Chapter One

Third-person POV.

"Ankti, Mom wants you to come downstairs right now to serve the guests, we are having a lack of waiters," Priya ordered her and left. Ankti thought for some time then went there. She took a serving tray with the wine and start serving the guest.

Some guests start whispering "hey who is she?" Other guests said, "She is the daughter of Mr. Mathur. Her parents died in a car accident and now she is living with her aunt."

"But why is she doing this work, Mathur family is well-known family, don't they have servants to serve the guest so they are wanting her to do it." other guest asked. Ankit's aunt heard that and went to her, she glared at her but as there were lots of guests available so could not show her anger at that time, then she changed her expression and asked her, "Ankti why are you doing this work darling and why did you come here, I told you to take rest as you were unwell dear, come on, come with me let me take you to your room as you have a fever. " Ankti scared by the look on her face. On the other end, Priya was watching all of it with amusement at the face. She never like Ankti as she was a beauty, she always feels jealous of her, she always tries to make troubles for her, it makes her happy to see her in pain.

Ankti POV

"No no no, please let me go, Priya told me that you want me to come to the party, Priya said that we have fewer servants and you had called me for help.". I cried harder but she didn't bother to let me go she kept hitting me. "You bitch, you are accusing my daughter, this is your gift to show your pretty face at my party to ruin it and you would not get your food today then you will know your fault." She said and I can see the anger at her face. I was scared like she would kill me anytime. After blowing her anger on me she went downstairs. where the party held. I was sitting at the corner of the darkroom. I cried until the morning. I woke up with the sunlight which was coming from the window. I tried to stand up but was not able to do that as my body was aching with the pain, after lots of struggle I standup and checked myself in the mirror, I had bruises all over my body. Tears slipped from my eyes I quickly swiped them from my cheeks and went to the bathroom. I quickly took a shower and dressed up. I went to the kitchen and prepared breakfast for all. Ankti,  we are having guests in the evening so I want the whole house to be cleaned perfectly, I do not want any type of dirt at this house, not even you." Aunty said.

I said, "Okay aunty" and start working. I cleaned the whole house and prepared some snacks for the guests as I was told. After completing the work I re-checked everything, it was already the evening when I finished my work so I went to my room and locked it as aunty told me.

I was laying on my bed and thinking about the days with my parents. My parents died In a car accident on my birthday when they were returning from the US to celebrate my birthday. I was 10 years old when the cops told me that my parents have died and I am all alone now. I cried for days, not able to know how would I live from now without my parents. My aunty and uncle start living in my house with me and took over the business of my father as he was the younger brother of the father. My aunty never treated me as her child, my cousin took my room and all my belongings and they shifted me to the guest room which was half of the size of my room. there was a bed to sleep and a cupboard where you can place your stuff which I don't have. I never care about the place where I am staying until I have a place to live and I can not leave the house because it's my parent's house where I have lots of memories of my parents. where I can feel them, sometimes I feel that they are near me and they are watching all the happening and they will do something for me. It's been 10 years now and I am still waiting for days, I miss my parents a lot. I came out from my thought when my phone rang, I check the phone and it was from my best friend Sana, I picked up the phone

"What took you so long to pick up the phone, you idiot, where were you?" She shouts from the other side of the phone. Ah, she never left a chance to shout at me.

"Hello to you too dear," I said with a smile on my face. "There are guests in our house and I am at my room and my phone was on silent mode as you know so that no one can hear the rings and all," I told her everything which had happened last night.

Oh God, are you okay Ankti, I will kill them someday, how can they beat you, and that bitch Priya, how dare she did that to you".

"calm down Sana and I am okay, don't worry and tell me why did you call me," I asked her to change the topic otherwise she will literally kill them by the words.

"Oh that, I have a piece of good news to share with you," she said.

"Really and what's that," I asked her. not able to understand what is she talking about.

"Well well well, I am going to the Delhi for the management program for which I had applied and guess what?" she informed me. "What," I asked her. "You are also selected for the same," She said and I was shocked by the news as I didn't apply for any program so how can I be selected. "But I didn't apply for that," I asked her again and I could feel the hesitation in her voice "Actually Ankti I am really sorry, I applied from your behalf without your knowledge, I knew that you want to go for the management program and you will not believe that they are providing you a scholarship after checking your academics results". She tells everything and I was really happy to know that but then the realization hit me that my aunt and uncle will not allow me to go there.

"Thank you so much Sana but I can not go there, you know about my uncle and aunty, they will never allow me to go out from the house, it's best that they allow me to study here," I told her because I knew that she will understand. She knows everything about me and my life in this house. I never hide anything from her as she is the only person I can trust and she understands me more than anyone.

"Ankti don't worry, we have time to think about it, As we need to go there after completing our graduation and we have 6 months for it, we will think about something and I will surely help you in that, you don't need to worry, I am here okay. right now, let's celebrate the good news, okay," she said I feel really happy, she is right we have 6 months from now and we will surely think about something.

"Okay I need to go now bye take care will meet in college"

"Okay, bye-bye" After saying goodbye to her I hung up the call and went to sleep. I always have nightmares because of that I can not sleep more than 4-5 hours and no one knows about it except Sana, she always with me in my horrible days in this house, my aunt and uncle do not like her and they never want me to spent time with her but she is my one and only friend.