Chapter 1 My wicked stepmom

Lydia pov

Someone just tapped me angrily at my back. I was busy using the washing machine to wash Jane and her son's clothes. She gave me a lot of work to do. I cleaned the house with the clothes.

"Lydia why are you still washing clothes at this time of the hour? Why didn't you come to the office today? our Boss asked of you, she said you didn't give her permission and you decided not to come to work",Veronica interrogated me instantly .

"You know that I told you that Jane said if I didn't wash all the clothes and she will flogged mercilessly and there will be no food for three weeks and you know what that means" I lamented .

Veronica is a very beautiful lady, she is my colleague in a local banking job, she just decided to check up on me, because she discovered I was absent in the office.

I didn't tell her that I will be absent, I have already planned to come to work but Jane instructed me not to wash her clothes and Damian clothes, the clothes was kept in a Big leather faded box that was hidden in one part of our sitting room, Jane loves keeping her clothes and Damian clothes for me to wash.

Since when my mom died when I was 10 years and my Dad brought another wife, I have lost my relationship with my father and Jane makes life miserable for me, always treating me anyhow, she treats me like an animal.

Veronica a Beautiful, stout, chubby with a dark blonde hair has been the one comforting me and she is a good friend of mine, there are pieces of advice that she has given to me, I do thank God that I have such a good friend, who understands me and gives good advice that always soothes my soul.

Jane has never given me rest of mind before, always giving me problems, my Dad always backed her and she turned him against me, I knew that she is a witch because she behaved like one.

"Babe," I turned my back towards her and we are looking at each other, Veronica packed her dark blonde hair with a purple bun, putting on a purple shirt and a white skirt, because that is one of the outfits we do put on during our working hours, always on cooperate wears.

She embraced me and she helped me to switch on the washing machine that I was using and I smiled at her.

"Veronica you didn't bother to knock, you just entered the house like that, how do you know that I am in the laundry place" I asked and I sat down on the chair and she sat opposite my chair.

Veronica smiles and her white teeth opened, showing satisfaction with the questions I asked her.

"Lydia I knew that you will be busy, because Jane always gives you voluminous work,I hope you are not angry that I didn't knock before entering,I am so worried about you and I don't want to know what is going with you" Veronica replied and she continues smiling and she makes herself comfortable on the brown cushion chair.

I went to get the remote for the television and I switched it on so as to watch Korean movies, because I knew that I have to entertain my friend, she loves Korean movies unlike me that likes watching cartoons and I responded to her question.

"Thanks for checking up on me, baby girl, thanks for all you do for me " I changed the channels to korean movies channels.

Lydia, "I want to gist you on what happened in the office today,do you know that one of our customers slapped our cashier" she retorted.

Where I was sitting,I was restless because I know that our cashier is a gentle, nice and hardworking lady.I,I wore an angry face when I heard it.

"How? Why ? _How can a customer slapped our cashier,that is ridiculous, some customers are heartless and wicked" I reacted negatively.

" Babe you didn't know that some customers are arrogant, and they don't know how to relate and treat bank officials,do they think we are being paid huge salaries,they didn't know that we are just managing ourselves by coming to the place of work, let me tell you something" she faced my direction and stared at me, she was no longer watching the television to show that she is serious with the discussion and she breaks the silence.

"Do you know that the last salary we got,I spent everything on my mom that was sick, you know that she is the only family I had ,since when Daddy died, and his family took all his properties away from us,mom has been the one taking care of me and my brother, so last week i took mom to St Andrew hospital in Mexico,a public hospital,they diagnosed that she has cerebellum malaria and the doctors requested for $8000 dollars, and you know that our salaries per month is $10000 dollars, I have to transfer the amount of money they used to treat mom and it remains $2000 dollars in my account". She complained.

I was so dejected and heartbroken when I heard of the ordeal that happened to her mother, Veronica and I have been friends since childhood,she was born in a wealthy family, but everything went down when her father died and his family took all the properties and since then they have been suffering from hardship, but her mom manages to send her to the college and she became a banker.

"Babe, I am so sorry for all these words that is coming from your mouth,I didn't know that you are facing such things, how is her body? I hope she is feeling ok? Have they discharged her from the hospital? I asked reluctantly.

She wasn't happy and she was sad

"Mom has... been discharged from the hospital and she is ok now,I took her home yesterday" ..... Veronica muttered,her voice has changed she was no longer happy and I pitied her.

Her voice cracked and she was down casted she no longer watch the television,her face was pale and worry was written over her face,I have never seen my friend in such a manner,i knew that this situation has overwhelmed her.

"Veronica, don't worry I understand your feelings,so did she has something to eat at home? I asked her.

"Babe the remaining $2000 in my hands I have spent it on food,I bought foodstuffs at home, but I came here to eat in your place, because if I eat out of the food,it won't be enough for us and I have to get another money, but you knew that we just received salary and we are going to get our next pay by June because we are in May and we are still in the middle of May,we still have a long way to go". She lamented.

I move closer to her and touch her arms and her worried cheeks and chin.

"Babe I want you to relax I understand you, I will try to cook for you, you will eat in the house, because Jane hasn't come home,she has gone to her grocery store where she sells things" I assured her .

Veronica move closer to me and she placed her arms on my arms and she placed her palm on my palm so as to show appreciation.

I smiled at her back so that she will change her mood,I don't like her putting on a worried face, because she is not always beautiful when she gets angry .

I pulled her cheeks and played with it

"Babe I want you to smile,I believe that all will be ok and fall into places at the right time, don't bother yourself, you are free to come to my place to eat when you need food,I am at your service all the time" i assured her.

Ok ,I am going to the kitchen,I went to the kitchen that was not far from the sitting room and I brought a large tray filled with Spanish rice and chicken and fruits,I knew that Veronica is famished and I know what she wants food right now,that is the solution to her problem right now.

We both went to the dining table and we ate our food and we gist,her countenance changed to me and she was forced to smile and laugh and I cracked jokes with her so as to change the discussion,she knows I am good at changing discussions,if it is not palatable to me.

Few minutes the door opened and the unexpected happen, someone we didn't expect came inside, she was so confused at us when she stared at us,the tall and beautiful figure move closer to us and stood in our front,we were so afraid when the figure was staring at us with a wicked grin .