Chapter 3

"I will break you until you plead for death, you evil murderer! I hate the air you breathe. Your shadow and even the ground you step on! I hate that I can't strangle you to death with my bare hands just because you have royal blood. Kill yourself so I won't see you ever again!" He roared as his heavy foot stomped forward, his tone tinged with grief, rage, and pure hatred. But luckily, Laura caught hold of him.

"Don't stress yourself by hitting her. The past sorcerers I brought with me have absorbed all her demonic powers. Another might also come today to also check on her," Laura whispered as she smiled at my father.

My heart tugged in terror at what she just said. I can't take any more torture from her sorcerers, as it seems that's all they do while pretending to exorcise demons from me.

"Get up there! Begin your house chores, you dirty pig!! My daughter should never be late to school because of you!" Dad snorted at me with a disgusting stare that gave me chills. It hurt so bad, especially as he wasn't seeing me as his daughter anymore.

He just called the beta's daughter his daughter.

They both walked away with his arms wrapped around her waist while she leaned on his shoulder. She glanced back halfway and flashed a mocking smirk at me, which churned my belly as i swallowed hard, struggling not to cry again.

~~~~~~

"Mum, Dad, I will be late for school today because of that useless girl, Ella. I don't know why...." I heard, Scarlett, the Beta's daughter, whining, but she paused her words as she noticed me walk into the dining room.

The three were sitting around the table, and the sight brought back some memories; this was the same way I sit with my mother and this father of mine, who was once a good dad.

Things had changed so fast. I am now the maid who serves them instead of sitting down to eat with them. The Beta's daughter has taken my position.

"Here are your foods..." I mumbled with a bow as I distributed it to them, praying silently for the silence and calmness to remain so until I left.

They should all free me from any beating now, so I prayed to the moon goddess, and it seemed to be answered as I shared the plates and turned to leave.

"Ella!" The cold and frightening voice of my father called out my name, and I froze at a spot, feeling like crying. I wish I could just ignore him and walk away. I so much hate standing in front of Scarlett to receive all the humiliations and beatings.

Slowly, I spun and walked closer to them.

"Come and eat this food first. I don't trust you anymore. " he ordered, and I sniffed at my tears as my cheeks flushed red.

I had forgotten that it has always been this way. I was always a suspect to them, while the real culprit - Laura - sits right beside them. Even when he had set up body guards to watch me closely when I cook, he still had to do this to humiliate me and break my heart.

I ate a spoonful of Dad's food, then some from Scarlett, and the moment I got to Laura, she gave me a chilling glare that shook my hands.

Shivering hard, I took the spoon and shoved it into her food, taking out a spoonful too, but the moment I made to dip it into my mouth, she smacked my hand with the back of her palm, causing the stew in the spoon to splatter on my face and straight into my eyes.

"My eyes!!!" I screamed in agony at the peppery pain, which stung so badly that I lost my balance and fell to the ground.

My eyes shut instantly as I groped and screeched loudly, crying out for help. I was begging for water to wash my face, but I heard laughter instead.

"Can you imagine she wants to use the opportunity to get her belly filled with my food?" Laura snickered, and they laughed the more while I felt like my eyes were being plucked out as hot tears streamed down profusely.

"I'm getting blind! Please help me with water!" I cried out, shaking violently while trying to wipe them off with my palm; but no one cares. All I could hear next was the clinking sound of their cutleries and plates which means they were already eating without giving a damn about me.

I opened my eyes in a hurry, thinking I could bear it all and find my way to the kitchen sink, but it was futile. I only helped the ones hanging from my eyelashes get into my eyes, causing me agonizing pain that shook my body vehemently.

My eyes shut themselves again, and this time I couldn't open it again; my world became dark.

My eyes were burning while I groped, scrubbed, and screamed for help. The pain was searing the back of my eyes and was causing them to heat up like they were placed in a fire, as I also lost the ability to open them.

"Please, someone should help me! Someone get some water for me so I can wash my eyes! It hurts terribly!" My loud cries permeated the walls while I tried using my senses to find my path to the washroom, but everything was hazy in my head, adding to the excruciating pain my eyes were passing through.

"Stay that way till we are done eating and stop making noise, you don't expect any of us to leave our food to get water for you!" Scarlett yelled without concern about the unimaginable pain I was going through.

"She caused it herself, I wanted to smack her face, but she was trying to act smart by using the spoon as a shield! She shouldn't have taken a spoonful from my plate!" Laura grumbled as they went on eating while I was losing my sight.

The tears from my eyes had dampened the top of my gown; every part of my body was drizzling with sweat as I panted and sobbed in burning pain while crawling on the floor.

"I hope she gets blind after now! Maybe that would be the punishment from the moon Goddess for killing my mate. " My father chipped in, and I cringed in shock.

The coldness in his voice pierced into my heart with intense spasm. The pain from hearing my father say that was so much for me to bear that I burst into a screech.

The hatred was raw and it was never going to fade away as I thought; I knew how much my father loved my mother with all his heart and soul, pampering her like a rare gem. I knew he would hate me for killing her, but not to this extent.

My little mind thought his resentment would fade as the year ran out, but little did I know, it would only get deeper each time he saw me.

"I think she has learned her lesson; let's order the guards to bathe her." Laura snorted, and her words rang into my ear like a bell, clanking and battering my brain with what she meant.

I heard her clearly but couldn't get myself to believe my ears didn't deceive me just now.

"Yeah, that's a good idea for a witch like her!" Scarlett huffed, and I heard my father call on the guards.

"Strip her and help bathe her in the bathroom," he ordered, and I gasped, wagging my head as I whimpered, more hot tears falling.

My lips were shaking, and I wished I could open my eyes and run away; running was the best option, but I am blind. The thought of having these guards see my naked body sent chills all over me.

"Daddy, please don't do this! Don't listen to Laura! She....." My voice cracked from fright. I couldn't dare repeat who Laura truly was again to him.

Daddy wasn't joking when he said he would make life a hell for me, his real daughter. I was stupid to think being my father would reduce the torture. Now I would stand naked in front of these mere guards, whom I had ordered around in the past.

My royal blood was crawling all over my skin, and I was shaken beyond belief. All I hoped was that it wouldn't happen! How will I stand in front of these men after they see my nakedness.

"Are you guys deaf?! Do exactly what I ordered!" My dad thundered, banging his fist on the table, and my mouth went wild as I gasped for air. The hot pain in my eyes couldn't be compared to the anguish my heart feels.

"Daddy, don't do this to me, please!" I bawled, clutching myself, as I couldn't tell in what part of the room I was.

"She keeps calling you daddy even after you've disowned her! That's wrong!" Scarlett grumbled, and I felt my heart hurting at her words, then my father added.

"That's why she deserves every punishment on earth! So stubborn and heartless!" he snorted with no pity or concern in his voice, and I made to plead again but the sound of heavy footsteps followed by four strong hands grabbing around my hands and legs, snapped my lips shut.