The True Daughter

A Planned System

Jennifer's P.O.V.

"Knock! Knock!" I heard a hand knocking at my door during the early morning.

It must be aunty Cynthia. I said to myself. Yesterday, I received the beating of my life immediately after the guests left the mansion. My aunty and her worthless daughter, Clara, accused me of trying to seduce the guests, especially, the manager and his father. I tried to defend myself, by clarifying their doubts that I don't have such thoughts in my heart, but before I could speak out, a series of hand slaps was dashed on my cheek. My eyeballs sank into the socket as a result of what I passed through their hands. My head became heavy and my life as a whole became a big burden to me.

While I was still recalling what happened to me yesterday, I heard another round of knocks again on my door. Definitely, it must either be my aunty, or Clara, my cousin. So, I didn't bother to ask who was there.

Behold, as I opened the door, my thoughts became reality. Truly, it was both my aunty and her daughter, Clara.

I was shocked.

"Good morning ma"I greeted,, while still in my pitiful state.

"Hello my darling"

What! I can't believe hearing such words coming out of the lips of aunty Cynthia. She was very passionate about calling me such. As I looked at her, still wondering whether I had heard such words from her, I saw glimpses of humility and compassion in her eyes.

"Hi dear"Clara said to me, looking like one who was about to shed tears.

"Can we please have some little words with you?" Aunty Cynthia said, in humility.

I was very shocked. Aunty Cynthia, of all people, wouldn't ever think of imagining herself taking permission from me, before speaking the words in her mind.

Thus, I don't know what has come over her today, and I don't know what she was probably plotting in her mind, along with her daughter.

"Aunty!"I called in surprise, as my mouth glowed in the water.

"Yes dear. Just permit us to have some words with you", she passionately pleaded.

I looked at her again, and also looked at Clara. Both of them looked sincere, leaving me in a cold state of thoughtless condition.

"Alright ma, kindly go ahead"I approved, still being humbled.

"Kindly come along with us, to the parlor please"Aunty Cynthia said, as she led the road to the parlor.

A few seconds later after we reached the parlor, both of them became silent, holding their faces with their hands as if they were in a forest of regrets. Soon, as aunty Cynthia finally lifted her face to face me, I saw that her eyes were already pure red. She looked like one who had been crying for a long time.

"Is there a problem, aunty?" I asked, trying to be caring.

"We called you early this morning, to beg for your forgiveness. We know that we are guilty of all the bad things that we have done to you. It's true that we have not been treating you right. So please, kindly find a space in your heart, to forgive us. Forgive your uncle. Forgive Clara, and kindly forgive me", Aunty Cynthia begged.

I was still shocked. I just hope that it is a dream.

What's happening? I asked my instinct, but never got an accurate response to my silent question.

I bowed my head to the floor while comfortably seated on the chair. I don't even know what to do or say.

After the close silence of one minute, Clara knelt down and began to plead with me.

"Please, big sis, kindly forgive us for all the wrongs that we have done to you. We were very ignorant of what we were doing but now, I think we are now in our normal senses"Clara said, with, a rain of tears in her eyes.

I still looked at her again, and was confused.

"Honestly, aunt, I am confused. I don't know what's happening. I don't even understand all this, ma"I informed aunty Cynthia.

"Yes, I expected this from you, my dear. I know you will be shocked, and I know that you will think we are toiling around with you and your feelings. But it's not true", she informed me.

"So aunt, what's really happening?"I asked. The emotions on my face truly ringed the music of confusion, and I know that they are very much aware that I am confused.

"After hitting you hard yesterday, we couldn't sleep again. My heart was troubling me, making me feel uncomfortable. I finally told your uncle, my husband, about it, and he advised that I come to plead for your forgiveness. Please, my dear, yes, we have made the mistake of hurting you and this has started ever since you lost your parents. But now,I regret it. I swear never to hurt you again, as long as you proclaim that we have been forgiven", Aunty Cynthia said. Tears rolled out of her eyes as she spoke.

Meanwhile,I was immediately down and weakened after hearing her speaking about my late parents. Before now,I thought this was all a kind of role-play, but now, as she mentioned my late parents,I have become more humbled. I was more eager to forgive them now.

I looked, and still found Clara humbling, kneeling down on the floor. She was not joking about that. Her parents must have spoken sense to her. Clara, who was a very good friend of mine, when my parents were still alive?. I never thought that she would be this heartless to me. She and her mother suddenly became very wicked to me, after the death of my parents.

In fact, I vividly remember how my late mother used to help aunty Cynthia in those days. Both of them were once good friends, and they related well.

My father, on the other hand, who happened to be the junior brother to my uncle John, treated his brother like an egg. If they were alive, they would never believe that uncle John and his family were the ones doing these evils to me.

I finally went to Clara, and lifted her up from the floor. They both of us hugged. I also went to aunty Cynthia's place, and hugged her. I even helped with wiping out the tears from her face, and she eventually kissed me.

Wow! We have finally settled down. I guess we shall now live in peace, and become good family members. I said to myself.

I finally prepared myself, and hurriedly left for work, with smiling faces. But the moment I got to the empire, some armed police officers who were escorted by an inspector who was dressed in a suit, came to me.

"You are under arrest, Miss. Jennifer, for stealing the empire's funds. You have every right to be silent, as whatever you say or do, may be used against you in the court of law", the inspector said.