You Are Mine To Desecrate

Chapter 10-- Stepmother comes Knocking

The next morning when I woke up , I felt like I'd fallen asleep on a rollercoaster and woken mid-drop. My body was sore in the kind of way that came from tension, not a reckless sleep from a terrible mattress. My mind was both heavy and spinning, last night's heat still tangled up in the pit of my stomach.

I shuffled into the kitchen in a hoodie and loose PJ pants. My hair knotted into something halfway between a 'messy bun' and 'regret'.

The toast popped up just as I poured orange juice into a chipped glass. Yay! I'm back to my unhealthy and lazy eating diet.

A gentle, but firm knock vibrates my front door. Who could that be this early morning? Ohh yeah, the handy man. I had called him earlier today because I found out my ceiling was leaking from last night's rain. I have been stalling not to call him but yesterday's rain made my kitchen a little bit messy and I decided it was high time I actually fixed that ceiling.

I grabbed the toast and padded barefoot to the door, twisting the handle. I swung it open.

"Took you long enough...." The words stuck in my mouth when I saw who it was, draped in a cream cashmere coat belted at the waist, her nails lacquered in a shade that probably had a name like "Crimson Power". Her diamond earrings caught the pale light. Her blonde hair is tucked lightly into a chignon, pink lipstick painted on her thin lips and icy blue eyes.

"Goodmorning, Felicia," I greeted. "To what do I own the pleasure?"

She sniffs, unimpressed with my attitude, "it's freezing out her. Aren't you going to invite me in?"

I scowl. With clenched teeth, I smile, adjusting my body a little to the right to give her all the space she needs to get in. "Please," I gestured with my hands.

She swept in, her perfume hit me—floral,expensive and suffocating. Her gaze slid past me into the apartment, lingering on the bucket catching in the slow drip from the ceiling. Her lips curled into a smile.

"Still living like this?" She asked with sheer disgust evident in her face."It's quaint."

Quaint? Yeah, right. That's what people like Felicia called it when it meant pitiful.

"What do you want?" I asked, shutting the door harder than necessary.

My dear stepmother strolled into the kitchen, her eyes scanning the mismatched mugs in the counter, the peeling paint above the cooker, distaste evident on her pinched face. "Always straight to the point." She turned and smiled brightly at me. "I like that. But you should at least learn to host properly. I thought living with me would've taught you that a little warmth goes a long way."

"Is that why you are here? To give me home décor tips?"

She huffs at me, her heels clicking against tiles as she makes her way back to the sitting room not trying to hide her facial expression.

"You are going to get wrinkles on that face of yours if you keep staring at my apartment like that. Just say what you want and leave, please"

"Alright," she said, turning to look at me. " Since you are just being straight forward with me, I will do the same. "

"I appreciate that."

Her smile sharpened. "I'm here to give you a way out."

That made me still. " A way out of what? "

"Don't act dumb with me, Ava. You know what I'm talking about."

I kept quiet.

She took off her gloves slowly like every moment was a performance. She always acts so prim and proper. "I'm here to give you a way out of the mess you are in. We all know Morales Tech is slipping through your fingers. My son—your brother—can save it. All you have to do is to step aside."

I stared at her, really not surprised. "So you came all the way from wherever to tell me to quit my own company?"

" I didn't come to ask or tell you to quit, dear. Well, technically, yes it's almost the same thing."

I scoffed.

"Transition, "she announced, tilting her head, the diamonds at her ears winking. "And in return, you'll have ten million dollars. Enough to live well for the rest of your life without all this..." Her hand gestures vaguely at my kitchen like the sight of it offended and disgusted her. "... all these suffering. "

My stomach tightened. I clenched my teeth while praying to God for the patience to deal with her. "That's my mother's company for your information and…"

She interrupts me. "Yeah, I know, dear Ava. But it's just a name. And a name doesn't keep you warm at night. It doesn't stop the board from turning on you."

"That's none of your concern, Felicia. Like I said earlier, that company belongs to my mother and now it's mine. I'm not going to sell it to you or your cocky son. " I stated, standing my ground.

Her smile thinned. "You're stubborn. Just like her. And you might not like where it will land you in. Just like I trust she doesn't like where it landed her in too. "

I was confused . What did she mean by that? I let it slide because I wasn't in the mood to probe deeper.

She continued, " But stubbornness doesn't pay bills. Think about it—no more stress, no more fighting to prove yourself. You could have a beautiful house, travel to exotic places that clearly you've never been to. Hell, you can buy whatever you want."

"Can it buy a soul? " I asked flatly, " since apparently that's the going rate. "

Her gaze cooled. "Alright, I know the problem. How about twenty million and you can kiss all this... " Again, she scowled at my apartment. "... goodbye. "

For a heartbeat , the number almost rang in my ears. Twenty million could be enough to pay my bills and debts. I could buy a penthouse in City A where houses are expensive and never work again for the rest of my life.

But first, I'm not the type of girl to choose not to work and just enjoy her life. I love challenges here and there in my life sometimes. I hate it when my life is too peaceful. Yeah, weird right. And secondly, I can't just think of walking away from the only piece of my mother's legacy. The only legacy she left behind for me. I heard from the boards how my mother had toiled hard to build this company from scratch and I can't just let these motherfuckers have it. It was like picturing myself ripping out my own spine.

I face the windows. Rain drizzled and pattered against the glass. In a few minutes, there will be a heavy downpour. Thunder roars before a loud crack shakes the foundation of my apartment. It matches my mood perfectly.

"What do you have to say, Ava?" She pushes, her eyes boring a hole into the back of my skull.

I shake my head soundless with a bright smile on my face. "No, stepmother. I will find a way to pull the company back together like I promised. Don't you worry about me." I placed my hand on her arm. She cringed as if uncomfortable with my touch. I was expecting that reaction.

Her eyes narrowed. She tried to mirror my smile. "I just don't want you to regret this. I don't want you to be embarrassed later and end up blaming yourself."

My fake smile stretched widely above my face. "I wouldn't regret it, Felicia. That's a promise."

She slipped her gloves back on , each tug sharper than the last. "When it comes crashing down, don't come running to me."

"Trust me," I said, already opening the door , "I'd never make that mistake."

She swept past me, her heels clicking on the hallway tiles, the scent of her perfume lingering like a warning.

When I shut the door, the apartment felt too quiet again. The peaceful kind. All the confidence I felt earlier came crashing.This time there was no Alexander to blame for it—just the echo of a twenty million dollars I'd never seen and the stubborn, burning knowledge that I'd made the only choice I could live with.