*CHAPTER 3*

Olima stopped at the kitchen door and begged, "Please, ma'am, I need to take the exam so I can get into university."

"And who's going to pay your fees? Are you blind? Did you forget how your loving father cast me and Mia aside? If you have, let me remind you: the money I'm using to feed you now is what I should be paying the old maid. There's no money in this house, and I'm not taking money from my business to sponsor your university. Why am I even explaining this to you? Get out of here before I crack your empty head!" Gina shouted. Olima sobbed and retreated to the kitchen, while Mia finished her breakfast. Nathan knocked and entered the living room.

Nathan, the gateman, had come to inform Gina that the school bus had arrived to take Mia to school.

"Good morning, Madam," Nathan greeted Gina, knowing she hadn't been the lady of the house before.

But after the former madam's death, Gina had taken over the mansion and become the new lady of the house.

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

"The school bus has arrived for Mia," Nathan informed her. Just then, Mia stood up from the dining chair, having finished her noodles and eggs. She grabbed her schoolbag.

"I'm off to school, Mom. Take care," Mia said, walking away from the dining room.

"Yeah, take care, baby," Gina responded.

Gina watched Mia leave and sighed, staring back at the dining table and the empty, dirty plate.

Gina returned to the kitchen to see what Olima was doing.

Olima stood by the sink, crying as she washed her face and sobbed.

She'd been about to prepare her own breakfast, but hearing the kitchen door open, she turned and saw her stepmother enter.

Gina's eyes burned with irritation at Olima, who was very pretty for her age, with larger breasts and a more seductive figure than Mia. Olima was also taller.

"What are you doing standing there by the sink?" Gina asked.

Olima shuddered. "I wanted to make my own breakfast, to cook more noodles."

"Hmm." Gina walked to the carton of noodles she'd bought the previous week and inspected it.

"How many noodles did you cook for Mia today?" Gina asked, checking the carton. The noodles were the smaller size.

"Two," Olima replied, visibly shaking as her stepmother stood beside her.

"And how many noodles am I seeing on top of the cabinet that you want to cook for yourself alone?" Gina glared at Olima, who shivered. "Thr-three."

"Three noodles! Just for you! My goodness! Do you intend to turn me into a thief overnight?" Gina asked, shocked. Olima quickly shook her head. "No, ma'am."

"Then how can you eat three noodles just this morning? What about Mia? What will Mia eat for breakfast tomorrow, and for the rest of the week, and the entire month?"

"No wonder you're looking so fresh and chubby every week, even after killing your parents," Gina glared at Olima, who took steps backward in fear.

Gina walked closer to the cabinet where Olima had placed the three noodles. She picked them up. "One noodle is enough for you. I'll count this carton of noodles now to see how many are left. If I notice you cook more than one noodle for yourself per day, you'll see a side of me you don't want to see."

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

Gina dropped the carton and left the kitchen, leaving Olima alone.

Olima sobbed and quickly prepared her stepmother's tea the way she liked it. She took it to the dining room, where Gina was waiting.

After serving Gina her tea, Olima returned to the kitchen to prepare a single noodle and one egg for herself. She sat on a stool and ate quietly.

Her father had been a billionaire, and Olima hadn't thought of applying for a school scholarship when she was still in school. She'd felt her father might not approve of the university her school had recommended for their best graduating student.

Olima continued to sob, as none of her maternal or paternal relatives cared to ask about her, even after her parents were gone. They were more concerned about who would inherit her father's oil company and properties, and who would take over as CEO. But with her stepmother alive, none of her uncles dared to question her. Gina had threatened to arrest them again if they came to visit.

Olima finished eating and stood up to clear her stepmother's teacup. She saw that Gina had left the house.

Walking to the dining room window, Olima saw one of the cars Gina drove leaving the mansion. It was one of her father's latest expensive cars.

Olima sighed and returned to the kitchen to wash the dirty plates and cups.

After she finished, Olima went upstairs to her bedroom, wondering how she would endure her stepmother's daily torture.

~~~

Later that evening, Gina returned home from her shop, driving the expensive Jeep into the garage.

There were about five exotic cars parked there. Gina vividly remembered that her late husband had only agreed to buy her a car after Mia turned five and complained that Olima's mother had a car, and her own mother needed one too.

That was when Leo Adams had finally decided to buy her a small car.

Parking the black Lexus Jeep that Leo had previously used, Gina stepped out and locked the door with the remote.

She walked towards the mansion. Nathan greeted her as she walked from the garage. "Welcome back, Madam."

"Yes, well done," Gina paused and replied before walking into the house.

She saw Olima and Mia sitting on the living room couches, watching a romance movie on the large flat-screen television.

Olima stood up immediately, seeing her stepmother enter. She hadn't even heard the car because of the movie.

"Good evening, ma'am," Olima quickly greeted Gina, but she didn't respond. Her eyes shifted to the living room clock, seeing it was past 7 PM.

"Hmm," Gina hummed, eyeing Olima irritably. Mia stood up and greeted her too. "Good evening, Mom."

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

Gina walked towards the stairs and paused, while Olima moved to the dining room area.

Gina asked Olima, "Olima, have you prepared dinner yet?"

Gina knew there wasn't any food in the house, so she asked to be sure.