Chapter 4

Time passed by and it was over one month since Lavender finished high school and went home only to receive such devastating news. Her grandfather’s condition was worsening as he could not get any medical help due to the lack of money. Although she worked several jobs a day, it was not enough to manage her grandfather’s medical bills as the medicine required was way too expensive for her.

Her auntie had also stopped providing food for her and her grandfather and could sometimes even take money from her when she came back from work in the evening. Sometimes she even needed to work through the night so that she can receive a small payment. It was not easy for her and just in a month, she had lost a lot of weight.

She was now having an afternoon snack with her friend with whom they had shared a dorm in high school. She had stumbled upon her when she came to look for a job, and because of her recommendation, she was hired.

“Girl, you have lost a lot of weight. It has been barely a month and just look how thin you have become. Are things becoming unbearable at home?’’ Stella asked her friend. She could not hide the heartache in her eyes.

“I’m fine. Isn’t it good to lose some weight, then I won’t be an old hag any time soon?” Lavender laughed it off, not taking what her friend had said to heart. But she was still touched by her concerns.

“Why don’t you move out of the house then? I have never seen people so shameless as the ones you live with!” Stella said.

“Where do you think I could go? If I was alone it could have been fine, but now I have my grandfather, who is paralyzed, where could I possibly go, I will stay until at least I have accumulated enough savings before I can think of moving out. “Lavender said, but she knew well enough, with the way her auntie was treating her, that, that day will never come.

Stella did not press on and after a short break, they busied themselves with work. It wasn’t long before darkness shrouded the world, making everything seem like a mystery.

Lavender dragged her tired body back home. She was so tired that she found it hard to lift her leg but she could only bite her lower lip as she made her way home with her exhausted body.

When she pushed the door open, she just wanted to go direct to her room to have a long, warm shower. But how could Janet and her good-for-nothing daughter allow her to have a rest?

“Ooh, you are finally back. I was almost starving to death.” Rael said the moment she saw Lavender.

Lavender furrowed her eyebrows at her words but said nothing and continued to make her way towards the stairs.

Seeing her leaving without even saying a word, Rael became angry.

“I'm talking to you young lady, are you not listening?’’ Rael said.

Lavender gave her no heed and continued to make her way forward.

Rael let her be as she smiled viciously.

“He he, you want to act arrogant with me. Just go, we will see if you will be able to enter your room.” After sneering, she went back to trimming her nails.

Lavender reached her room and took out the key, she inserted it in but the door could not be opened no matter what. Looking at it carefully, she realized that the locks have been changed. She went to her grandfather’s door and realized that its locks have been changed too.

‘What were these people thinking, changing her door locks? Did they want her to submit to them just like that? Ha!’ Lavender laughed self-depreciatingly as she thought about it.

Be it in the past, they could have not tried to play such tricks. In fact, her cousin would be trying everything possible to please her. People will indeed hit you more at your lowest.

She clenched her fists and made her way downstairs, there was nothing she could do rather than to go and beg them.

Rael heard footsteps from the stairs and smiled victoriously. She could not wait for that bitch to come begging. She had been waiting for this moment for a very long time just to see the useless cousin of hers beg her. She could even make her kneel before her. The feeling was really good that she could not wait to experience it.

"Who changed the locks to my and grandfather’s room?" Lavender asked the moment she reached the mother and daughter pair. She did not have time to beat around the bush.

"It was me, do you have any problem with that?" Rael said, feeling smug.

"Why did you change it?"

"The previous ones were an eyesore so I just changed it," Rael said, sounding like the real lady of the house.

"Give me the new keys," Lavender said. She even felt nausea breathing the same air as these people.

"Why would I? It's not like you own the house?"

"And do you?"

"Well, no, but now I do own the keys to your room and your useless grandfather, just do as I say and I will give you the keys," Rael said.

"What do you want?" Lavender asked, feeling irritated.

"Just go and make us dinner."

"Okay." Lavender did not want to bicker with her and readily agreed, she made her way to the kitchen. Wasn't it just making them dinner, she will do it. They want to trample on her, they will see if she will give them any chance.

Lavender thus busied herself in the kitchen. She was lucky that everything was in the fridge so there was no need of going to the supermarket to buy ingredients.

After roughly one hour, dinner was ready. She took it to the dining room and called Rael and her mother.

"I have already prepared dinner, now can you give me the keys? I have to give my grandfather his medicine." Lavender said to the two people who were still watching television in the living room.

"Ooh, dinner is ready, that was fast. But we have to eat first to see if it's well cooked before I decided whether to give you the keys or not." Rael said.

"But..." Lavender tried to say something but Rael cut her off.

"What? Don't tell me that you are already complaining. I said you will have to please me before I can give you the keys. If I'm not satisfied, you will have to cook again. If you don't do it, I don't think your grandfather will be able to make it through tonight without his medicine."

Lavender was angered but there was nothing she could do. If her grandmother saw the people she had treated as life saviors behave in this manner, she will be very disappointed.

They continued to watch television for another ten minutes before Rael stood up unhurriedly. She was behaving as if the whole world was at her mercy.

"Go upstairs and call my sister and brother to come and have dinner." She ordered.

Lavender turned around without saying anything and went to call them. If not for her grandfather and the fact that she did not have enough money, she would have long left this place to go somewhere else.

"Ha ha ha mother, did you see her face just now when I told her I won't be giving her the keys yet, it was so entertaining like someone who was constipating, ha ha ha, this is just the beginning."

"I have lived in this house, walking on my toes, I can now have my revenge. How I wish that bastard and his wife were around to see how their precious daughter is suffering." Janet said with satisfaction. She did not stop her daughter when she made things difficult for Lavender and silently supported her.