Esme is again in her room to play and composed songs when Percy knocked and entered her room. She stopped and looked up at him. He seemed to be angry over something. She suddenly felt a shiver.
"We need to talk," Percy said. Esme nodded and followed him to his study room. Ashaya is there and Laurence. "So, we decrease maids now. Since Ashaya is pregnant, you need to do some chores. Do you understand?"
She nodded submissively.
"I also need to decrease your allowance. It's too much for you."
"Okay." She mumbled.
After that talk, Laurence pulled her to his room.
"Clean my room please." He said coldly and she is about to retaliate but she remembers what Percy said. So, she nodded.
"I—I'll just take the vacuum."
"I want it clean in thirty minutes," Laurence demanded. Somehow, she never saw him so demanding.
She cleaned his room and then the toilet and other stuff. After that, Percy called her to make dinner. She nodded and make the dinner while the maids are gossiping on the corner. She made dinner and she got clumsy and a bowl fell on the floor.
"Oh, so clumsy." The maids whispered.
She mumbled a sorry and picked it up and accidentally touched the sharp part and her hand started bleeding. She ran to get a toilet towel and wrapped it in her hand. The maids just looked at her and she shuddered a little. She quickly picked it all up.
"What's this?" Ashaya asked and frowned at her.
"I'm sorry, it just slipped in my hand." She mumbled.
"Clean it up!" Ashaya demanded.
She nodded and clean it all.
"Where's the fucking dinner?" Percy called out and the maids started preparing the table.
She threw the mess and she leaned on the wall for a while. She reached her chest and remember something painful.
She went to the dining room to eat and there's no plate for her so, she is about to get one, but the maid told her not to join them. She stopped and sighed. What's going on? She watched them eat like a family.
"Where's Zayne?" She asked but the maids didn't say anything like they didn't hear her and then, she went to Zayne's room and it wasn't there anymore. Zayne is nowhere.
She went downstairs to asked them.
"Uh, where's Zayne?" They stopped eating and Percy looked at him piercingly. Those fierce eyes are familiar. She had seen it before.
"We sell him off. We can't take care of him anymore."
Instantly, Esme's heart shattered.
"If you don't like the job around here, you could just say so," Ashaya said. "You can always pack up and leave. So, you'll be a less burden."
Esme broke down and started crying.
"Esme?" Someone shook her and she gasped and sat up. Those are nightmares? She looked up at Laurence. He looked blurred. She looked around. "Hey, what's wrong?" Laurence asked.
"I—uh—do you want me to clean your room?" She asked and he frowned at her.
"No." he wiped her tears. "What's going on?" He asked. She shook her head. "That doesn't look like nothing."
"I just—" She stammered.
"Come," he pulled her into a hugged and she started sobbing. He caressed her hair and somehow, this isn't the second time that she cried like that. The first time is when she got beaten in school by those rich people. "You must be stressed lately," Laurence mumbled. His poor sister is very stressed.
He waited until she calmed down and he took the bottle of water from the table and gave it to her. She drank it and she hiccupped. He caressed her hair. She still looked adorable even though her eyes are red and puffy from crying.
"Now, are you going to tell me?"
"It's just a bad dream." She told.
"And what's with the cleaning my room?" Laurence asked.
"Well—I—just thought that—"
"Hey, if you think that you are a burden to us, you are not. We are family and you are my little sister."
"Really?"
"Yeah, even though we get poor, I'll still take care of you. I am responsible for you and Zayne. Dad always told me that."
"But," from her dream—it's different. It's like the reciprocal of her reality.
Laurence knew well what she had dreamed. He somehow got curious about why she's murmuring into her sleep and she started crying that he needed to wake her up. According to his mother, she had been in a few houses that are her mother's relative. But, somehow, her mother's relatives are ruthless. That's why she adopted Esme in the first place. She has been kicked out at the age of nine from the house while her mother is working and then, she just stay in their apartment and work on the restaurant as a dishwasher and helper… her mother didn't know what happened to her but Esme work when her mother started getting sick.
So, his mom claimed that she doesn't have a relative and almost file child abuse to those people and adopt Esme.
"Let's go out," Laurence said. She sniffled.
"I'm fine."
"Hey, you were crying ugly a while ago," Laurence said and somehow, her face showed a very sad pout. He messed her hair. "Let's go out and decorate for Halloween outside the house."
"Okay." She nodded.
"Dress up, okay?"
She nodded and went to the bathroom. Laurence went to his room to also change his clothes and then, he went to his father's study room and knocked. Percy told him to enter so he did enter and then he closed the door.
"Something happened?" Percy asked.
"Dad, can I ask you something?"
"You are already asking."
"Well, Esme has been in the house of one of her relatives."
"Yeah." He answered sounding more like a question.
"What's it like in there?"
"Well, according to your mother, Esme has been maltreated and all of the money that her mother sent has been stolen by her cousin. She's almost like a maid in there. She couldn't focus on her study because she's serving them."
"Hmm," Laurence mumbled.
"Why?"
"Well, Esme seemed to have a nightmare about it. And maybe it's a nightmare with her here in this house." Laurence explained.
"Maybe she's stressed. Do we need to take her to a psychiatrist for some relief and advice?"
"Maybe that would do. Esme is not saying any word to me." Laurence sighed. "It's just depressing that after she woke, she will ask me if I want her to clean my room."
Percy put down his pent and removed his eyes glasses.
"That's a big trauma in there," Percy told. "I'll talk to your mom about this. That can't keep going."
"I'll take her out today and then tomorrow, we'll have a shopping appointment with the Princesses of Mondragon."
"Yeah, sure," Percy said. "I think your sister needed some chill. Take her to some beach or something."
"We'll be late." He told.
"Yeah, just protect her, okay?"
"I will." Laurence left and then he went to his baby brother's room and smiled at Zayne. He giggled and then smiled at him. He kissed his small forehead. "Mom, I'll be with Esme. I'm taking her out for fresh air."
"Okay. But you need to come home early." Ash said. "I'll worry."
"We'll be a little late. Beach is too far."
"Okay. Just drive safely."
Laurence nodded and he went to his sister's room.
"Hey, do you want to go to the beach?" he asked.
"What?"
"Take your flipflops and shades."
She did take it with her wallet. She followed him wearing her shoes and she took her flipflops with her.
"Are you sure that we are going to the beach?" Esme asked.
"Yeah," Laurence grinned.
****
Athena sighed and drive again to Mondragon Residence at Elizabeth's house. Soon, she reached the house in an hour and then, she is welcomed by Asher and Aria who are in the driveway, testing some robotic toys. She stepped out of the car and a maid greeted her.
"Hey, wassup?" Asher asked and approached her.
"I am here to deliver a few things." Athena opened her trunk and Aria approached her. She gave the paper bag for Aria and then Asher and Carter. Then, she took the big box with a ribbon on it and a paper bag for Lizzi.
"What's that?" Aria asked.
"It's for Lizzi, Uncle Alanis release new dresses for the Princesses." She shrugged.
They entered the house and Ellen is busy fixing Elizabeth's braid.
"Athena!" Lizzi shouted and Athena put her box on the coffee table. "Is that for me?" She asked with wide eyes.
"Yes, it's from your Uncle Alanis and this one," She lifted the paper bag. "Is from me."
"Wow."
Ellen smiled and finished fixing her hair. Then, Lizzi stood and move closer to the box and opened it. She clapped her hands to see three dresses.
"I thought it was two dresses," Athena mumbled.
"It's like buy 2 take 1." Ellen winked. "Classic Alanis."
Then, Ellen took out the small boxes and then the bigger boxes and she opened it.
"Tiara!"
"Yup," Athena nodded and she watched as Lizzi got too excited.
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