c4

I woke up at five in the morning to prepare for work. As soon as I got out of bed, I headed straight to our small bathroom to go through my morning routine. I took a shower, brushed my teeth, got dressed, and made myself look presentable.

I didn't have work at the mall today, but I did have to work at the VetClinic, which is owned by my older brother, Chester Angeles. He's my boss, and he's a good boss.

In fact, the Angeles family is well-known in our area. Chester's grandfather used to be the governor here in Batangas, and they are one of the wealthiest families in the region. They have numerous farms and acres of land. They've also helped a lot of people.

Chester and his siblings are all famous in our village, even his younger sister, who is currently studying in Manila at a prestigious college after passing her entrance exam.

It's quite impressive because she managed to pass the entrance exam for a renowned school in Manila. I know that those schools have rigorous exams, including the one Chester's sister is attending. What's the name of that school again? It's been a topic of discussion in our village. Is it Osiris Hellion Academy?

I envy her, but I can only sigh. I hope that one day, I can go back to school and complete my studies. Right now, I'm saving up money so that if I ever have enough, I can enroll and finish my Culinary Arts course, which I had to leave incomplete because of my evil stepmother and the two burdens in my life.

Perhaps I'd already have finished my education by now if it weren't for my stepmother, who kept taking the money my father sent for my tuition. My wicked stepsister is now enjoying her college education in a good school in Batangas. I'm just waiting for karma to catch up with them.

I hope that one day luck will find me and I can escape from all the hardships I'm facing. Oh Lord, I hope luck comes my way soon! It feels like nothing but bad luck has followed me since Teresita came into our lives.

I have faith that one day things will turn around for me, and I'll be happy too. For now, I have to endure and work hard.

Of course, waiting here won't get me anywhere; I need to take action. So, I started my day by doing some chores. After getting myself ready and satisfied with my appearance, I grabbed my bag before leaving my room.

I entered our small living room, which was still in the same chaotic state as yesterday. It was messy and untidy, with clothes of Ryzza and her lazy brother scattered everywhere.

Why are they so untidy? Why can't they make an effort to keep the house clean? My goodness! They're as dirty as pigs! How could they live like this?

How embarrassing it would be if someone entered our house and saw it in this state. It's such a disgrace! Do they have no shame left? It's like the people living here are not humans but rodents!

They are so stressful!

Oh, my goodness! I groaned as I picked up their clothes from the floor and tossed them into the laundry basket.

Wearing shoes was a good decision; it prevented me from getting blisters while cleaning. My whole body ached from standing all day at the clothing store I work at in the mall.

"Oh, you're up. The dishes are waiting for you," Teresita suddenly appeared, looking like she had just woken up.

She went to our refrigerator and grabbed some water. I couldn't believe how quickly they had gone through the groceries I bought just the other day! Are they serious? I didn't even get to taste the juices I bought. Ryzza and her brother finished everything!

"Really? I have to do the dishes? I didn't even eat here. You guys ate using the plates, so you should be the ones doing the dishes!" I replied irritably. It's fine if I don't show respect to someone who doesn't deserve it. Why should I respect someone who can't even respect me?

"And why are the groceries I bought the other day all gone?" I asked, checking the cabinet where I stored canned goods like sardines, 555 tuna, and San Marino. To my dismay, they were all gone.

I couldn't believe how they had vanished so quickly. I was the one who spent money to buy those groceries, and I didn't even get to enjoy any of it? They're nothing but freeloaders!

"Because it's all gone. Is it our fault if we're hungry?" she retorted, and I couldn't believe the audacity in her tone.

"Pampered freeloaders. I used my own money to buy groceries, and yet only you get to benefit and eat it all?" I said angrily, causing Teresita to give me a tight slap across my face.

I felt her nails dig into my skin, and I could see the anger in her eyes. I tried to shake off her grip, and then turned my back to leave the kitchen. I'd rather go to the VetClinic for breakfast; it's not appetizing to eat at home. Besides, I doubt I have anything left to eat here. They seem to have magically made all my groceries disappear.

Before I could leave the house, Teresita yelled something infuriating, which further aggravated me.

"You're coming home early! You should be doing the laundry for our clothes!" she shouted, which made me puff out a breath of frustration. They were even more shameless than I thought.

I kept my fist clenched, trying to calm myself because I felt like I was about to explode. I hoped I didn't have to be physically violent with them. As I said earlier, they were very skilled at twisting the truth, and I could easily end up looking like the villain.

I'm treated as the bad guy while they play the victims. I've told our village captain about how Teresita and her children physically abuse and mistreat me, but nothing ever happens. Nobody believes me. They make me out to be a liar, saying I just don't accept them into my life. They act as if I'm living the life of a princess and get everything I want from them, even though I do all the housework.

And why can't Papa just divorce Teresita? I know his job as a domestic helper in Saudi Arabia is tough, but we're the ones suffering. It's frustrating how they all act towards me. I couldn't hold back my anger, and I could feel my face getting hot.

I wanted to walk out the door, but Teresita blocked my way. Her nails dug into my skin as she gripped my arm, and her eyes had turned fierce. It made me wince from the pain, and I could clearly see the rage in her eyes.

"Look at you, so full of yourself just because you have a job and earn some money. What are you boasting about, your salary? It's so little, you're just a sales lady," she sneered. It was the typical morning argument with her.

"Well, at least I have a job. I work hard to earn money. What about you? You're lazy, and you freeload off us. Do you resemble the pigs that just wait to be fed?" I retorted angrily, and she smacked

 me again.

Her slap stung my cheek, and I felt my face go numb from the force of the blow. I lost my composure and swung my fists in the air to vent my frustration.

"You! Don't answer back to me like that. You think you're so smart because you have a job? Let's see how far your arrogance will take you!" she yelled, and I just turned away from her and left the house. I didn't want to eat at home; it wasn't appetizing in this environment. Besides, they'd probably just consume whatever food I had left.

I couldn't believe how thick-skinned they were. They thought they could get away with anything. I almost lost it, so I took deep breaths to calm myself down. If I could, I would probably strike back physically, but as I've said, they were masters of turning things around.

They've physically hurt me multiple times. I've lost count of how many times they've used me as a punching bag. I could even file a physical assault charge against them for all the times they've hurt me! They're also guilty of child abuse since they've treated me this way since I was a child. They've made me their servant here, but no one seems to care.

I can't approach anyone for help. All my so-called friends abandoned me and betrayed me. Even the neighbors won't interfere in our issues, so there's no one to help me. If I ever reported the abuse, no one would believe me. They've done such a good job tarnishing my reputation.

My friends turned against me and believed Ryzza's lies about me. They've become instant allies of my horrible stepsister, leaving me with no one to rely on. Who can I trust now?

Yeah, life sucks.