It was indeed a set-up

Abigail’s POV

The next morning, I was in severe pain throughout my body, particularly in my lower body. I winced and slowly sat up, blinking my eyes open.

My eyes darted around the room. I felt a warm breath on my back and I spun around to see where it was coming from.

I caught sight of a man sleeping soundly in the bed with the sheets pulled up over his face. I gulped in fear and my heart began to race.

Where was I?

It didn’t take long for me to realize that I was naked under the sheets. Knowing what I had done, I began to weep.

What would my father think of me? And most especially my boyfriend, Ethan.

They would all call me a slut because I had sex with a stranger.

If anyone found out about this, then my life would be miserable and useless.

I was terrified of what people would think of me if they knew what had happened. They would probably see me as a promiscuous lady.

If my family learned about this, then I would be in serious trouble.

I bit my lip. “No one must know about this. I can’t tell anyone.” I had already made my decision, and that was to never step foot in the city again.

I got down from the bed, conscious of my naked body, before picking up my gown from the floor and putting it on.

***

In the late afternoon, I sobbed in my room. I had attempted to cover my red-rimmed eyes with make-up, but the tears streaming down my cheeks had smeared it.

My mascara ran in black streaks down my already puffy face. I tried to calm myself, to force myself to stop crying, but the tears kept coming.

My existence felt like a curse, and I wished for the ground to open and swallow me. I was no longer fit to stay in this home anymore.

“There is no point in staying here anymore,” I told myself as I wiped away my tears. “No one will see me in this city ever again.” I tried to steady my breathing, to regain some sense of control over my emotions.

“This is what my life has become” I bit my lip hard till I felt the metallic taste of blood. I hated myself at that moment and behaved myself like I was some trash.

I took all I needed, including my passport and some important documents that I would need at the airport, putting them inside my bag with some few clothes.

I sighed and took one last look at my room, before forcing open the door.

“Lovely sister…where are you going? We looked all over for you. We were so disappointed that you didn’t show up at your own birthday party. What happened to your face?” Lana, my stepsister questioned me with a sly smile on her face as she passed by.

Lana made her way to the chair and plopped her butt down on my soft fluffy bed.

Before I could respond, Lana continued, “Your evening must have been quite eventful. I’m sure you had a great time last night.” Her tone was mocking, her words dripping with sarcasm. I knew she was trying to provoke me, to get a reaction out of me. But I refused to give in to her games.

But then, she said something that made my heart shook dangerously. What did Lana mean by last night? Did she find out about it?

“What are you talking about?” I pretended not to understand what she was talking about and feigned confusion.

“Oh really? Then what are those bags for?” Lana pointed to my bags, and I rolled my eyes in return.

“Stay out of my business, “I warned before turning to leave for the exit, but I halted when I saw my stepmother at the entrance.

“Mom is here,” Lana said the moment she saw her mom, who looked to be in a great mood.

“You are a disgrace to our family! What are you still doing here? I expected you to have killed yourself. If it were me, I would drink poison and watch myself die slowly.” My stepmother shot me an icy glare, and I blinked back my tears.

“After engaging in such a disgraceful act, you still have the guts to show your face in this house. It’s a good thing my lovely daughter thought of a plan. I have been meaning to kick you out since the day you were born.”

Her words directed at me. I stared back at her. She was like a mother to me. I loved my stepmother even more than i loved my mother who was in the grave.

Though my biological mother was dead, I had come to love my stepmother just as much as I loved my father. And in my heart, I knew that she was the closest thing to a mother that I would ever have.

“Mother” in anguish, my words flowed freely from my mouth. I had never for once thought that my stepmother would say such words to me. The pain i felt was too much for me to bear.

“I am not your mother and I never will be,” my stepmother said coldly, her voice filled with contempt. “Your mother is dead and gone, and I could never love someone like you. You’re nothing but a disgrace. You’re just like her - a horrible, immoral woman.” I felt my heart sink as her words cut me to the core.

I sobbed as i realized that i had been betrayed by the people i loved wholeheartedly, “what have I done to deserve this? What have I done to you both?”

“Because everyone loves you and thinks you are the better sister. I also deserve to be loved. Father loves you more than he loves us… and guess what, I did this just to ruin your relationship with Ethan. I hate you, Abigail!” Lana spat viciously in my face and she felt happy to see me in pain.

I stared back at her in extreme shock. Even my stepsister was against me. Why did life have to be so cruel to me?

It felt like my energy had been drained from my body. I could only whisper softly. “It was never my fault that father loved me more. If you had always listened to him then he would love you too, Farewell, you both will pay for your sins.”

“Stop!” Lana stood up and went in front of me.

My eyes were already bloodshot red. “Get out of my way”

But Lana didn’t listen to my words. She hissed and then said," You can’t leave this house unless you make a brief confession on camera, telling the camera about your plans of never returning to the city."

“I am not going to do that!” I yelled, while trying to get past Lana, but she pulled me back forcefully.

“If you don’t do it, then we will leak your video. Do what we say or your dumb action will cost you a lot,” Lana warned, her statement breaking my heart.

Why were they bent on ruining my life? Releasing the video will cause my father to get a heart attack and it will ruin my father’s reputation.

I collapsed on the floor, i didn’t want to be the reason for my father’s downfall. Though the world was cruel to me, but i was unable to treat my father with such cruelty.

I slowly got back on my feet and wiped away the tears from my cheeks, then i stated firmly. “Start the camera”

Lana and my stepmother were delighted to hear my words. They quickly set the camera and started to record.

This was my last day in my home. After saying all they coerced me into saying, I permanently left my home and swore to never return.