"Cinderella was bullied. She had a very bad childhood. But one day, she got freedom. She met her prince charming. All her miseries ended." Clara Taylor read the Cinderella book which she kept on her old shelf.

She has always loved fairy tales, ever since she was just 5 years old. But she had no idea that she would be having a real fairy tale life in her fate.

A dry chuckle passed her lips. The first half of the Cinderella tale is never-ending anytime soon in her life.

She looked at her soft smooth skin of legs. There were so many marks. Some reminded her of betrayal. Some reminded her of the truth of this world.

The only thing that could differentiate her from Cinderella is that Clara knows why she was enduring every torture and what she needs to do to escape them.

Also, they are a well-known family in the city. So Clara's father had all sorts of servants in their home. Clara is grateful that she is at least living a comfortable life without being dragged to do all household chores like those shown in the tale.

But is it all about what she is doing now? Clara is just living physically there, enduring all insults and humiliations. She would rather be dead.

"Sister, did grandma give you a punishment again?" Paxton asked, grabbing her hand. His eyes teared up automatically seeing the fresh wound in Clara's shoulder.

The thought of death vanished into thin air as Clara smiled broadly seeing her ten years old brother. She has to stay strong for her. She has to fight everyone so that she can have a better future for her brother.

"She can try forever. But I won't give her that satisfaction to break me" Clara said and kissed Paxton's forehead. Paxton smiled shyly and blinked away the tears.

"Father loves you a lot. Why don't you share these all with our father?" His innocent question made her remember the worst day of her life. The first betrayal she ever got from her father.

Flashback

Many years ago. It was even before Paxton came into her life.

"Dad, I am telling the truth. Grandma purposefully did it," little Clara cried, showing the burned mark on her legs.

"Master, I didn't do this. I promise. Baby Clara fell herself. I tried to save her and even got my hands hurt," Elena, the old lady who is the head of all the housekeepers, spoke, trembling in fear. But she was glaring at Clara in intervals to send her shivers.

"Dad, she is lying." Before Clara could say anything more, Ron Taylor slapped her across her face without any regret.

Clara stood there blankly as tears rolled down her cheeks. Her father is her hero. She loves her father like anything and Ron was always been so caring towards Clara. But what happened suddenly?

Clara felt her whole world crash down as she saw the disgust on her father's face. He not only thinks that she is lying but also he punishes the little girl for something which she had no idea about.

"I see that you have started lying to me. These all happened because of your mother." Ron yelled at her. Clara's mom, Stella came to save her.

But Clara's eyes didn't leave Ron even for a second. She was glaring at her father without even wavering once.

The betrayal was too much for her to bear.

When she looked at Elena, the old lady smiled in victory.

Is it her plan to make Ron against Clara? Not at all. Clara thought that it was her fault alone to trust her father so much to get hurt in return.

Flashback ends.

That was the last day, Clara called him DAD. After a few dramas, she even stopped talking to her father except for a few things.

Clara cupped Paxton's cheeks and smiled, ignoring his question. She packed his bag for school.

"Don't forget that power and status are the only things that can save us from evil people. Study when you are young. Apply them when it's time." Clara always teaches Paxton these things. He is small. But she can't let him be small forever. He had to take care of himself in this house.

Clara took her belongings and came down to get out of this hell at least for some time earlier than usual.

Damn her timing. Everyone was there having their breakfast. Clara wished that no one noticed her.

"Clara. Have breakfast, dear," Clara closed her eyes in frustration when she turned to look at the same old lady, smiling so sweetly in front of her father.

"No. I am not hungry," she replied and turned to leave the place as soon as possible.

"Don't show your anger to the food, dear," Elena said with a sweet smile.

Ron Taylor glared at his daughter with rage. He can't take a no to anything.

"They have prepared food for you too. Don't create drama every day," Ron Taylor yelled at Clara. She flinched away at his tone. She walked slowly to the table with no more drama.

"You love pasta, right." Elena served her the hot Pasta.

As soon as she took a bite, her mouth burned every bit of her skin. It was too spicy. Clara gulped them with no reactions as if she was programmed that way. She doesn't want to complain about anything and make another issue.

She took another bite followed by a third bite and that's the limit. Her eyes teared up with it's effect. Elena had a satisfied smile when she saw her tears.

"Are you okay, dear" There came a woman in her late forties. Bella Taylor, daughter of Elena and stepmother of Clara.

It's evident now that what Elena planned on that day itself. Of course to make her daughter, Mrs Taylor by eliminating Clara and Stella.

Stella is dead long ago leaving Clara to fight alone.

"I have an important meeting," Clara mumbled and stood up abruptly. She can't take another bite of this food.

Ron yelled at her again but she ran away from there.

As she was about to step outside, she bumped into another trouble of this morning.

"Hi, dipstick. Everyone has eyes. But I don't find them in you," Elsa, her step-sister, just a year and a half younger than her, spoke with a sly smile. She would taunt her all the time.

"Same way that everyone has a brain, and I wish you to have them," Clara doesn't sit back to hear her words. She always pays back for words.

But as usual, Elsa would plot again against her with Elena and Clara had to bear more tortures.

That's how the first half of Cinderella's tale is never ending to her life. But yeah, Cinderella never rebels or retaliates. But for Clara, her mouth works against her to make more trouble.

"Didn't you enjoy the spiciest Pasta? It was for flirting with my friend," Elsa said with a smirk. Clara widened her eyes realising the reason for her today's torture.

But it was not Clara who flirted with Elsa's friend, James. Instead, it was James who didn't let go of any opportunity to woo Clara.

Clara gave a sigh not wanting to even give any explanation regarding this.

"I loved it. Ask your grandma to work a little harder. It's getting boring nowadays" Again, damn her mouth. It was already burning, and she couldn't control her words.

Elsa stood there fisting her hand while Clara turned and wore her slippers to leave the place.

Elsa has always been jealous of Clara for her beauty, her courage, her boldness, and most importantly her elegance even after getting bullied by everyone. Elsa decided to give more torture to her to console her jealousy.

Clara on the other hand reached her fashion house, Shopaholics. The only thing she has ever asked her father for is herself. It was her mother's fashion house and it was on the verge of shutting down. But Clara got back on track with her hard work.

She opened her laptop and opened her blog which was not at all a popular blog. She has a habit of writing quotes daily according to her mood and it lights up her day.

"Don't try to change the world." She chuckled reading her blog's title. She kept that title instantly when she had a great breakdown.

She typed a quote for this day.

"Life is too short. Make mistakes and learn from them. If someone doesn't agree with you, give them a high five" Clara paused writing them and gave enough space and continued writing.

"Give them a high five where they deserve. THEIR FACE." Clara felt as if she had done this with her grandmother. It gives enough strength to her.

"Ma'am, Miss. Florida is offering more for you to accept." Jenny, her assistant, came running.

"Jenny, I am not running this for business or money. It's my passion. And I will choose my projects. I don't like Florida. And I don't want to design for her daughter's wedding," Clara spoke in a threatening voice. Florida's daughter was her classmate and Elsa's friend, and that's the end of the topic.

"Don't disturb me. I will sleep now," Saying so, Clara lay on her couch. The routine of her life suffocated her as her eyes weighed more. Tears formed in her eyes as a result as small sobs escaped her lips.

"I miss you, Mom," she mumbled as tears rolled down her cheeks.

******