Chapter 2

Mira’s POV

“Mira!”

I heard my name from my sleep. My eyes slowly opened, my head ached. My entire body ached. The dull ache in my body still hadn’t left since the hospital, but at least, my cheek didn’t sting any longer.

I closed my eyes, exhaling slowly before answering. “Yes?” My voice wasn’t loud, I don’t know if Joseph heard me.

“Mira! Fiona wants to eat Beef Wellington.”

My eyes widened when I heard that. Beef Wellington? Now?

There is no way I could prepare that today. I was aching all over and the doctor had instructed me to rest well.

“Come downstairs. Now!” I heard Joseph’s voice getting louder.

I pushed myself up, but every muscle in my body screamed in protests. “Can it wait?” I asked carefully, trying not to sound defiant. “I’m still resting. Maybe one of the maids can…”

“They’re off today,” he interrupted, pushing the door open at the same minute.

I frowned. “Off? All of them?” That was strange. It was usually rotated.

“Yes.” He replied, staring at me.

I hesitated, then said quietly, “I’ll ask Julie to help. She can also make---”

“So now you order guests to cook?” he asked, his words sharp. His eyes were cold and expressionless.

“She’s my sister,” I murmured. “I’m only asking. I’m tired, and…”

Before I could finish, he crossed the room, closing the distance between us.

“Ah!” I let out a small cry. His hand tangled in my hair and then he yanked my head back sharply. Pain shot across my scalp.

“Is that how you treat people who come to visit? By making them work?” His breath was hot against my ear, his grip on my hair tightening. “You’re getting too comfortable, Mira.”

“I didn’t mean to—”

“Enough!”

He jerked me forward by my hair, forcing me to my feet. I stumbled, clutching my stomach instinctively, but he either didn’t notice or didn’t care. I couldn’t tell which was which.

He dragged me out of the room towards the kitchen. “Cook the damn meal,” he said, shoving me towards the counter with a great force.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded. “I’ll do it.”

“Good.” He said and walked out of the kitchen, leaving me there.

The kitchen felt suffocating. My hands trembled slightly with every move I made. Every movement hurt me, my back and my legs ached and there was the throbbing in my scalp where he’d pulled my hair.

Beef wellington was extremely hard to make and it took a whole lot of time, but I kept going as stopping wasn’t an option. Joseph wouldn’t have it.

My marriage with Joseph happened immediately after college. Father loved the idea, it helped his business and also Joseph’s company too, and I had loved him. Alot. It was not a forced marriage yet it now looked like I had forced him into this.

For a few months, he treated me right. He was good to me until after Fiona was born. The switch was a 360 degree switch. He pampered Fiona like she was his life yet treated me like a slave.

“Aren’t you done?” Fiona asked, pulling me out of my thoughts, her voice sharp and distant.

I turned and found my daughter standing there in her nightgown, clutching her teddy bear in one hand. She was so beautiful, she looked so much like her father. The same brown eyes and brown hair. She had a way she pouted her lips that looked exactly like Joseph. There was no denying it.

I forced a smile. “Almost done, sweetheart.”

“You’re taking too long,” she said. “Daddy said it’s almost bedtime.”

“Just a few more minutes, okay?”

She frowned. “You’re so slow. Aunt Julie said that if you were better at cooking, maybe Daddy would like you more.”

The knife paused mid-air.

“Did she say that?” I asked, my heart twisting painfully.

“Yes. Now, hurry up. Maid” she ordered like her father then walked away, completely unbothered.

“It’s fine.” I said to myself after a while of staring at where she had just walked out from.

“It’s fine.” I bit my lower lip before going back to cooking. Maybe if I keep convincing myself then it’ll actually be fine.

When the meal was finally done, I set the plates on the table carefully, arranging them the way he liked, everything in perfect order, no mess.

“I guess I need to call them,” I whispered to myself, letting out a deep sigh.

As I stepped out of the kitchen, I saw two maids coming down the stairs. I paused, eyes narrowed. Were they here all along?

Didn’t Joseph say they were off duty? Why were they here?

They looked up briefly when they saw me, and then quickly bowed before they scrambled away.

Why did he make me cook even when he knew I could barely stand? I shut my eyes then opened them again. I resumed my walk to call him and his dear daughter when I heard laughter from inside his room.

My clenched fist paused mid-air.

That wasn’t Fiona. It was Julie.

He never let me into his room let alone laugh with me, yet he let his wife’s sister into his room and was making jokes with her. Sometimes, I wonder who the wife was. Was it I or Julie?

Because whenever Joseph wanted to have sex, he would come into my room. Do as he pleases and leaves immediately. He doesn’t sleep in my room nor does he let me come to his room.

Yet, Julie was permitted.

Their laugh got louder.

What were they talking about?

I swallowed hard, feeling bile rise up in my throat. My eyes burned, but I didn’t let the tears fall. I had already cried enough over the past few days.

My mind drifted in thought as I stood there rooted to the spot with clenched fingers.

When did I become like this?

It wasn’t always like this. There was a time he wasn’t so bitter at me. A time when my daughter called me mother instead of maid.

But that time felt so far away, that it was almost impossible to believe that I had once lived that life. Now, there was only this silence and constant coldness.

And everything got worse when Julie stepped into this house.

It was supposed to be a harmless little visit. But her visit wasn’t so harmless anymore. She had stayed too long in my home. It felt like she was taking over my life piece by piece.

I thought back to what my daughter had said in the kitchen. Julie had really said that, it was almost like she was corrupting her mind against me. I had had enough. She already overstayed her welcome.

Now she needed to leave.