Trudy just closed her mansion's front door.

She felt like that bell had been ringing nonstop the past while. Most of the time, it was Justin, pleading for forgiveness. She humiliated him and kicked him away everytime, going the extra mile to act pathetic to follow her sister's advice. What she didn't expect, was for Zarek to show up at her doorstep last night.

She never wanted Zarek to see her so vulnerable. After all, she was strong and independent. How can she show her weakness to him like that? He would hold it against her forever, no doubt.

Him and Sandra would make two of that, Trudy thought.

The pretty face of her mother, the infamous plastic surgeon, peaked out of the kitchen. "Who was that, honey?"

"Just another homeless asking for money." Trudy dismissed.

Her mother, Paige, frowned, her precised hands holding the vegetables and cutting them with skill. "That's the fifth one this month." she bit into her full lip. "Don't give them anything. We don't want them to keep showing up at our house."

Despite Paige being a plastic surgeon, she never stuck a needle in her body - or let her daughters do it, for that matter. As Trudy stared at Paige's natural, full lips, her big eyes surrounded by thick lashes, and her short, black hair that reached her V shaped jaw, Trudy couldn't but admire her mother's natural beauty.

That time around however, it was an actual homeless. "Yup," Trudy trailed, slipping out of the kitchen and the conversation.

She found herself standing in front of the newest painting. She had learned that it was actually called The Scream which was quite accurate. The picture was horrifying and dark, but it described her current mental state perfectly.

For a second, Trudy could see the beauty in such an art.

It was the weekend, and those two days in the Green mansion were like family gatherings where the four would catch up together after an entire week of no see. The house would be reserved only for the family since all of the staff (such as maids, gardeners, and cooks) would go home for their days off.

Still, Trudy always felt like they were only faking it with her, giving their truest attention to Sandra instead.

The Green family were nice enough - or they pretended to be. Trudy's parents would finally be home. Louis Green The Junior - her father - would go around the house, crossing the list of their belongings to make sure nothing was stolen, while Paige Harrison - her mother - cooked dinner for the first time in a week.

"Wow, I can't believe my eyes." Her father, Louis, approached her, his finished list in his hand. "My daughter is finally appreciating art."

"Not really," Trudy half lied, "My mind was elsewhere, actually."

"Oh, I see." Her father smiled, putting down the crossed list and pouring himself a glass of red wine. As he took a sip, Trudy noticed the aging lines in his forehead and the graying hairs in his scalp. Her father was tired. His job at the law company was wearing him down.

Her father forced another smile, admiring the painting too. "You know that this painting costed me two years of hard work? It's not even the real one, but it's the closest I could find. Frankly, I don't regret it."

Trudy realized that Louis and Paige were stressed. After working nonstop for an entire week, they probably had millions of other things to do in their weekends other than wasting their precious time on putting an act of a happy family, yet they chose to. They were pretending alright, but only because they were too tired. For a second, Trudy didn't blame them but understood them.

Louis nodded at The Scream. "For various reasons. One of them is the pleasure of witnessing such an artwork. The other, it made my daughter stare at it, losing her mind." Her father pointed his glass at Trudy. "Now tell me, darling, where was your mind?"

Trudy lingered on his easy going smile and his glinting brown eyes. She couldn't tell if he was faking it or if he was actually interested. Even if she wanted to tell him what happened to her, she didn't know how to start without making herself look bad.

Hey, dad, just wanted you to know that my boyfriend assaulted me and almost raped me. Oh, no, nothing major. Just some hair pulling, clothes ripping, and forced kisses.

No, it was just too cringe-worthy.

It was not a normal thing for a daughter to say to her father. Her worst fear was probably his thoughts. She was sure he'd defend her time and time again, but she had a nagging feeling that it would ruin her perfect daughter image.

Still, her father was the lawyer. He would know what to do, and it wasn't like she had that image to begin with. She suspected that with her father's lawsuit, Harvard University would no longer be the same. It was a good enough revenge for Justin, Trudy thought.

"Umm, actually, dad," Trudy didn't know how to begin, stumbling on her words. "There's something-"

"Dad." Sandra intervened, pulling her father's arm along with his attention. "Mom needs you, she's in the kitchen." Sandra flashed her bright teeth at her dad.

Trudy noticed that her sister removed her turquoise blue contacts, blond hair extensions, and acrylic nails - something she always did at the weekends. Her dark and frizzy hair was up in a messy bun, and her face was makeup-free, openly displaying the slight discolorations and pimples she had. Her clothes weren't fashionable and outrageous like they usually would be in the other five days of the week.

Sandra's words ringed in Trudy's ears - A girl needs to know how to use her emotions as weapons. Sandra was at the top of her game, and she knew how to stay there.

Louis nodded. "Yeah, sure." He glanced at Trudy. "But before I go, what were you gonna say, darling?"

"Uh..." Trudy gulped, her brown eyes between her father's concerned ones and Sandra's bulged ones. "Nothing important. It can wait."

"Alright then," her father said, emptying his glass of wine as he walked into the kitchen.

Trudy was about to go too, but Sandra grabbed her arm, pulling her back. "What was that?" Sandra hissed, "You almost snipped on yourself."

"No," Trudy protested, "He's my father, he knows what to do-"

"Oh, you dumb bitch," Sandra snickered, dark eyes sinister than ever, "You think he cares?"

"Of course he does." Trudy snapped, "He's my father."

Sandra took a deep breath, evening her laughs. "He doesn't give two coins about you, you dumb bitch. If he did, he would've at least invested in your education, wouldn't he? Tell me; why are you in a public school even though we can afford any other private school?" Sandra attacked, every word so on point and painful. "He knows you're dumb."

Trudy's eyes filled with tears. "We both know that's not the reason why."

Sandra beamed at this. "Exactly," she said, dark eyes shining, "So why do you think he'll believe you this time around, huh?"

Trudy had nothing to say to defend herself. Everything Sandra said was so true that it pained Trudy. Would her past keep haunting her forever? Would the prying eyes and discreet whispers about her ever stop? Trudy was young and naive and had no clue what she was doing back then. She changed so much, yet everyone would just keep judging her based on her old actions.

"Come on, girls." Paige called from the dining room, "Dinner is ready."

With a tossed smirk, Sandra turned her heal and walked to the table, and with a stomped head, Trudy followed. The family of four sat on the dining table. A big, roasted chicken was in the center of the table, surrounded by bowls of french fries and rice.

It wasn't that often that the Green family got together for dinner, but when they did, they would catch up on not only each other, but the grease as well.

Louis took his plate and served himself the thigh of the chicken, pouring a generous amount of golden rice and crispy fries on the side. Trudy reached her hand for the other thigh when Sandra's knife almost cut her fingers off. Sandra glared at her sister as she treated herself the thigh. Trudy glanced at her parents, and both of them were too busy serving themselves to notice what just happened. With an exasperated sigh, Trudy settled for the neck since her mother already took the chest and the wings were too dry for Trudy's taste.

The rice and fries were too oily and filled with carbs. Trudy wasn't about to fatten her already bulged stomach. Instead, Trudy picked at her piece of white meat for a while, failing to understand how could so many bones be in such a tiny meat. In the mean while, the Green family was chatting with each other.

Trudy felt like she didn't fit in even when she was with her own family.

"What about you, Trudy?" Louis turned to her. "How was your week?"

Trudy jumped in her place. "Ah, me?" She felt the blood rushing to her face as her family's attention was suddenly all on her. "Um, o-okay, I guess."

Paige chuckled. "You guess?" she questioned, "Honey, it seems like you don't want to share with us."

Trudy sensed the guilt, feeling awkward and insecure. "No, it's n-not that," she stuttered like a loser, "It's just that nothing happened this week..."

"Trudy," her father started, "Weren't you about to tell me something earlier?"

"Um," Trudy stammered, "Actually- oh!" Sandra stomped on Trudy's foot so hard that Trudy could swear she heard her toes crack. She looked at the death glare on Sandra's face and sucked in the pain.

Before Trudy could answer her father, the bell to their mansion rang. Trudy jumped to her feet. "I need to get that."

"But you haven't touched your plate," Paige protested, "Sit down, it's probably another homeless."

The bell rang another time, and Trudy shook her head. "I'm gonna see who it is." Trudy didn't wait for her family's protests as she ran to the door and opened it. She was a bit surprised to see Eva standing there. Isn't it passed her bedtime?