I Hope You Will Never Regret

Hope didn’t sleep a wink, she was tossing and turning. Lily had opened the old wounds that were buried deep in her heart. Her pillows were wet with tears. She used to believe that time would heal a broken heart, but why was her heart still hurting?

When she was young, she used to ask herself why her parents abandoned her. Hope was very pretty but no one adopted her until Mr Martins took her away from the orphanage when she was sixteen years old.

The following day during breakfast, Mrs Martins looked at Lily and said, “Apologize.” Lily looked at her aunt aggrieved and said, “I am sorry.” Everyone looked at her, but they didn’t utter a word.

The atmosphere was tense. Mrs Martins looked at her husband and said, “August, I would like to apologize on behalf of my niece. She is still a child. Please forgive her.”

August sneered, “Elizabeth, I am sorry you are apologizing to the wrong person. She didn’t hurt me.” Elizabeth looked at her niece and said, “Sweetheart, you have to apologize to Hope.”

Lily frowned and asked, “Why should I apologize to a servant?” Her aunt pinched her under the table and said, “Honey, you were rude to Hope, and you made her upset, and she is very important to your uncle.” Lily looked at her aunt with questioning eyes.

After breakfast, Elizabeth told her husband that she was taking her niece back to Richards Bay to prepare for the June exams. August asked the family chauffeur to accompany them.

He looked at his wife and said, “My brother-in-law told me that you would find the keys under the pot plant. I will send you the gate code. He has arranged for someone to help you while you are at Richards Bay.”

Elizabeth was so annoyed with her brother. She failed to understand why her beloved brother communicated with her husband but not her. She asked Butler Bruce to help them with their luggage. There were eight suitcases and two luggage bags. It was clear that Lily had taken all her suitcases.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

Avery smiled at Lily and said, “Cousin, why don’t you take a few clothes? Please come back with your aunt after exams since your parents will be back a week later. We can go to the Mall of Africa to buy beautiful clothes.”

Lily sneered, “I will never set foot in this house ever again. I hate you Avery with all my heart. Stop pretending, I know that you hate me too, because your mother loves me more than she loves you.”

Avery was not angry; she smiled and replied, “I am sorry that you hate me, Lily. Aunt Elizabeth has nothing to do with me. Why should I hate you if she loved you more? I haven’t been a pretentious person, and I was sincerely asking you to come back because I wanted to spend time with you. Maybe we can be friends.”

Lily sneered, “Who wants to be friends with you? Do you think being friends with me will make your mother change her heart towards you? In your dreams! Tsk, I am so happy that there is one person who doesn’t like you. Guess what, she is your biological mother. You are cursed, Avery.”

August looked at Lily coldly and said, “Young lady, please leave my house. I would be happy if you never set foot in my house again. I respect your parents a lot, but I think they failed to raise you up properly.” Then he went to his study room, leaving Lily dumbfounded. Did her uncle take her seriously? She was just joking.

Butler Bruce told Mrs Martins that the car was waiting for them. Mrs Martins looked at Avery as if she wanted to say something, but she stopped herself. She walked outside with Lily in tow. They got in the car, then the chauffeur drove away.

On their way to Richards Bay, Mrs Martins looked at Lily and asked, “What was that all about? Why are you fighting with Avery?” Lily replied, “I am sorry, Aunt Elizabeth. Avery gets on my nerves; I hate her with all my heart.

Your marriage is in shambles because of her. Even my parents wished she was their daughter. I hate to admit it, but she is better than me in every aspect.”

Mrs Martins replied, “Do you understand that if you become friends with Avery, her father could buy you anything you want? You have to be smart when dealing with Avery. She is very intelligent and eloquent. What do you mean when you said she was cursed?”

Lily pouted her mouth and replied, “She is loved by everyone but you. I don’t know what made you be emotionally distant from her. My understanding is that a mother is supposed to love her child unconditionally.

I was rude to my parents, but my mother tried so hard to guide me along the right path. She even sent me a text message before she left South Africa, but I deleted it before I read it. Hence, I said she was cursed.”

Aunt Elizabeth replied, “Avery is not cursed. I don’t have a close relationship with her because I was angry with her father. I tried to ask for forgiveness, but it was too late. Hence, I was replaced by Bridgette.”

Lily was shocked when she heard her aunt’s words. She thought her aunt hated her daughter to the core, but it was just a misunderstanding. She asked, “Why don’t you chase her nanny away? She is just an eyesore. Yesterday, Avery cooked delicious food for her.”

Aunt Elizabeth explained, “The Evans family was good to your uncle when he was young. As a result, when they were in trouble, your uncle helped them. Hence, Bridgette volunteered to help your uncle when I refused to take care of Avery.

I don’t know what she was doing before she came to our house, but I know that they don’t lack money. Bridgette’s father used to own a company, but it went bankrupt because he didn’t have business acumen.

Your uncle appointed him to his company as a director in the construction department. To tell you the truth, I don’t think Bridgette is being paid for being Avery’s nanny. I believe she is doing it from the goodness of her heart, and she really loved Avery.

Deep down in my heart, I believe Avery is better off without me by her side. She is kind-hearted and she is down to earth. You will not tell that she is coming from a rich family. She treats everyone equally. Bridgette raised her very well.”

After Lily finished writing her exams, Aunt Elizabeth returned to the Martins residence. She left Lily at the hotel because she said she would never set foot in the Martins mansion. She regretted it but it was too late. Also, she was too proud to apologize. Unfortunately, she couldn’t recall the words she had spoken.