My father used to say when I was a kid that when the going gets tough and you can't take the pain and pressure to continue, remember to always be hopeful, for there is always light at the end of the tunnel.

At first, I wasn't cognizant that the words he echoed would feel true in the future… until I experienced that future first-hand.

My life began thanks to a thoughtful, nonetheless powerful woman named Maria Chineye Hasani. She was a woman who grew up in a world she didn't expect; a world which proved quite difficult for her but she made the best of it. 

Maria was born out of an affair with an exceptionally wealthy man whose accomplishments made him look lost. He wanted to leave his lavish life behind to start a life with simplicity and less complexity. His name was Adorn Obuya Hasani, and he wanted to escape his recurrent and tiring life.

Adorn was tall and muscular, with a dark, olive skin tone, a beard, and a short afro. He was known as one of the best businessmen who, within nine years, turned his family's multi-million-dollar business into a multi-billion-dollar business.

Adorn became exhausted by how mundane, recurrent and ugly the world of a billionaire turns out to be. He noticed the level of greed, alongside abuse of power that people wielded, and how no one ultimately cared about the important aspects of community, love, friendship and care for each other. He realised that the people closest to him wouldn't lift a finger to help him or genuinely celebrate the things he was most proud of. 

During a board meeting, Adorn began to observe the behaviour of the board of directors when they were bidding for a new company as part of their group.

"Well, Adorn, you have done it again," said the board member.

Adorn gave the board member a smile which camouflaged the cold stare from within.

"This will be good for our company, considering we will grow our profit margins by 15%, and also increase the economy of our great state of Nyake," indicated the second board member.

After he looked at the other board members for a moment, Adorn sighed before staring at the window while holding the project file in hand. The other board members continued with their enthusiastic discussion as only one thing crossed Adorn's mind; a way to leave the company just for a while to get away from its environment. 

After the meeting, Adorn walked into his office, his mind made up.

"I'm leaving, Miss Stacy; cancel all my scheduled meetings and any other prior engagements," Adorn remarked.

"Right away, sir, and… after your wife called, she left a message asking what time you'll be leaving the office; should I inform her you're on the way, sir?"

Adorn sighed and stayed silent for a brief moment as he picked up his blazer from his chair.

"No, Stacy. Tell her I'll be late for dinner again, tell Alan to warm up the engine," Adorn answered. 

After walking away from his office, Adorn headed to the parking lot where his driver Alan was waiting for him.

His next destination was a recreational centre where he spent his time doing his hobby of making art.

Adorn constantly maintained his passion for music and painting, and the recreational centre was a place for him to relax and unwind; a place very few people knew. He also enjoyed conversations about music with a popular female musician named Caroline Najuma.

Adorn would always feel at peace when he was with her; he also enjoyed company which wasn't full of greed, selfishness or corrupt tendencies. Caroline never asked for anything from Adorn; something which made him happy. 

During their 'What if' conversations, Adorn and Caroline would always talk about their present life, asking each other what they'd pursue if their lives were any different. They sat on the couch on top of the centre's penthouse suite, with Adorn holding a guitar.

 "What would life look like for you, if you never were a musician and didn't meet your husband during your music tours, Caroline?" Adorn implied.

Caroline, who was lying on Adorn's lap suddenly got up, looking at him in curiosity.

"I've always wanted to be a farmer," Caroline answered. Adorn, shocked by Caroline's answer, bellows in laughter as he didn't expect that response; Caroline frowns at his outburst. "A farmer?" Adorn asked, with a smile on his face.

"It's not funny," Caroline said, her frown still prevalent.

"Alright, sorry," said Adorn as he walked to the piano. Before she could compose herself, Adorn started to play a song he recently composed; a song which mesmerised Caroline to the point she began doing her own compositions, while carried away by the brilliant song being played on the piano.

After they were done, Caroline then asked, "If you never were a businessman, what would you have become?" Caroline asked.

"I'd have become an artist of a wide variety; a painter, a musician you name it, I would do it because it gives me the sense of freedom I've been chasing for so long," Adorn replied.

"I believe there's somewhere you'd enjoy visiting, which gives you that freedom of exploration you crave, Adorn," replied Caroline. "The level by which you'll be free from the burdens of your corporation is unbelievable."

"What's it called?"

"The village's name is Taji," replied Caroline.

The name of the village was what reminded Adorn of a memory from some time ago, about his friend in high school who called in for a visit but couldn't get the chance because he was busy with his company.

The name of the village was the same village his friend spoke of.

Adorn wasted no time in preparations for the journey to Taji. 

To maintain anonymity, he went without his driver Alan, and drove himself to the village with an old car he used.

The village's warm sunlight on the wide murram road was welcoming to Adorn as he arrived.

He continued his drive through the Murram road, and in the process, saw the stature of the leader and founder of the Taji village.

He hadn't stopped for a single reason, until when he parked in front of a restaurant. As he entered, the delicious flavours and spices wafting in the air reminded him of the food he ate with Alan; something he enjoyed.

A woman whose name tag was labelled, 'Alicia', had an olive-brown skin tone, a curvaceous body and an innocent face approached Adorn, who seemed so mesmerised by her he got tongue-tied, stunned by what he had seen even after she inquired about what Adorn's order would be. 

A stunned Adorn managed to point to something on the menu. 

"Good choice sir; please wait for your order for a few minutes," Alicia said. 

"It's okay; Thank you, miss..." Adorn stammered.

"Alicia; my name is Alicia," Alicia responded with a smile as she walked to the kitchen.

Adorn, infatuated with Alicia, continued to stare at her, oblivious to the glares from the other men in the restaurant. Adorn smirked after noticing the glares, waiting for a moment before Alicia came with the food. In the process, a tall, well-built member of the society with close-shaven hair called Fred Zakia watched Adorn from a distance.

He was a prominent leader of the Taji society and also was the son of the village chief. He had a small business in the village and was always obsessed with getting wealthy at any cost.

He never stopped showing his disgust towards his father's philosophy on harmony and togetherness; the ideals set in motion by Taji, and objected to living in a village he never stopped considering as backwards. This became a drive towards jumping head-on into a deal with the Phoenix Corporation to build the mall in the orphanage site; a business plan he believed would help his village become more developed and grow into a popular and economically strong community.

Surprisingly, even before Adorn's visit to Taji Village, Fred Zakia had been unsuccessfully pursuing Alicia and had gone to the extent of even asking for both her parents' blessing for her hand in marriage. Fred kept trying his luck despite Alicia turning him down many times.

Due to his absences, Fred wasn't aware of Alicia hanging out with Adorn until one of his friends from the village gave him a heads-up.

Driven by jealousy, Fred, while getting into the restaurant to confront Alicia, got to see who Adorn was, and how he kept staring at Alicia as she went to bring his order.

"You must be the new kid in town. I'm Fred Zakia, son of Jabari Zakia, the chef of Taji," mentioned Fred, while sitting opposite Adorn. "And you are..?"

"Does the chief's son lack manners, or did his father not teach him any manners for addressing new kids in town?" Adorn replied.

"I apologise, sir; we don't get a lot of visitors here," said Fred. "Though that has seemed to change of late. How about lunch? It'll be my treat, even though I haven't caught your name yet," said Fred.

"The name's Adorn, son of Seghen the Lion. I would shake your hand but since childhood, they seem to be allergic to trash," replied Adorn. "And no, I will pay for my lunch today, thank you."

Fred's anger envelopes him as a surprised Alicia arrives to give Adorn his order.