ALL OF ME

MRS. MABEL (ZINI'S STEPMOTHER): “You b***h! I think I have to marry you off to the investor of Grown City so you can at least be useful to me and your late mother. What an ugly creature you are. Anyway, you should be grateful. He offered two dollars for you. It is a big win for us!” She threw her head backward and laughed. “Ha… ha… ha!” I stood silently in front of her. My hands were clenched tightly behind my back. I had heard worse. Much worse. ZINI (LEAD OF THE STORY): “Anyways, I am cheap, so I don't really mind.” I forced a small smile. “I was always the fool in everyone's eyes. I could just bear with it until I was able to get my revenge.” My name is Zini. My mother died while giving birth to me. According to the stories I had heard all my life, everyone blamed me for her death. I was born different. One half of my body had a dark complexion, while the other half was much fairer. People stared. Children laughed. Adults whispered. Some called me cursed. Others said my mother must have done something terrible before giving birth to me. I hated looking into mirrors. Not because there was anything wrong with me, but because every time I looked at myself, I remembered what everyone had told me I was. Ugly. Strange. Worthless. After my father remarried Mrs. Mabel, things became even worse. She never treated me like her daughter. Her daughter, Clara, had everything. Beautiful clothes. Expensive shoes. Private tutors. The best food. A comfortable room. Meanwhile, I was treated like a servant. I cooked. I cleaned. I washed their clothes. I ran errands. And whenever I complained, Mrs. Mabel reminded me that I was lucky she had allowed me to stay in the house. But what they didn't know was that I had stopped crying. I had stopped begging. And secretly… I had started preparing. For years, I trained myself. I studied business. I learned how investments worked. I learned technology. I studied languages. I practiced self-defense. I learned how to negotiate. While everyone thought I was cleaning their house, I was listening to business podcasts through a tiny earphone. While they slept, I studied until morning. While Clara spent money on expensive bags, I saved every little amount I earned. I built small businesses online. At first, I made almost nothing. Then I made a little. Then more. Eventually, I created a company under a secret name. Nobody knew the mysterious young entrepreneur behind it was me. Not even my father. Not even Mrs. Mabel. And definitely not Clara. They thought I was still the useless girl they could order around. They were wrong. Very wrong. MRS. MABEL: “I am talking to you!” I looked up. “And you are keeping quiet?” She marched toward me. “Did you hear what I said?” ZINI: “Yes.” “Then answer me!” I looked at her calmly. “When is the wedding?” Mrs. Mabel smiled. “Tomorrow.” I almost laughed. “Tomorrow?” “Yes. The investor is coming tonight. You will meet him, and tomorrow everything will be settled.” I lowered my head. “Okay.” She stared at me suspiciously. “That is all?” “What else should I say?” She walked closer. “You should be thanking me.” “For what?” Her smile disappeared. “For giving you a chance to become useful.” I smiled. “Thank you.” She turned around proudly. “Go and prepare yourself.” As she walked away, I watched her carefully. She didn't know it yet. But tomorrow wasn't going to be the day my life ended. It was going to be the day her life changed forever. --- THAT NIGHT The house was unusually busy. Mrs. Mabel had hired decorators. Food was being prepared. Clara was running around the house wearing an expensive dress. Apparently, the “investor” was extremely wealthy. I sat quietly in my room. My room was barely large enough for a bed and a small wooden table. I opened my laptop. A notification appeared. TRANSFER COMPLETED. I smiled. My latest business deal had been approved. My company was now worth more than Mrs. Mabel could ever imagine. I closed the laptop. Then I heard footsteps. Clara entered without knocking. She looked me up and down. “You're actually going to meet the investor looking like that?” I looked at my simple dress. “What is wrong with it?” She laughed. “Everything.” She opened her handbag and pulled out an old dress. “Wear this.” I stared at it. It was clearly something she no longer wanted. “No.” Her eyebrows rose. “No?” “I'll wear what I have.” She stepped closer. “You really think you have a choice?” I looked directly into her eyes. “For the first time…” I smiled. “I think I do.” Clara froze. “What did you say?” “Nothing.” She snatched the dress and walked away. “You'll regret this.” I waited until the door closed. Then I smiled. They still didn't understand. --- THE INVESTOR ARRIVES At exactly eight o'clock, a black luxury car stopped outside our house. Mrs. Mabel rushed outside. Clara followed. My father stood behind them. I remained upstairs. Then I heard the front door open. A man's voice filled the living room. “Good evening.” Mrs. Mabel immediately became sweet. “Good evening, sir! Welcome!” I almost laughed. This was the same woman who had insulted me all afternoon. Now she sounded like an angel. I slowly walked downstairs. Everyone turned toward me. And then the room became silent. The investor was standing beside the sofa. He looked to be in his late twenties. He wore a simple dark suit. His expression was calm. But the moment he saw me, his eyes widened. He stared at my face. Then at my hands. Then at my complexion. I felt uncomfortable. Mrs. Mabel quickly stepped forward. “This is Zini.” She pushed me slightly. “She is the girl we discussed.” The man's expression changed. “You're Zini?” “Yes.” He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he looked at my father. “Does she know why I'm here?” My father looked away. Mrs. Mabel answered. “Of course.” I smiled. “Yes.” The investor looked at me again. “Do you agree?” Everyone waited. I could have said no. I could have exposed them. I could have screamed. Instead, I said: “I agree.” Mrs. Mabel smiled triumphantly. The investor looked surprised. “Are you sure?” “Yes.” He nodded slowly. “Then I have one condition.” Mrs. Mabel leaned forward. “What condition?” He looked directly at her. “I want to speak to Zini alone.” Mrs. Mabel hesitated. “But—” “Alone.” She reluctantly nodded. “Of course.” Everyone left the room. The moment the door closed, the man's personality changed. He stopped pretending to be serious. “Are you really okay with this?” I looked at him. “No.” He blinked. “Then why did you agree?” “Because I need to know why you chose me.” He smiled. “Good.” “Good?” “Yes.” He sat down. “Because I didn't choose you.” I frowned. “What do you mean?” He placed a folder on the table. “I was looking for someone.” “Who?” “You.” I stared at him. He opened the folder. Inside were documents. Photographs. Business records. And a picture of my mother. My heart stopped. “Where did you get that?” He looked at me carefully. “Your mother once worked with my father.” I stared at the photograph. “My mother?” “Yes.” “She never told me.” “She didn't have the chance.” I swallowed. “What happened to her?” He closed the folder. “That is what I've been trying to discover.” --- THE SECRET His name was Adrian Vale. He wasn't simply an investor. He was the youngest director of one of the largest companies in Grown City. And according to him, my mother had been connected to the company's biggest secret. “What secret?” I asked. Adrian leaned forward. “Twenty years ago, your mother discovered that someone was stealing millions from the company.” My eyes widened. “She found the evidence.” “What happened?” “She disappeared.” I stared at him. “My mother died giving birth to me.” “That is what your family was told.” My heart began pounding. “What are you saying?” “I believe your mother's death was not an accident.” I stood up. “No.” Adrian looked at me. “You deserve the truth.” “My father said she died during childbirth.” “Your father may have believed that.” “May have?” Adrian pushed another document toward me. “There is something else.” I looked down. It was an old medical record. The date was the day I was born. My mother's name was written on it. But something was strange. The document stated that my mother had been transferred to another hospital. I looked at Adrian. “Why does this say she was transferred?” “Because she wasn't at the hospital your father told you about.” My hands trembled. “Then where was she?” “That is what we need to find out.” I slowly sat down. For years, I thought my biggest problem was my appearance. I thought people hated me because I was different. But suddenly, I realized something. Maybe my entire life had been built on a lie. --- THE NEXT MORNING Mrs. Mabel entered my room early. “Get dressed.” I looked at her. “For what?” “Your wedding.” I smiled. “I won't be getting married today.” Her face changed. “What?” “I said I won't be getting married.” She grabbed my arm. “You ungrateful girl!” I pulled away. “You don't own me.” She stared at me. For the first time, she looked frightened. “Who has been filling your head with nonsense?” “No one.” “You think that investor will marry someone like you?” I smiled. “He already made his decision.” “What?” I walked past her. Downstairs, my father was waiting. Mrs. Mabel followed me. “Tell her!” My father looked at me. “Zini…” I interrupted him. “Dad, I need to ask you one question.” He looked nervous. “What?” “Where did my mother really die?” Silence. Mrs. Mabel's face went pale. I noticed. And that was enough. “You know something.” “No,” she quickly said. I turned to my father. “Dad?” He looked away. “I don't know what you're talking about.” I laughed softly. “That's interesting.” “What?” “Because you looked scared.” Mrs. Mabel stepped forward. “Enough!” I looked at her. “No.” She stopped. “For years, you told me I was worthless. You told me my mother died because of me. You treated me like a servant.” I took a breath. “But I'm done.” Clara walked into the room. “What is happening?” I looked at her. “Your sister is finally standing up.” She laughed. “You?”