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Chapter 1: Prologue

"Valerie, clean the house and fetch water. I will be back soon," my aunty said as she stepped out of the house leaving me alone with Tiana.

"Valerie!!!" I scramble to my feet immediately I hear her scream shivering. I walk slowly up the stairs to her room as I repeatedly ask myself what I have done wrong again.

"Valerie?" she slaps me on my face," I thought I asked you to clean my room, why the mess?"

"I'm sorry, aunty said I clean the sitting room that's why I couldn't clean your room on time" I knelt on the floor as I pleaded with her not to beat me.

"Will you stand up and get to work immediately?" I scramble to my feet as I search around for the broom and mop.

I took the broom to sweep the floor, then later used the mop to clean. And I arranged her clothes neatly into her closet.

I heard her opening the door for someone, and she was talking to that person in the sitting room. I quickly folded her clothes neatly into her closet. Then walk into the kitchen to shred the vegetables for dinner.

I was in the process of shredding the vegetables when I heard her scream my name, so I dropped the vegetables and ran to her room.

“Yes, Tianna, you call me,” I said immediately as I walked into her room. She was talking to a man in his mid-twenties, with long brown hair and a pointed nose. He winks at me while I ignore him completely.

“Will you be a good girl and get juice for Lorenzo here?” She smiles as she waves me off.

I slowly walk back to the kitchen wondering what I have done to deserve this.

My name is Valerie William and I'm twenty years old. Both of my parents died in a car accident when I was seven years old. Since then, I've been living with my aunt Clara. When my parents were still alive, Aunt Clara used to be very nice to me and very loving but now, she seems like she could barely stand the sight of me...

“Valerie!! Are you sick, where is the juice? Don't let me come in there” Tiana's loud voice broke me from me thought as I rushed to take juice from the fridge and a glass cup to her guest.

The guest in question was checking me out in an ungodly way and licking his lips in the process. I don't even know what Tiana sees in all the men that she brought home and to think that aunt Clara is in support of her promiscuous lifestyle.

“Here is it,” I said to her, dropping the tray with the wine on the centre table and turning to leave them alone.

“Come back here, stupid girl, is that how you treat an important guest in my mom's house?” She calls back to me as I turn to her.

“I don't understand,” I said looking at her confused. She wanted juice and that is it in front of her, what else again.

“Why should you understand? How many times do I have to tell you that you are a slave in this house? It's high time you start behaving like one”

“But—————”

“Now get down on your knees, pick up the juice and give it to Lorenzo here like the perfect maid that you are,” she said, cutting me off completely.

I stood gasping at her shocked, surely, she's joking. Lorenzo was smiling and smirking like the idiot he is, thank God I didn't allow the swine that he is to date me then.

“What do you mean by me kneeling to give Lorenzo juice? Can't he get it by himself? Surely his hands are not hurting him, right?” I said as I folded my hands together glaring at her. If it was any other person, I would have done that but this is Lorenzo, the guy that I hate most in the world. I'm only tolerating him because of her.

“Wow!! You now have the guts to talk back to me, right?” She screams as she charges off at me.

“Mom must hear what you just said to me,” she said, slapping me on my face. The slap was nothing compared to what my aunt would do to me if she found out.

I quickly went down on my knees and did exactly what she asked me to do while Lorenzo smirked triumphantly at me. I ignored him as I pleaded with Tiana not to report me to her mom.

“Ok fine I will not say anything, just go back to the kitchen, your presence here disgusts me,” she said as I stood up and went back to the kitchen happy that she won't report me to her mom.

I was almost through with my work before aunt Clara would be back. I quickly walk to the sitting room and check the long list of chores Aunt Clara left for me.

” I only have two left,” I said smiling to myself, happy that I won't be receiving any beating today.

I ran to put on the washing machine to get the laundry done before making dinner when fate decided that he had another plan for me.

“Valerie darling!” Tiana's sweet voice called out to me as she descended the stairs. Lorenzo is gone. I didn't even notice when he left, yes that's how much I hate him.

I walked out from the basement to meet her in the sitting room. “You call me Tiana.” I said to her immediately when I saw her. She has changed her dress again; this is the third dress she will be wearing today. Anyway, I don't blame her when she is not the one washing them.

“I was thinking,” She said, looking at me seriously, “instead of using the washing machine to wash clothes, why don't you use your hands? It seems the washing doesn't wash the cloth clean anymore”

“What!” I exclaim in shock. She turned to walk out of the room ignoring whatever I was saying.

Sometimes I feel like strangling her and to think that I'm older than her and she treats me this way. I wish my parents were still alive then we would have been better and I will probably be in the university right now.

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