Before Midnight

Derin, a talented young seamstress, lives under the roof of her aunt Veronica and cousin Mercedes, who treat her as an unpaid servant. After a week away she returns begging for shelter and is grudgingly allowed back on the condition she works relentlessly. Veronica assigns her an impossible deadline to sew a high-stakes dress for a client, Mrs. Adeyemi, while also forcing her to run errands, clean, and endure constant verbal abuse. Derin's only respite is her skill with a needle and the quiet support of Frank, a family friend who helps her deliver the dress and shares a growing, easy affection. The delivery leads her to a party where she meets Kola, a charming man who intervenes when she flees a tense encounter. They spend the night talking over suya, dancing, and sharing vulnerabilities, and Derin reveals her aunt's shop burned down accidentally, deepening her guilt. Meanwhile Veronica and Mercedes discover Derin's new phone, a gift from Kola, and publicly humiliate her, accusing her of prostitution and physically assaulting her. Derin escapes the house but is locked out at the gate until Kola, now revealed as Jerry, arrives and kicks the gate open. Jerry explains he investigated Derin's situation after noticing inconsistencies: her late father left a trust fund managed by a U.S. company, but Veronica forged documents to control the money, using it to support herself and Mercedes. The police are called and arrest both women for theft, breach of fiduciary duty, and suspected kidnapping, and Derin confronts the devastating truth that her aunt never loved her and exploited her for years, leaving her emotionally shattered but finally free. One year later Derin has become the CEO of a high-end boutique, and she and Jerry are engaged, sharing a playful, loving moment as they prepare for a Sunday outing.