In love with my mistress’s son

“When will you tell her how you feel,Lina”? Erica’s voice sliced through my thoughts,her tone teasing but curious. “Tell who what?”I asked ,pretending not to understand. She gave me that look,The type that said don’t play dumb. “Mrs. Claudia” I rolled my eyes and let out a long sigh the kind that carried more truth than words ever could. “She’s not in the same class as me,Erica I’m just…the help”My voice cracked slightly “And she?”I forced a small laugh.She’s a queen The question brought back memories~Beautiful ones of how I first met Mrs Claudia and how I eventually became a help in her mansion. My name is Lina Matthew,The first daughter of a family held together by faith and exhaustion. My father,Mr Matthew Rich,was a drunk the kind of man who made sure everyone in town remember his name for all the wrong reasons.In our small town where gossip traveled faster than rain,he was famous or rather infamous for his drinking habits and endless public embarrassment. My father,a tall dark man with a clean gap toothed smile and a neatly kept goatee,Once fell deeply in-love with my mother,Geraldine~a woman so graceful that even time seemed to slow down for her. She blessed me with her beauty.Like her I was tall,confident,curvy and I carried myself with a natural charm that often turned heads. But beauty doesn’t always buy happiness. My mother left when I was twelve.And to be honest,I never blamed her.I would have done same if I were in her shoes. My father had turned into the shadow of the man she once loved—squandering money on fleeting pleasures while his family went hungry Still I couldn’t leave. Not when Kia and Kim,my little sisters,needed me.They were my reason—the only light in a home filled with chaos As much as my dad was a drunk,he had other demons too—dangerous ones.He loved playing reckless games and taking dares that could cost a man his life. His favorite spot “The HIVE”was more than just a club—it was his second home.The air there was always thick with smoke,laughter,strippers and clinking of bottles,and Mr Matthew truly belonged to that chaos. That night at “THE HIVE”changed everything I remember the sound before the silence—bottles crashing,men shouting,My father had gotten into one of his drunken dares again,betting on something he couldn’t afford to lose.only this time it wasn’t just money. He wagered me. I didn’t understand the full story at first.All I knew was that he came home late,smelling of whiskey and fear.His eyes wouldn’t meet mine when he said”Lina you’ll have to help me fix this mess”. “No!”I screamed,my voice echoing through the tiny sitting room.”your irresponsibility caused this!you’ll bear the consequences alone.” Tear burned my eyes,but I didn’t let them fall I turned away before I could see the guilt—or maybe the emptiness in his face. By morning loud pounding shook our front door.Three hefty men stood outside,all dressed in black.one had a red bandanna tied around his head,another wore a grin that made my skin crawl. My father owed the more than he could ever repay.i saw fear flash in his eyes,and that was when I learned what selfishness truly looked like.i refused to get caught in his dangerous games and become another one of his sacrifices. Within a week,our small house was gone—taken as payment for his debts—since I refused to be taken.My father pointed at me with shaky hands blaming me for everything.”you’re the reason!”he yelled”you should’ve help me!” But there was no helping a man determined to destroy himself.Soon after he disappeared—leaving I and my sisters behind with nothing but few clothes,shattered pride and memories that hurt too much to keep. After my father vanished,I knew what I had to do.One night,I packed a small bag and took the little money I had and carried my sisters to our aunt’s house in IV.Aunt rose wasn’t rich but she had a kind heart and enough space for two little girls who deserved a chance at normal childhood. “I’ll come back for you,”I promised the girls,while brushing their tears away”just stay strong for me okay? Back in our town,the house we once called home was gone—But I wasn’t ready to give up.i needed to get it back somehow. That was when I heard about Mrs Claudia,—the elegant woman in town who owned half the properties people dreamt of.They said she was powerful,strict and wealthy enough to change anyone’s life So I made up my mind. If working for her was what it took to rebuild my family’s life,then I would do it—no matter the cost And that was how my story with Mrs Claudia began.