My vision is vague as I try to fix my gaze on her with one thousand thousands of mental rejections. My legs are losing all the strength, but I am fighting all the weariness with everything in me.I would love to think that this is just an awful joke. That she knows nothing because I ensured my secret was safe. But her dauntless composure and the look in her eyes are relatively adequate to stop me from deluding myself.She is not prevaricating it. She knows it. And now that I think about it, that was why she spoke to me with so much chilly detest back there. Her ground to fire me was not what she said back there—that I was being incompetent in my job, which was a very cheap lie. It was this. Now it all makes sense. That was why she was so audacious and minacious. But how did she find out? Her son alone doesn’t know, or does he?“I see that you are appalled. Brace yourself because we are going to have a very long talk given that this will be your last day here.” She speaks after noticin
“There is no way you will stain our name! You are not worthy to bear the Mazur’s heir and my grandchild!” She says, and I see darkness for a minute.I then toss my qualms aside, hoping that I am overthinking. The paranoia surging in me is unwarranted. I am not thinking right.“I still don’t get you, Madam!” I say, my insides convulsing with deep curiosities.“Two things are for sure: you can never be Mazur, but you can make a fortune out of this. In return, you get rid of that thing inside your belly. No other person can ever find out that you were impregnated by a Mazur!”Heaven just broke loose! The ozone layers are producing some nauseous aura; that is why I am unable to breathe. My vision is becoming vague, my legs fail to support me completely, and I find myself slamming on the bed. My head is rebounding with assorted mental rejections. I am in general dumbfounded!I thought they were heartless and vicious, but to this magnitude? Never in a million years would I have thought. I s
“What are you offering? Or should I say, How much are you willing to pay for termination of the Mazur’s next heir?” I speak, summoning her notoriety to me.We lock eyes.This is the height of the wickedness and animosity in the whole world and in the eras to come, and it is such a pity that I had to be a victim of it. I am still in denial that they actually proposed this to me. That they really sat down, discussed things, and came up with such an abomination as a solution to this. It still bothers me to what extent they can stoop to protect their freaking image and reputation. I still want to believe that I am dreaming. That I am in a movie acting or watching a soap opera, but I think I should brace this bittersweet fact:The Mazur’s are not honorable people like I thought. They don’t deserve the high praise that the nation accords them. They are monstrous beasts in disguise. They are heartless and insensitive. They are selfish and careless. They don’t have hearts, and if they do, the
My phone beeps, and I lift my heavy head and drenched face from the soaked pillow. Again, I know what I said. That no tears again. But that blow from this family contravened my sleep throughout the night and summoned my tears from where I had locked them.How cruel can people ever be? How wrong can we be about someone? I loved Ray for three good years—three good years that I felt like I was on cloud nine because of the love that he showered me with. For me, it was not about the social standard nonsense or his name. I just loved him, and too much. I selflessly and senselessly loved him without caring about anything.I was hoping he would finally conquer his fears and introduce me to his family. I anticipated my child and him starting our happy family. I so much wanted to see the euphoric rapture from him when he learns that he would be a father soon. But all that turned into a nightmare. A bad dream. I was played for a big foolish idiot.But you know, I could accept everything, every s
“She did talk to me, Julie, but it is not because of any of the things you mentioned. I am leaving, because this is what is best for everyone.” I state, and her shoulders hang loose.“What? She…Ray…the baby? What happens to the baby? It deserves a father, Irma, and that is Ray. You are carrying the next heir of the Mazur. That baby is so much needed, so what’s this? The madam couldn’t have asked you to leave.” She battles to come to terms with the situation.The irony of her sentiments about the real situation, huh! If only she knew what this so-called madam did. If only she knew the animosity Ray has portrayed to me and his child...“Listen, Julie. The Mazurs do not need this baby. Not even Ray. I have no place here anymore. I am leaving.” I explain as plainly as possible, but the mental rejection is slapping her really badly. She can’t believe what I am saying.“But that is not what the madam said to me. She said…”“She lied to you, Julie. I am sorry that you did not see through her
Sleeveless red, silky dress that is sticking to her body as if sharing a deep kiss with her adorable curves. It stops way too up the knees, perfectly displaying her long model legs. Three-inch red stilettos. A red Gucci handbag. Black shades. Her long hair is dancing in the flow of the wind as she catwalks to wherever she is going.I can never forget this face, or should I say, my replacement. And what is with the outfit, huh? Is she going to a funeral, or what is with the red theme? The matchy-matchy thing is making her look too… I don’t know.I would love to know why she is here this early, but I guess that is no longer my business. Whether this is her wedding outfit or engagement shit, I don’t care.“I think I will take it from here, Julie. Go back to work so you won’t get into trouble.” I say to Julie, taking my bag from her.“Okay. Take care.” She says and turns to head back inside.I grab my two bags, dragging them behind me and wanting to disappear from this place as soon as th
The road towards home has been shorter than ever, or maybe it was me who was so engrossed in thoughts that I did not realize time passing by. It’s clocking nine in the morning as I take the street to my home after alighting the bus.Dread and anxiety are the only things refueling me. I can’t believe I have been gone for almost four years, and these people never even once tried calling me. And now I am heading back to them. I still hope that that is my home.I continue shuffling my weary legs and dejected self through the streets until I get to our gate. Nothing seems to have changed here, as far as I can see. People are still living in poverty. The heavens seem to have closed up and locked the blessings up the sky. The lands are extreme dry lands. There is not even a ray of hope for rain to pour anytime soon.When I stop at our compound, memories of my last moments here stop me on my tracks as they savagely surge in. These people threw me out the day after we buried my father. They st
Magda and her thick-skulled miniature stand in awe as Julie’s bag rests beside mine. She stands between me and them, her stature daring them.I am too in awe because, what is she doing here? Shouldn’t she be back in the city at the Mazur's mansion? How did she even find her way here? She is not from this place.“And who the hell are you?” Magda asks, cloaking her shock.“Your worst nightmare if you dare mess with my friend. How greedy and selfish can you people be, huh?” Julie speaks. She is too bold. And I admire her.“You talk as if you know us so well. What lies has this stupid girl told you about us?" Magda again.Lies? One only needs ordinary eyes to see their ruthlessness towards me. I don’t need to fabricate anything to make them look bad. They have done a good job parading their true colors ever since the beginning. Heaven and hell know that I have never painted them what they are not.“My eyes are enough to see for myself. I think she even underrated your cruelty. How can you
“And I will do everything I can to make sure you will never succeed, Mother!” Bravo! God bless this man for me.His mother snaps her face at him. “I cannot believe that you and your father had the audacity to defy my orders and go for this woman. Are you happy now? She has been here only for a few seconds, and she is already wrecking Havok. See how she is disrespecting me in front of even these pesky servants!"Oh, is she crying this early? It sucks, but it is interesting in a way. I mean, seeing her this way is a very heartfelt picture. And having her own son and her husband take my side gives me so much hilarity. I wonder where Ana is. She should be here to add more fun.“The problem is not about her dissecting you, Mrs. Mazur. The question is, do you have any respect for yourself? Do you have any shame, because even up to this point, I am trying to analyze just how a woman who is supposed to be my real mother could be so cruel and shameless to do what you did? So tell me, Mrs. Mazu
The drive has been so short and quiet. There is nothing that has been said throughout the seemingly short journey. Everyone has been engrossed in their own thoughts, except for Angel, who has been throwing questions here and there along the way.Coming into contact with the gate, Ray hoots, and the door opens. We drive in together with the jeep that is carrying our luggage.Taping our feet to the ground as we got out of the car, Angel was about to shout her awe at the place she would be living, but her glee was held at her throat by the sight of the antagonistic eyes of Ray’s mother and Tarah. They are here, gawking at us like they have loaded guns and their fingers on the trigger, ready to shoot us and send us to our next lives. If they didn’t have their hands crossed on their chests, I would have been forced to check and be weary of every slight movement. But I guess we are saved since there is no sense of guns. The bullets from their murderous eyes are totally harmless since I am u
That day. How can I leave all those memories of that moment behind? I cannot. I do not want to. Just like him. “I am carrying that one too.” I say.“Does that mean that it meant something to you?” He asks. You should see the hope and desperation in his eyes. I never liked the word miserable, but I like how it displays itself in his eyes. It gives them a look that would thaw anyone.I would like to get lost in them and swim through their walls and try to scour what more miseries lay deep there, but I guess there will be time for this and much more. Later? Yeah. When we surpass all these obstacles. When we are free to love and cherish each other without any worries or roadblocks, “I will ask the same thing that I asked your father, Ray. I know your father does not need any form of stress, and heaven knows I want none for him. But your mother and your wife are probably having a grave dug for me and my child the moment we step foot in that mansion. And you know I will not take any sh*t fr
It is that awful day. That day, I am closing yet another chapter and opening a new one of my unknown future. That day, we are saying goodbye to this house that has been our home for the last about six years. Sad, somehow.Darting my eyes around this house and this particular room, I won’t deny that I will not miss this place This is where I started my life all over again. Another phase of my life unfolded. I came into this house about six years ago. My heart was bleeding. I was torn. I was so broken and so lost. So confused. And most importantly, I am so bitter with myself, the world, and everything in general. The graph that depicted my fur was so obscure. I could not tell where I would end up with my baby. All that I knew was that I was a pregnant woman. A broken and broken potential motherI was a pregnant woman whose baby daddy had just toyed with and betrayed me in the most cruel way. That is what I knew back then. I was made to believe that, and I embraced that lie. I was about
“Mommy! Mommy! Mom!”Damn!I kick my duvet aside and get out of bed at a light speed. I hike to the door and open it as fast as I can ever do that, and Angel’s face greets me.“Angel? What is the problem? What happened?” I ask as I pull her inside, looking around for anything that is chasing her.“Nothing, mommy!”Nothing? She came all the way to my room, running and screaming my name this early morning, all for nothing. What time is it? I don’t have a wall clock on my face, so I grab my phone from under the pillow and check the time. Huh? Just twenty minutes past six in the morning? This is early, and she is awake? It's not even a school day.“Why are you still sleeping, mommy? What if Daddy comes to get us and we are not ready?” She asks.Ooh, that is it? The excitement? The glee. The enthusiasm and everything within the margins of that for the idea of living with her dad is what woke her up this early. My goodness! We have everything packed. Even the beds have been garbled, and we
“Okay. I suppose you have bought a gun, then? We really will need one unless you want to die in the hands of Mrs. Mazur and Ray’s wife, Irma. Goodness! I don’t like the kind of feeling that I am getting. We are technically throwing ourselves to the wolves.” Here comes Julie, the lamenter. The fear-freak little bitch She is scared to hell by this news that I just gave her.I know. I know. Yes, believe me, I do understand her. Everyone would look at this scenario from her perspective. Almost everyone would share her sentiments right now about this madness. All this is wrong. All is risky. Wait, risky, yes. Tick that one. But wrong? What exactly is wrong? Me granting an old, ailing man’s plea? Is my daughter getting what she truly deserves? What am I entitled to? Or the possibility of me and Ray perhaps just reuniting? Or is Ray performing his duties as a father to his only child?What exactly is wrong there? Nothing wrong with the above, right? We are just rewriting all the wrongs here.
“First, I need at least about three days to sort things out. I need to prepare my daughter for this first.” I say.I know she will be over the moon with the mind-boggling news of living with her father. I know how much she longs for this—to have her dad close. This will surely blow her mind off. And as early as now, despite the fights that await us ahead because of this, because I know it will evoke a catastrophe, I am happy for my daughter. And I will not deny her this golden chance, nor will I let anyone hinder her from enjoying this new life that she is so entitled to. It is her right. Nobody should stand in her way of this.“I understand. You can have the three days, but please, my dear, don’t take too long. I want to sort things out as early as possible.” Mr. Mazur says:I don’t understand what is chasing this man. Why does he want to speed up things like this? All the same, maybe it’s the need to clear his conscience. If that is the case, I will make sure he gets the peace that
“I was a very vibrant man when you last saw me, Irma. I was the man of the house. I held the sole authority to make you marry my son, and you two could be living happily with each other. No one could have dared go against my word. You wouldn’t need to sneak your hands under the table just to hold each other like your heart wants.”Shieeet! Damn! How does he know? I told you this man is so sharp-witted. I try to yank my hand away from Ray now that we have been caught, but I guess he is glad that we have actually been caught because he does not let go. He pins me more on him, and since I don’t want to arouse any more suspicions, I just let him have his way.I blush as I gaze I look back at Mr. Mazur, though. This is so embarrassing. The old man might be thinking about what we would be doing if there was no one around. But if only he knew that we had already sampled that sin. Sigh!“Instead of choosing what was right, which was my son’s happiness, I put my interests first, my legacy, my
So,their name had no stain, until I decided to stain it. They were stainless untill Irma decided to show up and now she is dragging their name into the mud. And they can not allow that. He is here to ask me to stop this war that I have started because it will stain their name more than it has already done.“I would like to know, do you have any proof of what you are accusing my wife of? Because if you don’t…”“I do have.” I cut him off, nicely, though, after remembering Ray told me not to abset him. “I would also like to let you know that I was not planning on causing any trouble for your family. I was minding my business and doing perfectly fine with my daughter without you all of you in the picture. Believe me, there was no way I would have chosen all this mess over the peace I had.” I explain.“I know. But now you are in this mess. What do you plan to do?”He asks.“I am sorry, Mr Mazur, but that I can not tell you. All I know is that your wife and your daughter-in-law will not leav