THE BILLIONAIRE WHO BROUGHT BACK MY TOMMROW

hanging on the cracked wall of her bedroom,

ide. She had tried to smile at herself that morning, hoping it might make the day feel

y from the mir

er mo

ne when, deep inside, she felt like

rned what it meant to feel unwanted in

Before his death, their family had not been wealthy, but there had been laughter in their home. Her father ha

call her hi

k about her dreams, and listen patiently wh

r forehead, "you will become someone you are proud of. N

ayed with her long

he was worth something was no longer alive to prote

wn mo

SSI

downstairs pulled her

d her eye

ma!" she

om? Do you think food will cook it

oming,

he old slippers beside her

chen with her arms folded. Her express

"Is this how a girl of your age should lo

lowered

Mama. I wo

gle day, you give me another reason t

ed heavily in

d them befor

ow, they

y," she w

ret s

this house? Can it put food on this table? Can it bring back the money y

ightened around the

give her a good life. He had paid her school fees whenever he could, encouraged

ncial problems forced her to abandon her dreams, and the little jobs

d applications to places that never called her back. Sometimes, she worked fo

had

w she h

ret, none of

other people's daughters to look at. Girls who are making their families

d a finger

rs old and still depending on me. What

owed the lump

ama. I went to the supermarket y

t to hear an

ce echoed thro

mediately

id bitterly. "I thought that at least one day, you would grow up

tared at

er mother co

n. Not as a constant reminder of

her da

had lost

was trying

ded someone to tell her th

had no such w

n the sitting room. My friend is coming this afternoon, and I don't w

y, M

Jes

rned a

es

ney later. If you want to eat

and walked to

idn't

't defen

g the plates while tear

ade things worse. No matter what she said, Margaret al

d learned to

e was the only pr

orning, Jessica had fini

ws, and arranged the chairs in the sitting room. Her back ach

kitchen and opened t

rice left from th

to serve herself a small portion bef

ou to touch

fr

the kitchen entr

ing, Mama," Jessica explained quietl

s for my fri

e is stil

arguing

, M

put it

eturned the plat

hurt, but sh

t walke

y shame. You are a grown woman who cannot provide for hers

elt her c

rying to u

being a dis

, neither of

searching her face for even

s her forehead when she was ill. She remembered sitting between her parents on

oments real

se she needed to believe that

oice trembling, "what can I

ret f

of questi

cult since Daddy died. I know I haven't been able to do much for you, but I'm trying.

d at her for s

laughed

py? Start by becoming so

parted, but no

Some have good jobs. Some are taking care of their parents. But y

yes filled

anyone to he

ect me to beg people to employ you?

N

and do something

urned and

he kitchen, staring a

side her see

r problems. She had not expected her to buy her

anted was a l

ntle

inded her she

ngs seemed too expensive

h with one hand as t

hat morning, she all

se she wa

se she ha

whether she would ever be enough for the

house with a small handbag and

n sandals. Her hair was neatly arranged, and

to look p

onfident enough, someone

everal shops displayed beautiful clothes behind glass windows, and the re

oman step out of a boutiq

dress and laughed as s

ed down at h

kly look

ple happy. She simply wished that, for on

aurant where a notice had b

EDED -

eart

could

door open and

od behind the counter,

, ma," Jessica

man lo

at do yo

sted in the waitress position. I can

ooked her u

ked in a rest

ve helped with serving customers in

man he

perience with a

but I c

nyone who can

shook

, m

s expressi

someone with experience. Y

lt her hop

job. I'll do my best, and you

. I can't

ned back to h

ment, struggling to keep her

for your

alked

ernoon sun was p

ide the road, bli

r reje

r clos

rying hard did not alwa

wo more shops and a small supermarke

nted ex

ed qualif

someone who

had nothing but determination

d, Jessica's feet were sore,

e of water and sat on a

ones, laughing with friends, and hurrying ho

atched th

t like to have someone a

come home and hear,

to be loved withou

one vi

ed it might be someon

s a message fr

pecting me to feed you if you've