"Life is good when everything goes as planned," they say. But my life took a different turn when my step sister, Maggie, stole the spotlight. My father and step mother adored her, and when she caught the eye of the eligible bachelor, Michael, they were over the moon. but i was just about to get lemons hurled at me, if i would be able to make lemonade with them, no one knows.

Living with them in our seemingly big mansion wasn't something I looked forward to, at least not at my current age. as a child, that was all i wanted, anything to get my father's attention but I never had it anyway. Maggie was always around and she had him wrapped around her fingers.

At some point, we had nothing to ourselves, it was just me, my father and my mother. We were contented but when my mother died in an accident, everything became my fault.

"You killed her!" My father would scream at me. "I wish it was you that dies and not her,"

His hatred for me grew and when he saw that his verbal abuse just made me, a six year old, cry he decided to remarry saying he needed someone to teach me how to be a lady.

Sure, the step mother came and just a few months after their glamorous wedding, she got pregnant and then my stepsister was born. The torture continued like never before and at every point, my father took my step mother's side.

And when I thought it wasn't going to be worse than this, Maggie was born and she was the perfect one. The one my father wanted.

Growing up, I made sure to stay clear of any family occasions we had, I studied art instead of business like they wanted and that was how I paid my way throughout my school but that still was not enough.

I was in my art room, just finishing a piece. The paint brushes lay on the floor and my muse was by my side. The drawing sheets that had previously been used were discarded all over the floor and I was not thinking about packing them yet, I was in my zone. my wrist hurts from having to pain too much and my dress was starting to look like the canvas in my room, my face was clearly not excluded. I was so lost in my world that I did not hear my phone ring until some minutes had passed.

"Where is my phone?" I said out loud to nobody in particular, while looking for my phone that may have been buried in the heap of sheets. just like fate would have it, and did have it, my phone rang again, and this time loudly. I ran to where my cans of paint were and found it on the top, and dangerously close to the edge.

I ran towards it, hoping it was one of those galleries getting back to me in a piece but of course, it was my mother. letting out an aggravated sigh, I slid across the screen to answer.

"Where in the world did you put your phone, Rhea? if something was going on with me, i am sure i would have been dead before you saw my calls…"

"Well, hello to you, father. to what do I owe the pleasure of you calling me out of the moon? i am sure i have done nothing to disgrace the Atlee's family, and even if i did, it probably did not cause so much ruckus as the news of…"

"Will you cut it off? Rhea, I don't have the time for your sarcasm. You will pack your bags right now and make your way home tomorrow." He said to me with a harsh voice.

"I can't, father, I have plans." Was my reply.

Then you will cancel them and that's final." He didn't even let me respond before he ending the call.

to say i was shocked was the least, i was angry too. I know my father had stopped caring a long time ago but thisnis my life we are talking about here.

It was like my father had said all he had to say. He said her piece and hung up on me, while i just stood there wondering what the hell just happened.

I was sure she knew I had a lot of things to say back to him, perhaps that was why he hung up before I could. It took me a minute to get myself back from the shock. I did not wait a beat before pulling my stained apron off and removing dirty gloves.

I was fuming, and so angry I stormed out of my drawing room and went up the stairs. I had managed to make money from selling my artworks and holding gallery shows. I was able to afford a condo of my own. my workroom was at the far end below my condo, it made working in the quiet better for me.

On reaching my bedroom, I dashed straight for my bathroom to make a long dip in the tub. I made sure to take my time and allow my pores to be free of all the pain, and me of the anger towards my family.

I was in the tub for what seemed like hours and when the water had gone cold and my skin was starting to feel as if it was shriveling, I jumped out of the tub and wrapped my towel around me. I took another on the rack and wrapped it around my hair.

After cleaning myself off, I thought to myself. If my parents wanted me around, then yes, I will give them a show they didn't ask for. I went straight to my suitcase and packed everything I knew will make him raise his voice.

At least, according to my father, I was dead to him the day my mother died.

I was going to get the surprise of my life and nothing prepared me for that. If only I knew…