Destiny's POV
I hastily left the hotel lobby with a red face from embarrassment and humiliation. I used to have anything I wanted with one swipe of my cards. I can buy anything with a snap of my finger.
With frustration and outrage, I held the backpack strap harder than necessary. I went to the nearest jewelry shop and pawned one of my favorite rings given by my father.
Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine myself standing inside a pawnshop waiting for my turn to be served. I looked around and found pawnees looking agitated since it took so long to be called.
When it was my turn, my eyes turned so big when one of the female staff showed me the amount in the calculator she was holding.
"No, that can't be; there must be a mistake. This cost too much, and you will only give me that amount?" I asked, shocked, and her fellow employees looked at me as if I had lost my mind.
"I am sorry, Ma'am, but if this is your first time to pawn an item, you must be aware that we can only give you up to 75% of the diamond's market value." She answered with politeness, and my face turned bright red.
"I am sorry; I didn't intend to raise my voice. I didn't know about this," I mumbled as I lowered my head.
"Do you want me to proceed?" She asked, smiling at me while her co-staff looked at me contemptuously.
"Yes, please," I replied.
"Kindly fill out this form, Ma'am," the woman declared and handed me the form with a black ballpen.
I didn't want to pawn anything and wished I had brought all my jewelry. Carmen and her daughter would be so happy to have them; I squinted my eyes as I remembered them and gripped the ballpen tightly, almost hurting my fingers.
I went out of the pawnshop with a little victory. I knew how to pawn now, and the staff would no longer laugh at me next time. My feet took me to the nearest mall, and I shopped for a cell phone. I only needed a cheap one to call Emma and Daria, my nanny.
I didn't need a nanny anymore, but she stayed and worked as one of our maids after Carmen and Carmie arrived at our house. I told her she could leave me, but she promised my mother she would stay by my side until I no longer needed her. We are close, and she is family to me.
"Daria," I said.
"Destiny, where are you, my child?" She asked with worries in her voice, and I imagined how she looked at the moment while talking with me.
I smiled and realized how much I missed her. I called her right away after I bought my new smartphone.
"I am in the city; I am sorry I haven't said goodbye to you," I mumbled.
"No, I was the one who should say sorry; I couldn't protect you. I left last night. Your stepmom threw all my things outside the house, and they didn't let me in after I came from the market." She said, and I was stunned.
"I have been calling you since last night, but your number is out of coverage." She added.
"I am in the city right now because I couldn't leave without seeing you," Daria added, and my heart was filled with happiness that she was still here.
"I am in the city too," I replied, and she told me where she was staying. She texted me the address after I ended the call with a promise to see her immediately.
I rode a taxi and went to Daria's hotel.
She was staying in one of the cheap hotels in the downtown area, but I knew it was too much for her. I could tell she didn't have enough savings since she always sent money to her family.
Daria is old enough to be my mother, and she didn't get married because of her responsibilities to her family in the province.
"She is an evil person, Destiny," Daria said after we talked about what happened to me.
"I just couldn't believe Red didn't give you a chance to explain your side." She added, and I could feel the pain pierced deep inside my heart as I remembered Red and how he enjoyed making love with my sister.
"I guess Red doesn't love me enough, Daria. He is now an attorney and has nothing to do with me." I responded, trying to mask the pain with a smile.
"I don't think so, Red loves you. Carmie must have done something that made Red betray you." My nanny replied, and I don't want to be optimistic about my ex.
"He broke up with me in front of my step-sister; it was humiliating enough. I will never go back and beg Red." I firmly said.
"Of course, you are too beautiful to go down on that road, my dear." She responded.
"Don't worry. I know everything will be okay. You will get back everything you lost, including Red." She replied, and I quickly shook my head.
"Red would not be part of what I want to hold and have again. I only want my father back." I declared, and she looked at me. I could tell she wanted to say something but kept it to herself by keeping her mouth sealed.
I stayed with Daria for the night, but I asked her to check out and come with me the next day. We spend the day hunting for a decent place to stay. We found expensive apartments that I liked but couldn't afford with my budget.
"Don't worry, Daria. I will find a job soon, and we don't need to worry about our rental and food." I said as we sat on the grass. We got tired from walking and ended up in the park.
"Can you stay in a low-end apartment?" She asked.
"I didn't have a choice, but I have to," I replied, feeling tired.
"I know it wasn't easy for you to be on your own, living in an unfamiliar place, so different from your world. You are used to living in luxury; you haven't tried riding a public transport vehicle. You only rode a taxi once; you were with me, and we kept it a secret from your father." Daria declared.
"The food you eat is different from ordinary people like us; you are an heiress." She added.
"Not anymore," I softly replied.
"Don't easily give up, Des. Don't let those girls enjoy the things intended for you. Your mom worked hard for it," she said, and I looked at her confusedly.
"What do you mean by that?" I asked.
"I guess you had forgotten your mother used to work before the accident," she said, and I only remembered my mom was lying on her bed for a long time.
"She was the Chairman of the company, Des. She inherited everything from her parents. I didn't know anyone from your father's side. Have you wondered?" She asked, and I became curious.
"Your father took over the company after the accident since your mother could no longer work. He was only an employee of your mom, but your mother doesn't want to make your father feel insecure; that is why she kept it a secret even from you." My nanny said, and what I learned made me so furious with my father for kicking me out of my mother's house
"I haven't told you anything because I thought Alejandro would fight for you until the end, but that DNA paternity test was too much; how could he doubt your mother's love for him? Alicia was in love with your dad even if her entire family were against him." Daria added, and I agreed with her.
"Let us find a place to stay," I said, extending my hands to her and pulling her up with me.
I thought I would stay away from my enemies for good and accept my fate, but after I learned everything, I got the courage to face them, but not now; I need to have a strategic plan to win this game they are playing with me. I will never give up on my father.
Finally, as the sun was setting on the horizon, we found a house for rent on the city's outskirts. It was a one-story white bungalow house with Bougainvillea flowers lined up on the pathway leading to the front door.
I paid one month's advance rental and one month's deposit. I counted the remaining money, which would be enough to sustain us until I found a job.
I woke up early the following day to find the nearest computer shop to print my CV and application letters. I searched the internet for job vacancies last night, and I ended up sleeping very late.
I kept calling Emma, but I couldn't reach her. I decided to take a taxi and went to her place.
"What do you mean?" I asked one of the maids as I stood on the front porch.
"Emma's dad sent her to the airport this morning," she answered.
"Where is she going?" I asked.
"What I heard is she will be staying at their house in the UK until she gives birth to her child," she said, and my eyes turned as big as saucers.
"She is pregnant?" I asked in disbelief and wondered why she kept it a secret.
"Yes, with Sir Lucas's child and Ma'am Emma's parents were furious about it, but she denied it. I heard her telling her parents that you are Lucas's mistress, not her." She responded.
My knees felt so weak, and I suddenly felt ill as I came to realize Emma deceived me too, and my best friend supported my step-sister and stepmother in plotting everything against me to prove to her parents I was Lucas's woman.