Chapter Two: Family Betrayal

Trina's POV

Back at the mansion, I took a deep breath before entering the house that hadn't felt like home for the past several years. However, what I heard echoing from the living room made me freeze on my tracks.

“So, was your mission accomplished last night, princess? Did she fall for it?”

It was Dad.

“Of course!” giggled Stacy, “She's just so naive! She really thought I was trying to make her enjoy her first posh party!”

“Well done, darling!” chimed in Emily, “You did a tremendous job. I knew her beauty will come in handy sometime. I’m sure the investor will be pleased. Now all we have to do is wait for his call! We nailed this gig!”

“Thank you, mom. But you were the one who did the most splendid part. That aphrodisiac you gave me to spike her drink with is the bomb! You should have seen how she passionately jumped his bones like a she-wolf on heat! I had to turn off the live stream of the micro camera I placed on her dress when they started ripping off each other's clothes!”

“Oh yes it's the bomb! The vendor assured me that the aphrodisiac is so powerful and so potent that it can turn even the most saintly and chaste virgin into a desperate wanton siren! That goody-two-shoes, sweet and maidenly step-sister of yours never stood any chance of resisting the inevitable!”

As soon as Emily said that, a wave of vertigo overcame me so I quickly pressed my back against the wall. Naive? Beauty coming in handy? Investor? Drink? Potent aphrodisiac? No wonder I behaved like a wanton, sex-starved b*tch upon just seeing an insanely attractive man!

The pieces of the puzzle have now all come together. It was a set-up. They had planned this. Everything was part of their plot and I blindly and foolishly fell hook, line and sinker into their well laid trap!

Mason had warned me but I didn't listen to him and now, look where that has landed me. I lost not just my virginity but also my pride, my dignity all for nothing but the greed of my selfish, materialistic, conniving and wicked family.

By now, I should have gotten immune to getting hurt and feeling betrayed, after all that these people that call themselves my family have put me, my mom and Mason through– usurping my mom’s multi-billion dollar company, divorcing her, making her fall terribly sick and treating us like trash in our own mother’s ancestral home. But alas, I guess they still possess that power of hurting me because I felt pained. Really pained and furious…

I don't know when I burst into the luxuriously furnished living room, crying out,

“Dad, how could you? How could you do that to your own daughter?!”

The room instantly fell silent as they turned to face me, surprise etched on their faces.

“How could you do that to me, dad? Why? What did I do to deserve that?” I lamented, tears of anger and betrayal gushing out of my eyes.

Adrenaline coursed through my veins while my heart kept pounding at an alarming rate as my blood boiled with rage. Despite knowing how cruel these people are, I still couldn't believe what my ears just heard. The betrayal cut deeper than I ever imagined.

Stacy was the first to regain her voice as she smirked. “Aw, poor Trina! Sorry you had to hear that. You were just a pawn, you see, so you were never meant to know.”

“Shut up!” I don't know when I screamed at her, my anger getting the better of me.

As she retreated a step back in reflex, Dad addressed me.

“Calm down, Trina.”

“Calm down? You're seriously asking me to calm down after what you did? After selling me out?!”

“You don't understand, Trina” interjected Emily, in her characteristic smooth but cold voice, “It's for your own good. What you did was for the company and hence, for your future. You should be thanking us for helping you secure your future.”

I don't know when I snorted. “Thank you for throwing me to some stranger? For selling my pride, my dignity, my v-card? You must be out of your f*cking mind to say that!”

I could see the shocked looks on all their faces and I know it's because of my unusual rebellious outburst. But I don't give a damn about what they think anymore. There's a limit to everything and I have surely exceeded my tolerance limit. I'm done being their door mat! I have always been the sweet, obedient and docile daughter and step-daughter to them but not anymore. I'm truly done taking anymore of their bullshit!

“Katrina!” Yelled my dad, “Is that the way to talk to your mom?”

“My mom?” I let out a derisive snort. “This greedy witch can never be my mom!”

“Katrina Jacqueline Ryder!” My dad barked, and that was the only warning I got because the next thing I felt was a sharp, stinging blow against my face…

The slap stung and momentarily blinded me but as my vision returned back to normal, I saw Mason rushing towards us and in a matter of seconds, he was standing right there in front of me like a shield, with both hands spread out in the air, protectively.

With a defiant look in his eyes, he looked up at our much taller dad.

“Leave my sister alone! How dare you hit her? Haven't you guys done enough already?!”

Though Mason is just thirteen, he's much more bolder, courageous and daring than I could ever be. Most times I have to step in and stop him before he provokes our violent father or evil stepmother.

“Stay out of this, young man.” Dad ordered him, “Go back to your room. Now!”

But Mason is persistent. “No! I'm not moving an inch from here without my sister! I won't let you hit her ever again.”

From my peripheral view, I saw Emily signal to the two burly bodyguards standing by the door frame. And within seconds, my younger brother was firmly in their grip, screaming and dangling his legs in the air, trying his best to break free but to no avail. They were too strong for him.

As the bodyguards forced Mason to quieten down, Emily walked over to me with a calculating, cold look on her face, like a predator advancing towards its prey.