Chapter 2 Invited to the family dinner

In the evening a helper came to Michelle who was in her bedroom to tell her that it was time for dinner, she looked at the helper with a so what look. Then the helper told her that her father has called her to come have dinner with them. The helper saw that she had lots of questions for her so she continued to say "I do not have answers to your questions, if you have any questions it would be best you ask your so called parents."

Michelle hated being in this house because even the helpers had no respect for her. She had no choice though, once she takes her time to get to the dining room, she might be spanked for being late. When she got to the table, she found that they were all sitting and waiting for her.

She was very surprised to be called for dinner because for the first time in a long time they wanted to have dinner with her. She felt like her eyes were starting to get wet. She held herself from crying because they will make fun of her once they see that.

Ever since her grandfather was admitted to the hospital, the family of three made a rule that she was not allowed to eat with them, she was only allowed to eat after they have eaten so why did they call her today? she wondered.

She was suddenly afraid, her hand was shaking but luckily her hands were in the pocket of the jacket she was wearing otherwise her step sister would have made fun of her.

She knew that nothing good will come out from this dinner. After looking at their faces trying to read them, she looked at the table with a shocked face.

Every dish that was on the table was her favourite. "Ah wait what is going on? why do they have my favourite dishes on the table? why are they going an extra mile for me today?" These are just a few questions she thought to herself.

"Sit, we have been waiting for you for more than five minutes, let us eat before the food get cold" her father said. Mrs Richard looked at her with a smile then said "I asked aunty Lee to prepare your favourite dishes today, sit and enjoy."

How could she enjoy such a meal when they are all of a sudden so friendly to her, this was something they have never done. What could be the meaning of this, what could make them change the way they treated her. This was not good. These are thoughts that all came to her mind the moment they told her to sit.

Even when her grandfather was still around one could tell by the looks on their faces that they were always disgusted to have her eat with them especially the mother and daughter pair.

If it was not because the old man always had a final say in this house. She would have died a long time ago because of hunger. Sometimes after dinner the mother and daughter pair would make some helpers to sit and eat while watching them just to make sure that she gets nothing when she comes down to eat.

She sat down and ate her food but halfway through the meal her father told her that she will be the one to get married to Mr Anderson.

"Your sister has a boyfriend and she is now pregnant, there is no way we can let her marry into the Anderson family now that she is like this, so you are the only remaining daughter besides Stacey." He spoke like this was just a simple problem that can be sorted out this way.

Michelle was very silent, she thought to herself these people do not care about me, do they know that marriage is not a game you can play with then stop when you want, this is a lifetime commitment and they want me to commit myself just like that. Am I not supposed to be given a chance to choose what I want in my life. It is so sad that in this life I will never get to choose what I want to do, I will always have people choosing things for me. After seeing my mom being treated like trash by her own husband I vowed that I will never marry but now my father is pushing the wedding down my throat. He is not even giving me a choice to choose. Has this man ever considered me as his daughter, why is he always giving Stacey a choice to choose of she wants something or not. And I am not allowed to choose. Why are they giving me the man that is known as cold hearted, and impotent man in the society?

While she was still deep in her thoughts she heard her stepmother say "Oh just so you know this is not an option, we are telling you what will happen. So you better get back to your room pack your bags and get ready to leave the day after tomorrow.

When she got to her room, she went to her jewellery box took her mom and grandfather's photos. She sat on the bed and cried hysterically. She knew that if these two were here, they would protect her from these people.

She wished she had a way of escaping this place, but every time she thinks of this she would be stopped by the thought of her grandfather dying of heartbreak once he discovers that she is nowhere to be found.

She knew that she has no choice but to do as they say. She took her suitcase, packed her mom's favourite jewellery, a few personal belongings that was bought by her mother before she died and some things she packed had been bought by her grandfather. She decided that whatever that was bought by her father, she will leave it here because she does not want anything that will remind her of how badly she was treated in her father's house and he did nothing to protect her.