“can I have my bag; I want to redo my make up.” She said to a girl who has suddenly appeared from nowhere.
The girl immediately gave her a bag, the bride’s parents and bride’s maid were all surprised at the strange girl but were too preoccupied with the incident to think about the girl.
Inside the bag were some clothes and other things for change.
she took the bag and went into the corridor, trying to locate the female restroom.
The bridesmaid offered to follow her but she refused. But winked to the strange girl.
When she reached the corridor, looked round and did not see anybody, she took another route to the back of the church. There was an exist gate connecting the church walls and the backyard of the church.
Luckily for her, the tiny hidden gate was not locked but bolted. No! it was not a matter of luck; the gate was purposely kept unlocked for this purpose.
When she was a child, she always played with her friends whenever they come to church, so she knew the place very well. And it was not difficult for her to locate the small gate.
She unbolted the gate, stepped out, pushed it close, removed her wedding gown and changed into the clothes, changed her high-heeled shoes, removed her expensive Jewries put them inside the bag and left through a narrow path road.
The strange girl who gave her the bag was already waiting for her at the end of the narrow part and lead her to a car that carried them away before people could notice her absence.
…..
Yesterday
“Chin Cho you remember that tomorrow is your half-sister’s wedding?” Chin Cho’s mother Ae-Cha said with worry in her voice, she was afraid that Chin Cho was not going to agree with what she is about to say.
Yesterday, Chin Cho’s mother Ae-Cha had called her to come back home, she travelled from school to Ado city where her mother was residing.
But Chin Cho loves the mother dearly and hardly refused anything or request by her mother. In her mind, her mother was her only blood relation. Elvis was just a father in name.
When a father hardly fulfils his fatherly responsibility to his child, that father is not worth regarding. So she thinks of her mother as her only flesh and blood.
She said offhandedly “yes mom, I remember the wedding tomorrow it has nothing to do with me.” She showed no interest at all in what her mother was saying concerning the wedding.
Her mother had called her some weeks ago telling her that her half-sister Chin Sun who was the same age with her was getting married to a very rich man, from a very powerful family.
She was neither interested nor jealous. Chin Sun can marry the richest man in the whole world for all she cared.
To her, it is not how rich and wealthy the man you marry is that matters, but how much you two love and care for each other.
As for her, she was already in a loving relationship, she was in love and the man was also in love with her, though, he doesn’t have money yet, but both of them would make money and build their life together.
“Well I called you home because I want you to attend that wedding please.” Ae-Cha pleaded as she went about trying to find some drink for Chin Cho.
This really caught the attention of the girl who had showed little or no interest in the wedding of her half-sister.
Ae-Cha would have loved to attend the wedding by herself, but she was too sick, and could not travel far.
If Chin Cho was allowed to hate her mother, she would have done so, she would not have hesitated to hate her mother for sticking and always trying to please a man like her father.
But her mother has always insisted that her father was not as bad as Chin Cho was making him look. “Your father is not as bad as you think, just that Jane is such a difficult woman.”
She always try to defend the man she has mistakenly married some 25 years ago.
“I have my final exams starting on Monday, and you called me to come and attend the wedding of my half-sister; whom we hardly have anything in common?” She asked in surprise and anger.
This must be a very serious joke from her mother, and a very expensive joke at that.
She had laboured, suffered and studied ‘Industrial Mathematics’ very hard for the past four years in one of the best university in the country. She was hoping to come out with a very good grade, so as to get a good job, and live a better life; which seemed to have eluded her since childhood.
But now her final preparations had been interrupted for who? Chin Elvis, Chin Jane, Chin Sun or Bong Ae-Cha?
Chin Cho and her mother were resident of Ado city while her father and steps were residents of K city.
“Mum you know the seriousness of my final exams, yet you still decided to pull this sort of joke on me?”
But this was not a joke, her mother wants her to attend the wedding on her behalf. Ae-Cha wanted to please Elvis.
Elvis always try to keep his two families together, but his wife Jane would not allow it. But Ae-Cha having grew up without a father did not want Chin Cho to grew up without a father.
So anything that would bring the family together, she was in for it. Anything that would bring Chin Cho close to her father, she would do it.
But Chin Cho was thinking of something else.
She was hoping this was not true that her mother would not insist on her going to that wedding, and she would not hesitate to travel to back to school immediately. ‘wedding indeed’ she muttered under her breath.
She can’t even remember the last time she met with that half- sister of hers.
In fact, the last time they met, they fought, they have always had misunderstanding with each other, and fought and quarrelled over nothing.
Chin Sun was jealous of Chin Cho because Chin Cho was more beautiful than she was. In fact Chin Cho was adjudged one of the most beautiful women in Z country. If she had gone on a beauty context, she would have won without any stress. She was beauty with brains, but she had no interest in things like that. On the other hand, Chin Cho was jealous of Chin Sun because their father only care for her. She was so annoyed with her mother for interrupting her preparation for her final exams and making her travel for more than two hours to come and hear such nonsense. She strode to the window and leaned on her elbows “am sorry mum, I would not be attending the wedding.” She said bitterly, slightly raising her voice, her anger clearly written on her face. She disliked her father, step-mother and step-sister, so she has no reason to attend that wedding. Observably, the dislike was reciprocal, her step-mother and sister did not like her either, but for her father, she can’t give a name to hi
Trying to control her temper, Chin Cho said to her mother “mom, am sorry to disappoint you, I would not be attending the wedding. First I don’t have transport fare, and secondly, I don’t have a befitting clothe.” She said hopping that she would be able to dissuades her mother. “Well you don’t have to bother about those things, I have made provisions for those things, I bought you a new clothe and I have saved some money.” she countered her daughter. Ae-Cha was very prepared for her daughter. Not that she was happy preventing her daughter from preparing for her exams, but she wanted Elvis to know that she was behind him in the family matters. It was this her character that has made Elvis to cherish her more than the other woman. He had refused every effort by Jane for him to divorce Ae-Cha, but he has sticked to her, let Jane kill him if she wants but he would not divorce Ae-Cha. Their divorce is dependent on Ae-Cha. Although, the Jane woman was smarter, sharper, and more educated
If only she had money, she would take her mother to the best medical facility in the country for treatment.But she had no money, and she was just struggling to survive in the school.She was just hoping that her mother would hang on, until she finish’s school and get a job, make money and take care of her mother.All the money the father had been given them had never been enough.Thinking of her mother’s medical treatment, Chin Cho didn’t know what else to say, she nodded, “I have heard you mum, I will attend the wedding tomorrow.”she said this grudgingly, stamping her foot hard on the floor to show her level of annoyance. She really hated the idea of going to this wedding. But she had no choice, she has to do this for her father to be really pleased to give her mother the promised money.tomorrow is Saturday, and she was hoping she would come back with the money, and on Sunday,
Bon-Hwa Rohan Fernando was nicknamed ‘Gravity’ by his friends and mates. He was nicknamed ‘Acada’ by his family. He was like the wind; impossible to trap, dangerous to offend, difficult to predict. He was very arrogant and full of himself.He was tall, handsome, cold and dashing. The domineering aura round him made people breathless when they came close. He was the grandson of the great Bon-Hwa Fernando.The Fernando family has ruled the business sector in Country Z for many generations.The Bon-Hwa Fernando Group was the number one in the country when it comes to money. And also ranked top in the world business ranking, courtesy of Rohan Fernando.The group touched all sectors of the economy; banking, entertainment, health, electronics, hospitality management such as hotels, etc.Rohan was a shrewd businessman, a dare-devil investor, very calculative and intelligent.He was not on
If Rohan Fernando had not been born into a power financial dynasty, he would have been completely destroyed because of the scandal of three months ago. But his family has maintained its financial position for a considerable time in K city in particular and Z country in general starting from his great-grandfather; Bon-Hwa.But right now under the leadership of Rohan, the business has been making waves overseas.The scandal of three months ago was enough to pull an ordinary person to the dust. But the Fernando businesses were too established to be pulled down, no matter what happened.The scandal did not affect the Fernando businesses, it only brought Rohan personal shame and embarrassment.This morning, the cathedral was parked to the brim with people.He had avoided all protocols and had come to the wedding with only three cars. He had his bride with him in one car, the best man and bride’s maid and the bodyguar
“Do you think that the issue of your having a child for him is strong enough to stop this marriage? as a matter of fact, this marriage will go on, then after the marriage, you two can ratify the issue through paternity test.” he concluded. This was final. The priest wanted the girl to stay in the church office till after the marriage, but Rohan refused. “the girl must be in police custody until after the wedding.” On the insistence of Rohan, the girl was taken away by the police. She sure will be tortured at the police custody, that would make her to tell the truth. Rohan was sure of that. The priest asked “where is the bride? Can we go back to the hall for the continuation of the wedding?” It was high time to continue the wedding, the enemies thought that the wedding will not continue. But unfortunately for them, the priest, though old was very resolute, he couldn’t just cancel the wedding on a flimsy excuse of having a child for the groom. Many young people these days, do have
When it became apparent that the bride is not coming back today, the priest suggested postponement of the marriage.“Mr. Bon-Hwa would it be okay for you if the marriage is postponed till your bride comes back?”The priest of God asked in his priestly voice.“With due respect sir, I can’t ever postpone the marriage!” Rohan roared like a lion. Even though he was trying to maintain some level of respect to the man of God.Two international catering companies had been hired to cook; one group was to cater for the stomach of those who would come to the church, while the other group was to cater for those who would come to the reception at Hotel De Tycoon.While the bride was being awaited, Rohan ordered the food to be served to everyone. Everyone in the church was busy eating and drinking while the couple was yet to be joined.Mr. Chin Elvis reiterated what the priest
That was when Jane ; Elvis present wife and the bride’s mother remembered that she had seen someone who looks like Chin Cho, when she was looking for her daughter. But she had shown no interest in the girl, but now maybe the girl could be of help. “Elvis, I saw Chin Cho, come and force her to take her sister’s place for the main time. We need her to save the situation now.” Chin Mae Elvis could not believe his ears; Chin Cho was in this wedding? What could have forced her to be here in this wedding. While wondering these things in his mind, he followed his wife to where she had seen Chin Cho. And he tapped Chin Cho on the shoulder. Chin Cho turned slowly and saw her father. She looked at him without any expression. “Can we talk in a quieter place Cho” her father said softly to her. Chin Cho followed her father to a quieter place inside one of the empty rooms in the church. Chin Mae Elvis was at lost on how to start the conversation. Father and daughter relationship was very s