My wicked step-father sold me out as a maid to the dark Lord

"Come here" Ava's step-father said to her. She already knew what was coming. He was going to scold her again. Maybe her step-sisters might have accused her of what she didn't do. Ava had just came back from fetching water. After her father died, her mother remarry and bare her step-father three girls. Her mother later died of an illness. Since then, her step-father and step-sisters hated her and often bully her. "Father" she sat close to him. Her father was sitting opposite a tall man. He wore a black long coat with golden trimmings. His long black hair was neatly combed to the back. His strikingly handsome features were making him look very young. A small frown lingered on his face as he sat down. "From today forth, you'll work for Lord Bradford as a maid" her father said. "Father!" she protested. This wasn't the kind of life her mother wanted her to live. She wanted to build a hospital to help the pregnant women in her town deliver safely. Lately, there have been several cases about pregnant women dying during childbirth. She didn't want that to happen again. But now her life has been shattered, her father was selling her off to this man. He is Lord Bradford, the most wealthiest man in her town. "I need the money to register Maya in the knitting school" her father said. "But.........." "Behave yourself" her father squeezed her hand to stop her from talking more. "Seems like she isn't interested for the work" Lord Bradford said calmly. "No she's going to do the work" her father smiled. "How much will you pay for her?" "Twenty crowns for a year" Lord Bradford replied. Ava's jaw dropped, she didn't believe her ears. Twenty crowns would be more than enough to build the hospital and even take care of herself. She knew the money wouldn't be given to her. "Ok" her father smiled. Bradford signaled the man sitting close to him and he dropped a bag of crowns. "Hear is it" Bradford said. "What's going on here?" Ava's sisters, Maya, Iris and Flora hurried to them. "Ava would be working for Lord Bradford from now on" her father said. Ava turned and saw Maya blinking her eyes steadily. This was one of Maya's trick to make a man fall in love with him. "Really?" Maya said in a charming voice. "Time to go" Bradford stood up. "Aren't you going to stand up?" her father asked. "You're going with him right now" "What?" Ava stared at her father. "I haven't arranged my clothes" "There's more than enough clothes for you there" her father said. "Ok" she nodded and stood up slowly. Her father pulled her closer and whispered in her ears. "Behave yourself there. You would only work for him for one year because i want Maya to get closer to him. When they've known each other well, you'll stop working for him. Understood?" "Yes" she nodded and followed the men outside. When they reached where their carriage was parked, Bradford helped her inside while Thomas his assistant rode the carriage. They rode quietly and peacefully till they reached his castle. They came down from the carriage and walked inside. "This is the head maid Edith" Bradford said. "Edith, this is Ava. You'll teach her few things on what to do" "Good afternoon Ava. Follow me" Edith said and led her upstairs to a room. "This is where you'll be living" Edith said. "You'll be Lord Bradford's personal maid" Ava tried not to show her sad expression, she felt lost and hopeless. She knew her sisters would be happy now that she had left the house. "Rest, by tommorow I'll show you the chores you'll do" Edith said and left. Ava launched herself in the giant mattress. She haven't slept in such mattress in her life. She was only allowed to sleep on the floor. She tried hard to fight the tears but they overcome her and flow down her cheeks. She was lost in thoughts and fell asleep. She opened her eyes the next day to the sound of bell. Edith was ringing a bell in her ears. Ava checked the time it was six o'clock in the morning. "Stand up don't be a lazy brat" Edith said. Ava sluggishly stood up and followed Edith outside the room. She carefully listened to everything Edith said to her about the house chores. "Now make breakfast for Lord Bradford. You'll be making three different meals daily for him. He doesn't like eating same meal twice" Edith said. "What? Isn't that too much for me?" Ava asked. "He paid you that much to work harder for him" Edith said and left the kitchen. Ava looked around confused, she didn't know where to start from. She wasn't good in making meals. There was no one to teach her cooking after her mother died. She managed to prepare a nice meal for him, she served it and walked upstairs to his room. "Good morning my Lord" she bowed her head. "What did you make for breakfast?" he asked without glancing at her. "Fried eggs, coffee and sandwich" she replied. "Drop it leave" he said. Ava placed the tray of food on the small table and left. "Are you done?" Edith asked her. "Yes" she replied. "Go and fill the bucket with eggs from the hen poultry, take milk from the cows also feed the pigs and goat" Edith said. "But...." Ava tried to speak but Edith stopped her. "There are no buts. The more you work the more you get paid. There are no room for laziness here so begin work" Edith said and left. Ava stared at her back as she walked with tears in her eyes. She went to the kitchen and carried the bucket for eggs. She strode to the hen poultry and picked the eggs. As she picked the eggs, she felt sorry for the mother hen taking away their children from them. After she was done, she collected milk from the cows and fed the goats. Once she was done with everything, she went back to her room to bath. If her mother was still alive, she wouldn't have agreed to her step-father selling her off. She opened the wardrobe, it were filled with new clothes. Her step-sisters didn't allow her to wear new clothes. They always gave her worn out clothes to wear. She picked a long gown with a bomber jacket and wore a pair of slippers. She also covered her hair with hat.