Phoenix Reborn - Episode 1

 

Five year old Olivia looks at her dying mother battling to stay alive. Her father walked out on them eight months back and never returned. Not even to check on how she was faring. You'd thing a guy would show a little more love to his only child. Only daughter at that. She'd seen other fathers dote on their little girls, even on their neighborhood. Mama Mitchell had once shouted at her husband for buying her and their son Oscar two mandazis for breakfast and giving their daughter enough money to buy four and instructing her to eat by herself . Olivia had laughed so hard her mother had to caution her to be quiet despite struggling to herself suppress  laughter.
She wondered what was wrong with her that her father would just leave and never return. Looking down at her mother, she couldn't help but cry. Mama is the only one she has left. If she dies, her life is practically over.
Diana wakes up to her daughter's teary face. She stretches her arm and wipes her tears from her precious jewel's face. That was in fact, Olivia's middle name, but only her parents had called her that.
"Don't cry my dear. Whatever happens, God is in control. You will never be alone. Never forget to pray and give thanks

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/phoenix-reborn

. Most importantly, never forget I love you."
"That's not true, he forgot us long ago. Why else would he allow us to live in this hell on earth, why allow dad to leave and do you honestly expect me to thank him for taking you, the only person I have left, away, do you, mother? It's impossible. I will never forgive Him."
"Please don't say that my daughter. I won't be around much longer. You will need Him in your life."
" I need him now. Why is he not here. What use would I have for Him once you are gone."
Diana's eyes are filled with tears. For a five year old Jewel was very perceptive. She was grown beyond her years and it scared her to think of what fate would meet her once she's gone.
"Jewel, I know there are bound to be tough days ahead. But you are wise and resourceful. I'm not just saying this because I'm your mother, but because it's true. But, persevere, be strong, and you will overcome to be what you want to be, better yet, what you are meant to be, that is someone great. Everyone who laughs at you now or tries to keep you down will one day meet the same fate by your hands, so never despair. Promise me that you'll never give up."
" I promise mom."
That night, Diana breathed her last.
..........................................................
Tears stream down her face as she remembers her mother's face that final day.
"Oh, mom, if only you knew the hell I've had to go through since you gave up and left me by myself. I know if you had a choice you would have opted to stay with me, still..."
She moves away from the glass and faces the interior of her office. It truly has been a long journey. The Olivia Michaels the world knew now was the envy of everyone who knew of her. A twenty seven year old tycoon who practically single handedly controlled at least ten percent of every country's economy in the continent. Nobody really knew anything about her beyond fourteen years back when she made her first million shilling at the tender age of thirteen. And it only took a year six months to turn that first million shillings to a million dollars.

Read " Phoenix Reborn: My True Brother " by the same author ( Sylvia Maleko )

. From there it was a steady rise to her current net worth of a quarter trillion dollars.
She had heard various rumours of people claiming she had sacrificed her entire family to gain wealth, others claiming she had sold her soul to the devil, some crazy extremists even claimed she was the antichrist foretold in the bible who would rise to such heights of power that the world would take notice, all to herald the devil himself. It always made her laugh how much time others wasted trying to bring down people they secretly wished were them instead of making strides to getting where they wanted to get.
Some of her employees even believed these rumours and tended to walk on egg shells around her. It was amusing most of the time, but some times it was the most irksome thing, especially when she gets lonely. She just couldn't get why people could not view her simply as a person with feelings and basically a life, and not a personality to be admired and envied.
" I guess you can't have it all," she thought to herself. Once upon a time, people avoided her because she was poor and simply trying to survive. Now they avoided her because she was at the height of wealth and power. Understanding the world is really impossible.
She however didn't mind. As long as she never goes through the pain again. This wealth may be a curse but it is also a blessing, an armour she wore to protect her from the cruelty of the world. A cruelty she knew better than she ever wished.... This piece should in
no way be reproduced, copied or sold without written permission from the author.