The tragic demise of the second queen of the kingdom occurred when she was attacked by bandits on her way back to the palace. Unfortunately, the king did not make any effort to save her, leaving her to perish without any assistance.
"I heard about the unfortunate fate of the beloved queen," someone mentioned.
"It's truly heartbreaking that she was betrayed and left vulnerable near the river," another person added.
"It's indeed a sorrowful event," the middle-aged woman expressed.
"People can be so wicked in this day," another woman commented.
The news of the queen's death quickly spread throughout the town, and the king's only response was to make preparations for her funeral.
As I carefully carried the vegetables I had brought to cook for lunch, I made my way back to the house.
Currently, I reside with my stepmother and her two daughters, Minerva and Myra.
Similar to the story of Cinderella, they treat me as a servant, but the depth of my hardships surpasses hers.
My mother used to work as a maid and had an affair with my father, Irelio. Yes, he is my father, but he was already married to my stepmother, Minerva, who secretly despises me ever since she found out about the affair between her husband and the new maid.
In the case of my parents, their relationship appeared to be built on love and loyalty, but their affair shattered that illusion. As a consequence of their transgressions, I came into existence, a constant reminder of their betrayal.
It is a painful realization to know that my very existence is rooted in such a profound act of disloyalty. The knowledge that my father, Irelio, strayed from his marriage vows and my mother, Rona, willingly engaged in an affair with a married man weighs heavily on my heart. Their actions not only caused immense pain and turmoil within their own relationship but also had far-reaching consequences for me.
While my mother, Rona, attempted to end my life while I was still in her womb, my father intervened and stopped her.
The confrontation between them took place in front of Mira, my stepmother, as she put Minerva and Myra to sleep.
My stepmother experienced depression and, without hesitation, took back all the wealth she had given to my father.
As for my mother, she left me immediately after giving birth, and I have had no news of her since.
My stepmother assumed the role of my mother, but due to her trauma, she couldn't help but blame me whenever I made a mistake.
On the other hand, Myra is kind to me, while Minerva always seems irritated whenever she finds me at home doing nothing.
I can't say that I am content with my life because there is one thing I deeply yearn for.
I long to live independently from them, a prospect that they would surely disapprove of as it would mean losing someone to give orders to.
Upon arriving home, I discovered Myra singing alongside Minerva.
Minerva gave me a piercing glare while singing, while Myra had her eyes closed, fully immersed in her melodic performance.
They are rehearsing to become a choir in the palace of the king because the celebration is approaching, and their mother, who desires a better life for them, encouraged them.
I envy them, but...
I understand why that kind of life is not suitable for me because I was born into temptation.
I carefully prepared the dishes I cooked to avoid the noise that would distract them during their practice.
I cooked my stepmother's favorite boiled milkfish, and she really liked my cooking. She secretly praised me by raising one of her eyebrows.
After cooking, I feed my pet, Ronnie, and give him a bath every morning.
He always gets into fights with Minerva's pet cat, Mina, because she tries to steal the food I give to Ronnie.
After finishing all the chores, I leave the house around three in the afternoon and go to my friend Billy's tavern.
I work as a barista when Vincent is not around, sometimes as a waitress when Cecil is absent, and as a janitress when the old man Ernie is sick. And when they are all there, I just look for clients to deceive and use my skills in trickery.
My stepmother doesn't know about this.
All she knows is that I work odd jobs for Billy, but she doesn't know that I'm secretly saving up to move out from their place.
I wore my work attire as I left the house.
I asked my stepmother for permission, and she simply nodded and reminded me to bring her favorite liquor.
She was referring to tequila, the most expensive alcohol sold at Billy's tavern.
I entered the tavern, completely covered.
I could see the noisy and lively atmosphere, with people playing billiards, cards, some engaging in sexual activities, and others involved in secret transactions.
I went to the bathroom and prepared my outfit when I noticed a small piece of paper on the edge of the sink. It had a message from Billy.
"There's a client looking for you, and he paid me yesterday to see you. Don't worry, I'll be the one working as a barista tonight. Just entertain him."
So Vincent isn't at the tavern tonight.
"Oh, someone missed me," I said with a smirk.
I put on a revealing blackless dress and attached the expensive gift Billy gave me, an adhesive blonde long V-shaped wig.
I applied smoky gray eyeshadow, rosy blush on my cheeks, and maroon lipstick.
I wore a silver ring as a charm for the gentlemen drinkers, shiny silver diamond-shaped earrings, and a diamond crystal bracelet given to me by a client who never tires of seeking me out. I sprayed on an expensive perfume, all courtesy of my generous client.
I stepped out of the bathroom and immediately caught the attention of the people, especially the men.
Before I could even leave my spot, the person I was waiting for approached me.
"Rosa, I'm delighted to see you again," greeted the man in his forties.
He is the one who will make me rich, so I didn't waste time with flowery words.
He is the owner of a renowned diamond factory, which is why I receive jewelry every time we meet.
We have met four times already, and he still can't get enough. I receive ten valuable things from him, but he keeps making me crave for more.
I invited him to have a drink, and I drugged his drink three times before executing my plan.
Once he falls asleep, I secretly take money from his pocket and call the prostitute Niana to carry out my instructions, paying her with his money. Then I leave, just to have something to say happened between us.
But now, he doesn't want to drink and he wants something to happen between us without him being drunk. I felt a cold sweat and discreetly glanced at Billy to ask for help, and he didn't disappoint me.
He called me by the name Rosa while holding the phone.
I quickly took it from Billy and pretended to have a conversation.
"Hey, my sibling, what happened?... Huh?... I need to go home right away?... Alright, I'm on my way."
I hung up the phone and faced my client, looking at him sadly.
"I need to leave, sorry, let's continue another day?"
I immediately gained his sympathy and quickly left the tavern.
I went to the back door of the tavern to talk to the old man, Ernie.
"Tell Billy thanks." He gave me a thumbs-up sign and promptly sent me away.
And I left a letter for Billy using the paper and pen borrowed from Ernie, which he also borrowed from Cecil. I wrote on it...
"Sorry, Billy, Rosa won't be able to come back. I might get caught if I show up again, so you'll have to figure something out, okay! But I'll still come back, just not as Rosa."
I went straight to the pawn shop and sold the jewelry.
I successfully sold the jewelry and concealed the money I obtained in a sack.
The person I sold it to wholeheartedly believed me and was impressed by my appearance and demeanor. When asked about my background, I simply mentioned that I am the daughter of the owner of a renowned jewelry shop and even promised to invite her to dine at my own restaurant, although that is an impossibility.
To avoid any suspicion, I had already removed my makeup and changed out of my extravagant attire. I made sure to do this in a discreet location, taking advantage of the nighttime to ensure that no one would notice.
Upon returning home, I carefully returned the clothes to Minerva's wardrobe and disposed of the wig in the trash.
Now, I am ready to put an end to my charade as Rosa. It is time for me to separate myself from them and find a new place to live while preparing my belongings.
To keep the money hidden, I placed the sack in the storage room, as it is a seldom-visited area where I am confident it will go unnoticed.
Before retiring for the night, I placed a bottle of tequila on the table, hoping that it would be enough to appease my stepmother.