Victor shook his head firmly. “No. I can’t do that. She is my daughter now. Until I find her real parents, I won’t send her away.” Patricia’s face turned red with anger. “If you refuse to chase her away, then I will leave this house! I won’t live under the same roof with that cursed child!” Victor looked her straight in the eyes and said calmly, “You are free to go, Patricia. After all, you have no child for me. What use is your staying here? You can go.” Patricia was shocked. Her mouth fell open and tears filled her eyes again. “So you choose a total stranger over me?” she cried. “After everything I’ve done for you, after all these years of being your wife?” Victor remained silent. His silence spoke louder than words. Patricia cried harder, hoping Victor would change his mind, but he didn’t. After a while she wiped her tears, stood up straight, and said with a cold, bitter voice, “I will not leave my marriage because of that little witch. Since you won’t send her away, I will make this house so uncomfortable for her that she will beg to leave.” Victor replied sharply, “Don’t you dare. If you try anything funny, I will make sure you regret ever knowing me.” Then he turned and walked away, leaving Patricia standing there, fuming with anger.
Victor went to Amanda, who was sitting quietly in the small room. He sat beside her and said softly, “Amanda, I want you to know that I’ve got your back. No matter what happens, I am here for you.” Amanda looked at him with calm, steady eyes and smiled. “Don’t worry, Daddy,” she said softly. “I can deal with her.” Victor was shocked. His heart skipped a beat. How can a five-year-old say something like that? he wondered. Her voice was filled with confidence, calm, and a strange power that didn’t fit a child her age. The house grew tense in the days that followed. Patricia kept her promise. She made the house feel like a battlefield. She refused to cook when Amanda was around, poured dirty water where Amanda sat, and shouted insults whenever she walked past. But Amanda never cried. She never complained. She moved around the house with quiet strength, as if nothing Patricia did could touch her. One day Patricia shouted, “This is my house! You don’t belong here!” Amanda looked at her calmly and said, “This was my house before you came.” Patricia froze. Her heart raced. She didn’t understand what Amanda meant, but fear crept into her heart like a shadow.
That night strange things began to happen. Patricia heard whispers in the dark, soft cries of a baby that no one else seemed to hear. She felt cold chills even when the fire was burning bright. Victor slept peacefully, but Patricia tossed and turned, haunted by the fear that Amanda was more than just a lost little girl. The next day Victor woke up with a heavy heart. The words Amanda had spoken and the tension in his home weighed on his mind like a stone. He knew there was only one person he could talk to—his old friend Daniel, the same Daniel he had insulted and pushed away years ago when he blindly defended Patricia. Victor’s footsteps felt heavy as he walked down the dusty path toward Daniel’s house. The memories of their last fight echoed in his mind—how he had shouted at Daniel, accusing him of jealousy, and told him never to come to his house again. When he arrived, Daniel was sitting under a large mango tree, sharpening his machete. His face was calm, but the moment he saw Victor approaching, his smile disappeared. Victor stood there for a moment, his pride battling with his guilt. Then he took a deep breath and said, “Daniel, I’m so sorry.”
Daniel didn’t say anything. He continued sharpening his machete, pretending not to hear. Victor stepped closer. “I was wrong, Daniel. I was blinded. I believed lies, and I pushed away the one friend who truly cared about me. Please forgive me.” Daniel finally looked up, his eyes cold. “Forgive you? After you called me jealous and told me never to come near your house again? What do you want from me now, Victor?” Victor’s heart sank, but he didn’t give up. “I know I hurt you, and I regret every word I said. I thought I was protecting my family, but I see now that I was a fool. Patricia isn’t the woman I thought she was.” Daniel’s expression softened just a little, though he still said nothing. Victor continued, his voice filled with emotion. “I need my friend back. I miss you, Daniel. I thought I’d lost you forever, but I’m here to make things right.” Daniel sighed deeply, then stood up and faced Victor. For a moment they just stared at each other. Then Daniel dropped his machete to the ground and said with a small smile, “You’re lucky I’m a forgiving man.” Victor’s face lit up with relief. “Thank you, Daniel. I thought you’d never forgive me.” Daniel chuckled and slapped Victor on the back. “Don’t get too excited. I’m still angry, but I’ve missed you too, you stubborn fool.” They both laughed, the tension melting away like morning dew under the sun.
Victor then sat down beside Daniel and told him everything—how Patricia had changed, how cruel she had been to Amanda, and how he had finally seen the truth. He explained how he found Hope by the river, how she later wanted to be called Amanda, and the strange things that had been happening since. Daniel listened carefully, his face filled with surprise. When Victor finished, Daniel leaned back and said, “Wait, Amanda? I thought Hope was your relative staying with you and Patricia.” Victor shook his head. “No, she’s not my relative. But she is my daughter now. I can’t explain it, Daniel, but I feel it in my heart. She’s more than just a lost child. She’s part of me.” Daniel scratched his head, confused and surprised. After a long pause, he said, “Welcome back to your senses, man. It took you long enough.” Victor laughed, feeling a warmth he hadn’t felt in a long time. “I thought I lost you, Daniel. I thought you’d never forgive me. Thanks, brother. I love you, bro.” Daniel smiled and replied jokingly, “Please don’t love me. Keep that love for your miserable, foolish wife.” They both burst into laughter, their friendship stronger than ever.
Meanwhile, back at home, Patricia was pacing around the house, her heart filled with anger. She couldn’t stop thinking about Victor’s words, how he had chosen Amanda over her. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. Finally she stormed into Amanda’s small room, her face twisted with rage. She stood at the doorway and shouted, “You, Hope! Come here right now!” But before Patricia could say another word, Amanda looked up calmly and said with a firm voice, “Point of correction, woman. My name is not Hope. My name is Amanda. Don’t you dare change that, okay, you evil woman.” Patricia froze, her mouth slightly open. She couldn’t believe what she had just heard. How dare a little girl speak to her like that? Patricia’s face turned red with fury. “I know they sent you to destroy my home, but you will never succeed!” she shouted. “I will make sure you regret ever stepping into my house!” Amanda stood up slowly, her eyes dark and piercing, filled with something that didn’t belong to a child. She stared at Patricia and said coldly, “You will do nothing, you foolish woman. Stay away from me, or you will not live to see the day.” Patricia’s heart skipped a beat. She took a step back, her body trembling slightly. What kind of child talks like this? she thought. She had never felt fear like this before. Amanda’s words sent a cold shiver down her spine. Without another word, Patricia stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. She knew something was wrong with that child—something beyond her understanding.
Patricia didn’t waste time. She grabbed her wrapper, tied it tightly around her waist, and rushed to the house of a well-known herbalist in the neighboring village. The herbalist was an old man with gray hair and sharp, knowing eyes. People said he could see things others couldn’t. When Patricia arrived, she wasted no time with greetings. “Baba, I need your help,” she said breathlessly. The herbalist looked at her and nodded slowly. “Sit down and tell me what troubles your heart.” Patricia sat and told him everything—everything. How Amanda came into their lives, the strange things she said, and how Victor was now blinded by her presence. She didn’t leave out a single detail. The herbalist listened quietly, his face serious. When Patricia finished, he remained silent for a moment, then finally spoke. “Woman, you are dealing with a spirit that is very powerful. Amanda is not an ordinary child. There is something special about her, something beyond our understanding.” Patricia’s eyes widened with fear. “What do you mean, Baba? Is she a witch? A curse sent to destroy my marriage?” The herbalist shook his head. “I cannot say exactly what she is, but I know this—her spirit is strong, and her presence in your house is not by accident. She has a purpose, but I cannot see it clearly yet. You must be careful, very careful.” Patricia’s face twisted with anger. “Careful? No. I will not sit and wait to be destroyed. I don’t care how powerful she is. I will do anything—anything—to make sure she suffers or doesn’t live to see another day.” The herbalist’s eyes narrowed. “Be careful with your words, woman. Some spirits do not forgive. If you try to harm her, you may be the one who suffers.” But Patricia didn’t care. She stood up, her heart filled with rage and determination. “I am not afraid. I will make sure she regrets ever stepping into my house.” With that, she stormed out of the herbalist’s hut, her mind burning with wicked plans.
As she walked back home, the sky grew darker, though it was only late afternoon. The wind blew strangely, whispering through the trees as if the spirits themselves were watching. But Patricia didn’t notice. She was too busy thinking about how to get rid of Amanda. She had no idea that Amanda already knew what was in her heart.
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