Chapter 16: The Crossroads

Sunday morning came with a quiet calm over Lagos, the kind that often precedes a storm. Susan stood in front of her small mirror, staring at her reflection as if seeing herself for the first time.

Gone was the heavy makeup, the short dresses, and the bold lipstick. In their place was a simple, modest gown she had bought from a local market, a soft blue fabric that covered her properly.

Her heart pounded as she adjusted the dress. She looked decent, almost unrecognizable. “Maybe,” she whispered, “this is what a new beginning looks like.”

She picked up her phone to check the time, realizing the battery was almost dead. She plugged it in, deciding to let it charge while she prepared to leave. She didn’t think much of it, after all, she didn’t expect any calls that morning. Today wasn’t about anyone else. It was about her and God.

She had already planned what she would do. She knew the church would never let her access the microphone to confess, so she decided that once service ended, she would shout her truth for all to hear.

She didn’t care how they looked at her. She was ready to tell the world that Pastor Richard was innocent and that she was the one who sinned.

As she stepped out of her room, her stomach twisted with both fear and peace. “Let them talk,” she told herself. “It’s time to be free.”

Across town, Richard was getting dressed too, his Bible beside him on the table. His heart was heavy with thoughts of Susan’s plan. He couldn’t let her go through with it. The church could be merciless with rumors, and he didn’t want her confession to turn into public humiliation.

He sat down and typed quickly:

“Susan, please don’t speak in church today. Let’s meet after service somewhere private, maybe a restaurant. I’ll listen to all you have to say.” He hit send and exhaled. He hoped she’d see it before leaving.

The thought of her standing before the congregation, shouting her pain for the world to hear, made his chest ache.

Not only because of the scandal it might stir again, but because he knew what God had revealed. She wasn’t just a soul to save she was his destiny.

Yet, destiny wasn’t supposed to look this complicated.

He picked up his Bible and whispered, “Lord, please guide this day. Let me not lose control.”

By the time Susan arrived at Molding Destinies Church, her phone was still charging on her bed, the unread message glowing silently on the screen.

Inside the church, the praise team sang joyfully, hands lifted high, voices echoing through the building. Susan slipped quietly into a seat at the back, clutching her handbag close to her chest.

She took a deep breath, her heart steady but her mind racing. Today was the day everything would change. She didn’t know that, at that very same moment, Richard was sitting at the front, scanning the congregation, hoping to stop her before it was too late.