Chapter 5: I Know Who You Are

Martha swallowed a deep breath before entering the room.

"Where could she be?" Martha wondered as she looked around the empty room.

"I thought the maids said she was in this ro.." Martha was interrupted when the heard sound of the door opening.

She turned to see Roxanne walking out of the bathroom in a bathrobe.

Roxanne raised an eyebrow, silently asking Martha why she was there.

Martha could sense the tension in the air, and the way Roxanne's eyes lingered on her made her feel uneasy. Roxanne's expression showed she wondered why she was there.

"R-Roxanne? Why didn't you tell anyone you were coming? I could have prepared something for you." Martha said as she walked towards Roxanne. She smiled warmly at Roxanne, a gesture that left no doubt in anyone's mind.

Roxanne lifted her brow as she looked at Martha and asked. "And who are you?"

Roxanne's question shocked Martha. How could Roxanne not know her? When she thinks about it, Roxanne was sent abroad after she married Anthony. So it was likely that Roxanne didn't remember her.

"Haha! Sorry for the late introduction. I am Martha, your father's wife. I am your new mother." Martha introduced herself with a friendly smile.

"My mother is dead." Roxanne said with a blank face.

"Um... child I know that you are upset that we didn't tell you earlier. We didn't tell you because we thought that you would be heartbroken. I just hope that you can give me a chance to be an excellent mother to you." Martha said as she stared at Roxanne.

Her face was devoid of any emotion as Roxanne stared at Martha blankly.

"I don't have the time to listen to you. I need to get my rest so leave." Roxanne said as she walked towards the door and opened it gesturing Martha to go out.

Martha stood Infront of the closed door, still surprised by the treatment she received from Roxanne. 'Did she just throw me out of the room? That arrogant bitch' Martha cursed as she stomped her way back to her bedroom in rage.

Roxanne had a sly smile on her face as she closed the door. "We're just getting started."

**********

The next day

She got up and walked towards the window as she opened it. She smiled, feeling the warmth of the sun's rays on her skin. A soft breeze blew through her hair, bringing a pleasant chill that made her smile.

Taking a few moments to enjoy the peaceful morning, she felt a sense of contentment wash over her.

There is one thing that she had always appreciated about the Smiths house. It was because her room was located at the back of the mansion near the garden.

Until now, she did not pay much attention to the fact that her room was at the back of the mansion because she considered it an advantage.

Due to the location of her room near the garden, it provided her with a peaceful refuge away from the hustle and bustle of the main house.

She was still staring at the view of the garden when a maid called outside Roxanne's room, interrupting her moment. "Young Miss are you awake now?"

"Yes, you can come in?" Roxanne answered.

The maid opened the door and walked into the room, bowing slightly as she greeted Roxanne. "Good morning young miss."

"Would you like to take a shower while I arrange your bed." The maid suggested.

"Just do what you came to do and get out." Roxanne said as she made her way to the sofa in the room. She slowly sank into the plush cushion as she sat down.

"Pa...pardon young miss?" The maid blinked in surprise, having not expected to hear such an answer from Roxanne

Roxanne sighed and furrowed her brows in irritation. She hated having to repeat herself, but it seems that the maid misunderstood her expression for anger.

The maid bowed immediately and apologized to Roxanne for her actions. "I...I am sorry young miss. Please forgive me if I have offended you." she said.

Roxanne was slightly surprised by the maid's apology. "You are too noisy. People might think that I am bullying you if they hear you apologize. Just do what you came to do and don't make me repeat myself." Roxanne cautioned coldly.

"Yes....young miss." the maid said as she hurriedly get to work.

After a few minutes the maid announced. "You...young miss.... I am...done arranging...the room."

Her trembling voice was enough to let Roxanne know that she was scared of her. 'Am I that scary?' That was the question she wanted to ask the maid but she decided to let it be.

Roxanne sighed, "Very well then....you can leave." She said waving her hand.

"Yes ma'am." The maid bowed before she scurried out of the room. "Thank goodness!" She let out a sigh and walked away.

The maid had wanted to tell Roxanne that breakfast was ready and her father and stepmother were waiting for her in the dining room. It seemed, however, that she was unable to deliver the message.

She turned back and looked at the door with a confused expression. "This young lady is truly frightening, just like the rumors say. A night have elapsed since she returned from abroad, and she's already the talk of the mansion among the maids. It was my fault for accepting the order to come after everyone turned it down."The maid thought as she walked away.

After the maid closed the door. Roxanne got up from the sofa and stepped into the bathroom.

Few minutes later, Roxanne walked out of the bathroom with a bathrobe. Taking a look at the wardrobe, she picked a dress that she had reserved which she had bought during her stay abroad.

She wore a white T-shirt and a black hoodie jacket that was unzipped, a pair of black jeans, and completed her outfit with a pair of white sneakers that had black stripes. To top off her simple and casual look, she tied her knee-length hair up in a simple ponytail.

After checking her appearance in the mirror, Roxanne smiled with satisfaction again. She felt proud to have inherited her mother's stunning features and the fact that she was the spitting image of her mother. Who was regarded as the most beautiful woman in Country H before she died.

She picked up her black backpack, slung it over her shoulder, and grabbed her cellphone from the bedside table, as she strode out of the room.

When Roxanne reached the bottom of the stairs. She paused in her step when she spotted the family she was waiting to see sitting at the dining table.

The couples looked so picture-perfect, and both she and her mother were the tatters in that pristine picture.

'Those damn Smith family.' Roxanne thought, clenching her fist as her eyes narrowed in anger.

"Oh! Roxanne you are here? Come quickly and have your breakfast. We've been waiting for you." Martha gestured to Roxanne.

"Your father arrived early this morning from his business trip so I thought that we should have breakfast together." she added.

Martha had neatly styled her dark brown hair. Her face was adorned with makeup and red lipstick. She was wearing a green V neck knee length dress. Her smile was friendly as she gestured toward the dining table, expecting her to join the family for breakfast in the morning.

Swallowing back her frustration, Roxanne casually walked towards the couple with a blank face. She sat at the end of the table, on an empty seat directly opposite her father, who was sitting at the head of the table.

The maids served food after she had sat down in the seat she had selected, and they ate in silence.

During their meal, Roxanne sneakily glanced at her father, who had a poker face as he ate his meal.

With a fork in her hand and a smug expression on her face, she stabbed her meal with an air of disgust, as if every stab was a declaration of war to the others in the room.

"Roxanne, did you not like the meal?" Martha asked, noticing that Roxanne was stabbing the food without taking a bite.

Roxanne heard her question, but ignored her, and continued to play with the food.

While watching Roxanne ignore her, Martha raised an eyebrow and clenched her fist under the table. 'This damn girl. How dare she ignore me like that?' Martha secretly glared at Roxanne

Silence filled the dining room once again as they continued to eat in silence, with Martha glaring at Roxanne.

'CLANG!'

Roxanne dropped her fork. The noise of the spoon hitting the plate echoed throughout the dining room. This attracted the attention of two people, who turned toward her and stared at her. She ignored their stares and calmly sipped water before wiping her mouth with a napkin.

"Uh? Are you done eating? You didn't even touch your food? Is the food not to your liking?" Martha asked worriedly, making Roxanne glance at her concerned face.

"Did you say your name was Martha?" Roxanne turned to look at her. Martha nodded her head in response to Roxanne's question.

"Martha. Let me make some stuffs clear, I hate noisy people. And I hate wasting my time. But I'm willing to waste a little bit of my time so in the future I won't have to waste my time on you. First, you are not my mother. Second, I don't care about your relationship with my father. And third...I know what you are and what you are up to." Roxanne said as she looked at the pale face of Martha.

Roxanne leaned back in her seat as she turned to look at her father. "So when are you going to stop ignoring me, Father?" Roxanne asked as she spun the spoon on the table.

"Stop with all this nonsense Roxanne. Is this what you learn from living abroad?" Anthony shouted. He finally had enough of Roxanne's rude attitude.

"I thought you had lost your speaking ability, but it seems like I am mistaken." Rozanne retorted.

"Good! You are showing how disgraceful you have become." Anthony slammed his hand on the table.

"Honey please calm down. Roxanne must have been tired from the flight yesterday. Maybe that is why she is acting in such a foul mood, huh? Martha said in a high-pitched voice as she tried to calm Anthony.

"So when are you returning back abroad?" Anthony asked, easing his anger. Since he was trying to prevent anyone from finding out that Roxanne had arrived, he was trying to get Roxanne out of the country as quickly as possible.

'Hehe! You want to get rid of me, just like in the past. Well bad news for you dad.'

" I am staying here permanently." Roxanne declared with a smirk on her face.

"What?" Anthony asked, stunned by Roxanne's answer.

"You heard me right father. I am staying here Per. Man. Ently." Roxanne announced, making sure to emphasize her last word.

"Great! You can stay here and continue your studies. Right honey?" Martha clasped her hands together in excitement as she looked at Anthony.

As expected he was not satisfied with the news he had just heard. He furrowed his brows in anger.

"I.. Don't think that is a wise idea. Now that the national examination is just around the corner." Anthony said with hesitation. He desperately tried to convince Roxanne to change her mind.

"I will arrange everything. I know that it is too late to start school but we can do something about it. Why don't you give the headmistress of Green City International School a call?" Martha suggested.

"The school won't accept any enrollment now that the year is almost over. But I will do whatever I can to make things happen for you." Anthony replied, still not pleased that Roxanne was planning to stay.

"That is good news. Then maybe Sandra and Stacy could give you-"

"Sandra and Stacy? Who the hell are they?" Roxanne interrupted before Martha could complete her words.

"Ah! There are both my daughters and your blood-related sisters." Martha said with a wide smile on her face. Her confidence was in both her daughters who were top in their class. Even though both her daughters were not as beautiful as Roxanne.

She couldn't wait to see how her daughter would embarrass Roxanne, plus the headmistress was also her younger sister's friend. It was because of that she recommended the school to Roxanne.

"Oh!" Roxanne replied totally not interested in what Martha just said.

Anthony had a gloomy expression on his face. He was expecting some dramatic turns from Roxanne, but she didn't even budge when she heard that he had a new wife and even two daughters.

It was as if she knew about his relationship with Martha before she heard about it.'She is no different from her mother.' The thought of Evelyn made Anthony furious.

The fact that Evelyn had willed all of her assets and company shares to Roxanne was a slap in his face.

Anthony swallowed back his anger. He would do everything in his power to get all the company shares and properties.

"I will not be staying here." Roxanne suddenly broke the news. She got up from the seat and strode towards the door.

"What? Where are you heading? What about your studies?" Anthony snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Roxanne's announcement.

"Hmm... Grandfather would take care of it for me." Roxanne replied without halting her steps and walked out of the house.

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AUTHOR NOTE

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Roxanne was quiet for a short while as she tried to process all this knowledge that she had just acquired.