Chapter 3 SOMETHING UNUSUAL

“You never learn, do you?” Cynthia says, standing in front of me. Her tone is full of hatred, as is her stare. But I am used to this. Ever since I became the family’s bad omen, she has forgotten even her respect for me as her elder sister. “I can't believe that you are now fooling around with your student. Where did your morals go, Ayana?

I closed the tiny gap that was between us, my heart throbbing with anger. She does not have any right to speak to me that way.

“You watch your mouth before I shut it for you, Cynthia! I am still your elder sister before anything. I demand some respect!” I fume, and for heaven’s sake, she better not stroke my demons.

“Respect?” She sneers, taking a step back and smirking sarcastically. “Does that word even exist in your vocabulary? Did you stop even for a second to think of respect when you almost dragged our family name into the mud? When you were shamelessly throwing yourself at that nobody,

A resounding slap across her face sends her staggering back as she groans in agony. She asked for it, and I will not hold back from slapping her mouth if she dares to insult me ever again.

I have taken all the insults, mockery, rejection, and maltreatment. My poor innocent child is also tangled now in this mess; she has no fault whatsoever. And they aren't satisfied yet? Well, enough is enough. I won't take any more bullying again, especially not from this arrogant baby sister. She has balls! It was a one-time mistake, for crying out loud, and they will make me pay for it for the rest of my life? I accepted this hell they tossed me and my child into and accepted everything they threw at me, but this is as far as my patience goes.

“How dare you?” She squeals as she lifts her head, tears welling up in her eyes. Serves her right! That is nothing, so she better watch out.

“You will get more than just a slap if you dare insult me ever again. And I will break your bones if you wake my child up with your stupid squeals!” I warned after watching Lyana toss on the bed. It's a good thing she didn't wake up. I wouldn't want her to witness this. She is already bearing too much at her young age.

She smirks bitterly, massaging her cheek to soothe the pain.

“What do you even care about that kid, huh?” She asks as if she cares or as if she knows a fuck about being a parent. The nerve!

“More than you will ever know until you become a parent, Cynthia.” I respond boldly and bitterly, because this is all their fault that my baby is suffering and being deprived of almost everything in this world. She knows nothing aside from me and this room. It's like she does not have a life.

“Well, I know being a parent means doing everything for our children, which is the opposite of what you are doing. Dad offered you a chance to enroll her in school, but you selfishly turned it down.”

Ooh, yeah? Is it about that again?

“Then if that is what it means to be egocentric, I plead guilty as charged, and I am neither penitent nor will I ever alter my decision, come what may. If the world will not know my child as Lyana Angel Salma, then she is better off as a shadow to the world just like me!” I state.

It hurts. It stings so bad! God knows how much I do not want to do this to my only child, but there is no way I am giving my child another person’s name. If it were my family’s name, maybe, just maybe, I would have considered it. But a stranger’s name? How will I even explain such absurdity to my child when she grows up and starts to ask questions? Heaven forbid!

And curse these obdurate, narcissistic, God-forsaken beings that God gave me as my family! How dare they torture me like this? Would they do what they are asking me to do if they were in my place? Oh well, anyway, I don't care. They can feast on their wretched offer as today’s dinner, for all I care.

“You are hopeless and incapacitated, Ayana. I can't believe you are this dumb to not see that you do not have a choice here. If you don't grab this opportunity we are offering you, your child will be far worse than you—a total nobody whose shadow will not even see the world. Is that what you want for the child you claim to love so much?” She mocks, and oooh, her emotional blackmail won't work on me.

“I alone will worry about my own child. She is mine alone to care for, and I honestly don't understand why you all are making a fuss about her now. You have not cared about her since I got pregnant. Why now all of a sudden?” I arch an eyebrow because something is beginning to smell fishy here.

She shakes her head, making sure that if there is any motive behind all of this, I do not get a tinge of it. But screw her! I am certain that her mere presence in this cell is more formidable proof that they are up to something. Up to no good. And this Lyana issue? Something is not right here. I can sense it. I can feel it. Anyone would sense it.