Chapter 2 NO.2

"Woman you wouldn't dare say a word! You don't talk when I am talking!" My father roared as they both exchanged glares with each other.

"You can't stop me from talking! After all, you live off me and can barely do anything yourself than to be accumulating debts upon debts"

"You are the reason why I don't even want to have a child because you can't even fend for your grown up daughter" Clara raised her voice at him.

"Don't talk to me like that! You uncouth woman" My father pointed his finger at her while Clara scoffed, glancing towards another direction.

My father refocused his gaze back to me and for the first time in my life, my father smiled warmly at me.

I knew that I should be happy about the fact that he smiled at me but underneath his smile, I could see a feeling of coldness on his face.

"Soon, you would leave this house and go into the abode of others" My father said while my brows furrowed slightly in confusion.

I was having difficulty decoding what he meant when I was leaving the house. Why would I leave a house that I contributed in paying rent for?

"Leave the house? How? I just paid rent last month"

"It doesn't matter Irene. What matters is that you are going to a better place"

"Better place as how? Father I don't get you"

My father heaved out a sigh and was about to talk when Clara suddenly cut in.

"What he meant by 'better place' is that you are going to be getting married soon and...." Before she could be done with her statement, my father threw the arm cushion at her in anger.

My eyes grew wide open on hearing what Clara said. Married soon? Maybe I wasn't hearing right or maybe Clara wanted to taunt me like she always did.

My father and I might not be close but he wouldn't do that to me!

"Irene" He called softly.

"We have chosen someone for you. Your mother and I deliberated on this and thought that this would be the best decision for you and us"

I felt every single part of me weaken on hearing the words that fell out of his mouth. For a moment, I thought he was ready to act like a father, I didn't know that he was trying to drive a knife through my heart.

I was livid! I was angry and I could feel my veins popping out but I was so scared of my father that I bottle everything inside.

"W-What" I stuttered, glancing back and forth at Clara and him.

I would have to decline this! I don't want to get married. Who the hell gave these two the right to take such decisions concerning my life? How can they do this to me?

"No! I can't get married. Why would I get married are you guys joking right now"

"See Irene. As your mom, I would be telling you the truth! You have to get married, your father borrowed money from this horrible man that he was once working for and since he couldn't pay back, your father used you as collateral. If your father didn't use you as a collateral, that evil man is going to kill us all"

Tears gathered in my eyes as I stared at my father right in the eye. There was nothing like a feeling of remorse evident on his face! How can he just do this to me?How can he do this to his only daughter?

Was I an Object to him? Why should I pay for his sins?

Without saying another word, I turned back into my room with my father screaming for me to wait but I didn't listen. Instead I bolted the door, fell on my bed and cried my heart out.

I sat upright on the bed thinking about what happened earlier. I have never been this heartbroken all my life, whatever my father and my stepmother said kept coming back into my head.

What was my sin? Why did I have to be born into such a horrible family where they saw me as nothing? Why should I take the fall for my father's mistakes when I didn't even spend a dime out of the money.

I can't do this! I need to leave this house as soon as possible, I need to run away from these monsters who called themselves my parents.

My mother's warning word 'Don't end up like me' rang like a bell in my head.

I can't end up with my mom. If my real mom was alive, she would have protested against this marriage so I need to leave this house and leave them to suffer the consequences of their actions, themselves.

I glanced towards the window and noticed that it was starting to get dark. That was the perfect time to run and leave my father and his wife to their nemesis.