When Love Lasts

By O.L Obonna

Theirs was a marriage made in heaven, a marriage meant to last forever or so they thought.

A once-perfect marriage was thrown into a fragile state as a result of tiny whispers, and an unfortunate encounter causes the marriage to collapse. The once happy couple separate and a heartbroken Leilani returns home to London. And then out of the blue, Folarin’s family needs Leilani’s help and she must return to her ex-husband’s side. A series of unfortunate events have brought them together again and Folarin and Leilani must come to terms with the realisation, that somebody, somewhere was wrong. As they spend more time together, falling in love seems inevitable; even though one of them is promised to another, they must find a way to learn to trust and forgive each other in other to move on.

Will Folarin be able to trust Leilani?
Will Leilani be able to forget the pain of their first marriage?
Will they both believe in second chances?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pageleaf Publishing LTD
• Release date: Feb 28, 2023
• ISBN: 9781739284107

Book preview

LOVE_LASTS_ebook_cover.jpg

WHEN

LOVE

lasts

O. L. OBONNA

Pageleaf Publishing

www.pageleafpublishing.com

Copyright © 2023 by O.L. Obonna

First Published in the United Kingdom by Pageleaf Publishing LTD

This book is a work of fiction. The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products are intended or should be inferred.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the publisher’s prior written permission.

ISBN eBook : 978-1-7392841-0-7

First Pageleaf Publishing Electronic Edition: February 2023

ISBN Paperback: 978-1-7392841-1-4

First Pageleaf Publishing Electronic Edition: February 2023

Design by Vanessa Mendozzi

Printed in the United Kingdom.

© 2023 O.L Obonna

Acknowledgements

Although this is my second book, I still feel that excitement when I see my book going to print, and as usual, this would never have been possible without the support I got when I first put pen to paper writing Leilani and Folarin’s story.

There are many people I owe it all to, and they deserve all my thanks, so here goes;

My appreciation goes to Ms Lucy York Rose and Ms Vanessa Mendozzi for their assistance in preparing this manuscript.

My earliest beta reader – my sister Esse Otite reads all stories and tells me she loves how I bring the characters to light; without her, I probably wouldn’t have taken that step to send my first book to my publisher.

My friends, Cherry Walker and Xaviera who would read and point out where they thought I needed to improve my story.

And finally, to my husband for his unflinching support, for his belief in me and for encouraging me to take the step and put my books out there.

This wouldn’t be possible without my dearest readers, a big thank you to them for reading my books and giving me the zeal to go ahead and write beautiful stories.

Prologue

H ello? Leilani answered her phone after it had rung a couple of times.

Hello, Leilani.

Leilani froze. She would know that voice anywhere; it was the voice of someone she would never forget. Folarin Balogun, her unforgiving ex-husband. It had been two years since she had last heard from him, two years since that fateful night when their marriage had ended abruptly. She almost dropped the phone in shock.

How did you get my number? she asked, slumping into her chair in the back office of her café.

Silence. Then Folarin Balogun responded quietly, I got your number from Tega.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and waited for a couple of seconds. What do you want, Folarin? she asked in a very unfriendly tone. You must have a reason for calling me. Leilani knew that she sounded rude, but she didn’t care. She was in no mood to be polite to Folarin Balogun.

He had hurt her so much. Back then, she thought she would die from the pain he had caused her. It had taken her a long time to heal, and now she was ready to move on. Hearing his voice again brought back painful memories, memories she would rather leave in the past, where they belonged.

Leilani, he called her name again, paused, then added quietly, I am coming to London in two weeks, and I was wondering if we could meet up for drinks?

Leilani’s eyes widened in disbelief. She wasn’t sure she heard correctly. Folarin wanted to meet for drinks? She snorted, shaking her head in disbelief. She wasn’t dreaming, was she?

She had to be dreaming.

She pinched her cheeks to be sure.

Two years ago, he had refused to see her, to listen to her and now, out of the blue, he wanted to meet. She was aware he had visited London on a regular basis since their divorce, but he had never attempted to see her.

Closing her eyes, she prayed for strength to be civil to him and counted to ten. She always did that when she was angry, it always calmed her down, but today it wasn’t working.

Leilani are you there? his voice cut into her thoughts, jolting her back to the present.

I am. She paused to catch her breath. What on earth are you talking about? And why would you want to meet me? You’ve got to be joking, Folarin! she burst out. Why on earth would you want to see me? What for? she demanded angrily, wondering why she was even speaking to him.

Leilani, please, if you could spare some time off work, we could meet at your café or my hotel. You can decide the venue, but I want to meet up, Folarin continued in his calm voice, which aggravated her even more.

The cheek of him! He was really serious about wanting to meet up.

You think I would want to meet up with you for drinks? I’m amazed that you have the gall to call my number. Right now, I’m more upset with Tega for giving out my number to you. You are the last person I ever want to see or speak to, Folarin, so please do me a favour: lose my number and never call me again. We have nothing to talk about. She hung up and slammed the phone down on her cluttered desk.

She got up, glanced at her watch, and grimaced. She had been working on a new menu for her café all day and was determined to get it done by the weekend, but she couldn’t, not now.

Folarin Balogun’s unexpected call had unsettled her.

She grabbed her bottle of water and drank thirstily from it as she looked around her small office.

This was her special place, where she put down all her ideas for the café, a place where she always felt safe. She was not going to allow a phone call from her ex to unsettle her and make her lose focus.

Determined to finish the task at hand, she sat down in her armchair and reached for her laptop.

•••

Folarin wasn’t surprised Leilani had hung up on him yesterday.

He had expected her to be angry and yes, she was right to be angry, but still, he was angry with himself for calling her and even more annoyed that she hung up on him.

And he was also a little bit tipsy.

Damn Leilani.

All she had to do was listen to him, was that so difficult to do?

He got to his car, a sleek black BMW X6, and fumbled with his keys, cursing when they dropped from his hands. Placing his left arm on the bonnet for balance, he bent down to look for his keys.

He located them by his feet and gave a whoop of delight.

Straightening up, he opened the door on the driver’s side and got in.

He squinted. Everything looked blurred. But he could see the wide road before him, so he was good to go.

Starting the engine, Folarin gripped the steering wheel and drove out of the restaurant premises, his eyes focused on the road before him.

He had only gone a few miles when he ran a red light.

He didn’t hear people screaming and he didn’t see the truck coming until it rammed into the passenger side of his car. The impact lifted his car, and it rolled over a couple of times, the windscreen shattering as the car tumbled down the poorly lit street, finally coming to a stop at the end of the road.

As his life flashed before him, Leilani was the last person he thought of just before the airbag deployed in his face.

And then he blacked out.

Chapter One

Six Weeks Later

It was a busy Sunday, and Leilani and Ariana were on their way to the Kew Village Market. It took place on the first Sunday of every month between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., and she never missed it. She loved visiting the quaint shops, cafes, and restaurants nearby; it was a delightful place to window shop and look for that odd unique item.

She and Ariana walked along Sandycombe Road towards Zita Elze Flower, her favourite florist shop.

They had just stepped inside the florist shop, when her phone rang.

She glanced down and smiled; her Aunt’s number was flashing on the screen.

Motioning for Ariana to continue into the shop without her, she picked up.

Hey, Aunty Aubrey.

Leilani, I just called the café. Where are you? was her Aunt’s reply. She sounded impatient and irritated.

I’m on my way to Kew Village Market. Ariana and I just stopped to get flowers for the café. She paused and added quietly, I told you I would be out all day.

I know, I’m sorry for sounding short, sweetie. Can you come home, please? It’s important.

Why? What’s wrong? Are you okay? She could sense her aunt was upset by her voice.

Mrs Balogun is here with that stuck-up daughter of hers. How on earth did they get this address? I almost didn’t let them in. Please hurry; they said they need to see you, and I want them out of this flat as soon as possible, her Aunt said and hung up before she could put a word in.

Wow! Leila mouthed in shock, sliding her phone into her pocket. She looked up, bewildered, as Ariana approached, her face buried in a bunch of flowers.

Why do you have that look on your face, and who was that? her friend of over ten years asked when she finally stopped sniffing the flowers. These flowers are divine! Oooh, we are taking this bunch. Who was that?

That was Aunty Aubrey. She’s hopping mad. She says Folarin’s mum and Feyi just turned up at our apartment, asking to see me. That’s a big surprise, especially as we haven’t spoken in years. I wonder what they want and how they got my address.

Your what? asked Ariana.

You heard me the first time. Stop making me repeat myself.

I did! What do they want from you? Ariana snapped, rolling her eyes.

I don’t know. Leilani shrugged, frowning. Aunt Aubrey sounded annoyed, so I need to head home now.

I’m beyond shocked she even allowed them in. Snotty, horrible people!

Ariana!

What? Did I say something wrong? her friend retorted, a defiant look on her pretty face as they headed back towards the café. You’d better get going – and come back quickly, too.

I was looking forward to going to the market; I haven’t been in two months. I wonder what they want, Leila grumbled. I’d better hurry before Aunt Aubrey tosses them out on their backsides.

And with good reason, too! hissed Ariana.

Leilani shook her head at Ariana, who was muttering curses under her breath.

You know, I’m surprised they are here. Folarin got engaged a couple of weeks ago. I would expect his mum to be by his side planning an extravagant wedding, not here in London, halfway across the world.

Ariana stopped, turned and gave Leilani a disbelieving look. And you know about his engagement how? Leilani are you keeping tabs on your ex? she asked.

Of course not. Why would I do that? I just happened to see the article on a Lagos blog I’m subscribed to; I skim through the articles now and then. Listen, I’m going. I will be back before you know it, Leilani stated, waving Ariana in the direction of the café.

It took her less than twenty minutes to arrive at the apartment she shared with her Aunt Aubrey. The café she ran with Ariana was only around the corner.

Leilani took a deep breath and pressed the bell outside the three-bedroom flat.

Her aunt’s phone call had put her on edge.

She could still feel her ears ringing from her aunt’s screams.

And her Aunt Aubrey could scream, especially when she was upset. She knew from experience that if she didn’t show up soon, Aunt Aubrey would toss her unwanted visitors out without a care. Now she was standing outside her flat, dreading the moment she would face her former in-laws.

The door swung open, and her Aunt stood there frowning with her hands on her hips.

Where are they? Leilani enquired calmly as her aunt glared at her as though she had invited them over.

They are in there! Aunt Aubrey snorted, nodding towards the living room as she moved aside to allow her niece in. Hurry up and get them out of my house as soon as possible!

Leilani was sure her visitors heard her. Aunt Aubrey! she admonished, shaking her head as her aunt huffed and walked off in the direction of the bedrooms muttering angrily under her breath.

Leilani walked into the lounge, stopping as the two women standing by the window turned and looked at her.

Taking a deep breath, her face devoid of emotion, Leilani faced her in-laws for the first time in two years and asked calmly, What are you both doing here?

Is that how you greet an elder where you are from? the younger of the two women barked, her face a mask of anger. It was obvious from her stance that she would rather be somewhere else than here. Well, the feeling was mutual, Leilani thought.

She didn’t want them in her flat either.

Leilani counted to ten and said, "I wasn’t speaking to you, Feyi. I was addressing