CHAPTER 16

One week after my mom's funeral, I was still trying to come to terms with the loss. I was in my room, trying to distract myself from the pain, when Mrs. Jenkins came in to summon me to the sitting room.

I asked her what it was about, but she just said I should come down and see for myself. I got dressed in a black gown, still wearing black as a sign of mourning for my mom.

As I came down the stairs, I saw a woman and her daughter, who looked about my age. The woman was Mrs Victoria, my dad's secretary, and her daughter introduced herself as Sophia.

As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I greeted Mrs. Victoria with a nod, trying to be polite despite my growing unease. But before I could even acknowledge her, her daughter Sophia stepped forward, a bright smile plastered on her face.

"Hey, I'm Sophia! I'm going to be your new sister!" she exclaimed, her voice dripping with excitement.

"Meaning? I asked but had no reply.

My dad's expression was calm and collected, but I could sense a hint of nervousness behind his eyes. He took a deep breath before speaking, his voice measured and gentle.

"Aries, I know this may come as a shock to you, but I wanted to talk to you about something important. You know how much I loved your mother, and I always will. But, I've come to realize that life goes on, and I need to think about my future and yours too."

He paused, studying my reaction before continuing.

"I've gotten remarried, sweetie. I know it's soon after your mom's passing, but I couldn't help how I feel. Mrs. Victoria and I have been working together for a while now, and we've grown close. She's an amazing woman, and I think she'll make a great partner for me."

He gestured to Mrs Victoria, who smiled warmly at me.

I felt a surge of anger and resentment towards her, but my dad continued, oblivious to my emotions.

"I know this may be hard for you to accept, but I want you to know that I'm doing this for us, for our family. I want to build a new life, one that honours my mother's memory but also looks towards the future. I hope you can understand and support me on this journey."

His words felt like a betrayal, and I struggled to process my emotions. I looked at Mrs. Victoria and Sophia, feeling like they were intruders in our lives.

I couldn't believe my dad had moved on so quickly, and I didn't know how to react.

Didn't she know that I was still grieving my mom's loss? Didn't she care that her presence here was a painful reminder of my dad's hasty remarriage?

I forced a weak smile, trying not to be rude, but Sophia didn't seem to notice my discomfort.

She continued to chatter away, asking me questions about my interests and hobbies as if we were old friends.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Victoria watched our exchange with a serene smile, seemingly oblivious to the tension between us.

My dad, too, appeared pleased with the situation, his eyes shining with a warmth that made my heart ache.

I felt like an outsider in my own home, struggling to navigate this new and unwelcome reality.

Sophia's rude introduction had set the tone for our interaction, and I couldn't help but wonder what other challenges lay ahead.

My eyes widened in shock as I took in the scene before me. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I felt like I had been punched in the gut.

I turned to my dad, who was sitting on the couch with a calm expression, and asked him if I was seeing things.

"Dad, is this some kind of joke?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

But then it hit me - the realization of what was going on. I felt a wave of anger and betrayal wash over me.

"You got married?!" I exclaimed, my voice rising. "It's only been one week since we buried Mom! How could you do this?"

I couldn't believe that my dad had moved on so quickly. I felt like he was disrespecting my mom's memory and our family's grief. I looked at Mrs.

I took a step back, trying to process what was happening.

"Dad why are you like this, why are you doing this Dad?" I cried.

My dad's expression changed from calm to stern in an instant. He stood up from the couch and walked towards me, his eyes blazing with anger.

I took a step back, shocked by the sudden change in his demeanour.

"Aries, you will respect my decisions and my new family," he said, his voice firm and commanding.

"You will accommodate Mrs. Victoria and Sophia, and make sure they feel welcome in our home."

I opened my mouth to protest, but before I could say anything, my dad's hand shot out and slapped me across the face.

The sound echoed through the room, and I felt a stinging sensation on my cheek.

I was shocked and hurt, not just physically but emotionally.

My dad had never laid a hand on me before, and I couldn't believe he would resort to violence to make a point.

Tears sprang to my eyes as I stumbled backwards, trying to process what had just happened. My dad's face was red with anger, and I could see a vein throbbing in his neck.

"You will not question my decisions again," he growled, his voice low and menacing. "You will do as I say and make sure you don't make Mrs. Victoria and Sophia angry."

I felt a chill run down my spine as I realized that things had changed for the worse. My dad was no longer the loving and supportive father I knew.

He was now a stranger, driven by his desires and needs.

I looked at Mrs. Victoria and Sophia, who were watching the scene with a mixture of shock and happiness.

But my dad didn't seem to care. He just turned and walked away, leaving me feeling hurt, angry, and betrayed.

I let out a loud, anguished cry, the sound echoing through the room like a wounded animal.

My body shook with sobs as I stumbled backwards, my eyes fixed on my dad's retreating figure. I felt like I'd been punched in the gut, my breath knocked out of me.

"Ahhhh!" I wailed, my voice cracking with pain and betrayal. "How could you, Dad? How could you do this to me? To Mom's memory?"

My cries grew louder, more hysterical, as I felt my world crashing down around me. I thought I was going to collapse, my legs trembling beneath me.

Mrs. Victoria and Sophia looked on in shock, their faces pale but I could notice they were happy with the scene going on.

But my dad just kept walking, disappearing from the room without even a glance back.

I sank to the floor, my body wracked with sobs. I felt like I was drowning in a sea of grief and anger, unable to escape the pain that threatened to consume me.

My cries echoed through the house, a raw, anguished sound that seemed to shake the very foundations of my world.

I was lost, alone, and adrift, my heart shattered into a million pieces.