The Miller Family

One week later.

Saturday afternoon. Western Hill.

Miller Family Mansion.

Donna was relaxing in the garden, sipping her afternoon tea in the backyard beside the pool.

She looked at the approaching girl, Helen, the daughter of their long-time gone housemaid with her husband. Her blood boils instantly the moment she saw her face which is a carbon copy of that slut maid that she despises very much.

"Mother..." Helen said.

"Sit down, I have something to tell you!" she said.

Helen lowered herself on the chair. She was trembling while facing her fierce-looking stepmother. She always treated her coldly and viciously.

Donna cleared her throat and looked the girl in the eyes icily. She never bothered to hide the contempt in her eyes.

"Helen listen carefully... we both know that you don't like me and I don't like you because you remind me so much of your mother who seduced my husband way back. Every time I see your face I kept reminded of the pain and betrayal that my husband and your mother had done behind my back. I tried my best to forget everything that happened in the past but every time I see you I kept reminded of everything. So... now that you are already 23 years old, old enough to marry...I have arranged a good marriage for you. Don't worry... the guy you are going to marry is responsible enough," she explained.

Oh, no! Helen's breath was caught in her throat, feeling shocked, her chest getting heavier, she had a hard time breathing. She bit her lip. She's not ready to get married to anyone yet! She's dreading marrying an old man. "Mother...how o-old is my h...husband to be?" she asked nervously.

Valeria smiled. "He's 60 years old... old enough to be your father!" she answered wickedly.

Oh, shit! Helen's mouth turned dry, her face turned paperwhite.

Valeria loved seeing the horror and mortified expression on her face. "Why? What's wrong with a 60 years old guy? At least he's already a stable guy, matured, and can take care of you. You don't have to worry about anything," she said.

Helen swallowed the heavy lump in her throat. If this is going to be her destiny then she will accept it wholeheartedly. As long this 60 years old guy is good to her, she will serve him with all her heart and be a devoted wife to him. "Okay...Mother. I'll accept your command... but... c-can we do it after father and sister will come back from their business trip abroad?" she requested.

Valeria smiled. No way! Helen is trying to outsmart her. She was sure that the stupid girl will beg her father and older sister not to allow her to marry a 60 years old man. "I'm sorry, child. This guy is very persistent in wanting a wife as soon as possible! If I don't bring you to him tomorrow evening... he might find another wife! So let's strike this golden opportunity. Don't worry much, I'm sure you will have a good future with your husband. He will take care of you. You will thank me later..." she said.

"M-Mother... you mean to say...that... I will go to the guy's house tomorrow evening?" Helen asked to be sure.

"Yes. Pack your things tonight so that tomorrow afternoon you're ready, I will bring you to your future husband's house," she commanded.

"B-but...Mother... why should I go to the guy's house when the marriage has not taken place yet?" Helen protested.

Donna released a deep sigh and glared at the girl. "Can you just stop asking questions!? Just follow my command and everything will be alright! Why are you always making things complicated for me!?" she screamed at Helen's face, her eyes flashing with anger.

Helen closed her eyes for a moment and breathed deeply. Her stepmother hated her presence in the house so much. It's about time to leave this house and face the unknown. Maybe... in the arms of her husband she will finally find solace and comfort.

"Okay, Mother. I accepted your command. I will go with you to my future husband's house tomorrow," Helen finally said, accepting her fate blindly.

Donna finally released a sigh of relief. "Good! Now go back to your room and pack all your belongings so that you don't have to return her anymore!" she dismissed her coldly.

"Yes, Mother," she answered sadly. "Can I asked the name of my husband?" Helen said.

"Your husband's name is Peter. Go now! I don't like staring at your face any longer! You make me want to murder you!" Donna shooed her away.

Helen rose to her feet, fresh tears fell from her eyes. "I'll take my leave now, Mother..." she said politely. Her heart was breaking inside.

Donna ignored her completely.

Helen turned around, walked away with heavy steps, and leave the pool area, wanting to get away from her stepmother's icy glare.

She never hated her stepmother to the core, she can't entirely blame her. It's only normal for Donna to feel bad about the betrayal, any wife would feel the same. She blamed her mother and father the most because her mother offered herself willingly to a married guy and entered into a sexual relationship with him inside his own house - behind his wife's back!

It's not the right thing to do!

But it's over now! If getting rid of her can make her stepmother happy then she will gladly marry that 60 years old guy. It's an atonement for her mother and father's sin.

She entered the living room of the mansion, climbed the stairs hurriedly, and went straight to her room to pack her belongings.

She took the two bags from the closets, unzip them, and put them on the floor. Then she grabbed her clothes from the wardrobe and put them on the bed. She folded them carefully and arranged the clothes in the traveling bag.

She continues packing her things in the next two hours while tears were streaming down her face. She's going to miss her pink room and her sisters, although they weren't that close, they treated her humanly as possible compared to their mother.

After she finished packing her things, she left the room and went to the kitchen downstairs to help the cook prepare the dishes for dinner.

Hours went by.

Donna ate supper alone in the dining room because Samantha was on a vacation holiday somewhere together with her friends... while her father and sister Stephanie were currently on a business trip abroad to secure another client for their Investment Management Company. It's now time for Helen and the servants to eat dinner in the servants' quarter.

Two hours later, after she finished helping the cook cleaning the kitchen, she went back to her room upstairs.

She went inside the bathroom, took a short shower, brushed her teeth, and changed into her pajama. She exited the bathroom and lie down in the bed.

She stared at the ceiling, feeling terrified that she's going to marry Peter, the 60 years old guy. She hopes that he is not a sadist and a maniac! As long he doesn't hurt her physically she can stomach his old age and the huge gap between them.

She hopes that the 60 years old Peter has a gentle temperament, if his attitude is like that of her bad-tempered stepmother then she's destined to suffer mentally and emotionally on his side.

She slept late that night and have a nightmare... in her dream, she was lying in bed with a 60 years old man who is old enough to be her father, he was forcing himself on her and she was trying her best to avoid his advances, kicking and pushing him away from her, resulting her falling from the bed and hitting her head on the floor. Then she saw lots of blood... that's the moment she awakened from her nightmare.

She felt great relief after discovering that it was just a dream.

"Thank God!" she murmured to herself.

What a terrible dream!

She closed her eyes and went back to sleep, but the dream kept replaying in her mind like a movie clip, she was dreading seeing the 60 years old Peter tomorrow! What if her dream will come true?

Fresh tears sprang from her eyes.

She cried for half an hour - when her tears finally subsided, she feels tired and sleepiness took over her senses. She finally succumbed to sleep at 2:00 in the morning.

***

The next day.

The whole morning passed like a blur.

After dinner, Helen is getting ready for her departure from the mansion.

She's already done packing everything and her bags were finally waiting outside her room. She stood in the middle of the room and roamed her eyes around her pink room... it's now bare devoid of her personal belongings.

"Goodbye to you my beloved room!" she said, teary-eyed. She quickly wiped the tears with the back of her hand.

Her stepmother hates seeing her crying. She must not cry today!

She must put up a brave face in front of her!

She left her room and hauled her bags one by one downstairs and put them in the living room. She doesn't want her stepmother to wait for her, Donna will get mad if she waits for anyone!

After she successfully brought her traveling bags on the ground floor, she settled herself on the couch and waited patiently for her stepmother to come down.