A ROYAL OBSESSION

Michael pinned Maya to the table, his grip firm despite her struggles. "Just be good, okay? I won't hurt you," he said dismissively, trying to lay his hands on her.

But she wriggled free and he blocked her again, seizing her hand with even more force.

"Uncle, please… Aunt is going to kill me," Maya protested, her mind racing as she tried to comprehend his sudden aggression.

He had always been supportive and kind to her, but now, something was off.

She didn't know exactly what was happening but her brain was telling her that there was a problem. What did he want by coming so close to her like this?

What possessed him to be acting all nuts?

She didn't smell alcohol on him, to think that maybe he was under the influence of something, but no, it was all him, her uncle, and then the thought consumed her.

Had he always been like this, but she didn't know? Her heart raced as she recalled how he always looked at her, with lust-filled eyes. She had counted it as nothing, but he had chosen to act upon it today.

Michael gritted his teeth, struggling to maintain control over her. She was tougher than he expected, her delicate appearance deceiving. "Stop worrying about what your aunt will do," he urged, voice tense with urgency. "Just be quiet and still."

Maya couldn't process the chaos around her. All she wanted was to escape, knowing her uncle had lost his senses.

Before she fully grasped what was happening, he leaned closer, his lips inches from hers, and panic surged through her. He wanted to kiss her. No way. Instinctively, she kicked, her foot connecting painfully against his balls.

Michael's expression twisted with anger and pain as he staggered back, clutching himself. Seizing the moment, Maya bolted towards the entrance, only to stop short when she saw Eliana standing there, just returned from the market.

"Aunt?" Maya's voice was filled with dread, her heart racing, but her inquiry was met with a sharp slap that knocked her to the ground, blood staining her lip.

Tears brimmed in Maya's eyes as she looked at her aunt. "You ungrateful brat! What did you do to my husband?" Eliana's glare was ferocious as she towered over Maya.

"I... I didn't do anything..." Maya's defense faltered, overwhelmed by the situation.

"Yes, she did," Michael cut in, feigning innocence, his voice dripping with insincerity. "Honey, she was seducing me. When I wouldn't give in, she resorted to this."

Maya faced him in disbelief. How could he fabricate such a lie? It was he who had been aggressive, and in desperation, she'd reacted. Turning to Eliana, she pleaded, "Aunt, this isn't true. I never did that…"

"Of course you did," Eliana fired back, her voice laced with fury. "I saw you trying to come onto my husband. It's unforgivable." She pointed an accusatory finger at Maya, who shook her head in denial, anxiety consuming her. "After everything I've done for you, this is how you repay me? By trying to seduce him?"

"N-no," Maya's voice trembled, but Eliana lunged forward, seizing her hair and dragging her roughly across the floor.

"Aunt, please… you're hurting me," Maya cried. "I didn't do any of that… Uncle, help!" she implored, hoping for a moment of truth, but he merely stayed by the kitchen corridor, his expression full of rage.

"Throw her out! She's just like her mother, a whore!" Michael snarled through clenched teeth.

Mariana emerged from her room, observing her mother's brutal treatment of Maya. She folded her arms across her chest, her lips curling into a twisted smirk. It was satisfying to see someone like Maya suffer, just as she deserved for trying to disrupt their lives.

Eliana flung Maya outside and slammed the door shut, leaving Maya scrambling on the pavement, banging on the door. "Aunt! Please… It's freezing out here! Don't leave me to die!" Tears streamed down her cheeks as she begged, but the door remained resolutely shut.

The night was dark and bitterly cold, and all her pleas fell on deaf ears.

After countless trials, she finally surrendered and sank to the ground, wrapping her arms around herself. Maya trembled, her heart racing. The darkness always instilled fear in her; it echoed the memory of her mother abandoning her, the image of the door closing as her mother turned away. Tears streamed down her face as she questioned why her life had to be this way, until exhaustion eventually took over and she fell into a restless sleep.

Morning arrived, and Eliana burst through the door, her gaze fixed on the girl curled up by the threshold. Without hesitation, she splashed dirty water on Maya, awakening her abruptly to the foul smell and the realization that her clothes were now stained and grimy.

"Still sleeping, are you?" Eliana's tone cut like a knife.

Maya shook her head urgently. "Good. Now get inside and start working immediately. You're responsible for cleaning the dishes, mopping the floors, washing the clothes, sweeping every room, cleaning the windows, and preparing the meals. If I catch you slacking off for even a second, you'll wish you hadn't."

Defeated but resolute, Maya nodded and stepped into the house to begin her tasks. She felt the chill seep into her bones, yet she pushed forward. The reality hit hard: nobody cared about her well-being in this place.

As expected, Maya fell ill, but that didn't deter her aunt from piling on the work. There was no moment to reclaim for herself, only a relentless stream of exhausting tasks—chopping firewood, fetching water from the river, and more.

It was grueling, yet she bore it all with quiet strength. Eliana showed no signs of concern, merely continuing to burden her with chores. The only time Maya found the slightest reprieve was at night, after preparing dinner for Eliana. The meager remnants left for her were little more than scraps, and she was expected to finish her work before even considering food.