Cursed family

Rachel took a deep breath, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. She had never felt so grateful for a warm shower and a comfortable bed. She made her way to the en-suite bathroom, where she spent the next 20 minutes soaking in the warm water, washing away the dirt and grime of the past few days.

As she dried herself off and wrapped herself in a plush towel, Rachel heard a knock at the door. She smiled, remembering Lauren's promise to send a maid up with some clothes.

She opened the door to find a friendly-looking maid standing in the hallway, a warm smile on her face. "Hello, Miss Rachel," the maid said. "I brought some clothes for you, as Mr. Lauren requested."

Rachel took the clothes from the maid, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Lauren. The maid showed her how to put on the clothes, which were surprisingly comfortable and fit her perfectly.

As Rachel finished dressing, the maid smiled at her. "Mr. Lauren asked me to tell you that lunch is ready. He'd like you to join him in the dining room."

Rachel's stomach growled at the mention of food, and she felt a surge of excitement at the prospect of eating a proper meal. The maid smiled and offered to show her the way to the dining room.

As they walked through the mansion, Rachel couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder at the sheer scale and opulence of the place. The maid chatted pleasantly as they walked, pointing out various rooms and features of the house.

Finally, they arrived at the dining room, where Lauren was already seated at the table. He smiled at Rachel as she entered, and the maid took her seat next to him.

"Welcome, Rachel," Lauren said, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I'm glad you could join us for lunch. I hope you're feeling a bit more refreshed after your shower."

Rachel smiled back at him, feeling a sense of gratitude towards this kind stranger. "Thank you, Lauren," she said. "I'm feeling much better, thanks to your kindness."

As Rachel sat down , she was immediately struck by the number of people seated at the table. Lauren, who had been so kind to her, was sitting at the head of the table, with a beautiful woman beside him. Rachel assumed this must be Lauren's wife, and she couldn't help but feel a pang of curiosity.

Across from Lauren and his wife-to-be was a young girl, who looked to be around Ava's age. She had a mischievous glint in her eye, and Rachel couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as the girl's eyes locked onto hers.

At the far end of the table was an elderly man, who Rachel assumed must be Lauren's father. He looked kind and gentle, with a warm smile on his face.

The maid stood behind the elderly man, her eyes fixed on Rachel with a curious expression.

Lauren stood up, a charming smile on his face. "Aunt Rachel, I'd like you to meet my family."

As Rachel took her seat, Lauren began to introduce the others. "This is my fiancée, Victoria," he said, nodding to the beautiful woman beside him. "And this is my younger sister, Sophia."

Sophia, the young girl, looked Rachel up and down, a sassy expression on her face. "So, you're the homeless girl Lauren found on the street," she said, her voice dripping with disdain. "What's your story? How did you end up on the streets?"

Rachel felt a surge of discomfort at Sophia's rude questions, but she tried to keep her cool. "I...I had a bit of a rough patch," she said, trying to downplay her situation. "But I'm grateful to Lauren for his kindness."

Sophia raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "A rough patch?" she repeated. "That's quite an understatement, don't you think?"

Rachel felt her face growing hot with embarrassment, and she began to wonder if she had made a mistake by coming here. But Lauren intervened, his voice firm but polite.

"Sophia, that's enough," he said. "Rachel is our guest, and we should treat her with kindness and respect."

Sophia pouted, but she seemed to sense that she had gone too far. She muttered an apology, but Rachel could tell that she didn't mean it.

The rest of the meal was awkward, with Sophia making snide comments and Victoria trying to make small talk. Rachel felt like an outsider, and she couldn't wait to escape the tension-filled atmosphere.

But as they finished their meal and the maid began to clear the table, Lauren turned to Rachel with a warm smile.

"I'm so sorry about Sophia's behavior," he said. "She can be a bit of a handful sometimes. But I want you to know that you're welcome here, and we're glad to have you as our guest."

Rachel smiled back at him, feeling a sense of gratitude towards this kind stranger. "Thank you, Lauren," she said. "That means a lot to me."