Chapter 3

Everyone’s eyes turned in the direction.

There she stood, a fair and white-skinned beautiful slender girl. They were all amazed as they wondered how such a person could still be found in the village.

The old woman’s eyes darkened as she wished she could beat up the latter for destroying her plans but after a while, a smile broke into her face as she was afraid that the family would see her cold face.

“Yes, yes. I was just joking with you. Anabelle isn’t dead, she was just at her friend’s house. As you can see, there is another girl behind her,” the old woman said hurriedly causing Anabelle to roll her eyes.

True to her words, the family who were immersed in Anabelle’s beauty came back to their mind and saw another girl behind her. Although she wasn’t as beautiful as Anabelle, she was also clean and didn’t have sunburns. If she were to compare with Leilani, the latter was indeed so beautiful. This made them wonder whether all the kids in the village were so beautiful and clean different from what they expected and thought the countryside children should be.

Leilani looked at the two girls in hatred and jealousy as she couldn’t believe that they were so beautiful even after living in the village. She had expected that since the latter had grown up in the countryside and always doing house chores and going to the farm, she would be tatted.

“Grandma, why didn’t you tell me that we were having guests today? Luckily, I went to Olivia’s house and got a bath and wore some of her clean clothes after getting out of the farm,” Anabelle said with a smile the first sentence while the second was filled with sadness.

The old woman frowned when she heard the words as she wondered why the latter was saying such things. She knew that Anabelle had finished weeding on her farm and that she always went to the mountains or the old women and men in the village so that she could get something to eat as she never gave her anything.

“I am sorry Grandma, I know that you forbid me to go to other people’s houses to take a bath and borrow their clothes but what can I do? All the clothes I have are tatted and full of patches, they are the ones that I was given by Grandma Mary after working on her farm. Grandma, I am sorry please don’t beat me,” Anabelle said filled with fear as she took steps back.

The old woman looked at the clothes Anabelle was wearing and she knew that those clothes belonged to her, although she never bought them for her, the little girl had always been given new clothes by the villagers and those old people.

She could understand why the latter was saying that today, she felt something was fishy, she never liked Anabelle bathing as that would make her fair skin and beautiful appearance to be seen. She always wanted the girl to be dirty to the point that her great-granddaughter would never be overthrown by her. But every time Anabelle went to the old people, she would come back in clean or new clothes.

She looked around and when she saw the angry faces of the Andersons and Hamilton, she understood everything and her eyes darkened.

‘This girl really has some balls! She wants the guests to see how I mistreat her! I will beat her up immediately they leave till she won’t have the guts to open her mouth and speak rubbish anymore!’ she swore angrily in her heart and mind.

Olivia’s mouth switched when she heard her best friend’s words but later understood what the latter wanted to do.

“Grandma Sandra, I am the one who forced Anabelle to have a bath at our house when I met her on the road. Please don’t blame her, it is all my fault,” Olivia said with her head lowered and her shoulders shaking.

“Grandma, I got hungry and didn’t have to eat thus I got out of the farm, earlier than the expected time. I am eight hours earlier, Grandma, should I cook for the guests? I promise I won’t take a bite of anything while cooking. I won’t,” Anabelle said as she blinked innocently and in fear.

The more she acted the more the old woman wanted to beat her to death.

“I am sorry. I shouldn’t have walked in. It is just that I saw some cars in the courtyard and got curious,” she said with a dazzling smile on her face as she looked at the ‘guests’.

“Olivia and I will leave now. Grandma, I am going to the mountain to hunt some wild rabbits so for the guests, I will be back soon,” she said as she gave Olivia a look and she understood.

“Yes, yes. Sorry for walking in unannounced and without permission,” Olivia said.

“Wait,” Amanda said in a haste.

Now that she had seen her daughter with her own eyes, how could she let her just walk away? How could she let Anabelle go to the mountains to do such things?

“Ma’am?” Anabelle called out as she turned around to look at Anabelle.

Although her eyes were full of curiosity and confusion as she couldn’t understand why the latter was calling her, deep down, she softened and was happy that her biological mother had noticed her.

“What’s your name?” Amanda asked with a smile on her face and tears in her eyes.

“My name is Anabelle Lopez, ma’am,” Anabelle answered.

“Anabelle? What a beautiful name for a beautiful girl like you,” Amanda said as tears flowed down.

“Ma’am, were you crying? Are you sad?” Anabelle asked innocently and she panicked.

“Ma’am, have I said something wrong?” Anabelle said in a panic.

“No, no. I am happy,” Amanda said hurriedly as she didn’t want her daughter to misunderstand her.

“Happy?” she asked innocently.

“Yes, happy. Come here,” Amanda said as she walked towards Anabelle.

“Anabelle, I am your mother,” Amanda said.

“Mother? Is she out of prison?” Anabelle asked innocently but Amanda felt as if she had been pierced.

“No! I am your biological mother. Marie isn’t your mother. We had an enmity with Marie thus she stole my child as revenge. She swapped you and her daughter. All these tears I have been taking care of another person’s child. My dear child, you have suffered,” Amanda said the last words as she choked.

“Are you really my mother?” Anabelle asked innocently and doubt flashed in her eyes.

“Yes. That is your father, your brother, your aunt and uncles. I am here to take you back home,” Amanda said happily as she hugged her daughter.

“Do I have a family now? Does that mean that I don’t have to be going to the farm, doing house chores and cooking?” Anabelle asked happily and had expectance in her eyes.

“Yes, yes. You will even go to school. We live in the city thus you will get a chance to go to the best school and have a good life,” Antonio said in a serious tone but his eyes had some softness and warmth in them.

“Are you sure?” Anabelle said in worry.

“Yes,” they answered in unison as they felt that the child was indeed more cute than Leilani.

Anabelle reminded the Andersons of Amanda and Angel when she was young.