A week passed. Cinder settled into her new life. The mansion was huge and often lonely, but her kitchen was warm and full of good smells. Clovis remained distant. He ate the meals she prepared without comment. But Cinder noticed small changes. The muffin plate was always empty now. The simple dishes, like the soup and sandwich, were always completely eaten. It gave her a small spark of hope.
One sunny afternoon, the doorbell rang. Cinder wasn't expecting anyone. She wiped her hands on her apron and went to answer it.
Her heart sank. Standing at the grand entrance were Lucy and Darla. They were staring at the mansion with greedy eyes.
"Cinder!" Lucy said, her voice sickly sweet. "We were so worried about you! We had to come and see how you were doing."
Darla pushed past her, looking around the entrance hall. "Wow," she whispered, touching a expensive vase. "You live here now?"
Cinder felt a knot in her stomach. "I work here," she corrected softly. "It's not my home."
"Nonsense!" Lucy said, walking in without an invitation. "We are family. We heard you got this wonderful job and we are so proud." Her smile did not reach her eyes. "We just had to see it for ourselves."
Cinder didn't know what to do. She couldn't just throw them out. "Would you... would you like some tea?" she asked, hoping to keep them in the kitchen.
But Lucy had other plans. "Tea would be lovely. But let's have it in the living room. It looks so comfortable in there."
At that very moment, Clovis walked down the staircase. He was on his way to his library. He stopped when he saw the visitors.
Darla's eyes locked onto him. He was handsome, dressed in a perfectly tailored suit. He looked like a king. She immediately smoothed her dress and smiled her brightest smile.
"Mr. Blackwood!" Lucy said, rushing forward. "We are Cinder's family. We were just telling her how proud we are of her."
Clovis's face was cold. He did not like surprises. He did not like uninvited guests. He gave a slow, stiff nod. "I see."
Darla stepped closer to him. "Your home is absolutely breathtaking, Mr. Blackwood. It must get so lonely in such a big place, all by yourself." Her voice was a purr.
Cinder stood frozen, her cheeks burning with shame. She saw the look of disgust on Clovis's face and felt sure he would fire her.
Lucy turned to Cinder, her voice sharp but disguised as concern. "Cinder, dear, I hope you aren't bothering Mr. Blackwood too much. You know you can be a little... simple sometimes. We just want to make sure you're not in over your head."
Clovis watched the scene. He saw the meanness in Lucy's eyes. He saw Darla's obvious plan. And he saw Cinder, looking small and humiliated. He felt a strange urge to protect her. But he didn't know how. So he did what he always did. He retreated behind his cold wall.
"Enjoy your visit," he said, his voice like ice. Then he turned and walked away, leaving Cinder alone with her stepfamily. The hope she had felt earlier was gone, replaced by a cold dread.