Amira, a young girl living in Pakistan, shares her story of how her family's greed and competition for her grandmother's wealth affected her life. Amira's grandmother, once the richest woman in the city, announced that she would give all her assets to the most deserving granddaughter, sparking a never-ending competition between Amira's mom and aunt. Amira's mom tried to make her appear more deserving by teaching her to read and write at a young age, while her aunt tried to make her cousin, Hina, more talented by teaching her to dance. As the competition grew, Amira and Hina's relationship deteriorated. Amira also struggled with a rare condition called aquagenic urticaria, which made her allergic to water. Her family, especially her mom, kept her condition a secret to avoid ruining their chances of getting her grandmother's wealth. Amira eventually befriended a boy named Ryan, who helped her deal with Hina's bullying and her family's greed. In the end, Amira's grandmother realized the damage her plan had caused and decided to leave her wealth to Amira, who deserved it the most. Amira's mom and aunt were kicked out of the house, and Amira finally found peace and acceptance.
Here are the key facts from the text:
1. The narrator, Amira, lives in Pakistan with her big joint family.
2. Amira's grandmother was the richest woman in the entire city and owned more than half of it.
3. Amira's mom and aunt served her grandmother, hoping to inherit her wealth.
4. After Amira and her cousin Hina were born, their grandmother announced that she would give all her assets to the most deserving granddaughter.
5. Amira's family became competitive, with her mom and aunt trying to make her and Hina excel in various fields to impress their grandmother.
6. Amira's mom taught her how to read and write when she was just one, while her aunt taught Hina how to dance when she was just two.
7. At the age of 8, Amira started taking swimming lessons, but she suffered an allergic reaction to water, which was later diagnosed as aquagenic urticaria.
8. Amira's mom was devastated by the news, and Amira was forced to keep her condition a secret.
9. Amira's cousin Hina became increasingly competitive and hostile towards Amira.
10. Amira and Hina's relationship deteriorated over time, with Hina becoming more aggressive and bullying Amira at school.
11. Amira met a boy named Ryan, who became her friend and helped her during a confrontation with Hina.
12. Amira's family was shocked to discover Ryan in her room, and they accused her of being promiscuous.
13. Hina sent a fake text message to Ryan, pretending to be Amira, which led to a confrontation with Amira's family.
14. Amira's family was furious with her, and her grandmother was disappointed in her behavior.
15. Amira decided to tell her grandmother about her condition, but Hina tried to stop her by threatening to expose her secret.
16. Amira's grandmother finally realized the harm caused by her competitive plan and apologized to Amira for putting her through so much.
17. Hina's behavior became increasingly erratic, and she was eventually thrown out of the house by Amira's grandmother.
18. Amira's grandmother decided to leave her wealth to Amira, who she believed deserved it.