Six months later, I was taken to an orphanage while my aunt sold my parents flat on the black market.
When I turned five, I lost both my parents. My fathers sister, Aunt Clara, became my guardian. While my parents were alive, we wanted for nothingthey held important jobs, we had a spacious flat in London, and a little country cottage in the Cotswolds. After they died, everything changed.
Aunt Clara only had eyes for her own daughter, Emily, and we never got along. Even though she was younger, Emily mocked me constantly. My aunt, sweet as pie to strangers, was actually tight-fisted and scheming. Never missed a chance to turn a profit. I never got a scrap of affection or kindness from her.
As a kid, my chores were scrubbing floors and washing dishes. No telly, and sweets were only for Emily. Soon enough, Aunt Clara sold my dads car. Mums clothes and jewellery vanished, while she and Emily dressed fancier by the day. Theyd pop out to cafés and restaurantsnever me, though.
Back then, I didnt realise Clara had sold everything off, claiming it was for my upkeep. A few years later, we moved into her tiny one-bed flat on the outskirts of town. Six months after that, I was dumped in the orphanage, and she flogged our family flat.
It was rough adjusting, but I got used to the place. I worked hard in school, and after finishing my studies, I rented a small flat and took a job as a cleaner at a supermarketthough they promised me a promotion. One day, the owner came in.
When Mr. Thompson saw me, he asked me to his office after my shift. Once there, he wanted to hear about my life and what my parents did. I told him everything from the beginning.
He smiled and said he remembered me as a little girlhed been friends with my parents. Years back, hed started his own business, built a chain of shops, and was now developing a new shopping centre. Once it opened, theyd need a manager. He offered me the job, but I didnt have the qualifications.
I was about to say no when Mr. Thompson promised to help me get the training I needed. With that, I couldnt refuse. The course wasnt easy, but it was interesting. I passed without a hitch and, sure enough, got the jobdecent pay, too.
Years went by. I bought myself a two-bed flat. Then one day, Emily turned up at my door. No idea how she or Aunt Clara found me, but she demanded I let her in and help her get a job.
Since Emily had no qualifications, I offered her temp work as a cleaner. She was furious, refused outright, and rang her mum straight away. Aunt Clara screeched down the phone that I owed her for raising me, that without her, who knew where Id be? Threatened revenge if I didnt help Emily.
Mixed feelings washed over me. All these years, and she hadnt changed a bit. But I had. I wasnt that helpless little girl anymore. I decided I didnt need a so-called auntor a cousinlike that in my life.
