April drove in through the security gates of her father’s community and then drove to her old house. She never thought that she would one day be arriving at her fathers home in her own car. She entered the gate and parked the car. She lifted her Chanel handbag and brought it with her.

Today would be another headache with these two scheming women. She longed for her father to back her up and hopefully one day he would. April got out of her car and locked the door behind her. She smiled as she saw Tom standing at the door waiting for her.

“Welcome back miss.” Tom smiled cheerfully at her as she walked towards him.

April rolled her eyes at Tom, “Call me April remember.”

Tom chuckled, “Only when I am under your roof miss.”

April sighed and gave in, “What’s it like in there?”

“Rachel is trying her hardest to get your father to part with your mother’s paintings in his study and I think he is giving in. Lucy has also been speaking badly about you miss.” Tom informed her.

“I see, not to worry Tom.” April patted his shoulder and walked past him.

Tom looked at Aprils straight back and he shook his head, he had seen her mother in her just now. If her father were to notice the similarity would he be kinder towards her Tom wondered? He then followed her inside the villa.

April could hear Rachels voice as she walked into the living room. As she walked in Rachel stopped talking and looked up. The shock on hers and lucy face was priceless.

Her father sat with a newspaper in his hand and although he was already in his late forties, he was still considered handsome. However, there were obvious bags under his eyes. It was evident that he had not slept well.

He had not cared about her ever since her mother had passed away, and had brought Rachel and her daughter home not long after. He never smiled or hugged her anymore. His warmth and light in his eyes had gone when her mother passed away. Was he still grieving April wondered?

He would scold her when she made a mistake, even if it was Lucy’s fault. He seemed to just be going along with life but not participating in it.

And these mistakes were always instigated by Lucy. One time Lucy had ripped all her own dresses and tossed them outside. She blamed April even though she had been at the library all day. April had tried to tell her father where she had been and that Lucy only wanted him to buy her this season’s new clothes but he wouldn’t listen.

Her stepmother Rachel would take opportunities like these to pretend to be a good person. She would try to persuade Martin not to treat April so harshly, but in fact, she was trying to make her father angrier so that he would disregard her even more.

But in her last life, she had thought that Rachel was really good to her. When actually, Rachel just wanted to make April trust her more and listen to everything she said. 

If he missed Aprils mother, would he bring home a mistress before her mother’s body was even cold?

He had sold nearly all her mother paintings in the name of charity. Shouldn’t he have left them to her, would he give them to a mistress to sell so early on? She felt indignant in her heart from all her past grudges.

Lucy stood up and pointed at April. Her ladylike temperament had completely vanished, “What are you wearing? How can you afford these clothes?

Lucy remembered the car she drove, she also had on a different expensive outfit and when she saw her enter the costly Condominium and she sneered in her heart. She wanted to expose her as the harlot she was.

April saw the fool stand up and berate her for wearing expensive clothing when in fact Lucy’s own outfit was also from the same brand.

“Am I not wearing the same brand as you are?” April smiled at her and sat down on the sofa nearest her father’s armchair. While Rachel and Lucy, we’re on the other.

Lucy had indeed been wearing the same brand of clothing but she had to use her monthly expenses and Aprils in order to buy it, so she wondered how April could afford it? What wealthy old man was she spreading her legs for?

“You can’t afford this brand only I can. What did you do to get it?” Lucy raised her voice so her father started to take note of the conversation.

“Do I at least get a hello when I come home?” April sighed and glanced to her father who looked like he had just noticed her arrival.

“Welcome home,” Martin said and then he returned to reading his newspaper.

“You didn’t answer me are you out there doing things that you shouldn’t just for expensive clothes and cars?” Lucy continued her verbal assault.

Rachael had sat quietly and had indeed noticed a difference in April, she looked somewhat like her mother, she had poise and beauty on her side. She was calm whereas her own daughter was screaming like a banshee. Rachel tugged at her daughter to tell her to stop.

“What shouldn’t I be doing? If you can have a car and nice clothes why can’t I?” April said as she then sat back with a cup of herbal tea in her hand.

“No, you can’t. I know you can’t possibly afford the outfit your wearing, you must be doing something you shouldn’t?” Lucy continued her barrage of questions.

“Please tell me how you would know that I can’t afford the same designers you can?” April smiled at Lucy as she seemed to be losing it.

Rachel saw this and pulled Lucy to sit down as she was making too much of a scene, “Daughter sit, you should welcome your sister home not scold her, no matter how she got the clothing.”