THE ANTONIO'S MANSION
Natasha sat behind the dining table in a daze, while she playfully tilted the spoon through the food.
" Who gave her the audacity to talk to me like that?" She stuttered. "Gosh !!– what should I do now to get her out of my way? She's now like a pain in my back. I can't stand her any longer." She mumbled with a depressed gaze.
Agnes gazed at her from the entrance, worried.
" What's wrong with her?" She wondered. " I've never seen her like this before– Should I ask her?" She inched forward but instinctively paused. "No, no, I don't think she'll like to talk to me about it. Let me just mind my business" She low whispered.
" Aggie? " Gisella called from the stairs, approaching with Lizzy behind.
" Huh?– who called? " She queried, turning towards the direction of the voice. She jolted, seeing Gisella." Oh, sorry, Miss Gisella– I didn't know you were the one." She answered with a bow.
" It's okay –" She titled her head with a furrowed brow. " But what were you doing standing over there?" Gisel asked. Agnes fidgeted with a sheepish grin
" Uhm... nothing, I was looking for Lola. She hasn't had her dinner yet and I need to feed her before going to bed else Mrs. Natasha will scold me." She stuttered. Gisel nodded with a twisted lip, not so convinced.
" Hmmm, okay, you may leave." She ordered.
Agnes bowed and hurriedly dashed off to her room without turning back. Gisella gazed at her back and chuckled. "Is she alright? " She asked.
" I can't tell, dear– Just forget about her and go have dinner, it's getting late" Lizzy replied.
She nodded and trod to the kitchen. Gisella got to the table noticed Natasha already seated with quite a lost gaze. She instinctively smiled.
" Look who we have here– Our one and only, Natasha." She howled which made her jolt out her thought.
" Mind if I join you?" Gisel asked, her lips curved in a smile.
" No, you can't join me here–You have no right to share a table with me. I clearly remember you always have your food in your room." She roguishly disapproved.
" Sorry, Natasha, not anymore– this house belongs to me and I have every right to do what I want at any place I like" She settled down, staring at Nat with a smile. " Bring my food, Lizzy." She called.
Lizzy hurriedly placed the tray on the table and served her. Natasha gazed at Gisel, angry.
" Chill, Nat else you'll choke on your food," said Gisel, with a giggle as she scooped the food into her mouth.
Natasha stared at her in fury but couldn't utter a word. Lizzy looked on, puzzled by Gisel's change and how she spoke with Natasha.
" Hmmm, " Gisel cleared her throat, making a bit serious face at Natasha.
"I almost forgot–" She stuttered as she gazed up from her plate. "I'll be taking charge over my father's business from tomorrow. You're relieved of your duty as the General manager from now onwards" She announced. Lizzy gasped with widened eyes bemused at Gisella's statement.
" What?", Natasha exclaimed. " What do you mean by that, Gisel?"
" You heard me right, stepmother– I don't want to see you anywhere near the office ever again." She sighed. "Thanks for taking care of everything after my father's death– Don't worry anymore, I'll take it from here, okay?"
Natasha instinctively slammed her hand on the table with a tensed gaze. " What insolence?" She roared. "How dare you decide on what I ought to do and what not to?"
" Cut the crab, Nat–I'm just trying to be nice to you, right now. Don't make me lose my temper and throw you out of my house." She added.
Irritated by Gisel's attitude, Natasha pushed away from the food and stormed off into her room. Gisel slowly raised her head in her direction and smiled.
" I'm ever ready for you now, Natasha. This is just the beginning." She muttered with a grin.
After realizing Natasha was gone, Lizzy drew closer and settled on the chair right next to her.
"Gisel–" She loud whispered.
" Huh? what is it, Aunty?" She queried, gazing up at her.
" What just happened now?– Is this the Gisel I've known since childhood?" She asked with a skeptical gaze. She instinctively dropped the spoon, turning towards her with a faint smile.
" Yes, Aunty but I'm no longer the timid Gisel you know." She answered. "Don't think so much about me, you won't understand." She sighed. "I'm full– will be in my room now. Good night."
Lizzy gazed at her with a dropped jaw while she trod out of the kitchen towards her room.
" Don't stay up for too long, Lizzy. You need to catch some rest because we'll have a long day tomorrow. We'll be visiting my father's company, okay....", shouted Gisella from the hall.
" Um...alright....." answered Lizzy with a stammering voice.