Chapter 3

Inside Samantha's room, she had stuffed a few of her clothes into a small back pack in a hurry. With all the essentials, she hurried for the door. At the same time Dorca pushed the door to her room with much force as it flew open. Samantha was hit on the face before she staggered backwards and dropped on the bed.

" Where do you think you are going you stupid fool. How could you go against me?" Dorca yelled angrily, her mouth breathing fire.

" Why are you so upset aunt?" Samantha said slowly rising from the bed, her gaze fixed on those blazing eyes of Dorca.

"Didn't you say that Boris would make the perfect husband for me? Now that your daughter won him for herself, you are still mad. Aren't you going to be swimming in millions now, isn't that what you wanted, to sell me so that you can maintain your fake lifestyle. No wonder my dad didn't marry you but chose my mother, you are such a shameless and despicable woman." Samantha said angrily as she held her forehead that was swollen by now.

Samantha had never talked back at her aunt and step sister since they had encroached their peaceful lives, but now, she had had enough. She won't have it, especially now that they wouldn't be living under the same roof.

" You.." Dorca pointed at her angrily before descending on her with kicks and blows.

" You dare insult me Samantha. I've always known that you were just pretending, and now that your father isn't around you are showing me your true colours. Just you wait, after I'm done with you you'll regret the day you were born," Dorca said angrily.

Samantha had ran to the other end of the room to escape the blows.

Dorca took that moment and locked the door before she picked up a belt that had been lying on the ground.

" You want to hit me with that aunt? Will it bring back Camille , oh Dorca, why are you venting your anger and frustrations on me when you caused all these? Did I ask to get married, did you even think that I had a better suitor than that disgusting old pig," Samantha forked angrily.

Dorca however had enough of her blabbering nonsense and descended on her, whipping her senselessly. It now seemed to her as though Samantha had carefully planned out everything to escape her marriage with Boris.

At first Samantha had stayed quiet, but the intensity of the pain was unbearable and she began to wail. Her entire body was on fire with several strip marks on her body.

As much as she had wanted to fight her back, she couldn't, she had never fought with her elders, and so she sat at the corner, clutching her body as the whips rained down on her.

Dorca was sweating profusely by the time she was done with her. She threw the belt at Samantha who was huddled at a corner before she spat to the ground.

" This should teach you a lesson," Dorca said breathing hard. She stormed out of the room and locked it from the outside.

" Why father...why did you have to bring this crazy woman into our lives?" Samantha cried bitterly.

All her woes since Dorca's arrival came flooding back to her.

Samantha was in her final senior year, but she had struggled to complete her studies. Most of the times her fees weren't paid in time, and since her dad always remitted the money in time, he had no idea that Samantha had to work odd hours to get money for her tuition.

Dorca had convinced her father that she had loose morals, and that had been the reason why she stayed out late at night. Though he never commented, he had since changed on how he treated her.

Just this year she began her hustle as an actress, playing minor roles for upcoming entertainment companies. Though she was good with natural talent,no one acknowledged her. Worse, when her step mother came to learn of it, she had made sure Samantha lost the role, making her hustle odd jobs plus the house chores that awaited her. The last nail to bury her was to force her to marry Boris, but God heard her prayers at the last moment. She however had to pay, and all the pain she endured now was the cost of it all.

On the road headed to the civil bureau's office, Camille had fought relentlessly inside the car, hopeful to get off his clutches, however Boris was ruthless, holding her down as much as possible. He had to tame her else she causes a scene at the civil registration. Boris asked his driver to pull over by the road before he turned to Camille.

" Camille, I thought you were a reasonable woman, old enough to get married, why are you suddenly acting like a little kid?" Boris asked as he trailed his fingers on the dark curly hair. His body was already getting excited just by the thought of having her entire body beneath him.

" I might be twenty three but that doesn't mean that I'm old enough to get married to you. Couldn't you find your age mate to get married to. Surely I'm the same age as your daughter or younger. Aren't you shameless to think that I'll accept this marriage," Camille responded, her eyes fierce. She had never accepted to be controlled her entire life, and this old fool wasn't an exception.

Boris held her cheeks and slowly raised her face so that they stared straight into each other's gazes. Compared to Boris's dark eyes, Camille had a set of beautiful hazel eyes, her alluring eyes could make any man crazy, Boris wasn't an exception. He moved forward at once and captured Camille's lips which caught her off guard. She tried to break free, hitting him hard on the chest, but he had only let go after bitting her lips.

Disgusted, Camille wiped off the metallic taste in her mouth with her cloth as she stared daggers at him. Boris smiled at her triumphantly. He tried to hold her cheek yet again but Camille became wild, throwing punches at him.

All hell broke lose when Boris lost all his cool. He hit her senselessly that all her face was bruised up. Camille couldn't fight anymore, she was tired and overpowered. She stopped fighting and leaned back on the car.

" Good girl. You have to learn to shut your mouth and follow all my instructions. You have to realize that you belong to me now, and no one can save you from me. Remember your mother sold you to me, you are my property . The sooner you realize that all your fights are futile the better.

In just a few minutes and you are going to sign your name against mine, nothing, absolutely nothing or no one will save you, so I expect that you'll obediently sign the marriage certificate." Boris said with a smirk as he trailed his fingers on her messed up hair.

Her face was all bruised up but all that didn't overshadow the angelic face she had.

" Abel step on it," Boris said to his driver.

Getting to the civil registration office, Camille stared to the ground as she followed quietly after Boris. Everything was already in place waiting for them, typical of a corrupt old man Boris was.

Camille signed her name against those of Boris. A single tear escaped her eyes, her heart shattered. She will get back at her. A strange glint passed through her eyes even as she boarded the car to her new home.

Back at Smith mansion, Dorca had just received two of her lady friends for their usual evening gossip and catching up with the happenings in their social circle.

" Dorca what about the black Mercedes parked outside? I didn't think you could buy one this soon especially since your step daughter just got married to Boris, I'm getting jealous already," Amanda said.

" Could you share your secret with us," Doreen added.

" Oh my, you guys just reminded me. A friend of mine had something delivered to me, I'm yet to see off his driver," Dorca lied before she got up.

" I'll be back, in the meantime you guys enjoy yourselves," Dorca said. They sat beside the pool as they enjoyed the cool evening breeze.

Dorca knocked on the window and stared hard at the old man.

" What the hell are you still waiting for, get out of my property," Dorca said angrily.

" Will all due respect ma'am, I'm only waiting for Mrs Dantez. What the hell is taking her so long?" Alex asked. He had been worried especially when Samantha hadn't gone out in five hours.

" Isn't she at her home, maybe she doesn't want to come with you so just leave before I call the cops on you," Dorca said impatiently.

" Alright ma'am, I'll leave," Alex responded respectfully before he had driven off.

Getting past the gate, he had made a phone call to Carmen, maybe she had Samantha's contacts and could find out exactly what was going on. Alex didn't fail to mention the little family drama back when they had arrived, and the fact that she could probably be in some kind of danger.

At Smith corporation, Herald just walked into his office after a long meeting with shareholders. Much of the company's finances had been embezzled with most of the shareholders threatening to pull out their investments. So far they were unable to find the culprit. They had covered their tracks pretty well with every possible lead ending at a dead end with the person dead.

Herald had known that his wife had a hand in this, but he hadn't confronted her yet. He had hoped to sort out everything with Samantha's marriage with Boris.

Exhausted he had slumbered into his chair and swang around. Just what the hell was happening in his life ever since he brought that woman back into his life?

A phone call had brought him back from his train of thoughts.

" Hello Mr. Smith," the person said.

Herald exhaled loudly before he responded.

" Yes, good evening, who is this and how many I help you?"

Herald just hoped that it wasn't one of his business associates again. He had had enough for the day.

" I'm Eliot Dantez, pardon me since we haven't met officially. I'm married to your daughter Samantha," Eliot said and paused.

" It's about time you called. I hope that my daughter is alright with you Mr. Dantez. You realize that it was a sharp mishap that had led to the marriage between you and my daughter Samantha." Herald said.

" Whatever you said is true, but about your daughter's safety I'm not sure about that. Currently she is at your home." Eliot replied curtly.

Herald just remembered that it was the last day that Boris had promised to pick up Camille.

" Mr. Smith, I hope nothing bad happens to her, she is mine now," Eliot said, his voice laced with hostility.

" Sure Mr. Dantez. But I was hoping to meet you to formalize things," Herald said.

" You don't need to worry about that. I'll come to you.

I'm sending my driver to pick her up. I'm hoping that after I've talked to you you'll have her released. Just moments ago her driver had been sent away by your wife. " Eliot said.

" What? Mr. Eliot I ..." Herald said but the call was already disconnected. Herald stood up at once and picked up his coat before he headed straight for the elevator.