"Girl, I'm so sorry about your foot. How are you feeling now?" Dija asked as she plopped down beside Esther on the couch. She had come straight from campus, guilt lining her voice. After Esther's discharge from the hospital last night, she hadn't had the chance to check in.
"Since you couldn't make it to lectures, I grabbed notes from your coursemates. Aren't I the best or what?" Dija added with a teasing wink and a soft chuckle.
"Absolutely," Esther replied, returning her smile. "And thanks for coming."
"Don't mention it. Oh, have you heard?" Dija suddenly shifted the conversation, her eyes lighting up. "Your man is all over the media. His company just announced the official launch of that project by month's end, heard he's been secretly working on it."
"What's it called again…?"
"NeuroSpeech," Esther supplied.
"Yes! That's the one. Wait, how do you know that?" Dija asked, her brow lifting in surprise. "I thought it was a low-key project. My mom said they only made it public because of how successful it turned out."
"Well… I worked on it," Esther said casually, taking a bite of the fruit Dija had brought along. "He hired me as a consultant."
Dija blinked. "What?" she gasped, staring at her friend in disbelief. "You knew about it this whole time and didn't tell me? Girl, what happened to no secrets between besties?" she scolded playfully.
"Sorry, it was confidential. I signed a contract," Esther replied with a shrug.
Dija sighed dramatically, letting it sink in. Knowing her uncle, secrecy in business was serious, no room for leaks, even within the family. Her own mother had only learned about the project this morning, alongside the rest of the country.
"Well, if we're trading secrets," Esther added with a smirk, "you owe me one. You didn't tell me you and Thomas are official."
Dija scoffed and clutched her chest. "My poor heart! I would never hide anything from you." She shook her head with mock offense. "But honestly, Thomas and I being official came as a surprise to me too."
She rolled her eyes, remembering. She was at home when he sent a message declaring it. No grand gestures, just a plain, boring text. It read like a contract: 'We are now officially in a relationship.'
"I mean who does that, propose your love through a text?"
Esther laughed.
"And I was going to tell you," Dija added with a huff, "but with all the party planning and everything else, it slipped my mind."
As they discussed, Dija's phone buzzed, lighting up on the cushion beside her. She glanced at the screen and immediately grinned.
"Speak of the devil," she said, flashing the screen at Esther. "Thomas just reminded me, we have a date this evening. He says, and I quote, 'Be punctual. I made reservations.'" She rolled her eyes dramatically. "Can you imagine? Like he's my boss."
Esther laughed, amused. "Well, knowing him, he probably made a PowerPoint for the evening too."
"Right? I'm half-expecting him to present a schedule." Dija stood and smoothed down her outfit, grabbing her bag. "Anyway, I better go get ready. I just wanted to check on you and bring those notes."
"Thank you. Really."
"Don't mention it." Dija leaned down to give Esther a gentle hug. "Call me if you need anything, okay?"
"I will."
As she made her way to the door, it opened from the outside. Musu stepped in, pausing slightly at the threshold when she saw Dija.
"Aunty," Dija greeted warmly. "Good afternoon."
"Afternoon, my dear," Musu returned with a slight smile. "How's your mother?"
"She's fine, thank you," Dija replied with a wink at Esther before disappearing down the path.
The door clicked softly behind her. Musu turned slowly to face her daughter, then settled beside her on the couch, her expression thoughtful yet guarded.
"I've been meaning to ask you something," she began after a pause. "That man, the one who organized the surprise birthday party, what exactly is your relationship with him?"
Esther felt her stomach tighten. Her eyes flicked toward her mother before she summoned the courage to speak. "He's Mr. Lewis… the one I signed a contract with," she said hesitantly, unable to reveal the full truth.
"I know who he is," Musu said quietly, "your older sister filled me in on that part. But what I want to know is what really exists between you two. It's not normal for a man to go to such lengths without a reason." Her worry was plain to see. She had noticed how Daniel looked at Esther, and how quickly he had come to her side when the chandelier fell.
"Ma," Esther stammered, "he's… well, I'm his girlfriend." Her voice was barely audible as she twisted her fingers nervously in her lap.
Musu sighed, her fears now laid bare. "Isn't he the same man Sarah was talking about that night?" she asked, already expecting the answer. The man had not only caused an argument between her daughters but also got their elder sister Zianab involved. It also got her admitted in the hospital.
Esther nodded.
"Esther, I know you're old enough to have a boyfriend and make your own decisions," Musu began carefully, "but I can't agree to this relationship." Her tone was firm, leaving no room for argument.
Esther blinked, stunned. "Why not? Mr. Lewis is kind and gentle. He.."
"Esther," Musu interrupted, "I know he's kind and respectful, but he's not right for you. There's a big age difference between you two, and from what I understand, he's a widower with a child. I don't think you're ready for that kind of life." Half of her objections stemmed from Sarah, whom she knew had feelings for the same man. As a mother, she couldn't help but be selfish and try to protect her daughters, even if it meant causing conflict.
She couldn't afford to have her daughters fighting over one man. It was better if they both stayed away.
"Ma, I don't mind that he's a widower or has a child. I love him, and his daughter is sweet," Esther insisted.
"I know you think you know what's best for you, but you don't," Musu replied sharply. "You're just coming of age, and he's far older. You need someone closer to your own age. Listen to me and end this relationship. Promise me, Esther, you'll end it."
Esther said nothing. Her gaze remained fixed on the empty wall. She had always been her mother's good daughter, obedient and respectful. But this time, letting go felt impossible.
"Think about it and let me know by tomorrow," Musu said, rising to leave.
Meanwhile, Dija had just arrived at LewisTech, her heels clicking furiously against the polished floors. Thomas had changed their plans last minute, asking her to meet him at the company instead. And now that she stood in front of him, her hands were trembling, not from nerves, but sheer irritation.
"You mean to tell me I rushed all the way here just so you could have me resume work?" she snapped, her voice barely restrained. She glared at him, at the same man who, frustratingly, still made her heart flutter every time she saw him. "Thomas, do you have any idea how fast I was driving? I had my life glued to the steering wheel like a madwoman just to show up for you, and this is what I get?"
"I apologize," Thomas said calmly. "If my message came off as urgent, that wasn't my intention."
"Wasn't your intention?" Dija let out a sharp, half-hearted laugh. "Thomas, I could have caused an accident, or worse! I thought something serious had happened. You texted, 'I'm in dying need of your help. Come to the company.' Who sends something like that without context?"
"I'm sorry," he said again, owning up to the poor choice of words.
Dija swallowed her anger, masking it with a tight smile. "Fine. Just tell me why I'm here on my day off," she demanded, folding her arms, her eyes narrowed and expectant.
"Mr. Lewis gave me a task," Thomas explained. "And I need your expertise, your knowledge of design and fashion—, o help me make the right decision."
He was only halfway through his sentence when Dija's scowl melted. Flattered by the mention of her "expertise," her irritation started to crumble.
"Wait, hold up," she said, her voice lifting with excitement. "Did you just say I'm brilliant and beautiful with an eye for fashion?"
"I said your intellectual skills and fashion sense," he corrected with a straight face.
"It's all the same," Dija dismissed with a cheeky grin. She'd heard what she wanted, and that was final. "That right there? That's how you get an angry girl to smile again. Forget it, I've forgiven you for making me nearly meet the Lord before my time."
She tossed her hair, already over it. "Now, tell me more. What exactly do you need help with?"
"I need you to reach out to your contacts, the best interior designers you know. We need someone top-tier."
"Say no more," Dija said, looping her arm into his and pulling him toward the elevator. "You've called the right girl. And by the way, we're still having that date. We'll just multitask while eating at the company cafeteria."
Sunset streamed through the windows as Zianab walked into the house, exhaustion trailing her like a shadow. She had just returned from work, mentally drained by the outrageous case she was handling, a woman suing her ex-situationship for emotional damages after their breakup. It wasn't even a real relationship, yet the drama had spiraled beyond reason. Zianab preferred to call it a "fall apart" rather than a case.
Done with the madness of the day, all she craved was rest, and a quick check on her younger sister.
She peeped into Esther's room, her brow lifting slightly as she took in her sister's pensive expression.
"Hey, you're looking better," Zianab greeted, stepping in. "How was your day?"
"Good," Esther replied flatly, eyes avoiding hers.
Zianab blinked, unimpressed. "Mmhmm, nope. That 'good' isn't fooling me," she said, fully stepping inside and moving toward the bed. She perched beside her and gently placed a hand over Esther's. "Now, talk to me. What happened? You don't look okay."
Esther sighed heavily, the words caught somewhere between loyalty and hurt. She didn't want to throw their mother under the bus, but she also didn't want to leave Zianab in the dark. Finally, she exhaled and spoke.
"Mama asked me to end things with Mr. Lewis."
"What?" Zianab blinked, stunned. Her brows arched high in disbelief. "She actually said that? Why on earth would she ask you to do something like that?"
"She mentioned the age difference… that he's a widower, and he has a child," Esther muttered, eyes clouded with emotion.
Zianab was already halfway off the bed. "Nope. Not letting that slide," she declared, ignoring Esther's weak protests as she stormed out of the room.
It didn't take long for her to find their mother in the kitchen, humming softly as she stirred a pot on the stove, preparing dinner. The comforting scent of cooking spices did little to calm Zianab's growing frustration.
"Ma," she said, her voice low but firm, "did you really tell Esther to break up with Mr. Lewis?"
Musu turned slowly, as if she had already braced herself for this confrontation. "I did," she said calmly. "And I had my reasons."
"What reasons exactly?" Zianab challenged. "His age? That he's a widower? Or that he has a child? Ma, are you really going to stand there and say that's all this is about?"
Musu's expression tightened. "Zianab, I'm thinking about what's best for your sister."
"No," Zianab snapped, her composure thinning. "You're thinking about Sarah. That's what this is really about, isn't it? You don't want conflict between your daughters, between them, so instead of confronting Sarah, you're asking Esther to sacrifice her own happiness."
Musu's lips parted in protest, but no words came out.
"Ma, I get it. You love us. You want peace in this house. But you can't keep choosing Sarah at the expense of the rest of us," Zianab said, her voice rising. "You're always protecting her, even when she's wrong."
"I'm not choosing anyone," Musu said, more defensively now. "I'm trying to protect this family. I can't have my daughters fighting over the same man. You think I want this?" And somehow she didn't.
After the deaths of her husband, all she had was daughters and she could not afford to lose either of them.
"And you think pressuring Esther to walk away is the solution?" Zianab asked bitterly. "Do you even see what you're doing to her?"
"I'm trying to prevent chaos," Musu insisted, her voice cracking slightly. "Would you really be okay with them barking at each other over a man?"
Zianab laughed dryly. "There wouldn't be any barking if someone told your precious daughter the truth. Sarah is not some victim here, she's delusional. She's a secretary who thinks she's entitled to her boss just because she wants to live a fairy tale. If you weren't so blinded by favoritism, you'd have stopped her long ago."
"Watch your words, Zianab," Musu warned, clearly offended.
"I mean every word," Zianab pressed on. "You've coddled her for as long as I can remember. Every mistake, every tantrum, every lie, it was always brushed off. You worked yourself to the bone to raise us, and yes, I respect you for that. But your blind loyalty to Sarah has turned her into a selfish, manipulative woman."
"That's not fair," Musu said, but even she sounded unconvinced.
"No, what's not fair is that Esther, who actually found someone who respects her, who makes her happy, is being punished because Sarah can't handle rejection. And if we're being honest here, Sarah isn't just obsessed with Mr. Lewis… she built her whole position at LewisTech on lies."
Musu's eyes narrowed. "What lies?"
"She faked her background. Lied on her résumé. Told them she was a rich heiress from a powerful family. Do you even know she forged documents to get that job?"
The room fell into a heavy silence.
Musu's hand gripped the wooden spoon tightly, her mind spinning. She looked at her eldest daughter with wounded eyes, unsure whether to believe or defend.
Zianab's gaze didn't falter. "I'm tired of pretending everything's fine. You need to stop enabling Sarah before she destroys not just herself, but this family."