Secret at the ceremony

Maya’s POV

“Pregnant.” That was the first word that escaped my lips as I sat in the car with Alexandra after leaving the doctor’s office. I gripped the steering wheel, my thoughts racing, my mind full of confusion. What was I supposed to do now? A part of me, out of anger, perhaps, wanted to call the man who had put me in this situation. The same man who had ignored my calls and had the audacity to send me a cold and heartless text message.

Without thinking, I dialed his number, my fingers trembling. As the phone wanted to start to ring, I changed my mind, my instincts screaming at me to end the call. But it was already too late. The screen flashed the cruel truth, saying ‘blocked.’

“He’s blocked me,” I muttered to myself, my chest tightening with a mix of anger and despair. “Am I really going to have this baby without the father even knowing? Or am I opting for an abortion?” I paused and hit the steering this time. “I will never abort!”

I stared at my phone, my confusion deepening. Why had I even called him? My mind flitted back to my plan, my calculated plan to marry Grayson, and this was a perfect revenge for my ex-husband. This pregnancy would complicate everything, but for now, Grayson couldn’t know. I would keep this secret until after the wedding. If he stayed after I told him, it would prove the depth of his love for me.

With this thought, a strange sense of satisfaction was all that I could perceive. I placed a hand on my belly. So, I’m really pregnant with the man from the hotel. How could I not be? My body and soul had been completely consumed by him. His rejection had left me shattered, crying like a child.

Snapping out of my thoughts, I started the car and drove home. The moment I stepped through the door, I picked up my phone and called Grayson. This time, I wouldn’t address him by name, I needed to play my role perfectly.

“Hello, sweetheart,” I said, injecting warmth into my voice.

His response was immediate, filled with affection. “My dearest, are you back from the hospital?”

“Yes,” I replied, forcing a calmness I didn’t feel.

“What did the doctor say?” he asked, as he showed concern.

“I just need some rest,” I lied smoothly. There was no way I could tell him about the pregnancy now. The wedding had to happen. If it didn’t, Wale would win, and worse, Grayson might leave me. I couldn’t let that happen.

“I need you to come over,” I continued, my voice soft and persuasive. “I want to add something special to the wedding invitation cards, a statement that means a lot to me.”

Grayson sounded excited, and I smiled to myself. The wedding would proceed as planned. Whatever came after, I would deal with it then. Satisfied with my decision, I touched my belly once more. For now, the secret was mine to keep.

***********

Wale's pov

It had been days since I left home and came to the city because of Maya. I’d been staying alone in my hotel room, consumed by thoughts of what had unfolded between us. Then came a hard knock on my door.

“Boss!” I recognized Asher’s voice immediately. He sounded insistent, as though whatever brought him here couldn’t wait. I had specifically told him I wanted to be left alone, but here he was.

“Boss, can I come in?” he asked again, his tone was urgent.

“Alright, come in,” I replied reluctantly.

Asher opened the door, and the look in his eyes told me something serious was at hand.

“What’s the matter?” I asked and my voice tense.

Without saying a word, Asher extended his hand. In it was a wedding card. The inscription on the card caught my attention instantly. I snatched it from him and opened it, my heart racing.

“Maya’s wedding card?” I stared at the card in disbelief, reading the words written on it. “The ex-wife of Mr. Wale finds true love.” My chest pounded.

“Is Maya actually marrying Mr. Grayson?” I exclaimed, my voice rising. Before I could fully process the shock, Asher added, “Sir, they’re getting married in a few hours.”

I quickly checked the date and time on the card. As I did, Lucas entered the room, his facial expressions weren't welcoming.

“Please, Mr. Wale,” Lucas began, “I knew you wouldn’t take this well. That’s why we didn’t show you the card when it arrived yesterday.”

I turned to him, my frustration mounting. “Are you telling me Maya is marrying Grayson right now?”

Both Asher and Lucas remained silent, their quietness confirming my fears. They knew me too well; they had been trying to shield me from this.

“It’s time to tell Maya the truth,” I said slowly, a decision I have just made seeing this card.

Lucas looked at me in shock. “What truth? Are you planning to go to the wedding?”

“There is something I’ve kept hidden for too long,” I replied. “It’s time Maya knows.”

Asher and Lucas exchanged uneasy glances as I strode to the wardrobe, pulled out my suit, and began dressing.

“Take me to the wedding ceremony now,” I ordered.

Lucas was pleased with it, shaking his head and said. “We didn’t tell you about the card for this very reason. We thought it would be best if the ceremony was over before you found out. What could you possibly say to Maya that she hasn’t already heard?”

I ignored him and rushed out of the hotel room, with Asher leading the way and Lucas following reluctantly. Once in the car, I checked the time. It was 2:45 p.m.

“The wedding started an hour ago,” Asher informed me.

My heart pounded. Had they exchanged their vows already? The thought made my blood boil. “Why didn’t you show me this card earlier?” I demanded, glaring at Asher.

Asher stammered, unable to answer. Lucas stepped in. “We were trying to protect you, Mr. Wale. We knew you’d act like this, and we thought it was best not to let you know.”

I clenched my fists. “If I get there and the wedding is over, you’ll both regret it.” I hit the headrest in front of me, the sound echoing in the tense silence.

“Drive faster!” I snapped at Asher. My frustration grew with every passing second.

Lucas, still seated silently beside me, finally spoke. “What are you going to tell Maya that she doesn’t already know?”

I didn’t answer. The truth I was about to reveal was something I had vowed never to share with anyone. But now, I had no choice. Maya needed to know.

The wedding ceremony was grand, with a crowd of people filling the hall. As soon as the car stopped, I rushed out and ran into the venue. Maya and Grayson stood at the front, both dressed in their wedding attire. The ceremony had already reached the vows, and the presiding officer had just finished with Grayson. He turned to Maya and began the next line:

“Do you, Miss Maya, take Grayson Jackson as your…”

I ran down the aisle, causing a stir. The commotion drew everyone’s attention, including Maya and Grayson, who turned around to see what was happening. Out of breath, I struggled to regain my composure and speak. Maya frowned, her face full of irritation.

“Mr. Wale, what are you doing here?” she said quickly. “There is nothing you can say to stop this. There is nothing between us anymore.”

“I have a secret to tell you,” I managed to say.

Grayson, visibly uncomfortable, glanced at Maya. “Are you going to keep the presiding officer waiting?” he asked.

But the mention of a secret seemed to pull Maya’s curiosity. With a smirk, she turned to Grayson and said, “Darling, let’s have some fun. Let my ex-husband embarrass himself. There are plenty of cameras rolling. Everyone will see how ridiculous he looks trying to stop my wedding.”

Her mocking tone didn’t deter me. If anything, I felt thin hope inside of me. Even if she wanted to humiliate me, at least she was giving me a chance to speak. Maya walked up to me, a smug smile on her face.

“What could you possibly have to say? Another excuse? Another lie?” she sneered.

“Maya,” I began, my voice full of emotions, “it wasn’t me who treated you so badly. It was my twin brother. I’ve always loved you, and I always will. Do you remember how you saved my life years ago? Just after our wedding, I received a message from my twin brother, who was in prison. He was sick, and he begged me to help him. This was something that was new to me. I never knew I had a twin brother. When I went to see him, I was shocked. He looked exactly like me, a carbon copy. In tears, he begged me to switch places with him so he could get proper treatment, hence, he would die there. Out of love and loyalty, I agreed. I never imagined how much it would cost me. Before I left, I told him about my responsibilities as CEO and my love for you. I begged him to treat you with respect and to never sleep with you. But the mistake I made was telling him about the circumstances that led to our marriage. That’s when his resentment towards you began. Maya, think back. Did I ever lay a finger on you? Did I ever hurt you? Compare how I treated you to how he did. I would never have divorced you, that was his doing. When I finally returned, everything was in ruins. You were gone, and I had lost the only person I truly cared about. If you doubt me, I can take you to see him right now. He’s still alive, and he can confirm everything I’m saying. I’ve done everything to win you back, Maya. I’ve cut ties with every other woman because no one could ever replace you. You are irreplaceable.”

As I spoke, I felt tears streaming down my face. I hadn’t planned on crying, but the weight of everything I’d kept bottled up overwhelmed me. Then I noticed Maya’s expression change. Her eyes filled with tears, and she began to cry too.

“Don’t cry, Maya,” I said softly, my voice cracking. “It hurts me even more to see you in pain. I know I should have told you this earlier, but I was afraid. I didn’t want to lose everything I had worked so hard for, and I didn’t want to hurt you even more. But now, I don’t care about the consequences. All I care about is you.

“Please, Maya, can we start over? I love you. I’ve always loved you. And I’ll keep loving you for the rest of my life.”

The hall was silent. Everyone was watching us, waiting for her response. But I didn’t care about the crowd, the cameras, or even Grayson. All that mattered to me was Maya and the hope that she might still have room in her heart for me.