Village Elders arrived, drawn by the commotion, their presence demanding silence. They looked around at the gathered crowd, who had been shouting and accusing Modupe. The air was thick with tension as the Elders took their places, their eyes scanning the scene.

"Enough," Elder Gbemisola's voice cut through the noise. "We need to understand what happened here."

The villagers fell silent, still visibly upset, but now waiting for the Elders to sort things out. Amma was still sobbing, leaning on a neighbor for support. Modupe stood off to one side, her face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and frustration.

"Elder Gbemisola, they betrayed me!" Amma said, her voice breaking. "My new husband and my best friend."

Elder Gbemisola nodded sympathetically but maintained her authoritative composure. "We will hear from everyone involved. But first, we must calm ourselves and listen."

Turning to Modupe, Elder Gbemisola said, "Modupe, you have the floor. Explain what happened."

Modupe took a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly. "It is true that Adal and I were together, but it was not planned or intended to hurt Amma. We had been together before she and Adal got married. It was a mistake—one that should never have happened."

Elder Gbemisola nodded for Modupe to continue. "Please, go on."

Modupe wiped her tears and continued, "I know this is difficult to hear, but I want to be honest. Adal and I were together before, but we parted ways. He came to me recently, expressing his feelings, and I—well, I let myself believe in the old affection. It was a mistake, and I regret it deeply."

Amma’s eyes widened in shock as she heard this. "So you were not honest with me? How could you? And Adal, you let this happen and now stand by silently?"

Adal finally looked up, his face pale. "Amma, I am truly sorry. I should have been honest with you about my past with Modupe. It was a lapse in judgment, and I am deeply ashamed."

The villagers were silent, their anger simmering but not yet resolved. Elder Gbemisola spoke again, addressing the crowd. "It seems there is more complexity to this situation than initially apparent. We must consider the feelings and the mistakes of everyone involved."

Another Elder, Elder Olabisi, added, "It is important to address the hurt and betrayal, but we must also seek understanding and forgiveness. Let us not be hasty in our judgments. Healing requires patience and empathy."

The villagers murmured among themselves, beginning to reconsider their initial rush to judgment. Amma, still hurt but beginning to understand, looked at Modupe with a mixture of sorrow and confusion.