Ethereal Guardian: A Tale of Neglect, Bullying, and Redemption

Chapter 3

The Unseen Suffering

Among the maids at Hillcrest Estate, there was one whose name sent shivers down the spine of everyone who crossed her path—Agnes. Her cruelty knew no bounds, and her heart was as cold as the marble floors of the mansion. To her, Sarah was nothing more than a nuisance, a burden, and she made sure Sarah knew it.

Day after day, Agnes's bullying became a torment that no child should endure. She took every opportunity to belittle Sarah, to chip away at her fragile sense of self-worth. Her words were like daggers, cutting deep into the young girl's spirit.

"Look at you, wandering around like you own this place," Agnes would sneer, her voice dripping with disdain. "You're nothing but a guest here. This mansion doesn't belong to you, and it never will."

Sarah, with her sparkling eyes and a heart full of dreams, would often retreat to the sanctuary of the mansion's library, hoping to find solace among the pages of dusty old books. But even there, she couldn't escape Agnes's cruelty.

One day, as Sarah was engrossed in a book of fairy tales, Agnes entered the library, her footsteps deliberate and menacing. She grabbed the book from Sarah's hands and tossed it across the room.

"Books won't save you, girl," Agnes spat. "You're destined for nothing more than a life of insignificance."

Tears welled up in Sarah's eyes as she watched the book she loved so dearly fall to the ground, its pages scattering like the shattered fragments of her dreams. She felt helpless, alone, and abandoned in a world that seemed determined to break her spirit.

Evenings were no better for Sarah. Dinner in the mansion's grand dining room was a silent affair, with Agnes serving as a constant reminder of her isolation. The meals, once a time for family to come together, had become a stark reminder of Sarah's invisible existence.

Emily and John, consumed by their careers and their pursuits, failed to notice the pain etched on their daughter's face. They saw a well-behaved child, quiet and uncomplaining, and they mistook her silence for contentment. But Sarah's heart was heavy with the weight of Agnes's cruelty, and her dreams of a happy family felt more distant with each passing day. She yearned for the love and attention of her parents, for the warmth of their embrace, and for the reassurance that she was not alone in her silent suffering.

Little did Sarah know that, deep within the mansion's walls, a benevolent spirit named Eleanor was watching over her, her heart aching at the injustice that befell the young girl. Eleanor had suffered her trials in life, and she could not bear to see Sarah endure the same pain. She longed to reach out, to comfort Sarah, and to help her find the strength to face the cruelty that surrounded her.