The party was loud inside the house, the sound of music and people chattering, but all I could hear clearly was my mother’s pleas as she begged my father’s wife, Vina.

“Please, please, let me talk to Anthony.” My mother held me against her, even as her body struggled with my weight and the bags she carried. “I won’t ask ever again. Just this once. My daughter needs it.”

Vina pushed my mother back as she hissed, “If my guests see you here, you’ll have more problems than your sick child.”

“Please, I can’t afford her medication. She needs it, please,” my mother continued to beg even as Vina tried to drive her away. “You have children, too, Vina. This isn’t for me, it’s for my little girl.”

“You really don’t know your place, do you?” Vina said as she stepped closer to us. “You’re lucky I left you alone after you almost ruined my family, and you dared come here asking for money?”

“I have no other options. My child needs his father’s help. Just this once. Please. I’ll do anything in retu–

My mother stumbled back when Vina pushed her. She dropped a few things from her bag, making her pick them all up in haste.

“That child shouldn’t have been born. Why would I care if it dies?”

It didn’t take long for me to realize that I was in another nightmare. A memory of my past that continued to haunt me. I forced myself to wake up because what came after this was something I didn’t want to witness again.

I lurched forward as I finally managed to pull myself out of the dream. My hands were shaking and my breath shallow. I instinctively looked around until I realized that I’d have to deal with this alone from now on.

I couldn’t sleep much after that. I kept tossing and turning until the sun rose. The thought of seeing Vina again after the nightmare I had last night made dread settle in my chest.

Even as Isaac drove us to the mansion, I couldn’t shake off the anxiety. I initially refused to go with him today, but he managed to convince me. There was no point in delaying things anyway; the world never waited around for me. So, I had to keep up with it.

“You said they’re still there? Can’t I wait for them to leave first?” I asked as I fiddled with my fingers.

“They’re going to be stubborn about this, princess. They wouldn’t leave so easily, but if the new owner’s there, they’ll be easier to kick out,” he casually said. I was starting to get the impression that he was just being petty and wanted to push their buttons, because based on what I’d observed, Isaac disliked Vina and Eva.

“And if I don’t want to? Maybe they could keep the house.” Even if they were cruel to my mother, I still knew why they hated us. There would be no excuse for how badly they treated us, especially when my mother was also a victim of the situation. But Vina had children that got caught up in the mess too… they already blamed us for ruining their family, and now I’d be taking everything from them? It didn’t feel right.

“These aren’t good people, Yvonne. The only reason you and your mother survived Vina’s wrath is because of your father. Vina would’ve had you thrown in a ditch. They’d never share anything with you, so why should you?” Isaac said, his eyes still on the road.

I sighed. Even if I didn’t agree about a lot of things with Isaac before all this, he’d been making valid points since our briefing yesterday. Whenever I hesitated, he’d tell me a secret about the Martins. The skeletons in their closet, and why they didn’t deserve to be pitied.

“I don’t want to be like them,” I mumbled. Of course, I’d want my life to change, but not at the cost of stepping on other people.

“You’re not gonna be like them, princess. I swear it. Besides, the only reason she never touched you was that your father was shielding you. With him gone? Even if you didn’t inherit this wealth, she’d still come for you. Because that’s how she is, she doesn’t just forgive and forget.”

Right. We had that conversation last night before I went to sleep. He said Vina had always tried to harm me and my mother, but my father didn’t let her. I always thought her cruelty toward us was a result of her anger, so I’d only ever blamed my father for everything. But from what Isaac told me last night, it seemed Vina had been unkind to more people.

“You know, you’re starting to sound like a good person,” I teasingly said.

“I’d take the compliment, but I’m not doing this out of the goodness of my heart,” he shrugged. “Like I said, I’m not a fan of that woman. And she hates my guts. I’m sure she has something planned for me too.”

My hand unconsciously went to my belly. No one can know about this child until I’m settled into this new life. If everything Isaac said was true, then Vina wouldn’t back down easily. I had to be ready for everything and for whatever schemes she has in store.

“I got you, princess. I’ll make sure you’ll learn everything you need to know. So, don’t be so nervous,” he said.

“I can’t help it after you told me that I now have a big target on my back.”

“And I said I got your back. Are you always this paranoid?”

Before I could retort, the house, or rather, the Martins’ mansion, came to view. It was intimidating to say the least. The gates opened for us, and I could already tell that this place was bigger than the town I grew up in.

I was still young when my mother brought me here. I never got a good look at the place because I was burning up with a fever at the time.

We stopped at the entrance to the mansion. Isaac left the car first, and my hand already began sweating as I waited for him to open my door.

“Ready, princess?” he asked when he opened the door and offered his hand to me. Honestly, I should’ve taken his advice earlier to wear the clothes he bought for me. But I insisted on wearing my clothes, now I felt so out of place.

I took his hand, and as I left the car, the big doors opened. Vina was rushing outside. Behind her was a man, and the other girl must be Eva.

My eyes widened when Vina raised her hand toward me. I couldn’t react fast enough, so my face turned to the side when her palm landed on my face.

“You dare come back here?” Vina’s voice was sharp, but not as sharp as the daggers her eyes threw at me. “You’re just like your mother,” she spat, like it was some kind of slur.