As I entered the dining room, I saw my stepmother and she was sitting at the table.

My real mother died when I was four years old and leaving me with Justin, my brother along with my Father.

When I was finally ten years old, my Dad met this woman, they fell in love and blah blah blah.

At age twelve, I recalled the moment when he married her and I had to call her Mom afterwards.

"Ashley, come and eat." She noticed my presence and I took a seat at the dining table.

After I shared my breakfast onto an empty plate, I began to eat in silence.

Then she asked..."Ashley, who was the boy who dropped you home yesterday?"

"Which boy are you talking about?" I asked while I poked my fork against the plate.

"Don't play stupid, I caught you coming off his bike on the outdoor cameras." She informed me and I looked at her cunning face.

"The driver never came, so he offered me a ride home." I said, completely annoyed.

Her basic brown eyes stared at me while her silky smooth hair rested on her shoulders.

"I don't want you to be hanging around those criminals." She told me while she held a napkin.

"He is not a criminal." I refused to listen to her bullshit, but I didn't know why I was even defending Tyson.

"We brought you here for a fresh start, so don't mess it up." She said while wiping her lips with the napkin.

I rolled my eyes.

"Ashton is currently visiting his sick Aunt." My Dad stated as he enters the dining room in a dark blue suit and tie.

I watched as he took a seat at the table..."So, that means I can have my cars and bike keys?" I asked, curiously since my personal driver is occupied by family matters.

"No, I don't want you to be wandering around every street in this City." My Father objected while he shook his head.

"Remember you're the daughter of a millionaire." He added while he began to share breakfast onto an empty plate.

I scoffed and my stepmother interrupted me before I could speak my mind..."What are you wearing?"

"Are you blind? It's clothes." I stated, obviously since I was wearing .

"Don't speak to your mom like that!" My Dad raised his voice at me and I stood up from my chair at the dining table.

I angrily walked away without another word as his words repeated in my head.

"He is talking like she is my actual mother and she's not!" I grumbled to myself as I entered the living room and I saw Gracie, the house maid, mopping the floor.

"Gracie, give me my bike keys." I demanded while extending a hand.

"But your Father said..." I cut her off.

"I know what he said, so give me the damn keys, already." I responded with a glare and she quickly nodded.

Then I watched as she walked away and soon after, she returned with the keys.

"Thank you." I slightly smiled at her before I exited the mansion.

Then I headed towards the garage and I saw the vehicles owned by my Father along with my red Ducati bike.

I hopped onto my bike and I started it up before I drove out of the garage to park in the driveway.

"Ashley, get your butt off that rebellious thing." My stepmother shouted from the doors of the mansion.

"Or else what?" I challenged her demands and I watched as she gasped.

"Or... Or I will take away your... Credit card." She shot back with a nod while she placed her hands on her hips as she stared at me.

Then I was the one who gasped.

"You know what? You can do whatever you want." I snapped in frustration.

"I only want what's best for you, Ashley." She said as she slowly approached me.

"What's best for me?" I scoffed as I stared at her.

"You took me away from my friends and the people who I called family when you and Dad were hardly ever around. You even took me away from my brother." I snapped and she froze in her heels while looking surprised by my words.

"You don't even like me, you only act as if I'm important when Dad is around and when he isn't around, you act like the fashion model, which you are." I raised my voice at her then I looked away.

"What...what are you talking about?" Her voice slowly breaks and I glanced at her.

"Of course, I love you. You are like a daughter to me, Ashley." She seemed sentimental.

"So prove it." With that I put on my helmet and I drove through the opened gates.

I pulled up at a nearby store.

When I entered, I grabbed a bottle of vodka and I paid for it. I walked out, drove away and minutes later, I pulled up at a random green park.

As I hopped off my bike, I found a quiet empty spot and I sat beside the nearest tree. I opened the bottle of vodka and I poured it down my throat.

I hissed at the burning sensation after gulping then I laid on the grass after finishing the bottle.

I closed my eyes.

**********

By the time I woke up, my phone was ringing and I groaned.

Looking at the ID of the caller, I realized it was my stepmother. I ignored her call while I listened to my phone as it rings approximately five to six more times.

When the atmosphere started to get dark, I stood up from the ground and I stretched a little before I returned to my bike.

Then I drove away.

Pulling up at the mansion gates, I swiped in the manual password since the guard wasn't nearby then I drove up the driveway.

I parked my bike inside the garage and I hopped off.

Walking up to the doors of the mansion, I slowly entered and I was suddenly greeted with the words...

"Where the hell were you?" I encountered my stepmother and I ignored her as I closed the doors behind me.

I simply walked past her and up to my bedroom, I went.

She yelled at me, but I refused to look back as I entered my bedroom and slammed the door closed, behind me.

I laid on my bed and few seconds later, she shoved my door open to infiltrate my bedroom.

"I asked you a question, young lady." She argued while she stood before my bed in her night gown.

"That's none of your business." I exhaled a deep breath when I realized she wasn't planning on exiting my bedroom.

"Of course, it's my business. You're my daughter!" She raised her voice and I rolled my eyes at the "daughter" part.

"I am not your daughter and you're not my mother, so leave me alone and get out of my room." I groaned while touching my forehead as I closed my eyes.

"I am not going anywhere until you tell me where you were!" I heard her shouting and I flew up in a sitting position on my bed.

"If you're not going to leave, I sure will!" I snapped at her as I quickly stood up from my bed.

"You're not going anywhere, young lady!" She shouted as she pointed a finger at me.

"Oh, really...and who's going to stop me?" I challenged her and we both glared at each other.

"What the hell is going on in here?!" My Dad literally growled as he steps into my bedroom while looking around.

"Tell her to get out off my bedroom!" I yelled at my Father while I pointed to my Stepmother.

"I am not going anywhere until you tell me where you were!" She declared as she knitted her perfectly shaved eyebrows.

"Get...out...of...my...bedroom." I slowly yelled as I stared at her.

"Where were you?" She refused while staring at me with her hands on her hips.

I groaned.

"Can someone explain what's going on in this damn house?" My Father asked in frustration while looking between us.

"She wasn't at school today, so I wanted to know where she was." My Stepmother stated as she points to me.

"And how does that concern you?" I questioned, curiously while raising a brow at her.

"I demand respect from you and you can't tell me what to do. I'm your Mother, so you're supposed to listen to me." She said as she touched her chest with her eyes pasted on me.

"You are not my Mother, she's dead. You're my stepmom, so get that inside your head." I informed her while pointing a finger to my head.

"ASHLEY!" My Dad snapped at me and my attention neglected to him.

"What?" I asked, angrily and he raised an eyebrow before he exhaled a sigh.

"Calm down." He told me in a lower tone and I rolled my eyes as he looked at my stepmother then back at me.

"Okay, Ashley, where were you and why weren't you at school?" My Dad asked me as he loosened the tie around his neck.

"I will not explain until she leaves my bedroom." I simply told him while I slowly walked over to my window.

"I am not leaving this room." She informed me and I glanced at her while leaning against the wall.

"Darling, please go to our bedroom, I need to have a word with my daughter." My Dad turned to look at her and she scoffed while staring at him.

"But... Fine." She threw her hands into the air before she looked at me then she slowly exited my bedroom.

"Sit down." My Dad ordered me and I sighed before I decided to take a seat on my bed.

He sat beside me.

"What's wrong?" He questioned while he tried to read my facial reactions.

"Nothing." I shrugged.

"Then why are you behaving so harsh with your stepmother?" He asked with a curious stare and I ran a hand through my hair.

"I just don't like her." I admitted while I glanced at him.

"Why?"

"Dad, she is always up in my business and I don't like it." I told him and he slightly chuckled.

"That's what Moms are supposed to do and she is trying hard to be a good stepmother, so just get to know her a little more." He encouraged me.

"Would if I don't want to know her a 'little more'?" I asked with some gestures of my hand.

"Do it for me." He said as he touched my shoulder and I slightly chuckled while looking at my lap.

I hate it when he says those words...

"I will try, but if it doesn't work out..." I started as I shook my head.

"It will." I heard him saying and I looked at him.

"If it doesn't, I will just simply avoid her." I suggested with a nod and he smiled at me.

"Good night, princess." He told me as he placed a kiss on my forehead.

"Dad...does that mean, I can get back my car keys too?" I asked, curiously and he chuckles.

"Yes, as long as you behave well with your stepmom and attend school." He assured as he pat my back and I slightly chuckled.

"Okay...Good night, Dad." I said with a nod and he stood up.

Then I watched as he exit my bedroom and I exhaled a deep breath before I went to my bathroom.

I took a bath and I brushed my mouth then I wore my pair of emoji pajamas as I went to bed.

We haven't had a father to daughter talk ever since my Mother passed away.

He hardly ever talks about Mom and everything is always about my stepmother which upset me most times.

However, I think he's been trying to move on and he wants me to do the same too.

So, I should at least try to get over it as well...