CHAPTER ONE

The blaring of the horn at the main entrance was what jolted Samantha back to reality. Her stepmother was back home from one of her many trips birthing a new chapter of misery was about to be opened in her life, she sincerely wished her vacation had lasted longer. Life had become a burden and a lot of times she had considered throwing herself from the window, in death maybe she would find peace but anytime the thought occurred to her she remembered her mother, she would be disappointed.

Samantha wiped her hands on her worn out shorts and proceeded downstairs to welcome her stepmother home. As she descended down the stairs she prayed earnestly for the woman to be in a good mood at least that way she can make away with just insults.

" Where is the girl?". A middle aged woman asked no one in particular as soon as she alighted from the car.

The house workers who had long assembled themselves awaiting her arrival kept mute. It was difficult for them to know if the lady of the house desired a response , the last time one of them had answered that kind of question,she was punished severely.

The lady of the house ,Samantha's step mother, Elena, was a woman with a frigid demeanor, her outward appearance was just an illusion to hide the coldness of her heart. Her daughter Olivia didn't just inherit her looks but also her attitude and together they made life unbearable for the inhabitants of the house.

" Are you all deaf?. This time it was her daughter that asked.

Samantha could sense the tension in the atmosphere immediately she stepped into the walkway. She tried to fake smile as she walked towards them.

" Good afternoon mum, You are wel..."

The woman's hand landed on her face before she could react, the slap resounded in the walkway were they stood. Samantha's head dropped, her cheeks burning from the impact of the slap, she could taste blood. Her brain was still trying to process what happened when another slap landed.

" You filthy brat" she spat." Don't you ever call me that ".

Samantha could only mutter an apology. Today was good day at least this time she didn't use her heels. The rest of the day was rather quiet though she could overhear the whispers amongst the housekeepers about what had transpired earlier. She stared at her bruised lips in the broken glass she used as mirror, the previous bruises were almost healed during her stepmother's absence, her lips burned as she tried to apply the antiseptic lotion maybe she might never experience what it felt like to live without her lips stinging every now and then.

"Samantha" Olivia's voice echoed from the dining hall. " Come down here now".

With a tired sigh she quickly wore the shorts she had previously removed and descended down the stairs. She found Olivia sited at the dining table, the aroma of grilled chicken and sauce filled the air, they were having dinner, a luxury she could no longer partake in.

" Why is the sauce spicy?". Olivia asked her in annoyance.

" I ... I... don't know ". She stammered. There was no way she could know, she was not permitted to taste the food while cooking, her stepmother had gone ahead to install cameras in the kitchen to ensure the instruction was carried out.

" Mum , why do we still keep her here?" Olivia asked her mother.

" Well in order for your father to keep her mother's inheritance, she must stay here "Elena responded as she sipped the wine in glass.

" Well you just successfully ruined dinner for me" Olivia stated.

" I'm sorry ". Samantha apologized with her eyes fixed in the ground. She dare not look at them when they spoke.

" Sorry won't do , I think having the housekeepers help around in the house is making you lazy, mum how about we relieve all the house workers maybe that way she will be more attentive to details when she is cooking" Olivia offered

" Fine by me". Her mother replied.

Samantha threw herself on the floor, this was the worst thing that could happen there was no way she alone could do the chores in the house even with the number of house keepers they had it was still difficult to carry out the chores.

" Please don't do this, I promise it will never repeat itself". She begged desperately.

Olivia stared down at her with a disdainful smirk, this was what she enjoyed, having Samantha beg at her feet.

"Come closer" she ordered

Samantha crawled towards her reluctantly.

"Closer" Olivia insisted.

Samantha screeched as the hot sauce left a burning sensation in her eyes, it was unexpected. Olivia had tipped the bowl making everything spill on her face. She attempted to wipe it off with her hands but that only made it worse. She could hear the echoes of their laughter as they left her in the dining hall, she stumbled as she struggled to find her way to the kitchen, there was no one to help her as all the housekeepers had retired to their quarters.

That night was one of the many nights Samantha cried herself to sleep. Her life wasn't always like this, there was a time when she lived like a princess, when everything she desired was given to her and more but all that was a distant memory, a memory that she found difficult to believe was actually hers.

By the next week, Samantha had almost forgotten that she had almost lost her eyes the only reminder of the unfortunate incident was the swelling on her eyelids. The housekeepers were all relieved off their duties the following day as Olivia had requested, all her plea fell in deaf ears, the rest of that week dragged on with impossible chores and tasks . But today was different her father was coming back home and her stepmother had instructed that the whole house be scrubbed clean, to be honest the house did not need cleaning but she did not have a choice. By afternoon she had concluded her chores, she took her bath and wore worn of the gowns that her stepmother kept aside for outing. The truth was that no one knew what she was going through at home, her father was a member of the high class citizens this information would bring disgrace to the family and cause a stir on social media in summary their company would crumble , as much as Samantha knew she was a victim the last thing she wanted was the family business to fail her mother literally worked her self to death to get the the company to where it was presently.

She glanced at her mothers portrait on the wall of the store house that was now her room. It was the only picture left of her mum her father had gotten rid of everything that belonged to her as soon as she was buried as if to wipe away her existence. Sometimes she wished she had inherited her mother's boldness and fierceness maybe just maybe she would be able to stand up to Olivia and her mother.

" Strength is portrayed in different ways". She recalled her mother's words. If this was her own way of portraying strength, being reduced to a maid in her own house, then she wasn't sure she wanted to be strong at all.

The warmth of the sun embraced her skin as soon as she stepped outside . Running errands outside the house was Samantha's only method of escape, breathing in the fresh air was sometimes what she needed to momentarily forget her current predicament. She wrapped her self in a scarf and wore sunglasses to conceal her identity, the last thing she needed was to trend on social media, the last time it happened her stepmother had her wiped with a belt. As she stepped outside the mall, the picture on the billboard caught her attention, it was no other person but Olivia her stepsister. That was one of the many things Olivia had stolen from her, she remembered crying profusely when her father asked Olivia to replace her, it was the final blow that broke her resolve. She had applied for the contract secretly hoping to be accepted and use the opportunity and escape but somehow her stepmother got wind of it and reported her to her father. It was like the man was under a spell, it was like love for her died with her mother,that's if he ever did . Elena was his mistress and Olivia was 21 just few months younger than her meaning the affair started almost same time she was born . Sometimes she wondered if her mother was aware that he was cheating, the man literally moved his mistress in the moment her mother died, it was the trending topic then and she remembered her father payed a huge sum of money to cover the story up.

It was almost evening when she got back home, everyone was going to be back home soon she needed to hurry.

When her father returned he did not ask to see her not that she was surprised but for some reason she hoped he will. The sound of laughter in the dinner hall suddenly stopped after her father received a call, spying through the kitchen, she could hear father explaining on phone. Her heart skipped a beat, her father was gambling again.