Chapter Three: IT'S ALL A GAME FOR REVENGE

I kept sniffing, trying to control my tears, but it was to no avail. I hated my life. I despised my mother, who brought me into this horrendous world. 

They destroyed my life; they destroyed everything. It was Mom, and she just had to involve me, who knows nothing about their messy vengeance.

"You punk!" Fiona made to slap me, but Max held her hand.

"That’s enough, wifey. You look stressed. We still have our honeymoon to go for," he said, wrapping his arm around her waist tenderly.

She shot me a glance and walked away. Not saying a word, I held onto my mom’s picture and the DNA results. 

I stood up and subconsciously walked out, not minding the hateful eyes staring at me. It began raining. I walked like a zombie into the rain, crying. 

 I could never have imagined my life would be crumbling like this right in front of me.

Not on just a normal day, but on a day that was supposed to be my wedding.

"Why do you have to be my mother?" I murmured in tears, staring at the already wet picture.

"I hate you!" I mumbled and broke down in a wail under the rain.

The next day, I stood, staring at my supposed father’s house, which now looked strange to me. 

The house I grew fond of was The only place I could find comfort in was now anomalous to me. I slept at the church last night since I had nowhere to go.

My red gown looked tattered, and my hair was messy. No doubt, I stink. I sighed, and without another thought, I entered.

I met them sitting down, eating chicken, and watching a movie while laughing endlessly. They didn’t notice me.

"Mother," I called slowly and bit on my lower lip. That’s right! I shouldn’t have spoken the word 'mother'

She is no longer my mom. They all turned towards me, and I gulped down

 Dad, Mom, Fiona, and Max. They all look like a big, lovely family without me.

"The princess is finally home," Mom laughs sarcastically, and Fiona joins her.

"I only came to get my things."

I swallowed hard and walked away, making my way toward my room.

I entered my room and sighed again.

"Hey Diamond, you better don’t forget anything. You won’t be allowed in here once you leave," Fiona said. 

I turned behind and lo and behold, she was right behind me, leaning against the door.

"I just came to supervise. You might just take what’s not yours. Your mother is a prostitute, and you might be a..." She paused and shrugged.

I scoff and balled my fist. I eyed her but didn’t say a word. This is my junior, talking to me like I'm just nothing.

"This punk!"  I growled silently.

"I won’t," I simply replied. 

"There’s nothing precious to steal anyway!" I added. 

"That’d be amazing," Fiona giggled.

"I thought you were wise, but you’re just a Moron, diamond. We’ve been dating behind your back for two years, and you couldn’t tell. Gosh! Darn foolish!"

She giggled. My face turned pale listening to all she was blabbing.

"It’s okay. You have him. What else are you afraid of losing?" I asked. 

"Of course, nothing! He’s my everything." She chuckled.  

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to keep the tears at bay. It still hurt.

"I should go into acting. My skills are damn awesome!" She giggled and walked away.

I sighed and walked to my closet. Just beside my closet was a trash can. I saw my clothes wet and dripping in it.

My chest tightened immediately. These are the only expensive clothes I have. I washed and arranged them thoroughly before coming back to see them wet inside the trash can.

I knew for sure that they did it. Picking out the clothes, I walked out of the room furiously.

"Seriously! Why would you guys do such an inhumane act to my clothes?" I yelled, descending the stairs. I was trying so hard to hold back the weepings. 

"What’s wrong with you, Diamond? What are you yelling at again? Those clothes were bought with my father’s money. I chose whether you have them or not," Fiona said.

I could hear Mom chuckling.

Oh, now I get it. I smiled and nodded my head as I vaguely understood.

"Okay," I said, and they were taken aback by my sudden outburst, which was way out of line.

Yeah! I wasn’t going to show weakness in front of them anymore.

"You should leave!" The mother suddenly chimed in. I nodded again, like the moron I am.

"You’re taking longer than expected. I can’t stand seeing your face. It makes me remember your shameless mother. 

I cursed myself for not being able to kill her with my bare hands. It was such a pity that she had to die of that sickness. 

I wish to kill her, and staring at you right now, I wish for nothing but to rip out your head. Get out, diamond!" My presumed father shrieked. 

I beamed and shook my head in disbelief.

"You’re unbelievable, Dad. How can you say such things about my late mother, your wife?" I asked helplessly.

I was just gaping and blinkingly at them. 

"I will take my leave now."

Without waiting for their response, I walked out of the house, maintaining a smile on my face.

Once outside, I bent down and encircled my arm around myself. That’s it!

I broke into uncontrollable tears. The cries I seem to have been holding in front of them all this while. 

I hiccupped and squeezed my dress. Soon, I felt people surrounding me.

"I can't believe she was able to show her face; how despicable."

"A child of a prostitute is also a prostitute."

"She's shameless, just like her late mother."

"What did you expect? Birds of the same feather stick and flock together."

I frantically looked around and saw people gawking at me with contempt and revulsion. I gobbled it down in chagrin. 

A cold shiver ran down my spine. I passed on my gaze back to the ground again. I could hear their scornful laughter.

My eyelids twitched a bit. The mist in my eyes rolled down. 

"I detest you, Mom. How dare you do this to me!" I cursed as my tears dropped.

"I did nothing wrong to deserve all this. I disdain you! I hate you!" I murmured, hitting my chest.

The tears dropped from my cheek and fell.

I felt a car stop in front of me. I didn’t bother to look up since I was still in tears.

"Poor bestie"

I heard a familiar voice and was forced to look up.

"P..pinky," I stuttered, staring at my long-lost best friend who just came out of the car.

 

"W...w"—my brain couldn’t figure out what to say.

"Let’s leave. These places look like misery," she muttered.

I was slowly feeling dizzy, and my vision was blurry. I only managed to nod.

..............

"Diamond, are you okay? Geez, you look like the living dead," she said.

I didn’t reply but instead encircled my arm around her waist, hugging her. She didn’t try to push me away but instead embraced me back and stroked my hair.

"I will go make you a hot chocolate. You need one," she offered, and I nodded just like a baby.

We disengaged from the hug, and she walked into the kitchen, I reckoned.

I sighed and gaped at the room I was in. It was small but well-arranged. I presumed it was just her little apartment.

Pink returned a few minutes later and handed the cup of chocolate to me.

"What happened to you, bestie?" She asked worriedly after I took the cup from her.

I didn’t respond immediately, and Pink understood as she gave me more time to get myself

"Max...he" I just couldn’t say it.

The words were too stiff to let out

"What are you saying? Please tell me everything, bestie. I need details of everything that happened,"  she urged. 

"Max played me. My parents are not my parents, and they were the ones that planted Max in my life," I finally blurted out.

"They all deceived and used me," I muttered and hiccupped. My voice was cracking. Pinky stared at me weirdly.

She slowly took the cup of chocolate from me.

"You should get some sleep, bestie; just go to bed, and we will discuss this later in the evening. 

You’re not even in your right state of mind, and I can’t pick out a word from what you’re saying," she muttered.

She helped me lie on the bed and made to leave the room, but I held her arm. I was scared. Was she going to leave me like everyone else?

"Don’t go anywhere pink. Don’t leave me too," I muttered as tears rushed down my cheeks. I heard her sigh before patting my hair.

"I’m right here, by your side."

- - - - - -

My eyes fluttered open as I welcomed the familiar scene, the smell, and the warmth of it. The door opened, and Pinky sauntered in. I grabbed my head, trying to recall how I got here.

I went to get my clothes and then was humiliated all over again. I was taunted by the public, and I met Pink.

Yeah! That’s how I met her.

"You’re awake. You should wash up and come have dinner," she said, and I nodded.

Pink kept stealing glances at me as we ate dinner. She sighed and finally asked.

"Are you alright?"

"Huh- -" I looked up, and my eyes met hers.

"Sure.  I’m fine!"

I swallowed hard and looked away. In an attempt to make no eye contact with her.

"Are you going to act like things are alright?"

She asked raising her brows. I didn’t reply or look up as I chewed gently on my food.

"Seriously?" She chuckled, and I flashed her a fake smile.

I bit my lower lip, and slowly, I told her everything. She was only surprised that the Xanders are not my real parents, but she was not surprised that Max ditched me.

"That bastard!" She balled her fist. My pupil dilated.

"You knew.?" I asked, astonished.

"Diamond..."

"Don’t fucking lie to me, pink," I yelled. I knew her too well. I was already familiar with the expression she makes when trying to cover up.

She was my only friend in high school. Pink was a weakling back in school. The Guys bullied her a lot. 

I hate bullies, so I salvaged her a lot of times, and surprisingly, we ended up being best friends. 

We graduated together and went to the same college. We lost contact just when I met Max two years ago. I had only introduced Max to her once.

  

"It was obvious. I could tell just by meeting him once. You won’t believe that bastard secretly asked me out when you both were still dating," 

she said, and I gasped. My mouth opened widely.

"Pink!" I yelled, and she shrugged.

"You wouldn’t have believed me if I had told you. You were blindly in love with him. You were crazy and all over him too!" She said that, and I bit my lower lip.

She was right. Max acted mischievously towards Fiona, and I could have figured it out right away if I wasn’t crazy about him.

I sniffed again.

"I should have known. I was blindly into him. It was obvious Max never loved me, but I felt reluctant. 

My parents were suddenly interested in me when they found out I was getting married. I should have been suspicious, but stupid me thought they were doing the best for me."

I said, and my mind flashes back to a month ago when I was making preparations for my wedding.