"Mom, mom," Elena sobbed, reaching out to her mother. She was sitting next to the lifeless body of her mother.

"Mom will never wake up, dear. Please come here." Robert cradled her in his arms, tears welling up in his eyes as he looked at her. "How come, Dad?" asked Elena.

Robert said, "Your mother is sound asleep."

"However, I really want to talk with her," Elena said with watery eyes.

Robert wrapped his arms around Elena and closed his eyes.

'I can't tell you, my darling, that your mother has abandoned us,' Robert squeezed his eyes while thinking.

"Let me handle her, Robert," Anne emerged out of nowhere and said.

"Please, honey, come here." Elena panicked when Anne attempted to hold her.

"Don't touch me. I don't care about you. Tell her to leave!" Elena shouted. "Don't speak in that tone, Elena. She's your aunt, and she'll look after you." Robert stated this vehemently. Anne grinned as she murmured to herself, 'Just hold your breath, little witch. I'll make your life miserable.'

"It's all right, Robert. She is a child who has recently lost her mother," Anne said after a while.

Elena wailed as she stared at Mr. Robert with watery eyes and said to him, "I hate you, Dad." Elena bolted away from the scene. "Elena, wait, Elena," Robert said once again.

However, Anne took his hand in hers and said to him, "Robert, she needs some time. Let me handle this."

"I'm not sure what to do. Please don't mind her. God, take away my love from me," Robert cried.

"Don't cry, Robert," Anne consoled him as she gave him a sorrowful look.

'You'll never know what I did to her, Robert.' Anne's thoughts were interrupted as her phone rang out of nowhere. She went outside after making an excuse for herself.

"Can you tell me why you're calling me? I told you that if you guys murdered them, I'd pay you the money. I gave you an order to kill them both." Anne was on the phone, yelling at someone vehemently.

"Madame, I am extremely sorry. However, there was..."

"Stop it!" Anne yelled, interrupting his talk. "Don't call me again; I'll give you my address." She hung up the phone on him.

'Nobody will ever know what I did to her.' Anne murmured with a mischievous grin.

***

Five months later, Robert married Anne to care for Elena. However, things did not go as planned.

Anne had a son, and she wanted Robert's entire estate to be inherited by him. As a result, after a year, she began tormenting Elena. She even attempted to murder her once, but failed.

Elena gradually began to doubt her. But it didn't work since her father didn't trust her, and Anne ruined Elena's reputation in the eyes of Robert. Their relationship became worse.

***

It's been eight years.

I am Elena D'souza, currently 19 years old. My father is Robert D'souza; he is a successful entrepreneur. In the last eight years, I've never been able to become close to my father.

"Pom, where is Dad?" I asked.

"Ma'am, Anne ma'am, and Sir went out. They're not coming back today," Pom answered.

Hearing Pom, I looked around with a heavy sigh because it was his daily routine, and I forgot when we had forgotten our dinner together.

"Okay, I understand."

"Do you want something to eat, ma'am?" Pom asked politely. I smiled warmly at her. She is the only one who is always concerned about my health.

I mumbled to her, "I'm not hungry, Pom. You may go to sleep."

I went upstairs to my room after saying goodbye to her. I was tired, so I went to the bathroom to shower. After bathing, I emerged from the bath while fastening my bathrobe. Then, suddenly, someone grabbed my waist from behind.

I yelled at him, "What exactly are you up to? Please let me go."

Then I heard a husky whisper in my ear, and I knew who had the audacity to hold me in such a way.

Paul whispered in my ear, "Don't be afraid, my sweetheart." It was Paul. He was Anne's son, and he was 21 years old.

I yelled, "How dare you touch me, Paul? I'll tell my dad."

When he heard me, he pulled my hair. It wasn't the first time Paul pulled my hair aggressively. This was something I'd become used to seeing from him.

Paul used to be nice to me, but when his mother married my father, he started treating me brutally. I closed my eyes in agony.

"Do you think it'll work out? Do you expect your dad will believe you?" He said it in a sarcastic tone.

I glared at him fiercely, my eyes welling up with tears. I couldn't figure out why I was crying. Was it a cry of rage or a wail of bereavement?

"Stop it, Paul," I said. I know I won't be able to save myself from him tonight.

"No one, honey," he said as he placed his other hand on my waist.

"I'm sure I can't. This is the day I've been waiting for so long. I'm sorry, but I cannot stop right now." Paul sniffed my body and stated, "I have no time to waste."

"What are you saying?" I asked him while stuttering. I did not have to let that happen. So I began yelling, "Leave me alone, Paul."

Paul pushed me into bed with him. He shut the door and turned up the volume. "What's next? No one will hear your screams." He grinned as he spoke.

I felt both shocked and terrified. "Please don't do this to me," I begged, tears streaming down my face.

Paul grabbed my hand and murmured, "Elena, I'm afraid I won't be able to help you. Do you realize that every man in college wants to date you? And it irritates me to no end."