LOST

Chapter 2

Amelia POV

"Go to the farmhouse, clean it, and decorate it for a party. Mia invited her friends, and they will be there early in the morning. Mr. John will go with you to help. And remember to clean the pool too. Am I clear?"

Wait, do I have to go now? I'm already exhausted, and now this? But what can I do other than obey them?

I nodded and was about to step out of the house when my stepmother called from behind.

"Wait..."

I turned around.

"Take some clothes with you because you'll have to stay there until tomorrow. Make breakfast for them before they arrive, and make sure there are no complaints about anything. After all, it's about Mia's reputation."

Does that mean I have to stay awake and work all night and tomorrow too?

Why don't they understand that I'm a human being, not a robot?

But what can I say? Even if I argue or try to defend myself, it would be a waste of words. They would never understand my pain or see things from my point of view.

After arriving at the farmhouse, I looked around, trying to decide where to start. The place was in such terrible condition that I doubted an entire night would be enough.

Luckily, I had Mr. John—John Uncle—with me.

"Let's start," I said, picking up a broom.

"I feel sorry for you, Amelia," John Uncle said sadly. "Why are you still staying with them? I'm sure you'd be much happier without them."

I gave him a bitter smile but didn't reply.

By four in the morning, we had finally finished cleaning and decorating.

"Here, have some coffee. It'll help you feel refreshed," John Uncle said, handing me a steaming cup.

I took it and sat on the couch, taking a sip. It was surprisingly refreshing.

But then I remembered the guests.

I still had to make breakfast for them.

They could arrive at any moment.

I quickly rushed to the kitchen and started preparing breakfast.

By afternoon, the party was still going strong, and I hadn't had a single chance to rest.

My body ached. My head throbbed painfully.

But what could I do?

My health and feelings didn't matter to them. Saying anything would be pointless.

I was collecting empty glasses by the poolside. After placing them on a tray, I turned to leave when someone suddenly pushed me into the pool.

Luckily, I knew how to swim.

The problem was my dress.

It was completely soaked, and I hadn't brought a spare one. That meant I would have to stay in wet clothes until they dried or until we went home.

I heard people laughing, but I ignored them and climbed out of the pool as quickly as possible.

Mia stood nearby, enjoying the sight.

She was my so-called half-sister, but to her friends, I was nothing more than a maid—a slave.

Then I heard Mia's best friend, Shasha.

"Oh my God, Mia. Your maid is so disgusting. Now we need to clean the pool because it's dirty."

I didn't react.

Comments like that weren't anything new.

I returned to my room and tried drying my dress with a towel.

A knock suddenly came from the door.

When I opened it, I saw one of Mia's friends. If I remembered correctly, his name was Max, and he was Shasha's boyfriend.

"Do you need anything?" I asked, confused.

He rubbed the back of his neck and smirked.

"Yeah... I mean, I want more than one thing."

The way he looked at me made my skin crawl.

I knew his intentions weren't good.

Trying to stay calm, I said, "Wait for me outside. I'll be there in a minute."

I attempted to close the door, but he reacted too quickly and stopped it from shutting.

My heart pounded violently.

What could I do now?

Even if I told someone, would they believe me?

Even if I screamed, would anyone help me?

I gripped the door tightly, trying my best to keep him from entering.

"Please, just give me a minute," I repeated.

But he ignored me.

"You don't have to come out," he said. "I can come in and get what I want."

Then he pushed the door wider.

I was nowhere near strong enough to stop him.

He grabbed my wrist and pulled me toward him.

I tried to push him away, but his hands wandered over my body as if I belonged to him.

"Let me go, or I'll scream," I warned.

He didn't care.

He knew no one would believe me.

Still, I screamed.

"Help! Uncle! Mia! Help!"

Immediately, he covered my mouth with his hand.

Thankfully, I heard Shasha's voice behind him.

"What the hell is going on here?"

Max quickly shoved me away.

Unprepared, I fell hard onto the floor.

"Oh, baby, you came at the perfect time," he said smoothly. "I came here because I needed her help, but this slut tried to seduce me."

I couldn't believe how quickly he changed his story.

I struggled to my feet and opened my mouth to defend myself.

A sharp slap landed across my face.

It wasn't Shasha.

It was Mia.

My half-sister.

"How dare you, b***h!" she yelled. "You're just like your mother. A slut. Look at yourself. Who would ever want trash like you?"

"He was the one who tried to force himself on me," I cried.

Before I could finish, another slap struck my face.

"Aah!"

Pain shot through my cheek.

It burned so badly that I was sure her fingerprints would be visible.

But who cared?

"Babes, it's all this slut's fault," Shasha said. "I was the one who sent Max to her because I needed help. It's my fault for underestimating her. After all, she's just like her mistress mother. Blood doesn't change, right? This isn't Max's fault."

Nothing hurt more than hearing them call my mother a mistress.

I didn't know the whole truth about the past.

But my heart refused to believe it.

I had lived with my mother for seven years, and she had always been kind and hardworking.

One day, I would prove them wrong.

Another slap pulled me from my thoughts.

This time, it was Shasha.

"You pathetic b***h. How dare you touch my man!"

She shoved me, and I fell again.

Tears threatened to spill from my eyes.

I didn't know how much longer I could hold them back.

"I don't want to stay here any longer," Shasha snapped. "I don't even want to look at this ugly slut."

She kicked me before storming out.

Max hurried after her.

Mia glared at me.

"Wow. Great job. Why did you have to scream, huh? As if you're some saint. You ruined my party. Congratulations. Now clean up this mess. We're leaving."

Without another word, she walked away.

She didn't ask if I was hurt.

She didn't care.

But I knew one thing.

She knew Max was guilty.

And yet she still chose his side.

The door slammed shut behind Mia, leaving me alone on the cold floor.

For a few seconds, I couldn't move.

My cheek burned from the slaps, my wrist hurt from Max's grip, and my heart felt heavier than ever.

I finally let the tears fall.

Not because of the pain.

Not because of the insults.

But because nobody believed me.

Nobody even wanted to hear my side of the story.

After a few minutes, I wiped my face and forced myself to stand up.

"Stop crying, Amelia," I whispered to myself. "Nobody is coming to save you."

I slowly walked outside to clean the mess left behind by the party.

The sun was beginning to set, painting the sky orange and pink.

Everyone was preparing to leave.

As I picked up the last tray, I noticed someone watching me from a distance.