CHAPTER 18

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, were 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 you're 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."

"Why shouldn't I scold her, where did she get the money for those clothes, car and condo?" lucy shouted.

"How do you know? Maybe I have some money saved" April enquired and sipped her tea calmly.

April also noted that Lucy had mentioned her car and condo. She didn't see her drive in so how did she know? April continued to glance at Lucy.

"Of course you have no money!" Lucy was still pointing and waving her arms in April's direction.

"Hmm... And why is that?" April asked. She could see Lucy start to lose it now.

"Because I took your bank card years ago that's how I know. So which sugar daddy bought you these clothes and car?" Lucy screamed and then her eyes bulged at the realisation of what she had just said, her mouth hung open like a fish.

April was secretly gloating but she put on an aggrieved facade and glanced to her father before putting her head down, "Thats right you did take my card years ago and you also told me to never tell my father about this matter. Now that you have announced this, does this mean that you will give me back my card?"

Martin was in shock, he had no idea that all this was happening right under his nose. He had thought the money he had put on April's card was used by her now it turns out this was not the case.

Martin sighed and put down his newspaper and looked sternly at Lucy, "Give April back her card."

"I..I..." Lucy started to stutter she had said too much. She was provoked by that b*tch she thought. She glared at April unhappily.

"Now Lucy!" Martin who had never scolded her had raised his voice for the first time.

Lucy started to shed a few tears, "But I..."

"Tom bring Lucy's handbag over please." April didn't want to give her any time to think of any excuses.

Rachel sat forward and held her daughter's hand, Lucy now looked like the one that had been taken advantage of and April was being portrayed as the villain.

Rachel turned to Martin, "Dear, maybe it's not as simple as we think, maybe April gave Lucy the card willingly. She maybe doesn't need the extra money." Rachel then turned to April prompting her to agree with her statement.

April sipped her tea and made no eye contact or comment. Doesn't need the extra money, your fool daughter doesn't need it! Tom had brought Lucy over her Hermes bag and had set it on the coffee table in front of her.

Tears streamed down Lucy's face and she whipped them away and looked up pitifully to Martin, "Mother is right me and April agreed that I would take her card."

April internally sneered and put down her teacup calmly, "Lucy why would I give you my card. For all these years you have been using my card while I have to wear your hand me downs and either get the bus or walk home no matter what the weather is or how many bags I am carrying. Why would anyone accept this hardship? From now on what is mine I shall keep." April then turned to her father, "Thats okay isn't it father."

Martin looked at April's calm face and realised he may have overlooked a few things in the past. He nodded his head and turned to Lucy, "Give April back her card."

"But...but. What about her clothes and car where did she get the money? She must be going out with some old man. Doing all sorts of unsavoury things." Lucy didn't want to give up the card, she tried to change the subject and deflect the conversation quickly.

"Father, please just cancel my card. I'd much rather get a new one anyway." April smiled at her father cheerfully. She had succeeded in getting Lucy to confess herself. This was one small victory.

Lucy's eyes bulged, she then grabbed her bag and emptied its contents on to the coffee table she sifted through the items and then finding the card, she stood up and threw the card at April. She then dashed up the stairs wailing loudly.

April ignored her display of dramatics and looked to Tom, "Tom please cut up this card." She then passed Tom her card, which he then disappeared with into the kitchen with.

Rachel was eyeing April, she thought something was different, April would have usually taken the blame if Lucy slipped up with her words but now she had offered her no help and even provoked her into saying more.

April was indeed wearing an expensive brand of clothing. Where did she get it? Her daughter had also mentioned a car and a condo too. Had April got herself a wealthy backer? This will not be allowed.

Rachel wanted April to stay here where she could keep an eye on her. She smiled at April, "You are staying for dinner, why don't you get started on the cooking."

April looked to her father who was staring unhappily at nothing in particular as if he was lost in thought, "What did you do when I was not here. Surely you cooked or asked Mrs Kitty too?"

"You love to cook dear remember, that's why you run to the kitchen every morning and evening," Rachel replied as she eyed April.

"Oh... I don't remember saying that." April then turned to look at her father, "Father do you have time to speak with me in your study?" she asked.

Martin glanced up slowly, "Sure let's go up now. I am not too hungry tonight." Martin then stood and walked up the stairs. April quickly followed behind.

As Martin walked up the stairs he looked down as April followed him, it was like when she was five years old again and was following him up to his study to keep him company. He would work and she would paint. He hadn't remembered a happy memory like that in years.