CH 7 | Sarah!

I stood in front of The Campbell's house and took a deep breath. A scowl was dancing on my face, clearly showing my displeasure for being here.

"Come on, Sarah. You can do this." I repeated to myself and patted my thumping heart as the place I used to call home now looked to me like more of a prison. It would never be my home again. Not since the death of my father. 

Instead, I felt as if I was going into a lion's den with no way to escape and I was preparing to get slaughtered.

Sensing my hesitation, Theo held my hand and squeezed it, encouraging me to go in. But it didn't help me much. The wary feeling in the pits of my stomach kept pushing bile into my throat and I’d have to swallow it back down. 

I took a few steps towards the entrance, I saw Emily from the corner of my eye. My heart felt as if it hit my feet. I knew my day was about to turn from bad to dreadful!

As if on cue, Emily glanced at me, and our eyes met for a swift second.

A disgusting look appeared on her face almost instantly. The cheerful smile on her lips she had a second ago was long gone.

I couldn't help but wonder, "would she ever smile like that at me or would her hate for me last until her dying breath?"

Perhaps, It will last!

And I know it all too well. Maybe that was why I stopped trying to impress her as the years went by.

I shook my head a little and averted my gaze, trying to avoid as much drama as I could. However, she seemed to have other plans as she began coming in my direction, while a frown danced on my face.

Her eyes focused on our clasped hands the moment she was in front of us.

To say she wasn't too pleased would be an understatement.

Abruptly, she grabbed my hand using all her strength making me wince.

I'm sure it would bruise a little as her nails dug into my pale skin.

I almost had to bite my inner cheek to not snap at her and not raise my hand on her and teach this arrogant bitch a lesson.

I'm her elder sister for heaven's sake!

How dare she treat me like I'm shit?

However, on giving it a second thought, I shut my mouth and kept my hands in check. Because I know I should lay low for the time being and take all of the shit the Campbell’s are willing to throw at me. Just like the obedient daughter they wanted me to be. I was just biding my time. 

Only then, I would avoid being in trouble, and most importantly, Ivan wouldn't keep his eyes on me all the time.

Then I can implement my plans to get back what they stole from me! 

I know it was a long game to play and if I failed, then everything might backfire and would even ruin me in the process. But I had to try, no matter what the consequences. 

I was never the type to accept defeat so easily. At least not without giving it my best shot!

It took Emily a minute to make her ego satisfied upon seeing the purple and blue bruise forming on my wrist. And she flung my hand away and wiped her hands with tissues as if I was garbage.

Her face scrunched up in scorn, and I inhaled a chunk of air to act nonchalant. Because if she thinks this would hurt me or even break me, she had another thing coming.

I stopped the hiss that was about to escape from my mouth when I rubbed the now prominent bruise. I gritted my teeth to control the burning temper growing inside me, and smirked lazily, "Is that all you got?"

As soon as I said that, a crimson red began to grow across her face as she boiled with rage!

She eyed me as if I was crazy and growled, "you bitch?"

"Right back at you Princess! You have seemed to forget that I'm your older sister. Respect your elders, Bitch." I stated coolly, riling her up further. Her eyes grew wide and her face turned even more red as if she was a steam engine about to blow! 

"Why are you here?" She snapped with knitted brows while Theo tried to jump in, but I shook my head in stopping him and he sighed but nodded.

"Why? You don't want me to be here?" I queried, doing my best to annoy the hell out of her.

She should have seen that coming for provoking me!

Although I couldn't touch her because of what her father held over my head, that didn't mean I'd let her bully me!

I, Sarah, will never let anyone hurt me ever again.

"Except Dominic." My inner voice mocked, and I sighed inwardly, "Well, that's different."

Emily eyed me with her glaring eyes and barked at me, "you'll never change. Will you?"

"Well, I guess it's the same for both of us." I shrugged while I smiled, a fake one at that. Because I know she'd be pissed off seeing me happy!

"Damn it. Wait until I tell daddy! Let's see if you still have a smart mouth when he puts you in your place, you little cunt." Emily taunted, trying to scare me.

No way in hell, was I going to give her the satisfaction she wanted.

"You can give it a try. Let's see what happens. What do you say?" I blurted while I tucked the loose hair strands behind my ear, and stared at her with raised brows.

"You..." Emily trailed off as she was at a loss of words and asked, arrogance dancing off from her tone, "Did daddy invite you here?"

As soon as she said that, I glanced at her as if she was dumb. Because in the Campbells' house, every fucking thing would go according to Ivan's wishes. Didn't she know that already?

 I winked at her and blurted, “who else would, honey?”

“You...?” She grimaced and muttered something under her breath.

I just sneered and gave a triumphant smile at her and moved away.

A huff escaped my lips with how tiresome it was to deal with the Campbells’. But I didn't have a choice, did I? NO!

...

I stepped inside the living room and saw Lina, my 'beloved mother'. I didn't bother to greet her as she was busy giving orders to the people doing decorations.

My eyes roamed across the familiar house and I frowned.

I couldn't help but murmur, "Wow. Things sure have changed a lot around here."

When I was about to get away, Lina turned her head noticed my presence, and her movements paused.

“It's about time you got here?” I heard Lina's flat tone, showing she was the least bit excited to see me.

Well, neither was I!

"The feelings mutual, mother." I quoted inwardly, and my lips curled upwards in a sneer, but I quickly controlled it and nodded.

"I’ve prepared a dress for you tonight. Make sure you try it on" She stated, her voice stripped of any emotion.

“Okay.”

With a slight pause, she added, “The party starts at eight o'clock this evening.”

“Hm.” With that, we parted our ways, hoping my room would be the same at least, but I came face to face with Ivan. “Shit!” I cursed for my stupid luck.

“Wait.” His rough tone welcomed me.

My feet came to a halt almost instantly. I turned around and glanced at him while fiddling with the sleeves on my mustard colored shirt.

"I want you to be on your best behavior tonight." He said while he was staring at me with those piercing eyes. A shiver ran down my back as it had every time she looked at me with such hatred. 

I gulped and mumbled, “Okay.”

Abruptly, he held my arm, a little too tight to my liking. In the next second, he stated fiercely, "you better not try to pull any stunts tonight."

"I won't," I said with gritted teeth, but I successfully hid the light quiver in my voice, and damn, I'm proud of that.

Ivan glared at me for another few seconds and left me on my own. Immediately, I ran to my room and took a heavy breath to relax the unnerving tension in my muscles.

Fortunately, my room was pretty much the same. My room wasn't as luxurious as the rest of the house. But I'm okay with anything as long as I don't have to sleep on the floor and at least it was clean!

Eyeing the water bottle that was lying on the nightstand, I downed a full bottle. As if I hadn't drunk anything for a whole week.

"Fifteen minutes! That's all it's been since I arrived. How am I going to survive for a few days?" I murmured under my breath in frustration and dropped onto my bed.

…

"I look good," I smirked. The maroon-colored dress perfectly hugged my hourglass curves making me sexier. The off-shoulder gave the jewelry an appealing charm on my slender neck.

I applied a matching shade of lipstick on my lips and did little touch-ups to the rest of my face. I flipped my straightened hair and slipped myself into matching wedges.

I glanced at my reflection for the twentieth time, "Here we go." I muttered to myself.

Once I'm sure I look presentable, I opened the door and stepped into the hallway as the loud music echoed in the house.

The hall was filled with guests I barely knew and I must admit, it looked livelier. The usual coldness in the home was replaced with a warm upbeat feeling.

My eyes roamed across the decorations, and I muttered, "hmm, not bad."

However, since I'm too immersed in eyeing the place, I didn't look where I was going and crashed into someone. And my phone fell from my hands and hit the floor.

Instantly, we both bent down, but to my disappointment, he grabbed it a bit earlier.

I licked my lips in embarrassment and raised my head, but in the next second, I froze in my spot.

I felt as if all my breath was washed away, and I stood there too dumbfounded to even move for my own good.

I blinked my eyes and asked myself, "am I dreaming?"

I even pinched myself in disbelief. But he was still there. 

"Dominic?" I blurted, gaping my mouth in astonishment.

“What the hell? Why is he here? How can he be here?” Questions ambushed my mind, and I flinched as the little peace washed away from me.

...