Chapter 3:Broken vows mended hearts

Anna's  heart pounded  as her aunt stepped  into the  hospital  room. The air grew heavier, and a cold chill crawled  up her spine.  Aunt  Regina's expression  was unreadable, her sharp eyes scanning through  Anna  before turning to Dr. Collins.

“ You had no fucking right”, Mrs Regina said,her voice   calm but filled with anger. Dr. Collins didn't make a move. “ I  had every right, Regina. Anna is a child. She deserves an education, proper care, and a future and this  is something you  have been denying her of which is  not  fair”.  Regina's  jaw tightened. She stared at Anna, and for a moment  some silence stretched  between  them. 

“ You want to go to school?” She asked her.

Anna  swallowed  hard, her fingers  twisting into the bedsheet. She had  never been  given a choice  before. This felt  like  a trap to her.

“I….” She stammered  out of fear. 

Regina stepped  closer, lowering her  voice. 

“ You think school will change  anything? Do you believe you'll  be  anything more than what you are?”. Anna twisted  her fingers confused on what to say. “I  don't  know,” She admitted, forcing herself to  meet her aunt's  gaze. “ But I  want to try”. Aunt Regina studied her, something  unreadable flickering  in her eyes. Then,She turned back to  Dr. Collins. 

“ Fine,” She said. “She can go to school”.  Anna's breath  left  her. Just like  that?

“But,” Aunt Regina  continued, her lips curling “ She will still fulfil her duties at home. She will wake before dawn to complete  her chores  before  school, and when she returns, She will work until nightfall. I won't  tolerate  laziness”. Anna's  stomach  twisted. 

Dr. Collins grinned . “ That's  unacceptable. She needs time to rest and time  to study. 

“ Or she doesn't  go at  all”, Aunt Regina  cut in smoothly. “ Those are my rules and  terms. Take them  or leave them”. Anna's  chest began to shake. The hope she had felt just moments  ago began  to dim.

“ You can't  do this”, Dr. Collins  said, his voice  lowering and filled with  anger.” After all She's  not a servant, Regina”.

Aunt Regina's   stare deepened. “ Oh, but in my house, She is”. 

There was silence over the  room for a while. Anna could  feel Dr. Collins' frustration, but she also knew her aunty too well. If he pushed too hard,She would take back  her offer entirely.  Anna  took a shaky breath. “ I  will do it,” She said  calmly. Dr Collins  turned to her.

“ Anna,You don't  have to”.  “ I  will do it,” She repeated, louder this time.  She met  her aunt's gaze  with quiet resistant.  “ If that's the  price,I will pay it”. Aunt Regina laughed  out a mockery laugh. “We will see how long that lasts”. Without  another word, She turned and walked out of the room, leaving behind a suffocating  silence.  Dr. Collins ran a hand down  his face. “ Anna, this isn't fair”.

“ It's  the only way,” Anna said , trying  to steady her shaking  hands. “ If  I don't accept, She would  not allow me to  go at all. But by this way,I will have  a chance”. Dr Collins exhaled  sharply. “Then I will check in on you. If I see that you're  struggling”. Anna  forced a smile.  “ I've  been struggling  my whole life, Doctor. I can  handle it”. But even as she  said the words , a seed of doubt planted itself  deep in  her heart.  Because  she knew Aunt Regina and she knew this battle  was far from over.

The  following week, Anna stood outside the grand gates of   Brixton academy,a prestigious school reserved for  children of  the wealthy elite. The towering building loomed before her,elegant  and  intimidating, with polished stone  walls and  towering windows that  shone in the morning  sun. She clutched the straps of her worn out school bag, her stomach turning as she watched the other students arrive in pristine uniforms, their heads held high as they laughed and chatted with  friends. She didn't  belong  here. The realization  struck her  harder than she expected. She was just the poor, unwanted orphan of  the  Earnshaw family. A girl who had spent her days scrubbing floors, not attending fancy  schools. 

“Move,” A sharp voice whispered  behind her. Anna barely had time to turn before a girl shoved past her,nearly knocking  her off balance. The girl had  pink curls and cold blue eyes, her uniform crisp and expensive  looking.She  stared at  Anna's  second hand clothes with a  disgusting look. “ Who let a beggar  in?” Laughter  erupted from the group behind her.Anna  felt very embarrassed. 

She opened her mouth to respond  but stopped.  She recognised  the  girl. It was Charlotte Earnshaw,Her cousin. Anna's  heart pounded  heavily. She hadn't expected Charlotte  to be  here. Charlotte  itched  her head, amusement flickering in her eyes. 

“ Wait… don't  I  know  you?” She said mockingly. “ Oh, that's  right. You're  the little  maid who lives at Aunty Regina's  house!”

There was a roar of laughter  at the back. Anna  didn't  say a word, She just kept on  staring  at her. Charlotte smirked.” You may have tricked Aunty Regina into letting  you come here, but don't think for a second that you belong here”.

With that  She turned on her heel and walked  away, her group of friends following closely  behind.Anna  stood frozen,her heart beating fast and confused on what to say.

Not long After, She got a call from the principal of the school. She went to her office, sitting stiffly in the chair waiting patiently for Mrs  Thompson  in her office. Mrs Thompson  was a tall woman with sharp eyes and an air of authority,folded her hands on the desk and looked  at Anna with a  measured gaze.

Mrs Thompson:”  Anna Earnshaw, I called  you here for an important  matter. Do you have  any idea why I called  you?”. Anna hesistated, gripping  the edge of her worn out school bag. “ No ma”. The principal sighed and passed her a letter across the  desk towards Anna. “ This is an office from the school administration  department.  According  to our  records, your school fees have not been paid in full. In fact, you still have  a large outstanding  balance”.

Anna swallowed  hard. “But…. I thought  my  aunt…” She cut her words, realizing the truth before she could  finish. Of course, Aunty Regina  hadn't  paid. 

Mrs Thompson:” Your guardian was informed so many times. This is the third letter we have  sent home. Did she mention  anything to  you about  this?”. Anna shook her head, her fingers tightening  around  the  paper. “ No, ma. She never told me anything  about  it”. The principal's  lips pressed into a thin line.

 “ Anna, if your fees are not settled soon,you will no longer be allowed to  attend  classes”. Anna's  stomach twisted in pain, She had fought so hard to be here. And now, if things were not acted fast , it could  be taken away”.

Anna:Please ma, I  didn't know about  this. I will  talk to my  aunt, probably  she forgot.

The principal raised a sceptical brow.

“ Anna, your aunt is fully aware. I personally spoke  to  her on the  phone last month and she assured me that the payment  would  be made”. Anna felt her breath left her, at that point she didn't  know  what to say again.

Mrs Thompson:” I will give you to the end of this week.  If your fees are not  paid by then, you will not be able  to return to Briston academy”.  Anna's  heart began to beat fast . She knew exactly what her aunt would say. She  would  tell her that she never intended for her to stay in this prestigious school. That she had only placed her here temporarily until she found a better  alternative  for  her. That she didn't  deserve to sit in the classrooms as the rest of the wealthy  children 

“ I understand  ma,” She said gently. The principal studied her for a moment before  nodding her head.” I  truly  hope this get resolved, Anna. You have potential. It would be a shame to see it go to waste”. Anna forced a nod,but deep down inside her. She was afraid. She had come so far. But was it all about  to slip through  her fingers?