Nobody helps me

(Livia) I woke to voices outside my door. For a few seconds, I forgot where I was and reached toward the table where my alarm clock used to sit. My hand touched nothing, and everything came back to me. I was in Julian Prescott's house because I was Julian Prescott's wife. I checked my phone and saw it was after eight. Mrs. Harris had told me breakfast was served at seven, which meant I had already broken one of Julian's rules. I hurried from the bed and grabbed clothes from my suitcase. There was no bathroom inside the room, so I took everything with me. The hall was empty when I stepped outside. I found the bathroom Mrs. Harris had mentioned and got ready as quickly as I could. When I returned, a young woman was standing outside my room with folded sheets in her arms. She looked surprised when she saw me. "Mrs. Prescott?" "Yes?" "I'm Nina. Mrs. Harris asked me to change your bedding." I moved aside. "Thank you." Nina entered the room and stared around before placing the sheets on the bed. She couldn't have been much younger than me. Her eyes went to my suitcase on the floor, then to the shelves. She seemed uncomfortable with what she saw. "Do you know where I can get breakfast?" "Breakfast was cleared away." "Oh." Nina looked toward the hall before coming closer. "I can ask the kitchen to make you something." "You don't have to do that." "I don't mind." She left before I could stop her. I put my clothes back into the suitcase and pushed it beneath the bed as far as it would go. There wasn't enough space for anything else. Even my wedding dress was still lying where I had left it. I picked up my phone and found a message from my mother. Your father and I expect you to behave yourself. Do not create problems with Julian. This marriage is important to both families. There was nothing asking whether I was okay. I read the message twice before deleting it. I should have expected it, but part of me had still hoped my mother would care about what happened after they sent me away. She had gotten what she wanted. I was someone else's problem now. I left the room and tried to remember the way to the main part of the house. The place seemed even larger without someone guiding me. I passed a sitting room, a library, and another hallway before finding the dining room. Julian was sitting at the table. He looked up from his tablet. "You're late." "I overslept." "Breakfast is at seven." "I know." Julian placed the tablet beside his plate. "Then why weren't you here?" "I said I overslept." His eyes stayed on me. "Don't make it a habit." I looked at the food still sitting in front of him. He had barely touched it, but I wasn't going to ask for any. I turned toward the door. Julian called my name before I reached it. "Where are you going?" "To find something to eat." "Breakfast is over." I turned back. "So I'm not allowed to eat because I woke up late?" "You were told the schedule." I couldn't believe we were having this conversation. There was enough food on the table to feed several people. I had missed breakfast, not committed a crime. I walked toward the table. "I understand there are rules in your house, but I'm not one of your employees." Julian leaned back in his chair. "No. My employees are useful." The words hurt more than I wanted them to. I refused to let him see it. I looked at the plate in front of him instead. He hadn't wanted me here, but I hadn't asked to be here either. "I'll remember that." I walked away before he could answer. Nina found me near the kitchen a few minutes later. She had a plate covered with a cloth in her hands. She looked behind herself before offering it to me. Toast, eggs, and fruit were underneath. "I saved this before they cleared everything." "You didn't have to." "I know." I took the plate. "Thank you, Nina." She smiled before returning to the kitchen. I carried the food back toward my room, but I didn't make it far. Julian was standing near the entrance to the hall. His eyes went straight to the plate. "Where did you get that?" "Does it matter?" "I asked you a question." "Someone gave it to me." His face changed. "Who?" I held the plate closer. "I'm not getting someone in trouble because they gave me breakfast." Julian walked toward me. "I gave instructions about how this house operates. If one of my employees is ignoring them, I need to know." "She gave me food, Julian. She didn't steal from you." His eyes narrowed. "She?" I realized my mistake immediately. Julian turned and called for Mrs. Harris. She appeared from the kitchen a short time later. Nina came out behind her. The moment Nina saw the plate in my hands, fear crossed her face. "Did you give my wife that food?" Nina looked at me. "Yes, sir." "Why?" "She missed breakfast. I thought she might be hungry." Julian looked at Mrs. Harris. "Send her home." My mouth fell open. "What?" Julian ignored me. "She can collect whatever she's owed before she leaves." Nina's eyes filled with tears. "Mr. Prescott, please. I need this job." I stepped between them. "Don't fire her because of me." Julian finally looked at me. "Move." "No." Mrs. Harris reached for Nina's arm, but Nina remained where she was. I knew she was afraid. All she had done was show me kindness. Now Julian was going to take away her job for it. "I asked her for food." Nina looked at me in surprise. "You told me not to miss breakfast again, but I was hungry. I asked her to bring me something." Julian studied my face. "You're lying." "Then punish me." The words came out before I could think about them. Julian stared at me, and I wished I could take them back. Not because I wanted Nina fired, but because something in his expression made me nervous. He looked at Mrs. Harris again. "Nina stays." Relief appeared on Nina's face. "Thank you, sir." Julian wasn't finished. "From now on, nobody brings Livia food outside the meal schedule unless I approve it." Mrs. Harris nodded. "Understood." Julian walked away. Nina turned toward me as soon as he disappeared from view. Tears were still in her eyes. I wanted to tell her everything would be fine, but I couldn't promise something I didn't believe. I handed her the untouched plate. "Take this back." "But you haven't eaten." "I'll wait until lunch." She hesitated before taking it. "I'm sorry." "You didn't do anything wrong." I returned to my room and closed the door. My mother's message was still in my deleted folder, but I didn't need to read it again. She had told me not to create problems with Julian. She had never considered what I should do when Julian created them for me. I sat on the bed and looked around the little room. Julian had already shown me that anyone who helped me could pay for it. If I wanted to survive living in his house, I couldn't depend on strangers protecting me. I would have to start protecting myself.