3 THE BEGINNING OF REVENGE

Paul looked at his wife and daughter for a moment. The room was silent and tensed. Linda sat opposite her father and her mom maintained the seat beside her.

"So…..you will be expelled?" Paul asked.

"Yes." Linda nods.

"Stand up." Paul said and Linda obeyed. "Are you sure I am your father?"

"Honey what are you talking about?" Jessie asked in a tensed manner. "Why would you asked that kind of question?"

"You had just one job in life Jessie, you had to just raise her well and right. But no, you supported her no matter what, instead of scolding her when necessary you over look it and say 'she is just a child, she doesn't know much' now see what you daughter has ended up being."

"Paul, we shouldn't be doing this now, let's figure out a plan. We can't afford making her leave the school."

"Apologize and withdraw her, that's the best plan. At least when we withdraw her she could go to another school as if nothing happened." Paul said calmly and takes a deep breath. "That's the best plan."

"Apologize to Alex?" Jessie asked annoyingly. "I will never do that."

"Then do you suppose she gets expelled, think well about it Jessie."

Paul said and walks out again leaving his wife and his daughter behind.

"Mom."Linda interrupt the silence. "What are we going to do?"

"I will withdraw you, that is best I can do. But please be careful from now on, and make sure you don't tell anybody about what happened. Is that clear?" Jessie asked but they seem to be no response so she asked again. "Is that clear?"

"Yes." Linda nods.

"Mom, what conclusion did the school authority come to?" Ella asked her mom as she was massaging her mom's feet.

"She is going either to be expelled or withdrawn if she and her mom apologizes to the victims and their parents."Alex replied.

"What? Isn't that too severe?" Ella asked with shock.

"Not at all. You are not the only victim, other moms too see her as a threat to their children. Have you forgotten what she did to Daniel your class mate? She pushed him down the stairs on purpose and gave him a fracture then had the guts to deny it."Alex sighed. "How can such monster be allowed to stay and study with you people? I will never allow it, if she doesn't leave the school, I will withdraw you and make sure the principal takes full responsibility."

"Mom, I actually liked Linda, I wanted to be friends with her but she acted as if I had plague and didn't even want me around. She has done a lot of terrible things, some that I don't report."

"Thank goodness you said liked, that means it's a past tense. One thing you have to know is, as human beings not everyone will like you or want to be close to you. That is just how people are, life won't treat you fairly at all."Alex smiled. "Massage my feet well, your younger sibling is making me feel very uncomfortable."

"Younger sibling?" Ella asked looking confused. "What are you talking about? I have no younger sibling-" Ella stopped and looked at her mom. "Mom, could it be that you are-" she stopped again and put her palm on her mom's belly and continue. "Pregnant?"

"Yes." Alex nods. "I am carrying a baby."

"Wow." Ella jumps up with a lot of excitement. "I am so happy."

"I know you would." Alex laughs.

Jessie couldn't afford the cost of her daughter being expelled so she decided to apologize to the victim and their parents. She apologized to all the parents and now it was Alex's turn.

"I am so sorry ma'am." Jessie apologize sitting opposite Alex In a small table with two chairs. "Linda is just a child, I think I didn't raise her well. Please, forgive her."

"It's fine, apology accepted. You can withdraw her." Alex stands up. "But please make sure you look after her, so she won't cause more troubles."

"Don't you miss Paul?" Jessie asked looking straight into Alex eyes.

Alex was silent for a moment, she wondered where the question came from. Words refused to come out of her mouth probably because she was frightened, but she soon summon courage.

"What are you talking about?" Alex finally asked.

"I mean, I know how you ended up here. I know who you were with before meeting Mr Peter." Jessie smiles and stood facing Alex with just some paces away. "I can actually publicize the story if you still insist I withdraw my daughter."

"With what evidence?" Alex asked sarcastically.

"Do you think I have no evidence? I still have the pictures you took with Paul. I guess that is enough evidence." Jessie picks up her bag. "Think well,allow me withdraw my daughter and have your secret exposed or leave my daughter and keep your secret safe."

Alex laughs and said. "Now you have crossed the line, Paul was my ex boyfriend and I left him because I felt we couldn't be together. You came to my house to threaten me. Your daughter will be expelled, I will sue you for defamation of character and invasion of privacy.I will also make sure your husband loose your job."

"Alex." Jessie called frightened. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't mess with me, get out of my house now and go withdraw your daughter if not she would be expelled tomorrow."

"How could you be this cruel?"Jessie asked in a very loud voice this time. "Linda is just a child. Give her a second chance."

"Now I see where your daughter got her character from." Alex scoffs. "Get out of my house this very instant."

Jessie picked her bag and left the house in a hurry.

Weeks passed, Jessie withdrew Linda from school but still had something in mind. The discussion she was having with her father was a serious one as her father seemed tensed.

"What did you just say?" Her father asked again.

"I want to have access to my trust fund account and also I want my entire inheritance now." Jessie replies.

"Why this all of a sudden?" Her father asked with a lot of concern. "Did something happen?"

"No, I want to use it for business." Jessie takes a deep breathe. "Father have I ever disappoint you?."

"No." He nods negatively.

"So please, just trust me this time around too and give me your utmost support."

"Okay, so what do you want to use the money for?" He asked maintaining eye contact.

"I want to use it to partner with HEART ROSE HOSPITAL. They want to get an upgrade with all their technical and electrical facilities also get new and capable doctors. He wants to make the hospital a global place where from around the country can come for medical treatment. Thus, he needs a lot of money to do that and they are looking for a partner." Jessie smiled after answers her father's question.

"Jessica." Her father calls and adjusts his sitting position. "I know you well, you don't only want to partner. You have something else in mind." Her father looks at her for some moment. "Tell me what you have in mind."

Jessie kept quite for a moment too maintaining eye contact with her father and then smiles briefly.

"Father, I have nothing in mind. I just want to invest and save for Linda's future. But there is something else at hand."

"What is it?" He asked.

"You would make all transactions to them in your name. After, all legal procedures. You give me full authority as their partner." Jessie picks up a wine glass close to her filled with some sort of juice and sips a little. "They might want to feel somehow because I was once a worker."

For sure her father felt something strange, he knew his daughter was up to something. But he decided to deny his suspicions.

"Okay. I will support you."

"Thanks dad." Jessie said with a smile.

Peter wouldn't just listen to anyone about his upgrade plan for his hospital. His father proposed to give him the money he needs but he refused.

"Sweetheart, why don't you take father's money?" Alex asks as she helps him put on his suit.

"Honey, it's just for a while. I am just partnering with them just for two to three years. I would return their complete money after we meet our target and budget." Peter persuades.

"But this man that wants to partner with you, don't you think you should run a check on him?"

"There is no need for that. We are completing all legal procedures today, see you in the evening honey."

Peter gives his wife a kiss on the forehead and walks out.

The documents were signed and as planned Mr. Richard transferred all partnership rights to his daughter immediately. It had Peter speechless, maybe he should have taken his father's money instead or run a check on Mr Richard as his wife suggested, but there was no choice or option. He had to comply and act accordingly to Jessie.

Paul in the other hand was over shocked, he got home in a haste and demands an explanation from his wife. He opens the door and saw his wife sitting. He didn't waste time before questioned her.

"Jessie, what was the meaning of what happened today? Partner? With who? And why?." He asked annoyingly.

"I have it mind to own that hospital by all means." Jessie stands up facing Paul. "You are being very pathetic, have you forgotten what Alex and Peter did to you? You don't want to act on it?"

"That is all in the past, I have a family too now." Paul yells. "So please, just stop what ever plans you have in mind. I am begging you."

"Alex, that woman has given me enough hard time and it's time for me to teach her a lesson." Jessie says and leaves his presence for the room.

Six weapon armed men barged into the smith home and there was a blood shed. Peter, Alex Mr David and Mr Samson, the maids and security guards was lying on the floor DEAD!!!. Everyone was dead except Ella. The men ran out of the house into their bus and drove off to a certain old abandoned road. There, Jessie was waiting for them. They stopped their bus opposite Jessie's car and Jessie steps out with a devilish smile on her face,

"So, I guess it was a success." She says and she walked towards the men.

"Yes ma'am."one of the men replies. "But that girl wasn't there."

"What? Ella wasn't there?" Jessie asked and scoffs.

"Yes ma'am, but don't worry. We would be on a look out, once we see her we would surely send her where her parents and grandparents are."

"That's good." Jessie smiles. "Your balance have been transferred to your account."

She says and walks out of sight.

Bad news spreads like wide fire, the news was everywhere. Soon Ella was watching her family dead on television.

"Please tell me I am dreaming." Ella's whispers in tears after seeing the news.

"Ella please pull yourself together." A woman in her late twenty says. "Please stop crying."

"My mom and father—-." Ella she's tears bitterly. "Who did we offend? Why did we deserve this?"

Ella continue crying bitterly and loudly. The woman couldn't hold back her tears and she started crying too. The tears went for a while but soon, they both sat beside each other looking at nothing in particular but facing the wall.

"My mom had a terrible dream two days ago, she had a dream that something bad happened and she had a very bad feeling about it." Ella sighs. "She told me a lot of things, like how she met my dad and why she married him." Ella stops and continues. "Then told me about all my family's assets and my personal accounts, as if she knew something bad was going to happen."

"Your mom was a very good mother." The woman added. "She knew something was going to happen that was why she asked you to leave home and come with me."

"I was really mad at her yesterday, for not allowing me have the family dinner. I threw tantrums, not knowing she was just trying to save a poor baby girl." Ella weeps again. "I don't even know how i am supposed to live now, I don't know where to start from."

Just in time, the woman's phone beeped. She stood up to see whose message it was and was very surprised with what she saw.

"Ella, someone is trying to get into your father's profit account of the hospital." The woman says after reading the message.

"Who is that?." Ella asked but there was no reply so she asked again. "Miss Vivian, who is that?"

Vivian takes a deep breath and says. "Jessie Paul."

"What d- did- you just say Jessie who? Ella stutters.

"Yes, Jessie Paul. Ella I know you are probably still young for this but, there is a probability that this woman and her husband are the culprit of your family's murder case."

"Please." Ella begs firmly. "Just stop now this is too much for me to take."

Ella covers her face with her palm and wipes bitterly.

"You have to be strong, and give life exactly what it gave you." Vivian moves close to Ella and pats her on the back. "It's a good thing your international passport is with you. We are leaving this country first thing tomorrow morning."

"Why? Let's go repot Mr and Mrs Paul right now."Ella suggested.

"We can't do that, we don't have any evidence and again your life might be in danger. Ella you have to live low for now and come back to regain what is rightfully yours."

"My mom also said something about fate." Ella said as she brushes her tears with the back of palm. "Could it be that my fate was to live like this?"

"Ella."Vivian called and hugs her. "I know how you feel but please don't talk like that."

"I want to see my daddy." Ella cried on heavily.