It had been a week since their visit to Victoria Park.
Esther had just stepped into Betty's room. The two were getting ready for a school function at Lovet Academy.
"What are you planning on wearing?" Esther asked, her eyes scanning the beautiful dresses lined up on the long hanger stand. Mr. Lewis had sent them an hour ago, sourced from a renowned designer, no doubt. The craftsmanship, the fabric, the elegant cuts, it was obvious.
"Can't I just not attend?" came Betty's automated voice from her tablet. Esther turned toward the bed. Betty was still curled up, eyes fixed on the device in her hands.
"Sunflower, we talked about this. You have to attend," Esther said softly, sitting beside her. "This party will help you get familiar with other kids your age."
"But I have no friends," Betty typed.
"Exactly my point," Esther said with a bright smile, gently holding Betty's hand. "This party is a chance to meet people. You might even make a friend or two."
Just a week ago, Esther had gone to great lengths to convince Mr. Lewis to let Betty attend. He had resisted at first, worried about his daughter's comfort and emotional safety. But Esther had made her case, gently yet firmly, and eventually, he had agreed.
Now she was facing a similar wall with Betty.
Still, no one could really blame the girl. She had no friends at school. Most kids either ignored her or gave her odd stares in class. She had learned to sit quietly, observing from the sidelines.
"It's not as easy as you make it sound," Betty typed. "I don't know how to make friends. And even if I did… no one wants to be friends with a mute."
Esther's heart tightened at that.
"Sunflower, you're not mute. You're so much more than that," she whispered, wrapping her arms around her. "And believe me, we're going to get your voice back. I'm going to be by your side the whole time. I promise, this day will be great."
Betty turned to look at her.
There was something in Esther's eyes, sincerity, hope, belief. The kind Betty wasn't used to seeing, but had started to trust.
"Fine," she typed. "I'll go. But you can't leave my side."
"Absolutely not," Esther grinned. "Now come on, let's pick your dress!"
With a reluctant smile, Betty finally stood, moving toward the array of dresses. Esther, meanwhile, started getting the other things ready for the afternoon program, hopeful that today would mark a beautiful new beginning.
Meanwhile, Down on the first floor of the LewisTech headquarters, the front hall pulsed with anticipation. Over a hundred candidates filled the space, each clinging to dreams and CVs, each hoping to snatch the single vacant spot in the company everyone wanted to be part of.
LewisTech wasn't just a company; it was a gateway. A place of high salaries, growth, and golden opportunities.
Inside one of the interview rooms, Hawa, a sharp-eyed HR manager and junior stakeholder in the company, reviewed another résumé.
"Brima Coker," she began with a professional smile. "Nice résumé you have here. Tell us, what makes you the right fit for LewisTech?"
Brima straightened confidently in his seat.
"Because I have what this company wants."
"And what exactly is that?" asked John, another HR officer seated beside her.
"My skills and experience," Brima declared. "Five years in sales, three as a marketing manager. I can brand and expand LewisTech products better than anyone in this room."
Hawa nodded slightly as the interview continued, one of many that day.
Then the door creaked open again.
In stepped a tall, dark-skinned woman in loud heels and louder makeup. She walked in like she owned the space and dropped into the chair uninvited.
"Hello!" she beamed.
Her painted eyes scanned the room, and locked on someone familiar.
"Sarah!" she exclaimed, rising again from her seat. "Oh my God, you look so different! It's been ages!"
She surged forward for a hug.
Sarah, seated stiffly at the corner of the panel, casually raised a document in front of her face.
"Miss Harriet," Hawa said firmly, "please have a seat and be mindful of your behavior."
"I'm sorry, I'm just excited to see her. We went to the same senior secondary school, didn't we, Sarah?"
Sarah kept her eyes locked on the paper.
"Perhaps you're mistaking her for someone else," John interjected, trying to keep the session on track. "This is Sarah Williams. She studied in the U.S., top of her class."
Harriet blinked.
"You must be joking. This is Sarah Cole, I know her. We shared a desk in school!"
"Miss Harriet," Sarah cut in, voice sharp and tight, "if you're serious about this interview, I'd advise you to focus and speak professionally."
Hawa looked back at the résumé.
"It says here you only completed up to WASSCE?"
"Yes," Harriet replied calmly. "I wasn't fortunate enough to attend university."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Hawa said politely, "but the position we're hiring for requires at least a degree."
"But I'm here now, and I know I can do this job. It's a marketing intern role, and I can sell anything. I used to run my own business and"
"Ma'am," John snapped, "this recruitment is for qualified professionals, not street vendors. How did you even get shortlisted?"
"I'm also an influencer," Harriet said proudly. "Thirty thousand followers on TikTok, two thousand on Instagram.."
"Thank you for coming, Miss Harriet," Hawa interjected smoothly, wanting to close the interview. "We'll be in touch."
"You're sure you'll get back to me?"
"Absolutely," Hawa smiled tightly.
Harriet left the room with one last glance at Sarah.
Minutes later, Sarah excused herself to "use the ladies." But the moment the restroom door closed behind her, she collapsed against the wall, clutching her chest.
She could barely breathe.
How in the hell was Harriet here?
Before she could gather her thoughts, the door swung open again,and in strolled Harriet, locking the door behind her.
"Sarah. Sarah… you," she said, folding her arms smugly.
"You shouldn't be here," Sarah hissed. "You were told to leave."
"Oh, spare me the accent, my dear. So na dis life you dae live now?" Harriet's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Look at you. Designer blouse. Fake accent. You dey form slay queen life?"
"Leave, Harriet. Now. Or I'll call security."
"Try am,Sarah if dem borne you well try am" Harriet sneered. "Let's see if I don't blow your cover to kingdom come."
Sarah's silence said everything.
"You fooled these people, I'll give you that. But not me. Sarah Williams?" Harriet scoffed. "Please. I lived next door to Sarah Cole. We sat WASSCE together. I still have old photos, you in your red school uniform with your 'coconut head'."
Sarah's stomach twisted. Harriet did have photos. And if those ever came to light, her whole fake identity would crumble.
"What do you want?" Sarah asked finally, voice low, defeated.
Harriet leaned in with a smirk.
"Nothing much," she said, voice suddenly silky. "I just want a job here."
Sarah stared at her in disbelief.
"You can't get this job, Harriet. You don't qualify."
"Neither do you," Harriet snapped, her smile vanishing. "You only have a diploma from some unknown college, and you're walking around with someone else's name and papers."
Sarah swallowed. Her mouth was suddenly dry.
"Here's the deal," Harriet continued. "You give me this job, whatever way you possibly can. In return, I stay quiet. Your secret stays safe."
She patted Sarah's cheek mockingly.
"You don't want me to 'scatter kaka pa you,' do you?"
Then, blowing her a kiss, Harriet strolled out.
Sarah collapsed onto the tiled restroom bench, her breath shallow and her knees trembling.
Her world was cracking.
Her choices were now razor-sharp:
Give Harriet the job, plant a snake in her garden…
Or let her speak, and lose everything she'd built on her borrowed name.
It was three in the afternoon, and the courtyard of Lovet Academy had never looked so alive. Streamers danced with the breeze, pop music floated through the air, and the laughter of children echoed under the bright sky.
Colorful banners hung from the windows. A small stage stood decorated with balloons and ribbons. Long tables displayed cupcakes, fruit platters, and juice boxes, while a soft playlist of cheerful tunes hummed in the background.
It wasn't a formal occasion, just a friendly school function held every term to help the kids bond. Yet it had turned into a mini red carpet event. Nearly every child was dressed in designer clothes, and some had come with matching accessories, even bodyguards.
Esther and Betty arrived together, hand in hand.
And although the crowd was full of polished faces and high-end labels, all eyes somehow found their way to Betty.
Her dress, a breathtaking pastel-blue gown with delicate silver floral embroidery, fluttered in the breeze like something out of a fairytale. Esther caught a few whispers.
"Isn't that the Lewis girl?"
"Her dress is from Maison K's latest collection."
"She looks like a princess…"
Esther smiled proudly.
Mr. Lewis had gone above and beyond with the dress order, and Betty, though hesitant at first, now looked like she belonged in every way. Her hair had been loosely curled, with a tiny diamond pin holding one side back. She clung to Esther's hand but took in the scenery with wide, curious eyes.
Parents and teachers milled about. Some children played tag. Others gathered in small groups, laughing, sipping juice, showing off their clothes.
Esther's eyes scanned the crowd, and then stopped.
Not far off stood a girl, about Betty's age, wearing a pale yellow dress and a pair of thick glasses. Her hair was tied in two tight buns, and her arms hung stiffly by her side. She looked around, clearly unsure where to go.
Esther leaned close to Betty and nodded in the girl's direction.
"Hey… what do you think about talking to her?" she whispered gently.
Betty quickly looked up at her, uncertain.
"She looks like someone who's feeling the same way you do," Esther encouraged with a smile. "No big crowds around her. No one to talk to. Maybe… she's waiting for someone brave to say hello first."
Betty hesitated. Her fingers hovered above her tablet before she finally typed, "What if she doesn't want to talk to me?"
"She might not. But you won't know unless you try," Esther replied. "Besides, if it doesn't go well, I'll still be here. We'll eat cake and dance and laugh anyway, okay?"
Betty looked from Esther to the lonely girl, then slowly nodded. She clutched her tablet and took a deep breath before stepping away from Esther's side.
Her steps were small. Careful. But steady.
Esther watched, heart swelling with quiet hope.
For a girl who once refused to step out of her bedroom, this was everything.
Betty stopped a few feet away from the girl and tapped her tablet. The voice came out:
"Hi. I'm Betty. I like your dress."
The girl blinked. Then smiled.
"Thanks. I'm Laila. I like yours too… It looks like Cinderella's."
Betty smiled. A real one.
And Esther, watching from a distance, knew it was the beginning of something special..Well, until the sudden outburst.
"Laila, get away from her!"
The sharp voice cut through the chatter of the courtyard. The woman,tall, graceful, and radiating a quiet power, approached with firm steps, her presence impossible to ignore. She was dressed in a flowing, intricately detailed abaya made from soft, midnight-blue silk that shimmered subtly under the afternoon sun. Gold embroidery traced the edges of the gown, delicate but rich, announcing both class and tradition. Her headwrap, a perfectly tied moussor, sat high and proud, its deep navy color complementing her attire and framing her sharp, striking features. Everything about her, from her elegant posture to the diamond studs in her ears, spoke of money, education, and a long history of not being questioned.
"Don't you dare get close to my daughter," she spat, reaching the girls and shoving Betty back with a harsh hand to her chest.
Esther was there in a flash, shielding Betty behind her. "What is wrong with you?" she snapped, fury rising in her chest. "How dare you lay hands on a child?"
"This has nothing to do with you," the woman, Jariatu, snapped, her glare icy and unrelenting. She yanked her daughter close, never breaking eye contact with Betty.
"I don't ever want to see you near my daughter. You're a jinx."
Esther stiffened, stunned by the venom in the woman's words. "Watch your mouth," she growled. "I'm her governess. I won't stand by and let you speak to her like that."
"Governess," Jariatu scoffed, folding her arms across her chest with disdain. "Good luck with that. She brings nothing but bad luck to everyone around her."
Betty didn't speak. She didn't need to. Her silence was louder than any scream. Her eyes were wide, her body tense, frozen. She knew this woman.
It had been years, but she remembered the voice. The accusations. The fear.
"I won't say it again, stay away from my daughter," Jariatu warned. Then she leaned in closer to Betty, her voice dropping to a cruel hiss. "You're a murderer. And I hope you never regain your voice. It's a curse."
That was it.
Esther's hand moved before she even realized it, striking Jariatu across the face with a loud, stinging slap.
Gasps erupted around them.
"You..,you dare?" Jariatu cried out, raising her hand to retaliate.
But Esther was quicker. Another slap landed on the other cheek, and then a flurry of blows followed as chaos broke out in the once-cheerful courtyard.
And just like that, the next scene was set in a police station.