Novel Full Chapter 4 - Reborn
April woke up in a small grey room, the light streamed through the thin curtains from a small window. Opening her eyes she recognised her dresser on her left, then she looked down at her body. Her arms didn't have burns on them? Was that a dream?
She lay on the old moth-eaten sheets thinking about everything, it was too realistic to be a dream. She remembered the smell and the taste of the smoke as she choked on it. The harsh words of her stepsister rang and repeated in her ears.
I'm back she thought as a bright smile filled her face. She had been given another chance and she wouldn't be complacent with it. She had to be smarter than her enemy and build herself up. She had to protect herself she was determined to teach those who harmed her and her mother a lesson. She looked around the small, damp room.
She was in her family home, she had long given her purple princess room to her stepsister Rachel. The art studio that housed her mother's artwork was now her father and stepmothers bedroom. She was now living in what was once the utility room on the ground floor. Brooms, a vacuum and a mop with a bucket still lay in the corner of the room.
She stretched her limbs out on the narrow bed, she was petite but she was too slim. Her father never took notice of her and her stepmother didn't allow her to eat with them so her father also never questioned why. She was only allowed the leftovers, which she never wanted to eat. Who would want to eat off other peoples plates?
In this new life that she had been blessed with she had to be smart. First, she needed to act like nothing had changed, that she was still nieve. That way without arousing suspicion she could keep all that they had yet to steal of her mothers and take back what she was owed.
She always woke before everyone else to prepare them all breakfast. So she got up and went to wash up first. She looked in the mirror at her reflection her skin was pale and lifeless, her hair was limp and damaged. She couldn't believe she had lived like this for many years before her death. She had no creams, makeup or hair products that most girls her age had. It was time to change all this. If she didn't look after herself who would?
Her mother was a world-famous artist and everyone had always complimented her on her ladylike temperament as well as her charm. Her mother's designs and paintings sold for millions each. It was thankfully talent that her mother had passed on to her.
Which reminded her that her stepmother would hold an auction and sell her mothers final pieces in a month. She had to be ready to stop her.
She often did this in the name of charity, but she pocketed the money in the end. If it wasn't for charity her father would never sell her paintings and her stepmother knew this. Her stepmother was greedy she always wanted money, power and her father's heart. But that seemed to be the only thing he couldn't give her, which made her bitter and resent her mother. Since her mother had died her father worked day and night and that was all, he was indifferent to everything. April wondered if she could help him.
Slapping her cheeks she steadied her heart and mind. She got changed into her black skinny jeans and a burgundy cashmere wool jumper. Yes, they were expensive but she was only allowed them because they were her stepsisters hand me downs. She was given them as to not rouse her father's suspicion. He didn't know designers or what was in season, he had thought she spent the money on the card he gave her but it had long been taken by her greedy step sister.
She grabbed her bag and crept upstairs, then she tiptoed to her mother's room. Everyone would sleep for another hour but she kept quiet just in case.
Fear gripped her heart, as she entered the room after all this was the room she died in. She trembled slightly as she put her bag onto her mother's bed. She looked around the room that both her mother and she died in. Her death was no accident and even more, now she questioned her mother's death.
Calming herself and taking a deep breath she then walked to the closet. Opening it she saw the clothing was still intact inside, the pieces were timeless. She felt the fabrics as she walked to a drawer, once opened it showed a safe. She input a code.
1..beep...4...beep...0... beep...4...beep...0... beep...2...beep
She put in the code which was her birth date. Inside the safe was her mother's jewellery, her design notebook, a few sketches and a key. She smiled as she touched the precious items her mother held dear. She emptied the safe and put everything in her bag. She then walked to the closet and packed a few items. Happy with what she could get for now she smiled.
She walked downstairs quietly and put the bag in her room, locking her room door behind her. To act as normal she went to the kitchen and made a sumptuous feast for her father, stepmother and stepsister.
She had enjoyed learning to cook from her mother. Her mother was so talented in so many aspects. If she wasn't so foolish in her last life she would maybe have been a great artist like her. She gave her best artwork to her stepsister stupidly to pass as her own. Determination filled her face.
Click Clack Click
Showtime she thought as she heard her stepmothers heels on the stairs. She changed her persona to a submissive one. She fixed her clothes and used her hair to hide her facial expressions.