chapter 3
725 Words
A House Full of Cruelty
Three weeks later.
The Hill mansion no longer felt like home.
Andrea stood silently inside the kitchen wearing a plain apron while steam rose from the pots on the stove. Her once soft hands now carried small burns from endless cooking and cleaning.
“Andrea!”
Ella’s sharp voice echoed from upstairs.
Andrea closed her eyes tiredly.
“Yes?”
“My juice!”
Andrea quickly poured the drink into a glass before rushing upstairs carefully.
The moment she entered Ella’s room, loud music blasted through the expensive speakers.
Ella sat in front of a mirror applying makeup.
“You’re too slow,” she complained immediately.
Andrea handed her the juice quietly.
Ella tasted it before suddenly frowning.
“This is warm.”
Andrea stared in disbelief.
“I just made it.”
“So?” Ella snapped. “Make another one.”
Andrea clenched her fingers silently.
“Okay.”
As she turned to leave—
“Oh, and clean my shoes before tonight.”
Andrea stopped.
“You wore six pairs yesterday.”
“And?”
Andrea lowered her eyes again.
“I’ll clean them.”
Ella smirked proudly.
“Good servant.”
The words pierced Andrea painfully, but she stayed silent.
Arguing only made things worse.
Later that afternoon, Andrea scrubbed the marble floors downstairs while several servants watched sympathetically.
“She used to be treated like a princess,” one maid whispered sadly.
“And now look at her.”
Andrea pretended not to hear.
Humiliation had become normal now.
Rebel walked downstairs elegantly while speaking on the phone.
“Yes, the charity gala is tomorrow night,” she said proudly. “Ella will definitely attend.”
She finally noticed Andrea cleaning.
“You missed a spot.”
Andrea quietly cleaned the area again.
Rebel smiled cruelly.
“You know, your parents would be ashamed if they saw you now.”
Andrea froze.
Pain spread through her chest immediately.
“Please don’t talk about them.”
Rebel’s eyes darkened.
“You don’t tell me what to do.”
Andrea lowered her head instantly.
That night, heavy rain poured outside again.
Andrea remained alone inside the kitchen washing dishes long after everyone finished dinner.
Her entire body ached from exhaustion.
Suddenly, footsteps entered quietly.
Andrea turned slightly.
Gabriel Booker stood near the doorway.
Andrea immediately felt uncomfortable.
Gabriel was Ella’s father and Rebel’s longtime business associate. Something about the way he looked at Andrea always made her uneasy.
“You work too hard,” Gabriel said smoothly.
Andrea forced a polite smile.
“I’m fine.”
Gabriel stepped closer slowly.
“You’ve grown into a beautiful young woman.”
Andrea’s grip tightened around the plate in her hands.
“Thank you.”
His eyes moved slowly over her body.
Andrea instantly felt sick.
“You resemble your mother greatly,” he continued.
Andrea stepped backward slightly.
“I should finish the dishes.”
Gabriel moved closer again.
“You know… if you ever need help, you can always come to me.”
Andrea forced herself to remain calm.
“I’m okay.”
Before Gabriel could speak again, Rebel suddenly entered the kitchen.
“There you are,” she said sharply to him.
Gabriel immediately stepped away casually.
Andrea released a silent breath of relief.
Rebel looked suspiciously between them before speaking coldly.
“Andrea, after cleaning the kitchen, wash Ella’s dresses.”
Andrea looked exhausted already.
“It’s almost midnight…”
“And?”
Andrea swallowed painfully.
“I understand.”
Hours later, Andrea finally entered her bedroom.
The once luxurious room now looked empty and lifeless.
Most of her belongings had been removed after the inheritance issue.
Andrea sat slowly on the edge of the bed.
Then she finally broke down.
Tears rolled silently down her cheeks as she hugged herself tightly.
“I miss you so much,” she whispered painfully to her parents.
The room remained silent except for the sound of rain outside.
Andrea looked toward her family photo sitting near the bedside lamp.
Her chest tightened again.
Everything changed too fast.
Her parents were gone.
Her dreams were disappearing.
And every single day inside this house felt harder to survive.
For the first time in weeks—
Andrea began wondering if running away would be easier than staying alive inside the mansion.
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