Chapter:01: Helpless Girl:

HUMAN MATE:01:

“Diana! Diana”.

Diana jerked from sleep upon hearing the loud voice of the angry woman calling out to her from sleep.

She quickly stepped down from the bed..... Not exactly a bed but a bunch of woody sticks piled together to create a hard woody bed.

 She yawned loudly as she rushed over to the bathroom to wash up before going downstairs.

“Oh shit! How did I wake up so late? Mom's going to skin me alive today” 

   She muttered under her breath as she glanced at the wall clock while coming out of her room.

 She couldn't have possibly prevented this from happening. It was bound to happen, this is because she had stayed up too late in the night cleaning after the family. Then, she ended up going to bed by 3:00 Am and now she woke up by 8:00 Am.

   She held the railing as she descended the stair hurriedly. She was so worried about what her mother was going to do to her that she couldn't keep her eyes on the staircase.

   “Welcome Miss Diana Russell! What should I serve you for breakfast?”  The woman asked in a sarcastic tone that suggested that she was greatly displeased.

     

  “M-Mom...I'm sorry” 

  “No, please let me serve you, your majesty”  Nova said as she went over to the breakfast table while serving her an imaginary meal.

Seeing this sight, she knew she was in for another round of beating. If that's the only thing that might come her way today. Then, she might as well be grateful for their generosity, otherwise, she might end up visiting the physician when they are finally done punching at her.

“Your highness, is the meal enough for you? Should I add extra proteins?” Nova swerved and asked, pretending to hold a plate of food in one of her hands while the other hand held onto the serving spoon.

  “I-'m so sorry, mom. I didn't mean to wake up so late” Diana managed to say as she took a few steps toward her angry stepmother.

    Smack!!!

 Without any warnings, Nova took a step toward her and left a slap ringing bells in her ears.

“Have you made plans with your dead, ugly mother to starve my daughters and me to death?”  Nova asked, staring at the young girl, who was already shivering from fear.

Diana held her red cheek and prevented her tears.

She was already used to being treated this way by everyone around her, including her stepmother, Nova, and her Twins daughters, who hated her for a reason best known to them.

“Do you think, you have done something so great that you spend a whole night sleeping and still sleep during the day?”  Nova asked fuming with anger.

 “What's for breakfast, mom?”  

Just then, Zoe climbed down the stair with a sleepy face–She yawned loudly and asked with her eyes still closed.

“Have you seen what you've caused? Now my little, fragile daughters will have to starve for a long time all because of you. I should have killed you along with your wretched mother”

“What? Do you mean breakfast is still not ready? What has this tramp been doing all day?” Zina exclaimed and glared at Diana ferociously.

“If she can't prepare a simple breakfast. Then, what use is she to us? We should just kick you out of the house” Zoe chimed in.

“You sure have a point sis. Mom should throw her out of our lives and faces. I can't bear to see her ugly face anymore” Zina said with a tone filled with disgust.

“That's right, she should leave already. She is such a jinx” 

“Calm down girl! You two should look at the brighter side of everything, will you? ”  Nova turned around to look at her daughters, who were already fuming with anger at this point.

 

  

 They couldn't understand why their mother had insisted on having Diana stay with them even when they had kicked against it.

Initially, they thought, it was because of their father, Dino Russell. Dino loved and doted on his eldest daughter, Diana. He loved her so much that he couldn't stay a day without her, and because of that he had insisted on having Diana stay with him when he got married the second time to Nova. 

Diana's parents Dino and Danica were living a happy life with their little girl. However, everything changed when her mother suddenly passed away in a car accident ten years ago.

Dino thought that Diana was too young and would be needing a mother's love to survive, so he got married again. However, he wasn't aware of the hatred bring melted on his beloved daughter. He had even left half of his properties to her when he passed away six months ago.

After he died, Zoe and Zina had insisted that Diana should be sent out of the house. But, Nova wanted her to stay put at all costs.

“What brighter side is there to see? She is useless and doesn't deserve to stay here any longer” Zoe was displeased.

“Sure there is a bright side! You two just aren't able to see it from your point of view. Listen to me, girls. Diana is going to be very useful for us in the nearest future”. Nova tries to convince the girls.

“What use......” 

“I wouldn't you two end up getting hurt while doing the chores, right? So, who's going to take care of the chores if she leaves? And who will help earn money for us?” Nova said, trying to reason with the girls.

“That makes sense” Zina nodded her head as she looked at her mother with some conviction. However, Zoe remained adamant about her request.

“What chores are you talking about, Mom? We can afford to hire a maid to do the chores. There is no need to keep her in the house any longer. She's such bad luck!” Zoe yelled out stamping her feet against the floor in an aggrieved manner, that made her appear like a wet kitten.

“If we send her away right now. Then, how are we going to earn some money off of her?” Zina asked.

“You don't have to worry about that. I have a great idea!” Nova smirked.

Diana didn't say anything. She simply stood around and watch the drama of the mother and daughters trio unfold before her.

“What are you still doing, standing around like a rotten dead body? Do I need to remind you of your place? Leave!” Nova screamed and Diana quickly took to her heels, running towards the kitchen.

Before she could take three steps, Nova called out to her again. Causing her to halt in her steps.

“Yes, mom?”

“Don't glare at me like that. You can't hurt me even if you try” Nova accused.“Don't waste the entire time lazing around. Mrs. Webster calls to inform me that she has some work for you to do at her hotel tonight. You'll have to go over there and help her out, that way you can earn some money for food. I have been the one paying for everything all this time, you should try and put yourself to good use rather than doing nothing to help” 

“Mom, don't forget that you gave food and shelter to a good for nothing piece of shit like her. Something her birth mother couldn't even do for a day” Zoe butted in. Casting a glance at Diana, who was holding back her tears with difficulty.

“That's enough now, Zoe. You are going to make her cry” Zina mocked.

“But, it's true, right?” Zoe insisted while looking down at her phone.

“Don't pay attention to them. They are just being childish. Don't bother about breakfast anymore, just go ahead and prepare for lunch, I will take care of the rest. Good girl!” Nova used the tip of her finger to pull aside a strand of hair lingering on her face.

The girls were shocked at this sight. And so was the fear stricken little girl.

   “Mom!!!”  they both exclaimed.

    

    “What are you doing? Are you being hypnotized?”  Zoe asked with anger written all over her.

    “Shush!!”  Nova winked at her and turned back to look at Diana.

    “Go ahead. Remember, you still have to go work for Mrs. Webster, we need the money”.

With that, Diana turned around and left for the kitchen. Immediately, she got to the kitchen, she allowed the ocean of pain lingering in her chest fa down in form of tears.

Nova watched until she disappeared into a thin air before she came out of her trance.

   “Mom! What was that about? Since when did you start caring about her feelings?” Zina asked with widened eyes.

  “Yes, we need to know!” Zoe demanded.

    “Didn't you see how helpless the poor girl was? She doesn't even know what's coming her way. I just felt too pity for her” 

    “Pity? You must be joking about this, mother!”  Zoe said.

“Why will feel bad for the daughter of the witch, who took everything away from me? I was just rubbing salt on her open wound”  the corner of her soon curved into a smirk.

“Just like I have always known” Zina heaved a sigh and smiled as well.

“Well... What are we going to eat.. I'm so hungry now. I can't bear to hold it back anymore” Zoe whined.

“Let's go for breakfast. My treat it is!” Nova urged.