Chapter 4

MICHIGAN POV

The beginning of my torment has begun. My whole life and my world has been taken from me.

Damien and Clara now rule over me like I'm some servant picked from the slum. They never cease the chance to bully me.

My husband went behind my back and married my kid sister. And Clara isn't ashamed of herself.

If truly she loved me like she always claimed then, she would have stood against Damien's desire to have her.

Or am I seeing it the wrong way?

Yes, it's not Damien's fault. It's my fault. I failed to see Clara's true nature from the start.

It all makes sense now.

I still remember when Damien and I just got married. I had called Clara over to stay with us but she grumbled over it and later agreed, saying she was doing it because of me.

That same day, Damien complained about her clinginess, and I blindly took it as her way of trying to be close to her brother in law.

But that was a lie.

Clara has been eyeing Damien for long and I didn't see it early. She was just waiting for the right time to strike, and she took advantage of my helplessness to achieve her goal.

I can't believe I allowed this upon myself. The one I trusted turned out to be the snake. She stole my home, my happiness, and my husband.

How could Clara do this to me after everything?

"You missed a spot, " Clara said, pouring her glass of juice on the floor.

I was busy mopping when she came in to show herself around. I've been ignoring her and she goes ahead to do this.

I tried to act like I didn't hear her, cleaning the other areas around.

"Didn't you hear me? I said clean this up!"

"Don't you dare order me around like your servant or I'll smack your face!" I growled at Clara from where she sat.

She widened her eyes at me, like one who was about to unleash her wrath. I ignored her, resuming my cleaning.

Only for me to hear the sound of glass shattering from behind. I turned and found Clara had dropped the glass and cut herself.

"Clara!" I called in fear of seeing the blood.

Clara screamed out, crying out loud. And that got Damien's attention. 

He came running into the living room with speed, pushing me aside to attend to Clara.

"What happened?" He questioned, helping her from the couch.

"She did this, " Clara blamed me for something I didn't do.

Before I could defend myself from Clara's lies, Damien slapped me across the face, sending me to the ground.

"How dare you? What did I tell you about touching Clara?!" He sparked, kicking my waist.

I cried and tried to get off the floor, but he kicked me right in the stomach, leaving me lying on the floor in pain.

"Try this again and I'll make you bleed. Come with me my love," He said, taking Clara away. 

I watched how both of them walked away, leaving me on the floor.

I carefully lifted myself from the ground to find my mouth bleeding.

I was too weak to clean any further so I had to sit down for some minutes, crying in pain.

This continued for the next six months. Clara kept looking for ways to get Damien to punish me. She just kept on increasing his hatred for me. 

Any slight quarrel with Clara, a raging Damien would attack and beat me to a pulp like I was nothing but a piece of trash in his home.

This harsh treatment now became a routine for Damien and Clara. Both of them would find a way to annoy me, so they could just insult or mistreat me cruelly.

And all I've been doing is defending myself and getting beaten to a pulp.

Six good months I've been living like this. Sometimes when I sit alone in my room, I wonder if I ever offended someone in the past to be facing such unfairness.

First, I can't give birth without having a miscarriage. Second, My sister and my husband now see me as a means of pouring their rage on.

"What did I do wrong, God? Was it a crime to help my husband out of shame by giving him my sister to bear us a child?" I questioned in pain.

At night, I was setting the dining table up with dinner. As the maid of the house in my husband's and sister's eyes, I now have to cook and do everything for them on time.

I was busy serving the meal, thinking about my life and where exactly all of these were heading when Clara stepped into the dining room with her big tummy, cat walking towards her seat.

"Why does this place smell awful?" She claimed, holding her nose.

I'm her sister after all and I know when she wants to start trouble.

"This room is so stinky. Where's my perfume?" She took out her spray and sprayed it right on me.

"What is the meaning of that? " I sparked at her action.

She gasped, saying, "So the smell is coming from you? No wonder I'm finding it hard to breathe. Do you want to kill my baby?"

I wanted to ignore her, but Clara just wasn't ready to let me off.

She tossed the pasta I had made to the floor, sparking my anger at once.

"CLARA!" I yelled, raising my hand to hit her across the face. But I stopped midway.

I just couldn't hit her.

"What happened now? Afraid my husband will give you another beating of your life?" Clara mocked me.

If only she knew why she was spared, otherwise I would have beaten her to the point of landing in the hospital.

But I can't risk the life of an innocent child. That's Damien's child in her womb.

"I'm glad you came to your senses. Now pick up this trash and make dinner fast. My husband will be on his way soon, " She said, crossing her arms.

I said nothing but left the room.

Now I have to make another meal before Damien returns.