1. PROLOGUE

"Valerie, clean the house and fetch water. I will be back soon," my aunty said as she stepped out of the house leaving me alone with Tiana.

"Valerie!!!" I scramble to my feet immediately I hear her scream shivering. I walk slowly up the stairs to her room as I repeatedly ask myself what I have done wrong again.

"Valerie?" she slaps me on my face," I thought I asked you to clean my room, why the mess?"

"I'm sorry, aunty said I clean the sitting room that's why I couldn't clean your room on time" I knelt on the floor as I pleaded with her not to beat me.

"Will you stand up and get to work immediately?" I scramble to my feet as I search around for the broom and mop.

I took the broom to sweep the floor, then later used the mop to clean. And I arranged her clothes neatly into her closet.

I heard her opening the door for someone, and she was talking to that person in the sitting room. I quickly folded her clothes neatly into her closet. Then walk into the kitchen to shred the vegetables for dinner.

I was in the process of shredding the vegetables when I heard her scream my name, so I dropped the vegetables and ran to her room.

“Yes, Tianna, you call me,” I said immediately as I walked into her room. She was talking to a man in his mid-twenties, with long brown hair and a pointed nose. He winks at me while I ignore him completely

“Will you be a good girl and get juice for Lorenzo here?” She smiles as she waves me off.

I slowly walk back to the kitchen wondering what I have done to deserve this.

My name is Valerie William and I'm twenty years old. Both of my parents died in a car accident when I was seven years old. Since then, I've been living with my aunt Clara. When my parents were still alive, Aunt Clara used to be very nice to me and very loving but now, she seems like she could barely stand the sight of me...

“Valerie!! Are you sick, where is the juice? Don't let me come in there” Tiana's loud voice broke me from me thought as I rushed to take juice from the fridge and a glass cup to her guest.

The guest in question was checking me out in an ungodly way and licking his lips in the process. I don't even know what Tiana sees in all the men that she brought home and to think that aunt Clara is in support of her promiscuous lifestyle.

“Here is it,” I said to her, dropping the tray with the wine on the centre table and turning to leave them alone.

“Come back here, stupid girl, is that how you treat an important guest in my mom's house?” She calls back to me as I turn to her.

“I don't understand,” I said looking at her confused. She wanted juice and that is it in front of her, what else again.

“Why should you understand? How many times do I have to tell you that you are a slave in this house? It's high time you start behaving like one”

“But—————”

“Now get down on your knees, pick up the juice and give it to Lorenzo here like the perfect maid that you are,” she said, cutting me off completely.

I stood gasping at her shocked, surely, she's joking. Lorenzo was smiling and smirking like the idiot he is, thank God I didn't allow the swine that he is to date me then.

“What do you mean by me kneeling to give Lorenzo juice? Can't he get it by himself? Surely his hands are not hurting him, right?” I said as I folded my hands together glaring at her. If it was any other person, I would have done that but this is Lorenzo, the guy that I hate most in the world. I'm only tolerating him because of her.

“Wow!! You now have the guts to talk back to me, right?” She screams as she charges off at me.

“Mom must hear what you just said to me,” she said, slapping me on my face. The slap was nothing compared to what my aunt would do to me if she found out.

I quickly went down on my knees and did exactly what she asked me to do while Lorenzo smirked triumphantly at me. I ignored him as I pleaded with Tiana not to report me to her mom.

“Ok fine I will not say anything, just go back to the kitchen, your presence here disgusts me,” she said as I stood up and went back to the kitchen happy that she won't report me to her mom.

I was almost through with my work before aunt Clara would be back. I quickly walk to the sitting room and check the long list of chores Aunt Clara left for me.

” I only have two left,” I said smiling to myself, happy that I won't be receiving any beating today.

I ran to put on the washing machine to get the laundry done before making dinner when fate decided that he had another plan for me.

“Valerie darling!” Tiana's sweet voice called out to me as she descended the stairs. Lorenzo is gone. I didn't even notice when he left, yes that's how much I hate him.

I walked out from the basement to meet her in the sitting room. “You call me Tiana.” I said to her immediately when I saw her. She has changed her dress again; this is the third dress she will be wearing today. Anyway, I don't blame her when she is not the one washing them.

“I was thinking,” She said, looking at me seriously, “instead of using the washing machine to wash clothes, why don't you use your hands? It seems the washing doesn't wash the cloth clean anymore”

“What!” I exclaim in shock. She turned to walk out of the room ignoring whatever I was saying.

Sometimes I feel like strangling her and to think that I'm older than her and she treats me this way. I wish my parents were still alive then we would have been better and I will probably be in the university right now.

I walked back to the basement and stood gasping at the mountain load of clothes that Tiana said I should wash with my hands. I quickly got to work and one hour and thirty minutes later I was done.

My bones were protesting as I quickly stood up to sun dry them and went into the kitchen to get started with dinner since it was past six already.

The food was almost ready when I heard my aunt's car driving into the garage. I heaved a sigh of relief glad that I was through with all my duties.

“Valerie!” My aunt shouted from outside of the house as I rushed to meet her “this stupid girl are you telling me that you didn't hear me come in”

“I'm sorry aunty" I apologise kneeling. I just hope I won't be getting a beating today again my backaches.

“Sorry for yourself, stupid girl” She hisses as she opens the car door to bring down the groceries.

“Take this inside the house,” she said, handing them to me.

“Where is my daughter?” She asked me walking into the house.

“She is in her room, aunty” I replied on the verge of tears.

I just wish she will care for me as she does to Tiana. I miss my mom so much. I can't remember the last time I was hugged; I don't even have friends cause aunt Clara wouldn't approve of it.

I walk into the house with the heavy bag of groceries dragging it behind me with tears pouring down my face.

Sometimes I feel like running away but where to, I don't even know anyone here. We moved back to Nigeria after my parents died in Atlanta. I'm just like a nobody amid people, nobody wants to relate with me because they all think that I'm a curse. That is why both of my parents died the same day.

“I hope the dinner is served, Valerie. '' My aunt’s loud voice calls out to me as I quickly dish the food and set the table then I went to call her and Tiana to come to eat.

“Mom can you guess what happened today,” Tiana said looking at her mom. My heart pounded in my chest because I already knew what she wanted to say. I rush my food fast because once she starts beating me, I won't be able to eat again.

“Why dear, what happened?” Aunt Clara said her voice was laced with love for her daughter. The love that I have always prayed for someone to show me too.

“Valerie talked back at me,” she said crying as the tears poured down her eyes. I mentally rolled my eyes at her because she is such a drama queen.

“She did what?” My aunt screams as she slaps me with the back of her hands.

“Yee! My eyes” I scream as I stand up running to the kitchen to wash my eyes, she slaps me with the hand she was using to eat.

“You ingrate, when your parents left, they didn't leave any of their property for you. I took you in and sent you to school and now you have the gut to talk back to my daughter. How dare you!!” She screams in the kitchen while I brace myself for the beating that was to come next.

If only I knew what the universe has in store for me, I would have probably begged God to take me along with my parents. Sometimes I blame that young man who saved me from the car that night.

She storms off to my room as soon as I walk back to the dining table. Tiana was busy pulling out her tongue at me, mocking me while I looked on ignoring her before she screamed and told her mom that I wanted to kill her.

She came downstairs carrying a bag I recognize as my bag with clothes in it. What is she planning to do again? Is she sending me off to school?

I looked on as she went back to my room, she came back down with another of my bags. That is when it finally dawned on me that she was chasing me out of her house.

“Aunty please forgive me; I will not do that again I promise you” I begged her on my knees holding her legs crying.

She pushes me off “You are leaving my house today; I cannot train a child that will not have respect for me or my child”

“Aunty please, forgive me I don't have anywhere to go. You are the only one I know in Nigeria please” I pleaded with her as she put all of my clothes on the floor and removed the one, she bought for me.

“I bought all of these with my money, you cannot go with it when you come into my house, you were with nothing today you will be leaving with nothing too,” she said, packing the clothes she bought for me back into the bag and took it upstairs.

Tiana looked frightened, she never believed it would get to this level “Are you happy now?” I asked her as the tears flowed down my eyes.

Where will I go? I don't know anyone in New York. She tore my visa some years back when I planned to escape. Now I'm stuck here with no hope for tomorrow.

I quickly went back on my knees immediately I saw her descending the stairs “Aunty please, don't do this to me. I have nowhere to go”.

“I don't care Valerie. Anywhere you like you go; just leave my house these minute you disgust me. You murderer” She screams pushing me out of the door with the little clothes she gave me.

“Aunty please” She closes the door on me and walks upstairs. Tiana stood gasping at the closed-door contemplating whether she should open it for me. I watch her from the window as she turns and follows her mom upstairs.

I sat down on the porch and cried my eyes out “Valerie weeping won't bring you a house, it will be better if you go find somewhere to sleep for tonight” I said to myself as I stood up and wiped my tears with the end of my gown.

I stood up and walked into the night with no destination in mind but the determination to get someplace to sleep for tonight.