Chapter 3 - Her Plead

Olima stopped at the kitchen door and begged, "Please, Ma, I need to write the exam so I can gain admission into the university."

"And who will sponsor your fees? Are you telling me you're blind and didn't know how your loving father cast Mia and me away? If you've forgotten, let me remind you: the money I use to feed you now is the money I should pay the old maid. There is no money in this house, and I cannot take my business money to sponsor your university fees. Why am I even explaining this to you? Get out of here before I break your empty head!" Gina shouted. Olima sobbed and went back into the kitchen. Mia finished her breakfast as Nathan knocked and walked into the living room.

Nathan, the gateman, came to inform Gina that the school bus had arrived for Mia.

"Good morning, Madam," Nathan greeted. He knew Gina had not always been the mistress of the mansion. After his former madam’s death, Gina took over and became the new madam of the house.

"Yes, what do you want, Nathan?" Gina asked. She stepped away from the dining room and walked into the living room to meet Nathan after dismissing Olima.

"The school bus has arrived to take Mia to school," Nathan informed her. Mia stood up from her dining chair, finished with her noodles and fried eggs. She turned and grabbed her schoolbag.

"I'm off to school, Mom. Take care," Mia said to her mother and walked away from the dining room. Gina responded, "Yeah, take care too, my baby."

Gina watched as Mia left the house. She sighed and stared back at the dining table, seeing the empty, dirty plate Mia had left behind. Gina walked back into the kitchen to find out what Olima was doing.

Olima stood beside the kitchen sink crying. She washed her face and sobbed. She thought to prepare her breakfast, but hearing the sound of the kitchen door push open, she turned and stared at her stepmother.

Gina’s eyes burned with irritation. Olima was pretty for her age, with a better shape and more height than Mia.

Gina asked, "What do you stand there by the sink doing?"

Olima shuddered and replied, "I want to prepare my own breakfast, Ma, and cook more noodles."

"Hmm." Gina walked toward the carton of noodles she bought the previous week and inspected it. "How many noodles did you cook for Mia today?" she asked, checking the carton. The packets were small.

"Two," Olima replied. She trembled as her stepmother stood beside her.

"And how many packets do I see on the cabinet that you want to cook for yourself alone?" Gina glared. Olima backed away and replied, "The—three."

"Three packets! Just for you! My goodness! Do you intend to turn me into a thief overnight?" Gina questioned in shock. Olima shook her head and replied, "No, Ma."

"Then how can you finish three packets this morning? What about Mia? What will Mia eat for school tomorrow, or for the rest of the month? No wonder you look so fresh and chubby every week, even after killing your parents." Gina glared again, and Olima took more steps backward in fear.

Gina walked closer to the cabinet where Olima had dropped the three packets of noodles. She picked them up and said, "One packet is enough for you. I will count this carton now to know how many remain. If I notice that you cook more than one for yourself per day, you will see the other side of me."

Gina counted the remaining noodles in the carton. "There are only 10 left. So, you and Mia have eaten 30 packets already this week. I am sure you ate the most. Return those two packets into this carton to make it twelve, and cook just one noodle and one egg for yourself. But before that, prepare my tea and bring it to the dining table."

Gina dropped the carton and walked out, leaving Olima alone in the kitchen.

Olima sobbed and prepared her stepmother's tea the way she knew she liked it. She walked to the dining room to serve it where Gina sat waiting.

After Olima was through serving the tea, she returned to the kitchen to prepare the single packet of noodles and one egg. She sat on a stool and ate her noodles quietly.

Her father was a billionaire, and Olima had not thought of applying for a scholarship when she was in school. She had felt her father might not be pleased with the university choice the school offered their best graduating student.

Olima continued to sob. None of her maternal or paternal relatives cared to ask about her after her parents were gone. They were concerned about who would inherit her father's oil company and properties. They wanted to know who would take over the CEO position, but as her stepmother was alive, none of her uncles dared to interrogate her. Gina had threatened to arrest them if any of them visited.

Olima finished her noodles and stood up. She stepped out to the dining room to clear her stepmother’s used teacup and saw that Gina had left the house. Walking to the window, Olima saw that one of the cars—her father's latest "tear-rubber" expensive new cars—was gone.

Olima sighed and walked back into the kitchen to wash the dirty plates and cups. When she was through, she went upstairs to her bedroom, wondering how she would overcome her stepmother’s daily torture.

Later in the evening, Gina returned from her shop and parked the expensive Jeep in the garage. There were five exotic cars parked there.

Gina remembered that her late husband only agreed to buy a car for her after Mia turned five and complained that Olima's mother had a car. That was when Leo finally decided to buy Gina a small car.

Parking the black Lexus Jeep previously used by Leo, Gina stepped down and locked the doors with the remote. She walked toward the mansion, and Nathan greeted her: "Welcome back, Madam."

"Yes, well done, Nathan," Mrs. Gina replied, before walking into the house.

She saw Olima and Mia seated on the black couches watching a romance movie on the flat-screen television. Olima stood up when her stepmother walked in; she had not heard the car due to the noise from the movie.

"Good evening, Ma," Olima greeted. Gina did not respond. She looked at the wall clock and saw it was past 7:00 PM.

"Hmm." Gina eyed Olima. Mia stood up and greeted her too: "Good evening, Mom."

"Evening, Mia. Have you done your homework?" Gina asked. Mia responded, "Yes, Mom."

Gina walked toward the stairs and paused, while Olima shifted toward the dining room.

Gina looked at Olima and asked, "Olima, have you prepared dinner yet?"

Gina knew there were no foodstuffs in the house; she asked only to be sure.