Two years ago, when my mom passed away, my entire world came crashing down, shattering into countless fragments. She was my everything – my closest confidant, my most ardent supporter, and the unwavering pillar that held me up. Cancer cruelly snatched her from my side when I was just fourteen, leaving me orphaned, with only Aunt Cheryl as my supposed family lifeline. She swooped in hastily, perhaps a bit too hastily, with an offer to “graciously” take me under her wing. But little did I know, she had hidden motives lurking beneath that seemingly kind gesture.
“You’re family, Jenna,” she’d say, her lips contorting into a forced smile. “And family looks out for one another.”
At first, I truly believed I was fortunate. Aunt Cheryl and her family resided in a large, magnificent house, and I naively thought that after all the turmoil, I’d finally find some stability. Oh, how wrong I was. I was blissfully ignorant of the harsh truth – that my aunt hadn’t taken me in out of love.
There was a much darker reason behind her actions.