NEVER KNEW HE WAS A MAFIA

Tricia POV

I have been working all day in the house. Tears streamed down my face as I remembered that he was my brother.

The cell phone rang, and I was about to pick it up.

"Do not lay a finger on that phone," Alexander said barging out for the room. "Move away."

I moved away with tears in my eyes, but still could see him look at me and I knew what it meant.

Immediately, I walked to another room but not without spying on him.

He fumbled his hands before picking up the phone. I could sense that he was nervous.

After the call, he stared around then picked up his personal phone. I stared although I didn't know what he was saying. All I knew was that he was scared.

I left to continue what I was doing.

"You daughter of a whore, come here," my brother called me.

That was the way he normally called me since he knew that I wasn't birthed by his mother.

I answered him politely as I had no one to stand for me. His girlfriend who had always shown me her love changed to me after his parents' death. My story has always been the same. I dreaded living in this place, but I couldn't go elsewhere. No friends, nobody to look on for my safety.

Alexander had warned me never to let any of our relatives know about his treatment unless I would have my head on a platter. I knew he could do it as he hated me so much.

When his parents were alive, our father and his mother showered me with all the love and care that I needed, but Alex didn't like it. He was always reprimanded for the type of friends he kept.

I walked towards him and went on my knees like the maid he had treated me as.

He slapped my cheek, and looked at me.

"I'm going out to meet my girlfriend. Make sure to serve lunch before I come back. I will be coming along with my girlfriend."

I knew that it meant double trouble.

After he had left the house, I allowed tears to run down my face, and looked up. I felt sad that my real mother had to leave me with them. His parents had been good to me, but why didn't my mother just steal father away?

Tears streamed down my face as I placed my hand on my chest.

It dawned on me that I had spent hours weeping. I looked at the time, and remembered that I hadn't prepared lunch nor had my bath.

I immediately got up, and rushed to have my bath praying silently that the monster wouldn't arrive with his evil girlfriend.

Done putting on a cloth, I ran into the kitchen to prepare lunch, almost slipping but maintained my stability. I remembered that we had maids before our parents died doing separate works, but after their deaths, Alexander sent the maids away making me to do all the work.

Suddenly, I heard a slap on my back, and winked in pain. I turned back to see who it was, and it was Cherry Michelson, the evil girlfriend of Alexander Loyd.

"Why are you still cooking? Didn't want Alex tell you to prepare lunch?"

I couldn't say anything as I watched her leave.

Knowing what it meant, I stuffed some of the food that I had prepared into my mouth, munched on it, drank some water then carried a tray out.

When I was done serving their meal, Alex got up and walked to my back. He pulled down my zip, and began to touch my backline while Cherry smiled.

He slapped my back then pulled up my zip.

"You should kneel out of the house," he instructed.

I wasn't to disobey him, so I obeyed.

After some minutes, I heard moans which meant they were having fun. My lip crashed as my eyes became watery. Here am I on my knees while they were having fun.

Alex stepped out with his girlfriend, and looked at me, telling me to go in, get the plate washed, and go to the market.

"Hold on," Cherry said then looked at her boyfriend. "I think you should get a plastic surgery done because you look a little like me in your younger pictures."

I looked at her and smiled, remembering this, but I could never look like Cherry.

"Sorry for that, but my face doesn't look like yours anymore," I said, but she snubbed me and left with her boyfriend.

Moreover, I don't look like her anymore.

I walked to the market, holding a bag. The bag looked wrecked, but it was the only bag Alex left me to use.

I looked at the list of things he had written for me to buy, and bought them all.

I returned home to rest before they arrived, but I wasn't lucky Alex was in the living room with Cherry who smiled looking at me.

"You arrived late," she said. "Did we send you to spend time with your boyfriend?"

I held my breath as I knew answering her could earn me a slap or beating from my brother.

My brother got up, and asked me for his extra money, and I told him that I spent all the money as I couldn't trek back home.

He sent me to clean the latrine, and I heard Cherry laugh.

I walked to my room to rest as my brother told me. I wasn't to sleep, but I was tired so I closed my eyes only to be woken up by a drag.

It was Cherry, she dragged me from the bed.

"Sleeper," she said. "We sent you to rest but you chose to sleep."

I rubbed my face looking at her. The day she told me that she never liked me had been the worst day of my life.

I walked out and knelt before my brother.

"I need you to do something, urgently," he said.

Tricia POV:

"What do you me to do?" I asked him.

He looked at me with a smile on his face. Staring at me, he reminded me of how his parents loved me more than him. He told me of how he always thought that I was his sister, but changed after knowing that I am not his sister.

"I hated you from the beginning, but more now that I know who you are."

I stayed mute, my anger grew. If only I had a place to run to I would have. He blamed me for his parents death. How am I to kill the people who cared for me?

I am a harmless being, and doubt I could do such thing.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked silently.

"Ah!" I allowed a small shout escape my mouth as I felt his slap sting a bite on my cheek.

He got up and left to his living room. I looked up as I imagine the reason he called me. My knees were hurting but I knew not to stand up.

Alex was going to kill if I ever get up. Soon, he walked out of the room with a folder.

"I need your signature on this," he said.

I looked at the folder and shook my head, looking at Cherry who stood with her hand folded akimbo.

I wanted to refuse but I knew it would result in my ill treatment.

Smiling, he gave me a pen opening to a page that I was meant to sign, not giving me the chance to read it. He told me that I would suffer more if I don't sign it so I did.

"Very good of you girl," Cherry said walking to me, and patted my cheek. "Get back to your room."

I got up and walked to my room, thinking of what I had just signed. My eyes caught a glimpse of the word 'Auction' before I signed. Were they trying to give me out to the highest bidder?

I shut my room door, and walked to my bed with all sorts of thoughts flying through my mind. My eyes flew to the clock, and I knew that I am meant to prepare dinner five minutes from now.

Cooking food in the evening was easy for me, but with Cherry around, it was always bad. I wasn't allowed to eat before they finished eating. She always made sure I clean the house and wash their plates before I eat.

It was a regular evening routine whenever Cherry is around. Left for Alex, he doesn't care about how I spend the evening.

"You know, when I was your age, I was smarter," Cherry said. "I'm two years older than you, but can still fool you around."

I kept cooking not letting her words get to me, but stopped immediately she mentioned that I have accepted and signed to an ill fate marriage.

"What!" I exclaimed dropping what I was doing.

"You heard me, right," she said, smiling and walked away.

I immediately turned off the gas, and looked at the door. They wanted to give me out?

Looking at the pot, I felt anger grow in me. I felt belittled but the thought of having an ill fated marriage made my face red. I had an ill fated home and now an ill fated marriage.

Dropping the handkerchief which was on my hands, I walked to the living room, and saw Cherry on my brother's lap.

"Are you done preparing the food?" He asked.

I went down on my knees and pleaded, "Please, you can't do this to me. I can't marry someone I don't know."

Alex pretended not to know anything I was speaking about. He asked me again if I had finished cooking, and I replied him negatively.

I rushed back in to finish up what I was doing, and as I was about to put a few bites in my mouth, Cherry walked in.

"Do you know the reason you would be married off?" She asked, and continued, "Aaron's group slammed your brother. He can only pay by selling you to a small organization."

I looked at her feeling sad. All I could do is listen to her. Tears formed my face as I looked up.

Cherry mockingly told me that she was happy that I am going to leave their life.

"I can't marry a person I don't know," I said within me.

A sigh of relief escaped my lip immediately she left me. I immediately threw some of what I was preparing into my mouth.

When they were done eating, I washed the plate and cleaned the house before going to the kitchen. Cherry followed me to the kitchen, and poured out a little spoons for me to eat.

I ate as a dog before going to my bedroom.

.....

The next day, I woke up with a slight headache. The sound of music blasted everywhere, almost making me deaf.

Cherry had invited her friends over, and they danced to the loud music. Alex met me by the way, and told me what to prepare and I obeyed.

I finished what I was doing, and as usual, munched on some before serving. Joy crept in my heart when the music stopped and everyone settled to eat.

"Alex, you have a nice, and beautiful stepsister," One of the girl's said. "Why not sell her off to someone to be paid."

Alex looked at me and smiled, "It has been taken care of. Her husband will be here in a day or two days."

Tears escaped my eyes as I thought on this. I only have enemies, no friends.

Cherry got up from where she was, and walked to Alex telling him that she would be leaving with her friends. This made me happy but the fact that I would be meeting my husband in a day or two made me feel weird. The only way I could stop this is if I die.

Tricia POV

I stood by the window the next day, looking at what was going on. It was expected for me to come out, but Alex had told me to stay inside. He was angry when he told me that, and I wondered why.

Picking up his phone, I could see him angrily yell at someone, he was angry and I knew it.

I walked back to my bed, happy. Thankfully, Cherry had left to her house early this morning which meant I could have some breathing space. I remembered how she was while we were in highschool, she loved me like no other, and stopped my brother whenever he wanted to attack me but as they say people change.

Cherry suddenly changed to me during her final year. She was no longer loving and caring towards me. Everything I did was useless to her, and she reported every of my move to my brother who just began college.

Our parents died when I was in my third year in college, and this made me sad.

Alex stopped my education after their death, but I was lucky to be granted scholarship.

I heard a knock on my door interrupting my thoughts. It was Alex. He barged into the room immediately after knocking without waiting for my response, his normal way.

"Start your duty, Tricia," he said. "I'm hungry so start today by cooking."

He left my room immediately he said that word.

I walked to the kitchen and prepared some egg soup with assortment, and prepared the food.

After serving his food, I went to eat as Cherry wasn't here.

"Come, pack this plate, wash, and clean the area," Alex said.

He sounded like he was scared about something, but I don't care. I left to begin the cleaning.

"I want to remind you that your husband will be here in some days," he said. "He runs a small organization, and isn't popular."

He began to laugh, looking at me.

"I am going to use you to milk him dry. You do not deserve a happy life,"

I felt anger well up me, but there was nothing I could do. My mind went to what I have been pondering on since the last two weeks.

"Who killed our parents? How did they die?"

I was told that they were involved in an accident, but I knew father to be a good car rider, he was skilled in avoiding accidents. Definitely, someone planned their death.

I couldn't think much about it because of the loads of works I had to do. There was no friend for me as I had none so I couldn't escape this house.

Neither was I a salary earner so I couldn't rent or buy a house for myself. All I could do is, endure my suffering.

"Tricia!" I heard Alex call me from his room.

I rushed to meet him, and stood upright, staring at him. He was standing by the door of his room.

"Your husband needs your picture, " he said.

"I don't have a ...." I wanted to retort. "Alright, I will be seeing him tomorrow."

Alex smiled at me, and shook his head.

"I do not know anymore," he said. "He told me that he is busy with work."

He laughed and added, "You know when someone has a small organization, they would need to work hard.

I felt like poking at his face, but maintained my cool.

"He has something, but you have nothing," I said and he slapped me.

"I have my own business, and I am not like you," he said. "Next time consider our age gap, I am twenty five years old while you are twenty two years old."

"You have been living under my roof since you finished college last year," he added. "You are jobless and heartless, inhumane."

With that, he kicked me on my knees, and walked into his room. He came out quickly with his phone and ordered me to stand up and smile like nothing happened.

He took my picture then sent me to continue cleaning.

Tears streamed down my face as I continued cleaning. My knees were still hurting, making it hard for me to move.

My brother blamed me for our parents death, but I wasn't at the scene of the accident.

They were dead before taken to the hospital where we all arrived to see their body. That was two years ago going to three years.

My body crashed as I remembered our parents. His mother, and our father.

"Why did you leave me to myself?" I asked, looking up as I paused cleaning.

My heart was heavy, but I knew that I needed to clean, making sure everywhere was neat before my brother comes out.

I was done cleaning, the pain on my knee was excruciating and I needed to go to my room.

"Where are you going?" I heard someone ask, and turned back. It was Alex.

"My knees hurt, and I want to take a bit of rest," I said.

Alex looked at me, and gave a thunderous laugh. He asked me if I wanted to watch cartoon or listen to music.

This got me confused as we had only one TV in the house, and it was the one placed in the living room.

"Alex, I do not understand. How is it going to help?"

"Oh, you need to forget about the pain," he said.

He walked to me, placing his hands on my shoulder and switched on the TV, asking me what I want.

My heart beat hastened as he hasn't been this soft to me ever since our parents died.

"Come on, sweet," he said taking me to the couch.

We began to watch a musical show together, and heard a knock on the door. I was about getting up, but he told me to sit while he walked to open the door. It was Cherry.

She gave me an evil look, and hugged Alex.

"We need to leave," she said to Alex who nodded.

He walked to me, and turned off the TV.

"You should go to your room, but do not forget to prepare lunch before we come back." He said.

I was about to ask him for what time he would be back, but he already left.