This is probably the part I hate the most about my life: Laura and reporting to her.

Since my dad died and the will was read, I've been only doing one thing, which is charities. Laura said we should use how popular I had become for the best, and that it was a good way to help me go through my grieve. I was so devastated back then I didn't argue or anything, I didn't even remembered what charities really mean, I was too heartbroken and then shocked when I found out about Laura's real feelings towards my father.

Sometimes I still get surprised at the fact I'm someone 'famous', even if I don't have any talent. I'm not a singer, or an actor, or a dancer, or a model, I just have money. I became a public figure because the people I hang out with, because the places I go to, because of the networking and such. It wasn't my hard work what put me where I am today, I am very ware of that, it was just my father's money. And now Laura is even using that to her advantage.

To be honest, today, when it's been over a year since Dad died, I realise that instead of keep exploiting my public image, I would've preferred to lie low and just focus on preparing to inherit the company. That would've been better, that would've been easier for me. Fake smiling is something I'm getting very tired of. And as if that wasn't enough, I also have to report to Laura every time I go to a charity.

By the time I make it to her office, her desk secretary is there, Amy. The other desk by her door is empty, which belongs to Dean, her chief secretary and right hand.

"Good afternoon, Amy. It's good to see you again. How've been? How's your husband? Did the surgery go well?" I ask the woman by the desk who smiles kindly when she spots me.

"He's recovering wonderfully, thank to you, he is so much better."

Amy's husband had a hernia in his spine that was causing him so much pain. I could see how troubled she was and when I asked why, she told me because the surgery was coming but she was worried who would stay with him as she had work and Laura hadn't even regarded her when she asked for a few days. I had to intercept and talk to Laura to leave Amy take those days off. She wanted to give her an unpaid leave but I didn't allow it. Amy had had her holidays already during the year so it was complicated for her, but I managed to get her two weeks without losing half her salary.

"I'm glad you could be with him and that's he's doing better. Please, send him my regards." She smiles brightly at that. "Is Laura back from the meeting?"

"She did come back about ten minutes ago. She's with Dean inside."

"Can you please announce me? I don't want to interrupt."

"Gladly, Miss Blanca." She immediately makes the call. I just wait there, humming to a song I've got stuck with lately. "She'll receive you now. Please, go in."

"Thank you." I give her one last smile and turn towards the doors, at the same time these open to reveal Dean coming from her office.

He's what you'd expect from a businessman. All suits and no smiles. He's probably near forty, his black hair always styled to the side without a single hair sticking out. I've never seen him smile and his blue eyes are the coldest ones I've ever seen. Even if his sharp features could've been considered handsome at some point, they only make me think of him as a statue.

He barely nods his head in acknowledgement and I do the same. No smiles or pleasantries exchanged.

Once inside, I find Laura behind the desk that belonged to my father until not long ago, in that big chair I loved to spin around when I was a kid and came to see him. The title of CEO with her name, making me irk.

She's wearing white, per usual, with a tailored suit, including that knee length skirt and incredibly high heels that make her more than fifteen centimetres taller than me. I know that even if she's sitting and I hate that big height difference between us, but height isn't something you find in my DNA. I'm barely above the average of the Chilean woman, but Laura is still taller than me, which allows her to look down on me, even if I wear heels, too.

"Blanca, dear. You're finally here. Please, take a seat," she invites with a bright smile, putting one lock of blonde hair behind her ear, the rest of her hair is tied on a nape ponytail.

At least she dresses professionally and not like an ex Miss England. I do appreciate she takes the company that serious.

"Thanks," is my dry reply as I obey.

I'm pretty sure Laura knows I don't like her and that I know her real intentions and sentiments, just as much as I know she can't stand me. The hatred is mutual, that we know it, yet we act civilised. We never argue or even raise our voices, it's always awkwardly polite and dry between us.

Our relationship reminds me of a ticking time bomb without a timer, about to blow off any minute but you have no way to know, you only hear the ticking and that's it. It makes you nervous, but there's nothing you can do about it, you don't know how to turn it off, or what wire to cut. You can only wait until it blows off... whenever that happens. Until then, you pretend to be okay because there's someone else waiting and you can't show weakness in front of that person. You pretend not to notice the ticking, you pretend it doesn't make you sweat by wearing a smile and kind words.

That's my relationship with my stepmother.

"Was the meeting okay? It didn't take that long."

"It was just about a new hotel in Singapore we're planning on. Normal and boring meetings, nothing you need to concern yourself with, dear. Don't worry, I've got this for you."

I know she's trying to act sweet and caring, like she's actually doing this to lessen the burden on me, but in fact, she's doing it out of her own greed.

As I have no intention to fight her and cause some scandal, I can only wait.

The world of business can be as shallow as the one of celebrities, you can't let it fool you, because rumours of internal conflicts affect the value of the stocks, and that affects our company. If we don't present a strong front, then we are not being reliable. Rumours can be very harmful for a company, too.

If the world is to know how much Laura and I hate each other, that would only cause harm to the company and make us a target for those others who want to destroy us and want to take over. Just a small weakness and you could be killed. Businesspeople are ruthless.

"Oh, that's wonderful. Are you planning to go there anytime soon to supervise?"

Meaning: are you leaving me alone for a while? I'm sick of your face.

"Not soon, there is still so much planning to do."

Meaning: I won't be giving you what you want, stop dreaming.

She waves her hands dismissively, and I fight hard not to lose my smile when I know the true meaning of her words. She feels more confident with her stand and leans back, crossing her leg dramatically, showing power with her body language. I grit my teeth not to show the pressure of controlling myself in the way I clench my hands. She notices these immediately.

"How did the charity go? Did you have fun with the cancer kids?"

"Kids with cancer," I rectify her, trying to keep my tone controlled and polite. "And I did. I didn't have much time to interact with them, the event was filled with people from every company. I was so busy talking and greeting them."

Most of the time it's the wife of the CEO, or the son that goes to these charities, showing the face of the company they represent. At the end, it's a party for businesspeople in which we give money to a cause, but we don't even notice whom we are helping. It's sad, regretful, but that's the ugly truth behind charities. Or at least these big events for charity that gather so much important and powerful people in name of a kind cause.

"Would you have preferred to play with the kids and visit them at the hospital? Isn't it better to just provide for them?" Laura asks, raising one eyebrow.

I have to be careful about what I say, because she could use that against me. If I don't choose my words carefully she'll send me to volunteer somewhere far, for a long time, leaving all the company for her without me to watch over her.

"Although that would be good, and very good for our imagine, I understand the importance of these events. I'm okay like this." She only nods, keeping that happy smile.

She's an expert at smiling, a skill that is hard for me. It seems effortless for her, she always looks radiant and happy, almost innocent when she's smiling. I think that's how she won my father over. For me it's hard not to let my smile waver, or not to get tired. No matter what, she can keep that smile, even if she's cleaning vomit from the floor.

"You help us enormously by going to these events, Blanca dear. We're so grateful." Seriously, why is her smile so natural? If I didn't know better I would actually believe her words. Nothing seems wrong with her, she looks genuinely happy and grateful. How can someone be that good of an actor? It actually makes me envious.

"I'm just glad I can be of some help before I actually step up and stand on that was meant for me."

Crack.

For a second I see it, that crack in her perfectly controlled facade. Annoyance and hatred in her brown eyes, her jaw tensing and her expression cooling before it's back to the same warm and happy smile. But I saw it, my words got to her and broke through her walls. It makes me smile triumphal.

"Talking about charities, there's one that's just right for you. It's a bit smaller, but the marketing team suggested it. It will bring attention to the charity and it would show a very merciful side of you for not just doing the charities everyone else is doing. Besides." Smile, so radiant and annoyingly perfect. "It'll give you a chance to actually interact with the people we're helping. Isn't that great?"

"It's sounds wonderful."

"Brilliant. I'll ask Dean to send you all the details so you can organise yourself. It should be around next week so get ready."

"I'll be, don't worry." I try to smile like she does, but fail. I can't hide my emotions like she does.

"I'm sure it'll change everything for you, Blanca. This cause is really special. You'll see."

"I'm sure of it." I don't get excited, I don't expect anything. She's probably sending me somewhere far, where no one will know what happened, just to get me to do something away from her. "Well, I don't have anything important to report aside that it went well. I'll see you at home, then."

"I'll see you for dinner, dear! Enjoy the rest of the afternoon." Perfect, annoying Miss England smile. Once I thought her smile was pretty, now it makes me cringe.

"You, too. Don't overwork yourself."

Like that, I stand up and leave, feeling so tense and annoyed to the point I'm sure I'll eat everything Nora's father give us. I really need comfort food now. Bibimbap sounds like a good idea right now. 

⋙⋘

I'm sorry, Friday slipped away and I just had a crappy day so I didn't even open Wolf (my laptop). As a mean to apologise, in the new multimedia bonus book (Aware Princess Series Conversations) I'll be adding a bonus scene for this chapter! (click the external link or go to the book). It's Nora's and Blanca's conversation right after the chapter ends.

If you've read the Aware Princess Series, that book is what you should check. It has text conversations among characters and you can suggest what you'd like to see, and it has the new multimedia function that Wattpad has started to test. Check it out!

Dedication to HarueSunshineGift. Very accurate random idea ;)

Bel, xx

~updates every Friday~