SISTER'S CURSE

 Can you imagine paying 60,000 US dollars for an American green card? Stephanie and her older sister Rita grew up together until eventually Rita found love, got married, and had two kids of her own. In 2013, Rita's husband won the US lottery and was whisked away to America to settle and begin to have a new life, leaving behind his two kids and his wife, Rita. Over the years, Rita's husband worked hard and was able, eventually, to earn his green card. At that moment, he started working on documentation to get Rita to join him.

When Rita joined her husband, she left her two kids in Stephanie's care, the only person that she trusted. Over in America, Rita and her husband started to build their life, and finally, a year later, they were able to bring their two kids to America. The happy family was growing and thriving and living so great, but Rita told her husband that, you know what? Stephanie has done so much for us. She took care of our kids when we were unavailable.

Let's find a way to bring her to America. Finally, Rita reached out to Stephanie and said, look, I have a plan. We want to bring you to America with us. All you need to do is pay 35,000 US dollars. Of course, Stephanie was excited. She was like, oh my gosh, this is my opportunity. Thank you guys so much. But unfortunately, I don't have 35,000. I can't afford that. Rita told her, don't worry. We will cover that bill. And when you come to America and you start working, you can pay us back. Of course, Stephanie agreed. 

 She was like, you know what? This is a plan. This works. Thank you guys so much. So the papers were filed, the documentations were done, and Stephanie finally landed in Chicago. Upon arrival, she started working. She worked as a waitress, as a janitor, and as a home aide taking care of elderly people. She was juggling three jobs, burnt out, missing sleep. But little by little, she was paying Rita and her husband back. One day, Stephanie was on the phone with a friend back home, you know, discussing about the process, how things have been going, when she shared that she'd spent 35,000 USD. 

 Her friend was like, that's a little much. That's not looking accurate. Most people spend a maximum of 20,000 USD. What's going on? Stephanie said, look, it's not a headache. I've already paid it. I'm almost done paying off the debt to Rita. It's fine. I'm here. I'm doing well. I don't mind. As time went on, Stephanie was working, things were going great, and she was finally able to pay Rita and her husband off all the money and started living completely debt free. Obviously, she now said, okay, she wants to start working on her green card. 

 She again called Rita and told her, oh, Rita, you know, I want to start working on my green card. How can I do it? What are my options? Rita told her, look, I will do some research. I'll find a few people and I'll get back to you. A little time passed and Rita gets back to Stephanie and says, look, girl, there's somebody who's willing to do an arranged marriage. You would just have to pay the person 60,000 USD and all of those things will be taken care of. Stephanie feels like, yikes, the last time I paid 35,000, apparently it was more expensive. 

 I don't know about the 60,000. So Stephanie tells Rita, look, thank you so much. It's a little expensive. I'll think about it and I'll get back to you. So Stephanie decides to do her own research because you know what? Where there is a will, there is a way. She does her own research and finds somebody who's willing to do it for half the price. So she goes back to Rita and says, oh, Rita, thank you so much for telling me. I have found somebody who's willing to do it for less. I will be going with that option and that will be it. 

 So Stephanie, you know, finds the guy. She marries the guy. They have an arranged marriage. They start living together and they go everywhere together. They look like they have great chemistry and little by little, it looks very, very believable. Now, Stephanie is fully married. She's also working and she's working on her documentation to get her green card. A few months down the line, the immigration reaches out and tells them that they will eventually be called in for an interview process. Knowing this, Stephanie and her husband prepare. 

 They ask themselves questions. They get to know each other even more. They want everything to go absolutely well. One fateful day, Stephanie gets a call from Rita. She informs her that the immigration office has reached out. They have set a date for the interview. Stephanie and her husband will have to report for the interview together. So it happens. Stephanie and her husband arrive at the immigration office. They're informed that they will have the interview at the same time, but in separate spaces. During the interview, the process goes well until two police officers step into Stephanie's room. 

 They inform her that she has violated immigration rules and she is being accused of immigration fraud. Confused, Stephanie doesn't know what to say because what do you mean? I came here with my husband. I have the documentation, the proof. How can you tell me this? They told her that no, no, no, no, no, that's not gonna work. She's being sent to jail. As she's being escorted out, she runs into her husband who tells her, look, Stephanie, I'm so sorry. I had to sign the waiver. They are accusing me as well. They have all the proof.

Come to find out that they did in fact have the proof that Stephanie and her husband's marriage was arranged and fake, that he had collected money to marry her. Not only that, but if he did not sign a waiver, he too would end up in jail. So the husband signed his soul away to save himself. Upon arrival at the jail cell, Stephanie does everything in her power to call Rita. She's not reaching her. She tries to call her husband and remembers that, you know what? Rita's husband is in a completely different state. He's away at work and is unavailable to her. 

 Stephanie spends 30 days in that jail cell, upon which the immigration officers come and tell her, look, there is no improvement on your case. You are being deported. Return to your home country. Throughout those 30 days, Stephanie has been trying to reach Rita to no avail. She's called her. She texted her. Nothing is going through. Nothing is working. Eventually, she is deported back to her country with nothing but the clothes on her back. After arriving back home, Stephanie tries to, again, contact Rita's husband.

And finally, he picks and tells her that, hey, what's going on? You haven't heard from me. How you been? Stephanie, confused, narrates her whole ordeal that have been going on for the past month. She says she's tried to reach Rita. She's tried to reach her husband. She's done everything possible. Nothing's working. She's officially been deported. There's nothing she can do. She has nothing but the clothes on her back. Rita's husband says, that's shocking. Rita told me that you were away for work. That, you know, we couldn't really reach you and that you would contact us later.

She's been lying to you and I. Upon hearing this, Stephanie hangs up. She decides that now she must make a decision. Stephanie bought four goats, four chickens, four eggs and four bottles of schnapps. She removed her clothes and in a bush began to curse. Stated that if her sister Rita is behind any of the issues within her immigration application, that it shall not be well with her. She will not be fine. She will not see happiness. She is cursed from this day forward four times over. 

 Stephanie made sure to get everything video recorded, which she promptly sent to Rita's husband. She said, if this does not concern you people, you'll be fine. If not, I have said what I said and I stand by it. In shock, Rita's husband shows the video to Rita and says, look, this is what she has said. She began to cry and plead saying, my dear husband, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to. She went behind my back with this immigration process. I'm the one who gave them the proof. I'm the one who gave them all the details, but she cannot come and curse me. What are we going to do?

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