Chapter 1: CHAPTER ONE
She is treated like a slave
The alarm rang repeatedly for the fifteenth time that morning. But she never bothered to get up. She wasn't sleeping either. Her eyes were wide awake. She curled into her duvet feeling so miserable.
It was her birthday. The fourth miserable and heartbreaking birthday which is passing by so quietly since she came into the Guillaume's family. And like usual, no one is there to celebrate it with her, not even Antoine, her husband.
Instead, what she heard was banging on her door and then as she stood up sluggishly and opened the door, her husband's sister Louise stood there fuming angrily.
"Okay, you gonna lock yourself in here for the whole day right? C'est paresseux!! (How lazy!)" Louise shook her head lazily at her.
"Can you please be useful today. That's the only way you can be reconnaisante (Thankful) for all the things by brother have done for you in this family."
Amy didn't speak. At least, having a peaceful birthday without any problem would be better, she may not be able to celebrate just like she used to four years ago, she may not have it all easy today but at least, she can make it peaceful by avoiding all kinds of problems.
"I'm talking to you and you're leaving! Blaireau! (asshole)" she yelled and Amy stopped moving, she was already getting tensed up.
Louise is the biggest she-devil in the Guillaume's family. She is the hardest to deal with in the family. Three years older than Amy and all she did since she came into the family is to bully her. Call her names, make her do things for her.
The few times she told Antoine about her, he shunned and reprimanded her for speaking of his sister in that manner.
The few times she tried retaliating since she can't take it anymore from her, that day became her biggest nightmare.
"How dare you touch my daughter? I know you don't have respect already Amélie but touching my daughter is the height of it." The voice of her Belle-meré, Bernadette rang in her ears.
No one listened to her. She was called all sort of names. No one was on her side. Even Antoine's little brother who always defended her wasn't there for her. That's when she realized how devilish Louise can be.
So as she stood behind her nagging, Amy already knew that she was calling for trouble or she already created one and wanted to use her as escape-goat.
Amy clenched her fist trying to calm her rising temper towards her, she turned and smiled. "Louise, what do you want me to do for you this morning?"
Louise rolled her eyes. "What you will do for me? Wow! A married woman is asking what she will do in her family in the morning? I've seen that you've gone crazy Mademoiselle. I've seen it. "
"No need to..."
"No need to what? You want to talk back at me? You need to what? You wench! You're not even scared to even look me in the eyes after staying this house for four years without a child to show for it. You should be ashamed of bearing our family name."
Amy stomach all the insult and walked out on her but she still followed her. When she came into their living room, she was shocked at the sight she saw.
Dirt littered everywhere, canned foods, empty packets of pizza, bottles, plastic cups, the walls were a mess too. Of course, there was a party in the house last night which she was forbidden to attend since she's an embarrassment to the family.
But making the whole place look so messy, isn't that a little overboard? No one even remembers her birthday, no one cared to know but they can remember even the flimsiest family tradition and celebrate it.
She heaved. Her father-in-law appeared beside her. "I can't believe that by this time, this place is still messy Amélie." he said huskily in a heavy french accent glaring at her.
"Since you can't give us a child, at least you can help with other things. Your womb and your body can't be useless at the same time. Ne-penses tu pas? (Don't you think so?)"
"Yes sir. I'm sorry that I haven't tidied up to now."
"Better be sorry. Sometimes I wonder why my son is overly generous. Bringing the likes of you into the house, you should be grateful because you're not even doing your womanly duties."
She smiled and set to work. She gathered the littered clothes and sent them to the washing machine, she came back, took up the sweeping machine and began to sweep the living room, picking out trashes as she did.
"Amélie, when you're done. Prepare a heavy dinner. I have a guest coming over in the evening." Antoine ordered immediately ye stepped into the house.
She wanted to lose it that moment he said that to her. For several months, she haven't seen him and now he shows up...never mind. What was she expecting? She is used to him already.
"Sure."
"Good." he said and went straight to his room, she looked at herself. She bit her lower lips. She won't give up just yet.
So she made dinner, a heavy one based on the things that Antoine loved to eat so much.
"Now that my brother is around. I need utmost respect from you. Don't you even dare to go against him or act rash. Est-ce que tu me comprends? (Are you getting me?"
"Oui Louise. I won't have to act rash. il est mon mari. (He's my husband."Amélie replied trying to be cheerful.
"C'est Bien. Since you know that."She said and left. And Amelie nearly broke down in tears. She clutched her chest which was tightening and causing her not to breathe.
Why blame her for not having a child when Antoine never touched her. Why are they always acting like Antoine did her a big favour by marrying her when all she did was help him, love him and do everything for him.
She can't lose hope. She can win his heart. All she needs to do is win him over, when that happens, handling the family will be a lot more easier. She motivated and gave herself hope.
She finished cooking, served everyone who gathered at the table for dinner. The guest who came over to the house was someone Amy never knew of before but the way they were all laughing and circling around her, she came to know that she's someone so special and well-known by the family.
"Stacey, what took you so long in visiting Paris? Why? We all waited for you to come visit." Louise began as they began to eat.
"I can't just visit. Antoine is already married. I don't want to make it any harder on the both of us anymore." She spoke in a very clean American-English accent.
Amy clutched her spoon tighter. Maybe Stacey is the ex which Antoine called all night each time he came home to see her.
"You can still visit." Her Belle-mere or mother-in-law added smiling while Antoine and Stacey exchanged glances.
"Amélie right?" Stacey suddenly asked looking at her and she nodded feigning a smile. "You're so pretty." she added smiling.
"Pretty for nothing."Mother-in-law murmured. "You're more prettier you know that right?"
Stacey giggled. "I know but Amélie looks like a model or close to that."
Amélie nodded feeling nervous and uncomfortable. What's Stacey's problem? Why is she talking about her now? What kind of problem does she want to create for her?
"Why are you frowning Amélie? Are you jealous? Oh, come on, you don't have to be when you're so useless to the family. I wonder why they even made you sit at this table with us." Louise said hatefully.
Antoine barely looked at Amélie as his sister said that. "Eat up Stace." he urged her.
Amelie's body was shaking, her hands vibrating, her eyes shaking. She wanted to cry. How valueless she is in her own house.
As the dinner came and went, she was relieved but it didn't reduce the pain in her heart. She was sitting all by herself at the balcony, listening to the night breeze.
Her husband's family all stepped out for a bit, Stacey was conversing loudly, laughing with her own man. How heartbreaking.
She only have herself alone in this house. As she stood up and went inside, she heard loud moans coming from Antoine's bedroom.
Her heart trembled and fell to the floor smashing to pieces. She almost fell when she opened the door and saw Stacey making out with her man!
She clutched her chest. They've seen her because of the loud gasp she did. And they weren't even scared of being caught. Her anger exploded for a moment as she rushed towards Stacey to have it out with her.
Antoine's words hushed her. "What do you think you're doing Amélie?"
"What?"
"You wanna hit Stacey? Did you just think about doing that?"
"What?"
She thought all her problems would be solved when she went to the alter seven years ago with Antoine but she was wrong. Four years with Antoine made her realize that. The biggest mistake she ever made in life was marrying Antoine and thinking that she will live with him forever, loving and doing anything for him.
"Wake up Amélie, you know why I married you right? You know, so please don't stress me out." He said standing half nude infront of her.
How cruel! He isn't even going to apologize for cheating on her? Is he just going to be cold and remind her of the past?
Four years_her four years of hope came crashing like a pack of cards...
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