*CHAPTER 2*

(One Week Later)

Gina Adams woke up in the bedroom she'd been assigned when she officially married the late Leo Adams – the same room she'd occupied until two months before his death, when he'd banished her to the guest apartment. She stretched, glancing at the wall clock. It was past 7:00 AM.

Carefully sitting up, Gina felt like the lady of the house once more. "Hmm... how time flies," she murmured. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, adjusted her nightgown, and stood.

At 39, she still moved with a certain grace. She left the room and headed downstairs, knowing it was the first day back to school for her daughter, Mia.

Gina paused in the living room, surveying the scene. The floor had been freshly mopped, and she smiled in satisfaction.

Just then, Olima Adams, a pretty 17-year-old, emerged from the kitchen behind her. "Good morning, Mother," Olima greeted her stepmother.

The word "mother" sent a jolt of anger through Gina. Without warning, she spun around to face Olima, who was dressed in a pink nightgown. She grabbed Olima by the shoulders and slapped her hard across the face.

[SLAP!]

"How many times have I told you never to call me 'mother' again? Do I look like your dead mother?" Gina demanded, her voice laced with fury. Olima cried out, immediately apologizing, "I'm sorry, ma'am."

"Shut up! Keep your stupid apologies to yourself. Have you prepared breakfast yet?" Gina snapped. Olima, trembling, replied, "Yes, ma'am."

"Hmm." Gina glared at Olima, then sniffed the palms she'd used to grab and slap her, before heading into the kitchen to wash away Olima's scent.

Olima's brown eyes filled with tears.

Mia came downstairs, already dressed for school. As a junior, she knew how much her mother hated Olima, a hatred she shared, though she didn't show it. Mia was a dark-skinned beauty who resembled her late father, while Olima was the spitting image of her late mother, Zoe Adams.

Mia resented the fact that, before his death, her father had never truly acknowledged her mother, always favoring Olima and Zoe.

Mia had attended day school, while Olima had been sent to boarding school, a testament to how much her father had favored her, while her mother was seen as an outcast. Mia frowned as she walked towards the dining table in her blue school uniform. She was 14, while Olima was 17.

After Leo and Zoe's death, Mia knew that her mother had dismissed the previous maid under the guise of not being able to afford her salary, turning Olima into their full-time servant.

Olima had been forced to withdraw from her tutoring classes, and her mother had even torn up her university application, declaring that Olima would never attend university but would remain her maid for life.

Mia looked away from Olima, knowing that she had once enjoyed all the luxuries of their parents' wealth, while she and her mother had been relegated to the guest apartment. Her mother had told her the whole story.

Olima's eyes flooded with tears as she sobbed from the slap. Just then, Gina emerged from the kitchen, having washed her hands of Olima's fruity scent – Olima always smelled faintly of apples.

"What are you standing there for?" Gina demanded. "Have you prepared breakfast yet, or do you want my precious daughter to be late for school?"

Olima shivered. "I've made her noodles, ma'am."

"Then serve them. Or do you plan on starving my daughter to death? Do you want her to be late?" Gina pressed.

"No, ma'am," Olima replied.

"Then get to it! It's almost 7:30 AM."

"Okay, ma'am," Olima said, hurrying into the kitchen.

Gina's black eyes burned into Olima's back. She hated Olima all the more because she looked so much like her late mother, reminding her of her past sins and her role in Leo and Zoe's death.

"Mom, it's okay," Mia said, smiling sweetly. Gina turned to her daughter and softened. Mia also resembled her father, but she was still her daughter. She sighed and walked to the dining room.

"It will never be okay with that stupid witch in this house. Ugh," Gina grimaced, remembering how her late husband used to sit at the table, directly across from her, feeding Zoe from his own lips. Her face twisted in irritation at the memory.

"What's wrong, Mom?" Mia asked, sitting down across from her.

"Nothing, dear. What's taking Olima so long? Does she want me to storm into that kitchen?"

Olima quickly emerged, carrying a tray with a plate of hot noodles topped with fried eggs.

The aroma made Mia smile. She sat up straight and took the tray from Olima. Mia didn't know how to cook; Olima had been forced to learn after Gina took over the mansion.

"Get out! What are you still staring at?" Gina demanded, glaring at Olima, who scurried away.

Olima knew her stepmother had always hated her, but the hatred had intensified, making her feel even more guilty about her parents' death.

She wished they hadn't driven to her school that day to see her graduate at the top of her class. Now, her stepmother had refused to let her continue her education, claiming there was no money, while Mia was returning to school after the long holiday.

Mia was already in the second term, while she was stuck at home. She stopped at the kitchen door, contemplating speaking to her stepmother again about taking the university entrance exam and applying to a government institution instead of a private one.

Olima walked back towards the dining room, where Mia was eating the noodles. She stopped, trembling. "Ma'am..."

Gina turned, glaring at her. "What do you want? I thought I told you to leave."

Gina pushed her chair back and stood up, while Mia continued to eat.

Olima spoke in a shaky voice. "Ma'am... it's about my university entrance exam. I..."

"And I told you that you're not going to any stupid University, Olima. Don't you understand simple English? How did you graduate at the top of your class when you can't understand simple English at home? Get out of my sight!" Gina roared, and Olima immediately ran away.