Chapter One

Arabella.

I carried my tired and battered body out of the grocery shop to my car, the bag of foodstuff in my hands didn’t do well to help me. It added more burden than relief to me.

I let out another sigh as I placed the three bags in one hand and then tried to open my car door with the other. It was a hassle but after trying for a while I did it.

I opened the back door dropped the groceries inside, closed in, and entered my car.

I leaned my head on the car seat. I am tired and need to rest but I couldn’t do it. I have a lot to do and a minimal amount of time to do it.

Letting out another loud sigh, I started the car and drove out of the parking lot.

Ten minutes later I was home, the gate was opened for me by the security guard, and after I parked in front of the mansion I sat in the car waiting for someone to come to help me take these things inside. One minute passed and no one came out, two, three until it got to five minutes and I knew I had to accept my fate, nobody was coming to help.

I stepped out of the car and looked towards the house, the lights were turned on and from here I could see someone leaning on the railing staring at me. I need no one to tell me who it was, I released another tired sigh for the umpteenth time today. It was almost six, which meant I didn't have much time to prepare dinner for the family.

I dragged the groceries and my tired body inside after fighting with them for a while, I got it and from where I was standing I could hear the loud chatter coming from the living room.

Everyone except me was in a good mood.

I mean why should I be in a good mood when I have been working all day in my cafe, and then I had to return home to cook for the family when they could easily prepare dinner for themselves? It was a tiring task but I had to put up with it since I love my husband and want to be with him.

I didn’t mind any of them or go in there to greet them because I knew what would happen if I did.

I went straight to the kitchen and started preparing dinner. I washed the vegetables first before chopping them. I am going to prepare a simple dish; spaghetti for the night. I know I have been preparing it for three nights now but that’s all I can do, I am tired and this dish was the quickest thing I can think of right now.

I had some leftover pastries from the shop but knowing how my husband's family is, they wouldn’t take a single bite of them.

I was halfway through preparing dinner when Lily walked in; I didn't bother to spare her a glance as she walked towards the fridge and pretended to take out a bottle of water. Instead of doing that, I knew she was trying to see what I was preparing for dinner.

Lily is my husband's sister; she is the apple of his eye. She's a 22-year-old lady going to 23; she's currently in the university studying a course I had no idea of; she barely talked about it, not like we always talk much, her apartment is close to her school but she is always around the house every single time, and I couldn't complain because the Ashton didn't give me a chance to do that. I have no right in this house.

And I don’t think I have the mind to do that anymore.

“What are you preparing for dinner?” She asked after trying to pretend she was just moving around the kitchen.

I didn’t bother answering her question as I focused on getting the sauce ready.

She has eyes so she can see exactly what I’m preparing for dinner.

She walked closer and snorted when she saw the content in the pot,

“Really? Are you preparing spaghetti again? I’m beginning to think this is the only food you can cook Arabella,” she said and yet I didn’t answer her.

I am spent and all I wanted was to get this food ready on time before going to bed. I have to be early tomorrow because I have an important order from a customer.

“So now you’re going to pretend you aren’t the one I’m talking to?” She asked again and after getting no reply from me she left.

I sighed again knowing what was going to come next, my mother-in-law would come barging into the kitchen alongside Lily to ask what that was all about.

One, two, three, four…..

The kitchen door opened with a loud bang, that was fast.

“What the hell did I just hear, Arabella?” The familiar voice of my mother-in-law asked. I could recognize her voice from anywhere on this planet, after almost getting her talking, shouting, and scolding every day it would be a surprise that I don’t know how she sounds by now.

“Good evening Mom,” I greeted, throwing a smile at her.

There she is standing tall with her head held up high, her face covered with makeup.

That doesn’t seem to please her, “what are you doing?”

“Preparing dinner Mom,” I said tiredly.

I have no time for side talk tonight, I’m beyond exhausted to say anything.

Gosh, I wonder where my husband is. I know he’s somewhere around the house since I saw him standing outside on the top floor.

“And let me guess spaghetti. Again!” She shouted.

“I told her the same thing mom, I told her not to prepare spaghetti. We have been eating that for a week now and yet here she is preparing another pot of that stinking food,” I rolled my eyes.

It’s just three days, eating spaghetti for three nights wouldn’t kill you. Learn to be grateful.

I wanted to say but I couldn’t, like I said I don’t have enough rights in this house even though it was my husband’s house, my house.

“I’m tired Mom and this is the only thing I can make right now,” I told her as I continued stirring the sauce.

I dropped it down when it was ready, turned the stove off, and faced the spaghetti.

“I’m talking to you Arabella so don’t you dare ignore me,” I had to look at her, not because she commanded me to but for my own sake.

“I don’t want to eat whatever trash you’re preparing, so you better stop it. I would like to eat some croissants for dinner,” she said and I stared at her in disbelief.

Is she serious right now?

She wants me to start preparing croissants at this time….I looked at the clock on the wall and the time; 7:43 pm was glaring right back at me.

She wants croissants at this time.

“I don’t want croissants mom, you know I have to watch what I eat from now on. Prepare me a vegetable salad instead,” she ordered.

I looked at both of them with tired eyes, any moment from now I think my body would drop because of how exhausted it is. I haven’t been sleeping well for the past week, not because I couldn’t but because I have to be awake as early as four in the morning to prepare the breakfast they wanted, including that of my husband before going to my cafe and trying to act happy for everyone.

It has been a hassle and every single day I have this thought of closing my shop but I know doing that would give my mother-in-law and Lily the power to walk over me more.

I’m not a weak person to let them do all of this to me but I’m only doing this because of the love I have for my husband and his family; even though they don’t love me back.

“I’m sorry Mom but I can’t prepare that,” I told her and continued making the spaghetti.

“Why don’t you manage the spaghetti tonight and tomorrow I can…..” I hadn’t completed my words when her palm connected with my cheek.

I bit my inner cheek to stop myself from lashing out at her.

“You better prepare what I asked Arabella else you aren’t leaving this kitchen tonight, I don’t care when the croissants get ready as long as I want them your job is to prepare them for me. That’s your job, you obey every one of our orders like a good wife that you are supposed to be!” She shouted, pointing her index finger at me.

I held my stinging cheek as I looked at her with tears clouded eyes, gosh that hurt but again I was used to it. I’m used to her hitting me every single minute like I’m the house help of this family rather than her son's wife.

I sniffed and forced myself not to cry before repeating the same words I told her, “I’m sorry Mom but I can’t do that. It’s late and I’m tired, I’ve prepared dinner so please make do with this tonight, tomorrow I promise to prepare your croissant for you,” I apologized.

This is how it has always been, in the one who apologizes when I did nothing wrong. That’s how my mother taught me to be, she always made it known that I was to respect my mother-in-law no matter what she did to me.

But both of us know she didn’t tell me that because she really wanted me to be a good wife and daughter-in-law, she only told me that because she wanted me to worship the grounds my mother-in-law walked on.

Her face turned livid, Lily who was by her side couldn’t believe the words that came out of my mouth either. This would be the first time I’m not doing as I’m told and it is surprising to them.

“What did you just say?” She asked again, taking a step towards me.

I move back in fright. Though my mother-in-law may look beautiful and too young for her age (after the continuous surgeries she had) she acts nothing like her beauty.

At times it feels like there are two different people in her body, she acts like a devil.

“I…..I apologize Mom….” She cut in.

“I don’t need your fucking apology, Arabella, all I want is for you to prepare me those damn croissants right now,”

“And my vegetable salad,” Lily chipped in.

I don’t know if they aren’t listening or their ears don't work but I’ve been saying I can’t for the past few minutes now.

“I…”

“What’s going on here?” I melted at the sound of my husband's voice.

My eyes searched around and immediately connected with his golden brown eyes, just like the first time I met him, he looked sexy in that casual outfit.

“I asked a question, what’s going on here Mom?” He asked, taking his eyes from me to his mother.

My mother-in-law rushed to his side and held his hand affectionately,

“You won’t believe what that wife of yours is preparing for us again tonight Ash,” she said.

“Spaghetti! She’s preparing spaghetti again for the fifth time this week,” she said like eating spaghetti is a crime.

“I told her I didn’t want that, that I wanted croissants instead but your wife told me that she’s tired and couldn’t prepare it. I’m hungry and she won’t even prepare dinner for me,” she explained while crying dramatically.

My eyes refused to leave Ashton’s own, I wanted to see how he would react. On other days he would get mad at me for not taking care of his mother but today, I want him to take my side for just tonight.

I promise to do whatever they want me to from now on if only he takes my side tonight. I’m exhausted and can’t do anything more.

“And I also told her politely that I wanted a vegetable salad which she ignored, brother. We haven’t eaten anything all afternoon because she refused to prepare our lunch before leaving and now she won’t even prepare the dinner we want,” Lily added.

She was putting on her act, that same face Ashton can never say no to.

“Is this true Ara?” He asked, looking at me after ignoring my existence.

“Yes I told them that I’m tired but I didn’t do those things Lily said….” I tried to explain but Ashton’s mother cut in.

“Oh shut up Arabella, you always try to cover up your mistakes. Tell me did you prepare lunch before leaving this morning?” She asked glaring at me.

All eyes were on me now.

I didn’t prepare their lunch because I knew they wouldn’t eat it, they always do that.

I’d thought they would order something to eat.

“No, but I…” once again they wouldn’t let me explain.

“Why?”

“Because they don’t eat the food I prepare for them Ash, they always order their lunch so I thought maybe they would do the same,” Lily snorted by my side.

“You thought what? I’m famished here and that’s because of you,”

My eyes went back to my husband, he’s the only one who has the final say here. If he tells me to go take a rest then I will do it but if he also tells me to prepare their desired dinner I also have no choice but to do it.

“You know what I hate the most,” I swallowed down nothing, taking my eyes to the floor knowing what was coming next.

“When someone mistreats my family, my mother and sister especially, I hate it and you Bella are doing the same thing I do not like,” he began.

“But I….” He raised his hand and I quickly shut my mouth.

“Take care of my family, that’s the only thing I ask of you Bella after our marriage, and what did you say, you said yes but now you’re doing the opposite of it. Do you want me to stop the payment?” My eyes quickly snapped to his golden brown ones and I could see the threats in them, I shook my head.

All of a sudden I was no longer tired, I was ready to prepare what they wanted.

“Good then prepare dinner for everyone, and make sure it’s what they want. Is that clear?” He asked and though my heart felt heavy I had no choice but to nod.

Like always, I can’t believe my husband took his family's side again.