Chapter 1

In a room, three men were embroiled in a heated argument. A curious ten-year-old girl peeked through the slightly ajar door of a nearby cupboard, watching intently as her father shouted at a young man who appeared to be around twenty.

"You bastard! How dare you set foot in my home!" the girl's father yelled at the young man.

"Don't you dare raise your voice at me, Stephen! I have all the evidence of your deceit against us. It's better for you to admit your wrongdoing and return our possessions," the young man warned, brandishing a document as proof.

When Stephen caught sight of the document, he began to sweat profusely, wiping his brow with a tissue.

The young man's father smirked and said, "You have no choice, Stephen! It's better to surrender; I assure you I will push for severe punishment in court."

Stephen stumbled backward, his voice shaky. "Alright! We can discuss this calmly! Let's sit down," he suggested, nervously pulling open a drawer to retrieve his gun.

The young man was quick to notice Stephen's actions and lunged at him.

"You idiot! I knew you would try something like this!" the young man shouted.

"You bastard! I’ll call the police!" the young man's father yelled, dialing the number on his phone.

As the young man saw Stephen aiming the gun at his father, he lunged to disarm him, but suddenly the room erupted with a deafening gunshot. Everyone froze in shock.

The young man's hands trembled, and the gun clattered to the floor. He rushed to his father, cradling him in his arms.

"Dad! No! What happened? What have I done?" he cried, panic-stricken.

He pressed his hands against the wound, trying to stem the blood flow.

"Help us! Our lives are in danger! Alex, don’t—" the man who had been shot struggled to speak but ultimately succumbed, collapsing lifelessly in his son’s embrace.

Meanwhile, Stephen was paralyzed with fear. He slowly picked up the gun and cried out, "Don’t, Alex! Please don’t hurt me!" In a moment of desperation, he shot himself in the arm.

"Hello! Emergency services! We need help! Our lives are in grave danger!" he shouted into the phone.

"Ahhh! Don’t! Please! Somebody help!" Anjali, the girl who had been watching from the cupboard, screamed in terror, and both men turned to her in shock.

"No! Let me go! Stop!" she cried out in her sleep, thrashing her arms and legs as if trying to escape an unseen grip. She was drenched in sweat and felt suffocated, as if her air supply had been cut off.

Suddenly, a bucket of icy cold water was thrown over her, sending a shockwave of chill through her body.

Anjali's eyes flew open, and she sat up in bed, hugging her knees to her chest for warmth.

She felt a sharp sting on her cheek, and before she could react, a hand gripped her hair tightly. "Bitch! Do you think you’re a queen who needs servants to wake you from your beauty sleep?" her mother, Anna, spat, forcing her jaw painfully.

"Ahh! Mom! Please! Let go! It hurts!" Anjali cried, tears streaming down her face.

"How dare you sleep in so late! I told you last night to get up early because we have visitors today!" Anna shouted, tightening her grip.

"I'm so sorry, Mom! I was just so exhausted last night that I overslept! I promise I’ll get everything done on time!" Anjali pleaded.

Anna glared at her with a warning look. "Get your lazy self moving! If I don’t see everything done on time, I swear I’ll break your legs and arms," she threatened.

Anjali swallowed hard, her voice trembling as she replied, "Alright, Mom!" She hurried to change into something dry.

"Wait!" Anna called, a sinister grin spreading across her face.

Anjali turned, fear etched on her face. "What is it, Mom?"

"You know your shortcomings, so you need to be punished. You’ll work in these wet clothes," Anna said with a smirk.

Tears filled Anjali's eyes. "But... it’s so cold outside! Please, have mercy! I promise I won’t make the same mistake again. Please, just show some kindness!" she begged.

Anna smirked again. "I don’t want to repeat myself! Now get moving, you spoiled brat," she said, shoving Anjali aside as she left the room with a self-satisfied smile.

Anjali clutched her damp clothes and closed her eyes, trying to muster courage. "You can do this," she whispered to herself.

After a moment, she ventured out of her room and into the kitchen. As she passed by Miss Rose, the oldest servant who was the only one in the house who cared for her, she felt a flicker of hope amidst her turmoil.

Miss Rose was deeply concerned for the unfortunate young woman in front of her, feeling the weight of the girl's situation as she struggled to offer help.

"Oh my goodness, sweetheart, why didn’t you wear something warmer? It’s chilly outside! You could catch a cold, or worse, get sick," Miss Rose said, her voice filled with worry.

Anjali shook her head, nervously wringing her fingers, unsure of how to respond to Miss Rose’s concern.

It didn’t take long for Miss Rose to piece everything together. She sighed heavily and muttered, "That witch is punishing you again, isn’t she?"

"Aunt Rose! Please don’t talk about her like that; she’s my mother," Anjali whispered.

"She’s not your real mother! Your true mother is in the hospital fighting for her life," Rose reminded her firmly.

"But she loves me! Please don’t speak ill of her; it’s my fault she had to teach me a lesson," Anjali replied, biting her lip.

Frustration boiled over in Rose as she grabbed Anjali by the shoulders. "For heaven’s sake! Stop being so naive like your mother! Can’t you see what kindness has brought her? Don’t repeat her mistakes!"

"Please, Aunt Rose, you know my mother always wanted me to be part of this family. She taught me to be kind to everyone so I could win them over," Anjali said, her eyes welling with tears.

Rose scoffed. "For ten years you’ve tried that, and it hasn’t worked! They’re heartless, greedy monsters who see you as nothing. Stop wasting your time and leave this house. I promise I’ll take you in and treat you like my own daughter. It’s not too late—come with me," Rose urged.

"I can’t do that, Aunt Rose! You know I can’t! They’ve paid all of my mother’s hospital bills. If she’s alive, it’s because of their help, and my dad provided her treatment. I owe him my life," Anjali cried, feeling helpless.

Rose sighed in defeat. "Like mother, like daughter! I don’t understand why they’re covering your mother’s expenses, but I’m sure there’s some selfish motive behind it. Greed runs deep in the Grayson family."

"Aunt, it’s not like that! Just drop it! I need to finish my chores before my mother comes home and gets angry with me," Anjali said, starting to look for the staples.

"Let me help you," Rose offered, stepping into the kitchen to assist Anjali.

Anjali prepared breakfast and then went to clean the bathroom, as Anna had insisted she tidy up the room because Clara’s boyfriend would be staying with them for a few days.

After working tirelessly, Anjali finally finished cleaning.

"Ugh! Finally, my work is done!" she sighed, leaning against the wall to catch her breath.

"Anjali! Where are you?!" Clara shouted, her voice ringing through the house.

Hearing Clara’s angry tone sent a jolt of fear through Anjali, and she instinctively moved toward the source of the commotion.

"What’s wrong, Clara? Did you need something?" Anjali asked, silently hoping to avoid provoking her.

Clara hurled a plate of fried eggs and bread at her. "What’s this?! How many times do I have to tell you I don’t eat egg yolks? How dare you put them in my breakfast?" Clara grabbed Anjali’s wrist and twisted it painfully.

"Ah! Let go of me, please! I forgot, I’m so sorry! I’ll make your meals exactly as you want them next time," Anjali pleaded, wincing in pain.

"You did this on purpose, didn’t you? You’re jealous of my perfect figure, and you wanted to ruin it by giving me bad food so I’d end up a hideous fat cow like you!" Clara sneered, twisting Anjali’s wrist even harder.

"I'm sorry, Clara. I didn't mean to ruin your breakfast!" Anjali said, her voice tinged with remorse.

Anna shot Anjali a furious glare and slapped her hard across the left cheek. "You ungrateful little brat! It seems I've given you plenty of chances. We shouldn’t have to coddle you, especially since you take after your whore of a mother, who’s just jealous of me and my daughter!" Anna snapped.

Every time Anna insulted her mother, it felt like a dagger to Anjali’s heart; to her, her mother was the best in the world.

"Please, you can hit me, insult me, or punish me, but don’t speak ill of my mother," Anjali pleaded, tears welling in her eyes.

"Looks like the daughter of a whore has quite the tongue. We should do something about that," Clara remarked, smirking at Anna.

"Absolutely! Let me show her what happens when she talks back," Anna replied, her voice dripping with malice.

"Get me some green chilies!" Clara commanded a servant.

"No, please! Don’t do this, Clara! I’m begging you!" Anjali cried, clasping her hands together in desperation.

"Don’t show me your fake tears; they won’t save you from your punishment. I’ve been too lenient with you lately, and you thought you were a princess, didn’t you? Keep dreaming," Clara sneered as she took the bowl of green chilies from the servant's hands.

"Eat it, you deserve it!" Clara ordered Anjali, her tone harsh.

"Mother! Please, have mercy! I promise I won’t say a word again. I’m so sorry!" Anjali begged, falling to Anna’s feet in a desperate plea for forgiveness.

With an exhausted sigh, Anna kicked Anjali in the face with the sharp edge of her heel, the blow barely grazing her cheek and leaving it red.

"Stop your theatrics! Don’t waste our time; just get it over with. Consider yourself lucky that I’m even giving you something to eat," Anna snapped.

"No! Mother, please! I can’t eat it!" Anjali begged, her voice trembling.

"Fine! If you can’t eat it, then you can leave," Anna said, a wicked smile spreading across her face as she glanced at Clara.

"Thank you, Mother! Thank you, Clara! I promise I won’t make any more mistakes," Anjali said, wiping away her tears.

"Now get out of my sight before I change my mind," Anna shouted at her.

Anjali quickly stood up and hurried away, not wanting to provoke them further.

Anna grinned and dialed a number on her phone. "Hello, Doctor! I’m calling to inform you that we will no longer be covering the medical expenses for Amara Sharma at your clinic. You can do whatever you want, but don’t call us or bother us about payment," Anna said loudly, ensuring Anjali could hear.

Anjali froze at the news, her heart sinking as she processed the cruel reality of her situation.

How could she forget the harsh truth: "In this world, if you want something, you have to sacrifice something in return."

Turning back to the dining table, Anjali grabbed the bowl of green chilies from Clara and sat on the floor, as she wasn’t allowed to sit at the table.

She closed her eyes and picked up a green chili, her hands shaking as she took a bite. The fiery seeds ignited a burning sensation on her tongue.

It felt as if fire had been set loose in her mouth; her eyes watered with tears as she gasped for relief. She reached for a glass of cold water, but Clara deliberately knocked it over.

"Oh no! How unfortunate!" Clara smirked.

Anjali felt a wave of despair wash over her, knowing she had no escape from this torment. Inside, she wanted to scream from the pain of her burning mouth.

She bit down on her cheeks to stifle her cries, not wanting to provoke Clara and Anna further.

Closing her eyes, she envisioned her mother. For years, the thought of her mother had brought her solace. "You can do this! It’s for Mom," Anjali encouraged herself as she forced herself to continue eating the chilies.

From a distance, Rose watched helplessly, tears streaming down her face, unable to intervene.

"I'm so sorry, dear! I wish I could help you. One day, these monsters will pay for how they’ve treated an angel like you. Karma will catch up with them," Rose whispered through her tears, covering her mouth to muffle her cries as she hurried away.

After some time, Anjali finished the bowl, gasping for air. Her face was flushed a dark red, and her mouth felt like it was on fire. Her stomach churned painfully, as if acid was boiling inside her, and she felt nauseous.

Anna gripped Anjali’s jaw tightly and said, "I think you’ve learned how to control your tongue now," releasing her with a shove.

"No one is to give you food or water for now. If anyone dares to defy us, they will face our wrath," Clara ordered the servants who had been watching in silence.

"And you, little brat! I dare you to eat or drink anything. Think twice about your filthy mother before crossing us," Anna said, leaving with Clara.

As soon as they were gone, Anjali dashed to her room, ran into the bathroom, and vomited everything into the toilet. Her insides felt like they were on fire, and she was horrified to see blood mixed with her bile.

When nothing seemed to ease the burning sensation, she sat under the cold shower.

"Ahhhhh! I’m burning!" Anjali cried out in agony.

"Mom! Please help me! I’m on fire!" she screamed under the cold water.

For nearly an hour, she cried under the shower, and when she finally felt a bit calmer, she turned it off and dressed for school.

Just as she was about to leave, Rose entered with a worried expression.

"How are you feeling? Here, this will help," Rose said, offering her a small bowl of honey.

Anjali set it aside and forced a smile. "It’s okay! I should get used to it," she replied before heading off to school.