In Twenty Four Hours

Betrayed enormously, and feeling very down, she doesn't exit the room and just stays on the bed all day, thinking over and over again about the unfairness that had been meted out to her.

What could she have done?

Mark was her lover and boyfriend for years and now that they are about to marry, her own family comes in her way? The same family that was fawning over her not up to twenty four hours before?

Samantha kept moving and turning over and over again. When food delivery came in the afternoon, she didn't open the door for them to come in because, partly she had not even heard the door ring and food was most certainly the last thing on her mind at that moment.

Towards the evening, she stands up from the bed, wears her pink gown again from the night before and sets out to get answers to her questions and truths to what seems to be lies at the moment.

She earnestly wishes it's all just a silly prank that would be over as soon as she shows up at home. That her family will all just laugh and ask her if she had fallen for that prank but somehow, she just knew it wasn't possible.

The night stand with that man had been real, her fuzziness after that drink was all too clear and even the TV couldn't have been programmed to show a live conference at that particular time.

She takes a taxi, holding only her phone as that was the only thing that she had been in that room with. She pays the taxi man through a bank transfer and enters the mansion.

Walking into the gates, it seemed like her one night not at home had changed a lot of things.

For one, there were tons of canopies being erected, chairs and tables arranged underneath them.

The garden in front of the house transformed into a flower arch and a small pedestal laid under it.

It was obvious that a wedding was being planned.

Could it be...?

Ei. It was not possible. Not everything could have changed in that one night she had been absent.

But her eyes were not deceiving her.

She meets the eyes of her mother from afar. She stiffens and walks to meet her.

"Mum...? What's going on?"

Her mum stares at her for a second and raises her right hand and gives Samantha a stinging slap, calling the attention of everyone around outside in the garden.

"What? Mum? You're not my daughter anymore. Infact, you were never my daughter you whore."

Her mother's words hurt even more than the slap that has turned her small pale face red.

Samantha staggered backwards.

Words failing her, she struggled to find the words to express how hurt she is from the manipulation and mind games and then getting blamed by the world for something she didn't do or rather, something she was induced to do.

Just then, Taylor came out of the house in a red flowing gown.

"Mum? What do you think about this one for the feast or..." Her words trail off when she notices Samantha in front of her mum. "What are you doing here?" She asks with a face masked with disgust.

"This is my house as much as it's yours. Why would you ask me that?"

Taylor scoffs. "I guess you haven't heard the news yet. You've been disowned. Sam, you're no more a Stiles. Even if you still claim to be, you're no more a Stiles of this family."

Samantha frowns. She had seen the conference but didn't want to believe it.

"Where's Dad? Dad will take my side and get rid of the lies you two are forming."

"Aw. Cinderella wants her Daddy. Well, your Dad is in the living room. You can go meet him if you like."

Samantha scoffs and leaves for the house. As soon as she enters, the smell of delicious dishes being cooked in their large kitchen just makes her smile.

Who would have thought she'd miss home this much after leaving for just one night in the middle of this situation? It is comforting to be back home for Samantha.

She inhales deeply and enters deeper and sees her Dad reading the paper of the day. She smiles widely and walks up to meet him.

Her Dad looks up and sees her. His sudden facial expression makes her take two steps back in fear.

Samantha usually doesn't care whatever people say about her as long as her Dad believes her and this time, she wasn't expecting any difference.

"What are you doing here? Why don't you go spend the night with that man whore of yours?"

Samantha looks dejected at hearing those words from her Dad.

"Dad... What's happening? You have to believe me. It's not what it looks like." She pleads earnestly, hoping for her father's trust.

"Really? We all watched the CCTV camera as you entered the room of that man. I don't even want to know of the sins you committed with him."

"I was going to Mark's room. I didn't know I had the wrong room."

"Really? Am I supposed to believe that? Also, when you discovered it wasn't Mark, why didn't you come back out?"

Samantha had no answer and just sobs.

"See? Get out of my house this instant. I never want to set my eyes on your face again. The next time I do? God help me to not do what no father would do to his child. Out!"

Samantha drops to her knees. "Believe me Dad..."

"OUT!" He yells again and Samantha runs out of the house.

Outside, Taylor and her mum stands side by side, laughing at her.

Taylor beckons her to come.

"Hey Sam. Do you want to know something?"

Taylor reaches out to her, holding a cream coloured paper in her hands. Reluctant, Samantha takes it and reads it.

As soon as it's in her hands, she recognizes the document as the invitation letter that she had been handing out to invite people to her wedding.

But this one, her name had been crossed out and it was now Taylor Stiles.

"Do you think you could have Mark? I've had a crush on him ever since you first showed him to us on video call while you were in college." She pauses and fakely dusts her red gown.

"Today's the feast, tomorrow is the wedding. Same time, same venue but sadly, you can't do anything. What Taylor wants, Taylor gets."

She laughs along with her mum.

"Ah. Your things will be shipped to you wherever you are. We'll be happy to get rid of your traces in this house." Her mum chips in

Seeing them together, Samantha was completely confused.

What had changed in this family? They all used to be so happy...

Dejected, Samantha exits the Stiles mansion and leaves the compound entirely.

She had one more stop before she could totally give up.

Visiting Mark Fisher.

By now, he would be at work.

She hails another taxi and gets inside.

Her phone vibrates.

Any news right now would be appreciated because anything that could help her gain understanding of the situation is paramount.

She checks her message and sees its a credit alert from her bank.

Puzzled, she clicks on it and gasps.

Someone had sent her thirty thousand dollars.

What?!

Her phone suddenly starts to ring.

She almost bursts into tears as she picks up the phone.

"Hello Sam?"

"Renee..."

"I just heard what happened? Are you okay? Where are you?"

"I'm in a taxi on my way to Mark's office."

"What? No. That's a pathetic thing to do. You know what, get down in front of his workplace, I'll come pick you up."

"Thanks so much Renee. You're all I have left."

"You know you're all I have too. I'll see you soon."

Samantha sighed in part happiness that she still had someone she could look up to and then part because she was right about seeing Mark.

Soon enough, the taxi drops her in front of MF Enterprises.

She gets off after paying through a QR code.

The last time she had been there was just three days earlier, she had come to tell him about the hall and babble about the plans she had for him after they were finally married.

He had been so distracted that day.

Turning around to find somewhere to sit, she bumps into a man.

"I'm sor... Mark." She gasps and steps back.

He looks down at her with all hatred he could muster and shoves her away hardly.

Startled, Samantha loses her footing and tumbles to the ground.

She falls hard and grazes her elbow on the hard floor of the road. "Ouch!" She yells in pain.

He doesn't even offer to help her up and just regards her with disgust.

"Cheating whore."

In just the space of two hours, she has been verbally hurt by the people she loved the most.

Taylor, Her Mum, Her Dad and now Mark too.

Renee suddenly appears by her side and holds out a hand to her.

"You're a bastard for doing that to her." She spits at Mark venomously and takes shaking Samantha away from his sight.