Panic seized the room. Esther cradled her mother's frail frame, trembling as she called her name over and over. Zainab, hands barely steady, dialed emergency services with frantic urgency.
Sarah stood frozen, the echo of her own words thundering in her ears, regret already clawing at her chest.
Within minutes, the ambulance arrived.
The ride to the hospital was a blur of flashing lights, oxygen masks, and whispered prayers. Esther held her mother's hand the entire way, willing her to stay with them.
By the time they reached the emergency ward, doctors had already taken over, rushing their mother into intensive care as the three sisters stood outside, breathless and broken.
Then, without a word, Esther turned to Sarah. She grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her through the corridor, past the rows of chairs and watchful eyes, and out into the open hospital courtyard, where no ears could listen and no nurses could interfere.
And at that moment, Esther spun around and threw Sarah's hand away like it burned her. Before Sarah could register the fury in her sister's eyes, the first slap landed, sharp, loud, and swift.
And then the second came, harder.
Sarah staggered back, mouth opened, one hand clutching her cheek as the sting bloomed across her skin. Her eyes widened, stunned, not just by the impact, but by the sheer rage behind it. For once, she had nothing to say. The weight of Esther's betrayal and heartbreak was finally made physical.
Esther stood her ground, chest rising and falling with each ragged breath. "That," she said, her voice sharp and shaking with fury, "was for not caring about Ma… and for putting her life at risk."
Sarah's lips parted, stunned. But no words came. Just the echo of Esther's voice, and the sting of truth, reverberating in the silence around them.
"Couldn't you have just let it go?" Esther continued, eyes blazing. "Because of you, Ma is in there fighting for her life!"
Sarah swallowed hard, her arms stiff at her sides as she searched for her voice. "I didn't mean for it to end this way… I was just.."
"Just what, Sarah?" Esther snapped. "You always say you're sorry after the damage is done. You do things with full intention and then act like it was some accident."
Sarah's jaw clenched. "None of this would've happened if you hadn't broken your promise."
Esther stared at her, disbelief flashing in her eyes. "Are you even hearing yourself? I've tried so hard to see the good in you, Sarah. I believed you were different, self-centered, yes, but not heartless. Clearly, I was wrong. You're a selfish, vindictive monster."
"You can call me whatever you want," Sarah hissed, the pain in her eyes quickly twisting into anger. "But don't act like you're innocent. I told you how I felt about Mr. Lewis. I told you to stay away from him. But you didn't. You couldn't."
Her voice cracked as her emotions spilled through. "Do you even understand what I've been through just to get close to him? What I've sacrificed? I've worked day and night, kept up this façade, bent over backwards just to impress him, just to be the woman standing beside him. And then you… you show up, and suddenly everything I built is at risk."
Her hands trembled as she covered her face, trying to muffle the sobs. "I'm not selfish, Esther. I'm just being honest with myself, something many would be ashamed to admit. I know what I want, and I go after it. And if anyone tries to stand in my way…" Her voice dropped, cold and dangerous. "I promise, it won't end well for them."
Before Esther could respond, a stern voice cut through the tension.
"Will you two stop it already?" Zainab's voice rang out from the corridor as she strode toward them, her footsteps loud and purposeful. "I don't care who's right. We'll deal with this after Ma wakes up. Until then, both of you get back inside and pray she pulls through."
There was a moment of silence. No one argued. No more words were exchanged.
With faces heavy and hearts heavier, the sisters returned to the waiting room, each carrying their own guilt, grief, and unspoken regrets.
Hours passed unnoticed. Their bodies ached for rest, but no one dared to leave, not even Zainab, who had been up all night.
Finally, a doctor approached. "Miss Cole," he said gently, drawing their attention. "Your mother is awake. She's stable now, and asking for the three of you."
Zainab stood first, followed by Esther and Sarah, all moving as one.
"But before you go in," the doctor added, his tone calm but firm, "just so you know, what happened earlier wasn't a medical emergency in the traditional sense. Your mother collapsed due to emotional and psychological stress. Her vitals were normal, but her body reacted to the overwhelming tension around her. Please, going forward… be mindful of that."
The sisters exchanged uneasy glances before quietly stepping into the hospital room.
Inside, their mother, Musu, sat upright on the bed, her face pale but her gaze sharp. Her eyes settled on her three daughters, who stood before her with heads lowered in shame.
"Ma, I'm truly sorry," Sarah began softly. "I really didn't mean to cause you any hurt." She sat cautiously at the edge of the bed, her voice barely above a whisper.
Musu watched her for a long, unreadable moment before slowly shifting her gaze to Esther. Her tone, though soft, carried the weight of deep concern. "Esther, am going to need you to tell me the truth. what your sister said last night… is it true? Did you… really pay for my treatment?"
Esther stood frozen for a moment, then stepped forward, her voice low but steady. "Yes, Ma. I did," she admitted. There was no point in lying, her mother could always see through her.
Musu's brows drew together, her voice tightening with worry. "And the rest? About how you got the money… did you truly sell yourself?"
Her gaze was sharp, searching Esther's face for the truth.
"No, Ma. I would never do that," Esther said quickly, shaking her head. "What Sarah said… it wasn't true. I did get help, yes, but I never sold myself," she continued, stepping closer to the bed. As she did, Musu's eyes softened, and some of the tension in her body eased.
"That's a.."
Sarah's mouth opened to object, but Musu raised a hand without turning to her. "Don't say another word, Sarah."
Her voice was calm but firm, a mother's voice that brooked no argument. Musu knew her daughter too well, the deflection, the half-truths, the jealousy behind her words. And in that moment, she saw Sarah's intentions clearly.
"Esther, continue," she said, now fully turning her attention back to her youngest daughter.
Esther drew a steady breath and sat in the chair beside the bed. "I got the money by signing a contract with Mr. Lewis. I agreed to stay at his home for a year as his daughter's governess, to help her recover her voice." She hesitated for a heartbeat before continuing, "I did live there during that time, but it was strictly professional, Ma. I didn't tell you everything because I didn't want to worry you. I just… I just wanted you to get better."
Musu's shoulders relaxed, the tension in her face slowly fading. She had always known Esther to be honest, grounded, and careful with her choices. But her gaze shifted to Zainab, needing confirmation all the same.
Zainab stepped forward, gently resting a hand on her mother's arm. "It's true, Ma. I knew from the beginning. We only said an organization sponsored the treatment because we knew you'd refuse the help otherwise. Esther did it all for you, not out of desperation or shame, but because she believed you deserved a fighting chance. And she never crossed any line, not once."
Musu sank back into the pillows, the tightness in her chest slowly unwinding. "You girls could have at least told me," she murmured. "What if your sister had faced injustice or been mistreated?"
"Ma," Esther said softly, holding her hand, "Mr. Lewis and his family were kind to me. I never faced anything like that. I promise. I've always known how to protect myself, and I knew worrying you wouldn't help."
Just then, Sarah scoffed from as she stood facing the door, arms folded, frustration etched into her face. She turned abruptly, heels clicking on the floor.
"And where do you think you're going?" Zainab asked sharply, cutting across the room to block her path.
"To work," Sarah replied, not bothering to hide the edge in her voice. "I've already wasted enough time here. Since it's clear I'm the villain in this family, I might as well go somewhere I'm actually needed."
Her voice cracked faintly, but she masked it with a shrug. The sting of her mother's trust in Esther, and not her, clawed at something deep inside her. It was nothing new. Since childhood, it always felt like her mother favored her sisters more. And now, it was happening all over again.
"Ma's still in the hospital and you're thinking about work?" Zainab snapped, crossing her arms tightly over her chest.
"What do you want me to do? I'm not a doctor! The doctor already said she's fine, so why pretend I'm needed here?" Sarah shot back, her tone rising. "I'm sure your two favorite daughters are more than enough to keep her company."
With that, she turned and marched out of the room.
Zainab instinctively moved to follow her, fists clenched and ready to hurl a truth or two after her, but her mother's voice stopped her cold.
"Zainab, let her go," Musu said wearily, her voice strained with emotion. She closed her eyes briefly, leaning deeper into the pillows. The last thing she wanted was another fight. Another division. Another crack in the already fragile bond between her daughters.
"She'll come around. But not if it's through shouting."
Sarah's heels echoed down the hospital corridor, but her anger couldn't drown out the hollow ache expanding in her chest.
They always looked at her like that, like she was the storm, the problem, the one who needed fixing. Even now, after everything she'd done, after all the effort she'd put in to become someone worthy… it still wasn't enough. Not for them. Not for her mother.
Her steps slowed the moment she reached the outer gate of the hospital, the weight of her mother's silence pressing harder than any slap. Musu hadn't defended her. She hadn't even asked for her side of the story. One word from Esther, and suddenly, Sarah was the liar. The selfish one. Again.
She leaned against the walls, blinking fast against the burning behind her eyes.
It wasn't fair.
No one saw the sacrifices she made. The way she clawed her way through school, how she burned herself out trying to stand out at LewisTech, not just as an employee, but as a woman good enough for him. For Daniel Lewis.
And now it was all slipping through her fingers. Her mother's trust. Daniel's attention. Even her Zianab was slipping further away.
A part of her knew she hadn't handled things well, her words last night had been reckless, cruel even, but she hadn't expected it to all explode like this. She just wanted to be heard. To be seen.
But once again, Esther was the saint. The favorite. The selfless daughter who could do no wrong.
Sarah bit her lip hard enough to draw blood.
Let them think what they want.
She would focus on what she had left, her work, her ambition, her plan. If love wouldn't give her a place in that family, success would. One day, they'd all see she was the one who mattered. The one they should've believed in.
And when that day came, Sarah swore she wouldn't be the one left standing in the hallway, begging for approval.