---Ten Years Ago---
Ella was outside watering the plants when her father came in with a tall man and a young boy, about her age.
“Ella, there you are.” Her father said once he found her.
She smiled.
“Ella, this is Mr. Wu and his son, Chun.” Ella bowed in respect for them. She could tell, they were rich and riches meant respect. “Mr. Wu and Chun are going to have dinner with us. Could you go set up the table?”
Ella nodded and left.
--
“Ella,” Chun quietly shouted, as he was leaning of the wall, with his arms crossed. Ella turned around.
“yes?”
“Why are you always working?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well you’re the only one working besides your maids here.”
“And?…” Ella was wondering where the conversation would go.
“Your sisters?”
“What about them?”
“Why don’t they help you out?” Ella shrugged her shoulders.
Why was it that her father only wanted her to help out around the house and not her older sisters?
“Well you must like doing it.” Chun commented.
“Why do you say that?”
“Well, look at this place. It’s speckless. It must take you a while to learn how to clean this fast in such a short time.”
Actually, Chun was right.
At times she thought the only thing she was good at was cleaning the house. But, she wasn’t going to admit that, so she just shrugged again.
“Where are your sisters?” Chun asked, just to test her temper.
“I don’t know. Probably doing their school work.” Ella lied.
Charlene and Angela went out shopping for their dresses for a party with their mother.
“I’ll go and get them, so they could help you.” Chun smiled and started walking up the long stairway.
“No!” Ella ran up and pulled him back. But once she did, he stumbled on top of her. “Ow! My elbow!” she whined. She sat up, finding a bruise already appearing.
“Why’d you pull me down then?” Chun asked madly, pretending to be hurt, even though Ella broke his fall.
“You can’t go up there.” Ella said on the verge of crying.
“Why not?”
“Because,” she tried to think of something. “it’s a girl’s room.” Chun sighed. “what would your father think of you, when he catches you in their rooms?”
“What else would he think? I’ll tell him the truth. That I wanted someone to help you so I went and got your sisters.” he explained to her.
Ella was touched.
After telling her that he wanted someone to help her, her heart opened for him.
No one ever thought of helping her before, except the maids.
She smiled at him.
“If you wanted someone to help, me. Why don’t YOU just help?” Ella asked politely.
