The Mills family was a complicated story the house was ruled by Cora Mills a bakers daughter who had married into money and power, Henry was a politician for the small town of Storybrooke and Cora took this to her advantage whenever she could she pretty much over ruled Henry and every decision he made was actually Cora's idea. Within time they had a daughter who was named Regina she was the apple of both her parents eye she could do no wrong, she excelled in everything she did and she was spoiled to the high heavens anything she wanted she got; then you had Zelena the daughter of Cora and a man who she believed at the time to be a lawyers son. No one spoke of her outside of the Mill's estate she was just a ghost within the house it was a modern day Cinderella story but when you had money and power no one dared to challenge the way the red-headed teenager was treated. Unlike her half sister Zelena was expected to do the chores along with school work and if she didn't get at least a B on all her exams well let's just say the punishments were not the kindest.
Though Zelena envied her sisters life she kept her head high and got on with what she needed to do while her sister went shopping with friends or drove off to New York for a girls weekend Zelena was either mopping the floors, doing the grocery run or tending to the gardens of the Mills estates. Sure she had other chores on top of this but the house made Flora always did her best to make sure the teenager got some well needed rest of enough time to finish her homework at least.
Sighing the oldest of the mills sisters sat at the table in the library reading To kill a mocking bird as she finished her lunch, it was the one place that gave her enough peace and quiet to work on homework or to purely relax.
Placing the page marker in her book she shut the cover and picked up her plate before heading back towards the kitchen and finished setting the table as her mother was hosting a dinner party later that evening and God forbid the place had a spec of dust laying upon any of its surfaces.
The afternoon turned into mid evening and Zelena was helping the catering staff set the food on to platters that guests could pick at while they waited for their starters to be ready, once she had laid the sandwiches on the sliver dish she turned to walk out the kitchen door to place them in the lounge but as she walked out her mother was
walking in and well the dish slipped from her hands as the sandwiches fell over her mother and the floor.
"You stupid clumsy girl!" Cora voice echoed against the walls of the room before a loud smack was heard skin hit skin was a horrible and a sound you would know anywhere.
Usually Cora would make sure to never leave a mark anywhere on Zelena's body that could be seen by anyone but tonight her engagement and wedding ring had caught the girl just inches under her eye.
"Clean this mess up and make sure you cover that cut we don't want anyone to start spreading rumours do we?" The older Mills woman asked her daughter.
"No ma'am." The teenager spoke before watching her mother leave to get ready for her guests.
Once the mess in the kitchen was cleared Zelena headed to her room to take care of her wound. She placed a wash cloth between her teeth and bit down into it as she cleaned the wound with peroxide letting the cloth muffle her groans of pain. Washing her face she looked at herself in the mirror and squeezed her eyes shut she would not cry she knew she deserved better but the world her family lived in meant money talked louder than actions.
Zelena was a dab hand with make up and she was able to make the cut blend in with her skin even if it did take half a tube of foundation and a contouring pallet to take the attention away from that area.
Once dressed in her black and green dress, a pair of high heels and her hair curled down her back the teenager made her way down stairs to greet the guests of her mothers.
It was ironic her mother would play the doting mother of two daughters in front of her guests but once the party was over Cora's real side would come out to play if Zelena's did even the slightest thing wrong.
Smiling and shaking hands with the people that came through the door Zelena played the the part of a loving daughter very well hell she might as well win a Oscar for this shit at least an actor got money for this type of thing.
Once the guests where greeted and dinner was served everyone started talking among themselves everyone apart from Zelena she had been taught to only speak when spoken too so she sat straight in her chair smiling at the people who looked her way nodding at them to know she had acknowledged their attention towards her.
"So Dearie have you decided what type of job you're going to do through the summer months?"
Mayor Gold asked the teen seeing as they where sat next to each other.
Placing the glass of water down she had been drinking from Zelena dabbed her mouth with the napkin before shaking her head.
"Not yet Sir, they're isn't much to do within this town I considered helping at Granny's diner but I don't wish to be a waitress." She stated not that she cared where she worked but she knew her mother would.
"Well then dearie how would you like to help me out at the town hall? You could be my personal assistant?" The older man spoke as he picked up his wine glass.
"I could use a bright little flower like yourself around the place." He smirked slightly before tipping his head and taking a sip of the blood stained coloured wine.
"I'd be honoured sir but I'd have to discuss it with my mother first." Zelena said calmly though she was jumping and screaming with excitement in the inside it would mean getting away from her mother for a few hours a day hell she's work every hour of the day if it meant she got out of her mother's lashings.
Now the hardest part was going to come getting her lot her to say yes..