You Are Mine

Chapter 4

*Aurora's POV*

Ann turned to look at me.

"You don't have a choice," she said.

"I am no one's slave. You messed it up and you're going to clean it," I said as a little spark of courage tried to rise.

Ann looked at the rest of the servants.

"Make her clean it."

With that, she left the kitchen.

"Now, pretty, you get down on your knees and clean it," Clifford, the male chef, said.

He came closer to me and grabbed my shoulder, trying to force me down.

His grip on my shoulder hurt.

"What is going on here?"

Everyone became quiet.

An elderly woman stood there. She looked like she was in her late fifties.

Clifford immediately let go of my shoulder. I staggered back, holding onto the kitchen island.

The elderly woman walked over to me and held my hands.

"Are you okay, child?" she asked in such a motherly tone.

"I'm fine now," I replied.

She looked at the injury on my knee and elbow.

Then she looked back at them. They all scurried out of the kitchen.

"Come, my dear. Let me get you treated," she said. She took me to the corner of the kitchen and made me sit on a chair. She brought out a first aid box and started cleaning my wounds.

"You shouldn't disobey Damien. He hates that. If you do, you might get on his bad side and end up being punished," she warned calmly.

"I am already on his bad side. Do you know how he brought me here?"

"Yes," she replied. I was a bit surprised.

"How come you know?"

She gave a slight chuckle, displaying her beautiful white teeth.

"Well, let's leave that for another day," she said as she finished with my injuries. They weren't bad.

"You're the only nice person I have met ever since I came here. My name is Aurora," I said with a smile.

"You can call me Emma."

"Now, child, you should finish up before he returns. I will help you."

"No, Ma'am Emma. He might punish me."

She smiled again.

"He won't this time. I will protect you. Now come, let's go."

I felt touched for the first time in my life. I felt what it feels like to have a mother. My mother died when I was younger, and my two brothers, Wilson and Williams, were sent to stay with my dad's brother.

"Okay," I said, and we went to clean.

We talked for a while. Amidst our discussion, I asked,

"Ma'am Emma?" I called.

"Yes, dear?"

"Do you have any children?" I asked, and she stood silent.

"Yes, I have two children. A girl and a boy. My daughter is already married and my son is in college."

"Oh, that's nice."

College.

I am in my final year of high school, and with this situation, I hope I can finish my high school level. I didn't want to spoil her mood, so I changed the topic.

It took us four hours to finish everything, and I am so grateful to Emma.

We were now in the hallway.

"Thank you, Ma'am Emma," I said as we stopped in our tracks.

"You are always welcome, dear."

"You're so nice. You can always call on me anytime you need me to do anything for you."

"It's okay. You're like a daughter to me. I will surely call you. Now you need to eat your lunch and rest."

I felt touched.

We went to get food from the kitchen. I couldn't have gone on my own, or else these maniacs of servants might not have allowed me to eat.

She dished out two plates of food for the two of us.

"You can eat in your room."

"Thank you, Emma." I gave her a hug and went upstairs to my room.

I was really happy to have met her. But who knows, my moment might get spoiled.

A commotion erupted outside. I looked out of the house to see Damien's car driving in.

"What's the big deal?" I kept the food on the table and went to get water. I returned, went to wash my hands, and came out of the bathroom. I sat down to eat, but the door was kicked open.

I turned to see Damien standing at the entrance with a cold, angry face.

"Who told you to eat?"

I looked at the food and back at him.

"I... I..."

He came close and yanked me up from the seat.

"You don't sit when you see me." He let go of me, and I stumbled forward, almost falling.

"I ask again, who told you to eat?"

He asked, rage laced in his voice.

I didn't want to mention Emma, so as not to implicate her.

"I was hungry and I..."

_SLAP_

A brutal slap sent me falling. I held my cheek as it burned with pain. My eyes were becoming wet.

He yanked me up again and landed another slap across my ear.

"Arrgh!"

I fell to the ground again and cried. I tasted blood as it trickled down my lips.

"A slave like you thinks you can eat the same food as me? Dream on."

He took the food and poured it over my body, staining my clothes.

"No, please. I haven't tasted anything since morning. Please."

He didn't listen to me and wasted all the food on the floor.

My cheeks hurt from the slap and my stomach cried out from hunger.

I sat in the corner and cried.

"You are not worthy to eat from the same pot as me. Such a liability. You can only eat leftovers," he strode toward the door, leaving me crying.

"And one more thing," he said, and stopped.

"You won't be staying in this room tonight."

He left, leaving me sad.

Then where will I sleep?

God, I don't even have a change of clothes.

Nothing.

No food.

No peace.

No money or love.

My life is such a joke now. I stood up and went to check the closet. Luckily, I found clothes that looked forgotten. I took them, washed them, and went downstairs to hang them. At least I found something to change into, even though the clothes are oversized.

I need to eat something, anything. But how will I get to eat now? I didn't want to cry again. I'll wait for dinner to have the "leftovers."