chapter 6

Amanda was puzzled by the sudden turn of events. 

She did not know that Val will go to the extent of even hurting herself physically in order to just frame her.

"Amanda, are you a rogue? I did not say anything regarding the necklace because I knew that it might be a misunderstanding, and now this! What did Val do to you to deserve such treatment. This is all my fault, if you want to channel your hatred towards someone, then that should be me." Jason roared as he held Val tightly into his arms.

Val was pleased as punch when she heard Jason speaking up for her. She looked at Amanda and smiled victoriously. 

"I thought that you were always gentle and considerate, I did not know that you could be a thief, and even be this violent when your sister only meant to find justice for you. Is this how you treat your family. It's like I have never known you all these years." Jason said in a disappointed tone.

Amanda clapped her hands after Jason finished his speech.

"So touching. I feel like I have actually let you down. How did I not know about all these. Of how you thought about me. 

I say, the oscar people should expand their network to find more talents. You guys deserve one." After Amanda finished speaking, she raised her head proudly and prepared herself to walk outside.

Juliana immediately sneered when she saw that Amanda was trying to leave.

"Where do you think you are going? You have to pay for what you did so I called the police." 

"You did what?" Everyone including Jason was shocked.

"I called the police, I think we both saw what happened just now, even if this slu*t did not steal the necklace, but she resorted to violence and pushed my daughter, we have to go to the hospital to check her injuries, I don't think if this engagement will go on as planned." Juliana said in a righteous tone as if everything was the truth.

She did not mind disguising her hatred towards Amanda because she had long been fed up with her.

Amanda's mom was shocked and turned to look at her ex-husband. 

He was after all Amanda's father and wanted to know if he too had the heart to send her daughter to prison over such baseless accusations. 

When their eyes met, Peter averted his gaze to hide the guilt in his eyes. He once doted and loved this daughter of his until Val and Juliana  came into their lives.

He had to admit that he did not feel comfortable seeing her daughter end up in prison but what else could he do. They had already agreed on it with his other family.

"Who is Amanda Jackson?"

Juliana pointed at Amanda without showing any mercy.

"You are suspected of theft and using violence to hurt other people. You have the right to remain silent because whatever you say might be used against you in the court of law."

Soon Amanda was handcuffed and taken away by the police. She tried to give her father a look, hoping that he will stand up for her but it was all in vain.

They did not have the funds to higher a lawyer so Amanda was sentenced to five years in prison with one year of community service. 

***

Amanda sat in her cell looking dazed. She could not believe that she ended up in prison for the crimes she did not commit. She vowed to herself that once she got out of here, those people will pay a very heavy price for what they did to her.

She did not have it easy in prison because Val always bribed people to play prunks on her. Be it her prison mates or prison guards. 

***

On this particular day, Amanda woke up as usual, she followed the prison routine until she was told that she had a visitor. She wondered who it was because only her mother had come to visit her so far.

When she went to the visiting area, she was surprised to see her father's secretary waiting there for her.

She wondered what he was there for but still walked over to listen to whatever the secretary had to say.

Since her imprisonment, her father had not come even once to visit her. She knew that he will never do that but she still hoped that one day, he will acknowledge her as his daughter again.

She sat down on the chair and placed the phone to her ear. They were separated by a glass wall so they could only communicate through the phone.

"What is it that you want?" She did not even go through the formalities of greetings before she asked the secretary coldly.

"Hello miss Amanda, I hope you are doing fine. I'm here on behalf of the president to deliver you a message." The secretary said politely, though on the inside he was laughing at Amanda's sorry state.

She is in jail but she still acts all high and mighty.

Does she think that she is still the heiress of Jackson enterprise. What an eyesore.

The secretary decided not to waste anymore time and directly delivered his message.

"Your mother is dead because of heart disease, she has always been sick but she hid it from you because she did not want you to worry. But she had no medical fee to do the surgery so she succumbed to death today. Her burial will be the day after tomorrow." 

Amanda's mind had already turned blank when she heard the first sentence.

She did not hear whatever the secretary said afterwards. Tears were streaming down her face like a river that had broken its banks.

The secretary stared at her with pity and stood up to leave because his mission was accomplished.

Amanda was brought back to her senses after the prison guard came to tell her that her visiting time was over and even the visitor was long gone.

She walked lifelessly to her cell and lied on her bed.

Her mother was gone. She could not believe it.

She was almost done serving her sentence. She had planned her future after being released but with her mom's death, she did not even want to go home anymore let alone live.

Grandma Catherine had already died one year ago, and now her mother. The only people she cared about were all gone.

Now, what was left to live for?

She had not known that her father was so heartless as to even let his ex-wife die. 

The filial feelings she had for him had now completely gone.