Saved By Grace- Ep 23

Episode 23- Ziniya….

AkilaHyel’s POV-

The morning briefing at the Defence Headquarters had dragged on for three grueling hours, but for the first time in my entire military career, my mind wasn’t completely locked on the strategic maps or the logistical data being projected onto the screen.

Every time the GOC paused to adjust his spectacles, my eyes would instinctively drift toward the polished mahogany surface of the conference table, my mind instantly tracking back to the cool marble fountain in the garden.

I could still hear the soft, breathless way she had surrendered her heart under the stars.

Yes, Akila. I am your woman. I’ve always been yours. You just didn’t know it.

The memory alone was enough to make the muscles in my jaw relax, a small, involuntary smile tugging at the corner of my mouth before I quickly caught myself and pulled my rigid military posture back into place.

A Captain does not smile during a security briefing.

But the truth was already etched deep into my chest.

The ice had melted.

The armor I had worn since the day my father died had been completely dismantled by a single girl with a gap between her teeth and a heart full of fire.

By 02:00 PM, I was driving my black SUV back into the Idorenyin compound.

The official mourning period was technically drawing to a close, but the house still carried that quiet, respectful dignity that followed the passing of a great man.

However, today, the energy inside the mansion was humming with a different kind of electricity.

I walked into the main lounge, my boots clicking softly against the polished terrazzo floor.

I had text-messaged Effiom earlier, asking them to gather the inner circle in the private parlor because I had something official to declare.

When I stepped through the double doors, I found the whole assembly waiting for me.

Effiom and his brothers were seated on the large leather sofas, looking relaxed but curious.

Naya and Amara were squatted on the large plush rug in the center of the room, their phones sprawled out between them.

Amara was holding her phone up on a FaceTime call, and I could instantly hear the loud, static-filled laughter of Zainab booming through the speaker.

Soteria was sitting on the single armchair near the glass door leading to the veranda.

She was wearing a simple, cream-colored knitted dress, her hair pulled back into a neat, elegant bun.

The moment I walked into the room, her head snapped up.

Our eyes met in the middle of the space, and a sudden, brilliant crimson flush crept up her neck, staining her cheeks with a beautiful, conscious heat.

She quickly looked down at her lap, her fingers nervously twisting the gold ring on her right hand.

She knew exactly why I had called this meeting.

I stood in the center of the room, my hands tucked casually into my pockets, my posture straight but completely devoid of my usual stiffness.

I looked around at the faces of the people who had become my family in the trenches of grief.

“Thank you all for coming down,” I began, my deep voice settling into the quiet room. I didn’t beat around the bush; a soldier goes straight for the objective.

“I gathered you here because I believe in protocol, and I believe in respect. For the past months, I have operated in this house as a guardian, a security detail, and a brother-in-arms to Effiom. But as of now, the dynamic has officially changed.”

The room went completely, utterly silent. Naya stopped texting.

Effiom raised an eyebrow, his eyes shifting from me to his little sister, who was now trying to completely dissolve into the leather of her armchair.

“I have officially asked Soteria to be my woman,” I declared, my voice steady, clear, and ringing with an undeniable pride.

“And she has said yes. We are officially dating. I wanted to state this clearly before her brothers and her friends so that there are no hidden movements in this house. My intentions with your sister are holy, honorable, and permanent.”

For three seconds, nobody moved.

Then, the lounge absolutely erupted.

“HEEEEEY! GOD WHEN OOO!” Naya screamed at the top of her lungs, throwing her throw-pillow straight into the air and jumping up from the rug like a wild animal.

“I knew it!! I just knew it!!”

“See how you people are finally accepting that you both are in love! Look at them blushing!”

“Soso, look at your face! You are red like a tomato!”

“Oh my God, finally!” Amara squealed, clapping her hands frantically while the phone in her grip shook violently.

On the screen, Zainab was screaming so loud the audio was clipping.

“My ship has finally sailed oo!”

Effiom let out a loud, deep chuckle, shaking his head as he leaned back against the sofa cushions.

He looked at me, his eyes full of a warm, brotherly respect that made my chest swell.

“Akila, you are a crazy man. So you waited until her birthday vanished before you launched your operation? Nice one, bro.”

Asuquo stood up, walking across the room to slap his heavy hand against my shoulder, a wide, genuine grin breaking across his face.

“We knew it, Captain. We saw the way you were holding her hand in the village. We were just waiting for you to find your voice. Take care of our girl, okay? If you break her heart, military court martial will be the least of your worries.”

“He can’t even try it! My brother is the sweetest human ever” Naya shouted, marching over to stand between me and Soteria, her hands on her hips as she scrutinized us both.

“Look at the two of them. They are literally vibrating under the scrutiny. Soteria, lift your head up! Why are you hiding your face behind your hands?”

Soteria finally let out a helpless, beautiful laugh, covering her glowing face with both palms as her friends surrounded her chair.

“You people should leave me alone, please! Akila, see what you have caused? You should have told them quietly!”

“A soldier does not hide his victory, Ziniya,” I murmured, the pet name i chose for her slipping past my lips before I could even stop it.

The room froze again. Naya’s eyes went completely wide.

“Wait... what did he just call you? Ziniya? Gold? Oh, Jesus, the romance is too much! I am leaving this place before singlehood kills me!”

Amara burst into a loud, knowing laugh, pointing her finger at Soteria.

“This is actually so cute. Heheeeeee…..”

“Soso, do you remember your very first meeting with him? The one at Aya? The one where….”

Before Amara could finish the sentence, Soteria’s face went completely pale.

With a speed that was purely athletic, Soteria lunged across the rug, throwing her entire body weight toward Amara and slamming her hand firmly over her friend’s mouth.

Naya sat back, completely oblivious, blinking in total confusion at why she was suddenly tackling Amara to the ground.

“Mmmph! Mmmph!” Amara grunted, her eyes watering with laughter as she struggled against Soteria’s desperate grip.

“Amara, if you utter one more word about that day, I will block you on every platform!” Soteria hissed, her eyes wild with an intense, hilarious panic.

She looked around at the rest of us, her face flushed with the sheer exertion of keeping her secret safe.

“Nobody needs to hear that story! It is classified information!”

“What story?” Effiom asked, his curiosity instantly piqued.

Soteria was scrunching her nose in pure disgust, her eyes darting toward the carpet as the memory of her public embarrassment threatened to overwhelm her.

Amara managed to pull Soteria’s fingers away from her lips for a brief second, gasping for air.

“I’ll keep quiet on one condition.” She breathed.

“What condition?” Soteria asked, ready to pounce on her again if she tried exposing her.

“The designer Telfar bag! The one I showed you on Instagram last week! Promise me you will buy it for me this Friday!”

“Okay! Okay! I will buy it! I will buy two! Oya get out of here” Soteria whispered-yelled, dragging Amara by the arm toward the double doors of the lounge.

“We are leaving, lover girl!” Naya laughed.

The lounge cleared out amid loud laughter, teasing shouts, and the lingering warmth of a family that was finally learning how to smile again.

When the doors closed, leaving just the two of us in the quiet room, the tension shifted from chaotic joy to something intensely intimate.

I walked over to her chair, bending down until my face was level with hers.

“You are still red, Ziniya,” I teased softly, my voice a low rumble.

“Because I love you,” she whispered back, a beautiful, playful smile breaking across her face as she reached out to grab my hand. “And I also love the pet name.”

SOTERIA’S POV

The days following Akila’s grand declaration in our parlor flew by in a blur of light text messages, secret smiles, and a profound sense of peace that I hadn’t felt in months.

Knowing that he was officially mine, and that my family wholeheartedly approved, felt like a warm blanket over my soul.

But as Friday approached, the reality of our very first official date began to set in, bringing a nervous flutter to my stomach.

I wanted everything to be perfect. I wanted to look like the woman he had claimed so proudly in front of everyone.

Around 05:00 PM, I was in my room, staring helplessly at my closet, when the door bounced open.

Amara walked into the room, her eyes bright and a wide, triumphant grin stretching across her face.

In her hands, she was balancing a large, sleek matte-black shopping bag and an elegant, structured shoe box.

She paused, her eyes instantly falling on the absolute disaster of clothes scattered across my bed.

“Wait... what is all this?” Amara asked, eyeing a stray dark top.

“Are you trying to wear a black turtleneck for your first date with the Captain? Absolutely not. Move aside.”

Amara pushed past me, setting the boxes on my vanity before taking total control.

She unzipped the main garment bag with a flourish, pulling out a breathtaking piece from a top-tier Nigerian luxury brand.

It was a flowing midi dress in a soft, rich pastel floral silk that caught the afternoon light beautifully.

Next, she popped open the shoe box to reveal a stunning pair of strappy heels from Outlash, their signature craftsmanship evident in the delicate, minimal design.

“Your man sent this,” she commanded, holding the silk dress up against my frame.

“He had it delivered through me. He said he wanted his baby to just focus on getting ready.”

I felt my cheeks heat up at her words, a soft smile tugging at my lips as I took the dress from her.

“Thank you, babes. For everything.”

“Anytime, my girl. Now go wash up while I find your gold hoops.”

As Amara stepped over to the vanity to prep my makeup and accessories, the initial excitement in the room settled into a quiet, intimate rhythm.

I watched her through the mirror as I began prepping my face.

The realization of how much had happened over the last few weeks suddenly hit me.

I had been so consumed by the funeral logistics and my own grief that I hadn’t truly checked in on my best friend.

“Amara,” I said softly, turning around to face her.

“How are you really doing?”

She paused, a makeup brush hovering in her hand, before offering a small smile.

“I’m good, babe. Why do you ask?”

“I just... I want to apologize,” I said, stepping closer and taking her hand.

“I’ve been so occupied with mourning, the will reading, and all the chaos in this house. I feel like I haven’t been a good friend lately. I haven’t even asked how things are with you.”

Amara’s expression softened completely, and she squeezed my hand reassuringly.

“Oh, Soso, please don’t apologize. It’s totally fine. You lost your dad, and your whole world flipped upside down. There is absolutely nothing to apologize for.” She let out a breath, dropping her hand to rest on the edge of the table.

“Besides... a lot actually happened last week. I broke up with my man.”

My jaw dropped.

“What? You broke up with him?” I stared at her in shock, trying to process the news.

“Why? What happened?”

Amara leaned back against the vanity, crossing her arms.

There was a quiet, resolved peace in her eyes that I hadn’t seen before.

“Honestly? It was because of you. Watching you go through the worst heartbreak of your life and still hold onto your faith... seeing how much you genuinely love God and run to Him, it did something to me. It pushed me to want to love God like that too.”

She took a deep breath, looking down at her neatly manicured nails.

“And when I looked at my relationship, I realized he wasn’t going to help me love God. He was dragging me backward, and I knew I had to do away with the things that God didn’t approve of if I wanted to take my walk with Him seriously. So, I cut it off.”

A profound wave of happiness and awe washed over me.

I stepped forward and threw my arms around her neck, pulling her into a tight, fierce hug.

“Oh, Amara,” I whispered into her shoulder, my eyes stinging with happy tears.

“I am so, so sorry I wasn’t there when it happened, but I am incredibly proud of you. Taking that step requires so much courage.”

She hugged me back just as tightly, laughing softly against my neck.

“Thank you, babes. It wasn’t easy, but I know it was the right thing.”

We pulled apart, and I wiped a stray tear from my eye, a bright smile breaking across my face.

“Trust me, a much better man will come. A man who loves God even more than you do, who will lead you closer to Him.”

“From your mouth to God’s ears!” Amara laughed, waving a hand in the air to dispel the emotional weight in the room.

“But enough about me for now. We have a strict timeline, and Captain Akila is not a man you keep waiting. Let’s get you into this luxury silk and get those heels on your feet.”

AkilaHyel’s POV

By 7:00PM, I pulled my car up the gravel driveway of the Idorenyin compound.

When the front door of the mansion opened, my breath left my lungs in one sharp, heavy draft.

Soteria walked down the steps like a vision carved out of pure moonlight.

The pastel floral dress moved gracefully around her ankles, her skin radiating a natural, glossy warmth under the setting sun.

She wore absolutely minimal makeup, preserving the real, striking lines of her face and the natural gap between her front teeth that I had grown to adore.

Her long black hair tumbled over her shoulders in thick, soft waves.

I stepped out of the vehicle, completely immobilized by the sight of her.

“You look... incredible, my queen,” I murmured, the title slipping out with the weight of an absolute vow.

“Thank you, baby,” she whispered back, her eyes crinkling with a heat that made my own chest tighten.

“You look quite handsome yourself.”

The drive to the foothills of the city was quiet, filled only with the soft hum of the engine and the easy warmth of our joined hands across the center console.

I steered the car down a hidden, stone-walled pathway into a private boutique garden that I had secured exclusively for us.

When I cut the engine, Soteria looked out the window and let out a soft, stunned gasp.

Underneath a massive, sweeping willow tree, a low-profile outdoor lounge had been arranged on a thick Persian rug. Dozens of amber fairy lights were woven through the branches above, throwing a soft, golden canopy over the space.

A low wooden table sat in the center, covered in burning candles, fresh white roses, and an array of gourmet dishes. The air was cool, carrying the clean scent of jasmine and rain-washed earth.

“Akila...” she breathed, turning to look at me as I opened her door.

“This isn’t a regular restaurant. You did all this for me?”

“I don’t do regular things, Ziniya,” I said softly, guiding her onto the rug, my hand resting gently against the small of her bare back.

“I wanted you to have a place without the noise of the world getting in the way.”

We sat down among the plush cushions, the cool midnight breeze rustling the leaves above us as we shared our meal.

The conversation was fluid, stripped of all the heavy armor we had worn during the mourning period.

She spoke about her dreams for her foundation, her voice rising with a beautiful, fierce passion that made me fall deeper with every word.

When the main course was cleared, the atmosphere settled into a thick, beautiful gravity.

I reached into my pocket, pulling out a small, square velvet box, and slid it across the table toward her.

Soteria paused, her eyes widening. “What is this?”

“Open it,” I murmured.

With trembling fingers, she lifted the lid. Resting inside was a delicate, custom-crafted white gold necklace, its pendant a single, flawless raw emerald stone held in a geometric frame.

“Baby... it’s beautiful,” she whispered, a sudden sheen of tears reflecting the amber fairy lights above.

“The emerald represents new beginnings, my love,” I said, my voice dropping into a deep, unyielding register as I reached across the table to wrap my large fingers around her hand.

“I brought you out here because I wanted to make a covenant with you under this sky. I am a soldier. I don’t know how to write poetry, and I don’t play games with the woman I love. But I know how to stand my ground.”

A single tear escaped her eye, tracking slowly down her cheek.

“I am making a promise to you tonight,” I continued, my gaze raw and completely locked onto hers.

“I promise to stand by your side through every single storm this life throws at our path. I promise to love you fiercely, to respect your mind, your vision, and your beautiful walk with God. I promise to cherish you as my baby, to shield your light from ever being snuffed out by the cold winds of this world. You will never have to fight alone again, Soteria. By the grace of God, as long as there is breath in my lungs, I am your shield.”

By the time the last word left my lips, she was crying truly and deeply, her chest heaving with a soft, emotional sob that came from the very core of her being.

She didn’t try to hide her face.

She looked at me through the blur of her tears, her fingers tightening around mine with an intense, grateful strength.

“Akila...” she sobbed softly, her voice thick with emotion.

“You have no idea what these words do to my heart. Waking up after the burial... I felt like a piece of me had been left in that red dirt forever. But coming to Christ gave me the best man I could have ever asked for. I am so grateful for you. I love you so much, and I honor the man that you are.”

The vulnerability between us was so heavy it felt like a sacred space.

I looked at her beautiful, tear-stained face, and a profound question that had been weighting my spirit for weeks finally broke free.

“Soteria,” I murmured, my eyes locking onto hers with a fierce intensity.

“When you look at me... when you think about the years ahead... Do you see me as someone you want to get married to? Do you see me as your husband?”

“Yes oo! Immediately yes!” she cried out through her tears, a sudden, radiant laugh breaking through her sobs as she nodded her head frantically.

“A thousand times yes, Akila! You are everything I ever prayed for and so much more. There is nobody else. It’s always been you.”

A massive, joyful grin broke across my face, the sheer relief making my chest feel too small for my lungs.

“You are so sure?” I teased, my voice practical but full of a rich amusement as I wiped a tear from her cheek with my thumb.

“Even though our very first meeting was a complete disaster?”

Soteria’s emotional expression instantly transformed into one of pure, horrified disgust.

She scrunched her nose, her face turning a bright crimson color as she let out a loud groan, covering her face with her hands to hide from my mocking eyes.

“Oh my God, baby! Why would you bring that up right now? In the middle of our romantic date? It was the most embarrassing moment of my entire life!”

I burst into a loud, booming laugh that echoed through the quiet garden, my hand reaching out to gently pull her fingers away from her face so I could see her beautiful, glowing eyes.

“I am glad we met that day, my queen. If you hadn’t been in distress, I wouldn’t have had the excuse to stop my vehicle. But I am definitely going to gist our kids about how their mother was caught by a Captain while her stomach was in full rebellion.”

“You wouldn’t dare!” she laughed, her eyes wide with a playful threat as she leaned across the low table, her fingers digging into my arm.

Then, her face softened completely, her eyes turning shiny and emotional all over again as the weight of my words settled into her heart.

“You... you’re already thinking about our kids? You’re really thinking about a future with me?”

“I don’t plan operations for the short term, Unwana,” I whispered, my voice returning to that low, deeply tender tone that always grounded her.

“Every line I map out ends with you by my side.”

I stood up from my cushion, reaching down to lift her by the hands.

Soteria stepped around the wooden table, her flowing dress catching the gentle midnight breeze as she threw her arms around my neck.

I wrapped my thick arms around her waist, pulling her firmly against my chest as we swayed slowly under the amber glow of the fairy lights.

The cool night air blew past us, carrying the scent of jasmine and the distant hum of the city, but inside the hidden garden, there was only the quiet, beautiful rhythm of two souls who had survived the fire and found their home in each other’s arms.

Hi babiesssss…..

Who knew that Akila could be this sweet??

By the way, our story is slowly coming to an end🥹🥹.

My chest🥹🥹. I love this ship so much.

Anywayssss… See y’all on Friday for Quiet Promise😉.