"Mr. Lewis, I'm sorry the truth has to come out this way," Sarah began as she stepped forward, her voice steady but her eyes gleaming. "But I think you deserve to know."
All eyes turned to her. The room tensed, hushed, as everyone tried to make sense of her sudden appearance, especially after Musu had told them she was too ill to attend.
"Sarah, what are you up to now?" Musu stepped forward quickly, shielding Esther from her. "You said you left. Why are you back?"
"Because I have a truth to tell." Her voice was louder now, her gaze fixed on Daniel. "Mr. Lewis, I'm truly sorry for the deception. I wanted to come clean, but my sister, the one you're about to marry ,compelled me not to."
Gasps rippled through the room. Even the uncles glanced at one another, unsettled.
"Your sister?" Daniel repeated, getting to his feet. "You two are related?"
"Yes, Mr. Lewis," Sarah said, seizing the moment. "Esther is my younger sister. Three years ago, I was desperate for work and saw your advert for a secretary. I applied, but Esther, she paused for dramatic effect, then pointed"she told me no one would accept me as I was. She made me fake my background, my name, everything. She said it was the only way someone like you would hire me."
Esther stood frozen. Her throat tightened. The weight of accusations made it hard to breathe.
Sarah pressed on, her voice charged with emotion. "She wrote the story. She told me what to say. And when I wanted to confess, she stopped me. All of this, this relationship, this proposal, is part of her plan. She's been playing you, Mr. Lewis. She never loved you. She only wanted to trap you."
Before the words could fully settle, Musu's hand flew across Sarah's cheek with a loud slap. Gasps echoed.
"How dare you?" Musu's voice trembled with rage. "How could you do this to your own sister, and on her day of honor? Is your heart truly this dark, Sarah?"
"I'm only telling the truth, Ma!" Sarah shot back, defiant. "We can't keep protecting her. Mr. Lewis deserves to know."
"What's going on?" Uncle Marrah cut in sternly. "Musu, what is she saying? And why did she arrive so late?"
"I'll tell you what's going on," Zainab said, stepping out from the hallway with Dija close behind. Her face was set, her voice firm. "Our dear sister Sarah is so jealous of Esther that she'd rather destroy her than admit the truth."
Sarah's head whipped around.
"Don't play innocent," Zainab continued. "We found out months ago that you forged your background, your qualifications, even your name. You only sat to WASSCE. That's the extent of your education."
"That's a lie!" Sarah shouted. "They're just protecting Esther! She made me do it! It was her plan, she's been scheming from day one!"
"And did she also force you to forge the documents and lie on your resume?" Dija snapped, stepping forward, eyes blazing. "Uncle, she's lying. In fact, I was the one who helped Esther discover Sarah's deception. Esther had no idea Sarah was your secretary."
"I was going to tell you, Uncle," Dija added, her voice faltering slightly. "But…"
"But what?" Sarah cut in, sarcasm dripping. "Go on, tell everyone why you didn't spill my secret to Mr. Lewis right away."
"Because Esther begged me not to," Dija said, steadying herself. "She wanted to protect you. Even after finding out, she couldn't bring herself to shame you. That's the kind of heart she has."
Sarah let out a scoff. "Or maybe she wanted to hide her own lies! She manipulated all of you! She faked sincerity, faked love for his daughter, all to get Daniel's attention. She even threw herself in front of that car just to trap him with guilt!"
"Sarah, when will your lies end?" Zainab asked, rolling her eyes in exhausted disgust.
"I'm not lying!" Sarah shouted, breath short. "Mr. Lewis, please, believe me! Esther's been playing you all along. Everything was part of her plan just to get to this day. To marry you and everything you represent!"
The room was dead silent, the tension thick and bitter.
Finally, Thomas stepped forward from the corner where he'd been silently watching. His voice was calm but firm.
"Mr. Lewis," he began, "I apologize for stepping in, but I can confirm what Dija said. Sarah did fake her documents and background. Miss Cole, Esther was unaware until recently."
Sarah's face turned pale. Her eyes locked on Thomas, wide with betrayal.
"You… you're taking her side now?" she said, voice cracking. "After everything?"
Thomas met her gaze. "I told you to come clean, Sarah. I told you the truth would catch up."
It hit her then, he was truly done with her. Even his silence, his old sympathy, had finally run out. But it didn't matter, not anymore, even if the world was against her she was going to fight, fight till she get that ceremony canceled.
Sarah turned her glare on Dija. "Of course. I should've known. She's gotten a tight grip on you now, hasn't she? The two of you are lying for her!"
"No one here is lying but you," Dija said, voice like flint.
Even with the eyes of her family and everyone in the room looking at her with disgust and disappointment, Sarah wasn't done. She turned to the guests, raising her voice even louder, eyes wild with desperation.
"You can't let this happen!" she shouted. "This whole thing is a sham! She lied! She tricked all of you! Mr. Lewis, you hate liars, you've fired people for less. Are you really going to marry a woman who's been hiding the truth from you?"
The room was buzzing with tension, eyes darting between Daniel and Esther, between Sarah's fury and Esther's silence.
But Daniel didn't answer her. He slowly stepped down from the ceremonial platform, eyes only on Esther.
She still hadn't said a word. Her hands trembled at her sides, and her eyes shimmered with a mix of pain and shame.
He stopped in front of her. Close. Gentle. Serious.
"Esther," he said, his voice calm but resolute, "look at me."
She did. Slowly.
"I don't care what anyone else says," he said. "I'll only believe what comes from you. Did you know your sister lied to get into my company?"
Esther swallowed hard. A thousand eyes burned into her, but she focused on his. Just his.
"Yes," she whispered. "I found out after she was already working for you. I didn't know at first, I swear. But when I did… I kept quiet. Because I didn't want to destroy her life. She's my sister. I thought I could protect her." Her voice cracked. "I was wrong. I'm sorry."
Daniel stared at her for a long, heavy moment. The silence in the hall was unbearable.
Then he turned around. He didn't ask her anything else. He faced the elders, the guests, the whispers, and raised his voice with a quiet finality.
"Let the ceremony continue."
Gasps rippled through the room. Sarah froze, stunned.
"What?" she breathed. "No,no! You can't do this! You hate lies, you always say that! You fired people for keeping secrets, why does she get a pass? Why, why does she get to stay?!"
But Daniel didn't even look at her.
Musu stepped forward, relief washing over her face. The elders came back into place, and Uncle Marrah gently took Esther's hand.
"With the blessing of the families," he declared, "we place the bride's hand into the groom's."
And just like that, Esther's hand was placed in Daniel's. The symbolic gesture of giving away.
The final mark of their union.
Sarah stood there, rooted, disbelief turning to raw rage. Her face twisted with betrayal and envy. She had come to end it, and instead watched it completed before her eyes.
Then Daniel turned.
"Thomas."
Thomas stepped forward, silent but waiting.
"Take her out," Daniel said quietly, his voice sharp now. "Escort her from the compound. And inform HR at the company, Sarah Cole is hereby terminated. Effective immediately. She is banned from the premises. Permanently."
Sarah gasped.
"You're firing me?!" she shrieked. "Me?!, what did I do?"her voice continued to shrink as she rant out "am not the one that set up the lies or plotted to get into your house, she did" she fiercely said pointing at Esther.
"You're fired," Daniel said, his tone final. "For deceit, for defamation, and for barging in here to tear my family apart on a sacred day. You have no place in my life, or my company." He meant every word. He knew better than to trust a woman he had always seen as manipulative.
Thomas nodded once, stepped to Sarah's side, and guided her toward the door. She resisted, tears of frustration stinging her eyes, but no one stopped Thomas. No one looked back.
And in the center of it all, Daniel gently squeezed Esther's hand, still silent, still solemn, but steady.
The storm had passed.
The ceremony had survived.
And Sarah, for all her venom, had only proven who truly belonged.
The courtyard had begun to quiet. Guests chatted in distant clusters, music softened, and the evening light cast a lemon hue over the garden. Musu found Lady Bell seated under the shade of the mango tree, her hands folded over her lap, watching the breeze rustle the petals in the floral arrangements.
Musu approached hesitantly, smoothing down the folds of her wrapper.
"Bella," she began softly, "do you mind if I join you?"
Lady Bell turned and gave a gentle smile. "Not at all."
Musu sat, her shoulders noticeably tenser than before. She took a long breath before speaking.
"I… I just wanted to say I'm truly sorry," she said, her voice laced with quiet shame. "For the way today turned out. You and your family didn't deserve to witness such chaos. My daughter Sarah… I don't know what's gotten into her. I tried to raise them well, I really did. But.."
Lady Bell raised a hand, stopping her gently.
"You don't need to apologize, Musu," she said, her voice calm and warm. "Families… they come with layers. And sometimes, those layers show at the worst times. But it's not a reflection of who you are. Or who Esther is."
Musu's eyes glistened. "Thank you. I just… I needed to say it. Because Esther, she's not like Sarah. She's kind. Soft-hearted. She wouldn't hurt anyone. All she's ever done is try to bring us together."
"I know," Lady Bell nodded. "I saw it in her from the very first time we met."
Esther had lived with them for eight months. If she were anything like the person her sister described, Lady Bell would have seen it long ago. She was a good judge of character, always had been, and she could tell when someone was lying or pretending.
And if she were to be completely honest, she had overheard a conversation months ago between Esther and Dija, one that revealed Sarah's secret. From that moment, she knew the accusations were nothing but spiteful lies.
"Your daughter has a gentle spirit. She's resilient," Lady Bell continued, her voice soft but certain. "And I'm proud to call her part of our family now. She will be loved, fully and without condition."
Those words felt like warm balm to Musu's weary heart. She exhaled deeply, her posture slowly easing.
"Thank you, sister," Musu said with a relieved smile. "That means a lot. Honestly… I wanted to ask if we could talk about the official wedding date. The white wedding."
"I know this might sound rushed," Musu continued, "but I truly believe it's best if we set the date soon, maybe even by next week."
There was a quiet desperation in her voice, driven by her growing concern over Sarah. Her daughter's obsession with Daniel had become alarming, too intense, too dangerous. Musu feared that the longer things remained uncertain, the more likely Sarah would lash out and hurt Esther. And as a mother, she couldn't afford to lose either of her daughters.
Yes, Sarah had spiraled, perhaps to a point beyond saving, but Musu still held onto a sliver of hope. Hope that she could bring her back to her senses, that she could fix what was broken. And maybe, just maybe, the first step toward healing was to make things right between Esther and Daniel, officially and permanently.
"The sooner, the better, for both of them, and for our families," Musu added, her eyes searching Lady Bell's face for agreement.
Lady Bell's eyes lit up with interest. "Yes, of course," she said, then added firmly, "Let's get them married as soon as we can."
There was a trace of joy in her voice, she had been planning to propose the idea herself. Thankfully, Musu had said it first. Her brother had been alone for far too long, and it was time he officially brought his wife home.
Musu smiled, this time with genuine relief. "Then it's settled? Next week?"
Lady Bell reached for her hand. "It's settled. We'll start preparations immediately."
The two women sat together, no longer strangers bound by ceremony, but families united by care, for their love ones, for their peace, and for the future they were about to share.
Meanwhile, Esther sat at the back of her family home, her thoughts still tangled in the day's events. She had always known Sarah was capable of many things, but not this. She never imagined her sister would go so far as to falsely accuse her, just to ruin her day and sabotage her relationship with Daniel.
Lost in thought, she didn't notice Daniel approaching. He had been searching for her and finally found her seated on a cement bench, arms wrapped tightly around herself. She hadn't said much since the elders placed her hand in his, finalizing their traditional union. It was supposed to be a joyful day, but her silence spoke volumes. It carried a heaviness he couldn't ignore.
Daniel walked slowly toward her, his footsteps crunching softly against the gravel. She turned at the sound.
Their eyes met.
"I was wondering where you'd gone," he said softly.
"I just needed a moment," Esther replied, her voice delicate but steady. "Today… didn't go the way I imagined it."
Daniel nodded. "No. It didn't."
A long pause stretched between them. Not awkward, just full. Honest.
Then he took a step closer, gently lifting her chin to meet his gaze.
"Esther," he said, voice thick with emotion, "I need you to promise me something."
Her eyes searched his, uncertain but attentive.
"Anything," she whispered.
"I can handle storms. I can survive betrayal. I've faced worse. But if there's one thing I can't bear again…" He paused, voice lowering. "It's lies. Or silence. From you."
Her lips parted slightly, but he continued.
"I'm not perfect. I carry my own shadows. But if we're going to walk this road together… I need truth. Always. Even when it's ugly. Even when it hurts. Promise me that, Esther. Promise me I'll never have to guess your heart."
Esther's throat tightened. Her eyes shimmered, not from guilt, but from the overwhelming weight of being seen. Of being trusted, even after everything.
"I promise," she whispered, her voice catching. "I'll never keep anything from you again. I'll be honest… even when it's hard." She paused, then added softly, "I'm really sorry about Sarah. I know you hate lies, and…"
He nodded, his jaw clenched, eyes slightly misted.
"I'm not angry," he said quietly. "Not with you. I just needed to hear it from you. Because in the middle of everything Sarah said, I was listening for your truth. And you gave it to me."
Daniel took a step closer and lowered himself beside her on the bench, their shoulders nearly touching. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The quiet wrapped around them, not heavy, but full of unspoken understanding.
He reached for her hand, his grip gentle but sure. "You don't have to carry everything on your own anymore," he said, his thumb brushing lightly over her knuckles. "We're in this together now."
Esther looked down at their joined hands, her heart steady but full. She didn't cry, she didn't need to. His trust, his quiet reassurance, was enough to steady the storm inside her.
"I know," she said, her voice soft. "And I won't take that for granted."
He gave a small nod, then turned to face her more fully. "Let's leave today behind us. From here on, we build something better. Together."
For the first time that day, Esther allowed a faint smile to rise. Not because everything was perfect, but because he was here. And he believed in her.