The next few days were rest days for Aefia. With the attempted sabotage, Aefia had finally solved fifty cases successfully. The merging of Mr. Robert's and her uncle's companies was also successful, and they both seemed to have become close friends in a short amount of time.
Due to the exceptional skills that she portrayed at the wedding, her parents didn't enquire or punish her after they got home, given that she had actually gotten a medal from the police department for her bravery and had actually gotten a request to become a government spy.
Knowing how that would trap her in this current life, she rejected and said she wouldn't take any governmental request into consideration until she was fifteen. In order to acknowledge the fact that Aefia was indeed just a child, they let her choose whatever she wanted to do and live her life instead of ruining it, but they didn't know she was living a triple life at this point.
Firstly, being a spy would mean obscuring her timetable with a bunch of 'others' blocks, and having to stay on-call twenty-four hours, even if it meant leaving the house at an hour past midnight. Her weapons were more trouble when in public and were an irritating thing to control when in shopping malls.
Secondly, her school life was always forcing her to study for her exam tests or even an upcoming assignment. Projects were something that she wouldn't care to handle properly, but she would have to pay attention to examination dates and her academic score.
Her mom had told her that if she reached a B or below for one of her grades, she would contact her uncle to withdraw her from his company. That was a downside for Aefia because she was making the most out of life in the Mafia business.
Thirdly was her life with her family. Dealing with toxic members and constant guests was like meddling with already well-cooked food, especially when children come around and go through her stuff. As an introvert, her best bet was to stay in her room and mind her own business, but her aunts, on the other hand, would start chaos because of how closed out she was.
Most of the time, the conversation would be like this. "Where is Aefia? I have a question for her." Her aunt would say.
"She is in her room." Her parents would answer.
"Why? Does she not want to talk to her aunts? Does she hate us? Does she think we are ugly and doesn't want to see us, otherwise she would puke?"
"No, no, no, she is just down with a cold."
"Well, I don't care! I come to my brother's house, and you keep acting up on us! I know you are not letting your daughter see us, thinking she will be more connected to us than you! I come to see my brother and his family, and eating the food here is like eating mud off the street!"
Then her mom would have no choice but to go ahead and grab her out of her room.
"Hi, Aunt, how are you doing?"
"Good! I was wondering how our little fairy is doing."
Geez! Did you really have to cause a tantrum to tell me that I am your little fairy?! How awkward can you be?!
"I am fine."
"That's amazing! Your mom heard was telling us that you were down with a cold and didn't want us to see you. Has your mom been told off by your father?"
"Oh, she is right. I am a bit sick." Woman, I am not a two-year-old baby. I know what you are trying to do.
"So, there was something you wanted to ask me?"
"Oh yes! I wanted to ask how you were doing."
Only that? "I am doing great."
"Your cousins are always talking about you."
Wait, let me add up a few missing words. My cousins are always talking behind me. They are always complaining about how, whatever, since I came into this world, my father has been spending money on our food instead of yours, you selfish woman! And the only thing you came here for is solely the property, aren't you?!
You are always busy checking in on me because you need to look after your money bag! Once this money bag is dead, you can't apply for custody over me to claim that inheritance as yours.
If it wasn't for my identity as a spy, I believe I would be out to assassinate you and my other aunts in your sleep! Just how many times does a person have to go through this same scene in order to tell what you are going to do next?! At least a hundred or fifty? Well, if there is an exact number, that is the amount of time I have watched your cinema live.
Due to Aefia's long silence, her aunt would speak up again. "Speechless are we? I know, your cousins love you so much that they are willing to sell their properties to meet you if they have to."
No, they do not! You are making things up to catch my father's eye! I know you want him to lend you some cash! But to think you didn't bother throwing him away when he asked if you could transfer his money for him to another account for a charge of five dollars!
"That's amazing to know. I miss them, too." Aefia would answer with rising temper, which she couldn't show.
"I knew you would!"
Here, let me add more. I knew you would say that! After all, I am just trying to get you to like us, and after that, we are going to make you ask your father to abandon your family and start treating us the way he would when he was not yet married!
Oh, and did I forget to mention? My eldest cousin, who divorced on the second day of his wedding, was the one who first ditched my father's business and ran away with a huge amount?! And my father still pays a visit to him anytime you guys need help!
"I am so happy to have a niece like you. Your eldest cousin stole money worth fifty dollars from your uncle's credit card and didn't tell anyone until today! I am so disappointed with her that I came to my brother's house to chill out my anger."
As a matter of fact, you made your eldest daughter pickpocket my father and say that she was given the money by him at the age of five. So if you put it like that, you were the one who taught her to steal, not my mom, so you have to direct your anger at her.
And if you care about your niece this much, why don't you cause trouble in the family today and leave?. I am already suffering from fever, and you are making it worse!
Not knowing what to say, Aefia would keep silent until she spoke about the next thing.
"So, I heard you got your prize money today? I am going to be honest, I am proud of you as an aunt for having such a good accomplishment under your name. You made history today."
Do you mean honest or lie? I am pretty sure that it was a lie, given that you aren't even proud of your daughter managing to steal only fifty dollars from you. You wanted something around ten thousand at least, right? Or maybe that's less too.
"Thanks."
Her aunt was silent for a short moment before howling again, "So? How much was it?"
"Uh...they taught at school they we should always keep how much we earned, a secret. I think it is safe to say that it is a confidential matter." Aefia replied.
She could clearly see the anger and greed erupting on her aunt's face while she smiled and spoke again. "But I am your blood-related aunt, I can hear how much, can't I? Or is it confidential, or say it to everyone?"
"I am afraid you are right about the last part. It is confidential to say it to everyone."
Her aunt's face turned as red as a tomato. She was already huffing and puffing, but her tomato face made it look like she was straight out of a cartoon.
"Kid, your teachers aren't hear to listen to our conversation. You can tell me how much. If you want, I can move your mom out of this room." Her aunt pointed at her mother. "You! Move away!"
Her mother hesitantly did as she was asked before looking at Aefia with a face that told her not to mess up. She acknowledged the fact and looked towards her aunt.
"I never asked you to move my mother away; it is confidential even when no one is listening," Aefia spoke.
"Come on! I only want to know the amount! Don't waste my time?"
"But what exactly are you going to do with knowing the amount?"
Her fat, chubby aunt was silenced. Hertomato-redd face faded into a pale and red gradient. If it were a photo, it would look like makeup done to match the aesthetics. She leaned back on the back while Aefia remained standing.
Her aunt didn't even bother to ask her to have a seat. Knowing her main intentions, Aefia made sure not to speak about it. If she pointed out the fact, her aunt would march out the door, and BCC News tomorrow would be a breaking news.
"I am just curious." She finally answered.
"But it's my freedom to answer if I want, right?"
"Whoa, Aefia! You are a very smart one! I just wish my own two daughters would be as smart as you! No,w please, I have to leave soon, can you please, just please tell me the amount you got?"
"Then I think my freedom remains standing. I choose not to say it, dear aunt."
Her aunt abruptly stood up and slapped Aefia across the face. She grabbed her shoulder and squeezed it with all her strength, which, to Aefia, was a small amount of pressure compared to the revolver's backward force when a bullet is fired.
"You aren't smart at all, Aefia! Just tell me, or I will break your shoulder!"
"Then try breaking it. As a person who didn't study, got married later than her first nephew, is around a hundred and sixty-five kilograms and growing, a person who doesn't care if the gym exists, and a money-greedy person, I can tell why Uncle's coworkers fear entering your house." Aefia flashed a grin.
She pushed down on her shoulders even more and continued to push. "Are you going to tell me or not? Otherwise, die!"
Aefia smiled the last time before screaming. Her mother came out, and so did her aunt from the floor above came down. Due to Aefia's continuous scream and her aunt's urge to kill her, the movements were unheard.
Her mother tried to move her aunt away from her, but was yanked away. When the doorbell rang, her mother rushed over to open the door. By then, her aunt was trying to choke Aefia and was almost partially successful.
Her eldest aunt came dashing at her younger sister, who was strangling her own twelve-year-old niece. She landed a punch on her sister's face a bit too late.
Her aunt had punched Aefia in the diaphragm. Due to her small size and weak structure, the punch did a huge disrupt to her lungs, causing her to spit up blood with a cough as all her breath left her.
Her aunt dropped her, and she fell free of her grip. Due to her weakness, she was unable to stand up momentarily and knew her father was going to come home sooner or later. And today, he was going to come with her uncle, the uncle who was thusbandandofo the aunt who had dealt her a punch.
"Just what is wrong with you?! Why are you abusing a child who is not yours?!" Her eldest aunt slapped her youngest sister. "Are you insane?! You were about to kill your own brother's daughter, do you know just how dangerous the crime you have committed?!"
In other words, are you trying to kill your own money bag? If you kill her and there is evidence that you killed her, none of us would have the shaaof the money you were planning on stealing!
The doorknob of the front door twisted, and Aefia's father, along with her un entered. Seeing how there was a fight going on, her uncle was the first one to shout, "Just what is going on?!"
"That spoilt brat won't tell me how much she got as prize money!!" Her youngest aunt shouted while trying to race towards her.
"What are you intending to do with her money? She is just a child!" Her elder aunt contradicted.
"Can't you see?! I am a debt, and I need to repay it!"
"Silent! Why would you want a child's money to repay your debt? And you are a housewife, just how do you owe? I thought I gave you enough time to run for at least a year!" Her uncle shouted.
Finally coming to the realization that she was surrounded, her aunt calmed down. "I am sorry. I seem to have gone overboard. Did I really say I wanted your prize money? I didn't really mean it. But wait, you're still a kid, why don't I count your money for you?"
"Are you still in the hopes of getting even a tiny bit of mercy from me after you squeezed, strangled, and punched me? I can tell that you are here only for that prize money. If that's what you really want, then did you know I got only a medal and a police badge, and a prize money.
"It was your delusion that told you that doing good pays you, is that why you force your two daughters into social work even when it means sacrificing their long, long, claw-like nails in dirt? You did pay a huge amount just to get them done.
"You know what's more surprising? It is that you spend thousands on your daughter's clothes, but you use the money by stealing from children. But to tell you the truth, neither you nor your daughters are doing any good to your face with all those cosmetics you are buying.
"Just look in the mirror. Some people look good even with their fat and chubby body and their oily faces, but that's because they don't plot evil stuff like you. That's why, even when you try to cover up those acnes with layers of foundation, you will always end up with the same face you have underneath that mask." Aefia explained while wiping her bloody face.
"And what you just did, your face is already portraying it. See all that sweat's wiping off all those layers to reveal your true face. One thing else that I can guarantee is that everyone will flee this room once they see your actual face."
Her youngest aunt wiped her forehead, thinking that only the sweat would come off, and Aefia added more. "But your dumb brain didn't tell you that wiping your forehead would cause the sweat to smear even more and make the foundation take off as well."
Her aunt raised her hand the final time and slapped her across the face.