Hot Pursuit

"I was so foolish to think that they would ever love me." What happened to the loving father who promised to take care of me? Since he remarried, I have felt like Cinderella, not a princess, by the way. Family is important to me, even though I can't feel their love or care. I hope one day my prince charming will be there for me, to shower me with love and happiness. I'm Hermione Sphere. Yes, my name is inspired by the Harry Potter series. I often wish I had a magic wand to transform everything around me. My life feels like a book, written by many authors, each adding their struggles. Our family was once well-known because of the company my mother built. HERSPHERE, our company, is the leading hotel in the city. When Mom passed away, Dad was devastated, and the company began to falter. Shareholders lost trust in him after he remarried, and now it's up to me to find a way to save it. This company is my mother's legacy, the last piece of her that remains. I work as a receptionist, door girl, and maintenance at our hotel. You name it, I can do it! I know the ins and outs of the company, even though my father doesn't trust me to handle it. While I'm an all-around worker, my stepmother and stepsister don't lift a finger. If I could curse them and send them to a faraway land, I would gladly do it. Sometimes, I find myself staring at a wall for hours, just like I'm doing now. It's one of those days when I feel particularly lazy and want to stay in bed all day. But then, a knock on my door interrupted my peace. "Knock! knock! knock!" I hesitated to answer for a minute. "Yes?" "Herm, get dressed." It's my father. "Yes, I'm about to. I need to go to work early, there's a lot to take care of in the hotel." You can sense the boredom, the tiredness in my voice. "No, we are going somewhere. I'll wait for you in the car." Without explanation, he just stormed out of my room. I can't say no to him. He seems bothered today. Even though I often feel his distance, I would do whatever he asks. I love my father so much, even though he doesn't seem to feel the same way about me. He's cold and uninterested as if sometimes I'm not even there. I don't want to feel this way, so I work all day to escape these unwanted feelings. To change the mood, I put on a light yellow dress adorned with sunflowers. Sunflowers always make me feel happy; they were my mother's favorite, and now they're mine too. I apply a nude color to my lips and a touch of powder on my face. I'm not very skilled at makeup and don't own much either. I have just two lipsticks, one nude and one red, and that's it. "Dad I'm ready," I murmured, as well as going down the stairs. There, I saw the stares of vultures at my father. Cassandra, my stepsister, and Marsha her mother are staring at me with eyebrows as high as they can be. "Well, Herm, you look good. Good luck today." Cassandra whispered with a giggle. I don't know what she's up to. But it seems she's happy, and it makes me scared a bit. I hope this day will get better. We took our Lincoln sedan, the last car we had, after selling the other five. There was a time when I felt like a princess, but it didn't last long. Now, it seems like the suffering only gets worse each day. We traveled in silence, a wall of unspoken words between us. This has been our norm for almost five years now, and I've grown accustomed to it. The silver lining is the journey itself; I love traveling through the countryside, seeing trees and fields instead of buildings and malls. You could say I'm an old soul, drawn to things that make me feel safe and calm. We reached our destination. It's a mansion, it's like houses you can only see in magazines and TV shows. A cobblestone pathway, lined with vibrant flowers of every hue, led up to the mansion's grand entrance. Roses, tulips, and daisies' sweet fragrance mingled with the fresh country air. The pathway was a riot of color, a living tapestry that guided visitors toward the stately home. The mansion was a marvel, with ivy-clad walls and large, arched windows reflecting the golden sunlight. The front doors, made of heavy oak and adorned with intricate carvings, opened into a spacious foyer with high ceilings and a grand staircase. This is the place I want for my wedding. "Get ready Herm. It would help if you looked your best" my father said in a strict tone. I wonder what this is about. "Why? What's happening?" I broke the silence. He looked at me with a blank face. I thought I saw sadness for a bit, but then it changed to a blank face again. "You'll meet your soon-to-be husband."