Chapter 5 Disgusting appearance.

Oliver's burial took place the next morning, they just put him in a hole in the ground just like that. It was not a dignified burial for my dear brother.

Weeks went by and my poor mother was still totally desolate, there was nothing that could help her to accept in the best possible way the barbarities that had happened recently. One morning I got up and after getting ready went to the dining room to have my breakfast, seeing Oliver's chair empty still brought a tightness in my heart, but I had to move on anyway.

Maya and I were sitting at the table waiting for our parents, but after a few minutes of waiting, only my father appeared. I looked at Maya hoping she would understand my doubt, she stared back at me with the same confused look on her face, we both looked at our father looking for some explanation or news of where our mother could be.

"Your mother will be gone for a few days, her absence won't be that long, but in the end it all depends on herself."

"But where has she gone?"

Maya asked with a worried look on her face, I didn't know where such concern came from, but my sister's reaction made me a little afraid.

"You shouldn't waste your time worrying about this now, my child. You should be thinking about what to wear for your dinner tonight."

"What's so special about dinner tonight?"

"Even with the problems that the rumors about your brother have caused us, it hasn't been a problem to find a suitor for you. Your future husband's name is Paul, and he's coming to dinner with us tonight."

Maya looked totally shocked by the news she had just received; she was as pale as a ghost. My sister's reaction seemed to please my father, causing him to throw us a completely sadistic smile, as if interrupting my sister's mourning and that of the whole family just to force her to marry a stranger.

"Don't worry about your mother, I'll take care of her. For now, just have the maids draw you a nice bath and pick out a pretty dress."

I mentioned to get up from the table, but was stopped by my father who told us that we should finish our breakfast, I honestly didn't know in what kind of reality he thought I should feel appetite after that. Without leaving me any choice I just sat down and shoved all my food down my throat before getting up and leaving.

After breakfast I wandered around the house, walked through all the possible rooms looking for some kind of comfort, after a long time walking, I arrived at the garden, the smell of the roses reminded me of Oliver, reminded me of his smile and the cheerful way he saw life for, for an instant I remembered the last conversation I had with my brother, after all he was totally right in thinking that our father would never approve of the person he loved. Surely, he preferred to go in peace with the man he had always loved, I understood that now.

I cried all over that garden, I feared for my life, I feared for Maya's life and most of all I feared for my mother's life, I had no idea where she could be, it made my heart break more and more. I didn't know how long I spent crying into those roses, but I could feel my eyes swelling up, I walked back through the house until I found myself in front of my father's office door, he stared at me as soon as he realized my presence, neither of us said anything at that moment, we just stared at each other.

I mentioned to leave and he called my name.

"Come on over here Grace."

I swallowed as soon as I heard him call my name, never in my entire life did I think I would be so afraid of the man who raised me. I turned back to the door and waited until he spoke what he wanted to.

"Yes, Dad?"

"I know you think I did your mother some harm, but she is only receiving treatment to help her with her grief.

"But where is she?"

"I said it doesn't matter!"

"How can it not matter after all that's happened! And you still want Maya to get married in the midst of her grief?"

"Your sister will get married when I want her to, no matter how much you two scream or tantrum all you want, but you will do as I say when I say. I told you once and I will tell you again now, if you raise your voice to me again you will be punished for it."

I didn't know him anymore, that wasn't my father, and I doubt that he ever was. I wanted to scream, to make a scandal and say how horrible that man was, but I couldn't, I knew that from the moment I defied him my whole future was at risk. I clenched my fists feeling my nails pierce the palm of my hand, I just said "It's okay, Dad" before I could finally leave that place.

I ran to my room and threw myself under my bed, all I could do at that moment was cry.

I stayed locked in my room for hours until one of the maids called me, she told me that it was time for dinner and that my father asked me to come downstairs. I thought about the possibility of refusing to attend, but the words spoken by my father earlier were nothing more than a warning, a warning that if I defied him just one more time I could be in big trouble.

I changed my dress and went downstairs to the dining room, when I arrived, I found Maya already sitting in her seat, she would have done what our father had asked her to do and looked as beautiful as possible, Maya was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen in my entire life, she was definitely too stunning for such a sad and tragic night. Our father arrived in the dining room accompanied by a man who, if I could only describe him with a slight first impression I would say was disgusting.

Everything about his appearance made me yearn. He was neither attractive nor cordial, his clothes had a dull color and nothing jovial, he wore a hairstyle that reminded me of my fathers on the day of Oliver's funeral, so I could see that he had made an effort to look presentable, even with so much effort, it was not possible. The man greeted Maya with a kiss on her cheek, I could feel her body exhale discomfort as soon as the disgusting lips of that man touched her face, she looked at our father who looked back at her with a look that seemed to pressure her to be as gentle as possible with the man.

"Well, this is Paul. If all goes well, he will be your husband, Maya."

"I'm looking forward to meeting you, your father has bankrupted me of your beauty, but nothing he said does justice to the young lady."

Maya thanked him shyly and awkwardly and we all sat down and started to eat, all the time during that dinner Paul looked at Maya with eyes full of malice and cruelty.

That man's appearance really matched what he really was. A disgusting man with a disgusting appearance.