Transcription
You can take the shop. All I need is money.
>> I don't have the money, but I have something more valuable. I'll give you my daughter's hand in marriage. That's my payment.
>> Please don't do this to me.
>> Have you ever felt like the world is against you? Like even the people who should love you the most are the ones selling you out? This is the story of Amara, a girl who was treated like a piece of wood by her own father, only to discover a secret that shook the whole world. If you think your life is hard, wait until you see what happened to Amara.
Amara was a girl with a heart of good and a smile like the morning sun. But her heart was broken because her mother just died. Amara told her father, Mr. Okafo, would be served too soon too. But guess what? She was wrong. Only two weeks after her mother's burial, her father brought a new woman into the house. Her name was Madame Good. Madame Good did not come alone. Oh, she brought her own daughter, Ada. Ada was almost the same age as Amara, but she was lazy and mean.
"From today, this is your new mother." Amar's father said he [snorts] did not look at Amar's eyes. He had been see Madame in secret. Even when Amara's mother was around, everything changed in the house. Madame could and took the big beds. They wore the fine clothes. They ate the meat in the soup.
"Amara, take those underweares I kept there. Make sure you wash them. I don't want to see any stain in it to scream." Sitting under the fan, "Amara, you lazy girl, go to the market immediately," Madame good will shout, eating fried fish.
One day, Amara was crying behind the kitchen. Her father walked past, [snorts] "Father, please," Amara begged. "I am tired. My hands are peeling. My body is aching. Please tell Madame Good to let me rest." Her father looked at her, but he did not hug her. He did not help her. "You are a strong girl, Amara. Just do what she says. I don't want troubles in my house," he said and walked away. Amara realized that her father did not love her anymore. He only loved his new wife.
Few days later, a young man named Obi came to the village. He was wearing a shirt with oil stain and an old trouser. He was a mechanic who had a small shop in the village. He used to fix Mr. Opaf's old car but he had stopped because there was not much customer in the village wanted to move to the big city to find a better life so he wanted to sell his mechanic shop and tools he came to Mr. our campa's house telling him if he would buy the mechanic shop and our stepmother Madame Good who already knew the shop smiled with greed ed every day she whispered to Amara's father but Amar's father had no money he had spent all the savings on madame good he was in big debts.
"I want your shop," Madame good told. "But we have no money to pay you." Obi looked at the house. He saw Amara. She was outside lifting a very big log of wood. Her face was very dusty, but she was still very beautiful. Obi felt a pull in his heart.
"I don't want your money," Obi said quietly. "I want a wife to go to the city with me. Give me that girl. and the shop is yours." Madame Good laughed. She didn't think about it. "Take her. She's useless anyway. She only knows how to eat and cry." Amaran's father hesitated for one second, but then he took about the money from the show. "It is a deal," he said. "Take her away."
Amara fell to her knees. She held her father's legs. "Father, please don't sell me like a goat. I am your daughter. This man is a stranger. He is poor. I will suffer." Her father pushed her hands away. "He has paid for you with his shop. You are now his. Go and pack your things." Ada the step sister came out and mocked her. "Bye-bye, village wife. Enjoy your life with your dirty mechanic."
Amara had nothing to pack. She only had the old clothes on her body. She followed Obi out of the compound. She was crying so hard she could not see the roads. She looked back at her home. No one cared. They all had a smiling face. Not even a goodbye. Amma looked at Obin. He was walking in front of her carrying a small bag. He didn't say anything.
"I'm at my father hates me. My stepmother hates me. And now I am married to a man who has nothing." The bus to the city was very crowded. Am I sat by the window, tears falling down her face, obie sadness to her. He did not talk, but he brought a small bottle of water and gave it to her. Amara took it, but she was too sad to say thank you.
When they reached the big city, the sun was going down. The city was very loud. There were so many cars and big houses. But Opi did not stop at the big houses. He led Amara down a dark narrow path. At the end of the path was a house made of old wood and rusted iron sheets. The door was broken and the windows had no glass.
"This is where I live," Obi said. Am I walked in? The floor was just cold cement. There was only one small pot for cooking and an old foam on the floor for sleeping. There was no lights, only a small candle. Amara sat on the phone and covered her face. She thought about her mother. She told about how her father traded her for a shop, a common shop. She felt like her life was over.
"I know it is not a palace," will be said softly. He knelt down beside her. "I am just a mechanic. I work hard, but the money is small. But I promise you, Amara, you will not be a slave here. You will not fetch water for anyone. You will not be beaten." He went out and came back with a small loaf of bread and one egg. He cooked the egg and gave Amar everything to eat. "Eat," he said. "You haven't eaten since morning." Amara looked at him. "What will you eat?" "Obi." "I am not hungry," he said. But Amar heard his stomach making a loud noise. He was lying. He wanted her to have the only food he had. For the first time, Amar felt a little bit of warmth. Even though he was poor, Obi was kind. He was bitter than her father.
For the next few weeks they lived like that. Every morning went to a small garage to fix cars. [snorts] He will come home with grease on his face and a few naira notes. They will buy a small cup of gar to eat together. Wubi tried his best. He bought Amar a plastic comb for her hair. He bought her a secondhand pair of slippers. He treated her like a treasure even in their poverty.
But one day the rain fell very hard. The roof of the old house to leak. Their only foam was soaked with water. They had no money to buy food that night. Amaran looked at Obi. He was shivering in the corner. She felt a deep pain in her heart.
"Obi," she said, "I cannot sit here and watch you suffer for me. I must find a job. I will help you." Kubi shook his head. "No, the city is too dangerous for a girl like you. You might get hurt. I don't want that."
"I will be careful," Amara promised. "I overheard the neighbor talking about a lady who needs a cook. I will go there tomorrow. Maybe she will hire me."
The next morning, Amara got the lady's address from the neighbor and went out. She walked for a very long time until she reached a place with very big gates and tall trees. She found the house of the lady. The house was painted white and it was so big that Amar's eye went wide. The owner of the house was a young lady named Cynthia. Cynthia was very beautiful, but she was very proud. She sat by the swimming pool wearing expensive gold jewelry and sipping her juice.
"Can you cook?" Cynthia asked, looking at Amara's old dress with a squeezed face. "Yes, madam, I can cook very well," Amara said, looking at the floor. Sincia hired Amara to be her personal cook. Every day Amara worked hard. She cooked delicious soups and cleaned the big kitchen. Cynthia paid her well. And for the first time, Amara could buy good food for Obi. They were so happy together even when they didn't have anything.
One night it was cold and Obi moved a little close to Amara. He wanted to hold her and kiss her so badly, but he was scared. Amar could feel the tension as she also moved even closer to Obie. They had their first kiss that night and even made love. Their bond became stronger.
One evening, Obie came to the gate of the big mansion to pick Amar up. He was wearing his mechanic clothes and his hands had black oil on them. Cynthia was driving her car. She looked at Obie's face. Even though he was dirty, Obie was very handsome, had strong shoulders. Cynthia felt her heart beat fast. She had never seen a man like that before. Then Amara came out and saw Obi, hugged him. Cintas looked at them and drove off.
The next day, "Who was that man?" Cynthia asked Amara, "The man I saw you at the gate with yesterday." "Oh, that's my husband, madam," Amara said with a smile. Cynthia smiled. "Oh, I see. He's cute, you know." "Thank you, madam," Amara said.
From that day, Cynthia became obsessed. She started asking many questions about Kubi. She even told Amara to bring Obi to the house to fix her car generator. When Obi came, Cynthia dressed in her most expensive sexy clothes. She stood close to him and smiled. "You are very gifted with your hands," she told Obi. "Why stay with this poor girl in a broken house? I can give you a better life." Obi did not look at her. "I have a wife. I love her. Madam, I don't need your money."
Cintia was very angry. She was used to getting everything she wanted. That afternoon, she called Amar into the living room. She threw a thick bundle of money on the table. It was more than Amara had ever seen in her entire life. "Take this money, Amara," Cynthia said. "Leave your husband and go back to the village. I want him. A man like that should not be hungry. I can make him a king. If you love him, you will let him go so that he can be rich."
Amma looked at the money. There she looked at Cincia. Her eyes filled with tears. Cintia laughed. "He's too good for a village girl like you. He should be with a queen." Amara felt a sharp pin in her chest. But she did not see anything. Amara looked at the big pile of money on the table. She thought about their leaking roof. She thought about Opie's shoes that has holes in them. She thought about her father who sold her because of greed.
"Madam," Amara said, her voice shaking. "You think money can buy everything. You think because I am village girl, I don't know what love is." Cynthia leaned back and smiled. "Love is for people who have food in their bellies. Amara, look at your hands. They are rough from scrubbing my floors. Look at your husband. He is ste because he's trying to feed you so hard. Don't be selfish. Take the money and go."
Amala picked up the bundle of money. Cynthia eyes shined with victory. But then Amala walked closer to Cynthia and threw the money back at Cynthia's feet. "My husband is not for sale. Am I see family? We are poor in money but we are rich in peace. I will not leave him." Amma turned and ran out of the big house. She ran all the way to the small broken house where Obi was waiting. She hugged him and cried. She did not tell him about the money because she did not want him to feel bad.
But Cynthia was not finished. She was a woman who hates to lose. She picked up her phone, call the owner of the garage where Obi worked. "Fire that mechanic named Obi today," she commanded. "If you don't, I will make sure your business is closed down."
The next morning when Obi went to work, his boss told him to leave. "I am sorry, Obi. A powerful person wants you gone. I cannot help you." Obi came home with no money. "Amara, I have lost my job. We have no money for rent. The landlord said we must leave tomorrow." Amara held his hand. "It is okay, Obi. We will find a way. God will not leave us."
Things were very hard for Amar and Obi. They had no money and they were almost living on the streets. One day, Chief Williams called Obi to come fix his car. Ubie used to fix chief car every weekend. Chief Williams liked Ubie because Ubie was very honest and he worked very hard. That day, Chief Williams gave Obie an envelope.
"Ubie, my family is having a very big party tonight," the chief said. "I want you and your beautiful wife to come. You're a good man." Ubi thanked him and took the invite home. Amaran was afraid. "Obie, we don't have fine clothes. People will laugh at us." "Don't worry, Amara," Obie said, his eyes glowing with a strange lights. "Just wear your cleanest dress. Who knows, I might get a job, dear. And you might also get a job."
The party was at the most expensive hotel in the city. There were diamonds, gold, and very rich people everywhere. Cintia was there too, looking like a queen. When Amar and Obi walked in, the room went quiet. People started pointing and whispering. Amma was wearing a simple cotton dress. Obi was wearing an old shirt that was neatly ironed. Cynthia saw them and her face turned red with anger.
"Amara, please sit here. I will be back soon," Obie said. Cynthia walked to the seat where Amara was sitting down. "Wait, who let a beggar here? This is a party for billionaires, not for a village girl like you." "I don't want troubles," Amara said. She tries so hard to resist Cynthia's trouble. But Cynthia won't back down. "You are selfish. If you truly love your husband, you will let him go so he can be taken care of, and you will also get the money you have always wanted. I heard your father exchange you for a common mechanic show," Cynthia said with a wicked smile. A mana was heartbroken. It was only one person that could spill such secrets to Cincia, which is her husband. This made Cynthia question her marriage with Obi, if he truly loved her, or he also wants to sell her like her father did to her. She caught up angrily and was about to leave the party.
Just then, the MC announced the arrival of Chief Williams. "Thank you everyone for honoring this invitation. The purpose of this gathering is to introduce you all to my son, Dr. Frank, who had lived almost all his life abroad. It's time I retire and let my son take over from where I stop," Mr. Williams said. Then the MC announced the arrival of Dr. Frank. Everyone was shocked. [snorts] It was Obi. He was wearing the most expensive suit anyone had ever seen. His skin looked so clean. His hair was perfectly styled. Amar couldn't believe her eyes. Was she dreaming?
Obi walked up to Amara. He knelt down before her and apologized to her for lying about his status. "I know we didn't get married in a proper way. I want to make it up to you. All the years of suffering and tears. I want to treat you like the queen that you are. Will you marry me?" Will be said couldn't hide her tears. It was like she's in a movie where a poor girl ends up with a rich guy. But this was her reality. She stretched her hands and said yes.
Everyone was happy for them. Cynthia came and congratulated them. Amara was surprised. Was this not the same person who was mean to her a few minutes ago?
"Amara, meet my younger sister, Cynthia. She was the one I wanted to use to test you. Everything that happened from day one, from you finding out about the job, they were all part of my plan. I just wanted to test you to know if you truly love me or if you are after my wealth. That is the reason why I had to pretend to be a poor guy."
After the big party, Obi took Amara to a house that looks like a dream. He had coding kids, a garden full of sweet flowers and floors made of shining white stones. "This is our house now," Amara Hubie said. He gave her a room filled with a final sick dresses, shoes that sparkled like diamonds and jewelries that glued in the dark. Amala had a bathtub that made bubbles and a bed so soft it felt like sleeping on a cloud. She had servants who cooked her delicious food and they called her queen.
But Amara was not smiling for 3 days. She did not talk to Obi. She stayed in her room. Finally, Ubi came to her. "Amara, why are you sad? I have given you everything." Amara looked at him with tears in her eyes. "You lied to me, Obi. You watched me cry every night because we had no food. You watched me work hard like a slave in Cynthia's house. You saw my heart breaking. But you kept a big secret. Did you think I was like my father? Did you think I only wanted your money?" Will be held her hands. "No, Amara. I hear the truth. I had to find one person in this world who will love me for me even if I was a beggar. I am sorry for the pain I caused you. Please forgive me." Amara looked into his eyes. She realized he did it to protect their future. She hugged him and whispered, "I forgive you, Obi."
A few weeks later, the news reached the village. Everyone was talking about Amara, the girl who was sold to a mechanic who was now the richest woman in the city. Amar father, Madame Gold, and Ada were shocked. "We must go to the city. Marangod screamed. She is my daughter. She must give us money. We are suffering in this village." They sold everything they had in the village just to buy bus tickets. They arrive at the gate of the mansion looking dusty and hungry.
"Open the gates," and my father shouted at the guard. "I am the father of the queen. This is my in-laws house." The big golden gate stayed shut. A small window in the gate opened and the gatesman looked out. "The queen says she does not know you," said cold. "She says she has no family that you all should go back to where you are coming from." But madame good and were already fighting blaming each other for being mean to Amara. The security guards pushed them away into the streets. They have no money to go back home. They were beggars on the streets. They started begging on the streets to get money to go back to the village.
Inside the mansion, Amara sat on a golden chair by the pool. She was wearing a beautiful lace gown, rubbing her baby bump, picked up a piece of sweet fruit and smiled at Obi. Amara was no longer a slave. She was no longer a village girl. She was a queen who found true love in the middle of a storm.
Here are the three lessons I want you to pick from this story.
Number one, never judge a person by their clothes or their job. A man in rags today can be king tomorrow. What matters is the heart, not the pockets.
Lesson number two. When you sell your loved ones for money, you are selling your own future. Money comes and goes, but family and love are forever.
Lesson number three. If you want to sit on a throne with a king, you must be willing to sit on the floor with him when he is a beggar. True love is staying when things are hard, not just when things are easy.
Thank you very much for watching this wonderful story. If you love something like this, please like, share and subscribe. Thank you.