Episode 1

My name is Luisa Brown, I'm 17 years old, and I am an orphan. My mother passed away a year ago in an accident. We never attended her funeral because our father forbade us from going, and he took away anything that reminded us of her. I live with my brother and my dad, who owns a chain of renowned hotels across the United States.

He always humiliated my mother for being a humble woman. Our nanny told me that my father was forced to marry my mother against his will, as he loved another woman. My grandparents demanded an heir from him, so he had Matias, but I was born as an unwanted child from a drunken night. Since that day, my father has shown me nothing but contempt. I always tried to make him love me, but instead, I received even more scorn from him.

I attend a prestigious high school because it would be scandalous for one of his children to study at a less prestigious school. It's all about appearances, so no one would discover how miserable he is with his daughter.

"Luisa, get up and clean the house," shouted my father from the second floor.

I sleep in the attic with only an inflatable mattress and some sheets to protect me from the devastating cold at night. Only when my brother is home, he lets me sleep in a decent room because he doesn't know how our father treats me. I've tried telling him many times, but everyone simply denies it, making me out to be a spoiled and whimsical child. Not to mention the days when my father would punish me by giving me only one meal a day.

"I don't understand, Nana Carmen, why does my father hate me so much?" I asked while cleaning the bathrooms. "I know I wasn't planned, but my mom loved me because he didn't."

My nanny was about to respond, but my father interrupted her.

"It's simple, Luisa. You are the living portrait of your tasteless mother. You are just like her, so simple and unremarkable. You don't deserve to carry my last name," he uttered those words filled with hatred.

I didn't say anything. He always gave me the same response, and as crazy as it sounds, I still held onto the hope that someday he would change, maybe say, "I like you, daughter. I'm sorry for treating you this way," or even just look at me without contempt in his eyes.

"Keep dreaming, Luisa. It won't cost you anything. I think even my conscience hates me," he said.

I finished cleaning the house and headed to school. To everyone else, I am the princess of the fortunate Browns, but if they only knew that I am just another employee in that household.

As I entered the school, I bumped into Agustin Harrison, my impossible love. Because, between you and me, who would be interested in a tasteless, dull, and ugly woman like me? The answer is no one. I already envisioned myself alone in a house with cats.

"Sorry, Luisa, I didn't see you," he said. Yes, I know I'm invisible to everyone.

"I... I..." my tongue started to falter.

"Do you want to tell me something?" I smiled inwardly at the ideas my mind was coming up with.

I shook my head, and he walked away.

"Wipe the drool off your face," I jumped in surprise.

"You scared me, Matias," I placed my hand on my chest. "Why didn't you come home last night? Dad was really angry. It was a very long night for my liking."

"You know, Luisa, I'm tired of my dad too. I can't stand him. I'm just waiting for grandpa to transfer his shares to me, and then I'll be out of there." I wished I could be like my brother, free of fear.

"I wish I could go with you, little brother," I whispered silently, wanting to be free from all this pain.

"You can't, shorty. You're still a minor, and I don't want my dad to ruin my life even more by taking you with me." He grabbed my face with both hands. "You're his princess." Sure, why not.

I didn't say anything. I just lowered my head. If my brother thinks that way, surely the others do too, and no one will help me, even if I ask for it.

"Why don't you tell him that you like him?" I raised my head and looked in the direction he was looking. "I wouldn't mind being brothers"in"law." Me neither, brother.

"Someone like Agustin wouldn't notice me. He's unreachable," I said.

"Sister, you are beautiful. He'd be a fool not to notice you," he grabbed my shoulder, and we each went to our respective classrooms.

My brother is older by two years. This year he will finish high school and go to the university, just like Agustín. They're both best friends.

Classes went by without any issues. After school, I went with my brother towards the prison that is my home. When we arrived, the servants were running from one place to another.

"Nana, what's going on? Why all the commotion?" I asked.

"The partner of Mr. Santiago is coming tonight," Matias gritted his teeth so hard that it seemed they might have broken.

He stormed off angrily. I tried asking Nana if she knew why my brother's attitude had changed, but she acted like she didn't know and almost ran away. What could they be hiding from me? Although, coming from my father, nothing surprises me anymore.

"I want both of you impeccable at dinner, no complaints," he said. We nodded and went up to our rooms.

"Why don't you like my father's partner?" I needed to find out what he knew that I didn't.

"It's none of your business, Luisa. It's better to obey our father if you don't want to get scolded," he responded, leaving me with my curiosity, as always.

"Do you even know my father's girlfriend?" I asked again, refusing to be left with unanswered questions.

"Leave me alone, Luisa," he started walking towards his room.

His change in mood surprises me. He was happy in high school, but ever since he heard about my father's new partner, he completely changed.

"But why can't you just answer with a yes or no? It's just one word," I said as I entered his room before he could close the door.

"Why are you so annoying, Luisa?" he laid down on the bed. "I'll just tell you that those women will be a pain in the ass." I looked at him, annoyed that he would use such language.

"Why do you say women if it's only my father's partner that is coming?" Another question that circled in my head.

"Wait until dinner, and you'll see. I hope your beloved daddy doesn't disappoint you," he formed a smirk, mocking me.

"He couldn't disappoint me more than he already has," I thought to myself but didn't say it out loud.

The time for dinner came, and my father was very happy. I was glad for him, hoping that this woman changes him and starts treating me better. They say love changes people.

The doorbell rang, and my father went to open it personally. That surprised me because I thought he would send me instead.

"Love, you look handsome," said a very seductive voice.

And just as my brother had said, two women arrived. They were truly beautiful, one was my father's age, and the other was almost my age. I greeted them politely and welcomed them alone because my brother was nowhere to be found. Both of them looked at me with disdain, adding them to the list of people who treated me the same way.

"Where is Matias, darling?" The woman knew how to express herself very well. It was evident that she had class.

"He must be coming down soon, but please, come to the dining room. Dinner is served," I had never seen my father so attentive.

I was about to follow them to the dining room when I abruptly stopped. I saw the servants carrying many suitcases upstairs.

"Do you have a problem with my luggage?" My father's partner asked, and he glared at me.

I quickly denied it before my father decided to punish me by withholding dinner just for looking where I shouldn't.

"You know, Santi, it's very rude of your son to have made us wait throughout dinner," that woman said, sitting on the living room sofa.

"Don't worry, my love. I'll go check on him right now," my father seemed like an eager puppy, wagging his tail every time she spoke.

"You don't have to go see me, dad," my brother spoke as he came down the stairs. "I'm right here."

When he finished descending, Nana followed him with suitcases.

"Nana Carmen, are you leaving the house?" She sadly shook her head.

"No, little one. I'm the one who's leaving," my brother said, grabbing the suitcases from Nana.

"You can't leave here, Matias!" my father exclaimed, angry. "Carmen, please take those suitcases back to the room."

"I won't stay here to share the house with that whore and her daughter," Matias didn't see it coming, and a slap turned his face.

" You will respect me, insolent, and your sister too. " Said my father's partner proudly.

" Sister? " Yes, that's right, what I had thought slipped out but no one responded and they kept on with their own thing.

" That freeloader is not my sister. " Said my brother as he grabbed the woman by the wrists. " Listen carefully, Priscila Davis, the fact that you've been rolling around with my father since he got married to my mother doesn't give you the right to lift a hand against me, let it be the last time. " Priscila screamed in pain.

" Let go of Priscila right now, Matias. " My dad lunged at Matias and they began to exchange blows.

Priscila and the daughter just watched the scene amused without doing anything, while I tried to separate my brother from hitting our father any further.

" Please, Matias, let's not make things worse. " I grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him away from our dad.

" Are you serious, Luisa? " He looked at me disappointed. " The only one making things worse here is that wretch who made my mother's life a living hell, all for that bitch and her little bastard. " Both women looked at him disapprovingly.

" I am a Brown just like you and your tasteless sister. " The girl spoke for the first time, and it was only to spew her venom against me. I don't know what people have against me, but they despise me without me doing anything to them.

" Karen, you will always be a bastard even if you're Santiago's daughter. " My brother addressed my father by his name. " The only princess of the Brown fortune here is Luisa; you are just the daughter of Santiago Brown's lover. " Karen was about to slap him, but Matias grabbed her hands and pushed her onto the sofa.

" I don't want you to touch my wife and my daughter again, Matias! " My father shouted, and that gesture hurt me. He never defended me, but he defended her.

" I won't, Santiago, because this will be the last time you see me here. " He picked up his suitcases to leave, but I stopped him.

" Don't leave, please, brother, don't leave me here. " I started crying. " Take me with you, big brother, I only have you. " I knelt down, urging him to stay.

" Enough, Luisa, let him go, we don't need him. " My father tried to grab my arms to make me stand up, but I clung to my brother's legs.

" Please, brother, I beg you, don't leave me. Dad hates me, he mistreats me, I sleep in the attic. If I don't finish cleaning the whole house, he starves me for days and locks me up. Help me, brother, I can't take it anymore, please take me with you. " I couldn't hold back the pain I felt any longer.

Matias, filled with anger, approached my father and grabbed him by the shirt to confront him. I could see the hatred he had towards my father for doing all of this to me.

" How dare you do that? She's your daughter, flesh and blood. " My brother lifted me from the floor and hugged me, comforting my wounded soul. " I will take her with me. " My heart leaped with joy, but it didn't last long.

" I never wanted to have her, but your useless mother didn't listen to me and had her. " My mother said without measuring her harshness as she pulled my hair. " I'm sorry to inform you, dear son, that Luisa is under my custody. " My brother snatched me away from her claws.

" You are a vile and despicable being, Santiago. You don't deserve to be a father. " My father just shrugged.

" Say goodbye to your little brother, Princess Brown. " He said mockingly.

" Forgive me, sister, for leaving you in this snake pit, but I promise to work hard and get you out of this hell. " My tears appeared again.

I held a small hope that the man who calls himself my father would let me go with my brother, but it didn't happen. He wants me to wither away just as he withered my mother.

I watched as my brother walked away without looking back, and I understand him. It would hurt him if he stayed behind suffering while I gained my freedom. I hold onto the promise he made to me before leaving.

" It's a shame, Luisa, even your brother doesn't want you. If I were you, I'd jump off a bridge. " I ignored Karen's words and was about to go up the stairs, but Priscila's voice stopped me.

" Where are you going? " Her question put me on alert.

" To the attic. " I replied.

" No, no, no, dear Luisa, how can you imagine that a princess like you sleeps in the attic? " I saw how my father wanted to speak, but she silenced him with a glance.

" So, where should I sleep then? " Her smile scared me.

" In the shed next to the horses, that's where a princess like you should be, isn't that right, honey? " I looked at my father, but he only nodded, and that was another stab to my fragile heart.

LUISA BROWN

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