CHANGE IN BEHAVIOR

Tricia POV

I stood by the window the next day, looking at what was going on. It was expected for me to come out, but Alex had told me to stay inside. He was angry when he told me that, and I wondered why.

Picking up his phone, I could see him angrily yell at someone, he was angry and I knew it.

I walked back to my bed, happy. Thankfully, Cherry had left for her house early this morning which meant I could have some breathing space. I remembered how she was while we were in high school, she loved me like no other, and stopped my brother whenever he wanted to attack me but as they say, people change.

Cherry suddenly changed to me during her final year. She was no longer loving and caring towards me. Everything I did was useless to her, and she reported every one of my moves to my brother who had just begun college.

Our parents died when I was in my third year of college, and this made me sad.

Alex stopped my education after their death, but I was lucky to be granted scholarship.

I heard a knock on my door interrupting my thoughts. It was Alex. He barged into the room immediately after knocking without waiting for my response, his normal way.

"Start your duty, Tricia," he said. "I'm hungry so start today by cooking."

He left my room immediately he said that word.

I walked to the kitchen and prepared some egg soup with assortment, and prepared the food.

After serving his food, I went to eat as Cherry wasn't here.

"Come, pack this plate, wash, and clean the area," Alex said.

He sounded like he was scared about something, but I didn't care. I left to begin the cleaning.

"I want to remind you that your husband will be here in some days," he said. "He runs a small organization, and isn't popular."

He began to laugh, looking at me.

"I am going to use you to milk him dry. You do not deserve a happy life."

I felt anger well up me, but there was nothing I could do. My mind went to what I had been pondering on for the last two weeks.

"Who killed our parents? How did they die?"

I was told that they were involved in an accident, but I knew father to be a good car rider, he was skilled in avoiding accidents. Definitely, someone planned their death.

I couldn't think much about it because of the loads of work I had to do. There was no friend for me as I had none so I couldn't escape this house.

Neither was I a salary earner so I couldn't rent or buy a house for myself. All I could do was, endure my suffering.

"Tricia!" I heard Alex call me from his room.

I rushed to meet him, and stood upright, staring at him. He was standing by the door of his room.

"Your husband needs your picture, " he said.

"I don't have a ...." I wanted to retort. "Alright, I will be seeing him tomorrow."

Alex smiled at me and shook his head.

"I do not know anymore," he said. "He told me that he is busy with work."

He laughed and added, "You know when someone has a small organization, they would need to work hard.

I felt like poking at his face, but maintained my cool.

"He has something, but you have nothing," I said and he slapped me.

"I have my own business, and I am not like you," he said. "Next time consider our age gap, I am twenty-five years old while you are twenty-two years old."

"You have been living under my roof since you finished college last year," he added. "You are jobless and heartless, inhumane."

With that, he kicked me on my knees, and walked into his room. He came out quickly with his phone and ordered me to stand up and smile like nothing happened.

He took my picture and then sent me to continue cleaning.

Tears streamed down my face as I continued cleaning. My knees were still hurting, making it hard for me to move.

My brother blamed me for our parents' death, but I wasn't at the scene of the accident.

They were dead before being taken to the hospital, where we all arrived to see their body. That was two years ago going to three years.

My body crashed as I remembered our parents. His mother, and our father.

"Why did you leave me to myself?" I asked, looking up as I paused cleaning.

My heart was heavy, but I knew that I needed to clean, making sure everywhere was neat before my brother came out.

I was done cleaning, the pain in my knee was excruciating and I needed to go to my room.

"Where are you going?" I heard someone ask and turned back. It was Alex.

"My knees hurt, and I want to take a bit of rest," I said.

Alex looked at me, and gave a thunderous laugh. He asked me if I wanted to watch cartoons or listen to music.

This got me confused as we had only one TV in the house, and it was the one placed in the living room.

"Alex, I do not understand. How is it going to help?"

"Oh, you need to forget about the pain," he said.

He walked to me, placed his hands on my shoulder, and switched on the TV, asking me what I want.

My heartbeat hastened as he hasn't been this soft to me ever since our parents died.

"Come on, sweet," he said taking me to the couch.

We began to watch a musical show together and heard a knock on the door. I was about getting up, but he told me to sit while he walked to open the door. It was Cherry.

She gave me an evil look and hugged Alex.

"We need to leave," she said to Alex who nodded.

He walked to me and turned off the TV.

"You should go to your room, but do not forget to prepare lunch before we come back," He said.

I was about to ask him for what time he would be back, but he already left.