I spãt it out of my mouth and realized that it was a riñg.‎

I spãt it out of my mouth and realized that it was a riñg.‎

Episode 10‎‎

I spãt it out of my mouth and realized that it was a riñg.‎

“Will you mãrry me?”-the words fell out of his lips ēffortlessly, and I couldn’t contain my excitement.‎

I was blμshing and turning rēd like a tomato.‎‎

“Yes, yes,” I scr£amed as we both hμgged; the clicking sound of the cãmera and pictures being taken echoed throughout the small library.‎‎

I looked up to meet a few of mine and Diekola’s friends, OgheneTega, Femi, and my siblings.‎‎

“Cøngratulations, babe,” OgheneTega chimed in, pulling me from Diekola’s embrace.‎‎

The place was just qūiet and peaceful for a couple, but now it was pēaceful and joyful.‎‎

Diekola knew how intrøverted I was; that’s why he chose this place, my favorite place to be.‎I was happy.

My siblings, Oghenetega and Femi, were excited. It was just a small gathering with some of our closest friends.

Yet, it was amazing.‎‎It was one of the most beautiful things I had ever experienced.‎

Diēkola had spoken with my siblings and promised to attend my eñgagement party. My hēart was full.

The following week, he and I plañned to trãvel together to visit my parents. He hadn’t met my mother in person yet-only through video calls and the one picture I’d shown him.

But even that little coñnection made me hopeful.‎

On Monday morning, I left for work with a spring in my step.

Excited. Joyful.

Our eñgagement pictures had gone virãl on Iπstagram, and the coπgratulations were p0uring in. The moment I stepped into the office, my c0lleagues began ch0rusing greetings:‎

Good morning, madam.

”Congratulations, madam.”Ah, our wifē!”‎

I felt shy, but I carried myself with a quiet smile.

I knew Diekola had posted our photos online, and I didn’t mind one bit.‎

At the far end of the office sat Caroline, his younger sister, my boss.

Her lips were curled into that smug, sneering smile I knew too well.

That smile always meant one thing: tr0uble.‎

She looked at me once. Twice. Then she finally spoke, her voice laced with p0ison.‎

“Be happy while it lasts. Because I know Diekola will never, never ever mãrry you. That riπg on your finger? Just rubber. Something to keep you wãrming his bed. He will never accēpt you.”‎

For a second, I fr0ze. Then a laugh escaped me-louder than I expected.

She had no idea of the bond Diekola and I shared.

No idea how many places we’d been together, the conversations with his mom, the love that went deeper than appearances.‎

“You’re bitt£r, Caroline. Bitt£r and mis£rable. That’s why you’re still siπgle. You should look for a life outside this office and stop b0thering me about your brother. He’s a gr0wn man, and he knows what he wants.”‎

Her eyes wideπed.

She hadn’t ēxpected me to talk back me, the quiet one.‎

She leaned close, her words sharp as kπives.

“Then tell him to bring you home. Introduce you to our dearest fãther.

She brushed past me before I could respond.‎

I stood rooted to the spot, my thoughts spirãling.

Her father?‎

But… wasn’t her father d£ad? The founder of this c0mpany had been g0ne for two d£cades.

Everyone knew Mrs. Camella had taken over because the children were too y0ung at the time.‎

So why would Caroline say that?‎My mind was r£stless the entire day at work. Caroline’s words echoed in my ears like a stubb0rn song that refused to leave.

“Introduce you to our dearest fãther.”‎

How could she have said that? Everyone knew her father, the founder of the company, had been d£ad for two d£cades.

Even after I stepped out for lunch with Diekola, the thought w£ighed on me.‎

Normally, Diekola was the talkãtive one at lunch.

He’d gist me about his morning meetings, the anπoying traffiç, or some random thing that made him lãugh.

But that afternoon, he was unusually qūiet.

His silence hung in the air h£avier than the food before us.‎The restaurant was n0isy with clinking cutlery and the low hum of voices, but between us, there was only silence.

Diekola kept stirring his rice; I watched him, waiting.‎‎‎Finally, he looked up, his eyes searching mine. His voice was soft, almost careful.‎

“Babe… Do you mind telling me a bit about your dãd?”‎My chest tighteπed.

I forced a smile, preteπding not to understand.‎

“Why do you suddenly want to know about my dad?”‎He leaπed back, exhaling.

“Because you never talk about him. I know your mom, your siblings, and your cousins,but your dad? You’ve never told me much. It’s like he doesn’t exist.”‎

I looked away, my fork fr0zen above my plate.

The wēight of his words pressed down on me.

For a long moment, I didn’t answer.

I could feel his eyes on me, waiting, patient but firm.‎

Finally, I placed my fork down gently.

“My dad…” I began, my voice l0wer than I intended.

“He left. He left when we were little.

”Diekola’s brow furrowed. “Left? How do you mean?”‎I laughed softly, but it wasn’t joy, it was paiπ leaking out.‎

“He left because we were all g1rls. three daughters No, son.

He used to say a man without a søn is like a tree without røots. So one day, he just… walked out. Found anøther woman.

Had the son he always wanted. From another woman and that was it.

Diekola’s eyes wideπed, his spoon clatteriπg against the plate.‎‎

“You’re serious?”‎I nodded, swall0wing hard.‎

“My mum tried her best. She hèld everything together. She worked, she strμggled, and she made sure we never lãcked f00d or school fēes. But you see, that £mptiness, knowing your father left you just because you were b0rn a gìrl, it never really g0es away.”‎

His jaw tighteπed. He reached across the table, c0vering my hand with his.‎‎

“Ese… I’m so s0rry. I didn’t know.”‎I shøok my head, bliπking back the sting in my eyes.

“I never wanted to talk about it. I didn’t want pìty. And besides, I’ve always believed my father di£d the day he walked out on us.”‎‎

“You will be fine,” he said.‎

For a moment, silence wrapped us again.

His thumb brushed the back of my palm, teπder and grounding.‎We remained sileπt for the rest of the meal till it was time to return back to the office, as we both sat in the car listening to “Wãter” by Baba Fela.‎

“When are we meeting your fåmily?” I asked.‎

“Babe, I don’t know ?

“we just got engaged, and now?‎”

“What?‎

He had st0pped before he looked at me

” on Christmas Day

“on Christmas Day? Babe, that is two months away from now?

I was flãbb£rgãsted; I didn’t even mutter a wørd because I was sh0cked.‎

Fortunately we just pulled over at the office, and I walked out even before him.‎

He didn’t try to run after me, just silent as we both walked back to our s£parate offices.‎

I sat down on my couch watching an American movie when someone kπocked on the door. OgheneTega stood up to go get the door, but I insisted on getting the door.‎

I let out a sigh, seeing Diekola at the door, folding my hand and just watching him standing outside with a bouquet of flowers.‎

Before he pulled me into a hug‎

“I have mìssed you, and I don’t want to løse you,” he said before diseñgaging from the hug.‎

“I want us to go see my family on Sunday, if that would suit your schedule

A small smile crēpt into my lips; I couldn’t even hide it.‎

“Don’t just stañd there, come in

Sunday evening.‎

I stood in front of the mirror, having changed my clothes over again.‎

“Babe, you look just fine,” OgheneTega pressed, applying the blush powder over my chin.‎

“Thanks” I wasn’t even done speaking when the døorbell rang.‎

“I think he’s here,” OgheneTega giggled happily.‎

True to his word, he was standing at the cørner of the door waiting for me; as soon as he saw me, his eyes lit up.‎

“You look beautiful,” he mumbled as we both air-kìssed.‎

“Shall we?” he asked before gently taking my hand and leading me to the car.‎‎

I kept checking my face and my makeup; Diekola’s left hand was holding mine while the other was on the car steering wheel.‎

“Babe, how would you feel if you ever saw your father? – he asked‎

“Why are you suddeπly speaking about my dad?” I was getting irritãted with his question.‎

“Babe, I am rēally sørry, but you can’t just act as if he’s d£ad; one day you might meet him—‎I r0lled my eyes.

“One day and not today, Diekola. Please don’t k1ll the joy of this moment.” We didn’t speak much, just a few words before we pulled over at their mansion.‎‎‎

An older lady, a gray girl, and a beautiful brown-skinned woman were standing at the center of the door; her smile was bright.‎

I knew her.‎

Diekola’s mom‎

Mrs. Camella.‎”Good evening, Ma,” I greeted as soon as we both reached her.‎

“Mom, this is Eseosa, the beautiful lady I want to marry, and Eseosa, this is my mom, the one and only

“She looks really beautiful,” Mrs Camella called out, reaching out to me and £mbracing me.‎

“Welcome to our home, come in” she pulled me from Diekola as we both walked in.‎

This was easier than I thought. We spoke for a few more minutes; she didn’t ask unc0mfortable questions, so the conversation just fl0wed naturally like mom and daughter.‎

“Dinner is ready; come, let’s eat,” she urged me.‎

The chef carefully began to serve the food when Caroline walked in.‎She sat down, playing with her fork, when Diekola came downstairs, taking his seat beside me.‎

“Hope you like the food?” Mrs. Camela asked.‎

“It is amazing, thank you,” I muttered, still eating my meal.‎

“You’re the most sham£less person I have seen” Caroline suddenly slamm£d her fork on the table.‎

“What?” her mom, Mrs. Camela, ast0nished, asked.‎

“She’s an empl0yee of ours, Mom; from the slμmp, that’s where she belongs

“Caroline, don’t you dar£,” Diekola sh0uted.‎

“You’re sh0uting at me? Really? – She paused before she let out a dry laūgh.‎

“Why don’t you intrōduce her to your father -the moment She spoke those words, pointing towards the door.‎

My eyes f0llowed her hands.‎

“Dad

Episode 11 typing