"After all, we did make a bargain. Didn't we, Cinderella? And I never go back on my word. How very clever, these beads. They give it just the right touch. Don't you think so, Drizella?"

- No, I don't! I think she's- Why you IittIe thief! They're my beads! Give them here!

- Oh, no!

- Oh... and Iook, that's my sash! Wearing my sash! She can't!

- Oh, don't! Please, stop!

- My ribbon! Why, you thief!

- Kitchen wench! You ungrateful IittIe-

- Girls, girls. That's quite enough. Hurry along now, both of you. I won't have you upsetting yourselves.

Lady Tremaine gazed at Cinderella, half-naked in her torn dress, looking devastated and shocked. Something inside her told her to stay here, either to enjoy the spectacle, or to keep an eye on the desperate girl. Maybe her heart—f she had one that is—was breaking just a little for her. "Oh, wait just a moment my dears."

- What is it mother?

- I am thinking that perhaps I should stay here tonight, seeing as there is obviously still much cleaning to do, and I've just remembered I had another important task for Cinderella.

- Mother! You're going to help her?!

- Aren't you supposed to come with us?! We need you to help us make a good impression on the Prince!

Lady Tremaine looked at her daughters as if saying who are we kidding... it's not like they stand a chance anyways we're not fooling anybody. "I'm certainly not going to stay here to help, Drizella my dear, I'm simply going to give straight indications on how I expect the work to be done! Now off you go!"

They shrugged and left. Lady Tremaine shut the door behind them, smiling to herself, and took off her veil while following Cinderella's every move with her penetrating gaze. She saw Cinderella quickly turn away and walk towards the stairs. "Cinderella? Where are you going child?" A breathless and crying Cinderella went down the 3 steps she'd climbed to unwillingly face her stepmother again.

- To-to change. The dress is ruined and you can-see my-bare skin-throughout the torn fabric. I don't expect you'll object to it.

- As a matter of fact, I do.

A pleading Cinderella looked at her with an expression that indicated how exhausted she was. Lady Tremaine pretended to not read right through her, and quietly analyzed the shivering girl. She then raised an eyebrow and insisted while trying to sound innocent: "Why, are you cold? Prude aren't we? Shy with your own Stepmother?"

- No but-

- Then it's settled, you will not go change. That'll do just fine, especially for the particular task I'll ask you to perform. Come here.

Cinderella lowered her gaze and looked down at her feet while walking back towards the older woman, until she was only standing 3 feet away. She raised her gaze to meet hers again, not really trying to cover the hurtful shame that was so transparent in her eyes, but still a little defiant as if to say I don't care at this point. "I suppose you're right, I don't need to look any better than this if it's only to scrub the floor."

- What makes you think that's the sort of thing I have in mind?

- Well, isn't it always?

To that, Lady Tremaine's face crumpled as she felt the urge to put the girl back in her place. She wrinkled her eyes and looked at her with such delicious cruelty, as if she was about to eat her whole. "My poor child, you're being foolish, there I was trying to be pleasant in keeping you company, thinking it refreshing to be just the two of us, and this is the tone you choose to respond to my kind intentions? But since you're so eager to begin your domestic tasks, I will not tell you what it is that I had in mind in the first place."

Cinderella looked at her, open-mouthed and confused. Lady Tremaine looked at her in disgust. "Start by wiping those crocodile tears on your cheeks!" Seeing no reaction from the frozen girl, she sighed and took a step closer to reach for the girl's face and wipe her tears roughly herself. "And clean that mess on the floor!" Cinderella looked at her for two seconds, as if she was taking time processing what she was told to do, and then slowly knelt down. "And throw these beads away, and the pieces of fabric too while you're at it."

- But, Stepmother-

- What is it?

- I don't wish to throw these.

- And why is that?

- Well, I was hoping I could fix the dress by repairing its fabric, with these.

- Do you see how silly you sound child? Had you not spoken too early when I said I had one more thing to have you perform, you would have known that I simply wanted you to try on a few of the dresses in my closet in order for you to choose the one that suits you best, and then maybe wear it to the ball afterwards! But it's too late now. You are spoiled, and now you deserve a lesson."

Lady Tremaine stopped herself to think. Meanwhile, Cinderella couldn't be sure whether she was bluffing or not. Her stepmother looked angry, but she was actually weighing her next words. Where was tonight going to lead them? Something snapped in her head. It seemed she'd finally decided of a proper lesson to give her. She went on: "Take that ridiculous dress off!"

- What?

- I will not say it again Cinderella!

- No, oh no I can't!

- Hold your tongue and do as I say!

- Please-

- Either you do it or I will. Your impertinence needs to be corrected.

Cinderella took a step back and hit the wall. Lady Tremaine smirked when she saw that the girl could not move backwards anymore. She moved forward towards Cinderella and trapped her, by putting each hand from either side of the girl's body on the wall. Her cruel and cold stare was back on her face, and she was not smiling. She had to punish the girl and be serious about it. It was for her own good. She had to know her place, no matter how painful or humiliating the process. "Cinderella, don't make this harder than it is. I am warning you."

Cinderella looked at her with pleading eyes, but soon resigned. She slowly lowered the left sleeve of her dress, then the other, while staring at the other woman's face, hoping she'd change her mind, but all she could decipher in her stepmother's eyes was a disturbing trace of cold delight. Cinderella therefore went on and removed both her arms from the sleeves. She was now bare-shouldered. She raised her eyes, waiting for the woman's approval. Lady Tremaine took some time to contemplate her upper body, putting both her hands on the girl's hands, remaining there long enough to stop them from shaking. "It's alright child, keep being a good girl, and it'll be over sooner than you think. This way you'll learn more quickly." She then traced along the soft skin of her arms, towards her shoulder blades, to violently push and rotate her, against the wall. She then untied the ribbon of the dress around her neck, and lowered it. Cinderella was now topless, facing the wall, with Lady Tremaine holding her arms in her back and pushing her against it, with such brutal strength that the vase on the table next to them, fell to the floor and broke to pieces . The older woman bent over and lowered her head to whisper in the girl's left ear: "Have you learnt your lesson yet Cinderella? Or do you wish for further humiliation?"

- I have, but please let me cover myself.

- First, I would like you to pick up the vase's pieces on the floor.

Cinderella bent over and started executing the orders. "Hurry up!" Lucifer came in the room and meowed at the sight. What was going on here? His arrival startled Cinderella and she cut her arm with one of the broken pieces. "Careful child, you're bleeding." Lady Tremaine hesitated, but knelt down as well, next to Cinderella, and got a tissue from out of her pocket and managed to make a bandage out of it. "Here, let me."

- Thank you Stepmother.

She then helped Cinderella up and put the sleeves of her dress back up, gently this time, tying the ribbon in her back. "You may now follow me to my chambers."