"Byeol!" The loud call of her stepmother, Shi-ah woke the sleeping 23 years old up. She jerked out of the bed, but soon staggered on her wobbling feet.

She glanced at her small clock on the old desk beside her bed, and as usual, it was only a few minutes past 4 am. 

"Coming ma'am!" She responded as loud as she could. She hurriedly packed her long black hair into a messy bun before running out of her room.

It's a huge house, more like a mansion that it took Byeol a few minutes to make it to her stepmother's bedroom.

Getting to the entrance of the room, she knocked on the door twice before standing properly.

"Come in." The woman sounded pissed, making Byeol tremble in fear.

"Good morning ma'am." Byeol greeted the moment she entered the room, but she got a slap on her left cheek in return with a glare from the woman.

Byeol flinched at the sudden pain and her body began to react immediately. She slowly moved away from her stepmother and wrapped her shaking hands around her body. That's the only way she could protect herself, although she's already having a panic attack. The rate of her heartbeat was rapid, leading to the heavy and painful pants.

Seeing the terrible situation Byeol was in, Shi-ah smirked. This was exactly what she wanted and she has no plan of relenting. She stepped closer to Byeol and raised her hand to hit her again, but the helpless girl was quick to fall on her knees.

"I'm sorry ma'am, please don't hit me." She pleaded, and the woman stopped. She glared at Byeol for a while before stepping away from her.

"Let today be the first and the last time you wake up late. Now get lost and prepare my breakfast."

"Yes ma'am." Byeol got up with great difficulties and made her way out of the room. She had tears in her eyes, but she wiped them off. It's not the first time she's getting hurt. She's not sad or crying because her stepmother slapped her, no, that's not it.

What made her sad is that she's helpless and weak because of her phobia. She has no say whatsoever, all she can do is to obey and keep leaving like a maid in her father's house for the rest of her life because she can't even live on her own or face the outside world.

She quickly brought out the necessary items needed to prepare the breakfast and she began her day.

Life hasn't been fair to Byeol after the passing of her parents. Her mother had passed away when she was still in high school due to cancer. Unable to bear the loneliness, her father had to get married to a widow who had a daughter from her previous marriage.

Things were going just fine until her father fell sick and he also passed on. Byeol was left with her stepmother and elder sister, but they suddenly changed. The love they once showed her while her father was still alive turned into hatred.

Shi-ah was indeed a devilish woman with high ambitions. She only got married to Byeol's father because of the wealth he owned. She pretended to love Byeol like her very own, but when the man of the house became a victim to the cold hands of death, she let out her true self.

Every single day Shi-ah witnessed the pure love Byeol had received from her father. He would always shower her with love, cherishing her like a diamond. He would always begin his day with his daughter and his actions greatly provoked Shi-ah.

She hated Byeol with every blood in her veins and when the man eventually passed on, she took out all her anger and vengeance on the poor innocent girl.

Byeol was made a maid right after her father was put to rest. So much pain and suffering were inflicted on her physically, emotionally, and mentally. At the age of 18, she developed a phobia called haphephobia due to the intense suffering. She was always physically assaulted by her stepmother, stepsister and uncle which had a terrible effect on her mental health.

After it was confirmed that she was suffering from haphephobia, Byeol knew that her life was over. Her dreams of entering the university were cut short. She couldn't associate with people so she embraced her fate and carried on living as a maid in a house. The same place where she was once loved and cherished.

Her life went on like that for many years, and her phobia grew worse. She was left to take care of herself despite knowing that there was nothing she could do to help herself due to the turn of events in her life.

However, Shi-ah didn't relent in her wicked behavior towards Byeol, neither did Chaewon, her elder step sister nor her uncle.

They kept on maltreating her till she forgot how to speak for herself. She forgot what being loved entailed and she slowly shut out the world and built a world of sorrow around herself.

Byeol was done preparing breakfast, she set the table on time before informing her stepmother and she carried on with her daily activities.

The house was indeed huge, and she has to keep it clean daily before returning to the storeroom given to her as her bedroom or get the groceries from the mall nearby.

When she was finally done with everything, she took a quick shower and went back to her stepmother in the living room. She needed to get some food items and also get her sanitary pad since the last one she got is finished.

"Ma'am I need to get the food items you listed yesterday from the mall." Her head was bowed the whole time while talking to the older woman.

Shi-ah glared at Byeol for a while before looking away. She reached for her purse and gave Byeol the exact amount needed to get the items.

"Now get lost, your sight irritates me." 

Byeol collected the money but remained there. She needed the pad, but she doesn't know how to ask for the money so she just stood there