Chapter 4

My hands shook as i sat at the dinning table with all the Thompsons present.

Karl was sitting next to me and beside him was his sister June- who was two years younger than him- and next to her was his seconds sister April.

Zeus- the forth child born after April- sat across from me and next to him was, Kaily- the baby of the Thompson children.

From what my father had told me, Karl is the eldest of the Thompsons, followed by June, then April, Then Zeus and finally Kaily. All the Thompson children were born two years apart from the first.

At the head of the table, Candis Thompson- Karl's grand mother- sat with her shoulders squared and her chin up. The two seats on either side of Candis, were taken by Karl's mother and father, Suzen Thompson and Marlen Thompson.

The dining room is quite, tense even. I can feel their eyes on me. Pressing my palms flat against each other, i tried to gain control of my muscles. But it was impossible. The amount of fear and panic i felt when i saw Karl's fist flying towards me, has yet to leave my body.

After planting his fist in the wooden door and growling his words against my ear, he had left to join his family. And i stood there with my back pressed against the door and my heart thundering in my chest.

You're nothing but a bully...

His words echoed in my head as i tried to gain control of my emotions. Panic had raised from my chest and flushed my face and for a good of five minutes, i hadn't moved from the door.

After the panic subside, i had to follow their voice and laughter to the dinning room. Their conversation had immediately died as soon as i walked into the dining room and it has been tense ever since.

I ran my hands down my lap, over my pale pink dress and silently waited for what ever it was they were waiting for.

"So...Lola, what do you do for a living?" I heard June ask someone. With my head bowed down, i couldn't know who she was talking to.

"My sister asked you a question." Karl's cruel voice snapped over to me and i looked up to see that he was glaring at me with his pale blue eyes.

I turned my eyes over to June and saw that she too was glaring at me.

"Well, Lola. Can you answer the question?" Her voice is sharp just as her blue eyes.

Lola? Did she just call me Lola?

Fighting against the urge to correct her, i decided to answer the question.

"I'm an assistant for the CEO of the Davis Company."

June scoffs at my answer. Flipping her long blond hair over her right shoulder, she returned her gaze to Karl

"An assistant? Karl you really did lower your standards. What ever happened to the supermodels and lawyer that were panting after you?"

Her question was meant to be a slap in the face and in all honesty, the fact that they are treating me like this does upset me.

I deserve it.

Kar doesn't entertain his sister with an answer, but he does smirk.

"I hear the CEO of the Davis Company is a really good man." Kaily spoke to me and her soft tone and kind eyes kind of shocked me, considering the fact that every single Thompson looks like they are put for blood. My blood.

My eyes met Kaily's soft brown eyes. She had a warm smile on her face as she waited for me to reply to her. And from the looks of it, she surprised the entire table by talking to me with nothing more than kindness.

I nodded me head as i kept my eyes trained on her.

"Umm...yeah, he is. I'v worked for him for two years. He's a great boss and knows what he's doing for the company."

For the first time since i was told i would be forced to marry Karl, i felt a genuine smile crawl its way to my lips.

The burning sensation in my chest and the tremble in my hands lessen as Kaily smiled.

"I heard he got Married to his employee." That little information came from April -the third Thompson child- who was looking at Kaily and then me. "Is it true hos wife was sleeping her way to the top."

My blood ran cold as soon as she finished speaking. The panic started to rise again and i could feel my face burning up.

Princi Jona -My boss' now wife-, was indeed his employee at the company. But she never slept her way to the top. She was a hard working manager who brought great investors to the company. Her relationship with the boss had nothing to do with her skills.

But, i ruined it for her.

My boss' wife was my classmate in highschool and she was one of the many people i bullied. Seeing her at her prime at work and dating the boss had driven me to go back to my bully ways.

Jealousy had driven me to bully Princi Jona even in her work place. One of the things i did to her was spread the rumours that she was sleeping her way to the top, which she was not.

I shook my head.

"No, those are just rumors. None of them are true." I replied as i looked between the two sister. "She doesn't even work there anymore."

"No gossip at the table." Candis Thompson's voice suddenly bloomed in the room, cutting off April before she could continue.

Kaily once again smiled while April rolled her eyes. Just seconds later, a new conversation took over the silent dining room and i was once again left out.

While the family were talking about business and the fastly approaching holy day season, the servants started to fill the table with food that is plenty enough to feed a small village. And from the looks of it, we will be having breakfast and lunch all in one.

I silently watched as each othe the Thompsons filled their plates with food immediately after the servers placed an empty plate infront of them.

The smell coming from the dishes infront of me were watering my mouth and my stomach rumbled, but thankfully, not too loud that the others heard.

Now that i think about it, i haven't ate a single thing since the night my father told me that i would be married to Karl, which was the night before the actual wedding day.

I trained my eyes on the woman that was placing the plates, waiting for her to get to mw so i could eat my fill. But, the moment she got to Karl, she placed the last plate in her hands infront of him and walked away without even looking at me.

At first, i though she was going to come back with more plate. But after a couple of minutes later and all the others stuffing food into their mouth, i realized that the woman was not coming back with another plate.

How am i supposed to eat without a plate? Do I just pick the food up with my bare hands and eat like a cave man, or should i just watch the Thompsons eat while my stomach eats itself.

"Lucy?" Kaily called out with confusion when she realized that i had no plate. "Aren't you eating?" She asked and for a split second, i wondered if her question was meant to mock me. But, the concern in her eyes said otherwise.

Against my better judgement, i looked over to Karl only for him to level me with a single glare. I quickly shook my head.

"I'm not hungry." I whispered and saw Kaily nod her head before she focused on her plate.

It's okay. Starving is not something foreign to me. I'v done it to myself many times, hoping that i would look thin and perfect like all the woman in my family, like all the perfect woman i was forced to be like.

Being born a chubby kid had been horrible. But my mother took it upon herself to make sure i looked perfect and beautiful. And after some painful workouts and starving me for a couple of days, only eating what little vegetables i was allowed to eat, the weight had dropped off me at an early age, at eight year old to be precise, and i have kept the weight off ever since.

Starvation is a process of perfection. It is what i was taught. So, it'll be fine if i don't eat for a couple more hours.

***

After being ignored for the entire afternoon, Karl finally said his goodbyes to his family and walked out the door.

I looked after his figure, wanting to just leave. But instead of ignoring them like they ignored me, i turned back to the Thompsons and bowed.

"Have a nice day."

My voice might sound weak but it carried sincerity. I stood up right to see most of most of them glaring at me. But Kaily did smile and wave while April gave me a single nod as her fingers were busy playing with her bright pink hair.

The one person i still haven't heard talk was Zeus. He neither glared nor smiled at me. His expression, most of the time, was neutral. Which I don't mind.

Just as i was about to turn away, Candis' calm yet sharp call stopped me. I turned back around to see the old woman studying me. The woman might be eighty years old but she's pretty young for her age.

Candis pushed her giant, purple glasses up the bridge of her nose with her purple nail painted fingers. From her glasses, nails and earrings, it was too easy to tell thay purple is her favorite color.

With the black sundress and purple slippers, she looks like a fashion star, making it obvious why the Thompsons have a respected place in the fashion industry and their own company.

"We have a family dinner this Sunday.  I expect to see you here."

Candis doesn't let me reply as she turned her back to me and walked up the stairs. Doing the same with the others, i walked put the door while i made sure that i don't see the spot Karl had punched.