Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Kendall’s POV

I never thought the day of the festival would turn out like this. The air should have been filled with excitement and joy, but instead, it felt heavy with tension and resentment.

My father, as usual, had been in one of his moods, barking orders and criticizing every move we made. Watching my mother and sister obey his every command without question made my blood boil.

It was as if they were programmed to do whatever he said, no matter how unreasonable or unfair it seemed. I couldn’t stand it anymore.

As we prepared for the festivities, I pulled my mother and sister aside, hoping to reason with them. “Can’t you see what he’s doing to us?” I whispered urgently, my frustration seeping into every word. “We don’t have to take this. We can stand up to him, together.”

But before I could finish my words, my mother’s hand connected with my cheek in a sharp slap. Shocked, I stumbled backward, the sting of her betrayal burning on my skin.

“How dare you speak against your father!” she hissed, her eyes flashing with anger. “He’s the head of this household, and you will show him the respect he deserves.”

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as I stared at her in disbelief. How could she defend him after everything he put us through?

“But mother, he’s not being fair!” I protested, my voice trembling with emotion. “He treats us sometimes like servants, not his family.”

My sister, always the calm one, stepped forward, her expression torn between loyalty to our father and sympathy for me. “Kendall, please,” she pleaded, her voice barely above a whisper. “Let’s not ruin the festival, okay?”

I shook my head, my hand still on my cheek, unable to hold back the flood of frustration and hurt that overwhelmed me. “No,” I said, my voice choked with emotion. “We can’t keep pretending that everything’s okay. It’s not.”

But before I could say anything else, father’s booming voice interrupted us. “What’s going on here?” he demanded, his eyes narrowing as he took in the scene before him.

My mother and sister quickly straightened up, their faces schooled into expressions of submission. “Nothing, dear,” my mother said quickly, her tone sugary sweet. “Just a little disagreement, that’s all.”

My father’s gaze shifted over to me, and I could feel the weight of his disapproval like a physical force. “Enough,” he said sternly, his voice brooking no argument. “We have guests arriving soon, and I won’t have any more of this nonsense. Is that clear?”

“Yes father”–“Yes my dear.” I heard my sister and mother respond simultaneously.

Defeated, I nodded silently, unable to muster the strength to defy him that moment. I couldn’t shake the feeling of isolation that settled over me like a suffocating blanket.

It seemed that no matter what I said or did, I would always be alone in my fight against my father’s or anyone else’s control over me.

Feeling the weight of my family’s expectations bearing down on me, I dashed to my room, desperate for an alone moment. Once inside, I collapsed onto my bed, hot tears streaming down my cheeks unchecked.

The pain of betrayal from my mother’s slap and the overwhelming frustration of my father’s dominance engulfed me, leaving me feeling utterly alone.

Each sob tore through me like a knife, releasing the pent-up emotions that had been simmering beneath the surface for far too long. It wasn't fair, none of it was.

As the minutes passed, my tears eventually subsided, leaving me drained but strangely determined. Wiping away the remnants of my anguish, I sat up and took a deep breath, steeling myself for the waiting festival outside.

I rose from my bed and smoothed out my rumpled clothes, adjusted my makeup which tears had ruined. There was a festival to attend, guests to greet, and despite the ache in my heart, I wouldn’t let anything ruin the celebration.

Taking one last look in the mirror to compose myself, I straightened my shoulders and headed back out, ready to join the event which had already started.

Emerging from the room, my eyes still puffy and my cheeks stained with evidence of my earlier distress, I heard the sounds of laughter and music drifting through the air, a complete difference to the heaviness that weighed in my chest and made me cry just moments ago.

As I made my way into the event, I couldn’t shake the sense of unease that ate at me from within. Would tonight be any different from the countless other gatherings where I felt like an outsider in my own family?

Would I ever find someone who understood me, who saw past the façade of perfection my father so carefully crafted?

Lost in my thoughts, I barely registered my father’s voice as he approached me, his hand grasping my arm with a firm grip. “Kendall, there you are,” he said, his tone sharp with impatience. “I need you to make introductions to some of our guests. It’s important for the family’s reputation.”

But before he could continue, my attention was suddenly diverted by a figure across the room, a figure that seemed to glow with an aura of power and strength. My heart skipped a beat as I realized who it was: Alpha Declan.

Ignoring my father’s demands, I pulled away from his grasp and made way to Declan, my pulse quickening with each step. It was as if the rest of the world faded away, leaving only him and me in our own little bubble of existence.

“Alpha Declan,” I greeted breathlessly as I reached him, a smile spreading across my face despite the ache in my heart. “It’s so good to see you again.”

Declan turned to face me, his eyes lighting up with recognition and something else, something that sent shivers down my spine. “Kendall,” he said, his voice low and husky. “I was hoping I would run into you soon enough.”

But just as the night seemed to stretch on forever in my little bubble of happiness, reality came crashing back with a vengeance. My father’s voice cut through the air like a knife, harsh and demanding.

“Kendall,” he said, his tone icy with disapproval. “What do you think you’re doing? I told you to make introductions, not socialize with the guests.”

I glanced back at my father, a flicker of defiance sparking in my eyes. As always, I refused to cower under his oppressive gaze. “I’m sorry, father,” I said, my voice steady despite the tremor of fear that threatened to overtake me. “But I have something more important to attend to.”