"Anastasia, give me back my locket!" screamed Layla. I shook my head. It was mine—the gift my parents had given me on my first birthday. It has been with me since then, but today Layla wants it. She had already taken everything, but this was the last thing my parents left for me.
"Anastasia, you bitch," she screamed, and the locket broke into pieces. My eyes began to well with tears as I knelt down. It was broken and couldn’t be put back in its original position.
"It’s broken, just like you, stealer," she shouted and slapped me.
"Cook for us, you worthless bitch. You spoil my whole mood," she said, going back to her room. I cried hard, biting my lips. The beads were lying on the floor, and it aches my heart. It was broken and couldn’t be repaired with anything. I shook my head, tucked the left bead into my dress' pocket, and got to my feet.
Aunt needs her dinner on time or else she will take mine and won’t let me eat. I went back to her kitchen and made dinner.
Being an orphan, I was humiliated by everybody, called names like "a maid," "a murderer of her own parents," and "a lonely bitch." I was beaten on a day-to-day basis and treated as a servant in my own home.
"Anastasia, bitch, come here!" My aunt shouted. I went to her room, looking at her. Her face completely coated in rage, ready to pounce at me.
She pointed to the sheets and asked, "Why didn't you replace my sheets?"
I didn't have time to change because I had been working since the morning. I didn’t get time for anything. Sundays are the fun days for everyone but for me it was the worst day. I have to clean the house twice with all the chores.
“I—"
"You become lazy day by day; your monthly allowance is deducted; you won't get anything," she shouted. I didn't object. She gave me a few pennies, called a monthly allowance, which is even less than a maid makes. I changed her sheets and went back to my work, holding my weak body.
I still remember the happy days I spent with my family, the way my father made me laugh, the food my mother made—everything became a delusion. I still remember the day; my parents wanted me to go with them, but it isn't fitting that I didn't go with them. After learning of their accident and the death of my family, my body could not comprehend that they were not with me.
It took me a month to recover from the shock and understand that my parents had become stars.
The bright, smiling star in the sky.
I talked to them for hours, asking them why they left me here with those strangers. I always consoled my heart, knowing they were with me in a new form.
I was in depression after learning about their deaths. A ten-year-old girl who loves to laugh and smile had spent her days in her room, shouting at her parents' photos and asking them why they left her with those people whom she hadn't even met.
And the ironic thing was that the girl was me.
I was forced to live with my paternal aunt and her annoying daughter. My cousin, Layla, does horrendous things and blames me. I was punished for her wrongdoings.
My dad left me some money and a house for my marriage. My aunt only kept me because she wanted my money and this beautiful house, which my dad designed for his family. He didn't know the day would arrive when his only daughter would be the servant in her own house.
My aunt had already taken my expensive dresses, my jewellery, and my mother's accessories and given them to her daughter. Now she wanted that money to make me a beggar and let me rot in the streets. Not only this, but she also tore my family photos and burned them in front of my eyes. I begged her not to do this, but she kicked me in the stomach and slapped me. My face was swollen for a few days.
My aunt's daughter, Layla, was the most popular girl at the university. She was ashamed of me because I don't have classy clothes like her. Her friends bully me. I don't have any friends because I was a poor child, and they belong to a rich family. She was a confident girl, unlike me. I was a simple and low-key girl at the university.
My father belongs to a quite rich family, and my mother belongs to a middle-class family. They both were high school sweethearts, and my mother was so beautiful. My father used to tell me the stories of his rivals, but thinking about the beautiful days makes my eyes fill with tears and my heart with sorrow.
Aunt shouted, interrupting my thoughts,
"Anastasia, you damn girl. Bring my dinner; did you want to starve me to death so you can take everything from my daughter?" She shouted and went back to her room.
"Just a minute, aunt," I say as I walk towards her bedroom. My cousin Layla abruptly stepped forward, placing her legs between them. I didn't see her footing, and I fell.
"Mom, she fell!" she shouted while smirking at me. She wants my aunt to punish me and beat me to death. I didn't look at her but started cleaning the floor. I know she won't let me eat today.
My aunt came, looking at the broken pieces of plates.
"What does this bitch do now?" She raised her hand, holding my waist, and slapped me on the face. The slap came heavily, causing me to fall to the ground once again. Tears are flowing from my eyes. It was not the first time she slapped me. It was her daily routine. I saw Layla's triumphant smile and her aunt's livid face.
"You see, she broke your favourite cup set, mother." She kicked me in the stomach.
"Clumsy bitch, it's not your money you wasted; it was my money; your so-called father left us with nothing, but now you have to pay; pay for my plates, you broken thing; bring the stick, Layla." "I have to punish her," she smirked.
Layla took the stick from her room and gave it to her. She hits me on the back, and I cry in pain.
"Aunt, she came in front of me." I whimpered in pain.
"You are blaming my daughter; you are just like your bitch mother, always putting the blame on others," she shouted.
"It's not enough for her; I have to give her some more punishment," she said while holding a stick.
"You have to work extra hours in Ashley's shops, and you will not get any dinner today," she said. Layla was laughing and looking at me with pitiful eyes, making fun of me. It was a sigh of relief; it was actually not a bad punishment.
Ashley's shop has been just two blocks away from my home. It was started by my mother. She was a great cook and the best baker in the world, and I learned to bake from my mother. We both used to bake cookies, and she usually shared all her recipes with me.
Now my aunt is the owner, and I am the servant. I used to clean the tables and do a waitress job there. I always wanted to be a baker, but I didn't get the opportunity. My aunt didn't pay me but gave me food and daily clothes.
"I will do it, aunt, but please don't beat me." I pleaded with her, but Layla put her heels on my finger.
"Layla, give her your concealer to hide her marks, or Mrs. Spenser will suspect you also." She pointed towards me.
"Cook for us, you worthless bitch." She said this while walking back towards her room.
Mrs. Spenser is a kind lady who is like a mother figure to me; she is also the landlady of Ashley Shop, and her son is a billionaire. She knows my aunt and also warns her that if she tries to hurt me, she will call the police, so when my aunt beats me, she gives me concealer to hide my marks.
I went back to my room after doing chores and sat on my bed. My room is not a room but a storeroom. My previous room had been taken by Layla. It was the biggest room in the whole house. The theme of my room was the princess that my father decorated for me. He always called me his princess and wanted me to have the best of everything, but at last I was in suffering. We didn’t get what we hope for, same with me. I didn’t get what I thought and everything I had was already taken from me, my parents too.
I removed my cardigan and put some ointment on my marks. Some were already faded, and some were new. I know there will be a big bruise tomorrow, but it doesn't matter; I'll get used to it. I opened the knot of the beads and put it inside the box. I'll work hard to make it better even though I know it can't be made the same as before.
Kissing my family photo, I looked at my mother's face. I got my beautiful eyes from my mother. My father always wanted to hide me from the world because I was too innocent for this cruel world, but now I have to fight alone in this cruel world without his protection.
Now he was no more, no more to hide me.
Looking at the last photo of my family, I felt happy in my heart. I kept it a secret from my aunt. If she got to know about it, she would destroy it. I don't know what grudge she held against my family.
I walk towards my bed. I don't have a blanket; I use pieces of torn curtains to cover my body. Sometimes I had a nightmare about an accident, and I used to cry at night. I close my eyes and go to sleep every night with the thought of some good change in my life, but without my family, it's unimaginable.
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