To Mr. Toby, his daughter was a curse, an abomination that should never have walked this earth. But years later, when his family fell apart and everything he loved was gone, he finally looked back on his actions and realized the child he rejected was the only one who truly loved him.

Ada was a young woman living in a small, lively town of Benin, where everyone knew one another. She was a beautiful tailor with a warm smile and kind heart.

Her little wooden shop stood right in front of the house, and every morning, people would gather around as she worked, chatting and laughing while she sewed. Her husband, Toby, was a bus driver who worked very hard to take care of them. He drove people from that community to the town every day. His old yellow bus was noisy, but he loved it because it helped him feed his family.

They didn’t have much money, but they had peace, laughter, and love. Toby and Ada had been in love since their school days. When they finished school and learned their trades, they got married.

Even though they didn’t have plenty of money, their wedding was small and simple, just church members, neighbors, and a few friends. But it was filled with smiles and happiness. Everyone said Toby and Ada are made for each other.

Ada and Toby always dreamed of having two children, a girl first, then a boy.

They would often sit outside at night, watching the stars as Toby held Ada’s hand and said, “One day, our children will call me papa and call you mama.” Ada would laugh softly, resting her head on his shoulder. Four weeks after their wedding, Ada began to feel weak and sick every morning. She didn’t understand what was happening at first. Then one

afternoon, she bought a small pregnancy test from the chemist shop, and when she saw the result, she covered her mouth in shock. She was pregnant. That evening, when Toby came home tired and dusty from work, she ran to him and said excitedly, “Toby, I am pregnant.” Toby stood still for a second, then shouted, “What? You mean you’re carrying my baby?” He lifted her in his arms, spinning her around as tears of joy rolled down his face. “Thank you, Ada. Thank you, my wife.” He shouted. From that day, everything changed. Toby refused to let Ada do any housework. He cooked, swept, washed clothes, and even fetched water.

The neighbors laughed and teased him.

“Toby, so now you’re the wife.” One man joked. But Toby would only smile and say, “Let them talk. My Ada is carrying our baby. She must rest.” Other women in the compound were amazed.

One asked Ada one day, “Ada, how did you get a husband who loves you like this?” Ada smiled shyly and replied, “It’s just love and God’s grace.” Whenever it was time for antenatal visits, Toby never missed one. Even if he came back tired from driving, he would still follow Ada to the community hospital the next morning. The hospital was small and not well-equipped, but that was the only one they could afford. The nurses there liked them because they were always together. One day, during a checkup, a nurse smiled and said, “Good news.

You’re having a baby girl.” Ada clapped her hands in excitement. “A girl.” Toby grinned from ear to ear. “We already have her name, Lillian.” From that day, they started calling the baby by name. Ada was so excited that she bought tiny baby clothes and kept them neatly in a small box beside her bed. Sometimes at night, she would hold her stomach and whisper, “Lillian, my baby, you will be a blessing.” Life wasn’t always easy for them. Some days, they had only one square meal, but they always ate together happily. Toby would smile and say, “Even if we don’t have food, we have love.” And Ada would laugh softly and reply, “As long as we’re together, I’m fine.” Time passed quickly and soon Ada’s belly grew big. One cold, rainy night in her ninth month, Ada suddenly shouted from the bed, “Toby, Toby, I think it’s time.” Toby jumped up in fear. “Time for what?” Ada groaned holding her stomach, “The baby is coming.” He grabbed his keys, wrapped her with a wrapper, and rushed her into his bus.

The rain poured heavily as he drove through the muddy road to the small hospital. His hands were shaking on the steering wheel. When they arrived, nurses quickly took Ada inside. Toby couldn’t sit down. He walked up and down the corridor praying with tears in his eyes, “God, please protect my wife.

Please let her live.” After a while, the doctor came out and smiled, “Congratulations, your wife has given birth to a baby girl.” Toby jumped and shouted, “Thank you, Jesus.” He wanted to run inside, but the doctor’s face changed. “What’s wrong, doctor?” Toby asked quickly. The doctor sighed sadly, “Your wife is very weak. We just found out there’s another baby still inside her. We didn’t see it before because our scan machine has not been functioning for months. We need to do a quick operation now.” Toby’s heart stopped. “Another baby?

Please, doctor, save my wife. I don’t care about another baby. My wife is my life.” The doctor rushed back inside. Toby knelt down in the corridor and began to cry, “God, please don’t take Ada away from me. I can’t live without her.” The rain outside stopped. Time passed slowly. Then, after a long silence, the doctor came out again. This time, his face was full of sadness. Toby ran to him. “Doctor, please tell me she’s okay.

The doctor looked down and whispered, “I’m sorry. We lost her.” Toby screamed loudly, shaking his head.

“No. No. Please, do something. She can’t die.” But it was too late. Ada was gone. After a while, a nurse came out holding two tiny babies wrapped in clothes. One sleeping quietly, the other crying weakly. “Your wife gave birth to two beautiful girls.” She said softly. Toby stared at them. Tears rolled down his cheeks. Then he pointed to the crying baby and shouted, “Take that one away.

She’s the reason my wife is gone.” The nurse gasped. “Sir, please don’t say that. It’s not her fault.” But Toby turned away. “I don’t want to see her.

She took my happiness.” The nurse shook her head sadly. “She’s still your child.” By morning, the hospital told him he must take both babies home. He refused at first, but they insisted. “They are your daughters.” the nurse said gently.

“Your wife would want you to love them.” Finally, with trembling hands, Toby carried both babies. One was calm, Lillian, the one they had named together. The other was tiny and crying, the one he now blamed for Ada’s death.

He named her Elizabeth, but his heart was full of anger. That was the day love turned into pain, and that was the beginning of Toby’s hatred for his second child. When the twins were still babies, Mr. Toby carried only Lillian in his arms and left Elizabeth crying on the bed. If both of them cried, he would rush to comfort Lillian and pretend not to hear Elizabeth’s cries. As the years passed and they grew older, the difference between them became obvious to everyone around. Mr. Toby showed love only to Lillian. He never looked kindly at Elizabeth. At meal times, he gave Lillian the best food, rice with meat and stew, while Elizabeth got whatever was left. He dressed Lillian in bright, new clothes, while Elizabeth wore old, faded ones that no longer fit properly.

People in the neighborhood soon noticed the way he treated his daughters. One man said to him one afternoon, “Mr.

Toby, this isn’t right. It’s not the child’s fault that her mother died.” But Mr. Toby shouted, “Don’t tell me that. If not for her, my wife would still be alive. She’s the reason why Ader is gone.” From that day, everyone pitied Elizabeth. Some women would quietly slip her food whenever they saw her sweeping the yard or helping to wash her sister’s clothes. Elizabeth grew up quiet and gentle. She never talked back or complained. She always tried to make her father happy, but no matter what she did, he never smiled at her. Lillian, on the other hand, was his pride and joy.

By the time they turned 14, Lillian was cheerful and always well-dressed, wearing bright gowns and neat shoes her father bought from the market.

Elizabeth, meanwhile, remained in her old, worn-out clothes and carried herself with quiet dignity despite the pain in her heart. Every morning, before the sun came out, Elizabeth would wake up to sweep the whole compound, wash plates, fetch water, and cook before her sister even got out of bed. When she finished, she would sit quietly with her books to study. Elizabeth was very smart. She loved reading and always came first in her class. But Lillian didn’t like books much. She preferred to watch television and play music with her friends. Sometimes, when Lillian didn’t do her schoolwork, Mr. Toby would shout at Elizabeth, “Help your sister with her homework. Do you want her to fail?” Elizabeth would obey quietly, even when she was tired. She helped Lillian with all her schoolwork and never complained.

Years passed, and soon they both finished secondary school. They were 18.

Elizabeth dreamed of going to university. She wanted to study hard and become someone great, someone her late mother would be proud of. Lillian also wanted to go to university, but for her, it was just to enjoy life and have fun.

When it was time to pay their school fees, Mr. Toby gathered them and said, “I can only afford to send one of you to the university. Lillian will go.

Elizabeth will stay at home.” Elizabeth’s heart broke. She knelt down crying and begging, “Daddy, please. I’ll work hard. I’ll make you proud. Please send me, too.” But Mr. Toby looked away. “I said no. I don’t have money for you. You’re not my blessing. You’re my pain.” Elizabeth cried all night. The next morning, she watched sadly as her sister packed her bags for school. Lillian smiled and hugged her. “Don’t worry, Lizzie. When I graduate, I’ll help you,” she said softly. But Elizabeth could only nod, tears falling from her eyes.

After Lillian left for the university, the house became quiet. Elizabeth stayed at home, cooking, cleaning, and washing clothes every day. She had no friends and no one to talk to. Food became her only comfort. Whenever she felt sad or lonely, she ate bread, rice, or garri to forget her pain. Slowly, she began to gain weight. Her once slim body became rounder, and she didn’t even notice it first. But Mr. Toby noticed, and he mocked her every day. “Look at you,” he would shout, “fat and useless. You’re just wasting space in my house. I wish your mother had survived instead of you.” Those words always cut Elizabeth’s heart like a knife. She would run into her small room, shut the door, and cry quietly on her bed until she fell asleep. Meanwhile, at the university, Lillian was living a very different life. She was not serious with her studies. Instead of reading, she went to parties and clubs with her rich friends.

She wore expensive clothes, took pictures, and posted them on TikTok.

Even when her grades dropped, Mr. Toby didn’t scold her. He was just proud that his favorite daughter was in school.

Years later, Lillian finished university, but her result was very poor. Just a pass. Still, Mr. Toby threw a small party in the compound, inviting neighbors and saying proudly, “My daughter is now a graduate.” Elizabeth helped him cook and serve food that day, even though she wasn’t part of the celebration. She smiled for her sister, but cried silently in her heart.

A few months later, Lillian reconnected with a young, wealthy businessman named Felix, a man she had known briefly during her university days. He admired her beauty, her confidence, and the way she carried herself. Not long after they started talking again, Felix asked for her hand in marriage. When Felix and his family came to visit, Elizabeth was the one who served them drinks and food. She stood quietly, dressed in her old gown, while the visitors looked at her with surprise. Some of them even whispered, “Is that her sister? She looks like the maid.” Mr. Toby didn’t care. He shouted from the sitting room, “Elizabeth, go and bring more drinks. Be fast. Don’t embarrass us.” Elizabeth obeyed quietly, her eyes filled with tears. Even though she was happy that her sister found love, she felt invisible in her own home. A few weeks later, Felix’s family returned to finalize the wedding arrangements. The whole compound buzzed with excitement.

Lillian’s friends came around to help her choose fabrics and design her gown.

Mr. Toby moved up and down proudly, telling everyone in the neighborhood that his daughter was marrying a rich businessman. Elizabeth watched quietly from a corner as they laughed and took pictures. No one asked for her help or opinion. She was invisible even in her own home. Still, she smiled and whispered to herself, “Maybe this will bring peace to our family.” As the wedding day drew closer, the house became busier. Visitors came in and out. Tailors delivered clothes and boxes of gifts filled the sitting room.

Elizabeth helped with cooking, cleaning, and arranging chairs. Yet, no one thanked her.

But, 2 days before the wedding, Elizabeth realized something strange. No one had mentioned her outfit or told her what role she would play. Everyone seemed to be pretending she didn’t exist. That evening, she gathered courage and walked up to her father.

“Daddy,” she said softly, “what will I wear for the wedding? I haven’t seen my dress yet.” Mr. Toby looked at her coldly. “Dress?” he said sharply. “You’re not going anywhere. Stay home. You’ll embarrass us with your dirty clothes.” Elizabeth froze, her lips trembling.

“Daddy, please. I just want to be there.

She’s my sister.” But, before she could finish, Lillian entered the room and interrupted.

“Please don’t come, Elizabeth,” she said coldly. “My husband’s family is rich. I don’t want them to see you looking like this. Just stay at home.” Elizabeth’s eyes filled with tears. She begged softly, “At least let me watch from afar, even if it’s from outside the gate.” But, they both ignored her. The morning of the wedding came. Music echoed across the street and cars lined up in front of the house. Elizabeth stood by the window, watching as people clapped and took pictures. Then, she saw her sister step into a shiny white car wearing her wedding gown. Her vision blurred with tears. She pressed a palm against the window and whispered, “Goodbye, Lillian.

I hope your life will be happy.” Moments later, the convoy of cars drove away, leaving her behind. The compound became silent. Elizabeth sat on the floor of the empty sitting room, holding her late mother’s old picture to her chest. Tears rolled down her face as she said softly, “Mama, I wish you were here. You’re the only one who ever loved me.” She stayed there until night came, crying alone in the dark. That day, something changed inside Elizabeth’s heart. She promised herself that one day she would rise above her pain and make her mother proud. Three months after Lillian’s wedding, she called her father one afternoon. “Papa,” she said happily, “I have good news. I’m pregnant.” Mr. Toby’s face lit up with joy. He stood up and shouted, “What? My daughter, you mean I’ll soon be a grandfather? God, thank you.” He danced around the sitting room, smiling proudly. But just when Elizabeth thought he would share that happiness with her, too, he turned and mocked her again. “See your sister,” he said, pointing at her. “She’s married and already expecting a baby. And you, all you do is eat and get fat every day like someone with no purpose.” Elizabeth didn’t say a word. She just kept sweeping the compound slowly, pretending not to hear. But deep inside, her heart broke again. Every insult felt like a wound. Yet she still whispered quietly to herself, “One day, God will remember me, too.” Months passed, and soon Lillian gave birth to a baby boy. The news spread fast. Mr. Toby was overjoyed. “My daughter has given me a grandson,” he shouted around the compound proudly. He even bought drinks for the neighbors to celebrate. Two weeks later, things began to change in Lillian’s house. She was all alone most of the time, struggling to care for her newborn. Felix went to work early and returned late, leaving her exhausted and sleepless. The baby cried often, and she hardly had time to rest. One evening, weak and overwhelmed, Lillian called her father. “Papa, please, I’m so tired,” she said softly.

“Taking care of my baby is not easy.

Please send Elizabeth to help me. If Mama were alive, she would have been here to help.” Mr. Toby nodded quickly. “You’re right, my daughter. If not for that girl, your mother would still be alive. I’ll send her to you tomorrow.” The next morning, he called out loudly, “Elizabeth, come here.” She came running from the backyard, wiping her wet hands on her dress. “Yes, Daddy.” Mr. Toby looked at her with his usual cold eyes. “Pack your bags,” he said.