Chapter 2 002

CLARA'S POV

"Is she dead??? Why is her eyes opening and shutting like that??? I told you to leave this girl alone, do you want me to get arrested?!!!" I heard some voices saying as I tried opening my eyes.

I tried to open my eyes but with great difficulty.

Suddenly water was poured on me as I got back to my senses.

I slowly opened my eyes as I saw my step family surrounding me.

"Welcome back to the world of the living." Jerry said.

"Be quiet!!!" my step Father yelled.

I stood up from the ground as I looked at my body covered in fresh bruises.

"Go inside and clean yourself up." My step Father said as he walked away.

I walked back into the storeroom where I was asked to stay and took off my clothes.

As I looked at the new bruises forming in my body and down to my stomach, tears dripped down my face as I cursed my fate.

I was malnourished and underfed and because of that, I didn't look my age.

My Mother died when I was at the ripe age of seven and although I didn't understand the full details regarding my mother's death, I was told by my Father, Rafeal Nivera that she died of a long term illness.

A few months after my Mother's death, my Father remarried and brought into our house his new wife whose name is Seraphina who became my step mother and she also came alongside with her five years old son and my first step brother Julius.

At first, she was very nice to me and she treated me like her own daughter but things turned out for the worse when she gave birth to my second step brother Jerry.

My stepmother taught her children never to respect me as they were born and naturally the head of the house so even if I was older with age, I wasn't allowed to be accorded with respect.

My father got a better job and because of that, he traveled and had little or no time for me.

I was asked to leave my room and stay in the house's basement just so my step brothers could have their own rooms.

From sleeping in the basement, I was deprived of eating good food as I was only given the leftovers most times, I wasn't allowed to go out or make friends, I dropped out of school because my step mother claimed I wasn't learning anything useful and that I only did better with chores at home.

My father couldn't do or say anything whenever he came back from his travels due to the fact that my stepmother filled his head with lies about me.

From love and care, I gradually saw his hatred and look of disgust whenever he stared at me.

He supported my step mother in denying me from going to school as he said females always ended up in a man's kitchen.

I was underweight for a twenty one year old girl and I looked so small that one would assume I was fifteen years old.

As I cleaned myself from the blood stains on my body, I saw fresh bruises forming again and the more I cleaned it, the more it stung making me wince in pain.

When I was done, as I walked past my father's room, I overheard him talking to my stepmother.

"Why did you yell at me in the presence of my kids??" she asked.

"I thought I told you time without number that you should leave Clara alone?? She does everything in this house which includes chores and cooking and yet you want to kill her??"

Hearing that, I smiled a little knowing that my Father didn't hate me completely but the next words that came out of his mouth shocked me.

"Don't you know that if she dies, there won't be anyone to do all these things anymore?? Or do you want our children to take over??"

"Never!!! Why would my children be subjected to doing house chores??? Are they servants??" she asked.

"Exactly, so if you want to punish her, you can tell her to kneel down for a while or decide not to give her food for some time and that way, she will learn her lesson."

"You are very right dear, I will do as you have said."

"Good."

"Anyway dear, Jerry's birthday is coming up soon and I need some money to throw a lavish party for him."

"There is no problem about that...I will send you some money now."

It was like my heart was broken again into pieces as I heard the words that came out of my Father's mouth.

I walked away in sadness and went into the kitchen to make lunch for everyone.

Just in the middle of making lunch, Julia walked up to me.

"Aunty Clara, are you okay??" she asked.

I looked at her and saw pity in her eyes for me.

"I am very okay dear." I said with a smile.

"You don't have to lie to me because I understand everything that has been happening...why don't you just leave this house and run away somewhere??"

Even at her young age, Julia was very intelligent and sensitive and that was one quality I liked about her.

"I have nowhere to run to dear....this is my only home."

"Don't worry, everything will be fine okay??"

"I know...thank you so much my Julia." I said as I stroked her cheeks.

"Hey Aunty Clara, stop it...I am not a little girl anymore." she said smiling.

"Oh sorry my big girl."

She giggled and went to the living room to watch tv.

After I finished cooking, I set the food on the dinning and called for everyone to eat.

They all sat at the table and were about eating when I dished mine into a plate and sat on the floor in the kitchen.

Just as I put the first spoon of food into my mouth, the plate was dragged from my hand.

"And who gave you the permission to eat my food???"