Chapter 4 - “MUMMY KNOWS”
The room went completely silent.
Mr. Adeyemi stared at his daughter.
“What did you just say?”
Cynthia wiped her tears.
“I said Mummy knows.”
Mrs. Adeyemi immediately shook her head.
“Cynthia, don't drag me into this!”
“But you know!”
“Know what?”
“You knew I was blaming the maids!”
Mr. Adeyemi turned toward his wife.
“Amaka… is this true?”
Mrs. Adeyemi couldn't answer.
Her silence said everything.
Esther stood near the doorway, confused.
Mr. Adeyemi looked at his wife again.
“For years, you watched innocent girls leave this house crying?”
Mrs. Adeyemi finally broke down.
“I thought I was protecting my daughter.”
“Protecting her?”
She nodded through her tears.
“Every time Cynthia got into trouble, I covered for her. I thought if we gave her everything, she would eventually become responsible.”
Mr. Adeyemi shook his head.
“You didn't protect her. You protected her from consequences.”
Cynthia suddenly cried.
“Mummy, tell Daddy the truth.”
Mrs. Adeyemi looked at her daughter.
“What truth?”
Cynthia pointed at the black box.
“You knew about the things inside it.”
Mrs. Adeyemi's face went pale.
Mr. Adeyemi slowly opened the box again.
Inside were bracelets, watches, earrings, and other valuables that had supposedly disappeared over the years.
Then he noticed something at the bottom.
A small envelope.
He opened it.
Inside were handwritten notes.
Each note contained the name of a former maid and the date she had been accused of stealing something.
Mr. Adeyemi's hands began to shake.
“Cynthia…”
She looked down.
“Why did you keep these?”
Cynthia whispered,
“Because I was afraid someone would eventually discover the truth.”
Esther stepped forward.
“Sir…”
Everyone turned toward her.
“There is something you should know.”
Mr. Adeyemi looked at her.
“What?”
Esther took a deep breath.
“When I came here, I noticed something strange.”
“What?”
“Cynthia wasn't stealing because she wanted the things.”
Everyone stared at her.
Esther continued.
“She was using the stolen items to get the maids fired.”
Cynthia started crying harder.
Mr. Adeyemi couldn't believe it.
“Why?”
Cynthia finally looked up.
“Because I hated having strangers in the house.”
Her father frowned.
“What?”
“I wanted the house to myself. Every time you employed a new maid, I found a way to make you send her away.”
Mrs. Adeyemi covered her face.
Then Mr. Adeyemi asked the question nobody expected.
“Cynthia… where is the necklace that your grandmother left your mother?”
Cynthia froze.
She slowly looked toward the wardrobe.
And Esther immediately noticed the fear in her eyes.
Mr. Adeyemi followed her gaze.
He walked toward the wardrobe.
But before he could open it…
Cynthia screamed.
“Daddy, PLEASE DON'T OPEN THAT!”
Everyone froze.
May you like
Because whatever was inside that wardrobe…
Cynthia was terrified they would find it.
