Sudden bankrubt

Nina's POV 

Another day of my Aunt forcing me to clean up the messy surroundings caused as a result of her children's silly night party. It's so tiresome and energy-draining, but who am I to complain about my situation when I know the next sentence they would say? They knew mentioning how my parents had died and how they were the only ones kind enough to take me in would make me bend my head low in remorse. 

My aunt and her family wouldn't stop by that but continued to rant on how I had escaped to live on and abandoned my parents to die on a cold night when they had no tiny clue of the real incident. Mentioning my deceased parents does nothing but completely uncover the wound that is partially beginning to heal since I now had someone to rely on. Someone anonymous but reliable and trustworthy to speak my fears to. 

I inserted more pressure on the mop to clean the dirty tiles when I heard Sandra's footsteps. "Yoo, bitch!" she yelled and halted her steps on the last stair. 

"Good morning, how may I help you?" I turned to her and asked respectfully, making sure I displayed no scrunch eyebrows because my physical expression could also get me in trouble. 

"Follow me to the mall. I need to buy myself some new clothes and probably some underwear" She mutters and lifts her breast. "Remember to dress like my maid in case I come across my college friends" She honed a warning eye on me while I nodded my head in obedience. Sandra had always been like that, denying the fact that she was my cousin. I don't know why she can't consider us as at least friends since we are both twenty-two years old. I agree that my status is a bit under hers since she is in college while I am here stuck with my part-time jobs. I just hope her shopping won't take long because I will finally be meeting my anonymous online friend, Gabriel today. 

Immediately I turned my attention back to cleaning up, my aunt rushed from the staircase panting with her hands on her head. 

"What the hell happened, Mum!" Sandra exclaimed as she rushed to assist her mother from falling. 

"We are done for! Your father has gone bankrupt! I told him to stay away from G&G Properties company. He didn't listen and now he is a victim of a Ponzi scheme. What will people say? How will we cope? This can't be true! " My aunt cried out as she wobbled down. She rubs her body on the wet floor and continues to shout in misery. 

How can people be so blinded by greed to the extent that they trust someone who is famously known to have earned his wealth from mysterious means? The Golden in the name of Arthur's company doesn't glitter as it's actually a depth of darkness. I saw this coming two months back when I had sighted my aunt and her husband jubilating all alone about bagging a partnership with him. 

I wanted to look away from my aunt since her daughter was here to comfort her, but Sandra didn't move any closer to her mother again. "Do you mean the Golden Gate Properties company owned by Arthur King?! Since when did father become so influential to work with him?! Why didn't you tell me this a long time ago?!" Sandra exclaimed in amazement. 

"Mum! You don't have to worry. Dad will overcome it and besides, I still talked to him last night and he doesn't sound restless. Do you know how tricky Arthur King is? He might just be pulling Father's leg. Right now, I need to go shopping" Sandra muttered and veered around to walk away. 

Impressive. 

"With a suspended credit card?" My aunt asks as she sits up on the tiles with her leg spread out. Her eyes were incredibly swollen and her hair was dishevelled. 

There was a threatening silence that held out the whole living room. 

"Is Dad on loan too?!" Sandra shrieked so loud that I had to hurriedly cover my eyes to avoid turning deaf. 

"Is that what it means by suspending credit cards?!" My aunt burst into another round of wails. 

"Dad definitely borrowed a loan from Arthur King. What type of father wouldn't think of his children's well-being before engaging in such an act? Our house is also at risk because Arthur is a real estate developer! What do we do Mum!" Sandra rocked back and forth, her body trembling as she breathed. She couldn't bear it anymore as she fell on the floor and cried out loud with her body curled in a ball. 

Drake will be more devastated by the news, but his lazy self is still in bed. 

I watch as both mother and daughter wail helplessly. I wouldn't dwell on making myself happy during their sad moments just because of what they had done to me. I decided to move closer to my aunt after many thoughts of how depressing the news might have been for them not to care about my thoughts of witnessing them cry. I squatted to my aunt's level and nervously pulled her head into my arms. 

At first, she leaned into my embrace, and it made me breathe in relief. Suddenly, I was laboriously jerked away with a force that made me fall with my back on the ground and my shoulders situated on the tiles with the assistance of not allowing my head to hit the ground. I was approached by my aunt in a rage, her eyes blazing. She grabbed me by my shoulders and shook me violently. 

My head jerked back and forth, flying around my face. "You ingrate! I am sure you were laughing about the news which is all your evil doing. Were you trying to comfort me?! Go and assure your dead parents that they shouldn't expect your triumphant future. You are just bad luck. You will surely die in the hands of assassins just like your parents did! You can never succeed in making us fall '' She insulted continuously and tears clouded my eyes. 

I tried to push my aunt away, but her grip was too strong. I felt like a rag doll, being tossed around by fury. I could barely breathe as the air was knocked out of my lungs. Finally, she released me when Sandra gently pulled her away from me. I was dumbfounded because this was the first time my cousin would defend me. Her mother glared at her, but she smiled at me instead "I know you might have been saving up to go to college one day or to surprise yourself with something since today is your birthday. Give me the money and you won't have to go out with me as your maid anymore" She bargained. 

What?! I can't do that!