Syra took a half-day on her work, but instead of making good use of her time by allowing herself to take as much rest as her body needed, she was forced to go out of the house and play cinderella.
" Hurry child! I don't have forever to waste."
A middle-aged woman exclaimed as she gestured to Syra to make some haste.
"So do I."
Syra answered back. But her voice was so soft that only her knees could hear her.
"Are you saying something?"
The other party turned around to face her and so Syra shook her head in denial.
"No. Of course not, Aunt Caroline. I am not saying anything."
Syra was quick to deny it but her Aunt Caroline did not seem to buy her lie. Instead, the other party tilted her head on the side and squinted her eyes as if she was trying to see through Syra's lies.
Syra, on the other hand, flashed her stepmom a simpered smile. Seeing this, the other party gave her a once over.
"Good,"
Aunt Caroline made an audible remark before she turned on her heels. She resumed walking and naturally, Syra followed after her.
"Now, can you take this bag for me?"
Syra's stepmom made it sound as though she was asking Syra a question, but in reality, it was an order.
Without bothering to look back and waiting for her step daughter's answer, Aunt Caroline already handed Syra her paper bag.
However, way before Syra could even take a proper hold of the paper bag handed to her by her stepmom, another two paper bags came straight right to her sight.
"Take mine as well."
"Sure, Irene..."
Syra replied as she reached out to the paper bag being handed to her using her other free hand.
"You should take this too."
Aileen said, who looked exactly just the same as Irene; except that she was wearing a different set of clothes.
Irene and Aileen were identical twins, and they did not just look the same; they also practically share the same behavior!
They were both devils incarnate whose sole purpose was to make Syra's life a living hell. But of course, nothing more could be said to their mother.
As one of their progenitor, Aunt Caroline was no different from her two annoying daughters. In fact, they were like a complete package that came straight from hell.
It was as though their sole life's purpose was to make sure that Syra would live a life like a living hell.
Irene and Aileen were Syra's step-siblings and as mentioned before, Aunt Caroline was no other than her stepmom. Syra no longer had a recollection of what her biological mom even looked like.
Her family was involved in a car accident when she was little, and the accident not only caused her childhood memories but also her mom's life.
Afraid that his daughter would have a hard time growing up as a normal kid due to the absence of a mother figure, Syra's dad decided to remarry after being reunited with his first love but it turned out that it was the worst decision that he ever made in his life.
It might not look like one for others, but Syra was supposed to be part of their family, not a nanny. However, just like a typical stepfamily gone bad story, Syra suffered the same fate as the others and ended just like any other unlucky child.
She was Cinderella in these modern days.
Because not long after Syra's dad started his new family the other party went missing and after a year of effort looking for his whereabouts, he was pronounced dead. Eventually, Syra's life was also turned upside down right after that.
"You guys were aware that I still have a part-time job to attend to later, right???"
Syra asked as she tried her best to accommodate all of the paper bags on her arms, and Aunt Caroline seconded her right away.
"Yes, sweetie."
She was quick to agree with Syra's words. But she also made it clear for all eyes to see that she has no intention of leaving just yet.
"We would certainly let you have your time. I promise you, you can go but not before I get my tea. You know well enough that I can't start my day right if I missed my routine. Besides, this is what we came here for."
Her Aunt Caroline replied in nonchalance as she crossed the street where a cafe was currently brewing and releasing an enticing whiff of freshly brewed coffee.
"Ohh.. a cup of espresso would be really nice in this cold weather..."
Syra thought out loud. But sadly she could not afford to buy one at the moment because she was trying to save as many bucks as she could.
She said her thoughts loud enough to be heard by her family, but it did not seem like anyone was paying her any heed.
Meanwhile, Syra's two sassy step-siblings obviously followed after their mother and went inside the cafe as well.
"I'm going with mom inside."
Aileen declared before she turned in Syra's direction with a lopsided grin.
"And you,"
She pointed at Syra using her painted nails.
"Stay here."
Aileen left after saying that and seeing her twin leaving on her own Irene also turned at Syra and gave her a once over.
"I'm coming with them. Stay there."
Irene also left and followed after her mother and sister after saying that, but not before making a dramatic flip of her hair.
With that, the family of three completely left Syra on the street to attend to all of their shopping bags. She was on her own.