Zaria's life had taken a sudden and surprising turn. Ever since her Primary Leaving Examination results had been announced—five aggregates, the best in the entire district—her home had shifted from a battleground to a peaceful place. The cold, sharp stares from her stepmother Sarah had been replaced by forced smiles. Her stepsisters, Mary and Claire, no longer shoved chores onto her or mocked her appearance. Instead, they even offered her a seat at the main table, served her food without complaints, and spoke to her without malice.
For a girl who had longed for love all her life, it felt like she had finally been seen. After all the pain, hunger, loneliness, and beatings—after all the years of living in the backyard like a servant—Zaria was finally being treated like part of the family.
And she was happy. Genuinely happy. Every warm gesture felt like sunlight touching her soul for the first time. She woke up each day not dreading the voices in the house. She ate her meals without looking over her shoulder. She was even allowed to take breaks during the day—something unthinkable just a month ago.
One evening, as the sun painted the sky orange and pink, Zaria met up with her friend Linda near the big mango tree down the hill. The two girls hadn't seen each other properly since the exam results came out, and they were eager to catch up.
As soon as Linda laid eyes on her friend, she raised her eyebrows in shock. "Zaria! You're changing! I mean, you no longer look bad."
Zaria giggled softly, a sound that hadn't escaped her lips so freely in a long time. "They treat me well at home these days," she said, her eyes glowing. "They no longer mistreat me."
Linda blinked. "Wait—what? Your evil stepmother and those two girls… treat you well now?"
Zaria nodded, her face open and sincere. "Yes. My stepmother even said I should start sleeping in the big house. She gave me my own room."
Linda's mouth fell open. "Eh! You mean the same stepmother who used to call you names and make you sleep outside like a dog?"
Zaria nodded again. "The same one. But Linda, I don't know… something changed. Since they found out about my results, they've all been nice. I think they're proud."
Linda narrowed her eyes. "Zaria, don't be too quick to believe this change. It might be a trap. That woman has hurt you too many times for you to trust her now."
But Zaria shook her head gently. "No. The way they treat me now… I believe they've really changed. They even let me eat meat. Meat, Linda."
Linda laughed, but it was a nervous laugh. "Hmm. I still think you should be careful. You never know with people like your stepmother. One minute they're praising you, the next they're planning your downfall."
The girls continued walking slowly, the gravel crunching under their feet. They talked about school and the coming term. Linda had been promoted to Primary Seven, excited and a bit nervous about the year ahead.
"You're lucky you skipped P6," she said. "But don't worry, next year I'll be the one sitting PLE, and I'll also get a scholarship."
"I know you will," Zaria said warmly. "You're smart. And now that you're in P7, we can study together whenever I'm around."
As they reached the edge of the neighborhood, they hugged goodbye. Linda walked off still unconvinced about Sarah's sudden kindness, but Zaria stood under the fading light, clutching onto her hope. For once, things were going right, and she didn't want to believe it could be fake.
But miles away, in a tiny living room filled with stale perfume and secrets, Sarah Jackson was plotting.
She sat with her longtime friend Juliet, sipping tea and gossiping in hushed, heated tones.
"Zaria thinks she's too wise now," Sarah muttered bitterly. "She walks around the house like she's something great, just because she got five aggregates. Does she think I've forgotten who she is?"
Juliet raised an eyebrow, unsure where the bitterness was coming from. "But Sarah, isn't it good? She's made your family proud."
Sarah scoffed. "My family? That one is not mine. That child is nothing but a burden—left behind like trash by a useless woman who ran off to marry a rich man."
Juliet lowered her voice. "But you've been treating her well lately, haven't you?"
Sarah's lips curled into a cruel smile. "Yes. That's the trick. She's calm now. She thinks I've changed. But just wait. I'm going to break her—at once—in a way she won't recover. All this kindness is just to soften her. The fall will hurt more."
Juliet shifted uncomfortably. "But Sarah, she's still just a child."
Sarah slammed her cup down on the table, her voice sharp with rage. "A child no one wants! Not her mother, who abandoned her. Not even her father, who hasn't sent a shilling in months and doesn't even ask about her! And she thinks I will carry her to secondary school? Feed her, clothe her, pay her fees? Never! She will not step foot in any high school. I will make sure of it."
Juliet said nothing, staring at the woman who had once been her gentle friend, now transformed by years of envy and pain.
Back at home, Zaria sat quietly on her new mattress in the room inside the main house. Her eyes scanned the books on the tiny shelf beside her bed. She was reading ahead for Senior One, eager and excited to start this next journey. She believed things were changing. She believed love was finally growing in a house that once hated her.
But in the shadows of that house, hate was still alive—quiet, dangerous, and waiting for the perfect moment to strike.