01

Victoria Addam couldn't even keep track of how many times her head had been forced underwater in the sink. It was a struggle to catch her breath, and she had no way to defend herself. But it seemed like her tormentors weren't satisfied with just that.

"I've had enough of this witch! She's always trying to get Master Helio's attention like some stray cat!" Bertha, one of the senior maids in Ruthner's house, sneered.

"Tell us, you little brat! What did you do to make Master Helio propose to you on your very first day here?"

"And how dare you try to steal Lady Claudia's position? You, who came here to pay off your parents' debts!?"

Bertha yanked Victoria's black hair hard, giving her a brief respite. Victoria glanced toward the door of the laundry room, where Claudia Page looked on coldly. Amy Key, Victoria's once-faithful best friend, stood beside Claudia. It was because of Amy that Victoria found herself in this nightmarish situation.

"Amy...." Victoria's voice trembled with disappointment.

She never could have imagined that her life would turn into a living hell after she arrived at this house as a maid. Her father, a businessman and a gambling addict, owed a mountain of money to Ruthner. In exchange for payment, he sent his daughter to serve as a maid for two years.

Victoria had done as her father asked, but her very first day had been strange. Helio Ruthner, the young master of the Ruthner family, had suddenly proposed to her. Of course, Victoria had rejected him. She already had a lover. But that rejection had marked the beginning of all the terrible things that had befallen her in this house.

Now, Victoria had been reduced to the lowest of the low, practically a slave. Everyone humiliated her and despised her, convinced that she was seducing Helio. Helio himself seemed indifferent, as if he were purposefully toying with her. Even Amy, her closest friend, had betrayed her and aligned herself with Claudia.

Amy had become one of the people who tormented Victoria.

"Where do you think you're looking, huh? How dare you stare at Lady Claudia like that!"

Once again, Victoria's head was forced underwater. She struggled against her captors, but the four maids held her down.

"Enough," Claudia commanded, causing Bertha to release Victoria. Gasping for air, Victoria collapsed onto the wet floor.

Claudia approached Victoria with a pitiful expression and spoke.

"Why don't you just go back to your little town?" she taunted. "Pay off your father's debts by any means necessary—even if it means selling your body. But don't you dare offer it to my lover, Victoria."

"I'm not seducing Master Helio or trying to steal your place, Lady Claudia. I'm just doing my job here."

"And what about you, who seems so desperate to be by his side?" Claudia's slap landed hard across Victoria's face, sending her sprawling.

"Are you suggesting that Helio is the one seeking your attention? Do you think my man has such poor taste?"

Claudia appeared calm despite her cutting words, her eyes sharp as a knife.

"Amy," Claudia called to her, motioning for her to come closer. She handed Amy a short wooden stick. "For this one chance, I want you to punish this shameless slave."

"What? Lady, I...."

"Why?" Amy looked uncertain. "You don't want to do it? Or are you hoping to take her place since you used to be her dear friend?" But deep down, Amy was more terrified of Claudia than betraying her friend once again.

"Oh, Victoria, I'm so sorry," Amy whispered, her voice trembling with regret. She hesitated for a moment before raising the stick, aiming for Victoria's head. With a swift motion, she struck, causing Victoria to instantly slip into unconsciousness.

***

Victoria had no clue how long she had been unconscious. She only felt the floor, and her body was cold; she was highly dizzy for a while. She found a blood trace on her forehead and realized someone was standing before her.

She quickly woke up and looked at Helio, staring at her coldly.

"What a good day to die," he said heartlessly.

"What are you doing here, Master?"

"Just make sure that they didn't kill you. Thankfully not, because if they do, I will kill them all after killing my slave without my permission." Victoria clenched her fits, holding back her anger at Helio's words. "Do you need a treat? I will call my doctor to treat you, but you have to be something that is worth it."

"Like a wife?"

Helio snapped his finger. "Right! So, what is your answer this time? Did you change your mind, or do you still want to refuse it and continue your living hell?"

 Victoria didn't answer right away. She recalled the suffering and torments that her body got.

After almost dying to Helio's lover, Victoria still had to hear such words from Helio when he must be the only reason why Victoria's life turned bad like this.

"Why did you do this to me?" Victoria asked, still holding back her tears. "Do you love me?"

"Do I love you...?" He almost laughed. "Nope. I just love the way you entertain me."

"Do all of my suffering look like entertainment to you? I almost died multiple times thanks to your lady, and you still ask me to be your wife because you need more entertainment?"

Victoria almost cried, but Helio felt happy and smiled with no empathy.

"You're right. I want you to be my wife so I can have you entirely and then ruin your life without anyone suing me."

"You're a devil."

"Thank you, but please tell me something I don't know."

Helio stepped away, but Victoria yelled and stopped him with, "I will tell my father about this. Even though I am a maid, you can't treat me like this! Letting your lover and her people bully me, I know you've planned this but fuck about your reason. I will still tell my father about the humiliation I got here!"

Helio didn't seem like he cared. He smiled haughtily and said, "Tell him... let him know only if he cares about you."

"What?"

"I'm sure Edward Addam is holding a party because you're finally out of his house, but I will not stop you. And about your right," Helio stared coldly at Victoria. "You don't have a right to tell me how I will treat you in this house. I call you 'slave' with a reason, you little bitch."

Victoria still felt angry.

"I am not a slave! That's a human rights violation, and I can sue you since my man is a top lawyer in my town!"

"Go ahead, do whatever you want. You can ask God to protect you, but you can escape your fate to fall into my hell, Victoria." Helio replied. "And you know what? You can also ask your mommy to help you; bringing her back to the live will be better so I can crush you two."

Helio left, and Victoria still didn't understand why he hated her so much. But Victoria didn't want to know why, so she quickly thought about the best way to escape this living hell.

"Lady Claudia was true; I'd better go home. I am not coming here to get bullied physically and mentally. I want to go home; I will go home no matter what!"

Victoria stood up with trembling legs, a wet uniform, and pain all over her body. But she managed to leave the laundry room and bravely ran toward the gate. Victoria didn't care anymore about the consequences if she were caught.

"I don't fucking care anymore! I will go home! And if Helio Ruthner sue me because I ran away before the contract has done, then I don't give a fuck. My darling, Orlando, can help me since he is a top young lawyer in this town! Haha… I am finally free!"

Victoria felt like a bird flying away from her cage, so she could see happiness waiting for her out of there. But that was all her illusion because reality went down badly when she finally got home and met her father, Edward Addam.