Abigail's POV
***
I stepped through the door of my childhood home, taking in my surroundings. Nothing had changed in the five years I'd been away. It was as if time had stopped in this place, and it was still stuck in the past. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart and my shaking legs.
My heart pounded in my chest, thudding loudly as I walked down the hall. It felt like it was going to burst out of my chest. My body was still trembling, my hands shaked uncontrollably.I only needed to see my father, and after that, i would leave the house.I trudged up the stairs, wiping the sweat from my brow. I had lived in this house for twenty years, and I knew its layout like the back of my hand. I could easily find my way to my father's room, but just as I was about to climb the next step, I heard a familiar voice call out my name."Welcome back, sister. " I turned back only to see Lana and Ethan standing a few steps away, their hands intertwined. My heart sank, and I felt a wave of anger and sadness wash over me. I had been moving on all these years and the last thing I wanted was to see my boyfriend together with my stepsister.Betrayed and hurt, my chest started to feel heavy, all I wanted was to walk past them and get into my father's room, but I had to reply to my step sister even if I didn't want to."Thanks" I swallowed the lump in my throat, my reply was short and I didn't want to stay there any longer.I stood rooted to the spot, my eyes locked with Ethan's. But he didn't look happy to see me. Instead, his face was twisted in a look of pure disgust. I felt the color drain from my face as I realized what this must mean. He now hated me."Honey, don't be rude. Exchange greetings with my beloved sister," Lana said to Ethan, in the sweetest way possible. She was doing it all to make me jealous, but what she didn't know was that I wasn't as weak as I used to be and those past five years had changed me for the better."I don't have any interest in greeting a person who is immoral and shameless. She has done something awful, so she doesn't deserve my respect or acknowledgment." Ethan gave me a sneering look of disgust, taking pleasure in the satisfaction on Lana's face. Then he decided to speak further."Sluts like her should hide there face in shame," Ethan said. "Isn't that right, baby?""But baby, she is still my sister. Please don't speak badly of her. Even though she did something bad in the past, we should at least forgive her." Lana objected to Ethan's insult, which was a ruse to appear like an angel before Ethan."I have to go see my father, please excuse me," I said calmly, escaping the jeers from Ethan, whom i once loved deeply."Father does not need you, he is doing okay. You will only make the situation worse if you go in there. Do not worry, he will be strong and healthy soon." Lana stated, her eyes glistened, as if she genuinely missed me and was saying it all for my sake. But I have known her long enough to be aware of how dangerous she could be, almost like a green snake under the green grass."I do not care! I want to see my father" I protested angrily, seeing through my stepsister's pretense, after they betrayed me five years ago, i had learned to never trust their words."You are the reason for your father's illness and you dare to step your filthy legs into this house! Shameless!" A voice which I recognized too well interrupted our discourse."Mother, don't speak like that, please." Lana faked a tear and pretended to feel sorry for me."Aunty is telling the truth. Abigail caused all the misfortunes that have befallen your father. It is a shame that she has shown her face in this home." Ethan snorted in disgust as he mentioned my name, pulling Lana closer to himself."That is all in the past. My purpose for coming is to see my father. I will leave after seeing him. Let's forget about the past and focus more on what is to come in the future." I stated, their words didn't mean a thing to me, they did not affect my skin."Goddamn motivational speaker! We also do not want to see you here. Your mother ruined your father and now you have come to ruin him further. You are just as shameless as your filthy mother." My stepmother spoke up again, this time with foul language.I thundered, "If you mention my mother's name again, I will tear you to pieces. Get my mother's name out of your mouth." Rage flowed through me like lava. I could take whatever harsh words they threw at me, but I would never let them talk bad about my mother.The anger that welled up in my chest was enough to send shivers down their spines. They all kept quiet, surprised by my sudden outburst.Their excitement was replaced with anger by dreadThey suddenly felt intimidated, and it boosted my self confidence."How can you talk to Aunt that way? I have now seen your true intentions. You only pretended to be a good girl just to make me bow at your feet. My heart feels happy and alive now that you are out of my life." Ethan said with clenched teeth while staring into my eyes.While confronting my sister and my stepmother, I was vicious and cold, but when Ethan humiliated me and stood up for my stepmother, i felt my world begin to crumble.It was the first time Ethan had ever spoken to me in that manner, I had known him to be sweet and caring but today i couldn't say the same.He now hated my guts and i knew it. Ethan had been in a relationship with me for three years and we had once promised to always be together. At that time, it felt like he was madly in love with me. He gave me gifts and made me feel loved. Ethan was the man with whom I had dreamed of spending the rest of my life with.I retorted ruthlessly, "Someday you will understand that they are pretentious and as cunning as a snake. Maybe then you will find out the truth and regret saying those words that you uttered. From today, I do not want any of you to bother me. I will be happy if we do not cross each other's path."Having said that, I walked towards my father's room. He was the only person in the family who understood and supported me."Get back here!" Ethan shouted, clearly agitated by my response. He had expected me to react differently and was frustrated by my rationality. He started towards me, as if he was going to grab me and pull me back. But then my stepmother whispered something to him, and he paused.I took one last glance at them and shook my head in pity before going into my father's room.Abigail's POV *** "Father," I whispered, as I crept into the room, careful not to make a sound. I closed the door behind me, then approached him slowly.When I reached the bedside, I noticed how gaunt my father had become. His once-strong frame was now frail, his breathing shallow and labored. I felt a pang of sadness as I took in his appearance.I sat down on the edge of the bed, taking care not to jostle the mattress and disturb his rest. I was careful not to make a sound, hoping that he would remain asleep.As I studied my father's face, I noticed that his hair had turned almost completely gray. The silvery strands were twice as numerous as the last time I saw him.Tears rolled down my cheek and I quickly brushed it away, not wanting to be caught crying. I didn't want to worry my father, especially not now.My father had always been so kind and generous, always putting others before himself. He had done so much good in the world, and yet here he was, suffering. It didn't seem fair
Abigail's POV *** My fury was beyond words, and all I could do was clench my jaw and bite back the urge to rip into the witch's neck. I knew that violence wouldn't solve anything, but it was hard to keep my emotions in check.Though I would have preferred to look away but i forced myself to turn and face her. I caught sight of the tray in her hands, trying to ignore the smell of fresh, warm food."Ah, it's wonderful to see your daughter here, isn't it? I'm glad we've moved past our differences. It was quite a difficult time, but we've come out stronger." She flashed a feigned surprise and approached me with an angelic smile.Her smile was so sickeningly sweet, it made me want to gag. Despite the cheerful expression on her face, I could see the malice and hatred behind her eyes. It was clear that she despised us, and we felt the same way about her. The act she was putting on was so transparent, it was almost laughable. This woman, with her saccharine smile and forced kindness, was t
Abigail's POV *** I had many schools to choose from in my neighborhood, but one caught my attention. It was close to my apartment, just a short walk away. That was an important factor, as I didn't want to waste time commuting. Plus, the school seemed like a good fit for my son. I carefully reviewed all the details about the school, and I was convinced it was the right choice for my son. So I clicked the "Apply" button and uploaded a photo of my son, Audrey. The payment process was straightforward - I just had to enter my credit card information into a secure online form. I appreciated the convenience of paying online, as it saved me the hassle of writing a check or mailing a money order. Once I completed the payment, I was able to move on to the next step. I tried to keep my eyes open, but they felt heavy and began to droop. Satisfied that I had successfully enrolled my son in the school, I shut down my computer and headed to bed. I lay down, my body feeling heavy and my eyes g
Third POVA middle-aged woman, with her gracefully aging features, offered a friendly wave to a young girl. Her stunning red gown complemented her equally radiant lipstick and the makeup she wore concealed the natural signs of age, transforming her into a youthful woman who could have passed for someone in her thirties.Kate slowly lowered her hand as she watched her daughter disappear from view, her shoulders relaxing as she exhaled a contented sigh. A fan as exquisite as a work of art was produced from her purse, and she waved it with a flourish, as though she were royalty.Kate walked with an air of poise and confidence, her hips swaying with the kind of effortless grace that can only come from years of self-assurance. Her body was a work of art, even in her maturity, and one could sense the allure that must have drawn people to her in her youth.The sleek silhouette of her Bugatti Veyron stood out among the other vehicles in the parking lot, and she strode towards it with a sense
Third POV "Father?" Kate called out, her voice echoing through the vast emptiness of the living room. The room was impeccably clean, with not a speck of dust to be seen, but there was no sign of her father. Only the servants were there, busying themselves with their chores. Exhaustion washed over her, and she sank down onto the plush velvet couch, leaning back into the soft cushions. "Get me an iced water, now!" Kate snapped, the frustration clear in her tone. She felt the heat rising within her, and she needed something to cool her down.A maid quickly scurried off to get the iced water, her footsteps echoing on the marble floor. She soon returned, carrying a tall glass filled with ice and cool, refreshing water. She placed it on the table in front of Kate, who reached for it gratefully. The maid stood motionless, waiting for Kate to dismiss her. She was trained never to leave the room until she was explicitly told to do so. She watched as Kate gestured for her to go, and she bow
Abigail's POV ***I approached the door to the office, and as I drew near, it slid open effortlessly, almost as if it was beckoning me inside. The door was clearly high-tech, a marvel of modern engineering. Its smooth, gleaming surface reflected the fluorescent lights above. "Welcome, Abigail," the woman said warmly, gesturing to the chair across from her. "My name is Elena, and I'll be reviewing your application documents today." The room was well-lit and inviting, and Elena's smile put me at ease.With a quick, curt nod, I took my seat, the smile still plastered on my face."It's nice to meet you, Ms. Elena," I said, extending my hand for a handshake. She took it in hers.I took in the crisp, perfectly-ironed blue shirt she was wearing, and noticed the carefully applied makeup on her face. Her hair was immaculately styled, and every detail of her appearance was flawless as if she'd just stepped out of a fashion magazine. Ms. Elena adjusted the rim of her glasses and leafed through
Abigail's POV *** "A meeting?" I mused to myself, the words echoing in my head. I knew I had to get there on time and make a good impression, especially since it was my first day on the job. I couldn't afford to make a bad first impression.After carefully adjusting my dress, I took a deep breath and checked my reflection in the mirror. The silk gown shimmered in the light, and I made sure the fabric was smooth and wrinkle-free. It didn't take long to find the executive floor, thanks to the clearly marked signs and helpful staffs. The elevator whisked me up to the correct level, and I stepped out into a gleaming hallway, decorated with fine art and luxurious furnishings.I entered the room, the door creaking slightly as it closed behind me. Inside, a group of people were gathered around a large table, and they turned to look at me in unison. I felt their collective gaze on me, like a spotlight shining down on me from above. I tried to keep my composure as I looked around the room u
Abigail's POV *** After what felt like hours of endless discussions, the meeting finally came to an end.I stepped into my office, and the sight that greeted me was a mountain of paperwork, neatly arranged on my desk.My forehead creased as I picked up one of the files and studied it, wondering how it had ended up on my desk.The contents of the file indicated that it was meant for the CEO, so I knew I would have to hand-deliver it to his office.Suddenly, it all made sense - the file was a list of designs that we had been assigned to work on. Elena had mentioned something about it earlier on her way out of her office.As much as I hated the idea, I didn't have a choice and maybe I could get on his good side but with the way he looked at me in the meeting room, I knew I stood no chance.I grabbed the files and held them close to my chest. If it meant walking into the den of the lion to keep my job then I would.There was something about my new boss that irked me, and I couldn't shake