Helena sat in her small, dimly-lit room, the musty air suffocating her as she stared at the photo of her parents. The peeling walls and threadbare sheets were a far cry from the elegant furnishings and sunlit rooms that made up the rest of the house. As she clutched the photo to her chest, a pang of grief shot through her heart.
Just as she felt herself slipping into a deep sadness, Aunt Agatha's voice sliced through the silence, jarring Helena back to reality. "Helena, get down here!" Agatha bellowed, her voice sharp and impatient. Helena winced at the harshness of her aunt's tone, but obediently tucked the photo away and made her way downstairs.
In the bright, spacious kitchen, Aunt Agatha stood with her arms crossed, her dark hair pulled back into a tight bun and her expression stern. Beside her, Helena's cousin Elizabeth lounged at the kitchen table, scrolling through her phone with disinterest.
Aunt Agatha's eyes narrowed as Helena entered the kitchen, her gaze sweeping over Helena's disheveled appearance with disdain. "You're late again, Helena. Elizabeth has been waiting for her breakfast, and you've left the dishes from last night piled up in the sink."
Helena opened her mouth to protest, but her aunt cut her off, her voice rising with anger. "You're useless, Helena. I took you in out of pity, but you've done nothing but cause me trouble."
Tears sprang to Helena's eyes as her aunt's words hit her like a physical blow. She tried to defend herself, but her voice came out choked and broken. "I'm sorry, Aunt Agatha. I'll do better, I promise."
Agatha's expression hardened, and she pointed a finger at Helena. "You will be punished for your laziness. Go to your room and stay there until I say otherwise."
As Helena turned to leave the kitchen, Elizabeth finally looked up from her phone, a smirk playing on her lips. "Maybe if you weren't so lazy, you wouldn't be in this mess, cousin."
Helena's heart sank as Elizabeth's words hit her like a punch to the gut. She knew her cousin took pleasure in her misery, and she felt utterly alone and helpless.
Aunt Agatha nodded in agreement with her daughter. "Elizabeth is right. Your laziness has caused me nothing but trouble. And as punishment, you will not be allowed to eat until I say so."
Helena's stomach growled in protest, but she knew better than to argue. With her head hung low, she trudged back up to her room, the weight of her punishment and her cousin's words hanging heavy on her shoulders.