CHAPTER ONE

EMILY’S POV

I woke up due to the heavy banging on my door,”Emily!!!”Isabella,my stepmother called and kept banging on my door.I groaned and cursed at myself for waking up late,I knew I was done for.

Isabella would probably make me starve for days again,I rolled my eyes and groaned.

“Emily, if you don’t come out this minute you won’t get anything to eat for the next two days “She said.

Great,just what I thought would happen,I facepalmed.I hurriedly got down from bed and rushed to the door, opening it immediately.

“No mom please,i'm sorry I overslept, it wasn’t intentional “I said

“Don’t call me mother!!!I am not your mother,I can never give birth to a useless and worthless child like you”she retorted.

There she goes again,I was already accustomed to those words so it didn’t really have any effect on me anymore.

My name is Emily Jones,I'm a 26 years old lady,the heir of my family,but I am now forced to leave this kind of life in my own fathers house.

Ever since my dad died,which I found his death unnatural,I have been subjected to doing all the house chores.I have literally been turned to a maid.

“ What are you still doing standing here,get to work!!!,the house is dusty,breakfast hasn’t been made”Isabella staring daggers at me.

“Ok Isabella“I said and she gave me a dirty look which I was used to already.

I walked down stairs to the hallway that led to our kitchen. Our house was very big and grand,my dad Marcello Jones owned a lot of real estate properties and had a company.

I was once the heir of the Jones family,but I don’t think I am anymore.After the death of my father,my stepmother told me that I wasn’t the biological daughter of my father,she told me my mother was pregnant for my biological father before she got married into the Jones family.

I found that outrageous and unbelievable because my dad never told me so.

“Good morning Emily “Nanny Anna greeted me beaming with smiles,as I made my way into the kitchen to help her out as usual.

“Good morning to you too Nanny Anna”I replied to her still yawning,because I was still feeling sleepy.I slept very late last night because I didn’t finish my chores early.

“Oh dear!you look awful,I guess you didn’t get enough sleep as usual “she looked at me with pity and sadness.

“Don’t worry about me ,I'll be fine “I said unsure if I would really actually be fine.

She looked at me like she wanted to say something and paused. “You can say whatever you want to say nanny,you are also like a mother to me. I have known you since I was little “I urged her.

“I see all you pass through at the hands of your stepmother since your dad died,I know it must really be weighing you down,I mean your step sisters Charlotte and Amelia make you do their laundry with your bare hands,when they are other maids here who are supposed to be doing that,it’s unfair.if I were to be in your shoes,I’d rather be a maid to someone else than be a maid to my own family “she said.

Surprisingly what she said made sense.I needed to get out of this house as soon as possible,I was tired of this kind of life,I sighed.

She saw the uncertainty in my eyes and said”Sweetheart there are a lot of opportunities out here in New York,don’t let Isabella and her daughters detect your life!''

I began to tear up because Nanny was actually making sense.Just then Charlotte walked in followed with Amelia walking my her side. I pretended like I didn’t see them.

Charlotte asked with her usual grumpy look”why is breakfast not yet ready?and Emily why are you standing there not cooking?”

I didn’t answer her and walked to the kitchen sink to wash some dishes,but she dragged me back forcefully.

My eyes widened in shock.I couldn’t believe she would have the audacity to do what she just did to me.

“I can tolerate doing your laundry,cleaning your room even though they are maids in this house that can,but what I won’t tolerate is disrespect,the fact we don’t share the same mother and your mother is in charge now shouldn’t make you feel you can disrespect me”i snapped at her through gritted teeth and hoped Amelia our youngest in the family also got the message clear too.

I was burning with rage.I turned to see the shocked look on Amelia’s face,as for Charlotte she gasped and looked at me with surprise.

In my entire life of existence I had never been proud of myself like I was now.Nanny looked at me in disbelief ,to be honest I didn’t believe I could stand up for myself against them too ,but I guess I was pushed by anger.

I didn’t miss to notice the smirk on Nanny’s face before she masked it away quickly.

“You are going to pay for this,you think you will get away with this?Wait till mom here’s this”Charlotte said almost at the brink of tears.

I walked out of the kitchen not waiting to hear any other stupid words she had to say.I needed to leave this house,I couldn’t bear staying here anymore.

This was not the house i knew and grew up in anymore,everything had changed and became toxic especially since my father died and I was left alone in this world.

My Mom died by a car accident when I was twelve years old and since then Nanny Anna has been the one taking care of me.

Isabella used to treat me right when my father got married her.But when he died,she unleashed her true colors.

I also noticed Uncle Jacob ,my dad’s best friend came to the house more often since my dad died,which I found strange,but I brushed the thought away.

Maybe he was just sympathizing with our family given that he was my dad's best friend it was natural if he does.

I found my thoughts drifting back to the night my dad died,when I woke up I went to check up on him as I usually do but I found him still asleep which was odd,I saw a glass of juice,which was also odd.i tapped him but he didn’t respond.I thought it was a joke at first I continued tapping him to wake up but he didn’t wake up.I felt like my whole world was crumbling.

I knew my fathers death wasn’t normal.Someone must have killed him,but who?I didn’t think Isabella could be that callous and wicked to kill her own husband but I didn’t trust her either.

I made up my mind to find my fathers killer,even if it’s the last thing I'll do.I found myself already at my door.

I went into my room and locked the door.Damn the consequences of my actions. Right now I just need time to myself to figure out my next move.

I needed to think of how to leave this Godforsaken house.

“Emily sweetheart”Nanny’s voice called out to me from outside my door.

“Please I need to be alone right now Nanny,I need to think,if Isabella sent you to call me,tell her I refused to open the door”I said lazily.

“No honey,no one sent me,I have something to tell you that can help you”she said sweetly and I wondered what that would be.So I walked to the door and opened it for her to come in and locked the door immediately she got in.

“The Belford’s family are hiring a new maid in their mansion”Nanny Anna said with a proud look like she just gave me the best advice in the whole universe.

“What!!Nanny you expect me to work as a maid again?I don’t think I can do that Nanny” I said and facepalmed.

Great,Just when I had a glimmer of hope that she would bring a very reasonable offer, now all my hopes were crushed again.

“Think about it Em,if you leave this place where will you go??”she asked, trying to make a point,which I felt was pointless.

“I have some savings in my account that I can use,”I answered her sincerely.

“And when you exhaust all your savings what then happens?”she said and gave me a knowing look.

I sighed,knowing she was right.I ran my hands through my hair out of frustration,having no other option but to succumb to her advice.

“Fine Nanny’,you win!”I groaned.

She smiled satisfactorily and said”I'll give you some time to rest and think,before Isabella comes searching for you”she said and i opened the door for her to leave and locked it back.

I rested my back on the door as I slowly slid down and sat on the floor dejectedly.

How did my life turn out to be this way?

I was the apple of my Dad's eye.When he was alive everyone treated me like a princess.I even graduated with a first class from the best university in our city.

But here I am hiding in my room”Argh!”I was angry at the world and myself.

I knew the advice Nanny Anna gave to me was the best option for now,till I figured everything out and planned my life.

I walked to my bed and lay down,waiting for my Isabella to come and confront me.

“She should enjoy it while it lasts cause I will be out of this house soon”I muttered under my breath.

What would working in the Belford’s mansion be like?I heard the heir of the Belford’s is a very arrogant and pompous man,but I also heard he is drop dead gorgeous,would the chores their be too much for me to handle?All these thoughts were running wild in my head ,before I drifted to sleep.