CHAPTER 2

KLAIRE

I almost held my breath as I slowly exited my room.

It was dark all around. It was one o’clock and it was time for me to escape. Even my chest was throbbing with nervousness for fear that my father might catch us. But still I tried  to be brave.

I also wants to get away far from here. Be able to start a new life.

My Nana Rosa is waiting downstairs. The step I took was light trying not to make any noises. My Nana Rosa hugged me when I reached the ground. Her eyes are wet.

“Let’s go...” she whispered and nodded. We went to the kitchen together and went through the backdoor. Nana Rosa said that we would come out from behind the mansion.

There is a small gate there and Tata Felipe is waiting out there. The nervousness in my chest was not gone, but the excitement was there as well. The happiness that I can leave the cruelty of my own family is filling my heart. I will be free. I will be able to study and live without anyone hurting me.

Nana Rosa stopped as we were in front of the small gate. She grabbed both of my shoulders and make me faced her. Nana Rosa’s eyes were wet. Her nose also turns red from refraining from crying.

“When you come out of this gate don’t ever come back, Klaire. Do you understand?” she said in a rasping voice.

My eyes warmed. Nana Rosa has been my mother since I was born. She filled with all the love that my family could not afford to give at me.

“Have a happy life, Klaire...”

“Yes ... I-I will...” I nodded one after another and hugged her tightly.

We hugged for a while until Nana Rosa voluntarily let go of me.

“C-Come on...”

Nana Rosa wiped the tears from her eyes. Nana Rosa was about to open the door when it opened before she could.

We were both shocked to see my father’s angry face standing in front of them.

“D-Daddy...” I said with a trembling voice. We were both Nana Rosa who backed away.

Next to my father was the smiling Jane. Behind them were my father’s two staff while holding Tata Felipe who was kneeling on the floor with bruises and blood on his face.

“Felipe!” worried Nana Rosa calls her brother. But she is unable to take a step because like me, Nana Rosa also afraid of seeing anger at my father.

“Where are you going, Klaire? Are you going to run away from Daddy? To embarrass me?” my Father’s mouth growled as he said that. He slowly steps closer to me that makes me shaking with fear.

“Ahhh!” I exclaimed when my father’s strong tug on my hair.

“You stupid child!” my father angrily shout at my face and slapped me hard.

I landed on the floor. It was as if something was ringing in my ear with the force of the slap I received. I even tasted the blood on my cracked lip.

Jane immediately rushed at me and pulled me out of the floor.

“You thought you could escape?” Jane asked me with an evil smile on her lips. “I heard you talking about escaping with your Nana Rosa earlier!”

I bit my lip so hard as my tears flowed. Jane gave me another strong slap. I felt dizzy and my ears seemed to be deaf.

I lay on the floor as my sister continued attacking me. I could do nothing but ward off every slap and blow she gave me. My face was almost on the ground. Icouldn’t get up because Jane had run into me.

With blurred eyes I saw how my  father had mercilessly hurt my Nana Rosa. And it hurts more to see her hurt just because she wants to save me from my own family and I can’t do anything for Nana Rosa to save her from my father’s hands.

I NO LONGER knew what day or time it was. It was cold and dark to where I was. I was in the basement of the mansion. There were no windows so the darkness was already around me. My two hands were tied up in chains. That was almost numb with pain from a few days of being tied up in me.

My shirt is torn. It was dirty and full of blood. Every fiber of my body ached. Every day, I wakes up to the cold water being sprayed on me. This was followed by the whipping at my body.

I knew my back, thighs, and arms were full of wounds. I was so tired and I wanted to give up my life. Several times I begged to be killed just to end my suffering but my father just laughed at me.

I heard the creak of the door. The door slowly opened and the light from outside also gradually entered. I immediately closed my eyes, it was sore looking at the light after a long darkness. For a long time my eyes had become accustomed to the darkness so that I would be blinded when the light hit my eyes.

I almost shivered at the cold water that was thrown at me. My body trembled. Because I know next to that was the start of whipping.

But no whip hit my body. I was startled when I felt someone holding me. I tried to turn around and see who it was but my vision was blurred. I did not know who that person was until I lost consciousness again.

When I woke up I was already lying in bed. Next to me was my Nana Rosa who was quietly crying as she gently wiped me with a cotton piece of cloth.

My eyes immediately warmed up to see her. If it was a dream, I wished I would not wake up. I don’t want to go back from the torturing I was experiencing for the last days. I raised my hand to reached Nana’s hand. I want to hold her, feel her warm. I also wanted to asked if how was she. I wanted to say I was happy that I saw her again but I couldn’t. I am so week that even to open my lips hurt like hell.

“It’s good that you’re awake,” I heard Jane voice. She walked near me and sat beside me next to Nana Rosa.

“You’ve been learned your lesson, for sure?” She smirked. “You can’t escape your fate, Klaire. Will you be the wife of a monster. And Daddy? He will be even richer because of the money he will get from the Sanvictores.”

I looked at her in disbelief.

Jane grinned at me even more. I could also see the disgust in its eyes. “You’ll pay for why I didn’t have a whole family...” she grabbed my arm and I almost winced as her nail sank into my skin. “You’ll regret why you’re still alive, Klaire,” she said angrily. There were tears in the sister’s eyes. “Congratulations, because my news is that you will not only marry a monster but also a demon! I can’t wait for what will happen to you...”

I should be frightened but I did not feel afraid, I didn’t feel anything at all.  It’s just more physical and emotional pain I feels. I could not understand why Jane was so angry with me. Why does she want to ruin me, why is she so happy to marry me to a monster?

I did not want to lose our mother. If I could only trade, I would choose to be the one who died and not our mother.

I closed my eyes tightly. Is there anything more painful than the pain causes by my own family? Whatever my life might be in the hands of Jackson Sanvictores, I am ready.