RESILIENCE

PART TWO: Chapter one

The Seeds of Deception

Today had been a very stressful day for Rejoice; she had been reading tirelessly for an upcoming competition. It was pouring rain outside, and Matthew was still at the office. Inside Matthew's lavish mansion, a symbol of his wealth and power, Jessica was anxious. Rejoice, their thirteen-year-old daughter, had fainted for over five seconds. Michael, Rejoice's brother, was scared, unsure of what to do in the situation seeing his twin sister unconscious.

Jessica rushed outside to grab her phone, but the unstable network prevented her from calling an ambulance for Rejoice. Desperate, she ran out to the parked car and, with the help of the house staff, managed to get Rejoice into the car and rushed to the nearby hospital.

At the hospital, Rejoice was diagnosed with sleep-related malnutrition due to a lack of sleep and food. Jessica became worried, realizing the potential trouble this could cause if Matthew found out.

An hour later, Matthew, usually a workaholic, was in the middle of a business meeting when his secretary informed him about Rejoice. Despite his usual focus on work, Matthew's mood soured, and he left the meeting immediately for the hospital. Concerned, he intended to get an explanation from Jessica upon arrival.

Matthew's secretary tried to ease the situation, suggesting it might be due to lack of rest. Matthew, however, demanded answers from Jessica, expressing his frustration. Jessica explained the situation, admitting her fault as a mother but pleading with Matthew not to place the blame entirely on her.

In response, Matthew, adhering to traditional roles, insisted that matters concerning the children should be managed by the wife when he is away. He left Jessica to ponder his words.

Meanwhile, Rejoice, who was awake, faced harassment from a male nurse. Rejoice slapped the nurse, and when Matthew intervened, Rejoice explained the situation. Matthew promptly took action, demanding the nurse's immediate termination. Rejoice appreciated her father's swift response, highlighting the stark difference between her parents in handling such situations.

Matthew, sensing something behind Rejoice's words, questioned her about the apparent favoritism. Rejoice, being wise, chose not to reveal the real reason to avoid stirring conflict between her parents. She replied, "Daddy, don't misunderstand me! Mom does the same; it's just that you act faster. Mom tends to ask a lot of questions, unlike you, who takes immediate action without delay." Matthew, realizing the uniqueness of his daughter, chuckled and remarked, "You're quite the funny child. I can see why Jessica takes your matters lightly. You act too mature for your age. Be a kid, don't cover for others' wrongs or take blame for them."

Unbeknownst to them, Jessica overheard everything and seethed with anger. She muttered to herself, "I don't understand why Matthew sees everything the girl does as good compared to my actions. I need to find a way to get her out of my way, or I'll lose my husband's affection to his own daughter."

Jessica, caught eavesdropping by Dr. Thomas, felt a shiver down her spine as she heard someone clear their throat behind her. Panicking, she turned to find the doctor, who annoyingly questioned, "Mrs. Badmus, why eavesdrop when you can go in?" Ignoring his irksome comment, Jessica entered the room instead.

Seeing her approach with the doctor, Matthew decided to hold off on asking Rejoice more questions. Dr. Thomas, his tone slightly tense, delivered the diagnosis, "Mr. and Mrs. Badmus, your daughter needs serious attention. Test results indicate she requires more sleep, and for her malnutrition, additional vitamins, minerals, and fruits. I'll prescribe medications and supplements. Regular checkups are necessary." With that, he left the room.

Matthew, absorbing the information, turned to Jessica with a stern expression. "You have a lot on your plate now. Do it well, or you'll have me to deal with, sweetie." He then reassured Rejoice, who was left speechless and scared, "Darling, don't worry. Everything will be fine. Your mother is here, so don't panic, okay?" However, Rejoice's worries only intensified, knowing that Jessica, her stepmother, would be the one looking after her.