Chapter 03

Minutes have passed and all that's left in the room was Lauren. She’s still sitting and crying on the floor. She's used to that kind of scenario, but she doesn't know why the hell she is crying right now. Maybe because her father won't believe her anymore or is it because she realizes that from the very beginning, she doesn't have someone to rely on.

Her stepmother and sister were always scheming behind her back and she always falls for it. She’s too weak to retaliate, and she’s too kind to plot and scheme back on them. Because above everything that they have done to her, Lauren is still believing that someday… they will change.

Lauren sighs. It’s too late… too late for her to realize that it won’t happen.

She stood up and composed herself. Why would you cry on something that is not worthy of your tears? She scolds herself for being weak at that moment. 

Lauren wiped her tears, then she looked around at that messy room. From today onwards, she’s going to live for herself. It’s time to prioritize herself first. Lauren promises herself, she will leave this place soon. They clearly don’t want her in their life, so it’s best to leave on her own will. And if that time comes, she will be happy and free, but for now, she needs to be strong. Strong enough to endure all of their mistreatment.

She opens the window and stares outside.

It was a gray morning and the wind was rather chilly.

Lauren decided to close the window as the weather doesn't look good. Thunder roared across the sky that made her flinch. Soon enough, the raindrops were heard. The rain starts pouring hard outside the house.  It looks like the rain won't stop any time soon.

She turns back to see her room again and begins cleaning her messy room. Her things were scattered on the floor. She sighed and shook her head as she recalled again what happened a while ago.

She started picking up her clothes and organizing them in her cabinet. It’s not that much because most of her things were only given by Hazel. Mostly it was Hazel’s old clothes, and sometimes because she doesn't like the design anymore. She accepts it so that she can save money. Aside from spending money on her transportation and food, she doesn’t have any reason to spend her money on something.

Maliit lang ang kwartong tinutuluyan ni Lauren kung kaya't madali lang siyang natapos sa paglilinis. Hindi rin naman gaano karami ang mga gamit niya. Bukod sa kama, side table at dalawang cabinet ay wala ng iba pang kagamitan roon. Isa talaga sa mga kwarto ng katulong ang tinutuluyan niya. Ang kaibahan lang ay mag-isa siya roon samantalang ang mga katulong ay magkasama sa iisang kwarto. Ngunit may kalakihan naman iyon para magkasya sila.

Sino naman kasi ang magtatangka na sumama sa kanya? Siguradong madadamay lang sila sa galit ni Hazel, kapag nagkataon ay mawawalan pa sila ng trabaho.

After she tidies up her bed, she lazily lays there. 

She touched the necklace she was wearing. In that necklace, there's a small gold ladybug pendant attached to it. At the back, there's an LK1015 character carved on it. The pendant wasn’t that big, but the characters' engrave was readable.

Back then, she didn’t ask what’s the meaning behind those characters, but now, she's wondering about it. 

It was the only memory of her late mother. She always thinks that if only her mother had not died, they might still be happy now.

She was just wondering why her father accepts and takes her in their house even though he doesn't need to. She’s already content after knowing his existence. She and her mother live without him, and they can continue living without him. 

Maybe it’s because she only wants what is best for Lauren. They sent her to a boarding school and she can only get home every summer or holiday, so it’s the only time she can bond with her mother.

Later on, they informed her that her mother died. She was only fourteen years old by that time. They say that she died because of illness. It got worse because it’s already too late when it was diagnosed. Maybe it was her mother’s way to give her a better life. 

But after that, she doesn’t have anyone to be by her side. She endured all the hardship by herself.

What’s even sadder was that she doesn't recall that much memory with her mother anymore. Luckily, she had a picture of her mother, thus she can still remember her face.

Lauren knows too well that her mother is her father's mistress and she was just a mistake. Her mother tolerates everything for her. Every time Stella's friends were in their house, and coincidentally her mother was there to visit her. Stella makes a way to embarrass her mother in front of them. Clearly telling them that they didn’t belong to their family. 

Instead of being considered as a family, she was only considered as a helper in that house. Even when her mother died, her father was always busy in their company. They made her run errands for them, and when they do not like what she did, they will beat her up. 

She cannot tell nor complain to her father because if she does that, they will only threaten her more.

They also transferred her to a public school by the time she was in high school. At first, she thought that everything she did was needed to repay their hospitality and acceptance. For her to be grateful that even her mother died, they didn't send her off. But later on, when she understands what kind of life she has. Doing everything for their benefits but receiving nothing… she comes to the realization, for them she's just a bug that leeches on them… so they need to make sure to use her for their benefits.

Lauren was lost in her thoughts when the door suddenly opened.

A woman in her late forties in a maid's outfit went straight into her room. Her left hand was placed on her waist, while her right hand was holding a rag. 

Nilapitan siya nito at pagalit na binulyawan. “Hoy, tumayo ka na d'yan at maglinis ng bahay! Hindi ka prinsesa rito kung inaakala mo."

“Oh right she forgot, she's one of them. Not a princess, but a servant.’

Lauren got up from her bed. The woman angrily glanced at her again. “Dalian mo! Lumabas ka na at simulan mo nang magtrabaho!" Naglakad ang ginang palapit sa pinto at saka malakas na isinarado ito paglabas niya.

Lauren just shrugged her shoulders. She's used to it. Even the other maids have an indifferent attitude towards her.

Matapos maligo at mag-ayos ng sarili ay lumabas na siya ng kwarto. 

She went straight to the Laundry area. Lauren was hungry at that time, but she knew there was no food for her since she woke up late that day. She could only eat later at lunch.

.

.

.

It was almost noon. The rain that was pouring hard that morning seems like it didn’t happen at all. This time, the sun was high and the weather was really hot. 

Lauren walks towards the kitchen to have a glass of water. She's already tired. After finishing the laundry, she also cleans the other rooms. She even maps the floor then wipes the stairs in their living room.

Hiling niya lang talaga na sana ay nasa trabaho siya ng mga oras na 'yon. Sa ganoong paraan ay wala siya sa bahay na 'yon para gawin ang mga bagay na hindi naman dapat siya ang gumagawa. Ayos lang naman sa kanya ang tumulong, ang kaso sa lagay niya ay parang siya na ang gumagawa ng lahat. But at least she still has some freedom and was able to have work.

“You are supposed to clean the house. Why are you here?" Pagalit na tanong ni Hazel. Hindi niya na lang ito pinansin. 

Masama ba ang magpahinga at uminom ng tubig sandali? Baka kapag hindi niya ginawa ay himatayin na lang siya sa pagod at init ng panahon.

She knows her too well that no matter what she did, she would never win against Hazel. If there’s a chance she chooses to fight her, Hazel can do everything to turn the table and make it favorable for her.

"Hazel? Why did you take so long?" Lauren stopped for a moment after hearing that voice.

"Theo" Lauren murmured, his name.

The man who promised to protect her no matter what… ang pangako nito na kahit kailan ay hindi matutupad. Inaamin niyang may gusto siya sa lalaki, subalit alam niyang wala siyang pag-asa rito. 

He is already Hazel's fiancé that means he is her soon to be brother-in-law.

“Oh, Lauren! You're here!" Theo enthusiastically calls her name. It's been a while ever since he saw her. Though she looks like she lost weight in that amount of time.

Lauren shifted her gaze. She doesn't want to cause a scene, especially since Hazel is here. Minsan ay hindi pa naman nya alam ang takbo ng utak ni Hazel. Pagdating sa lalaki ay napakabilis pa naman magselos ni Hazel kaya hangga't maaari ay ayaw niya ng magkaroon ng kaugnayan kay Theo bukod sa pagiging in-law nila sa isa’t isa.

Ayaw niya na rin makita si Theo lalo na kapag mag-isa ito, kaya siya na ang umiiwas. Maraming mata at tenga si Hazel sa paligid at baka sa simpleng paglapit pa lang nito ay pag-umpisahan na ng gulo.

“Are you okay? You look pale." Theo worriedly asked.

Lumapit si Theo kay Lauren para tignan ito. Paanong hindi siya namumutla, hindi pa siya kumakain. Pagod na rin siya sa gawaing bahay. Mabuti sana kung maliit lang ang bahay nila… kaso hindi. Ang iba namang kasambahay ay hindi siya tinutulungan. Natutuwa pa nga ang mga ito dahil nababawasan sila ng gagawin. Ang iba ay hindi na nagtatrabaho lalo kung wala ang amo sa bahay at siya na lang ang inuutusan.

Napalingon naman si Hazel kay Theo nang lapitan nito ang kapatid niya.

They were 3 years older than Lauren. Looking at her sister, you can say how beautiful she is. From her natural raven straight hair with some curl at the end of it to the captivating amber eyes. She even has a great body posture.

People always compare their looks and praise Lauren, even Theo is fond of her sister. That's why she's always jealous of her.

Nilapitan niya si Theo at hinawakan ang braso nito. She smiled and said, "Don't worry Theo, my sister is fine. She was just tired from work. Actually I was wondering why she’s here when I told her to rest. Right, Lauren?"

Makahulugang tumingin si Hazel sa kapatid.

Sunod-sunod ang pagtango ni Lauren bilang pagsang-ayon sa sinabi nito. "Y-yes. Ahm… Excuse me, kailangan ko nang bumalik sa kwarto. May kailangan din kasi akong gawin.”

Lauren quickly put down the glass of water, then left.

Hindi niya naman alam na pupunta pala rito ang lalaki, pwede rin naman na hinatid niya si Hazel pauwi. 

Kaya hindi siya umaalis sa bahay ay para kahit papaano ay makapag-pahinga siya. These past few days her work was always at night and there were a lot more customers than usual. Ang kaso sa halip na pahinga, dagdag na trabaho ang ginagawa niya. Subalit mabuti na rin ‘yon para naman hindi isumbat sa kanya na nakikitira na nga lang siya, wala pa siyang ginagawa sa bahay.