Ms Wilson's Replacement

48: Sheep to the slaughter

"The truth hurts. And much more than love, kindness, or any of these warm feelings you’re so fond of, truth is beauty, and the thing that will set you free."
A.D. Aliwat

I follow behind her like a sheep being led to the slaughter without a word to say and she lead me to one of the three cars parked at the entrance of the hotel which was a Toyota.

This is the end, this is my end, the end I have dreaded since the beginning of this mess. My whole body trembles and cold grips me to the core and I am panicking and dreadful of what lies ahead. My eyes grow blurry but I blink them back because tears are the last things that I need right now. My breath grows laboured and hard and my quivering hands become sweaty as she hands me the keys to the car and I confusedly collect it.

"You're going to drive this car to the Chapel where Eli still is and you're going to go to him and tell him the truth and nothing but that." Jumai instructed with a very firm voice and I knew she was very much serious. "do anything but that and I promise that you will pay dearly."

Once again tears well up in my eyes and I blink it back and cleared my throat, I am going to go confess my sins to the man that my actions directly or indirectly contributed to him being left at the altar, what's the worse thing that could happen?

Got it, getting thrown in prison forever.

I get into the car and drive off and Jumai enters into the red Mercedes Benz parked beside mine with its driver already in it and she follows behind.

I drive in silence for the next thirty minutes with nothing in my head but my very own thoughts and these thoughts are pushed by fear and heartache. There is no more battle to fight, I already lost. The odds were stacked against me from the very beginning. Anna wanted me dead, Jumai wants me to pay for deceiving and making a fool of her son and only God know what Eli would want once he finds out the truth.

As I get closer to the Chapel, I see a few people standing around a few faces known amongst them and I knew they probably left after waiting for the bride and never having her show up. I slowed down the car and my eyes scanned around the environment and people standing around in search of Eli.

My heart breaks in a million pieces at the sight of Eli looking all worried with his phone in his hand while he paces around at the entrance of the Chapel. He has taken off his wedding suit and now in the long-sleeved white on his black trousers while his suit is on his arm. He runs his hand through his hair and tugs on it even as he keeps pacing around, leaving his hair in a disarrayed state. He's worried about Anna and I feel so guilty for everything. Jumai was right he didn't deserve what we've done, what I've done to him these past four weeks. And after he learns the truth, all those emotions on display are going to change.

A whimper escapes my mouth and again my eyes blur up.

"You're going to go to him and tell him the truth and nothing but that."

Doing exactly what Jumai has instructed would leave me at the complete mercies of Eli and he's going to hate me once he discovers that I am a fraud. I will not be able to survive seeing hate in his eyes, especially when such is directed towards me.

As I get closer, I see three policemen approach Eli at the entrance where he is and my heart fearfully clenched in my chest and much cold grip my body from the inside out.

Eli's eyes divert as he speaks to the policemen and they land on the car I'm in and seconds later, his eyes catches mine and the relief look that washes over his face weakens my entire body and I watch him step away from the policemen talking to him and advance towards my car, a little joy returning into his worn and worried face but that joy will be gone in the next minute after he learns the truth.