15/06/2026
The moment my brother stormed out of the hotel, he jumped into his car and sped away into the night.
My entire body was shaking. "Vincent!" I screamed as I dropped to my knees beside him.
Blood trickled down the side of his face. His eyes were closed.
For one terrifying second, I thought he was dead. "No... no... no... please wake up," I cried, gently tapping his face.
My hands trembled uncontrollably as I rushed out of the room and alerted the hotel management.
Within minutes, several staff members joined me.
Together, we carefully carried Vincent downstairs and rushed him into my car.
As I drove toward our private hospital, my hands clung tightly to the steering wheel.
Tears blurred my vision. "Please don't die." I kept repeating the words over and over again.
"Please don't leave me."
The journey felt like the longest drive of my life.
By the time we arrived at the hospital, the medical team rushed Vincent into the emergency unit.
HOURS LATER....
I stood inside the hospital reception area, pacing back and forth like a restless child.
My hair was messy. My eyes were swollen. My heart refused to calm down.
Every time the emergency room doors opened, I would immediately turn around, hoping for news.
Finally, the doctor appeared. I rushed toward him immediately.
"Doctor, how is he?" I asked anxiously.
The doctor offered a reassuring smile.
"Thank God, Bernice. Vincent only sustained a few head injuries. There is no serious damage."
Relief crashed over me instantly.
It felt as though a mountain had been lifted from my shoulders.
Fresh tears filled my eyes.
"Thank you, Doctor. Can I see him?" I asked immediately.
The doctor shook his head.
"Not tonight." "We gave him medication and sedatives to help him rest and reduce the risk of complications." "He will remain under observation overnight." "You can see him tomorrow."
I nodded slowly. At least he was alive. That was all that mattered.
The moment I left the hospital, anger replaced fear.
I drove straight to the police station and reported Martins, and he was arrested.
Martins had crossed a line.
And for the first time in my life, I chose Vincent over my brother.
The next day, when I arrived at the station, he was already sitting behind the bars of a holding cell.
The moment he saw me, he exploded.
"Bernice!"
His voice thundered through the station.
"How dare you have me arrested? I am your elder brother!"
I stared at him through the iron bars. My eyes filled with tears. But my voice remained firm.
"I will only release you when Vincent walks out of that hospital alive."
"If anything happens to him, prepare to spend the rest of your life behind bars."
I turned around and walked away.
The moment I stepped outside the station, I broke down completely.
Tears streamed down my face.
Because despite everything...
This was still Martins.
The same man who raised me. The same man who sacrificed so much for me.
The same man who stepped into the role of both father and mother after we lost our parents.
But this time, Martins had gone too far. He had tried to destroy the man I loved. And I could not forgive that.
Two days later, Vincent was discharged from the hospital.
I practically became his personal nurse.
I made sure he took his medication.
Prepared his meals.
Helped him move around whenever he felt dizzy.
Meanwhile, Derrick, my fiancé, continued calling. Again and again.
But I always found an excuse not to see him.
"I'm busy." "I'll call you later." "Something came up."
The truth was simple. I no longer wanted to hear his voice.
A week later, Vincent had recovered well.
One evening, while we sat together in his living room, he suddenly looked around.
"Bernice," he said softly, "where's Martins? I haven't seen him?"
"He's been in a police cell for the past week," I replied nonchalantly.
Vincent's eyes widened.
"What?"
"I had him arrested after what he did to you."
For a few seconds, Vincent simply stared at me.
Then he slowly stood up.
"Get your bag, Bernice. We're going to the police station."
His voice remained calm but firm.
"Martins is still my best friend."
He shook his head sadly.
"I can't sleep peacefully knowing he's locked up because of me."
That same evening, Vincent personally arranged Martins' bail and secured his release.
Unfortunately, peace never followed.
For the next two weeks, Martins showed up repeatedly at Vincent's house.
Every visit ended the same way.
Shouting. Arguments. Threats.
"Bernice, you must marry Derrick!" Martins would yell.
His face red with frustration. His voice loud enough for the entire neighborhood to hear.
Vincent would remain calm.
"Martins, I love your sister. I am financially stable. I can take care of her."
"The only reason you're forcing her toward Derrick is because of your own greed," Vincent fired back at my elder brother.
"Over my dead body will I watch you marry my sister!" Martins roared.
Then he stormed back into his car and drove away.
The moment Martins left, Vincent turned toward me and said softly,
"Bernice, don't argue with your brother or disrespect him. Give him time.
Eventually, he'll have no choice but to accept reality.
Right now, he's acting out of hurt and disappointment, but with time, he'll come to understand that some things cannot be changed."
A few weeks later, I started feeling sick.
At first, it was headaches.
Then came the fever. Then the nausea
One morning, I barely made it to the bathroom before throwing up.
Without wasting time, Vincent drove me to a clinic.
Several tests were conducted.
Then we waited. And waited.
Finally, the doctor returned holding a file.
My heart pounded violently.
The doctor looked at me, then smiled.
"Congratulations."
The next words changed everything.
"You're seven weeks pregnant."
My hands began to tremble. My breathing became uneven.
A thousand thoughts attacked my mind at once.
Pregnant?
How?
Tears immediately filled my eyes.
"Oh my God..."
My voice broke.
Everything suddenly felt complicated.
What was I going to do?
What would Martins say?
What would Derrick do? How was I supposed to explain this?
The wedding. The lies. The secrets. Everything.
"Oh my God... What have I done?" I whispered.
Meanwhile, Vincent looked happier than I had ever seen him.
He practically grabbed the test results from my hands.
His face lit up with excitement.
Hope. Joy. Pride.
The smile on his face made my heart ache.
Because I knew a storm was coming.
Later that evening, after we arrived home, Vincent sat beside me quietly.
For several moments, he simply stared at the test results.
Then he looked at me. His expression became serious.
"Bernice," he said. His voice was soft.
Careful. Respectful.
Then he looked directly into my eyes.
The look in his eyes made my heart pound violently.
Taking a deep breath, he looked at me and spoke gently.
"Bernice, please, I need you to be completely sincere with me.
I don't mean to disrespect you as a woman, nor am I trying to judge or remind you of the choices you've made."
Then he squeezed my hands gently and continued speaking.
"I'm only asking because of the love, trust, and affection we share."
He paused briefly, his eyes searching mine for honesty before continuing.
And then he asked the question I had been praying would never come.
"Please tell me the truth. Between Derrick and me, who is the father of the baby you're carrying?"
EPISODES 9 & 10 : SWEET SIN
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