mother, and their daughter enjoying a peaceful afternoon together.
From the outside, they looked like the perfect family.
And perhaps they were.
But there was much more to Johnson than being a loving husband and father.
Johnson was one of the most powerful businessmen in Lagos.
He was the elder of two brothers and the head of one of the biggest business organizations in the city.
His younger brother, Emmanuel, was also wealthy and powerful.
Together, the brothers controlled an empire that stretched across Lagos.
Their organization was made up of six powerful individuals:
Johnson.
Emmanuel.
Madam Mercy.
Chief Chidi.
Chief Oscar.
Madam Josefina.
Six people.
Six powerful names.
One organization.
And Johnson was the head.
Their businesses were everywhere.
They owned luxury car businesses, clubs, bars, casinos, and several other investments scattered across Lagos.
Their names carried weight.
Their influence reached places ordinary people could never imagine.
But despite all the money and power surrounding him, Johnson had one thing he valued above everything else.
His family.
Especially Praise.
She was his only child, and Johnson would do anything to protect her.
A few kilometres away, Emmanuel lived with his own family. He had a wife and two children—a boy and a girl.
The two brothers were close.
At least, that was what everyone believed.
They had built their empire together, trusted each other, and stood beside each other for years.
But sometimes, the people standing closest to you are the ones who know exactly where to place the knife.
And nobody knew that better than the Johnson family.
For now, however, there was nothing to fear.
Praise was still laughing.
Javine was still smiling.
Johnson was still chasing his daughter around the living room.
The mansion was still peaceful.
Everything seemed perfect.
But Johnson had no idea that this beautiful Saturday afternoon would become one of the last peaceful moments his family would ever share.
And Praise had no idea that the life she knew was about to change forever.
