Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I woke up the next morning thinking that everything was just a dream. But when I saw my things packed, I came back to reality. I was actually leaving. And it did not feel good. My door opened and a maid entered the room and brought me my breakfast. “Breakfast Miss Hailey,” she put it on a small table, a table I don’t recall ever having. I just woke up; am I dreaming again? Since when was breakfast in bed a reality to me?

Just after I finished eating, two more maids came in my room. I was shocked AGAIN. “These will be your clothes Miss Hailey,” They brought in what seemed to be a set of newly washed ironed and folded clothes. One of them placed it on my bed while the other went inside my bathroom. The one who already placed the clothes got my bags and bowed down before she left the room. I couldn’t help but feel more awkward than before. The one in the bathroom came out. “Miss Hailey, I have arranged your bath for you. Please go down immediately after you’ve changed,” she bowed then left the room as well.

For the third time I was shocked again. I went near the window and looked down. I was thankful there were no guards standing outside. There was one problem though. There were 2 shiny black cars parked in front of our house. Our neighbors were looking at them with amazement. Suddenly I didn’t feel so good.

I took the bath as the maid has said and I didn’t feel the slightest bit uncomfortable. The water was just the right temperature. I had problems with that in the past years. The water usually got too hot or too cold. And not only were that but there were also new shampoos on the rack. I didn’t know what to do with them or how to use them at all. I got my old shampoo and used it instead. After that quick bath I wore the dress they picked out for me. There was a yellow shirt, a green jacket, and jeans. There were also black and red flats.

After all these things, I was still complaining. And to be honest, everything is happening too fast. Yesterday they told me I was a daughter of a rich person and now just a day after they told me they start to pamper me? I didn’t like at all. Besides not liking it, I didn’t WANT IT. I don’t want a life like this. I want my old life. (The real reason: I don’t want to be spoiled)

I went downstairs. Before saying anything, my parents hugged me so tight. Ashley hugged me too. They weren’t my real family but they treated me like family. I was happy. It was also the first time I saw my parents cry. They cried for me. They also gave me the recipes of my favorite foods. I was going to miss them. Really bad.

“Hailey, don’t forget about us,” mom hugged me again.

“Can’t breathe,” she let go of me. “Mom, I would never forget you. I love you so much. I’ll send you messages whenever I can.” I said my goodbyes to them. I looked around. Ariana was nowhere to be found. By the door, there were those two maids and two guards. I walk to them. “I’m ready.”

“Miss Hailey, please wear these,” one of the maids gave me a wig and a dark pair of shades.  The wig had ginger brown hair. “Eh,” was all I could say. I wore them and looked much different. To put it, I looked a lot like Ariana.

I went in the car the opened for me. I sat down and they closed the car door. I looked outside to see my family waving. I cried in the car. Afterwards they drove off. And I left my old life.

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And we are right back where I was in front of that huge building. Let me describe it again. In front of me was a tall structure I’ve never seen before in my entire life. A gigantic and metallic gate, a wide lawn, a huge fountain, a beautiful garden, a well landscaped view,  a wide garage filled with a few of the latest and most expensive cars,  and a 3-story building expanding over a lot of land. And I could not believe this is all mine.

I was now in England; In front of my sister’s house. It was more of a mansion really. “Miss Hailey,” the maid gestured. “Please come this way.” I followed her to the front of the mansion. Ariana was standing there and waited for me.

Just like a fan girl, she squealed and jumped. “I can’t believe you’re here!” she hugged me. I’ve had enough hugs for the day. I didn’t smile.  “This here is yours. This entire place. And we’re going to live here. Isn’t this great? I’ve always wanted a sister. I wonder why mom and dad didn’t tell me about this earlier,” then she started mumbling about stuff and how we can bond.

I laughed. She was so different than she was yesterday. She was releasing a tense atmosphere that day but now it was all playful and excited. I guess being with her won’t be so hard. I didn’t expect her to like this. I thought she was the kind of serious woman. I was afraid that I would become like her serious self. It made me worry.

She let me inside her mansion. She introduced me to all the household members and brought me to my room. It was huge. I could say it was as big as our living room at home. There was a king sized bed, a new computer and a shelf filled with lots of books that I can possibly be interested in. She opened the closet door. There was a huge wardrobe inside. She started babbling again.

“Um, thanks for everything but I don’t need all of this. This already too much,” I told her.

She moved towards me and shook my shoulders. “Of course you need this! This is already all you need for your stay here. You’ll be staying here, right?”

“Um, I think so. But these are all so so expensive. It’s not something so easy to accept. I was raise as a simple kid,”

“But we want the best for you. We want you to enjoy it here. Don’t you want that?”

“But I don’t know. I’m so new to this. To tell you clearly I don’t want to be spoiled. I don’t want to be a brat. I at least want things that I can find affordable,” I reasoned.

“But these are affordable! I bought it with cash. With my own money!” Ariana defended.

“Fine. Then at least tell me how much this bed costs.”

“Wait let me remember,” she thought. “About $59,750.”

I fell to the floor. They… they were taking these things to seriously. The bed was too much. I regret asking the price. It made me feel guilty that I can have this kind of luxury. “Too… much…” I said. Ariana  helped me up. 

“Wait till you hear the rest. There’s more,” she smiled at me.

“There’s more?! I don’t want to hear it!” I didn’t ask for any of this. “I don’t need all these material things. I don’t need parents who can’t even show up and explain to me the reason themselves! All I want to know is the truth. Why did I have to be separated from you? Do you know how hard it is to let go of everything?” I sat down on the floor and covered my face. Yup, you’re right I was breaking down (in the last chapter I told myself I won’t go crazy).

Ariana sighed. She understood me. She made me sit on the bed. She got a chair from the side and sat straight in front of me. “This is going to be a long day. Ok. I’ll start this by introducing myself as your sister. I am Ariana Evanson, the eldest daughter of the Evanson family. We are born 6 years apart,”

“So, you’re 23 years old?” I interrupted.

“Let’s not talk about my age here,” she was kind of touchy with that. “Like I said, we were born 6 years apart. My parents are your real parents. They are Richard and Charleen Evanson. Our father is the president of Evanson Companies. The company is mainly taking care of high class hotels all over the world. Our mother is one of the heads of Thorsea Restaurants. We are her two children and we are related by blood.”

“How can you say that? Did we even have a DNA testing?” I asked her.

“Yes we did. We’re a complete match. If you’re wondering how we got your blood, it’s simple. It was on your last medical checkup,” she looked at me. “Now let me continue. The first reason why I brought you here is this,” she took the wig from my head. And she made me face the mirror. My dark brown hair was fading. It was still seen though. It was appearing to be more and more like the wig I wore earlier.

“My hair…?”

“Your hair is reacting to the chemicals we placed in this wig. Your real hair color is showing. What would your friends think if they saw a gradual change in your hair and facial appearance? And if the media found you before we did, what do you think would’ve happened?” she was right. Because I’m going to be the 2^nd Evanson daughter, my life is going to be in more danger. And I wouldn’t know what to tell my friends either.

“The second reason is because of our family’s current situation. Like before, we were thrown with terrible threats. That’s why we gave you away. I didn’t even know you were born. But those times have gone. The crisis we have now is that our grandmother’s health is failing. She is our grandmother on our mother’s side. She is Evangeline Thorsea, the president of Thorsea Corporations. It deals with restaurants, hotels, lands, and other business it makes a deal with. Ever since her health started failing, there has already been a list of possible heirs. The direct heirs are your mother and her sister Theresa Simone. They are the only two children of Evangeline Thorsea. But our grandmother decided to give it, not to them, but to her grandchildren.

“Her grandchildren include me, you, and Isabel and Kylie Simone. Our grandmother mentioned four when she should have just mentioned three. There have been rumors that it’s an illegitimate child or anyone who is born from a low status. This is where you come in. We are going to train you into the proper heir in two years. I can’t possibly take that position because I am currently assisting dad in the company. And we can’t let the Simone sisters have it either. That’s why it’s up to you to clear your name and be the heir to the company.”

My head was spinning. Me? Become the heir? Illegitimate child? Company? Grandmother? Eh? Wait! Hold it! “Aren’t you scared I might destroy all your plans and ruin the entire family name?”

“And why would that happen?” she asked.

“I kind of attract bad luck and such. Breaking things is kind of a habit,” I admitted. It was true. But how was I going to keep up?

“That won’t be a problem. That is why you’re here right now. This will be your training place. I will be in charge of making you better,” so she’s actually implying that who I am right now is a horrible person.

“But what am I going to do for the rest of my summer?”

“Oh. That. You’re going to be spending the rest of it studying and training, of course,” she smiled at me. I cannot believe this. I brought this on myself. I couldn’t help but sulk. I bought my own ticket to hell. It made me feel guilty again. But I recalled something.

“Wait. What about our parents, why can’t they meet me themselves?” I asked.

“Well, mom was the one who insisted to bring you here and dad provided you the scholarship. So technically speaking they wanted you here. But the reason why they can’t see you yet is because they want to see you when you’re ready or if I were to say it in my own words they’d want to see you when you show yourself as Angela Evanson; not as Hailey Summers.”

“So that’s who Angela Evanson is. She’s me.”

“Good you’ve finally figured it out. Are you fine now?”

“I think so.”

She helped me stand up because she thought I still couldn’t. Then we went downstairs and into the dining room. It was more of a dining hall. There was a row of chandeliers on the ceiling. The table was long and the place was spacious. There was a glass wall where you can see the beautiful garden I saw earlier. And near to that glass wall were brand new looking sofas, about 5 of them. In front of one sofa stood three women dressed in a uniform that looked like business clothing. “I want to introduce to you your new teachers. This is Ms. Grace, your manners teacher. This is Miss Dolly, your academic teacher. And this is Miss Amy, she will teach you all the requirements and chores that every helper should know.” After each introduction they bowed to me. But something struck me.

“Wait, what do you mean ‘chores every helper should know’?” I asked her.

“Oh. Sorry. I forgot. This is just the beginning of your training as an Evanson. You will go through what every single member of this family had gone through, and that is serving other families without their knowledge of your full identity. Like me, I had to work for other families. They didn’t even know that that girl was me.” She laughed.

“So you’re saying that I have to work while studying? That makes me sound like a working student,” I said.

“Well you are a scholarship student,” she does have a point there. I groaned. “Your lessons will start tomorrow. I’ll give you your schedule after dinner. You can go now,” she told my teachers-to-be.

“About your scholarship, school starts a month away so we have a lot of hard work to do.  You will still go to school with your name, Hailey Summers. You will wear a wig that has the same color as your old hair. We don’t want those three representatives to feel suspicious, now don’t we?” she patted me. “Well, I guess it’s too early but you rest for a while. I want you to be ready for tomorrow. I don’t want you to disappoint me. If there is anything you need tell me.”

I went back upstairs to my room.  I sat down on the bed. It was as soft as a cloud. I didn’t notice before. I put some thought into what I can do. I was going to work no matter where I am. I feel like the scholarship is useless though. It just gave me more pressure on trying to keep my grades up.

But, mom, dad, and my other parents, I promise you. I’m going to work hard and I’m going to get through this because I am going to do whatever it takes to make you happy and proud. And I promise that I won’t let myself get distracted from anything. I won’t let anyone down.

Author's Note

Hope you enjoy :)