Ruby heard things no child deserved to hear.
"Your mother died and left a burden behind."
"You should be grateful we even kept you."
"No man will ever want a girl like you."
"You're not my daughter. You never will be."
Clara was worse.
"You're ugly."
"You'll never dress nicely like me."
"You're poor. Nobody wants poor girls."
"Your dad loves me more than he loves you."
Ruby learned to hide her tears. Crying only made things worse.
___
At nineteen, the punishments escalated.
When Ruby accidentally burned rice because Clara distracted her, Vivian hit her with a wooden spoon until her arm bruised.
When she dropped a plate, Clara slapped her hard enough to leave fingerprints on her cheek.
Once, after Ruby returned late from running errands—after walking a long distance because she didn't have transport fare—Vivian locked her outside for the whole night.
Ruby curled up by the front door, cold and terrified, praying her father wouldn't see her in the morning and blame her.
Vivian always warned her:
"Say one word to your father, and you will regret it."
Ruby believed her.
Ruby grew up with no friends—not because she didn't want any, but because Vivian never allowed her to socialize. After school she had to rush home immediately to cook, clean, and serve.
Clara made sure Ruby never sat at the dining table with them. She ate leftovers in the kitchen after everyone finished eating.
Her clothes were old. Sometimes Clara gave her the ones she was about to throw away. Vivian forbade Ruby from buying anything new.
Even teachers noticed her withdrawn behavior, the fatigue, the distant look in her eyes.
But Ruby smiled anyway. She forced a polite smile every time someone asked if she was okay.
Inside, she was breaking.
___
Anderson loved Ruby—deep inside, he really did. But he was blind.
He worked tirelessly, leaving early and returning late. Vivian managed the household finances and controlled everything. Whenever Ruby gathered courage to speak, Vivian would appear behind her, smiling, shaking her head subtly, warning her without words.
One evening, Anderson asked Ruby:
"Are you fine? You look tired."
Ruby looked at Vivian, standing at the kitchen door.
"I'm okay, Dad."
And he believed her.
She hated lying. But she feared the consequences of truth more.
Yet, despite everything, Ruby held onto something—hope.
I hope that life could change.
I hope that one day someone will see her pain.
I hope that she will escape the torment.
She dreamed of freedom.
She dreamed of happiness.
She dreamed of love—the kind her mother once gave, the kind she believed still existed somewhere in the world.
But reality crushed her harder each year.
And just when she believed she was doomed to misery forever…
___
She woke up late—thanks to Clara, who unplugged her phone from charging so the alarm wouldn't ring.
By the time Ruby opened her eyes, the sun was already rising sharply through the thin curtains.
"Oh no…" she whispered, jumping off the bed.
She didn't have the luxury of waking up late. Not in that house.
She rushed through her chores, sweeping, cooking, cleaning, and ironing Clara's outfit for school. By the time she finally made it out of the house, she was breathless. She walked fast—almost running—hoping she wouldn't miss too many morning lessons.
___
The road was busy, dusty, and noisy as usual. People hurried past her; cars honked impatiently. Ruby clutched her torn bag to her chest, trying to navigate the crowded walkway.
She reached a junction and stepped forward, intending to cross—
Vroooom!
A black SUV swerved sharply around the corner, tires screeching against the asphalt. Ruby jumped back, her heart slamming against her ribs.
"Hey! Be careful!" a man shouted from across the road.
But it was too late—Ruby slipped on loose gravel and stumbled right into the street.
The SUV stopped inches from her.
Her breath caught.
For one moment, the world went silent.
The car door opened.
And he stepped out.