Chapter 1: Broken vows mended hearts

The wind  hovered against the  towering mansion, rattling the windows as dark clouds gathered above Hollywood, the grand estate of the Earnshaw family . It was a dreary November afternoon and  it  was also winter  time which made the sprawling house seem even more colder and suffocating.  Inside  the common room was a thirteen  years old girl named Anna. She sat curled in a corner, her hand pressed  against the armrest of an old leather couch. The book in her hand, a  romance novel, was the only escape  she had  from the cold, suffocating reality of her existence . The warm cold glow  of  the atmosphere did little to ease the chill that had settled in her bones over the years. She had learned in her early life  that kindness  was not a luxury  everyone had to give.

Her aunty,Mrs. Regina  Earnshaw, had never hidden her contempt for  the  orphaned girl left in her care. From the moment Anna's  parents died in a tragic  accident, Regina  made  it clear that she was an unwanted burden . Unlike her own children,Victoria,Georgiana, and John who were pampered and  filled with love. Anna was treated  like a mere servant by  her own aunty  and cousins.

The words of the novel blurred before her tired  eyes, but she forced herself to  continue  reading, determined to lose herself in a world where love and kindness existed,where orphans like  her were not treated as burdens.  But peace was a luxury that never lasted long in the house.

The sharp, mocking voice of her  Aunt's child  John Earnshaw flew  as he burst hurriedly into the room without  knocking. He was barely  eight, but he carried himself like  a king, commanding over the household with the certainty that everything  and everyone within it belonged to him.   “ You again, hiding away with your  silly books”, John screamed at her, his voice  filled with  contempt. “ You really think reading will change  what you are? A nobody?”. Anna sat where she was without  moving  an inch, but she refused to look up. Ignoring John  usually made him lose interest faster. Unfortunately,today was not one of those days.

“I'm  talking to  you, Orphan,” John continued, stepping  closer. He collected  the book from her hands and examined the back cover. “What's this? Another story about knights and  princesses? Do you dream or imagine being rescued, Anna?No one's  coming  for you”.

Victoria  and  Georgina laughed mockingly  behind him.    “ You should thank us,you know”, Victoria  added, her lips curling into a wicked smile.  “ Without  us, you have no roof over your  head, no food to eat . Instead of acting like you're very  important.  You should  be grateful”. The words burned in her chest but she refused to act to Victoria's  message. Grateful for being treated as less than a servant instead of a family  member? Grateful  for being locked away while  the Earnshaw children  are allowed to eat at the dining  and attend special events with the elite? Grateful for being nothing more than a ghost in a house that never wanted  Her?      Anna shouted at  John aggressively.

“ Give me my book back, john”. He raised an eyebrow  in shock. “ Oh? The little beggar is making demands? With an aggressive grin, he flipped  the book open and without  hesitation tore a page. The sound of the torn piece of paper sent a sharp pain through Anna's chest.

“ Stop it!” She shouted, lunging for the book, but John easily held it out of reach. Her sudden movement infuriated his anger. He pushed her backward with a force  that sent her stumbling against the table. Her body trembled, not from fear but from the rage that had been  piling  up for years, always ignored.  John  laughed  a cruel, mocking sound. 

“ You're  pathetic”.

That was the final straw.

With a  deep anger, Anna charged at him, her small fists striking his chest. The unexpected  attack  sent John  stumbling. His pride left him immediately,he retaliated the only way he knew how, with violence. The slap came very fast and unexpected, the sharp sting spreading  across Anna's  cheek.  She barely had time to recover before he slapped  her again, sending her crashing onto the  hard wooden floor. She tasted blood . The word blurred with anger and  humiliation. Then a chilling voice shattered  the conflict  going on.

“ What's  going on here?”  Mrs. Regina Earnshaw  stood at the entrance, her eyes sweeping  across  the  room. Dressed in an elegant  silk gown, with beads labelled on the cloth , she looked every bit the sophisticated  mother of the Earnshaw  family.  But Anna knew the truth. Beneath the expensive  clothing and smiles,  Regina Earnshaw was a woman made  of steel  and ice . 

John immediately straightened,his expression shifting from cruel amusement  to  shocking innocence. He gave this innocent look as if  it was Anna that started the fight. “ Mother,” He said calmly. “ Anna attacked  me”. Victoria  gasped dramatically , placing a hand over her chest . “ She was so aggresive, Mother! She slapped  John !”. Anna's  mouth widened in shock. She barely had time to process the  lie before Mrs  Earnshaw’s gaze  landed on her like a blade. “Anna”, She called aggressively. 

“ Is this true? Anna  confessed openly even though  she knew Mrs Earnshaw  will not take her side, but her child's  own. “ I  didn't “. She said  boldly. The single word cut through  the air like a whip.   Mrs  Earnshaw’s expression was unreadable  as she slowly  approached her.” After all I have  done for you, you choose to repay me with violence? Do you want to kill my only son for me?. Anna's  stomach  twisted in pain.” Please, I …”

“ Shut up”, Mrs Earnshaw  said coldly. “ If you insist  on behaving like a fool,You will be treated  as one”. Before Anna could  say a word,the woman turned to one of the housemaids  standing nearby. “ Lock her up in the dustbin  room”. Anna begin to panic heavily. The dust bin room was a place in the house that terrified her. It was full with a lot of waste dirt of the kitchen waste and the general house dirt. The room was close to the kitchen. There  was no light, no fresh  air. Just darkness,pressing in  like a suffocating weight.She  cried pitifully. “No–Please,I –”.

“ Take  her away”,Mrs Earnshaw screamed  loudly.The  housemaid looked at her out of pity as she grabbed her arm.

“ Move,” She whispered,her voice barely loud and clear. Anna's  heart pounded in her chest  as She was dragged down the long,empty  corridors.The  walls seemed to close in on Her,and with every step she began to remember  her late  mom, if  she didn't  die she will not be here living with her aunty. The maid gave her a sorrowful glance before pushing her inside and the door slammed shut. Darkness  swallowed  her whole. Anna sat on the cold floor, her breath coming in shallow  gasps. The weight of loneliness pressed down on her as tears  blurred her vision.

“ If only my parents  were alive”, She said, her voice  trembling. If only she wasn t alone in this world. If only someone  would   come and save her . But at that moment, locked away in the shadows of the Earnshaw  mansion, hope felt like  nothing more than a distant dream.