-->This is how the characters in this chapter look like^^ <--
 

{Han Soohyun} Sumin's mother

{Han Hyun Jung} Sumin's Stepmother

"Cin”
The young girl turned around to see who was calling her. Yes, Cin was how everyone called her. Not because her name was Cindy, Cindia, Cindra or anything like that, but because it was an abbreviation for Cinderella - the girl that was always covered in cinders. Her real name – which almost everyone had seemed to forget – was Sumin, Han Sumin.

She was the only daughter of Han Jung Nam, the richest man in the county, and his beautiful wife Han Soohyun who died six years ago. They used to be the happiest family in the kingdom, but after her death, everything had changed. Jung Nam had tried his best to raise Sumin on his own, but one day he realized his child needed a mother. That was why he decided to marry again, in order to let his child grow up with both, father and mother. Yet, something seemed to go very wrong. Shortly after the weeding, he suddenly became too busy with his work and was barely home, leaving Sumin with her new “family” alone.

“Jia,” Sumin said. “what are you cooking today?”
Jia was a younger friend of Sumin. Sometimes, she met her at the morning market, sometimes not. It depended on what her stepmother wanted to eat for the day, since she only met Jia when she was buying vegetables, because Jia’s family was vegetarian.

“I’m not sure yet, what do you think?” The girl asked. In contrast to her who could choose whatever she wanted, Sumin always had to cook what her mother, or rather stepmother, wanted. If she didn't obey, she would get into trouble, no matter whether it was cooking the wrong dishes or preparing the wrong dress for her or just looking at her when she was in a bad mood.

“I don’t know, maybe Ratatouille?” suggested Sumin.
“Yes, that’s a good idea, thank you, Cin.” Jia said. “Have you heard anything about the ball yet?”

“What ball?” Sumin asked curiously. In this town which was next to the castle, every news from the King’s family didn’t need a long time until everyone knew about it.

“The Prince is inviting every young noble and their parents to a ball in order to choose his wife from amongst them. You’re so lucky, Cin. You can go there. I bet the prince will choose you.”

“What are you talking about? She is a prince and I am… just Cinderella” Sumin said, looking down.

“Oh, sweetheart, don’t you know how pretty you are? You’re gonna be the most beautiful girl at the ball and that for sure.” Jia said, grabbing Sumin’s hand, holing it tightly.  “Promise me, you will go to the ball.”

“I promise,” replied Sumin, sighed. By that the girl smiled and told Sumin goodbye, before going home.

Sumin stopped walking and stood before her family’s mansion, looking at the same house in which she had been happy with her dad and mom. It still looked the same from the outside, but inside, everything had changed. Her mom was no longer there, her dad was never home and now strangers were living in her house, making her a servant. Life was anything but fair. There were so many ti