Chapter 1

Clara woke up to another day of yelling by her stepmom. They would do anything to delay or make her late for work, but she was now used to it. She tried everything to please her step mom and did everything expected of her before leaving.

“Make sure you do all the dishes and keep the house clean before leaving.” Elizabeth, her stepmom, yelled at her.

Clara was calm. She only had to say okay to everything because complaining would only be a death sentence.

When she was done, she ran off to her place of work. It had just been one week since she found this job. Every job she got was from one problem to another. In her last employment, her manager refused to pay her her salary unless he slept with her.

When she arrived at the hotel where she worked, her boss called her out to give her a final warning in front of her coworkers.

“I don't think you are serious with this job, this is your last warning.” He said to her and poked her forehead which made her stagger backwards.

“I am sorry sir, it won't happen again.”

“Be sorry for yourself, you lowlife! I know how you begged me to get this job and now you give excuses with your family. Why can't your family employ you?” The boss conveyed arrogantly.

Clara’s eyes were already watery, she couldn't explain further because they would never understand. It was all her stepmom’s fault. Elizabeth would do anything to make her life miserable.

Since her stepmom married her father, her father turned his back on her and her mother, and only did anything his second wife wanted.

Currently, her mother is in the hospital because of a heart disease and her father has refused to give her any money at all. She had to work day and night to raise the money for the surgery, otherwise, her mother would die.

Her step-sister, Selen, didn't help matters at all. She was meant to be her sister but it turned out that was her greatest enemy, she always supported her mum and our Dad, and most of the time she added more fire to it whatever it was. 

She made a promise to her mum that she would pay her bills for the surgery to commence, even though she knew the chances were low and that it would take a miracle to raise the money, she still had to encourage the sick mom.

“This is your last chance. Did you get me?” The boss roared again and that awakened her from thoughts.

She nodded her head vehemently and ran back to her position. Her colleagues always made a mockery of her and laughed whenever she was being reprimanded by their boss.

Once she was done with work, she hurriedly went to the hospital to see her mom.

Her mum was in a vegetable state and she couldn't help but burst into tears. She ran to the doctor’s office to plead with him, but that was not possible.

“Ms Clara, there is absolutely nothing I can do to help you. Once you come up with the money. The surgery will be carried out immediately.” Doctor Ryan told her.

She left the hospital in her horrible state and went home. She made up her mind to confront her father, after all, her mom was his wife and deserved to be cared for by him.

Clara unlocked the door gently and went straight to the living room but there was no one there. Her step-sister and her stepmom weren't around either.

She peeked at the clock and it was getting late, yet they weren’t back from God knows where.

She went to her bedroom to look at the picture of her and her mother when she was healthy, and also the picture with their father when he still showed them love and care before Elizabeth came into the family.

Her Dad had been cheating with Elizabeth for a long time and they even had Selene, as if that was not enough, she came in to live with them after demanding her Dad divorce her mother.

As she was still looking at those pictures and recalling the memories of what transpired, she heard a noise like the sound of the door and knew immediately they were back. 

Dropping the picture hastily, She walked to the sitting room immediately to beg her Dad for the money.

Her face was indifferent when she observed that her family had just come back from a picnic with their paper bag. They were out to have fun while she had been moving around for a solution but that wasn’t her business.

She fell on her knees holding her Dad’s legs.

“Dad please, borrow me some money. I promise to pay you back. Mom is dying and the Doctor said if I didn’t bring the money soon, something bad will happen”

She reached for her cell phone and brought it out of her pocket.

“Dad, What do you want as collateral? My phone? You can have it. I promise to keep to my words.” She was looking into her Dad’s eyes, and was optimistic she would find mercy.

Before she finished talking, she heard her stepmom raining insults on her.

“You lowlife, you have some guts, don’t you? What made you think we will need collateral from you? What do you have to offer?

Elizabeth pulled her from her father's legs where she was pleading and dragged her up by her clothes.

“Don’t you think you're disrespecting your father by asking him to borrow you money? 

Clara ignored Elizabeth completely and turned to her Dad. He can do it, he has the power to say just a word and the money will be in her account.

“Dad, please say something, mum is dying.” She cried, shaking him to make him focus on her but that wasn’t working.

Even if he wanted to do anything for her, Elizabeth won’t allow him to do that.

It got worse when Selene also insulted her.

“Your laziness is on another level, there are many jobs to do to raise money but you prefer to beg for what you didn’t work for.”

Selene then turned to her Dad.

“Dad please don’t give her the money. How are we sure that she is not trying to dupe us? Your mum used to have lots of savings. I'm sure she must have paid her hospital bills but you want to use that opportunity to extort money from Dad.” Selene said, crossing her legs and Elizabeth supported her.

“You are right. She only wants to extort money from us. She thinks we are foolish.” her stepmom added.

“But why would I lie?” Clara cried out at Selene with a bit of emotion in her. Even if they don’t want to help her, they shouldn’t stop their Dad from doing so.

“Did you dare talk back to my daughter?” Elizabeth wailed which made Claudia quiver.

“I was just trying to say I’m not lying” But before she could finish the words she was saying, multiple slaps landed on her face and her vision went blurry.